To add to Dorvan's response, each color has maybe a couple playable 2s in Aether Revolt, and they're not going to come around very late. Green has the most, but black has just one, and while other options exist in Kaladesh, it's only 1/3 of the draft pool now. I drafted BR in the top 8 of a pptq a couple weeks ago, and I was lucky to get the 2s I had, and it was at least somewhat thanks to a glut of them in my colors in Kaladesh and reading the draft well. After pack 2, I had a measly pair, and I prioritized them highly.
Chaser is easily the best common 2-drop in the set, as it simply outclasses every other option, synergizes with Improvise, crews vehicles well later, and adds energy, all at a low cost in a format that simply IS aggressive.
Nobody is claiming Cavalry is bad, but it's not so much better than other options at 5 that it's even in consideration over a card of Chaser's caliber.
Dorvan is right on this one. In high level drafts, prioritizing 2-drops is really important, and Chaser is one of the best in the set in one of the more preferable colors in the format.
It's an aggressive environment, and even if midrange or control decks exist, hedging toward aggression with a first pick is generally a far better strategic play than taking a 5-drop, unless the expensive option is significantly more powerful. Cavalry is fine, but it's absolutely not at a premium, nor is it likely even green's best common (Scrounging Bandar takes that crown, IMO). If this were Ridgescale Tusker, it wouldn't even be a conversation, for example.
I regret getting hyped up for Monstrous Onslaught, as I ended up cutting the card from my GW deck, which only had 2 ways to get 4 power on the board. I blame that user who hyped me up, since it's much closer to my initial evaluation of "insane if you have a 6 power guy on board, okay with 4 power, and bad with 3 or less power". The green implement did a ton of work throughout the day, since it just gave a random counter for free.
I was completely blown out by that card twice this weekend, and I scored a 4-for-1 with it myself the one time I cast it in the midnight prerelease. The format seemed slow enough that it wasn't necessary to rush its deployment, yet there were enough relevant "go wide" strategies to still push an opponent into a situation in which it deals a considerable blow to their board.
Admittedly, the Tusker and Crazy Train seemed better overall, but I still can't see myself passing Onslaught P1p1 often.
My primary concern is color balance, as green and black seemed very heavily represented, but most games I played yesterday were fun and interactive.
Played 3 events, opened an invention in every pool (but none of them limited playable), and went 5-0, 3-1-1, and 3-1. Played aggro GW, aggro GB, and wonky GW with 2 Consulate Dreadnought and 2 Aerial Modification for maximum hilarity. It was horrible, but very fun, and it won plenty of games.
I was really impressed by the combination of solid curves and interesting combat interactions, all while never feeling completely run over. Aether Poisoner is very good for the format at common, and the common vehicles in Aether Revolt are generally pretty awful, which balances things from the "lose to Freighter" nature of Kaladesh.
Be careful not to undervalue Unbridled Growth. I think that card will be sneakily good in this format, as it fixes a bit and allows for basically zero-risk, on-curve Revolt usage.
I also think the green X spell will be best on uncrewed vehicles and things like Puzzleknots, as it lessens the likelihood of removal blowouts.
With vehicles, creatures that grow in and due to combat, and the card being green, I think it's a bit shortsighted to expect the median to be that low. It's not a card that I expect to see slammed on turn 5, but when it is, it wouldn't surprise me if it's for 4 (just off of first thoughts, Peema Outrider, the new 2/3 that pumps on attack, and Renegade Freighter can easily allow this at common), and beyond that, 2 commons allow for it to hit for a whopping 6 on turn 6.
I also warn against underestimating the power of scaling, spreading, functionally undisruptable damage in a limited format out of a color that shouldn't be able to access it. Green's pool looks INSANE, and it already ranks as the best and deepest color in Kaladesh. The beast and train are obviously incredibly strong, but I'll always choose a spell like this over a creature if the power is comparable, and I'm worried it actually won't be, in that Onslaught will be simply unreal.
Assuming I'm reading it correctly, which I sincerely hope I'm not, Monstrous Onslaught looks unbelievably overpowered for an uncommon. If it's indeed unable to be disrupted by removal or bounce to lower the power measurement, then that card will often function like a slightly nerfed Plague Wind.
In general, this set looks dangerous from a balance standpoint, in that the power level at uncommon is astronomical. The last time that happened (Mirrodin Beseiged), drafts were incredibly imbalanced and determined by pack quality at each spot at the table.
Sad, but at least we had some good community moments and runs here. I'm shocked you aren't making a thousand-plus mile trip just to play some Magic!
In any case, I don't have very high hopes for the GP, so winning it probably isn't in the cards. We could get some great pools and run well, but even if we somehow crack the top 4, I haven't team drafted in probably 2+ years, and my teammates, while fine players in their own rights, are banking on me to captain things a bit. It'll be fun regardless!
Sheesh, seems like this place died. Well, if anyone still checks in here, I hope everyone is well!
I stopped by to see if anyone else was planning on attending GP DC in a few weeks. A couple friends and I decided to go, as team sealed is basically the most fun format ever, and I didn't know if anyone would be there and wanted to meet up and say hello.
I think Exploit is going to end up as one of my favorite mechanics ever. It's just so sweet!
I swept the three prerelease events I played, running UB twice and UW once. I'm with Sene, in that it all felt fairly interactive and fun. Hopefully that maintains for a while.
The thing is, I don't see the format as being shaken up. KTK was shaking it up. Now it's just back to pre-KTK, minus Pod plus Rhino. Which means (compared to pre-KTK metagame) Junk got a bit stronger (probably pushing out Jund and BG) and Pod is obviously gone. Does this allow anything new into the format? I'm not seeing it. Zoo has a traditionally poor match-up against both Twin and Affinity, and I don't think it'll do particuarly well against Rhino-Junk. UWR also isn't it's best match-up. So it's just back to the pre-KTK decks minus Pod. Which is the meta we've had for about two years. TC and DTT shook up the format, but only for four months - it's not like anything had stabilized.
Speaking of the thread title, can we please have:
[Limited] We can still cast Treasure Cruise.
I was talking to a friend about this, and I agree completely about the Pod ban. BG is a hallmark archetype in modern, and while the variations on it (splashing 0-3 colors, basically) were generally subtle metagame calls, the existence of Pod created tension and unpredictability to early game plays. Now, a turn 1 Verdant Catacombs means BGx, and it's unlikely to be much else. If they had unbanned Bloodbraid Elf, at least Jund could've reemerged and stood aside from Junk a bit, but even that's a relatively subtle difference.
I don't really play modern, but I enjoy theorycrafting and discussing stuff like this, so I might be off base with some of this stuff, but I just don't understand the concept of change for change's sake, especially given how robust the secondary market is and how risky this makes engaging in it. I know Wizards doesn't directly concern themselves with singles sales and whatnot, but their health depends pretty heavily on the health of outlets like TCGplayer and Starcity, even if they may not publicly admit it.
I like the Treasure Cruise clan name, but that's likely because the Birthing Pod ban doesn't affect limited in the slightest. In fact, given the online cube, we shouldn't really be missing it much at all!
2HG, and our opponents cast Citadel Siege, naming Khans. They pump their single guy and pass the turn.
We untap, my teammate checks whether the coast is clear by playing an Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, and when nothing happens, I cast Clever Impersonator copying the Siege and naming Dragons.
I dunno, it's 6 mana before you get your first 2/2. Of course it's going to win a stalled out game by flooding the board with 2/2s but that's ignoring the downside that it's glacially slow against a tempo deck. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good, but not a real standout.
Also please try to remember that 99% of card evaluations for the next week or so are based on a very weird Sealed format with seeded packs AND weighted toward Fate Reforged -- a set no one is familiar with. Let's see what happens as an actual format shakes out before declaring this card "insane."
This.
The card is fine, and it certainly goes up in value in a grindy format, but draft tends to reward tempo more than sealed, and this thing only really starts dominating at 8 mana. It's a fine card, but there are plenty of cards you can justify picking above it, even in it's own color (namely Valorous Stance).
Hi everyone! I just wanted to pop by to say I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season and that your new year has started off well. I've been prioritizing other stuff more than Magic recently (lots of teaching plan work, taking care of new pet rabbits, Hearthstone, video games, etc.), but I'm thinking about starting to draft a little more regularly starting soon.
I'm not sure how I feel about Manifest. I played four prerelease events yesterday (because I'm insane), and while I enjoyed them, and while Manifest absolutely didn't break the game, it felt a little like Morph did in Onslaught block. The problem I had there was that there was such an overload of the mechanic in the set and block, it became nearly impossible to actually intuitively play around potential flips. I think they absolutely nailed it in Khans, as the ones they printed aren't overpowered and offer a ton of play on both sides of the table. Manifest changes that, as it basically makes the "what could it be" metagame a complete joke and an impossible one to win. Additionally, maybe it's just my sensibilities, but I didn't really like seeing boards clogged with two different kinds of face down creatures. It just seemed...wrong somehow.
I love the Lens of Clarity discussion, but I also agree that it won't be worth a card. Manifested guys will be relatively meaningless most of the time (less so when created through controlled effects like Write into Being, of course, but the point stands), and treating them like bears is probably correct in most situations. If I'm wrong, then the card that will go up in value will be Smoke Teller, I'd say.
Anyway, I guess this turned into a bit more of a popping by, but as I started typing, I realized I missed it here! It's great to hear that Tahn and Sene are getting back into the swing of things, as it makes coverage more worth my attention now!
Man, I've been completely blind to Magic lately. I've gotten really into Destiny on my PS4, and I'm really enjoying that, but it's been at the expense of paying any real attention to Magic. I'll be playing a PTQ on Sunday, but that's simply due to it being very nearby. I've drafted this set a few times and enjoy it, but there's basically no chance I'll be winning this thing, so I'm guessing my general apathy about the game will continue until the next "local" GP or prerelease.
Chaser is easily the best common 2-drop in the set, as it simply outclasses every other option, synergizes with Improvise, crews vehicles well later, and adds energy, all at a low cost in a format that simply IS aggressive.
Nobody is claiming Cavalry is bad, but it's not so much better than other options at 5 that it's even in consideration over a card of Chaser's caliber.
It's an aggressive environment, and even if midrange or control decks exist, hedging toward aggression with a first pick is generally a far better strategic play than taking a 5-drop, unless the expensive option is significantly more powerful. Cavalry is fine, but it's absolutely not at a premium, nor is it likely even green's best common (Scrounging Bandar takes that crown, IMO). If this were Ridgescale Tusker, it wouldn't even be a conversation, for example.
I was completely blown out by that card twice this weekend, and I scored a 4-for-1 with it myself the one time I cast it in the midnight prerelease. The format seemed slow enough that it wasn't necessary to rush its deployment, yet there were enough relevant "go wide" strategies to still push an opponent into a situation in which it deals a considerable blow to their board.
Admittedly, the Tusker and Crazy Train seemed better overall, but I still can't see myself passing Onslaught P1p1 often.
Played 3 events, opened an invention in every pool (but none of them limited playable), and went 5-0, 3-1-1, and 3-1. Played aggro GW, aggro GB, and wonky GW with 2 Consulate Dreadnought and 2 Aerial Modification for maximum hilarity. It was horrible, but very fun, and it won plenty of games.
I was really impressed by the combination of solid curves and interesting combat interactions, all while never feeling completely run over. Aether Poisoner is very good for the format at common, and the common vehicles in Aether Revolt are generally pretty awful, which balances things from the "lose to Freighter" nature of Kaladesh.
I also think the green X spell will be best on uncrewed vehicles and things like Puzzleknots, as it lessens the likelihood of removal blowouts.
Really nice review overall!
I also warn against underestimating the power of scaling, spreading, functionally undisruptable damage in a limited format out of a color that shouldn't be able to access it. Green's pool looks INSANE, and it already ranks as the best and deepest color in Kaladesh. The beast and train are obviously incredibly strong, but I'll always choose a spell like this over a creature if the power is comparable, and I'm worried it actually won't be, in that Onslaught will be simply unreal.
In general, this set looks dangerous from a balance standpoint, in that the power level at uncommon is astronomical. The last time that happened (Mirrodin Beseiged), drafts were incredibly imbalanced and determined by pack quality at each spot at the table.
In any case, I don't have very high hopes for the GP, so winning it probably isn't in the cards. We could get some great pools and run well, but even if we somehow crack the top 4, I haven't team drafted in probably 2+ years, and my teammates, while fine players in their own rights, are banking on me to captain things a bit. It'll be fun regardless!
I stopped by to see if anyone else was planning on attending GP DC in a few weeks. A couple friends and I decided to go, as team sealed is basically the most fun format ever, and I didn't know if anyone would be there and wanted to meet up and say hello.
Take care everyone!
I swept the three prerelease events I played, running UB twice and UW once. I'm with Sene, in that it all felt fairly interactive and fun. Hopefully that maintains for a while.
I was talking to a friend about this, and I agree completely about the Pod ban. BG is a hallmark archetype in modern, and while the variations on it (splashing 0-3 colors, basically) were generally subtle metagame calls, the existence of Pod created tension and unpredictability to early game plays. Now, a turn 1 Verdant Catacombs means BGx, and it's unlikely to be much else. If they had unbanned Bloodbraid Elf, at least Jund could've reemerged and stood aside from Junk a bit, but even that's a relatively subtle difference.
I don't really play modern, but I enjoy theorycrafting and discussing stuff like this, so I might be off base with some of this stuff, but I just don't understand the concept of change for change's sake, especially given how robust the secondary market is and how risky this makes engaging in it. I know Wizards doesn't directly concern themselves with singles sales and whatnot, but their health depends pretty heavily on the health of outlets like TCGplayer and Starcity, even if they may not publicly admit it.
I like the Treasure Cruise clan name, but that's likely because the Birthing Pod ban doesn't affect limited in the slightest. In fact, given the online cube, we shouldn't really be missing it much at all!
We untap, my teammate checks whether the coast is clear by playing an Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, and when nothing happens, I cast Clever Impersonator copying the Siege and naming Dragons.
That worked out juuuuuuust fine.
This.
The card is fine, and it certainly goes up in value in a grindy format, but draft tends to reward tempo more than sealed, and this thing only really starts dominating at 8 mana. It's a fine card, but there are plenty of cards you can justify picking above it, even in it's own color (namely Valorous Stance).
I'm not sure how I feel about Manifest. I played four prerelease events yesterday (because I'm insane), and while I enjoyed them, and while Manifest absolutely didn't break the game, it felt a little like Morph did in Onslaught block. The problem I had there was that there was such an overload of the mechanic in the set and block, it became nearly impossible to actually intuitively play around potential flips. I think they absolutely nailed it in Khans, as the ones they printed aren't overpowered and offer a ton of play on both sides of the table. Manifest changes that, as it basically makes the "what could it be" metagame a complete joke and an impossible one to win. Additionally, maybe it's just my sensibilities, but I didn't really like seeing boards clogged with two different kinds of face down creatures. It just seemed...wrong somehow.
I love the Lens of Clarity discussion, but I also agree that it won't be worth a card. Manifested guys will be relatively meaningless most of the time (less so when created through controlled effects like Write into Being, of course, but the point stands), and treating them like bears is probably correct in most situations. If I'm wrong, then the card that will go up in value will be Smoke Teller, I'd say.
Anyway, I guess this turned into a bit more of a popping by, but as I started typing, I realized I missed it here! It's great to hear that Tahn and Sene are getting back into the swing of things, as it makes coverage more worth my attention now!
Hope everyone here is doing well!