I like that it’s instant speed so you can get some threat of activation for combat. Paying mana for counters would still be too clunky without the freecast of course, but I think the combination is likely to make this play very strong in a typical W section.
For those that don't know (I didn't), commit a crime targeting your opponent or anything they control (essentially) so in addition to normal draw spells removal will also pump this creature.
Counterspells work too which is pretty important for U. And so do abilities so you can loot a bunch with like, relic of progenitus taps or something.
Definitely a cool looter variant for U, I think the evasive vigilant body will be nough to get there even if the stats are sometimes low
I really like this card a lot in terms of design/play patterns but it’s almost impossible to fit reasonable cards into powermaxed boros after LTC (and if you put ajani there that makes the squeeze on the section even more wild)
With MH3 supporting energy in jeskai it’s quite possible that a lot of the fallout energy cards that look borderline right now end up more interesting in 3 months.
Just drawing Kellan would be worse than a card easily, if this was just like adventure UG extra land drop.
Just investigating would also be much worse, of course. But here you get both — it’s a card advantage instead of card neutral. That’s not going to universally beat out explore but I think it will in most shells pretty handily.
5/5 menace that makes 4 clues seems outrageously powerful imo. Sure you’ll want a low curve and probably try to sequence it later than t3 but that is absolutely fine
I also like the body more than twins thanks to the attack trigger.
The adventure is sometimes better sometimes worse than flicker, but I do like it more than exploration/spiral when you consider that it “draws” the Kellan. Simic is getting pretty right nowadays but I’d at least give this a test, there is a lot to like between being acceleration early, CA eventually, decent board impact and even interacting with opps permanents.
I think being able to fetch for card selection is actually pretty formidable. Tapped is brutal though, for sure. I think these might be the best always comes in tapped after triomes and some top manlands, and the top fetchables after abur shock triome —- which, yeah, isn’t going to cut it in 360 or 450 these days but maybe cracks some 540s with the right wants (gy/domain etc)
Crazy that we got something which competes with colonnade —- I will say that manlands are often the last thing I’m spending mana on when the difference between 4 and 6 is less notable than for casting a spell, and killing someone from 12 life in 3 turns vs like 4-5 turns with more vulnerable to burn is a big difference.
I do really like the map generation though, and this is better at threatening to snipe PWs/designations midgame. More of a tarpit style
Absent >>>> Partition > Lost >Absence in my estimation. I would want this to hit artifacts or to exile before trying particularly hard to find room.
I actually like Unexpectedly Absent the least out of all of these. I've been playing all the similar white removal spells for a while now and Unexpectedly Absent has been the worst performer by far. The WW in the mana cost can be a pain, as is paying extra mana to banish things like Minsc & Boo / initiative creatures because I really don't want my opponent to draw those again. Being able to hit artifacts isn't a big deal for me since a lot of other cards already cover that ground. I'm concerned most about is being able to hit creatures / planeswalkers at instant speed for 2 mana.
absent is the only 1-for-1 on the list which is pretty big game, tied for most flexible targeting, usually the best vs early creatures and rocks and by far the best vs cheated stuff. Not strictly better or anything of course but all in all one of W’s best removal spells in my experience while the other 3 are fillerish
I like that it’s instant speed so you can get some threat of activation for combat. Paying mana for counters would still be too clunky without the freecast of course, but I think the combination is likely to make this play very strong in a typical W section.
Counterspells work too which is pretty important for U. And so do abilities so you can loot a bunch with like, relic of progenitus taps or something.
Definitely a cool looter variant for U, I think the evasive vigilant body will be nough to get there even if the stats are sometimes low
Just investigating would also be much worse, of course. But here you get both — it’s a card advantage instead of card neutral. That’s not going to universally beat out explore but I think it will in most shells pretty handily.
Biggest issue in my eyes is it costs slightly harder than 1gw and most of the good Selesnya cards are at 1gw already 😵💫
The adventure is sometimes better sometimes worse than flicker, but I do like it more than exploration/spiral when you consider that it “draws” the Kellan. Simic is getting pretty right nowadays but I’d at least give this a test, there is a lot to like between being acceleration early, CA eventually, decent board impact and even interacting with opps permanents.
I do really like the map generation though, and this is better at threatening to snipe PWs/designations midgame. More of a tarpit style
absent is the only 1-for-1 on the list which is pretty big game, tied for most flexible targeting, usually the best vs early creatures and rocks and by far the best vs cheated stuff. Not strictly better or anything of course but all in all one of W’s best removal spells in my experience while the other 3 are fillerish