I feel so old...so old that I can remember MTGNews (where I was briefly a mod), which begat MTGSalvation, which will beget...something else, I suppose. End of an era indeed. While never a place for robust strategic conversation, it was THE place for spoilers for the last decade and a half or so, and a place I've been happy to call home.
I will miss this place, and will probably resist creating a new account in the new place before finally relenting in a few years after getting too sad to not be able to discuss Commander and rumored cards.
Farewell and RIP, 'Sally. It's been real.
- Hawk7915
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Member for 14 years, 3 months, and 1 day
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Dec 4, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on The Dos and Don'ts of Silver-Border CommanderI wish I owned a copy of this little gem, as "My Library is Riding the Dilu Horse" sounds like the most vaguely disturbing and awesome thing in the history of MtG.Posted in: Articles
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Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from GreenJobTzar »See your number one shows why the costume people are immaterial to the community, they only show up at high level events, therefore with CS gone, nothing was lost. No one is cosplaying at my kitchen table or any other. Saying someone playing dress up makes someone buy an intro deck is such a leap of logic even the worst digital marketing hack wouldn't try it.
And your number two, couldn't agree more. Harassment's just not happening at the players playing with cards level that people think it is unless one thinks social media reflects reality. Try going to you local LGS and be a salty POS. People will play the games for an event, but you're not going to participate much beyond pay to play.
If your LGS is rife with rape jokes, name and shame bruh. Can't find Jeremy doing it, though most of his content isn't great, but would love a link.
Fair that we've gotten pretty far into the weeds here. My LGS seems generally great, my wife hasn't run into issues there and has generally bowed out because she hates limited and we're too poor for constructed. I haven't seen much/hardly any of Jeremy's stuff. I've seen a few of Christina's pictures on WotC's social media page but this whole scandal is the first I've really heard of both of them. They'll be gone, and there will be new cosplayers and scumbags to take their place.
I do think there's room for improvement and inclusion, because data says that something like 35-40% of players are women, but only 1% of serious tournament players or even casual "weekend warriors" are women. Some of that may be legitimate gender and cultural differences, but some of it is almost certainly that women feel unwelcome at local FNMs. It doesn't take the extremes of rape jokes and threats to scare 'em off.
Still, we're way off the issue here. It seems like we're both generally in agreement that being civil is good and that we're here for the larger issue and have no actual buy-in on the individuals involved, and I concede that cosplay is a poor/nonexistant marketing tool as it's pretty niche even among nerds. I do think they should be treated with respect, but fair enough that paying cosplayers to come to events like Hascon is probably money better spent elsewhere (like on fixing Gatherer or improving development or getting mainstream press attention). -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from GreenJobTzar »That begs the question, what special accommodations need to be made for non-majority people? As far as I saw from 95-201X, none, but my group and LGS doesn't do any language policing, though we did make fun of the guy with waifu lands until he stopped using them.
I would say the people who demand things non game related do affect the game. Beyond salaries paid by wizards for content managers and other community management roles, money that could be spent on more RnD, better quality product and tourney prize support, we've already seen calls for wizards to pay adults to play dress-up.
So yes people who want to enjoy the game differently are detracting from the game by sapping finite resources. One could say they are growing the pie, but a worse product (ICM and other recent sets) is shrinking the pie more.
1) MaRo doesn't lie, and has repeatedly noted that "casuals" - folks who play for costumes and stories and flinging cards around their kitchen table - are the major audience of Magic the Gathering by a vast, vast magnitude. Super serious players who play professionally, and even semi-serious players who grind FNM every week, are an overall minority of the player population. It is THEIR enjoyment that funds the serious R&D to grind out good products and develop a game that rewards good play at the highest levels. While the recent Standard issues are likely in small part due to overtaxing the development team to serve a story team, the ability to hire new developers and refine/improve R&D with the Play Design team is due to the ever-growing sales from that story change, which has been a huge success for MtG's primary consumers.
2) I don't see why not hitting on people, commenting on their body shape and appearance, or "joking" about rape is an undue and unreasonable accommodation to expect in a professional setting, if you are dead-set on being the very best player beating the very best opponents. If your pleasure comes not from winning but from getting to be a dick to your opponents and drink their tears, you are at odds with the intent of the game. The author, and most female/colored/disabled players, are not asking you to treat them like Kings and Queens. They are asking you to treat them like adults and fellow players. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from Negator_402 »One major difference, and I hope you can appreciate this: heterosexuality is, FAR AND AWAY, the norm. Your analogy would make more sense if women (lets, for the sake of argument, make them all unattractive women) continually asked me out this poorly at a card tournament. It would be sad. If men hit on me, that would be very creepy, because they are presuming interest in homosexual activity, which is a minority. That would be like me handing out Planned Parenthood fliers in Iran, and wondering why I am getting shot.
There is also a public policy issue. We want humans to live in the US, interestingly enough. For that, we need people to, you know, mate! Unwanted advances are sad, and when made repeatedly, are in fact harassment. One-off failed pickup attempts are not, and punishing them will lead to more introversion from an already-introversive group. Should we not be encouraging players to date each other, rather than making women at Magic events sacred cows??
I can accept a middle ground: flirt with tact. At a bar, grossly creeping at a girl results in a drink tossing. At a card event, perhaps a shove? But banning that behavior is wrong.
I get what you're saying, and am all for tact. The point of the author, and many other eloquent folks in this thread, is that it is never "just you" playfully flirting and dropping it if she says no or says nothing. It is every. single. opponent. Every single time. My wife usually made clear she was with her husband, and got creeped on the few tournaments she has been to back when we were just engaged and long-distance so she was attending alone. The fact that it is a constant barrage from all parties means even the guy who says "Hey, you're cool, that game was great, let's get coffee sometime" (which I'd consider to be respectful, tactful, and focused on positive qualities instead of just having sex ASAP) can feel pretty unwelcome because you are in fact the 10th guy to proposition her that day. The truth is that the far too many men are NOT that tactful and respectful, and I get that's because they're nervous and awkward but that is a reason and not a terribly compelling excuse. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from Kryptnyt »That's fair. I didn't know about any Wolfenstein outcry. If there's flamethrowers in that game, it makes a lot more sense I guess. I still don't think Nazism has anything to do with cosplay however.
Yeah, I spend a ton of time on AV Club and most of my friends are hyper-liberal so I saw some of it. There is a legitimate phenomenon of making a tempest out of a tea kettle so I'm not sure how widespread the outcry REALLY was, but it was widespread enough to vaguely ping my radar so I understood that reference. Considering how fresh, and not well-disseminated, the reference is it would probably be good to edit the section to clarify. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from Negator_402 »What you just mentioned (that pickup line) is not harassment, and I fear for a world were that is considered such.
Context matters, so consider my post to be "unsolicited pick-up lines that clearly make the recipient uncomfortable" since sure, you might be flirting and it makes sense to drop old gems like this - but also, if all your pickup lines relate immediately to sex with someone who's just there to play Magic, perhaps you should find a few new ones. THAT's the overall point, really, of my thread here - many here are saying "just let me play cards, this is a game, leave politics and identity out of it", then defending dropping cheesy pick-up lines and trolling for sex with their female opponents who are also just there to play cards. You can't have it both ways. It can't just be a game when it makes you comfortable, and be about your out-of-game needs and wants when it makes you comfortable too.
I opted for a clean example in the interest of not getting a warning or infraction. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemPosted in: ArticlesQuote from Negator_402 »No, that is NOT what it is. I never mentioned feminism and its goods/ills once. I just want to be left alone and not having thought policing.
I know it's a tough line sometimes, but the issue here is that your privilege to be left alone ends when you harm someone else. If you say "hey, you look great in that dress but it'd look greater on my floor", your female opponent calling you on it or reporting you to a judge for unsportsmanlike conduct is no longer a "Thought Police" issue, it is an anti-harassment issue. Treating people with respect, decency, following the golden rule, etc, shouldn't BE a political issue, and the point of the article is that if you take this as an attack on your personal beliefs and politics, perhaps it is time to do some real soul searching regarding those beliefs and politics. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemThe full, in-context quote is:Posted in: Articles
"It should go without saying that if you feel personally attacked when someone denounces the Nazis, you ought to take a good, hard, long look inside yourself to find out where that Nazi sympathy comes from. And then you kill it with fire from a good, old-fashioned, American-made M1A1 flamethrower, a fine weapon responsible for killing many Nazis in the actual World War II."
In context, she refers to killing "those feelings of sympathy" with fire, and there is no advocacy of violence against Nazis. "Kill it with fire" is a common turn of phrase, and is here directed entirely as a metaphorical fire-bombing of negative attitudes some may possess, internally.
The "shoot Nazis in Normandy but not New York" bit is specifically referencing the outcry over Wolfenstein's recent release, which a handful of conservatives decried despite Wolfenstein being a long-running series predicated on shooting the hell out of Nazis (something it has in common with many, many, many other Triple A shooter titles on the market), as the context of a Nazi-controlled US still featuring Nazi-shooting was apparently too close to home for some. I admit the messaging is muddled by the long gap (she mentions the game in paragraph one, and the line, with no reference to the game, in her final paragraph), but there is no advocacy of violence here. An edit to make it clear she's referencing Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, however, may be beneficial. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemI suppose I can appreciate the desire to "face only the strongest". Christina doesn't even play so that's whatever. I would challenge the assumption that welcoming women, people of color, disabled people, etc to the community somehow will give you less worthy opposition. I'm also not sure that folks who enjoy the game differently (for its art, costumes, flavor, etc) should be made to feel unwelcome or be treated poorly when they won't ever dilute your tournament experience or environment.Posted in: Articles
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Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemI find it interesting that many posts here are to "keep politics out of my escapism". I understand and empathize with the sentiment. I come here to get away from the horror show that is modern politics and news. I generally prefer to tune out and avoid confrontation.Posted in: Articles
Here's the thing though; folks like Christina and the author are "bringing their liberal politics into your game" because you, or folks like you, started it.
I am a white man, so I have a limited perspective on many things, but I am also disabled and in a wheelchair. I have 100% had folks talk...real...real...slow to me, or make cracks about "feeling bad beating up on a cripple" at tournaments. I've let it mostly roll off my back or taken them aside and gently told them that that is very uncool of them, as my physical disability does not overly impact my cognitive functioning and it's a bit insulting to assume othewise. Are my opponents who do this immune to criticism? Am I injecting my "SJW politics" into the game by correcting them, or by posting this?
I would hope logically you'd answer "no, that's all fine and fair" - but then why is it wrong for Christina or Alexandra to similarly share their perspective and defend themselves? I would personally not have been as violent or blunt as the author either, but as someone who can only generally imagine what its like to be treated as "less than" every. single. minute of the day, since I get treated as "less than" a few times a week, I also don't really have the right to tell someone that their anger or protest is inappropriate. We can't endorse a community that does stuff like ask women "are you hear with your boyfriend/husband? You look GREAT in that dress. Are you free later? Do you know how to play? Do you just play for the pictures? Are you just doing this for attention from men?" AND also say "whoa, calm down lady, it's just a game" when they get upset at that treatment. -
Nov 30, 2017Hawk7915 posted a message on If You Can't Take Criticism of Jeremy Hambly, You're Part of the ProblemI was a bit nervous about the title here, but this article was dead-on. Many here are quick to say we need to protect valid criticism, but that wasn't the issue here. Christina didn't leave because of "criticism" - it's not like people were telling her she got the colors wrong or ought to have used metal instead of foam on her costume or she should switch to "Urban Decay" for makeup because it doesn't look as tacky and smeared after being in costume all day, or whatever and she couldn't take it. She left because of persistent harassment that crossed the line from respectful criticism to personal attack. The defense of criticism is a borderline non sequitur - it's like leaping into a discussion of how to prevent arson by adding "hey, just remember, roasting marshmallows in your backyard is great though. Let's just remember that some fires are helpful and maybe be a little easier on the arsonist, okay?"Posted in: Articles
The fact that there are so many comments here on MTGS are in defense of Jeremy, or a leap to "if you tell me I can't do as I please to others you are the oppressor and problem!!!!" is as depressing as it is utterly unsurprising. You hit the nail on the head. If you choose to spend your days protecting and defending Nazis, Fascists, rapists, misogynists, and internet trolls, even if you yourself feel you are NOT a Nazi, Fascist, rapist, misogynist, or troll, you can't be surprised to find that you are unwelcome in private communities due to the company YOU have chosen to keep, and the hill YOU have chosen to die on. You really should take a long, hard look at why you feel that this is the side you want to be on if you are uncomfortable with the labels that it entails.
One of the great lies of the 20th century is that all opinions are equal and sacred, that your ignorance is as valuable and valid as my knowledge, and that there is no objective truth. You are absolutely entitled to the opinion that Jeremy is right, that Christina is a crybaby, and that perhaps to go further, women are objects for your amusement or should only wear things that conform to your standards of beauty. You are also entitled to the opinion that the Earth is flat, but that isn't going to help you pass an Astronomy class or leap off the edge of the planet, and you are entitled to the opinion that gravity is a lie but that isn't going to let you take to the air on your own power. You're entitled to the opinion that all medicine is quackery and all nutrition is part of a conspiracy - take a decade off eating healthy and visiting doctors or taking any medicine and get back to me on how you feel. And you will face criticism by those that actually study, learn, research, and listen instead of forming a snap opinion based on their personal, anecdotal, and frequently privileged evidence. That criticism 100% means you will face consequences for sharing the opinions that underline and define Nazis, Fascists, rapists, pedophiles, and misogynists around the world.
I'd say that's the only misstep here. I am not calling you a Nazi - but your spirited defense of them is cause for concern and says a lot about your underlying beliefs and attitudes. If being lumped in with someone that, 10 years ago, we almost all agreed was synonymous with "punchable jerkwads and universal villains" is making you feel discomfort, perhaps it is your beliefs, and not my connecting of the dots, that is the problem. - To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I also think people voting based on the possible power of the card are just insane. We have no idea how we'll be doing mechanics this time, and if we go off our past crowd-sourcing we can see we're currently at 1 casual star, 1 constructed star, and one unplayable jank card from past YMTC. So #4 could literally go any way in terms of power and playability, regardless of what card type we pick. Being a land doesn't mean it will inherently be more powerful.
I would be stunned if Sliversmith made the cut, and Brood Sliver and Sliver Queen are ineligible for the set. So probably no there. Spirit tokens have a bit more of a chance: Forbidden Orchard is popular even with its recent FtV printing, and Promise of Bunrei was a super techy Ghost Dad card back in Kami-Rav standard.
For the Bat token, it has to be Skeletal Vampire. He was a champ mono-black finisher for his tenure in standard and remains a popular casual card.
For those complaining, consider this: it is probably not possible to include 15 Mythics and 53 rares and have each of them be a $7 plus card AND have the set be enjoyable and plausible to draft in a Pro Tour setting, especially given the restriction of 8th Edition -> Alara Reborn only. Additionally, if you pull sucky Vampire at rare but then have Kitchen Finks, Spell Snare, Jund Charm (as one example), you probably still came out on top. Additionally additionally, each pack is guaranteed to come with a foil which means you could pull Sucky Vampire and still get a rare, or crack like foil Spellstutter Sprite and one good uncommon and still make your money back.
A pack has 15 cards. In "normal" Magic you can ignore 14 of them. In Modern Masters that won't really be the case.
First, let's take a look at the anatomy of our chosen commander. He's a 3/3 for :2mana::symr::symr:, already putting him ahead of his mono-red competitors in terms of body size for a svelt cost. The big deal, however, is his tap ability. He taps to make X 1/1 goblin dork, where X is the number of goblins you already control. He always makes 1 dork (he counts himself), and with a good curve can easily be throwing down huge legions of little green men. From that ability, two things immediately leap out to us:
1) Krenko really, really wants haste. Ideally we want to give all our creatures haste, so that Krenko can immediately make dorks the turn he comes down, and those dorks can immediately attack.
2) Krenko can make a lot of creatures very quickly, making him an ideal leader for any engine that requires sacrificing. Krenko alone is a very nice token maker, but with support we can convert his ability into ":symtap:: Pyretic Ritual", ":symtap:: Tidings", ":symtap:: Giant Growth", or any number of other awesome tricks. Let's see the Breaker do that!
I guess that's enough talking for now. Let's see a list!
1 Krenko, Mob Boss
Krenko's Turf: 35
1 Sandstone Needle
1 Dwarven Ruins
1 Forgotten Cave
1 Smoldering Crater
1 Goblin Burrows
1 Teetering Peaks
29 Mountain
Krenko's Lieutenants - Swarm Pump Effects: 12
1 Signal Pest
1 Goblin Wardriver
1 Goblin Chieftain
1 Goblin King
1 Caterwauling Boggart
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
1 Kuldotha Ringleader
1 Quest for the Goblin Lord
1 Boggart Shenanigans
1 Shared Animosity
1 In the Web of War
1 Warstorm Surge
Time is Money - Other Haste-granters: 4
1 Hellraiser Goblin
1 Fervor
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Goblin Bushwacker
1 Goblin Chiurgeon
1 Goblin Sledder
1 Goblin Taskmaster
1 Mogg Raider
1 Skirk Prospector
1 Arms Dealer
1 Bloodmark Mentor
1 Dragon Fodder
1 Goblin Lookout
1 Krenko's Command
1 Mogg War Marshal
1 Skirk Drill Sergeant
1 Stingscourger
1 Sparksmith
1 Goblin Matron
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Mogg Alarm
1 Spikeshot Goblin
1 Clickslither
1 Horde of Boggarts
1 Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician
1 Tuktuk Scrapper
1 Goblin Rally
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Voracious Dragon
1 Predator Dragon
1 Goblin Marshal
1 Goblin Offensive
1 Skullclamp
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Sword of the Paruns
1 Umbral Mantle
1 Thornbite Staff
The Big Goodbye - Finisher Cards: 7
1 Goblin War Strike
1 Tears of Rage
1 Burn at the Stake
1 World at War
1 Fireball
1 Rolling Thunder
1 Comet Storm
Other Utility: 6
1 Brightstone Ritual
1 Aftershock
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Fire Diamond
1 Prismatic Lens
Stats:
Deckstats.net places the deck at a mere $18, with an average CMC of 2.83. Starcity Games places the price at a more believable $49.50.
The Strategy:
Late game, after you've picked off a foe or two, the deck's finishers can help seal the deal. Tears of Rage can make any creature (especially Krenko) huge for a one-shot attack. Burn at the Stake can easily be popping people for 20+ damage. X-spells can mop up the table. You also have Clickslither and a few big dragons to do the job. Nice, solid, simple, great in a duel, effective in multiplayer.
But then there's plan B.
Krenko can also go infinite. The linchpin of the main combo is Thornbite Staff. Once equipped with it, Krenko untaps whenever any creature dies. This has some horrific applications...
It's not infinite, but you can also draw a ton of cards per turn with Skullclamp and Carnage Altar, or blow up the world with Siege-gang Commander or Arms Dealer while still getting ahead on board presence.
That's not the deck's only infinite combo, either. Umbral Mantle or Sword of the Paruns on Krenko with a sacrifice for mana card can also do infinite things. For the Altar, you need 1 other goblin for infinite mana (and +infinity/+infinity for Krenko, is using Mantle), and 2 other goblins for infinite mana and infinite men. Prospector is more dicey, requiring Prospector + Krenko + 1 goblin to get +Inf/+Inf with Mantle, 2 other goblins for infinite mana or infinite tokens, and 3 other goblins to "have it all".
Note that all of the Thornbite Staff combos generate infinite goblins, and that all of these combos can kill someone without attacking or worrying about Aether Flash or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite if you have Boggart Shenanigans or Warstorm Surge on the battlefield.
Budget Fluctuations: Tweaking the Deck
Cheaper Alternatives:
- The first rule of cheaper alternatives: when in doubt, add a goblin. Don't let the goblin + token making count in the deck fall too low. The current list has 32 (including Krenko) and I would be reluctant to go much lower than that. There's plenty of cheap goblins out there, so feel free too slot them in!
- Other budget cards to consider if something in this list is too rich for your blood:
Upgrading the Deck:
First and foremost, the deck wants to get Krenko out fast and thus it is worth strongly considering Ancient Tomb, City of Traitors, and Sol Ring. If you're just getting into the format, Sol Rings should be your first purchase or trade target as they are good in almost every commander deck you can build.
There's some expensive goblins this deck would love, namely Warren Instigator, Goblin Lackey, Goblin Piledriver, Goblin Warchief, Goblin Sharpshooter, Legion Loyalist, Squee, Goblin Nabob, and Gempalm Incinerator. These are all staples in Legacy goblins and could really supercharge the deck. My first target would be the Warchief as he both grants haste and lets you flood the board faster.
There's also a few more really funny sacrifice engines out there that, while not hugely expensive, were omitted here. Goblin Bombardment is thematically appropriate and very powerful, as is Goblin Warrens.
Goblin Recruiter and Goblin Welder are both uniquely powerful creatures and are widely considered the best goblins ever. They'd both ask you to tweak your deck around a bit to get good mileage out of them (Recruiter wants Goblin Charbelcer, Welder wants more powerful artifacts), but could be worth it. For all the crap I've been giving him, Kiki-jiki is just as good here as he is in any mono-red deck.
You are mono-red, so one role taking on at the table is that of "hater". Stranglehold, Grafdigger's Cage, Null Rod, Blood Moon, Price of Progress, and Magus of the Moon can really put the breaks on a lot of opponents without hurting you at all.
Finally, as with most red decks, this deck is lacking card drawing and can vomit its hand onto the field very quickly. Chandra Ablaze, Sensation Gorger, Reforge the Soul, and the epic (and epicly expensive) Wheel of Fortune can help filter your hand and punish more controlling foes, while Gamble can provide another tutor option. Godo, Bandit Warlord isn't too pricey yet and all of your major combo pieces are equipment, so I'd consider him as well.
Yeah, my list is out of control. I picked what sounded cool. afterwards I realized that I had like $300 worth of cards there...but they said that they regret not printing Xiahou-Dun in Legends, so maybe one can dream?
I figured that "tournament winning" means a few won't be world champions, likely on those rare years where "The Deck To Beat" was "The Deck That Was Beaten" (something from Fires for Masques-Invasion standard, something from Counter-Burn for Ice Age-Mirage Standard, maybe a rebel for Saga-Mirage era?).
For your list, Outpost and Paradise are both on the reserved list unfortunately. The Mirage-Tempest era is also kinda awkward, since the major players from that year have either already seen a foil reprint (Reanimate, Scroll Rack, Jackal Pup) or are on the reserved list (Cursed Scroll, Survival of the Fittest, Recurring Nightmare). Tradewind Riders seems like a safe bet although I could see Living Death.
EDIT: I believe 2012 was Modern instead of Standard, with the "Magic Player's Championship" replacing Worlds. Jund won (of course).
I'd just like to +1 Clock of Omens, I don't get to play Commander often and I play Karn even less, but the card is certifiably insane in the deck and has been a key player in two of the decks three wins (in five total games).
She doesn't look much like Rayne to me, and Rayne was never a tournament staple...so I think Mother is a good guess, and Control Magic is an equally good guess, and Force of Will or Noble Hierarch are at least remote possibilities.
I also think we're more likely to see the exciting "all-stars" of a deck, and would wager that we'll only get 2-3 simple utility removal, discard, or counterspells (Terminate, Hymn to Tourach, Swords to Plowshares, etc)
Here's my wish list, based on researching all the different World's events:
2 Serra Angel
3 Force of Will
4 Control Magic
5 Tradewind Rider
6 Jace, the Mindsculptor
7 Bitterblossom
8 Hypnotic Specter
9 Goblin Piledriver
10 Wildfire
11 Noble Hierarch
12 Primeval Titan
13 Blazing Specter
14 Glare of Subdual
15 Psychatog
16 Arcbound Ravager
17 The Rack
18 Academy Ruins
19 Mishra's Factory
20 Rishadan Port
Pipe dream list is a pipe dream, so some "fair" substitutions that are lower in value might include Tangle Wire, Mystical Teachings, Disciple of the Vault, Profane Command, Order of Leitbur, Hammer of Bogardan, Counterspell, Hymn to Tourach, Kessig Wolf Run, Fires of Yavimaya, Wall of Blossoms, and Goblin Warchief. I also think Jace Beleren is a possibility as a nod to 2011 ("Jace versus Jace in a battle of the Jaces" being the shape of the tournament).
EDIT: In general I think we are unlikely to see cards that have already been in a FtV, unlikely to see cards that are widely banned (my list is a stretch with awesome blossom and JtMS), and unlikely to see cards that only got good in their respective formats post-rotation. I think we'll see a good mix of cards from the actual Champion decks and cards from "the deck to beat" of that year. And I think each color will get at least two cards although the FtV will, as always, be blue-heavy.
4 Brainstorm
4 Rune Snag
1 Recollect
2 Hinder
2 Fact or Fiction
1 Replenish
Artifacts: 10
4 Prophetic Prism
4 Chromatic Lantern
2 Engineered Explosives
Enchantments: 13
4 Sterling Grove
2 Detention Sphere
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Honden of Infinite Rage
1 Honden of Cleaning Fire
1 Honden of Night's Reach
1 Honden of Seeing Winds
1 Honden of Life's Web
1 Teferi's Moat
4 Island
2 Plains
1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Swamp
2 Breeding Pool
1 Watery Grave
1 Flooded Strand
1 Bloodstained Mire
2 Windswept Heath
1 Polluted Delta
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Hinterland Harbor
Not sure I have my Chromatic Lantern's laying around (I'm up to 5 or 6, but I have a ton of Commander decks and my fiance's curse deck is using several) so I'll substitute in Darksteel Ingot, Coldsteel Heart, Vessel of Endless Rest, or even some Keyrunes in as needed. Thoughts?
Based on your suggestions, what about this as a new starting point for my list?
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
Instants and Sorceries: 19
4 Preordain
4 Rune Snag
1 Treasured Find
3 Hinder
4 Kodama's Reach
2 Fact or Fiction
1 Replenish
2 Engineered Explosives
Enchantments: 12
4 Sterling Grove
2 Detention Sphere
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Honden of Infinite Rage
1 Honden of Cleaning Fire
1 Honden of Night's Reach
1 Honden of Seeing Winds
1 Honden of Life's Web
How does it look? The only question now is whether or not to axe Fact or Fiction, Explosives, Elder, and Reach and go for a full-tilt enchantress build, adding in +4 Utopia Sprawl, +2 Verdant Haven, +2 Dawn's Reflection, +3 Enchantress's Presence, +1 Argothian Enchantress, and then possibly dropping a few counters (the Hinders) for three more silver-bullet enchantments (likely Sphere of Safety, Declaration of Naught, Aura of Silence)
Delver is quick too, and tapping out for massive six and seven drops seems like a poor strategy to me. So I would also strongly consider cutting Elbrus and Frost Titan, fun though they are, for some more svelt creatures that fit your theme (Talrand, Sky Summoner, Talrand's Invocation, Dungeon Geists, Voidmage Husher) or for a few more bounce/removal spells (Dismember, Gut Shot, any of the above bounce spells, Rapid Hybridization).
Because your deck is so cheap now, I think the first money spell I'd try to pick up is either Vendilion Clique or Snapcaster Mage. Hope that helps!