I'm torn. I like that it also protects against Terminus, while simultaneously providing SOME benefit while in play. I don't like that it's unrealistic that aggro would want to spend T2 or T3 casting this.
I think Boros Charm is still the correct answer as sweeper protection.
Yet another card that protects Geist of Saint Traft. Value with Snapcaster Mage as it allows you to continue pressure, stay untapped, and continue to net card advantage with flashback.
Only concern is prohibitive mana cost, though it's not likely this is a card you want to cast early game anyways. This card plays a lot of roles in tempo and midrange-style decks. I think this certainly has a strong chance of seeing standard tournament play.
UW is considered Prohibitive in the RTR Block World of Perfect Mana?
Played a number of games online tonight and unfortunately.... its just not good. The fast aggro decks packing burn simply disrupt and get there faster than you can stabalize. Decks like BW zombies and Aristocrats disrupt too much while puttimg pressure on and everything else just goes too big. Back to the drawing board.
I did try out Essence and while it was fun and did win a match.... but it was slow to set up and really vulnerable. Swinging for 50+ trample first strike is hilarious though lol
So far... issue #1... Pillar and Searing Spear allllllll night long lol. MTGO is a little heavy on the RDW style decks which appear to be a pretty rough matchup
I considered Burning-Tree (on the sheer power level of the creature alone), however, the deck does not really utilize him that well, specifically due to the low count of 2 CMC creatures/spells. Getting out a Hellrider, Huntmaster, etc on T2 vs T3 isn't really powerful enough to devote numerous slots to a rampish combo that would take away from the consistency of the deck. A turn 3+ Burning Tree or Plunge would likely feel pretty bad.
I DID also consider an alternate plan including Battle Hymn + X Spell or something like Burn at the Stake for the snap-win. It almost seems too cute though.
Heh, Legion into Essence would certainly be something. Definitely more in the ramp shell idea of things, though I could see the Colonel Muster style Midrange list potentially as a better home for that (6 mana in the list I am attempting to build is going to be a bit tougher than the 25 land/6 dork/4 farseek Midrange shell).
This past week at FNM I was running a Naya Midrange (shocker!!!) list that is pretty similar to BBD's recent playtest deck "Colonel Muster" and was pretty impressed with Assemble the Legion. In conjunction with Gavony Township the card felt incredibly powerful in the current meta, providing a level of inevitability that most decks seemed to struggle to answer. Let's face it... there's not a lot of enchantment hate right now.
As the night went on, I started to look at potential synergies with the card and immediately thought of Champion of Llambholt, a card I had some decent success with (a few FNM wins, a 50+ person GPT win, etc) in a Naya Midrange shell (back in the day of Blade Splicer).
Additionally, Rubblebelt Raiders has seemed like a card too good to not be seeing any play. The same goes for Legion Loyalist, a card which I have joked about holding it's $5 price tag for so long despite not seeing any play. My explanation? The card is good, that is obvious... it's just that no one has found a viable home for it yet.
Effectively, this shell utilizes Assemble to grow both Champion and Raiders, while taking advantage of the "unblockable" clause of Champion and the Trample/1st Strike provided by Loyalist.
However, we are talking about a 5 drop that is rather slow and not realistically viable as a primary gameplan early on. The use of Avacyn's Pilgrim and Arbor Elf to both ramp into our 5 mana Enchantment, as well as provide counters on Llambolt, enable battalion on Loyalist, and add counters to Rubblebelt seems enough to make their inclusion viable.
Additionally, Gavony Township helps make the mana dorks at least respectable threats going long.
It is possible that Hellrider has a place in the list, as in conjunction with multiple small attackers, especially once Assemble is online, could be pretty devastating.
Obviously, the deck is a lot of 4 ofs and I'm not even going to pretend the manabase is tuned at all. This is a first step in the process. Frankly, I've always enjoyed how the MTGS forums work on taking a deck idea and tuning it, so long as there is at least a viable structure there.
A few concerns I have:
Power level of creatures - While the initial theory of utilizing Champion's unblockable clause in conjunction with multiple small creatures which grow through Gavony (or Rubblebelt doing it's thing) and Loyalist helping trample over potential chump blocks, filling the deck with small, underpowered creatures strictly to support that plan is likely going to lead to failure.
Weakness to sweepers - Early pressure will be hard to come by, and effective use of sweepers such as Supreme Verdict and Mizzium Mortars could be devastating. Boros Charm certainly helps, and Assemble the Legion does a good job of keeping the threats flowing. This may simply be an issue of learning to pilot the deck and knowing when to pick your spots and when to hold back.
Card drawing - While aggressive strategies generally do not utilize any card drawing, I can't help but feel the list needs some way to refill on gas. By the very nature of the deck it's going to want to dump it's hand, and peeling mana dorks after a board wipe is a pretty sickening feeling. I'm all for suggestions here. Triumph of Ferocity is a possibility, as is Domri Rade for his +1, and the potential to use the -2 on a grown Raiders/Champion to eliminate problem creatures.
Rancor - I honestly don't think it's even correct in this list... at all. Between Loyalist and Lambholt's abilities to prevent blocking (or make it downright painful for your opponent) it's likely that this slot should be devoted to something else more powerful, or something the deck needs more.
Anywho... Thoughts, suggestions, critiques, etc. It's certainly possible the idea itself is just bad, but there's definitely an interesting level of power available.
Gideon 2.0 is frankly a 4 mana do nothing. On paper, in a vaccum, when the moon is full and the wind blows from the east, he might actually accomplish what you want...
Realistically...
You play Gideon, +1 (5 counters) your opponent has 2 creatures on board, say, a 2/2 and a 3/3. Gideon goes to 7.
Your opponent untaps, and if he doesn't already have you on a serious clock, attacks Gideon (now down to 2 counters). This is only going to happen if for some reason Gideon is a better target than you are, which is pretty unlikely.
Ok, so let's put him in the deck that seems best designed for him. TURBO FOG! Wait... Skullcrack reads what? Damage can't be prevented? Oh... ok that's not going to be a deck, nevermind.
Speaking of Skullcrack...
You have your Gideon at 7 counters. Check him out. You +0 to Animate, in response, your opponent Skullcracks, redirecting to Gideon. Gideon's ability resolves... he's now a 4/4 and damage dealt to him by blockers WILL reduce his loyalty counters, as damage can no longer be prevented. Suddenly not very impressive.
This is all on top of the fact that he gets tempo blown out by Azorious Charm, straight exiled by Selesnya Charm, likely sacrificed through edict effects at instant speed, Oblivion Ringed, Detention Sphere'd, Zealous Conscripted, etc... ALL without having provided any impact to the board.
The niche cases in which Gideon 2.0 are pretty narrow, and the answers to him are everywhere, and are ALREADY being played for other things. He's essentially spash-hated out of the format before he ever touched a sleeve.
So. My friends have challenged me to create a standard soul sisters deck that is at least somewhat competitive. I'm not allowed to use any cards that will be out of standard when RTR comes out.
I'm stuck with the staples:
4 Inquisitor Exarch,
4 Leonin Relic-Warder
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Suture Priest
20 Plains
2 Divine Offering (My meta isn't artifact intensive. Probably taking this out.)
As you can see, I'm missing quite a bit of the deck. I have 38 cards, of 60.
So..suggestions?
I'm considering putting in some of the newer white token spells--Midnight Haunting and Gather the Townsfolk.
I'm a little confused by the wording above. You do not have 38 of 60. None of those cards (aside from Plains) is going to be Standard Legal...
As sad as I am to see it go, it is completely dead at rotation. There are simply no profitable interactions to build a deck around using the Artifacts which will remain in Standard, and without Artifacts, Trading Post doesn't really do anything.
Debating between the Green vs Black side of the color pie aside..
GB Regenerate each creature you control...
I actually mentioned this in my first draft idea of what the Golgari Charm could be, but decided that a 2 mana middle finger to Wrath effects was probably way too powerful.
Apparently, WoTC disagrees with me... and oh my that ability alone makes this charm AMAZING.
My question: what happens when the control player spends three hours in a mastebatory durdle? What does that look like?
Unfortunately, my mental image of this is pretty unexciting... Simply, control planeswalker ripping through pages of a spellbook (likely tearing out pages along the way) searching for that correct spell.
While this card doesn't do anything broken, the people poo-pooing its constructed applications are being a little shortsighted. Anything that gives value from the graveyard for 0 mana has the possibility of seeing constructed play. Ultimately the 0 scavenge cost is what puts it over the top. It could be a 0/1 and still have a possibility of seeing play, because in decks with lots of self-mill and looting effects (i.e. ISD-block fright and/or rites decks) it's just free value.
A golgari aggro deck with this, lol troll, splinterfright, rancor, abrupt decay, and the usual zombie suspects sounds absolutely bonkers:
Golgari Aggro Magical Christmas Land Scenario:
<<Truncated>>.
Eh... actually, Scavenging for 0 +1/+1 counters even at a cost of 0 isn't all that exciting
Izzet: Nivix Cyclops Goblin Test Pilot (oh come on, he's fun!)
Boros: Viashino Firstblade
Simic:
Orzhov: Sin Collector
Golgari:
Unless you count Varolz, the Scar-Striped and Vorel of the Hull Clade in the Golgari and Simic slots
I think Boros Charm is still the correct answer as sweeper protection.
UW is considered Prohibitive in the RTR Block World of Perfect Mana?
I did try out Essence and while it was fun and did win a match.... but it was slow to set up and really vulnerable. Swinging for 50+ trample first strike is hilarious though lol
I DID also consider an alternate plan including Battle Hymn + X Spell or something like Burn at the Stake for the snap-win. It almost seems too cute though.
Definitely an interesting idea though!
As the night went on, I started to look at potential synergies with the card and immediately thought of Champion of Llambholt, a card I had some decent success with (a few FNM wins, a 50+ person GPT win, etc) in a Naya Midrange shell (back in the day of Blade Splicer).
Additionally, Rubblebelt Raiders has seemed like a card too good to not be seeing any play. The same goes for Legion Loyalist, a card which I have joked about holding it's $5 price tag for so long despite not seeing any play. My explanation? The card is good, that is obvious... it's just that no one has found a viable home for it yet.
So we start with a basic shell of synergy:
Effectively, this shell utilizes Assemble to grow both Champion and Raiders, while taking advantage of the "unblockable" clause of Champion and the Trample/1st Strike provided by Loyalist.
However, we are talking about a 5 drop that is rather slow and not realistically viable as a primary gameplan early on. The use of Avacyn's Pilgrim and Arbor Elf to both ramp into our 5 mana Enchantment, as well as provide counters on Llambolt, enable battalion on Loyalist, and add counters to Rubblebelt seems enough to make their inclusion viable.
Additionally, Gavony Township helps make the mana dorks at least respectable threats going long.
It is possible that Hellrider has a place in the list, as in conjunction with multiple small attackers, especially once Assemble is online, could be pretty devastating.
Perhaps as a start:
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Arbor Elf
4 Champion of Llambholt
4 Loyal Legionist
4 Rubblebelt Raiders
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
3 Hellrider
3 Assemble the Legion
3 Rancor
Spells - 4
4 Boros Charm
Land - 23
4 Temple Garden
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Sunpetal Grove
2 Clifftop Retreat
2 Sacred Foundry
3 Gavony Township
Obviously, the deck is a lot of 4 ofs and I'm not even going to pretend the manabase is tuned at all. This is a first step in the process. Frankly, I've always enjoyed how the MTGS forums work on taking a deck idea and tuning it, so long as there is at least a viable structure there.
A few concerns I have:
Power level of creatures - While the initial theory of utilizing Champion's unblockable clause in conjunction with multiple small creatures which grow through Gavony (or Rubblebelt doing it's thing) and Loyalist helping trample over potential chump blocks, filling the deck with small, underpowered creatures strictly to support that plan is likely going to lead to failure.
Weakness to sweepers - Early pressure will be hard to come by, and effective use of sweepers such as Supreme Verdict and Mizzium Mortars could be devastating. Boros Charm certainly helps, and Assemble the Legion does a good job of keeping the threats flowing. This may simply be an issue of learning to pilot the deck and knowing when to pick your spots and when to hold back.
Card drawing - While aggressive strategies generally do not utilize any card drawing, I can't help but feel the list needs some way to refill on gas. By the very nature of the deck it's going to want to dump it's hand, and peeling mana dorks after a board wipe is a pretty sickening feeling. I'm all for suggestions here. Triumph of Ferocity is a possibility, as is Domri Rade for his +1, and the potential to use the -2 on a grown Raiders/Champion to eliminate problem creatures.
Rancor - I honestly don't think it's even correct in this list... at all. Between Loyalist and Lambholt's abilities to prevent blocking (or make it downright painful for your opponent) it's likely that this slot should be devoted to something else more powerful, or something the deck needs more.
Anywho... Thoughts, suggestions, critiques, etc. It's certainly possible the idea itself is just bad, but there's definitely an interesting level of power available.
Realistically...
You play Gideon, +1 (5 counters) your opponent has 2 creatures on board, say, a 2/2 and a 3/3. Gideon goes to 7.
Your opponent untaps, and if he doesn't already have you on a serious clock, attacks Gideon (now down to 2 counters). This is only going to happen if for some reason Gideon is a better target than you are, which is pretty unlikely.
Ok, so let's put him in the deck that seems best designed for him. TURBO FOG! Wait... Skullcrack reads what? Damage can't be prevented? Oh... ok that's not going to be a deck, nevermind.
Speaking of Skullcrack...
You have your Gideon at 7 counters. Check him out. You +0 to Animate, in response, your opponent Skullcracks, redirecting to Gideon. Gideon's ability resolves... he's now a 4/4 and damage dealt to him by blockers WILL reduce his loyalty counters, as damage can no longer be prevented. Suddenly not very impressive.
This is all on top of the fact that he gets tempo blown out by Azorious Charm, straight exiled by Selesnya Charm, likely sacrificed through edict effects at instant speed, Oblivion Ringed, Detention Sphere'd, Zealous Conscripted, etc... ALL without having provided any impact to the board.
The niche cases in which Gideon 2.0 are pretty narrow, and the answers to him are everywhere, and are ALREADY being played for other things. He's essentially spash-hated out of the format before he ever touched a sleeve.
I'm a little confused by the wording above. You do not have 38 of 60. None of those cards (aside from Plains) is going to be Standard Legal...
Ichor Wellspring Pristine Talisman Buried Ruin Phyrexian Metamorph Phyrexia's Core
As sad as I am to see it go, it is completely dead at rotation. There are simply no profitable interactions to build a deck around using the Artifacts which will remain in Standard, and without Artifacts, Trading Post doesn't really do anything.
GB Regenerate each creature you control...
I actually mentioned this in my first draft idea of what the Golgari Charm could be, but decided that a 2 mana middle finger to Wrath effects was probably way too powerful.
Apparently, WoTC disagrees with me... and oh my that ability alone makes this charm AMAZING.
Unfortunately, my mental image of this is pretty unexciting... Simply, control planeswalker ripping through pages of a spellbook (likely tearing out pages along the way) searching for that correct spell.
Eh... actually, Scavenging for 0 +1/+1 counters even at a cost of 0 isn't all that exciting