I'm new to mapping so I really have no clue how to figure out the math of this stuff, but I did notice that there wasn't a single box on this forum containing both a Reaper From The Abyss and a Liliana of the Veil. I guess if you pull Reaper you know you won't be getting the chase mythic.
I think one thing people are overlooking is that you're not paying 4 mana for what's effectively a Baneslayer Angel... you're paying 4 mana for what's effectively a Baneslayer Angel WITH HASTE.
Imagine a turn 3 Mirran Crusader, turn 4 Angelic Destiny? You now have a 6/6 flying, double strike, pro black and green, that - unless you're playing against red - is unlikely to get instant-speed removed in standard due to its protection from black. AND IT CAN ATTACK THAT TURN.
Or, if red starts dominating the format, how about a turn 1 Gladecover Scout (the M12 1/1 hexproof for 1), turn 2 Rampant Growth or other rampy effect, and then turn 3 Angelic Destiny? Now you've got a 5/5 flying first-strike hexproof, again, attacking that same turn.
Say what you will about the swords, great as they are, but without Stoneforge Mystic to cheat them into play, you're attacking with them turn four at the earliest, and unless you have the right protections you're likely to get blocked. At least with this, you have built-in combat evasion and a guarantee that if your creature survives the resolution, you're attacking with it right away.
Maybe this won't see heavy play, but I definitely think it's being underestimated by being compared with the swords. I definitely don't think it's worse than they are, even if it's not necessarily better. It just does things much differently. Depending on the 2-3 mana cost creatures coming out in M12, this could prove to be quite a potent weapon against decks that take a few turns to set up.
Surprised nobody has commented on the very interesting fact that not only are they putting mythics other than the legends in these boxes, but also that there's a planeswalker in it too! This marks the first occasion (besides the duel decks, which had very low print runs and often got marked up at LGSs) that Planeswalkers are easily accessible to the casual market. Assuming that they try to balance each deck, which planeswalkers will we see in the other decks? Lorwyn 5? Or will they make things more interesting than that and include more interesting and necessary cards like Elspeth, Knight Errant or Koth of the Hammer (maybe less likely on the latter, if they want to kill sales on Scars of Mirrodin packs).
Oh god, don't get me started on naming cards that are disgusting in conjunction with the Colossus. I don't even want to think about how quickly this thing can win you the game in other formats if you can cheat it out turn 3-4 in Standard.
Fling deals the damage, which is not poison damage. Nice try
Quite right! I was thinking of the wording for Soul's Fire.
Whatever, then just kick a Goblin Bushwhacker. Heck, you could Act of Treason it to give it haste if you wanted to. Point is, mono red artifact ramp could kill you with it turn 4. And that's MONO-RED ramp. Think of what green could do with its ramp capabilities.
T1 - Memnite/ornithopter/whatever crappy one-drop
T2 - Everflowing chalice
T3 - Mox opal, tap out for Kuldotha Forgemaster
T4 - Tutor for Colossus, play Fling with your untapped mana and enough to pay 3 for an opponent's mana leak.
I don't even know if that's best case scenario, there's probably some way to get the Forgemaster out turn two with godhand. Pure silliness.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth would be a good addition. It's relatively sought after without being inflated in price and it's from a set where few other legendaries would be popular enough to be reprinted.
If the two effects were combined into one effect, I wouldn't mind this kind of thing:
"Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land, put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, put that card into your hand."
Summon monstrous beasts, wurms, and hydras, and use them to stomp your opponent’s forces like insects. Then cast Overwhelming Stampede to give your forces a lethal boost of power.
From the description of the green/red Intro Pack. Since Protean Hydra is the only Hydra in the set, it would make sense to conclude that that's the other rare?
"If you also control a Crown of Empires and a Throne of Empires, you gain metalcraft."
You're welcome.
Imagine a turn 3 Mirran Crusader, turn 4 Angelic Destiny? You now have a 6/6 flying, double strike, pro black and green, that - unless you're playing against red - is unlikely to get instant-speed removed in standard due to its protection from black. AND IT CAN ATTACK THAT TURN.
Or, if red starts dominating the format, how about a turn 1 Gladecover Scout (the M12 1/1 hexproof for 1), turn 2 Rampant Growth or other rampy effect, and then turn 3 Angelic Destiny? Now you've got a 5/5 flying first-strike hexproof, again, attacking that same turn.
Say what you will about the swords, great as they are, but without Stoneforge Mystic to cheat them into play, you're attacking with them turn four at the earliest, and unless you have the right protections you're likely to get blocked. At least with this, you have built-in combat evasion and a guarantee that if your creature survives the resolution, you're attacking with it right away.
Maybe this won't see heavy play, but I definitely think it's being underestimated by being compared with the swords. I definitely don't think it's worse than they are, even if it's not necessarily better. It just does things much differently. Depending on the 2-3 mana cost creatures coming out in M12, this could prove to be quite a potent weapon against decks that take a few turns to set up.
Oh god, don't get me started on naming cards that are disgusting in conjunction with the Colossus. I don't even want to think about how quickly this thing can win you the game in other formats if you can cheat it out turn 3-4 in Standard.
Quite right! I was thinking of the wording for Soul's Fire.
Whatever, then just kick a Goblin Bushwhacker. Heck, you could Act of Treason it to give it haste if you wanted to. Point is, mono red artifact ramp could kill you with it turn 4. And that's MONO-RED ramp. Think of what green could do with its ramp capabilities.
T2 - Everflowing chalice
T3 - Mox opal, tap out for Kuldotha Forgemaster
T4 - Tutor for Colossus, play Fling with your untapped mana and enough to pay 3 for an opponent's mana leak.
I don't even know if that's best case scenario, there's probably some way to get the Forgemaster out turn two with godhand. Pure silliness.
Akroma's Memorial, Volrath's Stronghold and Boseiju, Who Shelters All are also all good-but-not-broken legendary permanents they could put in.
"Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land, put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, put that card into your hand."
From the description of the green/red Intro Pack. Since Protean Hydra is the only Hydra in the set, it would make sense to conclude that that's the other rare?