and when, pray tell, did Child of Alara become Larry instead of Nevinyrral?
Nevinyrral is Larry Niven (author of the Ringworld series) backwards.
That's my point. It makes calling Child of Alara Larry feel really weird.
I assume it's because it's almost the same effect (pre-planeswalkers, it was the same effect afaik), and it's easier to assign a person's name to a creature than a non-creature artifact (see: Bob, Steve, Gary, Tim, etc.)
I think the card only really makes sense in creature-heavy decks with either draw power or a mana sink to supplement the flip side.
I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to test it anytime soon, but I just cracked one which almost certainly has a home in my Rhys the Exiled elfball deck. IMO, elfball makes the most sense since it fits both the criteria I mentioned above and for the same reason, that’s also its most likely home if anywhere in modern. I love playing creature-based decks, but honestly don’t think I’d have much of a place for it in any of my other ones. I was thinking about converting the deck to Blue Ezuri (or Leovold, but I don’t play much and I think he’s banned now? ), where it’ll still have a spot, but I’m pretty sure elfball and Edric-style decks are its best - if only - real homes.
On Settle the Wreckage: Does the owner of the exiled creatures get to search for as many lands he/she can, up to the number of exiled critters? Or does it have to be the exact number of basics (or nothing)?
Having two Jaces on the field...makes no sense to anyone else, right? The legendary rule allowing each player to have a card is terrible as it is, but they're really killing the flavor of the game (that we are planeswalkers...fighting against other PWs...and summoning people/creatures/spells we have learned through our travels).
Does Gishark have Yawgmoth's symbol on its chest?
While I don't particularly like the change flavor-wise, it is about the same as being able to have both Niv-Mizzets on the board or Nicol Bolas and Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker at the same time, which we've gotten fairly used to.
Edit: I already didn't particularly like the new legend rule where both sides can have the same legend/planeswalker out simultaneously fwiw.
If you're going with Thespian's Stage, make sure you play it right. When you copy it, you have to sac the original Dark Depths (with the counters on it) to the Legend Rule, then you'll get the Thespian's Stage one with no counters to keep.
I'd say Mindcrank, especially if you're running Bloodchief Ascension (which I think you should be). The incidental mill for using a fetchland or shock, on top of any other time they'd take damage is pretty good for 2 mana against anything but graveyard decks. Goes infinite with BA, too.
I'm thinking about building a U/R artifact deck with Kaladesh and Aether Revolt coming up, and wondering how the new (and some old) eldrazi would fare. Would playing "colorless matters" things like Nettle Drone, Herald of Kozilek, and Cultivator Drone take too much away from the artifact theme to be any good? What about the titans as big, fatty beaters? I have an OG Ulamog and new Kozilek at my disposal for this cause. (I'm working on getting a Blightsteel Colossus on Pucatrade, just don't want to shell out for one if I don't have to.)
Separate question, are the UrzaTron lands too unreliable to play in a colored deck?
About the general: Rhys has a medium cost (for an elf), and a fairly small body, but has life gain, regeneration, and a sac outlet built-in. This means Skullclamp isn't dead with +1/+1 to your creatures, and he can swing in for life gain without worrying about a chump blocker. Most importantly, he gives us access to black, giving the life gain some draining power and giving us access to powerful cards like Exsanguinate and Phyrexian Arena.
About the deck:
I've mostly built this deck to play against Krenko and/or Oloro, so it tries to blow up quickly. It has performed well goldfishing but I haven't had a chance to actually play it yet. I am of course always open to feedback.
I've found with 26 creatures at 3 cmc or less, Collected Company and Aluren have been excellent value cards, especially with Aluren being a potential combo piece.
I've also considered making a UG deck with Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, but not sure what I'd do with it.
And here is the Tappedout link for anyone that wants to playtest it.
Looks like they're doing what they did with werewolves and releasing the on-color Planeswalker first, then next set the legendary. Hopefully this one is better than the previous one, though...
Interestingly, it looks like the first 5 are from the set itself, then numbering alphabetically resets starting with Aether Vial. Is this just because they're colorless artifacts?
In the worst case scenario (casting it when it's the only card in your hand), it's a non-Formidabled See the Unwritten that's guaranteed to hit a creature. I would always run that over See the Unwritten itself in Mayael.
EDIT: Just realized you don't get to pick, which is a bigger downside than See, but I still think the potential upside is worth it.
You do get to pick it's for each vote, not like Will of the Council, so you're guaranteed to at least get one of what you want.
Right, but you have to choose a number before you draw your opening hand. I suppose it depends on your draft. If you got a good mix of two-drops, I could see picking two.
I assume it's because it's almost the same effect (pre-planeswalkers, it was the same effect afaik), and it's easier to assign a person's name to a creature than a non-creature artifact (see: Bob, Steve, Gary, Tim, etc.)
I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to test it anytime soon, but I just cracked one which almost certainly has a home in my Rhys the Exiled elfball deck. IMO, elfball makes the most sense since it fits both the criteria I mentioned above and for the same reason, that’s also its most likely home if anywhere in modern. I love playing creature-based decks, but honestly don’t think I’d have much of a place for it in any of my other ones. I was thinking about converting the deck to Blue Ezuri (or Leovold, but I don’t play much and I think he’s banned now? ), where it’ll still have a spot, but I’m pretty sure elfball and Edric-style decks are its best - if only - real homes.
While I don't particularly like the change flavor-wise, it is about the same as being able to have both Niv-Mizzets on the board or Nicol Bolas and Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker at the same time, which we've gotten fairly used to.
Edit: I already didn't particularly like the new legend rule where both sides can have the same legend/planeswalker out simultaneously fwiw.
Basically my reaction when I saw that. I had to actually see the card image to believe it.
Separate question, are the UrzaTron lands too unreliable to play in a colored deck?
Rhys has a medium cost (for an elf), and a fairly small body, but has life gain, regeneration, and a sac outlet built-in. This means Skullclamp isn't dead with +1/+1 to your creatures, and he can swing in for life gain without worrying about a chump blocker. Most importantly, he gives us access to black, giving the life gain some draining power and giving us access to powerful cards like Exsanguinate and Phyrexian Arena.
About the deck:
I've mostly built this deck to play against Krenko and/or Oloro, so it tries to blow up quickly. It has performed well goldfishing but I haven't had a chance to actually play it yet. I am of course always open to feedback.
1x Rhys the Exiled
Creature (37)
1x Copperhorn Scout
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
1x Deathrite Shaman
1x Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen
1x Dwynen's Elite
1x Elves of Deep Shadow
1x Elvish Archdruid
1x Elvish Harbinger
1x Elvish Mystic
1x Elvish Visionary
1x Essence Warden
1x Eternal Witness
1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1x Fyndhorn Elves
1x Gempalm Strider
1x Immaculate Magistrate
1x Imperious Perfect
1x Joraga Treespeaker
1x Joraga Warcaller
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Lys Alana Huntmaster
1x Masked Admirers
1x Oracle of Mul Daya
1x Priest of Titania
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Regal Force
1x Seedborn Muse
1x Seeker of Skybreak
1x Skyshroud Poacher
1x Soul of the Harvest
1x Taunting Elf
1x Timberwatch Elf
1x Wellwisher
1x Wirewood Channeler
1x Wirewood Herald
1x Wirewood Symbiote
1x Wood Elves
1x Akroma's Memorial
1x Cloudstone Curio
1x Crawlspace
1x Defense Grid
1x Door of Destinies
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Skullclamp
1x Umbral Mantle
Enchantment (7)
1x Aluren
1x Beastmaster Ascension
1x Descendants' Path
1x Exquisite Blood
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Prowess of the Fair
1x Sanguine Bond
Sorcery (9)
1x Elvish Promenade
1x Exsanguinate
1x Green Sun's Zenith
1x Shamanic Revelation
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Night's Whisper
1x Sylvan Scrying
1x Tooth and Nail
1x Toxic Deluge
Instant (4)
1x Chord of Calling
1x Collected Company
1x Go for the Throat
1x Krosan Grip
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Forest
1x Gilt-Leaf Palace
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Rogue's Passage
1x Scrying Sheets
16x Snow-Covered Forest
1x Snow-Covered Swamp
7x Swamp
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Winding Canyons
1x Wirewood Lodge
Maybeboard:
1x Bile Blight
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Fierce Empath
1x Life's Legacy
1x Raiders' Spoils
1x Shaman of the Pack
1x Harmonize
1x Sol Ring
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
1x Thousand-Year Elixir
1x Virulent Plague
1x Well of Lost Dreams
1x Yeva, Nature's Herald
Sideboard for multiplayer/more general play:
1x Choke
1x Living Death
To acquire:
1x Bramblewood Paragon
1x Heritage Druid
1x Quirion Ranger
I've found with 26 creatures at 3 cmc or less, Collected Company and Aluren have been excellent value cards, especially with Aluren being a potential combo piece.
I've also considered making a UG deck with Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, but not sure what I'd do with it.
And here is the Tappedout link for anyone that wants to playtest it.
You do get to pick it's for each vote, not like Will of the Council, so you're guaranteed to at least get one of what you want.