Which card that most people don't expect to do much will see a lot of play? This thread is not for Brimaz, Mogis, Pain Seer, and all the highly sung cards, rather the cards that have not been spoken about as much of.
In my opinion, I see devotion once again dominating the format. However, it will be powerful in devotion decks less sung, the Green and White devotion decks, rather than the typical R/U/B devotion decks. While they have been passed off as decent but not great, I expect Aspect of the Hydra and Acolyte's Reward to see play. Giant Growth on roids (potentially) and counter-burn/big creatures?!? Only time will tell if they find their niche.
What do you all think? What are your picks for biggest surprise cards.
Bah just block the other guys huge creature with your 1/1 and then reward
It works fine
Especially with Brimaz spamming vigilant cats everywhere.
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that's not what happened at all. kamahl stabbed phage, akroma, and some old lady and they became korona. then korona got stabbed by her "prophets" and kamahl got drunk with a mutant centaur
Perplexing Chimera. It can steal creatures, you can use it with strionic resonator to change the target of a spell and make stuff they cast target their hexproof stuff (because Sylvan Caryatid and Architype of Endurance). You can use it to steal boardwipes, which doesn't exactly sound useful until you look at Nivmagus Elemental.
Out of standard, you have a large number of things you can do to make this an even more interesting card.
Chromanticore is bouncing somewhere around the power of baneslayer angel in a meta that feels comfortable running inferior juzam djinns in all colors as finishers. If there is a 5 color deck, especially with the enabler in chromatic lantern existing and the slowed down format making it possible, this thing would be an all-star finisher.
Chimera I feel is limited by being symmetric. Its the avarice totem kind of exchange, not the gilded drake kind.
Even reading the FAQ for that card makes my head hurt - I fear for the judges at the pre release.
Luckily, it is a whole lot more straight forward than the FAQ's length suggests. The only important thing of note there is the explanation of what happens when you control the triggered ability, but not the creature itself.
...and there isn't likely to be any shenanigans involving this card during a pre-release...unless someone decides to run felhide spiritbinder...
I'm looking at Nyxborn Rollicker and I can't help but think that this could do some heavy work in All-in-Red, despite how laughable this wienie may seem.
Vigilance and lifelink are the two most important keywords on there, more than flying and first strike. It takes a 4 point life swing per turn to a 12 point swing with a block in there- 16 point if its preventing 4 damage. Those are the serious force multipliers.
Again though, I still don't think its a shoo-in or some amazing card that will definitely see play, I'd just give it benefit of the doubt considering how abysmally weak everything else is.
Eidolon of Countless Battles is currently $3 on SCG, and I think it's the best card in the set, after the scry lands. I'll admit, it doesn't fit into every deck, but what card does? This card provides reach without overextending. It gives the enchanted creature a huge damage boost in most situation as well.
Biggest surprise was the removal suite which is probably the set's only saving grace. Revoke existence, unravel the aether, bile blight, drown in sorrow. Wonder how many Mono U and RDW players are gonna take a break from standard since wizards gave them next to nothing.
If there were still cards like Rancor in Standard, I would agree that Hero of Leina Tower could be awesome. But I just see it getting 2 for 1ed too easily. That and rancor would be excellent though.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Phenax do something, if only because he activates Inspired, and is U/B, which includes powerful and relevant Inspired effects like Pain Seer. I doubt the mill part would be too useful, but considering that Phenax is an Inspired enabler, works well with Ashiok, and is not very hard to activate as a creature, I'd say Phenax has a chance. It also depends on whether or nor JOU also includes the Inspired mechanic. If it does, and has good U/B Inspired cards, then I'd predict that Phenax could be the backbone of an Inspired deck. To my knowledge, we don't have much in Standard that permanently gives all of your creatures a tap effect, so at least in this case, Phenax is cornering the market. Phenax could also fit into a Lazav deck, provided that one exists, since he's a good way to activate Lazav's ability. It depends on the meta.
That said, I actually have a question about that last part. If you have Lazav and Phenax out, and you mill your opponent and hit Xenagos, God of Revels, Lazav can become Xenagos, right? I'm not certain how useful that would be, since you couldn't activate your Xenagos as a creature, but it's possible, right?
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In my opinion, I see devotion once again dominating the format. However, it will be powerful in devotion decks less sung, the Green and White devotion decks, rather than the typical R/U/B devotion decks. While they have been passed off as decent but not great, I expect Aspect of the Hydra and Acolyte's Reward to see play. Giant Growth on roids (potentially) and counter-burn/big creatures?!? Only time will tell if they find their niche.
What do you all think? What are your picks for biggest surprise cards.
I was not expecting a 5 colour bestow creature at all
I wasn't expecting to desire a foil playset of a card as much as this.
Have all of them.
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It only prevents damage dealt to creatures, not players. That'll make it a bit harder to play.
However I do get the feel of "win more".
It works fine
Especially with Brimaz spamming vigilant cats everywhere.
Out of standard, you have a large number of things you can do to make this an even more interesting card.
Chimera I feel is limited by being symmetric. Its the avarice totem kind of exchange, not the gilded drake kind.
Luckily, it is a whole lot more straight forward than the FAQ's length suggests. The only important thing of note there is the explanation of what happens when you control the triggered ability, but not the creature itself.
...and there isn't likely to be any shenanigans involving this card during a pre-release...unless someone decides to run felhide spiritbinder...
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I wouldn't be surprised if Karametra's Favor did something, especially with it working with BTE.
Again though, I still don't think its a shoo-in or some amazing card that will definitely see play, I'd just give it benefit of the doubt considering how abysmally weak everything else is.
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I agree, I picked up a playset already on preorder, i see it being a monster in ramp, probably not goyf good, but I can get it much bigger turn 2-3
I had misunderstood the question, I thought OP wanted to know which card was unexpected from a design standpoint
Chromanticore isn't likely to do much in Standard
It's a cool card but it's not very good
Someone will break this thing or die trying
That said, I actually have a question about that last part. If you have Lazav and Phenax out, and you mill your opponent and hit Xenagos, God of Revels, Lazav can become Xenagos, right? I'm not certain how useful that would be, since you couldn't activate your Xenagos as a creature, but it's possible, right?