I was looking for synergy, and it just seems like a good number of the R/G cards don't fit well with this. Burning-Tree Emissary is still an All-Star, and Rubblebelt Raiders seems a bit more valuable now.
Feral Animalist looks interesting, but seems overcosted and like a win more card with Xenagos.
There are four R/G fight cards -- two meh creatures, Pit Fight and Domri. Pit fight has its perks. The creature ETB effects won't get doubled in time. Domri is always good, but his ability can't use doubled damage to kill a potential blocker.
Does Xenagos the Planeswalker kill Xenagos the god with the legendary rule?
Strangely, not much to work with, IMO.
Bloodlust doesn't get doubled... Sure, but thats irrelevant since you use the bloodlust in this case to get trample.
No xenagos doesn't kill his planeswalker version or vice versa
And nope, Ruric thar will do no damage to you when you cast this card.
Awesome in EDH, where the combination of haste and power doubling should be nuts.
Tougher call in Standard, where in the decks (i.e. midrange aggro and ramp) that really wants these effects he will be competing for high cmc drop slots with the actual creatures themselves. Is he better than Hammer of Purphoros in those decks? If your deck can make him a creature regularly then he probably is.
I think my biggest gripe here is the fact that a Legendary card was printed after the Planeswalker card. This goes directly against the grain of the lore that a Planeswalker is the highest level being in the multiverse. I know it's the twentieth year and all, but still.
I don't see it a big deal that the abilities are synergistic; Karn and Venser both don't have related abilities.
I want to say this has a place in standard, but I don't know if it does enough to warrant spending 5 mana on it when you could cast, say, Stormbreath Dragon or Kalonian Hydra. Sure, this guy is great with either of them, but is he better than anything else you could run in his place?
I think my biggest gripe here is the fact that a Legendary card was printed after the Planeswalker card. This goes directly against the grain of the lore that a Planeswalker is the highest level being in the multiverse. I know it's the twentieth year and all, but still.
Well the gods have more power than a random planeswalker on Theros. Xenagos is more powerful as a god than he could ever be as a planeswalker I think.
Standard in general has slowed down, so I think it's quite possible that we might see more midrange aggro-decks once we get good options (which Xena-god provides).
I was looking for synergy, and it just seems like a good number of the R/G cards don't fit well with this. Burning-Tree Emissary is still an All-Star, and Rubblebelt Raiders seems a bit more valuable now.
Feral Animalist looks interesting, but seems overcosted and like a win more card with Xenagos.
There are four R/G fight cards -- two meh creatures, Pit Fight and Domri. Pit fight has its perks. The creature ETB effects won't get doubled in time. Domri is always good, but his ability can't use doubled damage to kill a potential blocker.
Does Xenagos the Planeswalker kill Xenagos the god with the legendary rule?
Strangely, not much to work with, IMO.
It's sad that you cannot use Bloodrush together with it, but often you Bloodrush to get a fatty through or a minor through a larger blocker, any way you wring it, you win if you give trample and additional fat to an already empowered creature.
Polis Crusher is not used in current standard? And while it's sad to lose a possible trampler as a fatty-beater I'd imagine it wouldn't be all too bad to drop Stormbreaths or Kalonian Hydras together with Xena-god.
While on the stack Xena-god is an enchantment creature spell, so no damage ever given from Ruric-Thar.
Nope the legendary-rules will not be taken into effect here as they have to be the same legendary creature (aka exact same name) or the same planeswalker type (aka PW - Xenagos) to get flung off the table for having two Xenagos-characters.
_______________________
Regarding Xenagos' turn from PW to God: We don't know his story arch yet, but it has been speculated and with reason that he sacrifices his planeswalker-spark to attain godhood. So essentially he trades his potential for incredible local power.
Well the gods have more power than a random planeswalker on Theros. Xenagos is more powerful as a god than he could ever be as a planeswalker I think.
and I think that they were only the best before the Mending, the wiki said only the most powerful mortal wizards could rival them before, now those wizards would be much stronger, and a god should always beat a human
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Really cool card, but making him work in standard seems slow. It will rock FNM tables, but I doubt it will see tier 1 deck status. EDH use will be abused.
I could be wrong too, depending on when and how boon satyr is played, it could maybe be doubled instead of being played after the doublling. but i have a headache right now, you figure it out lol
I could be wrong too, depending on when and how boon satyr is played, it could maybe be doubled instead of being played after the doublling. but i have a headache right now, you figure it out lol
There's no need to bring Boon Satyr into the scenario to make it awesome. I'm looking at this card, and I'm seeing Aurelia swing for 18 flying *on her own*, I'm seeing a hasted Kalonian Hydra swing for 12 trample *on its own*, I'm seeing Fanatic of Xenagos swing for 8 trample *on its own*, and so on.
This card is not for balls-to-the-wall aggro decks that try to kill on turn 4 but die to Supreme Verdict. It's for midrange aggro that can afford a bit of ramp in order to start putting out huge, lethal beaters from turn 3 and onwards.
There's no need to bring Boon Satyr into the scenario to make it awesome. I'm looking at this card, and I'm seeing Aurelia swing for 18 flying *on her own*, I'm seeing a hasted Kalonian Hydra swing for 12 trample *on its own*, I'm seeing Fanatic of Xenagos swing for 8 trample *on its own*, and so on.
This card is not for balls-to-the-wall aggro decks that try to kill on turn 4 but die to Supreme Verdict. It's for midrange aggro that can afford a bit of ramp in order to start putting out huge, lethal beaters from turn 3 and onwards.
Only 3 games of Xenagod in Big Domri Zoo vs. UWR Midrange so far, but Xenagod hasn't been doing that well (especially since I thought Xenagod would be good against removal-heavy decks like UWR Midrange). He did swing a game by giving my late-game Scavenging Ooze Haste and +4/+4 until EOT, allowing me to get another guy through their Stormbreath Dragon sitting on Loxodon Smiter, but he was dead in hand in another game as I died to Geist of Saint Traft and Celestial Colonnade (I played other blockers first, but they died to removal), and he looked pretty silly in the third game when they killed my initial stuff, then played Brimaz one turn before I topdecked a second threat (that wasn't named Xenagod). Sadly, Goyf was a 3/4 at the time, so it couldn't outrace Brimaz.
Turn 1: Mystic
Turn 2 Caryatid
Turn 3: Xenagos
Turn 4: Drop Polukranos and bloodrush a Ghor-Clan Rampager for a 20/20 hasted trampler.
Back in magical christmasland, where the snow falls year round...
Seriously though. I hear on here he's too slow. Not at all. You're ramping into an indestructible permanent. Then instantly pressuring down the opponents board with everything you've got.
Even if you're topdecking cards. Everyone is a double attacked haster. Will they want to swing back? Not if it doesn't kill you...
The 3 drop Fanatic guy is good here too, as with Xenagos already out he'd be a hasted 8/8 attacker for 3, regardless of the opponents trib choice.
Well, this is seriously a good thing. I was worried mono black was going to be too good, then xenagos broke all expectations. I was seriously only expecting a, at begining up upkeep trigger like the other two gods. Something like domri's plus 1, but this is nuts.
So how do you think this will change GRull decks? Personally, I think a lot more big tramply creatures. Kalonian Hyrda might start seeing more play.
Suggestion: It may be wise to pick up a playset of Rubblebelt Raiders for .25 each right now. I'm not saying it's a great card, or even that it will see play, but we're talking about a $1 investment. It's better than getting burned on a price spike á la Nightveil Specter, and if it ends up being a bust, you're only out $1.
I grabbed some this weekend just in case. They play nice with Domri, BtE's, and this big fella. They also enable the possibility of running Nykthos in a true 2-color deck.
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Currently playing:
Standard: I, for one, welcome our new rhinoceros overlords
Modern: Pod's dead, Bob's back.
Legacy: Lands, Deathblade, Death and Taxes, Elves, MUD
Retired Legacy: Merfolk, Goblins, Jund, Delver, Reanimator
The biggest factor going for Xenagod is that from here on out, every creature you draw is a threat. You combo this with Hammer of Purphoros and every non-sorcery/instant card you draw is a threat. He is like having about half of Domri's emblem out! I think that's pretty hot. Also, considering the colours that this deck will be played in, that one extra mana isn't all that big a deal when you have access to carytid and mystic.
I've been play testing Xenagos for a few hours tonight on Cockatrice. Everyone I played with agreed it was crazy good, overpowered even. At first, I tried it in a R/G monster deck shell, but then had the idea to put it in a Red Haste RDW type of shell.
I put the deck together in 5 mins just to test things out and while I did not win all the time, I often did, with crazy amounts of damage.
These were examples of common plays involving Xenagos:
1. Rakdos Cackler in play, with 3 mountains and a Nykthos.
2. Burning-Tree, Burning-Tree, tap mountain, activate Nykthos -> Xenagos and he's active.
3. Attack with 4/4 Cackler
Or plays involving Ghor-Clan Rampager and/or Flesh//Blood like:
1. Xenagos in play
2. Cast Stormbreath Dragon
3. Attack, blood rush Ghor-Clan Rampager for 16 points of trample damage
4. Flesh // Blood for another 16 damage to the face
Don't get me started on double bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampagers.
Of course that is a very spectacular play, but even the very common plays I would do over and over again were very strong, especially anything with flying or trample like Chandra's Phoenix or Fanatic of Xenagos. Both very cheap creatures to cast. Anything involving a bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampager or Flesh//Blood was very fruitful.
The deck isn't even a very refined deck at all. I played tested against multiple decks with lots of black and spot removal (which you might think would be good defense) but it's really hard to have the right card at the right time. Even top-decked creatures were a constant threat.
In a deck with direct burn, one could even use Chandra's Phoenix over and over:
1. Xenagos in play.
2. Lightning strike for 3
3. Bring back Phoenix
4. Attack for another 4
That's a very low cost for 7 points of damage.
I kind of wonder if Xenagos has been underestimated until now?
Bloodlust doesn't get doubled... Sure, but thats irrelevant since you use the bloodlust in this case to get trample.
No xenagos doesn't kill his planeswalker version or vice versa
And nope, Ruric thar will do no damage to you when you cast this card.
Tougher call in Standard, where in the decks (i.e. midrange aggro and ramp) that really wants these effects he will be competing for high cmc drop slots with the actual creatures themselves. Is he better than Hammer of Purphoros in those decks? If your deck can make him a creature regularly then he probably is.
I don't see it a big deal that the abilities are synergistic; Karn and Venser both don't have related abilities.
Standard:
GU Prophet
Legacy:
WBU Shared Fate
Trades
Well the gods have more power than a random planeswalker on Theros. Xenagos is more powerful as a god than he could ever be as a planeswalker I think.
Standard in general has slowed down, so I think it's quite possible that we might see more midrange aggro-decks once we get good options (which Xena-god provides).
Edit: Nath'ed
It's sad that you cannot use Bloodrush together with it, but often you Bloodrush to get a fatty through or a minor through a larger blocker, any way you wring it, you win if you give trample and additional fat to an already empowered creature.
Polis Crusher is not used in current standard? And while it's sad to lose a possible trampler as a fatty-beater I'd imagine it wouldn't be all too bad to drop Stormbreaths or Kalonian Hydras together with Xena-god.
While on the stack Xena-god is an enchantment creature spell, so no damage ever given from Ruric-Thar.
Nope the legendary-rules will not be taken into effect here as they have to be the same legendary creature (aka exact same name) or the same planeswalker type (aka PW - Xenagos) to get flung off the table for having two Xenagos-characters.
_______________________
Regarding Xenagos' turn from PW to God: We don't know his story arch yet, but it has been speculated and with reason that he sacrifices his planeswalker-spark to attain godhood. So essentially he trades his potential for incredible local power.
and I think that they were only the best before the Mending, the wiki said only the most powerful mortal wizards could rival them before, now those wizards would be much stronger, and a god should always beat a human
Multiplayer Decks- Memnarch - Animar, Soul of Elements - Zur, the Enchanter - Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Food Chain Tazri - Teysa Karlov
Modern BUMill and Bant Spirits.
Thank you Xenphire for the signature!
Turn 1: Scry Land
Turn 2: BTE, Sylvan Caryatid
Turn 3: Xenagos, the Reveler (make a satyr)
Turn 4: Xenagos, God of Revels
Turn 5: Borborygmos Enraged attack for 14 trample (and a god and some bears) and dump any lands you pull.
(Note: If they aren't able to kill your creatures, then this can be done with only three lands)
This shouldn't be expected, but it is hardly the craziest magic Christmas-land for G/R devotion.
In addition to being a great target for the God of Revels, he also almost single-handedly turns him into a creature.
check it. (merry xmas btw!)
Turn 1, temple garden, elvish mystic
Turn 2, stomping grounds, burning-tree emissary, sylvan caratyd
Turn 3, sacred foundry, Xenagod of revels
Turn 4, aurelia, the warleader, xenagod becomes a creature, double Arelia's power, swing with 6/5 God, 6/7 Angel, untap your mana dorks, swing again with a 12/13 angel and 6/5 god, playing boon satyr on angel for extreme lolz via your untapped mana dorks. what is that now, 34 damage on turn 4? just with the two guys, not counting the BTE swinging. Albeit only 24 of it has evasion.
I could be wrong too, depending on when and how boon satyr is played, it could maybe be doubled instead of being played after the doublling. but i have a headache right now, you figure it out lol
There's no need to bring Boon Satyr into the scenario to make it awesome. I'm looking at this card, and I'm seeing Aurelia swing for 18 flying *on her own*, I'm seeing a hasted Kalonian Hydra swing for 12 trample *on its own*, I'm seeing Fanatic of Xenagos swing for 8 trample *on its own*, and so on.
This card is not for balls-to-the-wall aggro decks that try to kill on turn 4 but die to Supreme Verdict. It's for midrange aggro that can afford a bit of ramp in order to start putting out huge, lethal beaters from turn 3 and onwards.
So you're almost saying Naya Xenagod Exalted? sublime archangel...?
Only 3 games of Xenagod in Big Domri Zoo vs. UWR Midrange so far, but Xenagod hasn't been doing that well (especially since I thought Xenagod would be good against removal-heavy decks like UWR Midrange). He did swing a game by giving my late-game Scavenging Ooze Haste and +4/+4 until EOT, allowing me to get another guy through their Stormbreath Dragon sitting on Loxodon Smiter, but he was dead in hand in another game as I died to Geist of Saint Traft and Celestial Colonnade (I played other blockers first, but they died to removal), and he looked pretty silly in the third game when they killed my initial stuff, then played Brimaz one turn before I topdecked a second threat (that wasn't named Xenagod). Sadly, Goyf was a 3/4 at the time, so it couldn't outrace Brimaz.
However for current standard he sure seems like he has a chance for midrange aggro.
Turn 2 Caryatid
Turn 3: Xenagos
Turn 4: Drop Polukranos and bloodrush a Ghor-Clan Rampager for a 20/20 hasted trampler.
Back in magical christmasland, where the snow falls year round...
Seriously though. I hear on here he's too slow. Not at all. You're ramping into an indestructible permanent. Then instantly pressuring down the opponents board with everything you've got.
Even if you're topdecking cards. Everyone is a double attacked haster. Will they want to swing back? Not if it doesn't kill you...
The 3 drop Fanatic guy is good here too, as with Xenagos already out he'd be a hasted 8/8 attacker for 3, regardless of the opponents trib choice.
How does Xenagos, God of Revels comapre to Mogis, God of Slaughter? Xenagos is just that 1 turn slower due to his 5CMC and is useless by himself. Still reckon Mogis is better.
I grabbed some this weekend just in case. They play nice with Domri, BtE's, and this big fella. They also enable the possibility of running Nykthos in a true 2-color deck.
Standard: I, for one, welcome our new rhinoceros overlords
Modern: Pod's dead, Bob's back.
Legacy: Lands, Deathblade, Death and Taxes, Elves, MUD
Retired Legacy: Merfolk, Goblins, Jund, Delver, Reanimator
The biggest factor going for Xenagod is that from here on out, every creature you draw is a threat. You combo this with Hammer of Purphoros and every non-sorcery/instant card you draw is a threat. He is like having about half of Domri's emblem out! I think that's pretty hot. Also, considering the colours that this deck will be played in, that one extra mana isn't all that big a deal when you have access to carytid and mystic.
The deck I threw together was:
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Ash Zealot
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Fanatic of Xenagos
4 Xenagos, God of Revels
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Stormbreath Dragon
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
3 Flesh // Blood
11 Mountain
2 Forest
4 Nykthos
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple of Abandon
I put the deck together in 5 mins just to test things out and while I did not win all the time, I often did, with crazy amounts of damage.
These were examples of common plays involving Xenagos:
1. Rakdos Cackler in play, with 3 mountains and a Nykthos.
2. Burning-Tree, Burning-Tree, tap mountain, activate Nykthos -> Xenagos and he's active.
3. Attack with 4/4 Cackler
Or plays involving Ghor-Clan Rampager and/or Flesh//Blood like:
1. Xenagos in play
2. Cast Stormbreath Dragon
3. Attack, blood rush Ghor-Clan Rampager for 16 points of trample damage
4. Flesh // Blood for another 16 damage to the face
Don't get me started on double bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampagers.
Of course that is a very spectacular play, but even the very common plays I would do over and over again were very strong, especially anything with flying or trample like Chandra's Phoenix or Fanatic of Xenagos. Both very cheap creatures to cast. Anything involving a bloodrushed Ghor-Clan Rampager or Flesh//Blood was very fruitful.
The deck isn't even a very refined deck at all. I played tested against multiple decks with lots of black and spot removal (which you might think would be good defense) but it's really hard to have the right card at the right time. Even top-decked creatures were a constant threat.
In a deck with direct burn, one could even use Chandra's Phoenix over and over:
1. Xenagos in play.
2. Lightning strike for 3
3. Bring back Phoenix
4. Attack for another 4
That's a very low cost for 7 points of damage.
I kind of wonder if Xenagos has been underestimated until now?
I'm still not a believer on this card.