Commander's sphere? Really? And not even with a different art? Has there ever been such a bad judge promo?
The new merchant scroll is neat though.
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Would you like to read Commander stories? Check my latest stories, coming from Lorwyn and Innistrad: Ghoulcaller Gisa and Doran, The Siege Tower! If you like my writing, ask me to write something for your commander as well!
This is the only foil printing of Commander Sphere, right? It gets played. People seem to like foils for some reason. This seems like a reasonable means for distributing copies.
Wizards is telling potential Judges to do it purely on passion.
As a casual player I do hope those Spheres are cheap though.
I mean, you get foils as recognition from other judges, not directly from Wizards as compensation for doing anything. If you're getting foils, you're getting them for being a great enough judge that others recognize it and want to reward you, which probably means you're passionate and not just foil-seeking. You can also get them for going to conferences, but there's usually a delay between the release of a new foil and being able to get them at a conference.
If you're judging specifically to get foils, you may want to reevaluate your priorities.
This is the only foil printing of Commander Sphere, right? It gets played. People seem to like foils for some reason. This seems like a reasonable means for distributing copies.
At the same time though, the sheer quantity of new cards unavailable in foil when a new Commander set releases annually compared to the rolling-out rate of them via the Judge program is starting to show the grind (and vice-versa now for the Commander face-cards since those are only in foil). As someone who tries to foil almost everything, every year they introduce nice, great and/or fun cards for the format but we have to wait it out for the potential-chance for it be foiled via the Judge program. Yes, I'm aware Masters set can reprint some of the cards (Masters 25 had a bunch, I finally got Myriad Landscape foiled...), but notably cards that refer to the Commander / Command Zone don't go through that process and those are usually the more utility ones in the format (and if demand is good, well, foil Command Tower happens).
It's honestly a mess in several different directions that only gets bigger as the years go by. In the perfect timeline, the Reserved List would be replaced by a promise every card will have a print run in both foil and nonfoil at the same time instead, but alas we don't live in that timeline. Still, one step at a time and I do run Sphere in some decks, so I foil what I can take.
Merchant Scroll is one of the better Homelands cards, but it's been reprinted a lot.
Commander's Sphere just annoys me. Mostly because it can't be played outside of Commander. The lack of new art is just icing on the cake. But it's polished foil!
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I get that EDH players (myself included) like foils, so making foil versions of Commander cards is nice. And I get that cards that reference your general or the command zone can't just be put in a core set or whatever, so you can't get foil versions out there that way. But surely WotC can think of a better vehicle for that than judge foil promos? Commander's Arsenal 2? A variant on the Signature Spellbooks? Some kinda Buy-a-Box promo for Commander releases? I'm just spitballing here, surely someone who's actual job it is to come up with these things can think of something even better.
The only two nonfoils in my foiled-out deck are Basalt Monolith and Thought Vessel, so I'd personally appreciate a foil of one of them (especially a promo foil, since I prioritized promo foils for the deck over regular ones).
Maybe foil promo tokens would've been a better choice than this.
IF you go back to promos at least make it worth the while for those who participate like they did with Sword of Fire and Ice in the old artifact frame.
Edit: the Merchant Scroll is a nice sight to see but they could've done more for the WOW factor after the token promo debacle.
Judges should be reasonably rewarded for what they do for the game. Saying judges should be happy with whatever they get reminds me of arguments against raising teacher's wages, saying they're doing it for the wrong reason. Both provide a valuable service that shouldn't be charity.
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Protection from reason (Decadent_Creed can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by reason.)
I mean, you get foils as recognition from other judges, not directly from Wizards as compensation for doing anything. If you're getting foils, you're getting them for being a great enough judge that others recognize it and want to reward you, which probably means you're passionate and not just foil-seeking. You can also get them for going to conferences, but there's usually a delay between the release of a new foil and being able to get them at a conference.
If you're judging specifically to get foils, you may want to reevaluate your priorities.
So then how should judges be properly compensated for their work? Because giving them $15 foils isn't the way to do it.
The problem with defining this format by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
The new merchant scroll is neat though.
Read my other stories as well (some ongoing):
Reaper King (a horror story), Kaalia of the Vast (an origin story), Sequels for Innistrad (Alternative sequels for Inn), Grey Areas (Odric's fanfic), Royal Succession (goblins),The Tracker's Message (eldrazi on Innistrad) and Ugin and his Eye (the end of OGW).
But well ...
WUBRG#BlackLotusMatterWUBRG
👮👮👮 #BlueLivesMatter 👮👮👮
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
First time in foil, I guess? *Massive shrug*
Wizards is telling potential Judges to do it purely on passion.
As a casual player I do hope those Spheres are cheap though.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
Older Magic as a Board Game: Panglacial Wurm , Mill
Merchant Scroll isn't a particularly exciting judge foil, but that art is a great fit so I'm 100% ok with it.I mean, you get foils as recognition from other judges, not directly from Wizards as compensation for doing anything. If you're getting foils, you're getting them for being a great enough judge that others recognize it and want to reward you, which probably means you're passionate and not just foil-seeking. You can also get them for going to conferences, but there's usually a delay between the release of a new foil and being able to get them at a conference.
If you're judging specifically to get foils, you may want to reevaluate your priorities.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
At the same time though, the sheer quantity of new cards unavailable in foil when a new Commander set releases annually compared to the rolling-out rate of them via the Judge program is starting to show the grind (and vice-versa now for the Commander face-cards since those are only in foil). As someone who tries to foil almost everything, every year they introduce nice, great and/or fun cards for the format but we have to wait it out for the potential-chance for it be foiled via the Judge program. Yes, I'm aware Masters set can reprint some of the cards (Masters 25 had a bunch, I finally got Myriad Landscape foiled...), but notably cards that refer to the Commander / Command Zone don't go through that process and those are usually the more utility ones in the format (and if demand is good, well, foil Command Tower happens).
It's honestly a mess in several different directions that only gets bigger as the years go by. In the perfect timeline, the Reserved List would be replaced by a promise every card will have a print run in both foil and nonfoil at the same time instead, but alas we don't live in that timeline. Still, one step at a time and I do run Sphere in some decks, so I foil what I can take.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Merchant Scroll is one of the better Homelands cards, but it's been reprinted a lot.
Commander's Sphere just annoys me. Mostly because it can't be played outside of Commander. The lack of new art is just icing on the cake. But it's
polishedfoil!On phasing:
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
IF you go back to promos at least make it worth the while for those who participate like they did with Sword of Fire and Ice in the old artifact frame.
Edit: the Merchant Scroll is a nice sight to see but they could've done more for the WOW factor after the token promo debacle.
'buster
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
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Now you make it sound like a good idea.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
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So then how should judges be properly compensated for their work? Because giving them $15 foils isn't the way to do it.
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar