My new Mechanic rankings. (With our limited view at the time.)
Riot > Afterlife > Spectacle > Adapt > Addendumb
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Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
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Isn´t Addendum really bad as it limits your playstyle? Instants are nice to cast to disrupt your enemy but suddenly you have to cast it in the right phase to get an extra effect.
It's less restrictive than just being a sorcery, and forcing you to cast it main phase.
Addendum isn't really going to be an issue for control decks unless they are playing some sort of mirror. Aggressive and Midrange decks aren't going to be countering your sorcery-speed instant, and most of the time I suspect Emergency Powers with addendum will be to replace that Teferi or Niv-Mizzet that got destroyed earlier in the game. Interestingly, Sphinx's Decree will shut down any instant with addendum (at least, shuts it down if your opponent tries to cast it). I look forward to seeing the rest of the spoilers.
Gruul's mechanic is riot, which is similar to unleash and fabricate. (I, personally, like it a lot - it's a potentially very subtle and thinky choice ironically for the Gruul)
Seems like Rakdos and Gruul have switched places mechanically.
I found this happening quite a bit back when I was brainstorming umpteen custom Rakdos and Gruul guild mechanics for my custom Rav sets. At the time, I felt like it was just me, but now I see the (Jund) overlap is merely inherent to the current color pie.
Wait, i think i´m misunderstanding Addendum. If i cast a card in my main phase, Addendum triggers and only that part will trigger not the whole card?
I believe what he was trying to say in the article was that there are some Addendum card with replacement effects and some with add-on effects. Unfortunately he references the use of the word "instead" which does not show up in the example cards. This makes things clear as mud but since it is introduced as an ability word, we can deduce that "Addendum" in and of itself does not have any rules impact.
My question is when the additional effects happen. Does the permanent for Emergency Powers's Addendum come from your initial hand or your new hand after reshuffle?
You perform the effects of spells in the order listed, so you can only choose a card from the cards in your hand after you've reset hands.
Does that mean that the location of the Addendum text could vary depending on what order it was supposed to happen relative to the other part{s) of the spell?
In theory, but in order to maintain a standard templating, they'd probably instead say:
"Do N. Addendum - If you cast this spell during your main phase, instead do M, then do N."
I assume the same thing but that does limit Addendum slightly in cases where the order of the effects might matter (such as Emergency Powers) since it basically always locked in to happening last (or else an awkward and potentially clunky rewrite of the entire effect of the card).
Weird, Riot is strictly better than the unleash Rakdos mechanic from Return to Ravnica. Sure, you an balanced them by card design, but the two Riot cards are strong in limited, with the spellbreaker having standard potential.
I like Addendum. They can make really good cards with that.
Its also weird that its called Riot given that the word is already tied to Rakdos (Lord of Riots). I suppose "Rebel" would be difficult given that it wouldn't be obvious it was a verb (re BEL) instead of a noun (REB el). That would also seem very similar to revolt.
I'd say this is the most mechanically interesting of the guild abilities in this set maybe along with Spectacle. Both mechanics have you make choices on how you want to play your cards to get different effects.
Most boring definitely goes to Adapt and Afterlife. Same old tokens and counters.
Riot is right in the middle, imo. Its modes are simple but it still allows you to make interesting decisions dependant on the board state and the benefits of certain cards either being faster or bigger.
So as far as how interested I am in these mechanics. I'm going with:
1.Riot 2.Spectacle 3.Addendum 4.Adapt 5.Afterlife
Of course this is based on what we have seen so far and Riot and Addendum's positions are also influenced by how interested I am in the guilds themselves (Azorius are lame lol)
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Isn´t Addendum really bad as it limits your playstyle? Instants are nice to cast to disrupt your enemy but suddenly you have to cast it in the right phase to get an extra effect.
On the other hand it might be like the Riot mechanic in the sense that you play cards with Addendum. depening on how the battlefield looks like. Is it better to interrupt the opponent in his turn or should you wait until your own main phase and get an extra effect?
It will hardly ever be a matter of "Do I cast it now, during my opponent's turn, or do I wait until my turn for more power?" Instead, it's a matter of "Do I cast it now, on my turn, for the full effect, or do I keep my mana open during my opponent's turn and maybe cast it there for only part of the effect?" You know, because you draw it on your turn and have two main phases to think about it before you ever get to their turn.
While it's true of most mechanics, Addendum is going to really depend on individual cards because it relies so strongly on players making shrewd assessments of cost/benefits. I love that it creates tension and requires skill to understand when it's most advantageous to cast a card with addendum (I love mechanics that reward players for smarter playing choices), but that tension depends on both 'modes' of the card being potentially smart choices so the design of individual cards really matters.
Sphinx's Insight, for example, I don't think gives a compelling reason to cast during your main phase based on addendum alone. There are times where it would make sense to cast on your turn but the 2 life itself isn't frequently going to be why it's the smart play, it's just a small added benefit. By contrast, Emergency Powers creates compelling reasons to cast with either 'mode' and I love that. WU playstyles that lean into instants and flash typically hold off until the last moment to cast their spells to keep their options as flexible as they need, addendum needs to provide a good enough reason to want to cast during your turn to create that tension between what that playstyle wants to do with what the mechanic wants it to do. I worry that if that tension isn't compelling, addendum cards will just get passed over or get played as if addendum isn't on the card and rarely cast for the addendum bonus effect, which I don't think would be a sign of success.
I guess this ramble really boils down to: I think addendum is the most interesting concept of the five mechanics to me, but whether that interesting idea is successful depends on whether there are enough cards that make both 'modes' viable play choices to test players.
Yeah Addendum's strength is based on two things how good is the card without using the ability and how strong the addendum ability is when used.
Ergo Sphinx's Insight has pay 4 to draw 2 which is a good rate for standard drawing two cards these days. But the extra part is quite honestly straight trash. 2 Life? 2 Life ain't worth **** maybe if it said 4 life I care. No reason to play over Chemister's Insight in my book which has Jump Start and so can be recast for 4 cmc and a discard. That is way better then being forced to play during Main Phase for a measly two life.
Yeah Addendum's strength is based on two things how good is the card without using the ability and how strong the addendum ability is when used.
Ergo Sphinx's Insight has pay 4 to draw 2 which is a good rate for standard drawing two cards these days. But the extra part is quite honestly straight trash. 2 Life? 2 Life ain't worth **** maybe if it said 4 life I care. No reason to play over Chemister's Insight in my book which has Jump Start and so can be recast for 4 cmc and a discard. That is way better then being forced to play during Main Phase for a measly two life.
I think that's an interesting question: what amount of lifegain would create enough tension to make the choice of casting Sphinx's Insight on your turn or your opponent's more compelling? 4? 5? It's an interesting question of balance because the other bad design option is also possible, that the addendum bonuses could be so good that the cards are functionally just sorceries that can be cast as instants for 'lesser' effects in a pinch. I really can't wait to see more cards with addendum.
Yeah Addendum's strength is based on two things how good is the card without using the ability and how strong the addendum ability is when used.
Ergo Sphinx's Insight has pay 4 to draw 2 which is a good rate for standard drawing two cards these days. But the extra part is quite honestly straight trash. 2 Life? 2 Life ain't worth **** maybe if it said 4 life I care. No reason to play over Chemister's Insight in my book which has Jump Start and so can be recast for 4 cmc and a discard. That is way better then being forced to play during Main Phase for a measly two life.
It could easily be "gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand". Empty hand? Two life, as it currently is. More cards, more life, but not unreasonably high (unlikely to be 6+, even in control).
Hmm I do think that could be interesting...gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand.
It is tricky to tell how much life is worth it. Its based on cmc and the other ability on the card. Still the main thing is life is weaker then direct damage via bolt. Life doesn't win the game directly and its relevance is based on how low your life is at any given point in the game or how low its about to be based on your opponents side of the board. How good your counters and removal being targeted or wipes also make a difference. Its much harder to rate life gain in a vacuum as compared to direct damage.
Still lets try to factor it in at a basic level ignoring lightning bolt...Burn is what 1 CMC for 2 Damage, 2 CMC for 3 damage and tends to be more versatile as you can hit creatures, walkers, and/or players.
So in my book then life needs to be 1 CMC for 3 Life, 2 CMC for 4 Life, etc etc.
So I say at minimum for me to care about this card Sphinx's Insight I need to see 4 Life.
Hmm I do think that could be interesting...gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand.
It is tricky to tell how much life is worth it. Its based on cmc and the other ability on the card. Still the main thing is life is weaker then direct damage via bolt. Life doesn't win the game directly and its relevance is based on how low your life is at any given point in the game or how low its about to be based on your opponents side of the board. How good your counters and removal being targeted or wipes also make a difference. Its much harder to rate life gain in a vacuum as compared to direct damage.
Still lets try to factor it in at a basic level ignoring lightning bolt...Burn is what 1 CMC for 2 Damage, 2 CMC for 3 damage and tends to be more versatile as you can hit creatures, walkers, and/or players.
So in my book then life needs to be 1 CMC for 3 Life, 2 CMC for 4 Life, etc etc.
So I say at minimum for me to care about this card Sphinx's Insight I need to see 4 Life.
Even back in the days of alpha, one mana got you the choice of 3 life or prevent 3 damage to something (healing salve). In the current standard one mana gets you both (Healing Grace). Chaplain’s Blessing was 5 life for 1 mana .. and was still irrelevant.
Yeah that is the problem but also UW tends to be about control so preventing damage not really all that useful.
Life Gain is essentially a nice bonus but never worth it alone. It need to way better I don't know something like Gain 3 Life or Prevent Damage from Up to 3 Creatures lol.
Bravo wizards!
'Cause, man, do I hate Pineapple Pizza White Knights.
Riot > Afterlife > Spectacle > Adapt > Addendumb
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
I liked your comment more then any of these keywords lol
The first person to cast Emergency Powers by using Omnispell Adept's ability wins.
Seems like Rakdos and Gruul have switched places mechanically.
I found this happening quite a bit back when I was brainstorming umpteen custom Rakdos and Gruul guild mechanics for my custom Rav sets. At the time, I felt like it was just me, but now I see the (Jund) overlap is merely inherent to the current color pie.
I assume the same thing but that does limit Addendum slightly in cases where the order of the effects might matter (such as Emergency Powers) since it basically always locked in to happening last (or else an awkward and potentially clunky rewrite of the entire effect of the card).
I like Addendum. They can make really good cards with that.
Most boring definitely goes to Adapt and Afterlife. Same old tokens and counters.
Riot is right in the middle, imo. Its modes are simple but it still allows you to make interesting decisions dependant on the board state and the benefits of certain cards either being faster or bigger.
So as far as how interested I am in these mechanics. I'm going with:
1.Riot 2.Spectacle 3.Addendum 4.Adapt 5.Afterlife
Of course this is based on what we have seen so far and Riot and Addendum's positions are also influenced by how interested I am in the guilds themselves (Azorius are lame lol)
-Chandra Nalaar
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Sphinx's Insight, for example, I don't think gives a compelling reason to cast during your main phase based on addendum alone. There are times where it would make sense to cast on your turn but the 2 life itself isn't frequently going to be why it's the smart play, it's just a small added benefit. By contrast, Emergency Powers creates compelling reasons to cast with either 'mode' and I love that. WU playstyles that lean into instants and flash typically hold off until the last moment to cast their spells to keep their options as flexible as they need, addendum needs to provide a good enough reason to want to cast during your turn to create that tension between what that playstyle wants to do with what the mechanic wants it to do. I worry that if that tension isn't compelling, addendum cards will just get passed over or get played as if addendum isn't on the card and rarely cast for the addendum bonus effect, which I don't think would be a sign of success.
I guess this ramble really boils down to: I think addendum is the most interesting concept of the five mechanics to me, but whether that interesting idea is successful depends on whether there are enough cards that make both 'modes' viable play choices to test players.
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Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Ergo Sphinx's Insight has pay 4 to draw 2 which is a good rate for standard drawing two cards these days. But the extra part is quite honestly straight trash. 2 Life? 2 Life ain't worth **** maybe if it said 4 life I care. No reason to play over Chemister's Insight in my book which has Jump Start and so can be recast for 4 cmc and a discard. That is way better then being forced to play during Main Phase for a measly two life.
I think that's an interesting question: what amount of lifegain would create enough tension to make the choice of casting Sphinx's Insight on your turn or your opponent's more compelling? 4? 5? It's an interesting question of balance because the other bad design option is also possible, that the addendum bonuses could be so good that the cards are functionally just sorceries that can be cast as instants for 'lesser' effects in a pinch. I really can't wait to see more cards with addendum.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
It could easily be "gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand". Empty hand? Two life, as it currently is. More cards, more life, but not unreasonably high (unlikely to be 6+, even in control).
It is tricky to tell how much life is worth it. Its based on cmc and the other ability on the card. Still the main thing is life is weaker then direct damage via bolt. Life doesn't win the game directly and its relevance is based on how low your life is at any given point in the game or how low its about to be based on your opponents side of the board. How good your counters and removal being targeted or wipes also make a difference. Its much harder to rate life gain in a vacuum as compared to direct damage.
Still lets try to factor it in at a basic level ignoring lightning bolt...Burn is what 1 CMC for 2 Damage, 2 CMC for 3 damage and tends to be more versatile as you can hit creatures, walkers, and/or players.
So in my book then life needs to be 1 CMC for 3 Life, 2 CMC for 4 Life, etc etc.
So I say at minimum for me to care about this card Sphinx's Insight I need to see 4 Life.
Even back in the days of alpha, one mana got you the choice of 3 life or prevent 3 damage to something (healing salve). In the current standard one mana gets you both (Healing Grace). Chaplain’s Blessing was 5 life for 1 mana .. and was still irrelevant.
Life Gain is essentially a nice bonus but never worth it alone. It need to way better I don't know something like Gain 3 Life or Prevent Damage from Up to 3 Creatures lol.
Yep, 'a number of cards not to exceed 10'.
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