Uhm. I'm pretty casual, but a 5-mana spell that doesn't get me my creature for 2 turns and can be destroyed before that to negate it is not very efficient as a reanimation spell. Eldest Reborn is a nice package, but I was hoping for something a bit faster.
Yeah, but it lets Muldrotha recur herself. Don't hold out on it; you're missing out on the fun. Standard hasn't had a 4 CMC reanimation spell for big creatures for a long time (unless you Refurbished gearhulks), anyways. Connive // Concoct is also a good option, since it lets you snag Aurelia every once in a while. Muldrotha doesn't really need super cheap reanimation, anyways, due her own ability being so mana intensive. She doesn't put the game away immediately, since she wins by grinding opponents out.
Oh, I'm not discounting it. In fact, I would probably play it in any Muldrotha deck I had, because they recur each other, as you note. I was just hoping for something a bit faster.
Something to note here: for GRN, the guildgates all had quotes by the Guild Leaders or the Guild Champions, all who were represented by cards in the set. Assuming this trend was followed, it means that Vannifar is the new Guild Leader for Simic and that Ruric Thar will be the champion we get a card for, not Nikya of the Old Ways as we had previously thought.
Then Orzhov has Teysa, Ghost Council doesn’t even get a line...
Yeah, people are being silly about this Hydroid Krasis. Whoever compared it to Mulldrifter is spot on. Mully is 3 mana to draw 2 and maybe get a sac trigger, or 5cmc to draw 2 and get a 2/2 flyer. This is 6 mana to gain 2 life, draw 2 cards - right upon casting(!) - and if it's not countered you also get a 4/4 flyer with trample. THAT IS SO MUCH VALUE FOR 6 MANA!
I'll say it again - 6 mana for a 4/4 flyer with trample, and it draws you two cards.That's not even looking at it in the context of this set: you can cast it for 4, get a 2/2 flyer with trample, and draw a card upon casting. We know Simic will have some counter manipulation - this thing can only get bigger.
Yeah, people are being silly about this Hydroid Krasis. Whoever compared it to Mulldrifter is spot on. Mully is 3 mana to draw 2 and maybe get a sac trigger, or 5cmc to draw 2 and get a 2/2 flyer. This is 6 mana to gain 2 life, draw 2 cards - right upon casting(!) - and if it's not countered you also get a 4/4 flyer with trample. THAT IS SO MUCH VALUE FOR 6 MANA!
I'll say it again - 6 mana for a 4/4 flyer with trample, and it draws you two cards.That's not even looking at it in the context of this set: you can cast it for 4, get a 2/2 flyer with trample, and draw a card upon casting. We know Simic will have some counter manipulation - this thing can only get bigger.
The sweet spot may be to cast this for 5, actually (so it's a 3/3 with flample that draws you 1/gains you 1 life), but that doesn't take away from the sheer amount of value you're getting out of it.
The sweet spot may be to cast this for 5, actually (so it's a 3/3 with flample that draws you 2/gains you 2 life), but that doesn't take away from the sheer amount of value you're getting out of it.
The half rounds down, so the 3/3 version would only replace itself and gain 1 life.
The sweet spot may be to cast this for 5, actually (so it's a 3/3 with flample that draws you 2/gains you 2 life), but that doesn't take away from the sheer amount of value you're getting out of it.
The half rounds down, so the 3/3 version would only replace itself and gain 1 life.
I can't count. Fixed.
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I'm surprised everyone is so down on this. Unless standard speeds up significantly this thing will be the best card in UG. Even in a pinch it's a 2/2 gain 1 draw 1 for 4cmc, which isn't good, but it's far from terrible. At 6cmc it's a must answer threat that draws you more land and drags out the game helping you bridge to 8cmc where it is an absolute monster that buries your opponent in ca advantage and card quality. It shores up the biggest weaknesses of ramp with lifegain to help with go-wide strategies, Value on cast to draw you into more threats after you blow your hand on one big guy, and triggers on cast making it impossible* to counter effectively. Count me in.
*in standard.
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Because the big body you get out of the big casting is a part of the balancing. If it came out as a 2/2 for 6 it'd be... not great.
I mean it *could* have its last line written as "Enters the battlefield with twice X +1/+1 counters" (we just saw a "Twice X" card in Sanguine Sacrament) It would be clunky and confusing (note: halving-with-rounding is also clunky), but it would be behaviourally comparable to this implementation at even numbers, and inegible for casting at odd numbers.
Because the big body you get out of the big casting is a part of the balancing. If it came out as a 2/2 for 6 it'd be... not great.
I mean it *could* have its last line written as "Enters the battlefield with twice X +1/+1 counters" (we just saw a "Twice X" card in Sanguine Sacrament) It would be clunky and confusing (note: halving-with-rounding is also clunky), but it would be behaviourally comparable to this implementation at even numbers, and inegible for casting at odd numbers.
And casting with odd numbers will eek out just enough value (putting it at 5/5 in a format with a 4 damage burn) that it's worth the clunky half-with-rounding when the alternative is also going to be clunky to write out.
could this maybe compete with simic sky swallower's slot?
That's the first comparison I made since it doesn't start earning value until X=4. The problem is X spells generally have more utility since they can fit anywhere on the curve but the "half" and "round down" clauses on Hydroid Krasis take that utility away. Also, multicolored 6+ mana spells need to be game changing. A 4/4 flyer that draws 2 is pretty good but it's not cube good. If you're going to play a Simic X spell, Nissa, Steward of Elements is the clear choice. That card is good regardless of what X equals.
I hope they spoil at least one Rakdos or Orzhov legendary creature soon. I want to start thinking about a new commander deck for something to do while I wait for the rest of the set to be spoiled. I don't even care if it's a "good" commander or not.
I can't figure out where the hydra would be good in constructed for now. On its own it's a bad mythic rare. It really needs a home where you can break it.
Back in the day, Prime Speaker Zegana was good in standard because of its home, and it involved synergy with Thragtusk and Restoration Angel, so it was basically a 6 mana 6/6 draw 6. Here you got a 6 mana 4/4 draw 2...
This is no Rev or Zegana V1.
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
Because the big body you get out of the big casting is a part of the balancing. If it came out as a 2/2 for 6 it'd be... not great.
I mean it *could* have its last line written as "Enters the battlefield with twice X +1/+1 counters" (we just saw a "Twice X" card in Sanguine Sacrament) It would be clunky and confusing (note: halving-with-rounding is also clunky), but it would be behaviourally comparable to this implementation at even numbers, and inegible for casting at odd numbers.
It requires fewer words the way it is printed. It is also less confusing for less experienced gamers (XX is more confusing than X).
So when do we get the Queen Hydroid and Hydroid Prime?
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MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Need X = 4 for good value. A bit expensive, but flexible.
It's still a 2/2 flyer and a cantrip for four mana. Not as good, but still playable. Once you get to 6GU, it starts getting degenerate, as it should.
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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'll admit, the Jellyfish Hydra is pretty good. But based on my experience with Niv-Mizzet, Parun it's one of those cards i'll cram into an EDH deck and rarely see it ever come into play. Let alone become a reliable and necessary card.
Oh, I'm not discounting it. In fact, I would probably play it in any Muldrotha deck I had, because they recur each other, as you note. I was just hoping for something a bit faster.
Then Orzhov has Teysa, Ghost Council doesn’t even get a line...
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Ahhhh duh me.
Instead we get lands
I'll say it again - 6 mana for a 4/4 flyer with trample, and it draws you two cards.That's not even looking at it in the context of this set: you can cast it for 4, get a 2/2 flyer with trample, and draw a card upon casting. We know Simic will have some counter manipulation - this thing can only get bigger.
GWUBRDraft my Old Border Nostalgia Cube! and/or The Little Pauper Cube That Could!RBUWG
Modern:WDeath & TaxesW | RUGRUG DelverRUG
The sweet spot may be to cast this for 5, actually (so it's a 3/3 with flample that draws you 1/gains you 1 life), but that doesn't take away from the sheer amount of value you're getting out of it.
The half rounds down, so the 3/3 version would only replace itself and gain 1 life.
I can't count. Fixed.
*in standard.
I mean it *could* have its last line written as "Enters the battlefield with twice X +1/+1 counters" (we just saw a "Twice X" card in Sanguine Sacrament) It would be clunky and confusing (note: halving-with-rounding is also clunky), but it would be behaviourally comparable to this implementation at even numbers, and inegible for casting at odd numbers.
And that corner case when you can't even.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)
Back in the day, Prime Speaker Zegana was good in standard because of its home, and it involved synergy with Thragtusk and Restoration Angel, so it was basically a 6 mana 6/6 draw 6. Here you got a 6 mana 4/4 draw 2...
This is no Rev or Zegana V1.
It requires fewer words the way it is printed. It is also less confusing for less experienced gamers (XX is more confusing than X).
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
It's still a 2/2 flyer and a cantrip for four mana. Not as good, but still playable. Once you get to 6GU, it starts getting degenerate, as it should.
On phasing:
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)