The second Artist Series Secret Lair is from Mark Poole, showcasing both old and new art from him, including his iconic Counterspell and Birds of Paradise arts. Prices are $29.99/€34.99/£29.99/CN¥204.00 for nonfoil and $39.99/€44.99/£39.99/CN¥272.00 for traditional foil.
Wasteland alone makes this a decent value, everything else is gravy.
Agreed. This is the best drop to add extra copies of if you're already ordering either the foil or mega bundle (followed by the Phyrexian praetors in my opinion), but they're all tempting for different reasons.
If anyone knows the answer, I'm curious... What's the point of reprinting cards like balance (or channel which was also printed recently) when they're not playable anywhere but Vintage. Is there some plan in the foreseeable future being foreshadowed to at least unban such cards in Commander, or perhaps Legacy? Are they hinting that Balance may be added to Historic soon? Why print any cards nobody really needs since they're not even legal to play outside Vintage which nobody really plays on paper anymore (especially when so many other cards have never even been reprinted once, aren't on the RL, and are legal in other formats)?
The largest format in Magic is called Kitchen Table, you know...
What's this fixation on specific tournament formats and their ban lists?
But anyhoo, NOBODY commenting on how Wasteland depicts a destroyed Library of Alexandria??? (I first thought City of Brass but then I read the flavor text.)
The largest format in Magic is called Kitchen Table, you know...
What's this fixation on specific tournament formats and their ban lists?
But anyhoo, NOBODY commenting on how Wasteland depicts a destroyed Library of Alexandria??? (I first thought City of Brass but then I read the flavor text.)
Yes, I understand most games are played at home where "anything goes" or could go depending on what the players agree to.
However, despite that, I still feel an unusual ethical obligation to keep decks "in check", which is to say built within the framework and community consensus of what different formats allow, because we have to trust that those who make the ban decisions with regards to which cards are "overpowered" (to compete against the remainder of those in those formats' metas) is accurate and justified at the time the decision was made (something which can always be reviewed and reversed at a later date as we've seen happen).
I suppose it's as simple as this...I like to and believe in "playing by the rules" (no matter what game I play), and if I'm playing Magic with a deck which I know to be misrepresentative because it's basically standard/modern/pioneer/ or commander legal for except for one or two banned cards, any win will be unsatisfying and will likely result in the feeling that I had cheated (or believed I had to cheat) by using unsanctioned game pieces in order to achieve the victory.
It's not a "fixation" per se, more of an acknowledgement that those who decide "card x" it too powerful for "format y" knows what they're talking about much better than most or us, or at least my less experienced perception of what makes a particular card "fair and balanced" (which ironically doesn't include balance, which is considered by most players to be unbalanced in terms of fairness due to its low CMC mana value and the strength of its potential resulting effect).
Personally, it annoys me that DTS got banned in legacy, but if I include it in a deck which keeps winning at the kitchen table consistently (or all the time), then all that does is validate the fact that perhaps it's slightly too good to be fair in that format. I also wouldn't want to inadvertently take a deck with me to an event one day without forgetting to remove that one card which is banned in whatever format the deck was initially build for (but then augmented with banned cards to accommodate the kitchen table setting where my playgroup may agree upon allowing certain arguably "broken" and degenerate cards), and then get disqualified or accused of intentionally trying to cheat with an illegal deck list.
What confuses me it this... Due to the fact that balance is banned across the board (for sanctioned play except Vintage and some kitchen tables), there's already sufficient supply available, and that keeps the price low for kitchen table players who want it. It was printed in FTV, and more recently in Eternal Masters, so what makes it difficult for those kitchen table players who want it to buy an existing copy from one of those printings? I like the new art, but did it really need another printing and new art? What irks me is there are countless other old cards which have NEVER been reprinted since their original printing (perhaps because they're obscure or tied to a specific plane or faction), and are virtually impossible to find at LGSs for many casual players who want them. Shouldn't some of those cards which have never been reprinted once take priority/seniority over ones which have been reprinted multiple times and can only be played in unsanctioned games? That's all I was really questioning.
The wasteland art is indeed a nice homage to the library.
Mine is in rough shape, but at least it wasn't destroyed.
I only wish these new arts included his trademark autograph in the corner which seems to have been mysteriously omitted.
But anyhoo, NOBODY commenting on how Wasteland depicts a destroyed Library of Alexandria??? (I first thought City of Brass but then I read the flavor text.)
That was the first thing I noticed, I recognized those spires immediately! I was like "Is that a wasted Library of Alexandria?? I love 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.
But anyhoo, NOBODY commenting on how Wasteland depicts a destroyed Library of Alexandria??? (I first thought City of Brass but then I read the flavor text.)
That was the first thing I noticed, I recognized those spires immediately! I was like "Is that a wasted Library of Alexandria?? I love it"
The use of Library is apropos since Poole was its artist. He's wasting his own art. That's the tie-in for its inclusion. The only one I question is Brainstorm, but I'm guessing it's the closest thing to Ancestral Recall which he did.
The use of Library is apropos since Poole was its artist. He's wasting his own art. That's the tie-in for its inclusion. The only one I question is Brainstorm, but I'm guessing it's the closest thing to Ancestral Recall which he did.
Yeah, I figured that Poole being the original artist for Library was one of the main reasons why they had him depict it in this Wasteland art in the first place. Definitely a really awesome choice.
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.
I get balance is iconic but its not playable anywhere so what the ****
Based on how the Seb SL went, Mark Poole probably wanted to make new art for Balance, so it's there.
I wonder if it has something to do with his Crusade art on all fronts being declared racist or culturally insensitive on the Gatherer and elsewhere. I don't think Crusade was banned for the art but it got the same sticker. Bit unfair to Mark. Balance Guy looks quite a bit like Crusade Guy
I get balance is iconic but its not playable anywhere so what the ****
Based on how the Seb SL went, Mark Poole probably wanted to make new art for Balance, so it's there.
I wonder if it has something to do with his Crusade art on all fronts being declared racist or culturally insensitive on the Gatherer and elsewhere. I don't think Crusade was banned for the art but it got the same sticker. Bit unfair to Mark. Balance Guy looks quite a bit like Crusade Guy
The art is the part that makes it clear it's those crusades. Though Mark Poole still isn't really at fault there - he just painted some medieval knights.
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The second Artist Series Secret Lair is from Mark Poole, showcasing both old and new art from him, including his iconic Counterspell and Birds of Paradise arts. Prices are $29.99/€34.99/£29.99/CN¥204.00 for nonfoil and $39.99/€44.99/£39.99/CN¥272.00 for traditional foil.
Source: The Art of Mark Poole
'buster
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
Agreed. This is the best drop to add extra copies of if you're already ordering either the foil or mega bundle (followed by the Phyrexian praetors in my opinion), but they're all tempting for different reasons.
If anyone knows the answer, I'm curious... What's the point of reprinting cards like balance (or channel which was also printed recently) when they're not playable anywhere but Vintage. Is there some plan in the foreseeable future being foreshadowed to at least unban such cards in Commander, or perhaps Legacy? Are they hinting that Balance may be added to Historic soon? Why print any cards nobody really needs since they're not even legal to play outside Vintage which nobody really plays on paper anymore (especially when so many other cards have never even been reprinted once, aren't on the RL, and are legal in other formats)?
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
What's this fixation on specific tournament formats and their ban lists?
But anyhoo, NOBODY commenting on how Wasteland depicts a destroyed Library of Alexandria??? (I first thought City of Brass but then I read the flavor text.)
Yes, I understand most games are played at home where "anything goes" or could go depending on what the players agree to.
However, despite that, I still feel an unusual ethical obligation to keep decks "in check", which is to say built within the framework and community consensus of what different formats allow, because we have to trust that those who make the ban decisions with regards to which cards are "overpowered" (to compete against the remainder of those in those formats' metas) is accurate and justified at the time the decision was made (something which can always be reviewed and reversed at a later date as we've seen happen).
I suppose it's as simple as this...I like to and believe in "playing by the rules" (no matter what game I play), and if I'm playing Magic with a deck which I know to be misrepresentative because it's basically standard/modern/pioneer/ or commander legal for except for one or two banned cards, any win will be unsatisfying and will likely result in the feeling that I had cheated (or believed I had to cheat) by using unsanctioned game pieces in order to achieve the victory.
It's not a "fixation" per se, more of an acknowledgement that those who decide "card x" it too powerful for "format y" knows what they're talking about much better than most or us, or at least my less experienced perception of what makes a particular card "fair and balanced" (which ironically doesn't include balance, which is considered by most players to be unbalanced in terms of fairness due to its low
CMCmana value and the strength of its potential resulting effect).Personally, it annoys me that DTS got banned in legacy, but if I include it in a deck which keeps winning at the kitchen table consistently (or all the time), then all that does is validate the fact that perhaps it's slightly too good to be fair in that format. I also wouldn't want to inadvertently take a deck with me to an event one day without forgetting to remove that one card which is banned in whatever format the deck was initially build for (but then augmented with banned cards to accommodate the kitchen table setting where my playgroup may agree upon allowing certain arguably "broken" and degenerate cards), and then get disqualified or accused of intentionally trying to cheat with an illegal deck list.
What confuses me it this... Due to the fact that balance is banned across the board (for sanctioned play except Vintage and some kitchen tables), there's already sufficient supply available, and that keeps the price low for kitchen table players who want it. It was printed in FTV, and more recently in Eternal Masters, so what makes it difficult for those kitchen table players who want it to buy an existing copy from one of those printings? I like the new art, but did it really need another printing and new art? What irks me is there are countless other old cards which have NEVER been reprinted since their original printing (perhaps because they're obscure or tied to a specific plane or faction), and are virtually impossible to find at LGSs for many casual players who want them. Shouldn't some of those cards which have never been reprinted once take priority/seniority over ones which have been reprinted multiple times and can only be played in unsanctioned games? That's all I was really questioning.
The wasteland art is indeed a nice homage to the library.
Mine is in rough shape, but at least it wasn't destroyed.
I only wish these new arts included his trademark autograph in the corner which seems to have been mysteriously omitted.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
That was the first thing I noticed, I recognized those spires immediately! I was like "Is that a wasted Library of Alexandria?? I love it"
The use of Library is apropos since Poole was its artist. He's wasting his own art. That's the tie-in for its inclusion. The only one I question is Brainstorm, but I'm guessing it's the closest thing to Ancestral Recall which he did.
Yeah, I figured that Poole being the original artist for Library was one of the main reasons why they had him depict it in this Wasteland art in the first place. Definitely a really awesome choice.
Shine on, you crazy diamond
'buster, loving their inner Hanson
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
I wonder if it has something to do with his Crusade art on all fronts being declared racist or culturally insensitive on the Gatherer and elsewhere. I don't think Crusade was banned for the art but it got the same sticker. Bit unfair to Mark. Balance Guy looks quite a bit like Crusade Guy
The art is the part that makes it clear it's those crusades. Though Mark Poole still isn't really at fault there - he just painted some medieval knights.