The full set is now out in the Card Image Gallery. Due to the sheer volume of remaining cards, we've split up this post into 7, to showcase the downshifts, legends, and more. And now, the green cards.
Here are the last monogreen legends of the set.
Please give these three a warm welcome to the uncommon slot.
And here are the uncommons.
And and the second of our two yearly rare-to-common downshifts belongs to Crash of Rhino Beetles.
Please welcome it and these three to the Pauper format.
I didn't see yedora as a reprinting coming at all. Which means I get to pay less for yedora so I can get it for my kadena deck
and the rhino beetles that’s the second time I’ve seen a downshift from rare to common in one fell swoop. First time was Mortician Beetle in modern masters 2017
I didn't see yedora as a reprinting coming at all. Which means I get to pay less for yedora so I can get it for my kadena deck
and the rhino beetles that’s the second time I’ve seen a downshift from rare to common in one fell swoop. First time was Mortician Beetle in modern masters 2017
Don't forget about Scion of the Wild. Rare in Ravnica: City of Guilds and Tenth Edition, then common in Modern Masters 2015.
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HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset. Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
How did all these mediocre cards, many of which already had multiple printings make the cut before realms uncharted which still hasn't been reprinted?!
I love that card for multicolored green commander decks.
Do other players not consider that card staple-worthy for Commander?
It feels like someone dropped the ball on this opportunity to reprint it.
Now my only hope is an upcoming Secret Lair.
*sigh*
How did all these mediocre cards, many of which already had multiple printings make the cut before realms uncharted which still hasn't been reprinted?!
I love that card for multicolored green commander decks.
Do other players not consider that card staple-worthy for Commander?
You're the only person I've heard positively about that card. It's always somewhere from meh to not actually useful. I've tried it in some of my decks, and the longest it's lasted in was Child of Alara land animation, but that got replaced with Faceless Haven eventually. It never felt like it did much.
You're the only person I've heard positively about that card. It's always somewhere from meh to not actually useful. I've tried it in some of my decks, and the longest it's lasted in was Child of Alara land animation, but that got replaced with Faceless Haven eventually. It never felt like it did much.
Really? Perhaps you don't play enough utility lands in decks to make proper use of it.
I realize there's been a lot of power-creep in recent years and decks now have many card options, but if nobody plays it, why is it priced at $10?
The way I see it, it's essentially a super-fetchland which filters 4 cards from the deck midgame during standstill situations so you draw fewer lands later when not needed, and certainly isn't a terrible end of turn play at instant speed. Sure, it doesn't ramp by putting lands directly into play like skyshroud claim (which I also like for fetching duals), but it still costs one less mana than gifts ungiven which is good enough to be banned in commander. I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree, but I've always liked this card, especially in decks which get particularly good value from it like the gitrog monster. I'll admit it may not be the most competitive option to include for players who have access to any and every card ever printed and often go up against fine-tuned tier 1 commanders, but I'm still sorry to hear you've dismissed or abandoned it so easily.
EDIT: Also, consider that provocative look and elf booty!
"Sure, it doesn't ramp by putting lands directly into play like skyshroud claim "
So, it is not a super fetch land but a mediocre one. Also they printed meanwhile stuff like Nylea's Intervention that are far more efficents in terms on fetching you the lands you need. Or stuff like Harvest Season if you simply need to ramp a lot.
(which I also like for fetching duals), but it still costs one less mana than gifts ungiven which is good enough to be banned in commander.
Yeah, because guess what, searching for only a specific subset of cards (lands) is definitely not the same compared to search 4 different cards in all Magic history. With Gift you tutor a combo to win the game the turn you untap and 2 cards that let you recur the combo pieces, while Realms is just a clunky utility land fetcher that is outdated compared to the most recent fetchlands in magic history. You pretty much have no idea how power level works if you really think the 2 cards are remotely close in function only because they do one similar job, fetching things. It's like to say Ancestral Recall and Divination are comparable because they also do one same thing, drawing cards, but one is banned another is uplayable. If you learn why this is also the case where we got a banned card and an almost unplayable one, maybe you will get better at evaluating cards power.
I'm sorry if I triggered you somehow as that wasn't my intent. I wasn't looking to argue. I was just a bit surprised because the card hadn't been reprinted yet and thought Commander Masters might be the right time and place. Considering all the rarity downshifts, it could've easily taken up an uncommon slot. I'm not saying they should've "wasted" a rare slot on it (because it's slightly underwhelming by today's standards) when packs are so expensive which is a valid concern. That's all, I was simply surprised and slightly disappointed it got overlooked again.
I'm aware of cards like Nylea's intervention, but it's still sorcery speed and you're always paying at least four mana to get the two lands you want, six mana to filter out four, and realms is much better for a few decks like The Gitrog Monster, which is among the many decks I have built. What makes intervention decent is really the hurricane mode which is good against decks like Kaalia. Anyway, my point was simply that there is a place for realms in the format where it is superior to other land-fetching options. Harvest Season relies on a condition which isn't always easy to satisfy, and cards like it and cultivate, kodama's reach, etc only fetch basics so I tend to avoid them as I don't run many basics in my decks (which I realize is risky vs blood moon and back to basics, but don't worry much about because I use chromatic lantern and other color fixers), so I favor cards like farseek and nature's lore. I've even considered reap and sow as a viable candidate which many players don't like. That's just me. You build decks how you like and I'll do mine my way. It's not always a black and white or a right or wrong decision whether to include or omit a card in a deck. Not every build has to be a net-deck, and not every net-deck is necessarily the "ideal build" (if there even truly is such a thing) no matter how big of an ego the know-it-all primer authors have or how much play experience and expertise they claim because the way games play out are circumstantial and often unexpected depending on the opposition commanders, turn order, and what gets drawn or played when. Lest we forget that Commander is, or used to be, or is at least supposed to be a social, casual format, not one where every game should be linear and the winner always decided by specific card combinations within just a few turns. It may be fun to build from an ultra-competitive Spike perspective, but that doesn't mean you can't make exceptions or changes to land-fetching cards while building depending on the rest of the deck as some can play extra lands more easily and/or lands from the graveyard. If you don't like the card so much or think it's trash, sell me all your unused copies at half the current market value and I'll be happy to take them off your hands.
I also realize tutoring any cards is not the same as only tutoring lands, but that doesn't stop Intuition from getting banned which is arguable a better card than gifts ungiven. One less mana is a big deal. Personally, I wish most tutors were banned and functional reprints weren't allowed in Commander because they essentially reduce variance which goes against the philosophy and goal of what a singleton format should be. Honestly, it's bad enough that the format now has so many "auto-includes" (like command tower, arcane signet, etc) which only serve to limit deck-building creativity, but I digress, and that's a different debate better left for another thread.
Also, there's no need to diminish my understanding of power level. I've probably been playing this game longer than you have, so I would never say ancestral recall is the same as any other card-drawing card, but in the absence of that card in every format but vintage, it is fair to suggest that there are cases where brainstorm can be just as good or even better, and that's legal. Build strictly "by the book" if you'd like, but always remember, the primary purpose of playing any game is having fun.
I also realize tutoring any cards is not the same as only tutoring lands, but that doesn't stop Intuition from getting banned which is arguable a better card than gifts ungiven.
Intuition is not banned and is not a better card than gifts ungiven.
I'm aware of cards like Nylea's intervention, but it's still sorcery speed and you're always paying at least four mana to get the two lands you want,
Lets put this way. Realms gives you the worst two choices you need in a moment of the game for 3 mana without any other shenaningans like crucible, while Nylea not only gives you always the best lands you always need, not only if you only need one land it cost also 3 mana, not only those are always the best lands you need and 100% have even without crucible or other cards support at empty board state, but it even gives you the choice to even be a mass removals against flyiers if you need it. Yeah sorry, but there's so many and so relevant upsides with Nylea that you definitely want to play that card before Realms in terms on land fetching, unless you specifically do grave shenaningans and even there the card is never that great.
I'm sorry if I triggered you somehow as that wasn't my intent.
Seems you don't know me much, since this is my default mode on this forum, I am not triggered, I just show you why your opinion on Realms is biased and flawed and is not really that edh staple that need all this reprint.
I've probably been playing this game longer than you have,
First of all you are making here a logical fallacy, being an oldest player doesn't make necessarily you a better or skilled player, and in any case you have no idea how many years I have nor you know how many years I play this game, so this is a pretty poor and pointless argument.
Realms Uncharted is a deck-thinning card, but four cards out of a hundred doesn't make much of a difference. If it were a standard 60-card format then that has a bigger impact. It really depends on the deck you're building and the strategy that matters most.
FWIW I've been playing Magic since 4th Edition and I still suck. My game significantly improved around Throne of Eldraine when I made changes to my attitude and approach (learning how to play defensively versus mindless aggression), but tenure with the game does not equate to skill level.
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Intuition is not banned and is not a better card than gifts ungiven.
Perhaps I should've phrased that better. I know it isn't banned, and meant to say that despite it allowing the caster to tutor/filter out any three cards for three mana at instant speed, it isn't banned (when perhaps it could be, considering some of the other bans in the format which are only "broken" in particular decks and niche combo situations). Sure, only one card goes to the hand, but intuition is still easily abused in some cases and arguably broken in decks like The Mimeoplasm (or others that benefit from reanimation, flashback, madness, etc). Gifts would indeed be better (for combo decks) if it were legal, but without it, intuition is certainly the strongest alternative, and I'd personally rather tutor (1 of) 3 cards for 3 mana than (2 of) 4 cards for 4 mana (which often can't be done as early on or prevents an additional play that turn). There are obviously times where I'd rather spend 3 mana on solve the equation, fabricate, and even long-term plans, but intuition is usually a higher priority for me when building certain decks. Let's not disregard the fact that it still has a high price tag, which wouldn't be the case if it was useless (as many reserved list cards don't come close), so clearly enough players (including me) are still playing it either in commander, legacy, or vintage. Is it "better" than gifts? That's hard to say because we're not comparing two cards with the same mana cost. It is easier to cast which makes it "faster", and therefore occasionally better in some situations.
Lets put this way. Realms gives you the worst two choices you need in a moment of the game for 3 mana without any other shenaningans like crucible, while Nylea not only gives you always the best lands you always need, not only if you only need one land it cost also 3 mana, not only those are always the best lands you need and 100% have even without crucible or other cards support at empty board state, but it even gives you the choice to even be a mass removals against flyiers if you need it. Yeah sorry, but there's so many and so relevant upsides with Nylea that you definitely want to play that card before Realms in terms on land fetching, unless you specifically do grave shenaningans and even there the card is never that great.
Fair enough, but my original support for and defense of realms was based mostly on decks with grave shenanigans. Furthermore, sometimes it's just fun to give an opponent a choice which may confuse them or make them wonder what the subsequent lines of play will be to distract them from their own previous game plan. Is giving an opponent a choice always bad? Perhaps that's the popular opinion, but I play primarily for fun, and winning as efficiently as possible every game isn't the only way to achieve that, if you can imagine that. I appreciate your perspective and suggestion, and will reevaluate Nylea's Intervention's usefulness within the context of my casual home meta. I'm not the most competitive player, and as such don't attend cedh events. However, if I did, I have non-green "higher tier" decks which are better optimized for such an environment, so I would never be taking a deck with realms there regardless with the intent or expectation to win (as easily).
Seems you don't know me much, since this is my default mode on this forum, I am not triggered, I just show you why your opinion on Realms is biased and flawed and is not really that edh staple that need all this reprint.
I'm sorry if I don't know, or remember the psychological profiles of every person on this forum.
Is my opinion is biased?...Perhaps, but isn't everyone's based on the cards they've been exposed to and their own play experiences? It's not like there's some WoTC-sanctioned university course created by an elitist cabal of players with asperger's syndrome where the casual players among us can study and critically analyze the intricacies, mathematical nuances, and probabilities of every card's likely results when they interact with each other when there are so many luck-based, unpredictable, and unknown variables in a card game, especially a four (or more) player game involving large singleton decks, when you often don't know the opposition's decks beforehand.
Anyway, I never suggested realms belongs in every green deck, only (some) multi-colored decks which want an additional instant-speed fetch option for non-basics, and especially certain ones which can take advantage of the lands which end up in the graveyard. Having a different option doesn't make it "flawed", but if dismissing other people's opinions makes you feel superior, confident, or validates your belief that you're the know-it-all end-all at playing Magic (or commander specifically), all the more power to you. I'm happy you've achieved that goal and card evaluation skill plateau, as that means there's nothing left for you to learn (beyond new cards yet to be released). I would simply suggest not being too confident, as overconfidence is in itself a weakness.
Just to clarify and reiterate, I never said realms "needs" to be reprinted over and over again. I simply said I was (personally) surprised (and perhaps I'm the only one who feels this way, which is fine, albeit surprising in itself) that it still hadn't even been reprinted once in over a dozen years, while other land-fetching cards (like kodama's reach) have received over a dozen reprints and are easily accessible and affordable for anyone who wants copies. Couldn't realms have replaced it (or something else) just this once? Perhaps we should ask ourselves (rhetorically): How many times does Goreclaw honestly need to be reprinted in under a year? Wasn't it just included in March of the Machine, Jumpstart, and a Secret Lair Drop?! Is everyone playing bears tribal or "power 4+ matters" all of a sudden? Surely that slot could've been donated to realms instead. That's all I was suggesting and surprised about. I wasn't implying it should get reprinted in every single commander precon product like so many other mediocre cards nobody particularly needs, often replaces, and already has no difficulty obtaining copies of for cheap. I understand that sets with boosters are primarily designed for draft/limited play. However, given that this was a commander product, it would've been nice to see realms reprinted just once after so many years, if only for players who want copies for grave-oriented decks which could benefit from its inclusion, and perhaps the odd (casual) modern player who uses crucible. Obviously, my opinion is a minority one if others believe it should be overlooked indefinitely. I just wish that wasn't the case because some cards which have never been reprinted (and aren't on the reserved list) should get a reprint eventually (if only once per decade) considering how many products are being pushed out each year and how many opportunities there are to showcase cards which some players may have missed out on the first/previous time around because perhaps they weren't playing then, and don't want to shell out $10 for when the general consensus is that it's "not that great" (more often than not). It's simply an opinion, take it or leave it.
First of all you are making here a logical fallacy, being an oldest player doesn't make necessarily you a better or skilled player, and in any case you have no idea how many years I have nor you know how many years I play this game, so this is a pretty poor and pointless argument.
It wasn't an argument, simply a statement, and I realize that playing longer (or more frequently) doesn't necessarily make someone a better player. It was simply to point out that I'm knowledgeable about the history of cards, even if I tend to occasionally overlook certain newer options resulting from power-creep. Perhaps I'm simply nostalgic and prefer certain older cards than newer variants. Sometimes I simply prefer a card because of the monetary cost, art, border, or flavor text (or lack thereof) which I consider superior. Not every player, and certainly not every commander player is a Spike, so not everyone's priority is always only playing the "best of the best" cards available according to self-proclaimed experts who create top-cards lists (or deck lists) online. First and foremost, Magic is a game, not an Olympic level competition where only the best (cards and players) should participate.
Realms Uncharted is a deck-thinning card, but four cards out of a hundred doesn't make much of a difference. If it were a standard 60-card format then that has a bigger impact. It really depends on the deck you're building and the strategy that matters most.
FWIW I've been playing Magic since 4th Edition and I still suck. My game significantly improved around Throne of Eldraine when I made changes to my attitude and approach (learning how to play defensively versus mindless aggression), but tenure with the game does not equate to skill level.
Yeah I've been playing since 7th edition and I was 11 (yes I am younger than everyone still on this forum) and I didn't get good good until I started playing a high powered cube with a bunch of old dudes at a bar around Innistrad or so and being like "dang I'm tired of losing, time to build decks that win instead of decks that just seem kinda fun to play." After that ended I mostly play prereleases or arena pretty casually. I grinded my way up to diamond rank around pandemic lockdown times (up to innistrad 3 I think) before I was like "dang I'm actually sick of playing this same deck over and over" and now I just look at the pretty cards. I might suck at the game again. Thinking about coming back for eldraine 2 tho it's very pretty.
Anyway, deck thinning is hilariously overrated. It's good as a side-effect of something like a fetchland where the main focus is you get color options to fit your hand and fix your mana base and just like mill it's better in 40-card formats, but it's not something that actually gets you to a win. say it's turn 8 or something and you have 44 cards left you're gonna go from a 1/11 chance of drawing something you're looking for to a 1/10 chance. Better to just draw more or to have more things you'd want in your deck.
Except you're forgetting that Primeval Titan is banned in Commander (and rightfully so) for being too efficient at what it does. Even the "fixed" Sylvan Primordial got banned for (apparently) being "too good". This is why realms and other seemingly "sub-par" options are the only remaining viable candidates. Strangely, cards like plow under and winter orb are perfectly fine even though nobody wants them played against them.
Except you're forgetting that Primeval Titan is banned in Commander (and rightfully so) for being too efficient at what it does. Even the "fixed" Sylvan Primordial got banned for (apparently) being "too good". This is why realms and other seemingly "sub-par" options are the only remaining viable candidates. Strangely, cards like plow under and winter orb are perfectly fine even though nobody wants them played against them.
That's true, and commander is its own whole thing. I think just the nature of it would mean I wouldn't run a tutory combo deck at all since you're presumably at a table with three other people who have a wide variety of responses available to them. If I were doing a land theme I'd probably run something like scapeshift and crucible of worlds plus some fun sac outlets instead. You can get Demonic Hordes for a dollar. Just looking through this set since they're reprinting tooth and nail, craterhoof behemoth, and finale of devastation I think they're just clearly going for more of green's creature themes than the land stuff.
That's true, and commander is its own whole thing. I think just the nature of it would mean I wouldn't run a tutory combo deck at all since you're presumably at a table with three other people who have a wide variety of responses available to them. If I were doing a land theme I'd probably run something like scapeshift and crucible of worlds plus some fun sac outlets instead. You can get Demonic Hordes for a dollar. Just looking through this set since they're reprinting tooth and nail, craterhoof behemoth, and finale of devastation I think they're just clearly going for more of green's creature themes than the land stuff.
Land destruction has never been popular because most players don't like being denied the opportunity to play, even though hand disruption cards seem to be more widely accepted.
Scapeshift is certainly very playable, and indeed a staple in decks like The Gitrog Monster. I'd post my deck list for context, but some critics will likely call me out for playing a card (or omitting one) which prevents the deck from being perfectly optimized in their opinion, so I won't bother.
The reason why demonic hordes is so cheap (despite being on the reserved list) is because helldozer is strictly better (unless of course you're playing demon tribal and care about creature type).
As for the other reprints you mentioned, I'm very pleased to see them, especially Finale of Devastation which I never got copies of during its introduction in Standard. As such, I preordered a foil, and will get additional copies once more product is opened and the price (hopefully) settles.
EDIT: dare I say it's also strange that mana reflection didn't get reprinted when it could've easily fit into this set.
is because helldozer is strictly better (unless of course you're playing demon tribal and care about creature type).
Another guy that have no idea what's the actual meaning of word "strictly". Despite the power creep, there are very few cases in Magic (well relatively few compared to a game with almost 30.0000 unique card pieces) where a card is really "strictly better" compared to another. Strip Mine is a strictly better Wasteland. But Helldozer is not a strictly better Demonic Horde, because simply tap to destroy any land is not strictly better to pay BBB to do the same. And there are many cases where Demonic would be better than Helldozer exactly for this reason (multiple untaps in a row even if you don't have the mana, for example with Mind over Matter or if you exile it with Mairsil, the Pretender) So Helldozer is generally better but not strictly better than Demonic.
You're splitting hairs...
Yes, technically demonic hordes doesn't have an activation cost which costs mana like helldozer. However, it still has summoning sickness and an upkeep cost of BBB else it gets destroyed (and you lose a land), so effectively, that is the same as having to pay BBB each turn just to keep it alive and activate it. Meanwhile, helldozer has no drawback, and can untap itself to destroy multiple lands each turn if it destroys a nonbasic land. For all intents and purposes, I would say that makes it much better (in a vacuum without other cards/combo pieces), and I'm confident the majority of players would agree.
Also, one could argue that strip mine isn't "strictly" better than wasteland simply by virtue of the fact that it's not legal in as many formats, which makes wasteland the better card (for playing legacy).
It's not about spitting hairs. It's about not being able to distinguish when a card in design is absolutely best in every aspect compared to another card and when a card is similar but have different functions that make both good or even both superior to the other depending on the context. And I should be the one sigghing here, since you just said some post before how your experience in magic is "superior" because probably you're into the game "more" than me. Yeah I can see how is competent that opinion (sarcasm).
Yes, technically demonic hordes doesn't have an activation cost which costs mana like helldozer. However, it still has summoning sickness
Also Helldozer have summoning sickness. You're telling me I'm spitting hair while you're not even reading the cards correctly and make false assumptions based on your errors.
and an upkeep cost of BBB else it gets destroyed (and you lose a land), so effectively, that is the same as having to pay BBB each turn just to keep it alive and activate it.
I already proved how is absolutely not the same in many situations by naming cards in conjuntion, but seems you are a fan of skipping every fact and logic that ruins your fallacious narrative.
Also, one could argue that strip mine isn't "strictly" better than wasteland simply by virtue of the fact that it's not legal in as many formats, which makes wasteland the better card (for playing legacy).
But this is a thread about commander and we're talking about how cards are strictly better compared to another specifically in this format, and since both Wasteland and Strip Mine are both legal and both restricted x1 in EDH, my example still stand. Now you're the one spitting hairs. But sure, if you don't like this example I'll tell you then than Drown in Sorrow is a strictly better Infest, now I wanna see what unreasonable sophisms you gonna come up just to try to invalidate my logical and correct point.
I accept your challenge, and argue that Drown in Sorrow isn't better than Infest because the artist is a creep who got himself permanently removed from the game by Wotc.
I accept your challenge, and argue that Drown in Sorrow isn't better than Infest because the artist is a creep who got himself permanently removed from the game by Wotc.
Ahaha, ok you're a good troll. Now accept also this challenge. Let's see how you argue that Ashcoat Bear is not a strictly better Balduvian Bear. And I won't accept "Quinton Hoover art is superior" as an argument.
Also strictly speaking I was talking about a land sac deck and demonic hordes lets you (*cough* your opponent) destroy one of your own lands every turn for free.
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Spoiler EditorHere are the last monogreen legends of the set.
Please give these three a warm welcome to the uncommon slot.
And here are the uncommons.
And and the second of our two yearly rare-to-common downshifts belongs to Crash of Rhino Beetles.
Please welcome it and these three to the Pauper format.
And the commons.
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
and the rhino beetles that’s the second time I’ve seen a downshift from rare to common in one fell swoop. First time was Mortician Beetle in modern masters 2017
Don't forget about Scion of the Wild. Rare in Ravnica: City of Guilds and Tenth Edition, then common in Modern Masters 2015.
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
I love that card for multicolored green commander decks.
Do other players not consider that card staple-worthy for Commander?
It feels like someone dropped the ball on this opportunity to reprint it.
Now my only hope is an upcoming Secret Lair.
*sigh*
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
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Spoiler EditorReally? Perhaps you don't play enough utility lands in decks to make proper use of it.
I realize there's been a lot of power-creep in recent years and decks now have many card options, but if nobody plays it, why is it priced at $10?
The way I see it, it's essentially a super-fetchland which filters 4 cards from the deck midgame during standstill situations so you draw fewer lands later when not needed, and certainly isn't a terrible end of turn play at instant speed. Sure, it doesn't ramp by putting lands directly into play like skyshroud claim (which I also like for fetching duals), but it still costs one less mana than gifts ungiven which is good enough to be banned in commander. I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree, but I've always liked this card, especially in decks which get particularly good value from it like the gitrog monster. I'll admit it may not be the most competitive option to include for players who have access to any and every card ever printed and often go up against fine-tuned tier 1 commanders, but I'm still sorry to hear you've dismissed or abandoned it so easily.
EDIT: Also, consider that provocative look and elf booty!
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
So, it is not a super fetch land but a mediocre one. Also they printed meanwhile stuff like Nylea's Intervention that are far more efficents in terms on fetching you the lands you need. Or stuff like Harvest Season if you simply need to ramp a lot.
Yeah, because guess what, searching for only a specific subset of cards (lands) is definitely not the same compared to search 4 different cards in all Magic history. With Gift you tutor a combo to win the game the turn you untap and 2 cards that let you recur the combo pieces, while Realms is just a clunky utility land fetcher that is outdated compared to the most recent fetchlands in magic history. You pretty much have no idea how power level works if you really think the 2 cards are remotely close in function only because they do one similar job, fetching things. It's like to say Ancestral Recall and Divination are comparable because they also do one same thing, drawing cards, but one is banned another is uplayable. If you learn why this is also the case where we got a banned card and an almost unplayable one, maybe you will get better at evaluating cards power.
I'm sorry if I triggered you somehow as that wasn't my intent. I wasn't looking to argue. I was just a bit surprised because the card hadn't been reprinted yet and thought Commander Masters might be the right time and place. Considering all the rarity downshifts, it could've easily taken up an uncommon slot. I'm not saying they should've "wasted" a rare slot on it (because it's slightly underwhelming by today's standards) when packs are so expensive which is a valid concern. That's all, I was simply surprised and slightly disappointed it got overlooked again.
I'm aware of cards like Nylea's intervention, but it's still sorcery speed and you're always paying at least four mana to get the two lands you want, six mana to filter out four, and realms is much better for a few decks like The Gitrog Monster, which is among the many decks I have built. What makes intervention decent is really the hurricane mode which is good against decks like Kaalia. Anyway, my point was simply that there is a place for realms in the format where it is superior to other land-fetching options. Harvest Season relies on a condition which isn't always easy to satisfy, and cards like it and cultivate, kodama's reach, etc only fetch basics so I tend to avoid them as I don't run many basics in my decks (which I realize is risky vs blood moon and back to basics, but don't worry much about because I use chromatic lantern and other color fixers), so I favor cards like farseek and nature's lore. I've even considered reap and sow as a viable candidate which many players don't like. That's just me. You build decks how you like and I'll do mine my way. It's not always a black and white or a right or wrong decision whether to include or omit a card in a deck. Not every build has to be a net-deck, and not every net-deck is necessarily the "ideal build" (if there even truly is such a thing) no matter how big of an ego the know-it-all primer authors have or how much play experience and expertise they claim because the way games play out are circumstantial and often unexpected depending on the opposition commanders, turn order, and what gets drawn or played when. Lest we forget that Commander is, or used to be, or is at least supposed to be a social, casual format, not one where every game should be linear and the winner always decided by specific card combinations within just a few turns. It may be fun to build from an ultra-competitive Spike perspective, but that doesn't mean you can't make exceptions or changes to land-fetching cards while building depending on the rest of the deck as some can play extra lands more easily and/or lands from the graveyard. If you don't like the card so much or think it's trash, sell me all your unused copies at half the current market value and I'll be happy to take them off your hands.
I also realize tutoring any cards is not the same as only tutoring lands, but that doesn't stop Intuition from getting banned which is arguable a better card than gifts ungiven. One less mana is a big deal. Personally, I wish most tutors were banned and functional reprints weren't allowed in Commander because they essentially reduce variance which goes against the philosophy and goal of what a singleton format should be. Honestly, it's bad enough that the format now has so many "auto-includes" (like command tower, arcane signet, etc) which only serve to limit deck-building creativity, but I digress, and that's a different debate better left for another thread.
Also, there's no need to diminish my understanding of power level. I've probably been playing this game longer than you have, so I would never say ancestral recall is the same as any other card-drawing card, but in the absence of that card in every format but vintage, it is fair to suggest that there are cases where brainstorm can be just as good or even better, and that's legal. Build strictly "by the book" if you'd like, but always remember, the primary purpose of playing any game is having fun.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
Intuition is not banned and is not a better card than gifts ungiven.
Lets put this way. Realms gives you the worst two choices you need in a moment of the game for 3 mana without any other shenaningans like crucible, while Nylea not only gives you always the best lands you always need, not only if you only need one land it cost also 3 mana, not only those are always the best lands you need and 100% have even without crucible or other cards support at empty board state, but it even gives you the choice to even be a mass removals against flyiers if you need it. Yeah sorry, but there's so many and so relevant upsides with Nylea that you definitely want to play that card before Realms in terms on land fetching, unless you specifically do grave shenaningans and even there the card is never that great.
Seems you don't know me much, since this is my default mode on this forum, I am not triggered, I just show you why your opinion on Realms is biased and flawed and is not really that edh staple that need all this reprint.
First of all you are making here a logical fallacy, being an oldest player doesn't make necessarily you a better or skilled player, and in any case you have no idea how many years I have nor you know how many years I play this game, so this is a pretty poor and pointless argument.
FWIW I've been playing Magic since 4th Edition and I still suck. My game significantly improved around Throne of Eldraine when I made changes to my attitude and approach (learning how to play defensively versus mindless aggression), but tenure with the game does not equate to skill level.
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
Perhaps I should've phrased that better. I know it isn't banned, and meant to say that despite it allowing the caster to tutor/filter out any three cards for three mana at instant speed, it isn't banned (when perhaps it could be, considering some of the other bans in the format which are only "broken" in particular decks and niche combo situations). Sure, only one card goes to the hand, but intuition is still easily abused in some cases and arguably broken in decks like The Mimeoplasm (or others that benefit from reanimation, flashback, madness, etc). Gifts would indeed be better (for combo decks) if it were legal, but without it, intuition is certainly the strongest alternative, and I'd personally rather tutor (1 of) 3 cards for 3 mana than (2 of) 4 cards for 4 mana (which often can't be done as early on or prevents an additional play that turn). There are obviously times where I'd rather spend 3 mana on solve the equation, fabricate, and even long-term plans, but intuition is usually a higher priority for me when building certain decks. Let's not disregard the fact that it still has a high price tag, which wouldn't be the case if it was useless (as many reserved list cards don't come close), so clearly enough players (including me) are still playing it either in commander, legacy, or vintage. Is it "better" than gifts? That's hard to say because we're not comparing two cards with the same mana cost. It is easier to cast which makes it "faster", and therefore occasionally better in some situations.
Fair enough, but my original support for and defense of realms was based mostly on decks with grave shenanigans. Furthermore, sometimes it's just fun to give an opponent a choice which may confuse them or make them wonder what the subsequent lines of play will be to distract them from their own previous game plan. Is giving an opponent a choice always bad? Perhaps that's the popular opinion, but I play primarily for fun, and winning as efficiently as possible every game isn't the only way to achieve that, if you can imagine that. I appreciate your perspective and suggestion, and will reevaluate Nylea's Intervention's usefulness within the context of my casual home meta. I'm not the most competitive player, and as such don't attend cedh events. However, if I did, I have non-green "higher tier" decks which are better optimized for such an environment, so I would never be taking a deck with realms there regardless with the intent or expectation to win (as easily).
I'm sorry if I don't know, or remember the psychological profiles of every person on this forum.
Is my opinion is biased?...Perhaps, but isn't everyone's based on the cards they've been exposed to and their own play experiences? It's not like there's some WoTC-sanctioned university course created by an elitist cabal of players with asperger's syndrome where the casual players among us can study and critically analyze the intricacies, mathematical nuances, and probabilities of every card's likely results when they interact with each other when there are so many luck-based, unpredictable, and unknown variables in a card game, especially a four (or more) player game involving large singleton decks, when you often don't know the opposition's decks beforehand.
Anyway, I never suggested realms belongs in every green deck, only (some) multi-colored decks which want an additional instant-speed fetch option for non-basics, and especially certain ones which can take advantage of the lands which end up in the graveyard. Having a different option doesn't make it "flawed", but if dismissing other people's opinions makes you feel superior, confident, or validates your belief that you're the know-it-all end-all at playing Magic (or commander specifically), all the more power to you. I'm happy you've achieved that goal and card evaluation skill plateau, as that means there's nothing left for you to learn (beyond new cards yet to be released). I would simply suggest not being too confident, as overconfidence is in itself a weakness.
Just to clarify and reiterate, I never said realms "needs" to be reprinted over and over again. I simply said I was (personally) surprised (and perhaps I'm the only one who feels this way, which is fine, albeit surprising in itself) that it still hadn't even been reprinted once in over a dozen years, while other land-fetching cards (like kodama's reach) have received over a dozen reprints and are easily accessible and affordable for anyone who wants copies. Couldn't realms have replaced it (or something else) just this once? Perhaps we should ask ourselves (rhetorically): How many times does Goreclaw honestly need to be reprinted in under a year? Wasn't it just included in March of the Machine, Jumpstart, and a Secret Lair Drop?! Is everyone playing bears tribal or "power 4+ matters" all of a sudden? Surely that slot could've been donated to realms instead. That's all I was suggesting and surprised about. I wasn't implying it should get reprinted in every single commander precon product like so many other mediocre cards nobody particularly needs, often replaces, and already has no difficulty obtaining copies of for cheap. I understand that sets with boosters are primarily designed for draft/limited play. However, given that this was a commander product, it would've been nice to see realms reprinted just once after so many years, if only for players who want copies for grave-oriented decks which could benefit from its inclusion, and perhaps the odd (casual) modern player who uses crucible. Obviously, my opinion is a minority one if others believe it should be overlooked indefinitely. I just wish that wasn't the case because some cards which have never been reprinted (and aren't on the reserved list) should get a reprint eventually (if only once per decade) considering how many products are being pushed out each year and how many opportunities there are to showcase cards which some players may have missed out on the first/previous time around because perhaps they weren't playing then, and don't want to shell out $10 for when the general consensus is that it's "not that great" (more often than not). It's simply an opinion, take it or leave it.
It wasn't an argument, simply a statement, and I realize that playing longer (or more frequently) doesn't necessarily make someone a better player. It was simply to point out that I'm knowledgeable about the history of cards, even if I tend to occasionally overlook certain newer options resulting from power-creep. Perhaps I'm simply nostalgic and prefer certain older cards than newer variants. Sometimes I simply prefer a card because of the monetary cost, art, border, or flavor text (or lack thereof) which I consider superior. Not every player, and certainly not every commander player is a Spike, so not everyone's priority is always only playing the "best of the best" cards available according to self-proclaimed experts who create top-cards lists (or deck lists) online. First and foremost, Magic is a game, not an Olympic level competition where only the best (cards and players) should participate.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
Yeah I've been playing since 7th edition and I was 11 (yes I am younger than everyone still on this forum) and I didn't get good good until I started playing a high powered cube with a bunch of old dudes at a bar around Innistrad or so and being like "dang I'm tired of losing, time to build decks that win instead of decks that just seem kinda fun to play." After that ended I mostly play prereleases or arena pretty casually. I grinded my way up to diamond rank around pandemic lockdown times (up to innistrad 3 I think) before I was like "dang I'm actually sick of playing this same deck over and over" and now I just look at the pretty cards. I might suck at the game again. Thinking about coming back for eldraine 2 tho it's very pretty.
Anyway, deck thinning is hilariously overrated. It's good as a side-effect of something like a fetchland where the main focus is you get color options to fit your hand and fix your mana base and just like mill it's better in 40-card formats, but it's not something that actually gets you to a win. say it's turn 8 or something and you have 44 cards left you're gonna go from a 1/11 chance of drawing something you're looking for to a 1/10 chance. Better to just draw more or to have more things you'd want in your deck.
The card is prob good in formats where you're doing that kessig wolf run inkmoth nexus bull-hooey but it just seems a bit contrived. That deck mainly used primeval titan to pull those lands and green sun's zenith to pull the titan.
Except you're forgetting that Primeval Titan is banned in Commander (and rightfully so) for being too efficient at what it does. Even the "fixed" Sylvan Primordial got banned for (apparently) being "too good". This is why realms and other seemingly "sub-par" options are the only remaining viable candidates. Strangely, cards like plow under and winter orb are perfectly fine even though nobody wants them played against them.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
That's true, and commander is its own whole thing. I think just the nature of it would mean I wouldn't run a tutory combo deck at all since you're presumably at a table with three other people who have a wide variety of responses available to them. If I were doing a land theme I'd probably run something like scapeshift and crucible of worlds plus some fun sac outlets instead. You can get Demonic Hordes for a dollar. Just looking through this set since they're reprinting tooth and nail, craterhoof behemoth, and finale of devastation I think they're just clearly going for more of green's creature themes than the land stuff.
Land destruction has never been popular because most players don't like being denied the opportunity to play, even though hand disruption cards seem to be more widely accepted.
Scapeshift is certainly very playable, and indeed a staple in decks like The Gitrog Monster. I'd post my deck list for context, but some critics will likely call me out for playing a card (or omitting one) which prevents the deck from being perfectly optimized in their opinion, so I won't bother.
The reason why demonic hordes is so cheap (despite being on the reserved list) is because helldozer is strictly better (unless of course you're playing demon tribal and care about creature type).
As for the other reprints you mentioned, I'm very pleased to see them, especially Finale of Devastation which I never got copies of during its introduction in Standard. As such, I preordered a foil, and will get additional copies once more product is opened and the price (hopefully) settles.
EDIT: dare I say it's also strange that mana reflection didn't get reprinted when it could've easily fit into this set.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
Another guy that have no idea what's the actual meaning of word "strictly". Despite the power creep, there are very few cases in Magic (well relatively few compared to a game with almost 30.0000 unique card pieces) where a card is really "strictly better" compared to another. Strip Mine is a strictly better Wasteland. But Helldozer is not a strictly better Demonic Horde, because simply tap to destroy any land is not strictly better to pay BBB to do the same. And there are many cases where Demonic would be better than Helldozer exactly for this reason (multiple untaps in a row even if you don't have the mana, for example with Mind over Matter or if you exile it with Mairsil, the Pretender) So Helldozer is generally better but not strictly better than Demonic.
You're splitting hairs...
Yes, technically demonic hordes doesn't have an activation cost which costs mana like helldozer. However, it still has summoning sickness and an upkeep cost of BBB else it gets destroyed (and you lose a land), so effectively, that is the same as having to pay BBB each turn just to keep it alive and activate it. Meanwhile, helldozer has no drawback, and can untap itself to destroy multiple lands each turn if it destroys a nonbasic land. For all intents and purposes, I would say that makes it much better (in a vacuum without other cards/combo pieces), and I'm confident the majority of players would agree.
Also, one could argue that strip mine isn't "strictly" better than wasteland simply by virtue of the fact that it's not legal in as many formats, which makes wasteland the better card (for playing legacy).
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
It's not about spitting hairs. It's about not being able to distinguish when a card in design is absolutely best in every aspect compared to another card and when a card is similar but have different functions that make both good or even both superior to the other depending on the context. And I should be the one sigghing here, since you just said some post before how your experience in magic is "superior" because probably you're into the game "more" than me. Yeah I can see how is competent that opinion (sarcasm).
Also Helldozer have summoning sickness. You're telling me I'm spitting hair while you're not even reading the cards correctly and make false assumptions based on your errors.
I already proved how is absolutely not the same in many situations by naming cards in conjuntion, but seems you are a fan of skipping every fact and logic that ruins your fallacious narrative.
But this is a thread about commander and we're talking about how cards are strictly better compared to another specifically in this format, and since both Wasteland and Strip Mine are both legal and both restricted x1 in EDH, my example still stand. Now you're the one spitting hairs. But sure, if you don't like this example I'll tell you then than Drown in Sorrow is a strictly better Infest, now I wanna see what unreasonable sophisms you gonna come up just to try to invalidate my logical and correct point.
I used to be a demigod, but now I'm an omnimage
Ahaha, ok you're a good troll. Now accept also this challenge. Let's see how you argue that Ashcoat Bear is not a strictly better Balduvian Bear. And I won't accept "Quinton Hoover art is superior" as an argument.