I don't know why they'd give this as specific a name as Cylian Elf if it was going into the core set. Although they have Llanowar Elves, so it's not like there isn't precedent.
Put it in perspective.
Eventide had a couple of french vanilla critters: Lingering Tormentor; Smoldering Butcher; and Duskdale Wurm (that's not counting the hybrid ones, as I feel that they're unique enough. Of those, only the Wurm doesn't use one of the set's keywords. Here we have five vanillas and a whole bunch of stuff with just one keyword.
I'm not hating on the set; I just think that this is a bit excessive.
Yeah, I get it that this new Elf-bear is a core set plant.
But, honestely, do core sets need this? I can understand that giving Grizzly Bears a more relevant creature type would be nice. But if you're going to substutite a iconic card from the Core Set, we might actually put something more in par with the current powerlevel.
I mean... beginners cards don't need to be weaker cards. If experts sets can have things strictly better than this, I don't see why Core Sets must be stuck with this.
This card alone is not the reason I dislike Shards of Alara. It's the fact that there're a big amount (for a smaller set) of cards like this. No matter what, those cards are not interesting - this is not even about powerlevel.
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I rolled 5 D6's and got 3 fours. They must have changed the odds of getting a 4!
I don't know why they'd give this as specific a name as Cylian Elf if it was going into the core set. Although they have Llanowar Elves, so it's not like there isn't precedent.
It won't, if I recall they're trying to turn expert sets into core sets so noobs have a friendly environment with bears and fatties and no ooky spooky scawy wittle countewspewws to ruin their day by countering their "If I drop this huge fat guy you're soooooooooo dead man" cards.
Haha no offense to people who hate counterspells. >_>
This guy is just a mess. He's a result of 2 things:
1) R&D laziness
2) R&D catering to noobs
Don't give me bullcrap excuses like "OMGZ I R LOVE TEH R&D THEY ARE SO GOOD THEY NEVAR MAKE MISTAKES LIKE SKULLCLAMP OR BAD CARDS LIKE CHIMNEY IMP, THEY R THE BEST!!!"
The only excuse that makes sense is "Limited filler" I'll give you credit, that is accurate. However in a set that had Wizards folks saying "Best limited set...ever" I expected 2 drops that you know...did something besides swing/block. Frig I pick off color scarecrows all the time just to make my curve run smooth, but atleast those things freaking do something when I'm not running it as a vanilla guy!
Please, people gotta stop with the WoTC ****-riding and make your own freaking decisions for once.
How does it cater to you? You don't even like the card...
Maybe there's a Magic Player Sub-type I'm not aware of... Michael, let's call him: the kid that plays magic so that he can complain when something he doesn't like happens.
You're not making a very good argument by the way, this card is very playable in Limited, and he'll be a good replacement in 11th edition.
We are making our own decisions, who the **** else would be making them for me?
What's your address? I'm going to buy 100 of these guys and send them to you everyday for the next 3 months until you like it.
How does it cater to you? You don't even like the card...
Maybe there's a Magic Player Sub-type I'm not aware of... Michael, let's call him: the kid that plays magic so that he can complain when something he doesn't like happens.
You're not making a very good argument by the way, this card is very playable in Limited, and he'll be a good replacement in 11th edition.
We are making our own decisions, who the **** else would be making them for me?
What's your address? I'm going to buy 100 of these guys and send them to you everyday for the next 3 months until you like it.
All in all, expert trolling all around. 10/10
Don't be dumb. Of course he's playable in limited bears are ALWAYS playable in limited because it fills out your curve. Don't act like an ass, I'm no pro but my limited rating is in the mid 1800s so I think I know what I'm talking about.
What I do care about is that Wizards R&D is being a bunch of lazy ass hats that don't want to have to balance a set with tons of abilities, they'd rather just balance big fat stuff instead of balancing tons of small dudes with abilities the effect the game,
I prefer a complex game with a complex array of cards to utilize.
If you want to draft homelands or something (5 packs? lol) go right ahead man, cause that seems more your speed.
Also about Kamahl? You forgot Wizards policy on no legends in core sets didn't you? Epic fail on your part man...epic fail
1) Wren's Run Vanquisher- You need another card in your hand. And that card HAS TO BE an Elf. It's rare that it happens, but there are times when your hand doesn't have an Elf, even in an Elf deck. So then what? This is a 3/3 Deathtouch for 4G...
INCORRECT. I played WRV from my hand many times, and only had to pay 4G on 3 or 4 occasions. Every time I did, I already had plenty of mana, so it was a non-issue. WRV is in the top 5 of all elves ever printed.
Don't be dumb. Of course he's playable in limited bears are ALWAYS playable in limited because it fills out your curve. Don't act like an ass, I'm no pro but my limited rating is in the mid 1800s so I think I know what I'm talking about.
What I do care about is that Wizards R&D is being a bunch of lazy ass hats that don't want to have to balance a set with tons of abilities, they'd rather just balance big fat stuff instead of balancing tons of small dudes with abilities the effect the game,
I prefer a complex game with a complex array of cards to utilize.
If you want to draft homelands or something (5 packs? lol) go right ahead man, cause that seems more your speed.
Also about Kamahl? You forgot Wizards policy on no legends in core sets didn't you? Epic fail on your part man...epic fail
First of all, it's one bear. There aren't as many vanilla creatures in this set as everyone is trying to play off.
Also, one of the shards is DEDICATED to large creatures, so epic fail on your part sir.
HAHA HOMELANDS YOU'RE FUNNY!
anyway, the set is complex enough, sorry if your massive brain finds it so simple, surely you'll be able to demolish everyone.
Putting a legend that's a large part of magic lore is totally different then putting something with a set specific keyword in it. Also, legends are a big deal when it comes to magic so it also helps new players understand that concept early.
What I do care about is that Wizards R&D is being a bunch of lazy ass hats that don't want to have to balance a set with tons of abilities, they'd rather just balance big fat stuff instead of balancing tons of small dudes with abilities the effect the game,
I know I'm not supposed to feed the trolls, but what is your deal? It's a f**king common. Why can't you accept that more than half the cards in each set are designed primarily with drafting in mind? Did you complain about the cohorts in Shadowmoor? They all just have the same stupid +1/+1 ability, and the green and black ones don't even have a second ability. Isn't that boring? Isn't the fact that there were dozens of cycles, most of it crap, between Shadowmoor and Eventide a much bigger sign of laziness than a lone 2/2 creature? Quit crying like a f**king baby and get over it. If you don't like the card, then every time you buy a pack and pull one you can throw it out. It's not like it's wasting your rare slot like One With Nothing or Norin the Wary.
#edit: BTW, did you cry when they made a cycle of vanilla creatures in Future Sight, or was that okay because of the extended art? Isn't that just a lazy way to get around coming up with abilities for 5 cards?
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In what universe? If you build a deck like that, and ever draw that hand, I will personally come to wherever you live, perform complicated acts of awestruck *********, then disembowel myself to escape the world that allowed something like to to occur and validate you.
I know I'm not supposed to feed the trolls, but what is your deal? It's a f**king common. Why can't you accept that more than half the cards in each set are designed primarily with drafting in mind? Did you complain about the cohorts in Shadowmoor? They all just have the same stupid +1/+1 ability, and the green and black ones don't even have a second ability. Isn't that boring? Isn't the fact that there were dozens of cycles, most of it crap, between Shadowmoor and Eventide a much bigger sign of laziness than a lone 2/2 creature? Quit crying like a f**king baby and get over it. If you don't like the card, then every time you buy a pack and pull one you can throw it out. It's not like it's wasting your rare slot like One With Nothing or Norin the Wary.
#edit: BTW, did you cry when they made a cycle of vanilla creatures in Future Sight, or was that okay because of the extended art? Isn't that just a lazy way to get around coming up with abilities for 5 cards?
Posts like yours are reasons I post to begin with *smile*
I loved the vanilla guys from FS, cause they did something inside the set that was useful
INCORRECT. I played WRV from my hand many times, and only had to pay 4G on 3 or 4 occasions. Every time I did, I already had plenty of mana, so it was a non-issue. WRV is in the top 5 of all elves ever printed.
Woodland Changeling didn't bat any eyes, but this poor elf is under constant scrutiny. Go figure.
Woodland Changeling was the very definition of what can be done with Bear-sized creatures to make them elegant, useful, and awesome in the context of an interesting set mechanic.
Woodland Changeling was the very definition of what can be done with Bear-sized creatures to make them elegant, useful, and awesome in the context of an interesting set mechanic.
In standard they are both 2/2 bears for 1G that wont see play. Whats the difference?
Yes, they did. Besides Blue dude, the other 4 were very good limited cards. sometimes 5/3 for 5 just gets there, and sometimes you can't kill the 4/4. The 3/1 is a fast clock, and the 3/3 was good with many morphs around
I beleive that a part of design is to take into account the different formats the expansion is supporting. How about triple-shardsOalara draft? Imagine having the choices you have to make when facing this card. Splashable? yes. Dies to the -1/-1 bug? no. Worse than some? yes. Better choice in a particular environment? yes. Sticking some random ability on the said creature adds to the board's complexity, which sometimes is a pain in the backside.
Magic is partly about bashing your head against the nearest wall because of the high level of possible complexity, and I enjoy is as much as the next guy, perhaps a bit more, but it also shines by the aforementioned complexity it derives from SIMPLE concepts.
Now, I'd want to ask how many vanilla creatures were printed in this set compared to the number of keyword-o-mania creatures and ability-crazy creatures?
That was just my opinion and you may disregard it...
They've printed 2/2 Elves in pretty much every frickin block for many years, but they've all had a keyword or some kind of ability. This is smells like a clear signal to the players: we're working hard to make the game much slower and less powerful!
I know someone's Cylian Elf will get Spell Snipped, and that'll be a sad day.
And neither would Kamahl...oh my bad guess they did. Things change buddy.
Put it in perspective.
Eventide had a couple of french vanilla critters: Lingering Tormentor; Smoldering Butcher; and Duskdale Wurm (that's not counting the hybrid ones, as I feel that they're unique enough. Of those, only the Wurm doesn't use one of the set's keywords. Here we have five vanillas and a whole bunch of stuff with just one keyword.
I'm not hating on the set; I just think that this is a bit excessive.
But, honestely, do core sets need this? I can understand that giving Grizzly Bears a more relevant creature type would be nice. But if you're going to substutite a iconic card from the Core Set, we might actually put something more in par with the current powerlevel.
I mean... beginners cards don't need to be weaker cards. If experts sets can have things strictly better than this, I don't see why Core Sets must be stuck with this.
This card alone is not the reason I dislike Shards of Alara. It's the fact that there're a big amount (for a smaller set) of cards like this. No matter what, those cards are not interesting - this is not even about powerlevel.
It won't, if I recall they're trying to turn expert sets into core sets so noobs have a friendly environment with bears and fatties and no ooky spooky scawy wittle countewspewws to ruin their day by countering their "If I drop this huge fat guy you're soooooooooo dead man" cards.
Haha no offense to people who hate counterspells. >_>
How does it cater to you? You don't even like the card...
Maybe there's a Magic Player Sub-type I'm not aware of... Michael, let's call him: the kid that plays magic so that he can complain when something he doesn't like happens.
You're not making a very good argument by the way, this card is very playable in Limited, and he'll be a good replacement in 11th edition.
We are making our own decisions, who the **** else would be making them for me?
What's your address? I'm going to buy 100 of these guys and send them to you everyday for the next 3 months until you like it.
Kamahl doesn't have a set-specific keyword in it. Try again buddy.
All in all, expert trolling all around. 10/10
Don't be dumb. Of course he's playable in limited bears are ALWAYS playable in limited because it fills out your curve. Don't act like an ass, I'm no pro but my limited rating is in the mid 1800s so I think I know what I'm talking about.
What I do care about is that Wizards R&D is being a bunch of lazy ass hats that don't want to have to balance a set with tons of abilities, they'd rather just balance big fat stuff instead of balancing tons of small dudes with abilities the effect the game,
I prefer a complex game with a complex array of cards to utilize.
If you want to draft homelands or something (5 packs? lol) go right ahead man, cause that seems more your speed.
Also about Kamahl? You forgot Wizards policy on no legends in core sets didn't you? Epic fail on your part man...epic fail
INCORRECT. I played WRV from my hand many times, and only had to pay 4G on 3 or 4 occasions. Every time I did, I already had plenty of mana, so it was a non-issue. WRV is in the top 5 of all elves ever printed.
First of all, it's one bear. There aren't as many vanilla creatures in this set as everyone is trying to play off.
Also, one of the shards is DEDICATED to large creatures, so epic fail on your part sir.
HAHA HOMELANDS YOU'RE FUNNY!
anyway, the set is complex enough, sorry if your massive brain finds it so simple, surely you'll be able to demolish everyone.
Putting a legend that's a large part of magic lore is totally different then putting something with a set specific keyword in it. Also, legends are a big deal when it comes to magic so it also helps new players understand that concept early.
I know I'm not supposed to feed the trolls, but what is your deal? It's a f**king common. Why can't you accept that more than half the cards in each set are designed primarily with drafting in mind? Did you complain about the cohorts in Shadowmoor? They all just have the same stupid +1/+1 ability, and the green and black ones don't even have a second ability. Isn't that boring? Isn't the fact that there were dozens of cycles, most of it crap, between Shadowmoor and Eventide a much bigger sign of laziness than a lone 2/2 creature? Quit crying like a f**king baby and get over it. If you don't like the card, then every time you buy a pack and pull one you can throw it out. It's not like it's wasting your rare slot like One With Nothing or Norin the Wary.
#edit: BTW, did you cry when they made a cycle of vanilla creatures in Future Sight, or was that okay because of the extended art? Isn't that just a lazy way to get around coming up with abilities for 5 cards?
Wizards could put $100 bills in packs and people would complain about how they were folded.
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nice.
Posts like yours are reasons I post to begin with *smile*
I loved the vanilla guys from FS, cause they did something inside the set that was useful
Perhaps this is just filler because they don't want to specifically help the elf deck by doing even more power creep.
But like every block everyone jumps on the hate bandwagon because they have to make new decks. With stupid claims like,
"This set is the worst set ever because it gives nothing to Faeries and that's the best deck."
Yeah perhaps because faeries is already damn good enough already dude.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
Wren's Run Vanquisher is also an Uncommon.
So any set that prints a vanilla creature with P/T more or less equal to its mana cost is underpowered now.
You don't have to worry so much about this to the point of making a huge thread about a renamed Grizzly Bearss.
Anyhow, look at the synergy with Muraganda Petroglyphs. Too bad it just rotated out of standard. =(
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Woo, Grizzly Bears 5-8 in Muraganda Petroglyphs.dec! I should totally write up a list for that.
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No they didn't.
Woodland Changeling was the very definition of what can be done with Bear-sized creatures to make them elegant, useful, and awesome in the context of an interesting set mechanic.
In standard they are both 2/2 bears for 1G that wont see play. Whats the difference?
Creature - Scout
Cylian Bears counts as an Elf.
Everyone's saying it'd be better if it had an ability, even a simple keyword, but it does... It's an elf.
(Though, I think it ought to get some cool thing if it has 5 power or more, trample or something. For the Naya, you know.)
Yes, they did. Besides Blue dude, the other 4 were very good limited cards. sometimes 5/3 for 5 just gets there, and sometimes you can't kill the 4/4. The 3/1 is a fast clock, and the 3/3 was good with many morphs around
Magic is partly about bashing your head against the nearest wall because of the high level of possible complexity, and I enjoy is as much as the next guy, perhaps a bit more, but it also shines by the aforementioned complexity it derives from SIMPLE concepts.
Now, I'd want to ask how many vanilla creatures were printed in this set compared to the number of keyword-o-mania creatures and ability-crazy creatures?
That was just my opinion and you may disregard it...
I know someone's Cylian Elf will get Spell Snipped, and that'll be a sad day.
.