I think it has to be the Impersonator here. When you're behind, it can copy an opponent's bomb to catch up; if you're ahead and can get a second copy of your bomb, it will shield you from a removal-spell-based blowout. Plus, it's only 1 color, which keeps our options open for anything else we might see coming our way. After that, I think the next best cards are probably Disdainful Stroke, Abzan Falconer, and Sultai Scavenger (in some order), but I don't think any of them are nearly as good as the Impersonator, which is only bad when your opponent is going really wide, but then, none of the other cards here are going to save you in that circumstance either...
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Impersonator is just a Clone in limited which is always a worse pick than an actual good creature, like the Falconer.
Edit: Falconer is also a key uncommon in what is possibly the best archetype in Khans limited. Of course it is way too early to say that for sure though.
I said bears companion because its a good two for one that sets you up for temur and turns on ferocious, that being said clever impersonator is pretty sweet, and clone effects are very strong, but you never know whether someone will have a stone cold bomb or nothing, the companion is reliable all the time.
Impersonator is just a Clone in limited which is always a worse pick than an actual good creature, like the Falconer.
Edit: Falconer is also a key uncommon in what is possibly the best archetype in Khans limited. Of course it is way too early to say that for sure though.
Not sure why you would say that about Clones, certainly isn't true. Are you going to take Clone over a bomb level creature? No. But it gets taken over most "good" creatures.
That said, I agree with your second point wrt the Falconer and certainly wouldn't blame someone for picking it here and hoping to force that deck. It is very strong on its own simply by virtue of being relatively efficient and capable of growing into a large flyer. And then has the potential to be a game breaker in the right build where it can spread the flying love.
I think people are vastly overrating Clever Impersonator in limited, I don't think Clone was ever a slam dunk first pick like people make Impersonator out to be.
In constructed the card can do a lot more work, since there are tons of juicy targets but in limited I don't see it. Plenty of games take place where 0 bombs are played between both players in limited.
I'd go with the Falconer. There are solid cards that are likely to wheel, like Abzan Guide, Scavenger or Heir of the Wilds-- worst-case scenario is you grab the GW dual.
Impersonator is definitely overrated and needing UU to cast it could make it a dead card in your hand too often, and building your whole deck so that it's base blue so you can reliably cast your Clone effect just doesn't seem good enough to me.
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Yeah Clones are not very good in limited. It seems like the argument here is "Well I can just clever impersonator your abzan falconer anyway!" Sure you can, but then you probably aren't playing white to use the ability and you probably don't have a ton of synergy in your deck with your opponents card. Clones in limited are usually your opponents best card which is almost certainly worse for you than it is them plus you have to take the tempo aspect into account that the clone is always going to be at least 1 turn behind what it is and will generally never win a race.
Think of quadrant theory. Clever Impersonator is pretty bad in an opening, may help you at parity, usually doesn't help if you are ahead, and if you are losing only really helps if you're opponent is hitting you with a big bomb and not a bunch of little creatures. That's not a great first pick.
Think of quadrant theory. Clever Impersonator is pretty bad in an opening, may help you at parity, usually doesn't help if you are ahead, and if you are losing only really helps if you're opponent is hitting you with a big bomb and not a bunch of little creatures. That's not a great first pick.
I think this would be true if it would be clone. But its not. With ascendancies, planewalkers, hard to cast wedge colored creatures and creatures which your opponents delve in a huge portion of their yeard, this card gives you more than a simple clone. The upside is good enough to first pick it.
It is only notably different than clone when you are playing against rares. In other words an extremely unlikely scenario. It's basically clone, and clone has never been a first pick.
On the actual pick, I love sultai scavenger, but as much as I hate to admit it falconer is probably just better.
I'm going Heir of the Wilds and it's not all that close for me. A 2/2 Deathtouch for 1G with an upside. Lands as a 3/3 Deathtouch mid game. A 3/3 Deathtouch will almost always trade up or swing through and cant be chumped easily.
Clever Impersonator is probably a worse Clone because UU. Most non-creatures are not going to be good targets unless you match up with a similar deck (same clan).
Abzan Falconer is a solid choice but outlast is just to slow for me. Heir of the Wilds will have swung for 6-9 by the time Abzan Falconer can even swing once in the air for 3. That would be on turn 5. The t in Wt should prove to be very significant. Outlast tapping your creatures on your turn will make it very hard to stabilize. Outlast is competing with your T4 play here as well. Can be a significant downside if you don't get Abzan Falconer in the air early.
I feel like Singing Bell Strike gets no respect here. The card is very, very good.
I disagree. In the early game it's a better Oppressive Rays, but like rays it gets much worse in the late game. In fact, if you put this on your opponent's best creature and you don't kill them fast enough, you've essentially given their creature pseudo-vigilance
Tough one. The fact that the Impersonator can clone artifacts and enchantments sort of compensates for clones being underwhelming in limited. But I think I would probably still play it safe and grab the Falconer.
And I agree Singing Bell Strike is good. The "pseudo vigilance" argument forgets that that requires 12 when I've invested 1U for a great deal of inconvenience.
If this were a real draft,
I would *absolutely* take the Clever Impersonator for one of my EDH decks.
If I wanted to build a good limited deck I would grab that Falconer.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I picked the Impersonator. Honestly I like the card, and I think its a good card to play with. Ya its only as good as something that's on the field, But there are so many strong limited rares that I think to not pick it and leave it for someone else would be a mistake.
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Modern:
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Legacy:
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Retired
Edit: Falconer is also a key uncommon in what is possibly the best archetype in Khans limited. Of course it is way too early to say that for sure though.
Not sure why you would say that about Clones, certainly isn't true. Are you going to take Clone over a bomb level creature? No. But it gets taken over most "good" creatures.
That said, I agree with your second point wrt the Falconer and certainly wouldn't blame someone for picking it here and hoping to force that deck. It is very strong on its own simply by virtue of being relatively efficient and capable of growing into a large flyer. And then has the potential to be a game breaker in the right build where it can spread the flying love.
Clone can only be as good as the best card on the battlefield. The falconer can win a game.
In constructed the card can do a lot more work, since there are tons of juicy targets but in limited I don't see it. Plenty of games take place where 0 bombs are played between both players in limited.
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Impersonator is definitely overrated and needing UU to cast it could make it a dead card in your hand too often, and building your whole deck so that it's base blue so you can reliably cast your Clone effect just doesn't seem good enough to me.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
Pick is a for sure falconer here.
I think this would be true if it would be clone. But its not. With ascendancies, planewalkers, hard to cast wedge colored creatures and creatures which your opponents delve in a huge portion of their yeard, this card gives you more than a simple clone. The upside is good enough to first pick it.
It is only notably different than clone when you are playing against rares. In other words an extremely unlikely scenario. It's basically clone, and clone has never been a first pick.
On the actual pick, I love sultai scavenger, but as much as I hate to admit it falconer is probably just better.
Clever Impersonator is probably a worse Clone because UU. Most non-creatures are not going to be good targets unless you match up with a similar deck (same clan).
Abzan Falconer is a solid choice but outlast is just to slow for me. Heir of the Wilds will have swung for 6-9 by the time Abzan Falconer can even swing once in the air for 3. That would be on turn 5. The t in Wt should prove to be very significant. Outlast tapping your creatures on your turn will make it very hard to stabilize. Outlast is competing with your T4 play here as well. Can be a significant downside if you don't get Abzan Falconer in the air early.
Honorable mention to the color intensive Bear's Companion.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
I disagree. In the early game it's a better Oppressive Rays, but like rays it gets much worse in the late game. In fact, if you put this on your opponent's best creature and you don't kill them fast enough, you've essentially given their creature pseudo-vigilance
And I agree Singing Bell Strike is good. The "pseudo vigilance" argument forgets that that requires 12 when I've invested 1U for a great deal of inconvenience.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
I would *absolutely* take the Clever Impersonator for one of my EDH decks.
If I wanted to build a good limited deck I would grab that Falconer.
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EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I think that explains what I'd take in this pack.
Thanks you very much DarkNightCavalier for the Sig.