Wanted to make a separate thread than the spoiler thread since that one is almost singularly focused on how the new <> mana will work.
Anyhow, the card is interesting, but I don't see Kozilek being as game-ending as Ulamog currently is. It may be better against control since, regardless of whether it resolves, you're getting your hand refilled when you cast him. But there are so many forms of removal Kozilek dies to (true, Kozilek's counterspell ability can likely stop most of those threats, but it's pretty situational on having a card with the correct CMC in your hand to stop the removal spell), and the only asset it really has on the battlefield (besides being a 12/12) is Menace. Conversely, even if you could chump block Ulamog forever, your library is gone within three turns.
What does everyone else think? The card draw is probably the biggest advantage to Kozilek, but Ulamog seems like a more reliable game-ender.
History has shown that card drawing on a stick overweights a possible game ender for the same cost (if the CMC turns to be 10 indeed), especially when that game ender can be exiled and stuff.
What Ulamog does have is the exile ability, this why it gets to be played.
Still, Kozilek will see play, propably in those same decks Ula is being played. They were smart enough to distict them mechanically, so they can perform in different roles under the same roof.
Firstly i hope this thread doesnt become an Ulamog VS Kozilek controvery. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME CARDS.
For 10 Mana Kozilek is the kinda Card i expect. a 12/12 hard to block finisher. A draw 7 cards spell & a possible counterspell-engine.
Unfortunaltey he cant turn around the game, when hes played, but we already have Ugin & Ulamog for that. & they cant draw you new Hands & Counter spells.
Just like as in Ulamogs case, Kozilek has become superior to his former Card. The Draw-ability can now draw 3 more cards for the same cost. He cant be chump-blocked as easily anymore & he now has the possibility of countering spells. No unfair Anihilator. Definately an upgrade.
Noone can stop me from playin him alongside Ugin & Ulamog.
& yea i agree, Kozilek seems better, than Ulamog against Controllish Dex. Oh & by the way. You should Display the new Card in your post.
Menace just means "Can't be blocked except by two or more creatures"
It's true, it's difficult to compare Ulamog and Kozilek side-by-side. If you're behind on board state, Ulamog is probably going to help you get out of things better than Kozilek. If you're looking at losing by your opponent's next turn, all of the card draw in the world isn't going to save you, especially if you don't have the mana to cast anything (which is a likely scenario after spending 10 mana to cast Kozilek). On an empty board, though, Kozilek is most often a better option, since blocking is very difficult, and because your entire hand turns into counterspells (assuming you have the right CMC). It just kinda sucks to lose Kozilek to an attacker or blocker with deathtouch, or a Murderous Cut, or a sweeper.
Yea that would suck But Keep in mind you have drawn 7 cards. Maybe you draw Ulamog or Ugin or something else that can handle the Situation, if Kozilek cant. & you still can Counter spells for no further mana Investment, if you are lucky.
Not sure about this in Standard -- kind of depends how the rest of the set shakes out -- but I would like to try it in Modern (R/G Tron). Have been looking for a replacement for Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, and I really don't like Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger because the cast trigger seems redundant in that deck. The refill your hand ability, though, combined with the fact that a 12/12 menace is difficult to chump block, could end long games a little bit quicker than the big guy does. I also like that it's really easy to discard any one of 16 one-mana spells, by my count, to counter an opposing Path to Exile. Seems more effective that Newlamog, and I'm really disillusioned with Emrakul as a backup plan so far, so for me, this will be an important niche card in Modern right out of the gate.
I'm thinking I'm less interested in the next set than Battle for Zendikar just looking at those mana symbols in that casting cost. Look, I don't play Standard, but you can tell that BfZ has made the least impact on Standard a new set has ever made in Standard's existence. I can't recall a new set coming out and making a little impact as it did. While I don't think this set was nearly as bad as Homelands, Coldsnap, or Prophecy... this block is in my view shaping up to be the poorest design-wise in recent memory. At least it's only one more set in this block.
I'm sure I'm stretching a bit, but I like Kozilek in combination with Omniscience and Enter the Infinite. You would have a big dude that allows all those cards in your hand to be counterspells and a wonderful attacker. Only issue is I doubt it is better than Emrakul in that deck. Shoot, most are playing Grislybad.
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RIP Batman guy. I hope somebody picks up the slack now that you are gone. Sick children need their Batman.
I do like the card. Drawing cards on casting is nice, menace provides some evasion, and the ability to counter things is great. Standard green ramp has plenty of cards with CC 3 and 4, which can hit a lot of spells being played by opposing decks. Deck building going forward would need to consider if an increase in CC 2 cards is needed. Some green ramp decks already have this covered with the CC 2 mana creatures.
And Kozilek can be reanimated, possibly adding a new deck to the mix. You'd already be playing black, so knowing the opponent's had via Duress and Transgress the Mind, you could reanimate Kozilek while holding the exact cards to pitch if they try to remove it.
Since its Nov/Dec, my Xmas Wonderland scenario will be:
1) Discarding my hand for mana (eg. Lion Eye Diamond)
2) Re-animate Kozilek
3) Full hand, filled graveyard for delve/dredge and Big Bro on the war front!
SAY YEAH!
However, I feel this version of Kozilek sucks. =)
Lastly, I am also tired of the discussion about <> mana in the other thread. Why 'build castles in the air' while you have a card in front of you to discuss?
Since its Nov/Dec, my Xmas Wonderland scenario will be:
1) Discarding my hand for mana (eg. Lion Eye Diamond)
2) Re-animate Kozilek
3) Full hand, filled graveyard for delve/dredge and Big Bro on the war front!
SAY YEAH!
However, I feel this version of Kozilek sucks. =)
Lastly, I am also tired of the discussion about <> mana in the other thread. Why 'build castles in the air' while you have a card in front of you to discuss?
I hope your holidays are better than your Wonderland scenario as you cant normally do that with LED, and Kozilek is a cast trigger not and ETB trigger.
I hope your holidays are better than your Wonderland scenario as you cant normally do that with LED, and Kozilek is a cast trigger not and ETB trigger.
The playability here is going to depend a lot on what those <> symbols mean. I mean, I initially thought they were something like Phyrexian mana again. It's almost certain that they can't be paid for with life, but if there IS some sort of alternate cost to get this guy out for eight, that's huge.
Anyway, Ulamog being indestructible is probably just better. Both cards are amazing when cast, and both get immediate value even if they're countered, but Ulamog demands a relatively narrow answer before closing out the game, while a poor draw off of Kozilek gives the opponent outs. As a control player, I WANT to love a finisher creature that gives me free counters and a full grip, but if I wasn't willing to cast Ulamog when BFZ came out, I can't imagine a world where Kozilek fits into my deck in OGW.
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His draw is nice, but for every game where you (OMG!) draw seven there will be a game where you draw zero. The obvious average is 3-4 cards, so that's not exactly some huge improvement over the original.
Menace. Well, Ok....neat? Very randomly assigned (to me) and not much of a roadblock, most games. They could have done something really unique here like 'Can't be blocked by colored creatures' or something like what they did with old Emmy. Just can't understand why they settled on...Menace.
Discard ability. Again, so SO much variance and gonna be completely blank, at least half the time, maybe more. Sure, depending on the format you're playing you can run some improvements but that hardly makes this guy good enough all of a sudden.
I find Annihilator mechanic so unfun to play, I've been very excited to replace old titans with new ones. That said, I'm playing the old Kozilek every single time.
I don't really like this new art much either but that's totally subjective stuff.
IDK, I personally don't like this guy. The draw is nice but if you're gonna have to discard a couple cards just to keep him on the board, well, why not just go with the indestructible one? And he can be stonewalled by lingering souls? Really? Total flavor fail. Plus, a new specific mana needed? What?!! It's hard enough finding 10 mana, now we need two of a highly specialized type? Lame. Also, If you reanimate, you don't get the draw, am I right? It says when he's cast so no beny out of the yard. Yay for power SHRINK!!!
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Affinity EDH W Akroma GBW Ghave BRU Thrax GR Ruric I advocate for the elimination of the combo archetype in Modern. I believe it is degenerate and unfun by its very nature and will always limit design space and cause unnecessary bans.
His draw is nice, but for every game where you (OMG!) draw seven there will be a game where you draw zero. The obvious average is 3-4 cards, so that's not exactly some huge improvement over the original.
This particular logic seems off to me. Obviously, we can both think of a scenario where you draw seven off this Kosilek, and while it doesn't seem far-fetched it certainly is not going to happen every time. However, it seems highly unlikely that drawing zero off this card is going to come up anywhere near as often as drawing seven. Like, how are you getting to a gamestate where you have 8 cards in hand, and cast Kosilek? It requires you to have a full grip of cards already that you aren't casting, and then draw for your turn, and absolutely need to cast Kosilek before you cast any of the other cards in your hand. The typical example for "having a full grip you can't use" is manascrew, but at 8<><>, you're probably not casting Kosilek in that case. Even if you have a hand full of lands, you still get to play one and make him at least cantrip. So I'd argue that the 'floor' for Kosilek's draw is drawing 1 card, not zero (excepting very very corner case scenarios, or using him in a deck he should not be in). Which means that, even assuming all other options are equal, you're still averaging at least 4 cards, and that's not even getting into the fact that you can influence the amount you draw through gameplay.
Yup, don't know what Morphling and others are smoking, this thing is crazy good. I can see drawing 7 cards and countering all my crap for free happening way too often. Menace is a solid evasion ability and the fact that he only draws off casting is directly in line with the original, only with a higher upside.
I'll withhold final judgment until we see what else the waste lands are good for. A highly conditional reuseable walking (albeit a 12/12) counterspell with conditional card draw tacked on with a highly conditional mana requirement and conditional evasion is, well a very niche card. I mean, it's not even suitable for tron, given the info we have (how are you gonna run the tron package, a color or two and enough waste cards to bring this guy in?). Further, he cost 10 and isn't gonna immediately affect the board state. IDK, there are too many unknowns at this point to say definitively one way or another but signs are pointing to this being a bit of a stinker beyond Limited/Standard.
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Modern GB Rock U Flooding Merfolk RUG Delver Midrange WU Monks UW Tempo Geist GW Bogle GW Liege UR Tron B Vampires
Affinity Legacy
Fish
Goblins
Burn
Reanimator
Dredge
Affinity EDH W Akroma GBW Ghave BRU Thrax GR Ruric I advocate for the elimination of the combo archetype in Modern. I believe it is degenerate and unfun by its very nature and will always limit design space and cause unnecessary bans.
I'll withhold final judgment until we see what else the waste lands are good for. A highly conditional reuseable walking (albeit a 12/12) counterspell with conditional card draw tacked on with a highly conditional mana requirement and conditional evasion is, well a very niche card. I mean, it's not even suitable for tron, given the info we have (how are you gonna run the tron package, a color or two and enough waste cards to bring this guy in?). Further, he cost 10 and isn't gonna immediately affect the board state. IDK, there are too many unknowns at this point to say definitively one way or another but signs are pointing to this being a bit of a stinker beyond Limited/Standard.
Unless, as a number of people have speculated, <><> simply means "must be colorless mana", at which point tron can easily cast him (whether or not they want to is a whole other matter, but I think it'll be at least considered).
Obviously, we won't know until we get more info on the Wastes/star symbol, so we'll have to wait to evaluate that part of the card.
why people only evaluate this for ramp? Consider a control deck with mage-ring network. Then you can easily cast him off 3 lands (the mage ring and the two wastes, assuming <> is functionally a new color). If that control deck has lots of deck manipulation (dig through time, anticipate, and anything else they might print) you can easily find cards of the right cmc (typically 3 or 4) to counter whatever they throw at him. Moreover, if you are the control deck, you probably removed most blockers, so menace is a big thing. Finally, if your plan is "remove, go; remove, charge network, go; remove, charge, network, go; (...) drop this" then the card draw will be very live (and when it's not, you are probably winning anyway). The only doubts this gives me is that there is no haven of the spirit dragon for eldrazi. The reason I play Ugin in my control deck is that I can discard an early ugin to jace, and then bring him back when I need him. This guy, if you draw him early, just rots there. Yet again, there are lots of cards to be spoiled, so who knows... maybe a "return kozilek to your hand" lands is printed.
Kozilek 2.0 actually looks like he has promise in Legacy Reanimator. Not only is he a 2-turn clock, he does a good enough job of hosing a lot of Legacy decks just by countering 0-2-cmc spells (Reanimator runs a lot of lands and 1-cmc cards, and it runs the 2-cmc Exhume and often Animate Dead). The primary Kozilek-booting removal spell, Swords to Plowshares, is easily countered by Careful Study/Reanimate/Brainstorm/etc. In testing, he wasn't quite good enough at hosing Combo Elves (tough to counter consecutive Elvish Visionarys or consecutive Green Sun's Zeniths, impossible to counter Natural Order, need luck to counter Craterhoof Behemoth, need to dump exactly Iona, Shield of Emeria to counter GSZ for Hoof), and Maverick could handle him with Maze of Ith and a later Karakas (you're forced to let them stick their 8 virtual Knight of the Reliquary). Deathblade was in pretty big trouble trying to handle him, though.
I just got a hilarious testing Cockatrice game in, though, where Legacy Reanimator started off with Kozilek, the Great Distortion in hand, Legacy OmniTell resolved Show and Tell for Omniscience on Turn 1 on the play, Reanimator cheated in Kozilek, then Team Kozilek ditched Entomb to stop free Ponder on Turn 1, ditched Careful Study to stop free Preordain on Turn 2, and swung for the win.
A lot of the Modern OGW thread believes that <> can be paid for by whatever Blighted Fen produces alone, so I tried Kozilek 2.0 in RG Tron (as a primarily anti-Burn Conduit of Ruin target--Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger fixes the rest). Kozilek 2.0 is noticeably worse at hosing Burn than Platinum Emperion (what I'm using right now) is pre-board but is significantly better post-board because he dodges artifact removal and Emperion doesn't. Unlike Emperion, Kozilek 2.0 has a nonzero chance of hosing Ad Nauseam (your only hope is ditch Oblivion Stone to stop Lightning Storm/Laboratory Maniac--all Emperion does is die to draw deck into Slaughter Pact, while Kozilek 2.0 is practically immune to one Slaughter Pact). Kozilek 2.0 is worse at stopping Primeval Titan from Amulet Bloom than Emperion is, but Kozilek 2.0 virtually hoses the Hive Mind plan (counter only your Pact copies, nonzero chance of countering Hive Mind itself by ditching Wurmcoil Engine) and hoses quite a few Summoner's Pacts, while Emperion doesn't stop Hive Mind into Pacts. Emperion completely brick walls aggro (especially Merfolk) and Twin until it gets removed, though, while Kozilek 2.0 can't boast the same. Against midrange, tempo, and control, Emperion dies to every hard removal spell and Kolaghan's Command, while Kozilek 2.0 in RG Tron almost always resists the first Path to Exile (ditch Chromatic Star/Expedition Map/etc.), resists Terminate at least half the time (ditch Sylvan Scrying/Pyroclasm), and counters Liliana of the Veil a nonzero percentage of the time (ditch O. Stone). I'm still trying to figure out whether gaining small percentages against the majority of the field with Kozilek 2.0 is worth losing Game 1 percentage points against Burn, Twin, and likely Merfolk.
...Kozilek 2.0 is unplayable in Modern RG Tron if <> is effectively a mana supertype (a la snow) like I suspect.
I've been playing various Eldrazi ramp builds in Standard for the last few weeks...and this guy looks AMAZING for those.
- Draw ability - Great against control, ok elsewhere. Not as good as Ulamog's exiling against most aggro/midrange.
- Counter ability - Great against midrange, ok elsewher. Not bad against control, but they tend to have counterspells and be less predictable. Maybe you get lucky and stop an aggro finisher with it, but that seems iffy. OTOH the removal midrange decks are packing is usually pretty predictable, most of it dodges Ulamogs indestructibility, and it tends to cost 3 or maybe 4 mana. That makes Kozi very easy to protect against the Abzan/Jeskai type builds where you can hold/draw one of your many 3-4 mana spells to counter their removal.
The great thing is that we have multiple ways to tutor him up, so it isn't like we have to choose between Ulamog and Kozilek, we get both consistently. Personally I think the common build will still be Ulamog heavy with just one Kozi, because chaining Ulamogs can be huge against control and other decks who are vulnerable to having their mana attacked, whereas you will usually just need to cast one Kozilek in a given game.
The real question is whether supporting him mana-wise is worth it, given that it will require splashing Wastes. Probably means excluding other splashes, which is a big cost.
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Anyhow, the card is interesting, but I don't see Kozilek being as game-ending as Ulamog currently is. It may be better against control since, regardless of whether it resolves, you're getting your hand refilled when you cast him. But there are so many forms of removal Kozilek dies to (true, Kozilek's counterspell ability can likely stop most of those threats, but it's pretty situational on having a card with the correct CMC in your hand to stop the removal spell), and the only asset it really has on the battlefield (besides being a 12/12) is Menace. Conversely, even if you could chump block Ulamog forever, your library is gone within three turns.
What does everyone else think? The card draw is probably the biggest advantage to Kozilek, but Ulamog seems like a more reliable game-ender.
EDIT: Added card image.
What Ulamog does have is the exile ability, this why it gets to be played.
Still, Kozilek will see play, propably in those same decks Ula is being played. They were smart enough to distict them mechanically, so they can perform in different roles under the same roof.
it might be a reanimating ability or something.
menace will ether make or break this card in my opinion
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For 10 Mana Kozilek is the kinda Card i expect. a 12/12 hard to block finisher. A draw 7 cards spell & a possible counterspell-engine.
Unfortunaltey he cant turn around the game, when hes played, but we already have Ugin & Ulamog for that. & they cant draw you new Hands & Counter spells.
Just like as in Ulamogs case, Kozilek has become superior to his former Card. The Draw-ability can now draw 3 more cards for the same cost. He cant be chump-blocked as easily anymore & he now has the possibility of countering spells. No unfair Anihilator. Definately an upgrade.
Noone can stop me from playin him alongside Ugin & Ulamog.
& yea i agree, Kozilek seems better, than Ulamog against Controllish Dex. Oh & by the way. You should Display the new Card in your post.
Menace is that it can't be blocked except by two or more creatures. They keyworded the ability in Magic Origins.
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RB Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
R Feldon of the Third Path
It's true, it's difficult to compare Ulamog and Kozilek side-by-side. If you're behind on board state, Ulamog is probably going to help you get out of things better than Kozilek. If you're looking at losing by your opponent's next turn, all of the card draw in the world isn't going to save you, especially if you don't have the mana to cast anything (which is a likely scenario after spending 10 mana to cast Kozilek). On an empty board, though, Kozilek is most often a better option, since blocking is very difficult, and because your entire hand turns into counterspells (assuming you have the right CMC). It just kinda sucks to lose Kozilek to an attacker or blocker with deathtouch, or a Murderous Cut, or a sweeper.
RIP Batman guy. I hope somebody picks up the slack now that you are gone. Sick children need their Batman.
And Kozilek can be reanimated, possibly adding a new deck to the mix. You'd already be playing black, so knowing the opponent's had via Duress and Transgress the Mind, you could reanimate Kozilek while holding the exact cards to pitch if they try to remove it.
1) Discarding my hand for mana (eg. Lion Eye Diamond)
2) Re-animate Kozilek
3) Full hand, filled graveyard for delve/dredge and Big Bro on the war front!
SAY YEAH!
However, I feel this version of Kozilek sucks. =)
Lastly, I am also tired of the discussion about <> mana in the other thread. Why 'build castles in the air' while you have a card in front of you to discuss?
I hope your holidays are better than your Wonderland scenario as you cant normally do that with LED, and Kozilek is a cast trigger not and ETB trigger.
Bomb! *Facepalm* You are right.
Anyway, Ulamog being indestructible is probably just better. Both cards are amazing when cast, and both get immediate value even if they're countered, but Ulamog demands a relatively narrow answer before closing out the game, while a poor draw off of Kozilek gives the opponent outs. As a control player, I WANT to love a finisher creature that gives me free counters and a full grip, but if I wasn't willing to cast Ulamog when BFZ came out, I can't imagine a world where Kozilek fits into my deck in OGW.
His draw is nice, but for every game where you (OMG!) draw seven there will be a game where you draw zero. The obvious average is 3-4 cards, so that's not exactly some huge improvement over the original.
Menace. Well, Ok....neat? Very randomly assigned (to me) and not much of a roadblock, most games. They could have done something really unique here like 'Can't be blocked by colored creatures' or something like what they did with old Emmy. Just can't understand why they settled on...Menace.
Discard ability. Again, so SO much variance and gonna be completely blank, at least half the time, maybe more. Sure, depending on the format you're playing you can run some improvements but that hardly makes this guy good enough all of a sudden.
I find Annihilator mechanic so unfun to play, I've been very excited to replace old titans with new ones. That said, I'm playing the old Kozilek every single time.
I don't really like this new art much either but that's totally subjective stuff.
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UW Tempo Geist
GW Bogle
GW Liege
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I advocate for the elimination of the combo archetype in Modern. I believe it is degenerate and unfun by its very nature and will always limit design space and cause unnecessary bans.
GB Rock
U Flooding Merfolk
RUG Delver Midrange
WU Monks
UW Tempo Geist
GW Bogle
GW Liege
UR Tron
B Vampires
Affinity
Legacy
Fish
Goblins
Burn
Reanimator
Dredge
Affinity
EDH
W Akroma
GBW Ghave
BRU Thrax
GR Ruric
I advocate for the elimination of the combo archetype in Modern. I believe it is degenerate and unfun by its very nature and will always limit design space and cause unnecessary bans.
Obviously, we won't know until we get more info on the Wastes/star symbol, so we'll have to wait to evaluate that part of the card.
I just got a hilarious testing Cockatrice game in, though, where Legacy Reanimator started off with Kozilek, the Great Distortion in hand, Legacy OmniTell resolved Show and Tell for Omniscience on Turn 1 on the play, Reanimator cheated in Kozilek, then Team Kozilek ditched Entomb to stop free Ponder on Turn 1, ditched Careful Study to stop free Preordain on Turn 2, and swung for the win.
A lot of the Modern OGW thread believes that <> can be paid for by whatever Blighted Fen produces alone, so I tried Kozilek 2.0 in RG Tron (as a primarily anti-Burn Conduit of Ruin target--Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger fixes the rest). Kozilek 2.0 is noticeably worse at hosing Burn than Platinum Emperion (what I'm using right now) is pre-board but is significantly better post-board because he dodges artifact removal and Emperion doesn't. Unlike Emperion, Kozilek 2.0 has a nonzero chance of hosing Ad Nauseam (your only hope is ditch Oblivion Stone to stop Lightning Storm/Laboratory Maniac--all Emperion does is die to draw deck into Slaughter Pact, while Kozilek 2.0 is practically immune to one Slaughter Pact). Kozilek 2.0 is worse at stopping Primeval Titan from Amulet Bloom than Emperion is, but Kozilek 2.0 virtually hoses the Hive Mind plan (counter only your Pact copies, nonzero chance of countering Hive Mind itself by ditching Wurmcoil Engine) and hoses quite a few Summoner's Pacts, while Emperion doesn't stop Hive Mind into Pacts. Emperion completely brick walls aggro (especially Merfolk) and Twin until it gets removed, though, while Kozilek 2.0 can't boast the same. Against midrange, tempo, and control, Emperion dies to every hard removal spell and Kolaghan's Command, while Kozilek 2.0 in RG Tron almost always resists the first Path to Exile (ditch Chromatic Star/Expedition Map/etc.), resists Terminate at least half the time (ditch Sylvan Scrying/Pyroclasm), and counters Liliana of the Veil a nonzero percentage of the time (ditch O. Stone). I'm still trying to figure out whether gaining small percentages against the majority of the field with Kozilek 2.0 is worth losing Game 1 percentage points against Burn, Twin, and likely Merfolk.
...Kozilek 2.0 is unplayable in Modern RG Tron if <> is effectively a mana supertype (a la snow) like I suspect.
- Draw ability - Great against control, ok elsewhere. Not as good as Ulamog's exiling against most aggro/midrange.
- Counter ability - Great against midrange, ok elsewher. Not bad against control, but they tend to have counterspells and be less predictable. Maybe you get lucky and stop an aggro finisher with it, but that seems iffy. OTOH the removal midrange decks are packing is usually pretty predictable, most of it dodges Ulamogs indestructibility, and it tends to cost 3 or maybe 4 mana. That makes Kozi very easy to protect against the Abzan/Jeskai type builds where you can hold/draw one of your many 3-4 mana spells to counter their removal.
The great thing is that we have multiple ways to tutor him up, so it isn't like we have to choose between Ulamog and Kozilek, we get both consistently. Personally I think the common build will still be Ulamog heavy with just one Kozi, because chaining Ulamogs can be huge against control and other decks who are vulnerable to having their mana attacked, whereas you will usually just need to cast one Kozilek in a given game.
The real question is whether supporting him mana-wise is worth it, given that it will require splashing Wastes. Probably means excluding other splashes, which is a big cost.