Not necessarily. There are crap/mediocre rares and Wizards knows that they are to balance things out. There are chase uncommons (and even commons) that push the power curve a bit. Rarity is just as much about complexity these days as it is power. Two-Headed Nightmare Horse isn't exactly complex either, but neither are the Rakdos, and they really wanted to fit some sweet flavor text on the Nightmare to make up for some -other- flavor text mistakes.
Still underwhelming to see it besides Golgari's half-a-doubling-season-on-legs, Selesnya's land-that-becomes-wurm or Izzet's hasted-flashing-dragon.
The only problem with having Unleash be more than maybe two or three (at most) counters is simply the power level of the cards. Sure, Rakdos is about reckless beaters, but you still have the option of having a slightly less powerful blocker. If there were to be a rare that said, say, 4/4 with Unleash 4 and some sick effect when it has counters, no one will care that it can't block. You'd just have an 8/8 Haste/Trample/whatever beatstick. The creatures with higher unleash numbers would need to have lower base p/t to balance it, and would completely kill any desire to play it as a block. Yes, that is the point of Rakdos, but Unleash makes you weigh the options of having chump blockers or having extra beating power. Maybe it's just not my playstyle to really understand how it'll play, but I think we just need to wait and see how it functions in actual decks.
I do think it would be funny as hell to have a creature that has defender, but loses it if it's unleashed.
I totally support the opnion that Unleash only makes any sense if a strong trade-off between unleashing and not unleashing exist. As many before me said, if you don't have that trade-off the "~~ can't block" stance would be enough, no need for new keyword.
And this happen very cleary in both cards spoiled this far. The sketon is obvious one - regeneration is a better ability in defense.
The horse thing is on a 6 cmc creature one +1/+1 is certainly weaker then on a 2< cmc creature. You gettign extra beat power but you're loosing blocking, a very imporant ability for finishers. Sometimes you just need to lock down the game for while until you draw some burn spells and not blocking won't help you with that, but an 5/4 first strike certainly will.
Unleash is the most underrated keyword so far. Imo it leads to much more interesting choices than Scavenge and Detent. And its certainly more innovative design then both those mechanics.
I'm betting on a creature with Deathtouch and Unleash. Deathtouch is usually more valuable while blocking than while attacking, so it's an actual decision between having a rettlesnake blocker or an aggressive attacker.
Of course, as a commander player, a lethal blocker that can be recurred indefinitely is pretty much the only reason I'd be interested on one of the Rakdos aggressive beaters, so my speculation might be affected by that bias.
I guess combat tricks is the only way I can think of to use unleash as a way to trick a player into attacking.
Scenario: You "accidently" forget to attack (or give any excuse really) so the creature can be open to block if the counter was removed. An opponent attacks, you remove the counter, and laugh at the sucker as they realize their creature was killed.
Unleash should not be an automatic option. Like the two previewed cards with Unleash, they are supposedly good at blocking if unleashed is not used.
They can do something else like:
Rakdos guy 1BR
Unleash
If unleashed, gets haste
If another creature comes into play unleashed, if ~ has no +1/+1 counter, gets +2/+2 until end of turn
2/2
Another Rakdos Guy 2BR
When a creature comes into play unleashed, ~ gets +1/-1 until end of turn
3/3
Rakdos Guy Again 1BR
Unleash
When attacks, gets +3/-3 until end of turn
1/4
I'd like the creatures to be able to do something with their counters....remove a +1/+1 counter: discard effect, ping effect, gains an ability until end of turn. This way, it has cross synergy with the multiple +1/+1 counter spells and abilities going around
So far we havnt seen anything neat with this mechanic, I know we still have a lot of the set left, so there's still hope, but it's looking bleak and boring. (cards with this mechanic, ofc, not the set as a whole)
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so if i am that player do i get to sleep with his girlfriend ?
I find it fun how scared you are of Goblin Guide when there are so many creatures that can completely destroy it. Thalia outbattles him, Sunstriker trades and gains you two life, mostly anything G kills him dead, Knight of Infamy trades and almost everything in Zombies trades or kills it while generating damage with Blood Artist
The only deck that should be afraid of Goblin Guide level aggro creatures is Delver, and delver must die. And even then, they get a 3/1 detain for 3cmc, a 2/2 detain 2 for 4cmc and I bet they'll get a 1 and 2 drop detain too.
Stop saying Goblin Guide is too good when Delver, Geist, Thalia, Geralf's Messenger and now the new Dryad and the Disruptowl are around.
AMEN, Strog!!!! IMO, (and I'm probably the only person who thinks this), Goblin Guide wasn't amazing when it was in standard. It just had a lot of good supporting cards in the decks that it was ran in, and those Arnt available right now. The best play that I can see you could make would be following it up with a strangle root giest, which is fairly unlikely, due to the mana requirements.
Plus, Guide could block if it needed too.
However, there are a couple of things going against the haste 1/1 unleash idea:
1: hybrid mana makes it easier to cast.
2: goblin Guide had a drawback (can be argued against, since it provided you information)
3: guide was a rare, we're talking about an uncommon. (I guess it could be rare)
Maybe a card with an X mana cost that has Unleash X? Past having an additional ability that interacts with the counters, or says "do X if Unleashed" or so, I can't see it. Or maybe Unleash X where it defines X as part of the ability (see Thromok the Insatiable). However, most abilities are expanded on later, though they did do Bloodthirst X in its original set (Petrified Wood-kin).
Still underwhelming to see it besides Golgari's half-a-doubling-season-on-legs, Selesnya's land-that-becomes-wurm or Izzet's hasted-flashing-dragon.
Pauper: UR some horrible homebrew izzet deck
I do think it would be funny as hell to have a creature that has defender, but loses it if it's unleashed.
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Like this creature has X ability if it has a +1/+1 counter.
So imagine a creature that get's firebreathing or Tim's ability. Anything really so long as it has that +1/+1 I recon that would be pretty cool.
And this happen very cleary in both cards spoiled this far. The sketon is obvious one - regeneration is a better ability in defense.
The horse thing is on a 6 cmc creature one +1/+1 is certainly weaker then on a 2< cmc creature. You gettign extra beat power but you're loosing blocking, a very imporant ability for finishers. Sometimes you just need to lock down the game for while until you draw some burn spells and not blocking won't help you with that, but an 5/4 first strike certainly will.
Unleash is the most underrated keyword so far. Imo it leads to much more interesting choices than Scavenge and Detent. And its certainly more innovative design then both those mechanics.
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Hypotetical Rakdos Imp - 1BR
Creature - Imp (2/1)
Unleash, Deathtouch, Flying
Of course, as a commander player, a lethal blocker that can be recurred indefinitely is pretty much the only reason I'd be interested on one of the Rakdos aggressive beaters, so my speculation might be affected by that bias.
Pauper: UR some horrible homebrew izzet deck
Scenario: You "accidently" forget to attack (or give any excuse really) so the creature can be open to block if the counter was removed. An opponent attacks, you remove the counter, and laugh at the sucker as they realize their creature was killed.
"if ~ Unleash target creature can't block this turn" was comes to mind
or
"whenever a creature you control unleashed, deal x damage"
They can do something else like:
Rakdos guy 1BR
Unleash
If unleashed, gets haste
If another creature comes into play unleashed, if ~ has no +1/+1 counter, gets +2/+2 until end of turn
2/2
Another Rakdos Guy 2BR
When a creature comes into play unleashed, ~ gets +1/-1 until end of turn
3/3
Rakdos Guy Again 1BR
Unleash
When attacks, gets +3/-3 until end of turn
1/4
About Mindslaver rulings:
The only deck that should be afraid of Goblin Guide level aggro creatures is Delver, and delver must die. And even then, they get a 3/1 detain for 3cmc, a 2/2 detain 2 for 4cmc and I bet they'll get a 1 and 2 drop detain too.
Stop saying Goblin Guide is too good when Delver, Geist, Thalia, Geralf's Messenger and now the new Dryad and the Disruptowl are around.
Plus, Guide could block if it needed too.
However, there are a couple of things going against the haste 1/1 unleash idea:
1: hybrid mana makes it easier to cast.
2: goblin Guide had a drawback (can be argued against, since it provided you information)
3: guide was a rare, we're talking about an uncommon. (I guess it could be rare)
About Mindslaver rulings:
Feel free to tell me yours!
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As so far, the first two have not used their Guild mechanic.
Except it can block on the same turn you play it, if need be. But yeah, still bad.
Its being speculated that it will have haste, so closer to Goblin Guide or Raging Goblin.
About Mindslaver rulings:
They need one that interacts directly with +1/+1 counters. And it doesn't have to be much.
The hounds of Rakdos
Each player sacrifices a creature if this creature is unleashed.
Unleash
1/1
Then you could say unleash the hounds...