Test of Faith - Damage prevention is awesome, and I can see this helping those random 2/2's and 2/3's get that much more scary.
Otherworldly Journey - I run a bounce & blink subtheme in white and blue so this fits SO perfectly.
Perilous Research - Instant speed draw two? Yes please. Time will tell if this is a card that needs more behind it to make work though.
Syphon Life - Control might like this? I dunno but another card (this time in black) that uses extra lands is a biggie in my book. Thinking of adding in Raven's Crime also with this one too...
Warren Weirding - I only have 9 Goblin's in my Cube (Why oh why is Rakdos Shred-Freak not a Goblin?!) but this is a card I'd bring in if Hexproof really turned into a thing.
Moldervine Cloak - We've all read or said something about this, and I've been convinced of it's potential power. I personally equate the dredge2 of this card to Merfolk Looter's ability. I think it was Tom Martel or maybe Marshall Sutcliffe that said you loot if you don't have what you want in hand, or there's nothing better on board.
Walker of the Grove - Like I said I run a blink and bounce theme in blue and white (with the typical graveyard theme in black) so this is a card is a surefire STAPLE in my cube. Undying Evil and Cloudshift are add-ins with this.
Petals of Insight
Sorcery — Arcane, 4U (5)
Look at the top three cards of your library. You may put those cards on the bottom of your library in any order. If you do, return Petals of Insight to its owner's hand. Otherwise, draw three cards.
Looks confusing, and very lackluster (Maybe a Ux Control Deck and only if you're playing Gush...maybe?)
...BUT it's nice to know that we're probably getting a few things to hopefully play with.
Watched someone do an LLM draft, and they had a couple Weed-Pruner Poplar. They seemed excellent. Definitely gonna try that guy out.
I saw those in mslano's list. It certainly looked interesting. Specially since it looks like his cube is geared towards +1 and -1 counters, and such. Pretty cool synergies he's got going.
Only problem I can foresee is that it's got a back end of 3. Nearly all Red removal, and an ok amount of black removal can get rid of it then it's just a SUPER expensive Virulent Wound/Grim Affliction (both of which I don't recall seeing in any cube lists atm). Still it has flavor, and if supported could be a cool card for a grindy UB/GB control deck (or Mono Black Discard.dec)
Because of the thread about Triskelion for Peasent i started thinking about the Rnaissance Set that was released in Germany and France.
What do you guys think about this set? I see some using Magic Online only sets or special products like Dueldecks so it should not be that big of a stretch to allow this set asw ell.
If you wanted to look at it abstractly, Rupture Spire / Transguild Promenade are Birds of Paradise without...wings, that can't be played on turn 1.
They both "come into play tapped", and require 1 mana to cast. Would you ever not play a BOP on turn 3 or 4? Granted it can attack with some type of equipment, but usually how often is that?
I personally use both in the cube, and think that they are great, but then again, I don't play any type of Land hate (destruction, bounce) with the exception of Capsize but that's a pretty big mana investment, and most of my drafters don't play it till they have the buyback mana.
For me Leyline Phantom would need either some type of evasion (Flying most likely from today's standards), and/or a cost reduction to facilitate it being replayed multiple times within a game.
Since neither of these are what is actually in our reality, then we have what I feel is a mediocre creature, and what most would call "Limited Fodder".
True a 1/1 won't often get you there, but much like Extort, bleeding 2 or 4 damage off an opponent could potentially mean the difference between a win and loss. And for arguements sake, I've always evaluated Oracle as an Explore with a 1/1 Saproling token. Granted not the most stellar of effects, but by no means mediocre (seeing as with a mana dork on turn 1 lets you play a 5 drop on turn 3).
I will concede to you that Assault Zeppelid is a powerhouse (and he's not coming out of the cube, lets just call it a 15 day DL), but going by my eval above, I'd rather take out a creature for a creature for testing's sake than a spell for a creature. Just a quirk of mine thats all.
I dunno about Knightly Valor. On the surface it looks strong (albeit a bit expensive) but could very well turn out like Mark of the Vampire (which I must admit I wasn't cubing until I saw the 2012 Pauper rankings and now...well wow.)
I think that (R/G)Prey Upon is the #4 (R/G) card behind Kird Ape /
So it looks the the Grizzly Bear of this set is getting "Extort" as it's keyword.
How do we feel about this?
Syndic of Tithes 1W
Creature - Human Cleric
Extort
2/2
Edit:
Hmm. I like a second "Prey Upon"...like it even more with it being Instant speed (and in Red since my Red creature slots are at a 50/50 split between Aggro and Midrange Fat).
Here here!!! I only had time this morning to look through the black section (I always jump to that first when looking over evals cuz that seems to be usually the most controversial) and I agreed with a good amount of them, and disagreed with some others...
Needless to say, I feel this could be a sticky-able thing for us to discuss over in our new subforum!
I could see the Frog being good to great in a heavily supported ramp and fatty Green section. Being able to consistently drop 3+ power or 4+ toughness creatures makes it a good thing.
Personally I want a common 2 drop bear with Evolve (I honestly think I've mentioned this about 4 times now, but seeing as Blue has the 1 drop with flying, I'm thinking that Green is going to get the 2CC creature).
I too am excited for this card, but part of my mind thinks that we won't get a draw spell or bounce spell aggressively costed to match Hands of Binding.
Seeing as the Mono Red version is a 3/1 First Strike for 3R and it's Bloodrush is for 2R, I don't see it getting better than this at common. Though I could see a Grizzly Bear with Bloodrush for (G/R), or a Centaur with Bloodrush for (G/R)(G/R).
Edit:
After reading Maro's article on Monday, what would you rather see? A Grizzly Bear with Bloodrush for (G/R), or a Grizzly Bear with Evolve for (G/U); And since both are "strictly better" Bears, are they still common level creatures, or do they warrant an upgrade in rarity?
Test of Faith - Damage prevention is awesome, and I can see this helping those random 2/2's and 2/3's get that much more scary.
Otherworldly Journey - I run a bounce & blink subtheme in white and blue so this fits SO perfectly.
Perilous Research - Instant speed draw two? Yes please. Time will tell if this is a card that needs more behind it to make work though.
Syphon Life - Control might like this? I dunno but another card (this time in black) that uses extra lands is a biggie in my book. Thinking of adding in Raven's Crime also with this one too...
Warren Weirding - I only have 9 Goblin's in my Cube (Why oh why is Rakdos Shred-Freak not a Goblin?!) but this is a card I'd bring in if Hexproof really turned into a thing.
Moldervine Cloak - We've all read or said something about this, and I've been convinced of it's potential power. I personally equate the dredge2 of this card to Merfolk Looter's ability. I think it was Tom Martel or maybe Marshall Sutcliffe that said you loot if you don't have what you want in hand, or there's nothing better on board.
Walker of the Grove - Like I said I run a blink and bounce theme in blue and white (with the typical graveyard theme in black) so this is a card is a surefire STAPLE in my cube. Undying Evil and Cloudshift are add-ins with this.
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Petals of Insight
Petals of Insight
Sorcery — Arcane, 4U (5)
Look at the top three cards of your library. You may put those cards on the bottom of your library in any order. If you do, return Petals of Insight to its owner's hand. Otherwise, draw three cards.
Looks confusing, and very lackluster (Maybe a Ux Control Deck and only if you're playing Gush...maybe?)
...BUT it's nice to know that we're probably getting a few things to hopefully play with.
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I saw those in mslano's list. It certainly looked interesting. Specially since it looks like his cube is geared towards +1 and -1 counters, and such. Pretty cool synergies he's got going.
Only problem I can foresee is that it's got a back end of 3. Nearly all Red removal, and an ok amount of black removal can get rid of it then it's just a SUPER expensive Virulent Wound/Grim Affliction (both of which I don't recall seeing in any cube lists atm). Still it has flavor, and if supported could be a cool card for a grindy UB/GB control deck (or Mono Black Discard.dec)
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Sorted for only commons...
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They both "come into play tapped", and require 1 mana to cast. Would you ever not play a BOP on turn 3 or 4? Granted it can attack with some type of equipment, but usually how often is that?
I personally use both in the cube, and think that they are great, but then again, I don't play any type of Land hate (destruction, bounce) with the exception of Capsize but that's a pretty big mana investment, and most of my drafters don't play it till they have the buyback mana.
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Since neither of these are what is actually in our reality, then we have what I feel is a mediocre creature, and what most would call "Limited Fodder".
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I will concede to you that Assault Zeppelid is a powerhouse (and he's not coming out of the cube, lets just call it a 15 day DL), but going by my eval above, I'd rather take out a creature for a creature for testing's sake than a spell for a creature. Just a quirk of mine thats all.
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I'm for sure going to sub out Assault Zeppelid for this...I don't see Snakeform or Coaling Oracle coming out any time soon.
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I think that (R/G)Prey Upon is the #4 (R/G) card behind
Kird Ape /
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How do we feel about this?
Syndic of Tithes 1W
Creature - Human Cleric
Extort
2/2
Edit:
Hmm. I like a second "Prey Upon"...like it even more with it being Instant speed (and in Red since my Red creature slots are at a 50/50 split between Aggro and Midrange Fat).
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Needless to say, I feel this could be a sticky-able thing for us to discuss over in our new subforum!
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Personally I want a common 2 drop bear with Evolve (I honestly think I've mentioned this about 4 times now, but seeing as Blue has the 1 drop with flying, I'm thinking that Green is going to get the 2CC creature).
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What the D/X Pelvic Thrust doesn't excite your bones?
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I too am excited for this card, but part of my mind thinks that we won't get a draw spell or bounce spell aggressively costed to match Hands of Binding.
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Edit:
After reading Maro's article on Monday, what would you rather see? A Grizzly Bear with Bloodrush for (G/R), or a Grizzly Bear with Evolve for (G/U); And since both are "strictly better" Bears, are they still common level creatures, or do they warrant an upgrade in rarity?
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