Given how much everyone here gushes over it, I'm assuming you guys find Helm of Possession to perform considerably better than Vedalken Shackles? I definitely would lean towards the shackles if I wasn't looking at advice or had the experience to make the call, so that's curious to me. (I also have an extreme aversion to using non-modern frames, so there's that too but I know that's not a reasonable point for or against anything)
Helm is not my favorite card (inefficient mana-wise, non-tutorable, and shrinks your board) but it's a necessary evil with how bad commanders have gotten. I don't like saccing stuff but there's just a need for multiple theft effects. Not enough islands for Shackles.
Helm also does double duty as a sac outlet--you'll fall in love the first time you sac a reveillark with it I think (or something you swapped a gilded drake for, etc. etc.
I'm really liking this 99. I scoured through the primer and the following pages and didn't really see much discussion on why Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery don't make the cut? I came across one comment about As Foretold only being good with a critical mass of creatures with flash or instants, but I notice that As Foretold makes it over the latter two.
I just wanted to pop in and say how much I love this, and how glad I am to see wha tyou've done here. I am doing some goldfishing with it proxied and it's glory
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Currently Getting Back into the swing of MTGS. Bear with me folks~
I'm really liking this 99. I scoured through the primer and the following pages and didn't really see much discussion on why Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery don't make the cut? I came across one comment about As Foretold only being good with a critical mass of creatures with flash or instants, but I notice that As Foretold makes it over the latter two.
I can only speak for my build.
My first draft of Ephara had a bunch of bad stuff that had "flash" on it, since I'd usually draw into my threats eventually with Ephara's card advantage. Eventually a lot of cards were swapped out, but a good percent of my creatures still have flash, so Leyline isn't so necessary - though it does have some benefit.
Furthermore, a known problem with this list is that the 4CMC slot is the one with the most pressure - the most cards that want to go in versus the relatively fewest slots that we can afford. There are a lot of powerful value cards in that slot, i.e. Glen Elendra Archmage, Venser, Shaper Savant, etc. that provide much more immediate value than Leyline - which requires a ton of mana to benefit from properly. Even then - like I said - with a good amount of cards already having instant speed, it's 4 mana for a card that doesn't do much.
However, I am seeing a distinct lack of 4 drops in the primer list, which is an interesting turn of events. I'll leave it to Pokken to comment on that.
I'm really liking this 99. I scoured through the primer and the following pages and didn't really see much discussion on why Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery don't make the cut? I came across one comment about As Foretold only being good with a critical mass of creatures with flash or instants, but I notice that As Foretold makes it over the latter two.
I've love to hear your feedback!
This deck struggles with Mana more than with stuff to do at instant speed as built in my experience. Getting a Mana advantage closes games better than being able to cast mediocre creatures as instants. If you want more of that effect you want more ways to find teferi usually I think so if okay wizard cycling guy I think if you find your want more.
Weirdly I think most of the effects we want to be instants are already. We have counter magic and flash etb guys and such.
And lastly they are dead card without creatures in hand and they are not creatures. Deck is designed to minimize topdecks that aren't good with an empty board plus ephara. We have a lot already in the enforced ramp spells.
I could see them being good but I've rarely felt the desire. Try slotting one in for a flex card and let me know
However, I am seeing a distinct lack of 4 drops in the primer list, which is an interesting turn of events. I'll leave it to Pokken to comment on that.
The list has very few four drops because they contend with casting ephara on curve. Can only play the most powerful cards at that mana. If you look at the curve it's heavily slanted towards 2 and 3 which often lets us cast multiple spells pretty turn right after we cast ephara.
I just wanted to pop in and say how much I love this, and how glad I am to see wha tyou've done here. I am doing some goldfishing with it proxied and it's glory
I am really excited to hear this, very rewarding to hear people digging it. Thank you.
The deck is running really smoothly for me lately and I'm feeling pretty good about the overall structure so glad it's not just me.
Is mother of runes a great card in the deck? How does she help?
Containment Priest has always been a great card but it counters blinking effects? How do you handle that?
Do you have enough instant/flash for the Ethersworn Canonist?
Stoneforge Mystic and Equipments? Why?
The Silver Myr Looks fragile, Solemn Simulacrum looks better.
Leonin Relic-Warder always dissapoint me. What about you?
Why Hushwing Gryff? It counters all your ETB effects...
As Foretold looks promising but fragile, is it as good as it looks?
Venser PW looks really expensive for blinking ... Deadeye Navigator is better IMO
Why no Rest In Peace?
Is Unexpectedly Absent efficient? Your opponent will draw the card again at some point unless X is more than 3 ...
No Swan Song? It's so powerful...
No Render Silent? Late game it reads "target opponent skip his turn."
Have you try Nimble Obstructionist? Vendilion Clique?
Hey, thanks for the interest, will answer as best I can. I'm away from magic for a bit as I do some remodeling on new place in PA.
Mom is pretty strong. I like having some cheap creatures but she may go at some point since I cut ranger and wayfarer is so good. Her ability can do a lot of work at closing games primarily. It was much more key with ranger.
For the most part this deck has tons of control over blinking. When you deploy containment priest it is to do very specific stuff...shut off a pod or reanimation effect or machine gun the board with displacer, etc. Generally we have enough bounce and sac effects to get rid of it if it's really inconveniencing us. It having flash is the difference maker really.
Canonist is free basically. Plenty of stuff to do, don't forget we have like 15 artifacts too. Again you can whitemane or cloak it too. It's superb at protecting a lead.
Stoneforge does a lot of work. It gets greaves which combo but the main thing it does is get feast and famine which often gives us an overwhelming Mana advantage. It's good. Also gets jitte to shut off stupid commanders
Silver myr is a necessary evil to get to the critical mass of turn 3 ephara. You can play mindstone but solemn doesn't do the job.
Relic warder is amazing. I use it to protect my stuff pre sweeper sometimes and also perma exile with a variety of ways. Tutorable artifact enchantment hate is clutch.
Gryff also is necessary. Etb is less critical for us than some decks. Remember we can chump or sac or bounce when it's done its job.
Venser is a wincon and does filthy stuff with gilded Drake. It's easy to ultimate and also can just win with the minus sometimes too. I consider deadeye from time to time but he is functionally an 8 drop so doesn't really fit in vensers 5
Absent is exceptional. Muddle tutor. Removes anything. Just pump the x up if you're that worried but I usually do it for 1. Buys plenty of time. And people shuffle a lot.
Counters: swan song is not bad but it doesn't have the same versatility as the other counters. Drain gets a free turn of Mana, muddle tutors, etc. Render silent costs 3. That's too much for me. It's worth thinking about I just don't want to cut any of my spells and don't want to go lower on dudes.
Obstructionist is not bad looking, worth considering. I don't like that it doesn't do it's thing on etb so I'll be less inclined to cast it.
Clique has been in and out, it's very good. Just no room ATM. Maybe a good swap in for mom.
Oh and rip..well I have a lot of gy shenanigans. I'd definitely play the new spirit first. Rip is as likely to bork emeria, lark, Titan, guide, etc as help me. Rather stuff like stonecloaker.
There's helm of possession,jitte, cloning other people's outlets, capsize, sweepers and bounce effects (cloaker, lion), and flickerwisp and venser. Tons of mechanisms for temporarily getting rid of stuff.
You can also play high market. Very possible it's better than fair, which has been average to bad.
Strongly suggest the equipment package. Jitte sword and greaves do a lot of work.
So the unique thing About jitte is it repeatedly kills indestructible creatures. Surprisingly relevant for me
Greaves enables multiple timestreams if you don't combo with it (e.g. chain it). I've taken 4 turns in a row with a stream of clones. But it's stock goes way down without the combo. That said I have always had it in the list because of how good it is at protecting key bears. People often are dependent on sorcery speed effects or have tapped out etc.
Huh not sure what to think about this set yet but two comments;
One I think there will be an ephara artifact token deck. That refitting foundry is a very powerful and trinket mageable engine. And presumably there will be more.
Two, loyal drake is probably very good. We almost always have ephara and it doesn't require Mana investment or anything, and it flies and is tutorable. I'll probably try it.
Probably not my jam but it's pretty easy to imagine an ephara deck with a couple more pieces of kit and an equipment subtheme using Heavenly blademaster as the anthem of choice. Even getting two or three pieces on it makes a token army pretty lethal.
I am almost surely going to build a second ephara deck with artifact theme at this point. I think the support is there. Sadly gonna take me some time to collect an all the expensive affinity guys I sold into spikes haha.
How would artifact ephara look like, apart from the servo factory (which is pretty weak on its own)?
I think lifegain ephara still needs a closer look, but either of these builds will be very suboptimal.
I, for one, am looking forward to some good new azorius cards from the new Ravnica sets. The previous iteration had Sphinx's Revelation, which defined the format. Now a new Gideon is asking to be printed, as well as a new card for Isperia and Lavinia. Perhaps one of them will be a good hatebear.
I think it would play cards like thopter spy network, whirlermaker, animation module, hangarback walker, salvaging station, sai, master trinketeer,efficient construction, maybe mechanized production, teshar, steel overseer, arcbound ravager, pentavus, etc. Make a lot of servos and thopters and such at instant speed and do a lot of counter and saccing shenanigans. There's probably an easy combo in there too. Myr retriever and scrap trawler and treasure hunted and similir dudes can do a lot of work. Maybe auriok salvager and argivian archaeologist.
Maybe unwinding clock and shimmer myr and clock of omens type artifact support too.
I'd consider playing the voltaic key ramp package and tezzeret also. The nice part of the whole thing is our tutor package gets a lot more efficient with more artifacts.
I agree that I am super looking forward to more azorius stuff. Lots of great cards in there potentially.
Re life gain I think the support is still not quite critical mass but on the upside it'd be super budget. Probably doable cheap.
Loyal unicorn is very powerful. Team vigilance and one sided fog. Pretty strong. Not sure it's an effect I want but it could do a lot of work. Bash with everything every turn it's out with no downside really.
Just not sure it's an effect that does what I'm after. Hmm.
Meh. Too bummed about this set to do a full set review. Mostly it's loyal drake and boreas charger worth considering for my build.
The retrofitter foundry is seriously a strong engine for an artifact deck especially with a token theme. There's a lot of nonsense to be done with thopters and such. But I'm a few months off of getting rolling on that.
After giving it some proper thought, Primordial Mist started to intrigue me.
Firstly, it replaces itself in your hand the turn it comes into play.
Secondly, it's hard to remove as an enchantment.
Thirdly, we get to make stuff in our deck into 2/2s, then cast that stuff.
It's pretty much extending our hand and the number of cards that we can play, and and the casting restrictions can be much lighter than one might think - if we exile a face-down creature we can cast that card for the entire turn. You declare attackers with a bunch of 2/2s, an opponent blocks, then we exile them and get to cast Whitemane Lion, Counterspell, and Swords to Plowshares for that opponent's entire turn. It can put a real damper on their plans.
However, the restrictions still exist. If we manifest Elspeth, Sun's Champion, we have to wait an entire round to exile the manifested creature then play it for 4WW, then the enchantment might manifest another card that's sorcery speed, and that feels bad. What's more is that the creatures don't even come out that fast - one per round isn't a lot.
However, I think it should be considered very heavily. Manifesting whitemane then exiling-into-playing it on an opponent's turn is some real card advantage. It gives Elesh norn more of what to buff. With Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, card advantage can become ridiculous.
It is definitely on my radar too. I'm not sure. It is possible it's stronger than sacred mesa.
I think your reasoning is sound and it's worth a try. I'll probably get one and ponder it.
I don't think we have room for a ton of this kind of card (expensive enchantment engine) but I do like the corner case that it gets us out from under ixidron lol.
I'd probably try swapping it in for sacred mesa and testing it. It's a bit less powerful in a vacuum but it is a lot less Mana intensive which I like.
Stock probably goes up the more flash dudes and flash enablers you have. And it's the nuts with displacer obviously but so is everything.
It is definitely on my radar too. I'm not sure. It is possible it's stronger than sacred mesa.
I think your reasoning is sound and it's worth a try. I'll probably get one and ponder it.
I don't think we have room for a ton of this kind of card (expensive enchantment engine) but I do like the corner case that it gets us out from under ixidron lol.
I'd probably try swapping it in for sacred mesa and testing it. It's a bit less powerful in a vacuum but it is a lot less Mana intensive which I like.
Stock probably goes up the more flash dudes and flash enablers you have. And it's the nuts with displacer obviously but so is everything.
I think we could run Ixidron ourselves if we have this card. It solves a lot of our problems with big scary evasive creatures, and we could bounce/blink it all day to protect ourselves if we are in trouble. However, it does suck against token swarms.
Personally I would not slot out Sacred Mesa for it. I'm not even sure it has a place in your deck - not enough instants and flash stuff. But I'll try it out for sure.
I just ran into a thought while pondering Primordial Mist, and that's Mastery of the Unseen.
It's a good card on its own - the ability does cost 3W, relatively expensive, but keep in mind that there's both the manifested card that we can turn up (only if it's a creature), and the card that we draw from the Ephara trigger, so that can still be 2 mana for each card.
I also remembered the extent to which we can save our manifested cards:
Cloudstone Curio means we can produce tokens / cast Whitemane Lion and both return the card to our hand and gain an Ephara trigger.
I'm once again thinking of cards like Devastation Tide which bounce our board to our hand when drawn, but this is probably overthinking.
Also, the lifegain could be huge, since it counts all creatures you control. It's definitely a selling point, as I often find my life total drops the fastest in my meta.
Last but not least, it's also fetchable with Muddle.
I'd say running one without the other would be silly since they could have some amazing synergy. You could choose to turn up face-down creatures for lifegain, or exile and recast for protection and for additional card draw.
What do you think?
EDIT: For the record, Ixidor, Reality Sculptor is probably not good enough, but after looking at the rulings, it appears that creatures Ixidron flips face down can't turn back face up (unless they have morph or megamorph). Since Primordial Mist provides us a way to get around this, both cards when used together could be used to break parity - making the opponents' board meaningless while we get to draw a ton of cards and bounce Ixidron as a giant vanilla. But again, probably not strong enough.
Yeah honestly I could see mastery being clutch in this deck and always wanted to give it a go. The issue is it really wants you to make more Mana. So looking at sanctum or nykthos or Mana rocks or something.
I suspect there is a build out there for that. But I'm not sure it's strong enough, not quite enough support. Maybe in a life gain build since it'll gain tons of life.
I am really excited to start tinkering with some of the new options. Can't wait to finish this accursed remodel so I can get back to magic.
Helm is not my favorite card (inefficient mana-wise, non-tutorable, and shrinks your board) but it's a necessary evil with how bad commanders have gotten. I don't like saccing stuff but there's just a need for multiple theft effects. Not enough islands for Shackles.
Helm also does double duty as a sac outlet--you'll fall in love the first time you sac a reveillark with it I think (or something you swapped a gilded drake for, etc. etc.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I've love to hear your feedback!
BLiliana, Heretical HealerB| |GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
GWBDoom Plane EnchantressBWG
Done by Rivenor of Miraculous Recovery signatures!
I can only speak for my build.
My first draft of Ephara had a bunch of bad stuff that had "flash" on it, since I'd usually draw into my threats eventually with Ephara's card advantage. Eventually a lot of cards were swapped out, but a good percent of my creatures still have flash, so Leyline isn't so necessary - though it does have some benefit.
Furthermore, a known problem with this list is that the 4CMC slot is the one with the most pressure - the most cards that want to go in versus the relatively fewest slots that we can afford. There are a lot of powerful value cards in that slot, i.e. Glen Elendra Archmage, Venser, Shaper Savant, etc. that provide much more immediate value than Leyline - which requires a ton of mana to benefit from properly. Even then - like I said - with a good amount of cards already having instant speed, it's 4 mana for a card that doesn't do much.
However, I am seeing a distinct lack of 4 drops in the primer list, which is an interesting turn of events. I'll leave it to Pokken to comment on that.
Resplendent Angel has just been spoiled. I think this type of deck is actually starting to get dangerous!
I'd add Darien, King of Kjeldor as another token engine with more cards such as Suture Priest and Shattered Angel. Archangel of Thune is becoming a must have for this type of deck.
This deck struggles with Mana more than with stuff to do at instant speed as built in my experience. Getting a Mana advantage closes games better than being able to cast mediocre creatures as instants. If you want more of that effect you want more ways to find teferi usually I think so if okay wizard cycling guy I think if you find your want more.
Weirdly I think most of the effects we want to be instants are already. We have counter magic and flash etb guys and such.
And lastly they are dead card without creatures in hand and they are not creatures. Deck is designed to minimize topdecks that aren't good with an empty board plus ephara. We have a lot already in the enforced ramp spells.
I could see them being good but I've rarely felt the desire. Try slotting one in for a flex card and let me know
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
The list has very few four drops because they contend with casting ephara on curve. Can only play the most powerful cards at that mana. If you look at the curve it's heavily slanted towards 2 and 3 which often lets us cast multiple spells pretty turn right after we cast ephara.
Also resplendent Angel is gas in life gain
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I am really excited to hear this, very rewarding to hear people digging it. Thank you.
The deck is running really smoothly for me lately and I'm feeling pretty good about the overall structure so glad it's not just me.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Hey, thanks for the interest, will answer as best I can. I'm away from magic for a bit as I do some remodeling on new place in PA.
Mom is pretty strong. I like having some cheap creatures but she may go at some point since I cut ranger and wayfarer is so good. Her ability can do a lot of work at closing games primarily. It was much more key with ranger.
For the most part this deck has tons of control over blinking. When you deploy containment priest it is to do very specific stuff...shut off a pod or reanimation effect or machine gun the board with displacer, etc. Generally we have enough bounce and sac effects to get rid of it if it's really inconveniencing us. It having flash is the difference maker really.
Canonist is free basically. Plenty of stuff to do, don't forget we have like 15 artifacts too. Again you can whitemane or cloak it too. It's superb at protecting a lead.
Stoneforge does a lot of work. It gets greaves which combo but the main thing it does is get feast and famine which often gives us an overwhelming Mana advantage. It's good. Also gets jitte to shut off stupid commanders
Silver myr is a necessary evil to get to the critical mass of turn 3 ephara. You can play mindstone but solemn doesn't do the job.
Relic warder is amazing. I use it to protect my stuff pre sweeper sometimes and also perma exile with a variety of ways. Tutorable artifact enchantment hate is clutch.
Gryff also is necessary. Etb is less critical for us than some decks. Remember we can chump or sac or bounce when it's done its job.
Venser is a wincon and does filthy stuff with gilded Drake. It's easy to ultimate and also can just win with the minus sometimes too. I consider deadeye from time to time but he is functionally an 8 drop so doesn't really fit in vensers 5
Absent is exceptional. Muddle tutor. Removes anything. Just pump the x up if you're that worried but I usually do it for 1. Buys plenty of time. And people shuffle a lot.
Counters: swan song is not bad but it doesn't have the same versatility as the other counters. Drain gets a free turn of Mana, muddle tutors, etc. Render silent costs 3. That's too much for me. It's worth thinking about I just don't want to cut any of my spells and don't want to go lower on dudes.
Obstructionist is not bad looking, worth considering. I don't like that it doesn't do it's thing on etb so I'll be less inclined to cast it.
Clique has been in and out, it's very good. Just no room ATM. Maybe a good swap in for mom.
Oh and rip..well I have a lot of gy shenanigans. I'd definitely play the new spirit first. Rip is as likely to bork emeria, lark, Titan, guide, etc as help me. Rather stuff like stonecloaker.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
You can also play high market. Very possible it's better than fair, which has been average to bad.
Strongly suggest the equipment package. Jitte sword and greaves do a lot of work.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Greaves enables multiple timestreams if you don't combo with it (e.g. chain it). I've taken 4 turns in a row with a stream of clones. But it's stock goes way down without the combo. That said I have always had it in the list because of how good it is at protecting key bears. People often are dependent on sorcery speed effects or have tapped out etc.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
One I think there will be an ephara artifact token deck. That refitting foundry is a very powerful and trinket mageable engine. And presumably there will be more.
Two, loyal drake is probably very good. We almost always have ephara and it doesn't require Mana investment or anything, and it flies and is tutorable. I'll probably try it.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I am almost surely going to build a second ephara deck with artifact theme at this point. I think the support is there. Sadly gonna take me some time to collect an all the expensive affinity guys I sold into spikes haha.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I think lifegain ephara still needs a closer look, but either of these builds will be very suboptimal.
I, for one, am looking forward to some good new azorius cards from the new Ravnica sets. The previous iteration had Sphinx's Revelation, which defined the format. Now a new Gideon is asking to be printed, as well as a new card for Isperia and Lavinia. Perhaps one of them will be a good hatebear.
Maybe unwinding clock and shimmer myr and clock of omens type artifact support too.
I'd consider playing the voltaic key ramp package and tezzeret also. The nice part of the whole thing is our tutor package gets a lot more efficient with more artifacts.
I agree that I am super looking forward to more azorius stuff. Lots of great cards in there potentially.
Re life gain I think the support is still not quite critical mass but on the upside it'd be super budget. Probably doable cheap.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Just not sure it's an effect that does what I'm after. Hmm.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
The retrofitter foundry is seriously a strong engine for an artifact deck especially with a token theme. There's a lot of nonsense to be done with thopters and such. But I'm a few months off of getting rolling on that.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Firstly, it replaces itself in your hand the turn it comes into play.
Secondly, it's hard to remove as an enchantment.
Thirdly, we get to make stuff in our deck into 2/2s, then cast that stuff.
It's pretty much extending our hand and the number of cards that we can play, and and the casting restrictions can be much lighter than one might think - if we exile a face-down creature we can cast that card for the entire turn. You declare attackers with a bunch of 2/2s, an opponent blocks, then we exile them and get to cast Whitemane Lion, Counterspell, and Swords to Plowshares for that opponent's entire turn. It can put a real damper on their plans.
However, the restrictions still exist. If we manifest Elspeth, Sun's Champion, we have to wait an entire round to exile the manifested creature then play it for 4WW, then the enchantment might manifest another card that's sorcery speed, and that feels bad. What's more is that the creatures don't even come out that fast - one per round isn't a lot.
However, I think it should be considered very heavily. Manifesting whitemane then exiling-into-playing it on an opponent's turn is some real card advantage. It gives Elesh norn more of what to buff. With Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, card advantage can become ridiculous.
What do you think?
I think your reasoning is sound and it's worth a try. I'll probably get one and ponder it.
I don't think we have room for a ton of this kind of card (expensive enchantment engine) but I do like the corner case that it gets us out from under ixidron lol.
I'd probably try swapping it in for sacred mesa and testing it. It's a bit less powerful in a vacuum but it is a lot less Mana intensive which I like.
Stock probably goes up the more flash dudes and flash enablers you have. And it's the nuts with displacer obviously but so is everything.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I think we could run Ixidron ourselves if we have this card. It solves a lot of our problems with big scary evasive creatures, and we could bounce/blink it all day to protect ourselves if we are in trouble. However, it does suck against token swarms.
Personally I would not slot out Sacred Mesa for it. I'm not even sure it has a place in your deck - not enough instants and flash stuff. But I'll try it out for sure.
It's a good card on its own - the ability does cost 3W, relatively expensive, but keep in mind that there's both the manifested card that we can turn up (only if it's a creature), and the card that we draw from the Ephara trigger, so that can still be 2 mana for each card.
I also remembered the extent to which we can save our manifested cards:
Also, the lifegain could be huge, since it counts all creatures you control. It's definitely a selling point, as I often find my life total drops the fastest in my meta.
Last but not least, it's also fetchable with Muddle.
I'd say running one without the other would be silly since they could have some amazing synergy. You could choose to turn up face-down creatures for lifegain, or exile and recast for protection and for additional card draw.
What do you think?
EDIT: For the record, Ixidor, Reality Sculptor is probably not good enough, but after looking at the rulings, it appears that creatures Ixidron flips face down can't turn back face up (unless they have morph or megamorph). Since Primordial Mist provides us a way to get around this, both cards when used together could be used to break parity - making the opponents' board meaningless while we get to draw a ton of cards and bounce Ixidron as a giant vanilla. But again, probably not strong enough.
I suspect there is a build out there for that. But I'm not sure it's strong enough, not quite enough support. Maybe in a life gain build since it'll gain tons of life.
I am really excited to start tinkering with some of the new options. Can't wait to finish this accursed remodel so I can get back to magic.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall