MTG Salvation

Why are you all hung up on Karn, the Great Creator + Mycosinth Lattice?

just play turn 1 Darksteel Citadel, Mox Opal, Ornithopter and Springleaf Drum into Liquimetal Coating, then Turn 2 any Land+ Karn, the Great Creator... then mayyybe wait for the Lattice on later turns.

I like repeatable land destruction from turn 2 on. ( Yeas the probability on this is low, but I guess the deck can run a typical Whir shell too)

Karn by himself can also shut off some aggro's strategy that deals with a Karn Liberated on the battlefied and that is Aether Vial. This Karn can just hose vial decks including the Ensnaring Bridge, but it also stops tempo plays that allow aggro decks to try to come back even after a Karn is landed. (Aggro Decks don't talk about Ugin). Decks like Humans, Merfolk, Spirits, etc.

Karn into Bridge seems rather mediocre tbh, cause Tron cannot empty their hand that fast usually. Sure, they have lots of mana, but their spells are also on the expensive side. Hence, instead of Bridge they need to find a different card to deal with Aggro.

Greetings,
Kathal

The new repeatable red Snapcaster Mage seems potentially busted. True, it only triggers on attack, but it can be used to recur manaless spells like Restore Balance, Living End, Ancestral Visions, or Wheel of Fate.

It is also more aggressive than snapcaster since you can simply double each of your pump spells.

I think it has real potential.

Quote from ElectricEye »

The new repeatable red Snapcaster Mage seems potentially busted. True, it only triggers on attack, but it can be used to recur manaless spells like Restore Balance, Living End, Ancestral Visions, or Wheel of Fate.

It is also more aggressive than snapcaster since you can simply double each of your pump spells.

I think it has real potential.

If it would have Prowess instead of Trample, I agree, so I dunno.

Greetings,
Kathal

Okay so I wasn't really concerned with new karn, but liquimetal coating is something I hadn't considered.



Tons of combos and then karn+coating or abrade+coating controls the board. This is where I'll be starting and this is rough draft. Two different Combos as early as t3 and you can technically have rebuke or apostles up to protect the combo.

He works with bolts... this is enough for me even if he is boltable. You can use him with Ensnaring bridge and he really works well with Cathartic Reunion/ Ancestral visions.

I don't think the sky is falling with newKawn but I do reserve the right to now laugh even harder in the face of anyone who claims Birthing Pod and Stoneforge Mystic should stay banned for limiting design space

Quote from ElectricEye »

The new repeatable red Snapcaster Mage seems potentially busted. True, it only triggers on attack, but it can be used to recur manaless spells like Restore Balance, Living End, Ancestral Visions, or Wheel of Fate.

It is also more aggressive than snapcaster since you can simply double each of your pump spells.

I think it has real potential.

The zero CMC cards are probably too cute in general since they are mostly build around But this guy just flashing back 1 CMC spells is powerful. Getting double use out of Lightning Bolt or Lava Spike is brutal.

Against many-creatures-aggro you tutor an Ostone, what's the problem? It's not like you are gonna get that off faster without Karn. Against high power creatures you probably get bridge better.

Quote from ElectricEye »

The new repeatable red Snapcaster Mage seems potentially busted. True, it only triggers on attack, but it can be used to recur manaless spells like Restore Balance, Living End, Ancestral Visions, or Wheel of Fate.

It is also more aggressive than snapcaster since you can simply double each of your pump spells.

I think it has real potential.

Jumping through the hoops of binning free spells is not the first place I would go with this, just being able to flashback cmc1 spells seems more straightforward. Its stats are pretty crummy but being a wizard is relevant.

agreed. unlike with electrodominance where i just didnt get the vibe that it could be used for value like many others were; the opposite is true for the 2-drop. so maybe a roleplayer in an aggressive or midrange strategy that can better capitalize on the value + tempo of just regular cheap spells. so yeah im thinking stuff like UR wizards that could use the tempo from a free spell to hold up countermagic, or grixis/mardu midrange. young pyro is a fine card, but its just rarely ever well positioned as main deckable other than as some flex inclusion.

Yeah, that Liliana themed edict is a big freaking deal. Two mana removal that can handle an early primevel titan, emrakul, bogle, or gurmag angler. Heck the BR edict is even viable due to its versatility. Best of one card design is going to really help eternal formats.

I know that spoiler discussion does tend to overlap many areas, but let's try to stay away from banlist talk in here.

Anyone else think that Lazotep Plating might see Modern play? For 1U at instant speed, you virtually get a 1/1 and omni-Hexproof for you and your permanents.

Quote from Lectrys »

Anyone else think that Lazotep Plating might see Modern play? For 1U at instant speed, you virtually get a 1/1 and omni-Hexproof for you and your permanents.

But which deck would want to have that effect?

At best case it is a Negate + a 1/1 Token for 2 Mana vs removal spells, something not many decks (if one at all) would want. Only RUG Delver plays something similar in Simic Charm and Simic Charm does much more than that spell (cause it either pumps, protects or is a tempo removal).

I can see the benefits of that card, but no deck wanting that effect.

Greetings,
Kathal

Dreadhorde Arcanist seems like it should work well in Rx Burn and maybe even UR Phoenix. The main issue I see with it is that it's fairly vulnerable to removal, but the upside of a free spell a turn is probably worth it. I don't think it's comparable to Snapcaster, though. I'd compare it to Aether Vial and say that it's probably a little less efficient, but with a bit more card advantage potential.

Invade the City looks like a solid threat for UR Phoenix decks. I don't know if its better than Crackling Drake, but it is cheaper, which is nice.

Vivian's Arkbow is borderline playable. I could see an argument for it in Vizier Druid combo decks as a way to tutor out a kill combo, but I don't think it's better than Recruiter in that shell. I could also see a hypothetical creature-based ramp deck wanting it, but I'm not really aware of deck that can utilize the Arkbow in Modern. It isn't a Survival of the Fittest replacement, it isn't a Birthing Pod replacement, and I don't think it's quite strong enough to spawn a new archetype.

Flux Channeler is interesting. It's got an obvious home in Dice Factory Combo, but I'm not sure how "win more" it is. I do know that I'll have fun trying her out though.

Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage could be a budget replacement for Liliana of the Veil in 8-rack.

Karn, the Great Creator seems to be pretty... situational at best. He's basically 2 Artifact Wishes stapled to a Stony Silence. I mean, it's neat that he can almost be a 1-card combo with Mycosynth Lattice, but you've still got to actually cast, resolve, and protect the Lattice. He's powerful to be sure, but I'm drawing a blank on any deck that would actually be more effective with him in it's 60. I can definitely see him as a sideboard card in Tron though. I could be mistaken on this guy, and he might be strong enough to spawn a new archetype, but I don't see him taking over Modern. It is cool that he can kill opposing Chalice of the Voids with his +1.

Kaya's Ghostform is a very interesting card to me. On one hand, it's initially card disadvantage, and is basically a do-nothing spell. However, the fact that it's a 1-mana card that could allow you reuse planeswalkers after they ultimate in B is pretty interesting, especially since you can immediately use their abilities again right after. I could see an Esper or Sultai Superfriends deck running a few of these in the 60. It's almost like a mini Sun Titan.

Dovin's Veto is a nice upgrade on Negate for UWx control. Not much to say on it either way, but it will see play.

Angrath's Rampage is almost playable. I like the modal nature of it, but the decks that need this effect need it at instant speed. So close, yet so far.

Ral, Storm Conduit looks like a solid choice for Jeskai Control sideboards. He's a little too expensive for his effects in Phoenix or Storm, but he's great as a way to grind out prison decks and control decks. Turning Lightning Helix into 8 damage and 6 life is pretty strong with his -2. Heck, even Lightning Bolts become 8 damage for 1 mana, if I'm reading the way his -2 interacts with his passive correctly.

Haven't seen much discussion on it yet, but I think Dreadhorde Butcher is very playable. On curve it can trade with an X/2 if the opponent has a blocker, and against anything other than exile removal it will always deal damage. Seems quite good for an aggro deck, and it has two potentially relevant creature types.

This is not just kinda like Thragtusk, it's also kinda like Flametongue Kavu (in GW!). Might be worth it in Elves' SB against fair decks.

Is there something to the fact that Ral can turn 2 Reverberate effects into Lethal? Or is that too many pieces. 1 Ral, 2 Copy Spells, 1 original spell.

you can also use an active pyro ascension or doublecast + copy spell to go infinite. seems like a stretch though.

Ral does damage from all the copies which makes this lethal unlike the Enchant or Sorcery version

Quote from Taleran »

Ral does damage from all the copies which makes this lethal unlike the Enchant or Sorcery version

i meant you could use those cards to enable the ral combo (by infinitely looping the copy effect, which otherwise does nothing without ral). ascension can be played earlier and has proven to be a relatively strong buildaround card in its own right, and doublecast removes the requirement of the third random spell.

Maybe I am not seeing it but I don't see how doublecast removes the need for the original copy spell requiring a target.