Hey everybody! Another Spoiler season is already underway. Let's take a look at what's been revealed so far.
We've had a couple reprints of junk commons... and Fling got new artwork.
Impeccable Timing seems like just another bad white removal spell. Is White ever going to get some love at common?
Miasma Mummy is interesting. A Grizzly Bears with a situational upside... Could be good in some decks.
Tattered Mummy is also kinda cool I guess, but not really playable as far as I can see.
Graceful Cat has a cool name, and that's about it.
The other commons so far are just vanilla creatures with poor stats. Nothing worth talking about.
I like two things about this set: first, the Embalm mechanic will be an excellent way to get lots of value out of creatures. I certainly hope we get something good with that ability. If it ends up being a decently powerful creature, we could even see Embalm getting paired with the Populate mechanic from Return to Ravnica. Second, I like that they didn't give "mummy" it's own creature type, as this will help bolster the Zombie creature type instead. Maybe we'll get some nice goodies that will make the tribe playable in competitive Pauper.
Embalm seems like it could be good if they aren't too cowardly to make a few decent ones. As it is they are sooo overcosted.
Seeing as how counterspells are atrocious in the current era and they just revealed a counterspell hating creature, we might see a good counterspell? Maybe negate with a draw at three?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pauper: UB Wight Phantasm RB Burn UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Embalm is stellar and shaping up to be one of my favorite mechanics in recent Magic, and will be a pretty good way to get value out of creatures. There will certainly be a $30 mythic with Embalm and 50 keywords for sure, but I hope us Pauper players can get good value at common. An appropiately costed Embalm 2/2 that draws a card upon EtB would be an all star.
At the same time, I died a little on the inside since creature Flashback continues the trend to phase out spells in favor of permanents
Also Impeccable Timing is a reprint. God I hope for Condemn at common someday. Maybe Embalm means Smother or some other universally good removal.
Cartouche of Solidarity seems very playable in Hexproof. Seeing that many lists play Hyena Umbra, Cartouche seems just as good, since it gives you an extra body to soak up edicts and even attack with. Vigilance is a big deal for a token, too.
Anointer Priest has the right body for the ability. Unfortunately, it only triggers with tokens YOU create, rather than anybody's creatures, but decks that run this will be playing tons of tokens anyways, and Embalm will trigger other copies of it too, making it great in multiples.
Scribe of the Mindful looks interesting! It has a bigger body than Archaeomancer and is more splashable, but it still gets you a card by 4th turn. Is this something Turbofog will want? This will definitely be testing for my Izzet Control deck.
I think the tapping clause seals the deal for me. Not being able to keep attacking and then sac it in response to removal or simply after dealing damage is huge. I'd rather run classical Archaeomancer, which can be blinked as well.
Scribe of the Mindful looks interesting! It has a bigger body than Archaeomancer and is more splashable, but it still gets you a card by 4th turn. Is this something Turbofog will want? This will definitely be testing for my Izzet Control deck.
I don't think so. If Archaeomancer hasn't seen any play, I don't think the Scrive will. Though it's interesting to see that some people swear by Reclaim, so it really isn't that far off.
EDIT: Scarab Feast seems like a decent card, but a little boring. Other cards like Nihil Spellbomb basically do a better job, though it isn't an instant.
Sacred Cat is good value, though the body leaves to be desired. I could have seen it as a 1/2 with an Embalm of 1W instead.
I'm a little disappointed, but I understand that Desert might be a bit too powerful. I just thought that since they seemed to be printing so many high toughness creatures that it would be okay in this set.
This thing's pretty good. Although overcosted, I fully expect Blue based control decks to jam 2-3 of these as their reactive draw spell of choice. The overcosted factor can be mitigated by cycling it early game for a single mana, and later in the game you can cast it for full value at the end of the opponent's turn if you didn't counter anything. I will be trying a few copies in Teachings and Caw Blade for sure.
The tempo decks won't like this, but the slow control decks might. I like that there are modes on the card, but they're both kind of bad. There are 3 mana draw 2s at instant speed, and those usually don't see much play. The cycling is nice because it can't be countered, but again there are higher-impact cards to choose from. What this card offers is choice, but to me both seem unplayable. I might be completely wrong on this, but I'm just not a fan of spending four to draw two.
So, we have the whole set spoiled. It looks like we have some interesting cards, but I'm not sure if any are big meta changers.
As far as Exert creatures, we have a few solid looking ones. It looks like there's one in each color that is worth its cost, but I'm not sure if exert as a whole will be good unless you have a lot of untap shenanigans. Maybe Mobile Garrison will be good in an Exert deck. We will see.
Tormenting Voice looks like a great new... Oh wait, nevermind! Lol! I can't believe this is reprinted AGAIN! It has wasted a common slot for this set. I could understand if any of the older prints weren't Standard legal anymore, but it's still in Standard.
Blazing Volley might replace Electrickery even though it's a Sorcery. One mana for the same effect as the Overload is good.
Benefaction of Rhonas looks like a great addition for Gond combo and maybe Bogles (might be too slow for Bogles).
Winds of Rebuke might find a place in Delve/Threshold decks that use Blue. It disrupts and fills up your Graveyard. Not sure if that's going to make it better than Vapor Snag or Snap though but I'll definitely test it a bit and see how I like it!
Tah-Crop Skirmisher looks like a great Embalm card. I'm sure this will see play somewhere.
Haze of Pollen might have been good for TurboFog if the Cycling cost was cheaper, but even then would it be good there? It is a Fog with an extra mode.
This is really the only new spoilers that caught my attention. Is there anything else I'm missing?
Stinging shot is incredible. Kills delvers, kills drifters, renders spire golems worthless. It cycles so it can go in the main, and basically answers all of delvers stuff.
Nothing really stands out as playable. Hieroglyphs as I said seems good in Blue based control (not Tempo, since those already have Gush) because of the flexibility it gives. U to cycle it early if it strands in your hand, 3U for the full value in the later stages in the game is unprecedented. The only Instant speed draw 2 I can think of at common are Artificer's Epiphany, which requires you to run a heavy Artifact Land manabase, and Succumb to Temptation which is heavy into black.
I'm personally picking up some Greater Sandwurm, which probably won't see play if Jungle Weaver didn't, but I like the card on a personal level: evasive fatty that can cycle early game and has obvious interactions with Exhume. Wish it had been 6G to make it Tron playable. Shefet Monitor and Cryptic Serpent should have been common (I mean, Krosan Tusker already is and costs 1 less to cycle, and Affinity already got a pretty much identical serpent except for stats just a block ago).
Blazing Shot, Cradle of the Accursed and Stinging Volley will probably see play. Overall, a lot of missed opportunities. They played it too safe with costs and rarities. At least Limited seems pretty good, and some of the Uncommon multicolor cycle make for interesting PDH commanders.
Benefaction of Rhonas would be strictly worse than Commune with the Gods if it had the same wording, but it says Creature AND/OR Enchantment which means it can get you two cards. I've revealed both combo pieces with Commune with the Gods for my Gond deck and had to choose one, but now you could get both! I'm definitely going to test it against Commune because Commune does fit the curve better but I'm open to giving it a chance!
I agree that Blazing Shot, Cradle of the Accursed and Stinging Volley seem like the winners for the set. I also like the Cartouche of Solidarity. I'm especially curious with how well Cradle will do in Pauper.
Keep in mind that Benefaction of Rhonas can get 2 cards, not just one, so it's definitely appropriately costed at 3 mana. That's sure to garner some attention.
It is slightly sad that Pauper's removal and control are so good that Hooded Brawler, a 5/4 for 3 which works every turn with quirion ranger is too slow and weak.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pauper: UB Wight Phantasm RB Burn UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
We've had a couple reprints of junk commons... and Fling got new artwork.
Impeccable Timing seems like just another bad white removal spell. Is White ever going to get some love at common?
Miasma Mummy is interesting. A Grizzly Bears with a situational upside... Could be good in some decks.
Tattered Mummy is also kinda cool I guess, but not really playable as far as I can see.
Graceful Cat has a cool name, and that's about it.
The other commons so far are just vanilla creatures with poor stats. Nothing worth talking about.
I like two things about this set: first, the Embalm mechanic will be an excellent way to get lots of value out of creatures. I certainly hope we get something good with that ability. If it ends up being a decently powerful creature, we could even see Embalm getting paired with the Populate mechanic from Return to Ravnica. Second, I like that they didn't give "mummy" it's own creature type, as this will help bolster the Zombie creature type instead. Maybe we'll get some nice goodies that will make the tribe playable in competitive Pauper.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Seeing as how counterspells are atrocious in the current era and they just revealed a counterspell hating creature, we might see a good counterspell? Maybe negate with a draw at three?
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
At the same time, I died a little on the inside since creature Flashback continues the trend to phase out spells in favor of permanents
Also Impeccable Timing is a reprint. God I hope for Condemn at common someday. Maybe Embalm means Smother or some other universally good removal.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Anointer Priest has the right body for the ability. Unfortunately, it only triggers with tokens YOU create, rather than anybody's creatures, but decks that run this will be playing tons of tokens anyways, and Embalm will trigger other copies of it too, making it great in multiples.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
It's good for Pauper EDH though, that's for sure.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
I don't think so. If Archaeomancer hasn't seen any play, I don't think the Scrive will. Though it's interesting to see that some people swear by Reclaim, so it really isn't that far off.
EDIT: Scarab Feast seems like a decent card, but a little boring. Other cards like Nihil Spellbomb basically do a better job, though it isn't an instant.
Sacred Cat is good value, though the body leaves to be desired. I could have seen it as a 1/2 with an Embalm of 1W instead.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
You know what other card in Magic has that card type?
Yup. Desert. If there's a time to reprint this card, it's now. Please, Wizards, let it be a common. Oh, the faeries we'll kill...
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I'm a little disappointed, but I understand that Desert might be a bit too powerful. I just thought that since they seemed to be printing so many high toughness creatures that it would be okay in this set.
Cradle of the Accursed should see some play. Durdling Golgari decks with Tilling Treefolk will like this a lot.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I think we just got our first real playable card:
Hieroglyphic Illumination
This thing's pretty good. Although overcosted, I fully expect Blue based control decks to jam 2-3 of these as their reactive draw spell of choice. The overcosted factor can be mitigated by cycling it early game for a single mana, and later in the game you can cast it for full value at the end of the opponent's turn if you didn't counter anything. I will be trying a few copies in Teachings and Caw Blade for sure.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
It isn't much good for tempo (compared to tandem lookout or gush) but Dimir Control might run a pair.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
As far as Exert creatures, we have a few solid looking ones. It looks like there's one in each color that is worth its cost, but I'm not sure if exert as a whole will be good unless you have a lot of untap shenanigans. Maybe Mobile Garrison will be good in an Exert deck. We will see.
Tormenting Voice looks like a great new... Oh wait, nevermind! Lol! I can't believe this is reprinted AGAIN! It has wasted a common slot for this set. I could understand if any of the older prints weren't Standard legal anymore, but it's still in Standard.
Blazing Volley might replace Electrickery even though it's a Sorcery. One mana for the same effect as the Overload is good.
Benefaction of Rhonas looks like a great addition for Gond combo and maybe Bogles (might be too slow for Bogles).
Winds of Rebuke might find a place in Delve/Threshold decks that use Blue. It disrupts and fills up your Graveyard. Not sure if that's going to make it better than Vapor Snag or Snap though but I'll definitely test it a bit and see how I like it!
Tah-Crop Skirmisher looks like a great Embalm card. I'm sure this will see play somewhere.
Haze of Pollen might have been good for TurboFog if the Cycling cost was cheaper, but even then would it be good there? It is a Fog with an extra mode.
This is really the only new spoilers that caught my attention. Is there anything else I'm missing?
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/cards/amonkhet/28818-stinging-shot
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
That said, the set is pretty lackluster in the common department: Benefaction of Rhonas is just a strictly worse Commune with the Gods for example. Thresher Lizard would have been super awesome at 1 less, and Nef-Crop Entangler looks cute, but ultimately fails the Bolt test. Winds of Rebuke also should cost 1 less.
I'm personally picking up some Greater Sandwurm, which probably won't see play if Jungle Weaver didn't, but I like the card on a personal level: evasive fatty that can cycle early game and has obvious interactions with Exhume. Wish it had been 6G to make it Tron playable. Shefet Monitor and Cryptic Serpent should have been common (I mean, Krosan Tusker already is and costs 1 less to cycle, and Affinity already got a pretty much identical serpent except for stats just a block ago).
Blazing Shot, Cradle of the Accursed and Stinging Volley will probably see play. Overall, a lot of missed opportunities. They played it too safe with costs and rarities. At least Limited seems pretty good, and some of the Uncommon multicolor cycle make for interesting PDH commanders.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
I agree that Blazing Shot, Cradle of the Accursed and Stinging Volley seem like the winners for the set. I also like the Cartouche of Solidarity. I'm especially curious with how well Cradle will do in Pauper.
Keep in mind that Benefaction of Rhonas can get 2 cards, not just one, so it's definitely appropriately costed at 3 mana. That's sure to garner some attention.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post