You know, on second thought (aka people telling me on twitter ) - maybe it's not that bad. Definitely the worst out of the cycle and the one with the narrowest targets/no evasion, but... it's still removal on a stick that doesn't punk you if it dies mid-combat, ya know?
I guess I'm in the minority here... Is he really that bad?
No. I think it's fine actually. It's the perfect early investment in a body for a late-game trap springing, and it has 50+ targets in my cube that either have 4+ base power or can regularly grow to 4+ power on their own. Unlike other Reprisal effects, this guy's not completely dead if you don't find a timely target, and you can always play it as an on-curve lifelink beater if that's what the matchup/curve calls for. It's probably the worst of the 4 that got spoiled, but I think it's pretty good, actually.
Considering that I still run Knight of Meadowgrain... I'm definitely going to test it out. Now all we need is a good red morph and I have 2 in each color, and at least one multicolor morph in Sagu Mauler.
Agreed. A lot hinges on the red one being playable for me. I'd love to dive back into a 2 morph per color subtheme, and the red one being decent is the last piece of the puzzle now.
Is Jeering Instigator that bad? I've been seriously reconsidering it these days. Threaten can be a powerful effect but it tends to be under-represented in Cubes.
I LOOOVEEE Eternal witness, easily my favorite green card in cube.
That said, I don't think this girl is good enough.
I'm concerned that her body when not in morph mode is quite bad and only in very very desperate situations would you want to run it out without the morph cost.
Un-morphed morphs are really bad in cube, so 90%+ of the value of the card comes from being able to cast it and flip it up.
Which costs 5 mana over 1 or 2 turns...
Too much to pay for a 3/2 with a bit of evasion + regrowth IMO
Think it's borderline power level is such that it is dependent on having a morph sub-theme in your cube. Having a diverse morph list increases the value to her and the other moves in the cube, potentially enough to push it into playable range.
Only 75% confident in this evaluation, hope I'm wrong.
I would rank the four known megamorphs like this: Stratus Dancer > Den Protector >> Silumgar Assassin >> Hidden Dragonslayer
The first two are in for sure. The third one is in simply because black 2-drops are still lacking. The last one is a bit sketchy, but it is still removal on a stick. I like removal on a stick.
Now, I'm waiting for the red one. (Btw, he will most certainly not have first strike. According to the guidelines, he could only have first strike if his morph cost were 5 or more, which I doubt, considering that all the other cards in the cycle have a morph cost of 2 or 3.)
Agreed. A lot hinges on the red one being playable for me. I'd love to dive back into a 2 morph per color subtheme, and the red one being decent is the last piece of the puzzle now.
As I said before, I don't see the need to run such a strict theme. What's the damage if half the colors have two morphs and half the colors have only one? Since most decks are two colored, there will still be uncertainty over the identity of morphs, even if there are just 2-3 possible option.
I LOOOVEEE Eternal witness, easily my favorite green card in cube.
That said, I don't think this girl is good enough.
I'm concerned that her body when not in morph mode is quite bad and only in very very desperate situations would you want to run it out without the morph cost.
Un-morphed morphs are really bad in cube, so 90%+ of the value of the card comes from being able to cast it and flip it up.
Which costs 5 mana over 1 or 2 turns...
Too much to pay for a 3/2 with a bit of evasion + regrowth IMO
I think she's fine. 4G for a Regrowth + a 3/2 body with some mild evasion. That's not much worse than what Eternal Witness offers if you hardcast her. (She's obviously way more abusuable thanks to here etb trigger.) Plus, keep in mind that you can split up the cost into two chunks.
The 2-drop mode is clearly very weak. Think of it this way though: If you want to curve out, this mode only matters if you have absolutely no other 2-drop in hand. If you have another one, you just play that one and keep the morpher for later. If you do not have another 2-drop, you can cast the morpher in its weak mode, but that is still better than missing your 2-drop entirely!
What's the damage if half the colors have two morphs and half the colors have only one?
When you pass with mana up of that color, there's no longer any doubt. If you can get in 2 per color instead of 1 per color, it makes a difference to the value of the morphs in that color.
When I first read this, I thought it said land card and was an auto-pass. A 2nd eternal witness, one that costs more mana but gets a 3rd point of power and psuedo-evasion, certainly seems worthy of testing.
I think it's a no for me. Witness only gets there because it is fair and can be a abused a certain percentage. This this is only fair. Regrowth only stays because it is so cheap that you can get back something and cast it in the same turn. We have had almost hundreds of other 'regrowths' and none of them hold on. If I wanted a more expensive 2 for 1 regrowth I would include All Sun's Dawn. Now if I was more into green aggro where hardcasting this and the evasion had more value..... probably.
What's the damage if half the colors have two morphs and half the colors have only one?
When you pass with mana up of that color, there's no longer any doubt. If you can get in 2 per color instead of 1 per color, it makes a difference to the value of the morphs in that color.
That's why you keep up mana from both colors. Almost all morph costs of cubable morphs include at least as much colorless mana as colored mana, so that is not a problem.
I play a face-down creature and leave UG open. Is it a Den Protector? Is it a Stratus Dancer, ready to counter your spell? Is it a risky Sagu Mauler that will be ready to smash on my next turn? Even if those were all possible morphs in those colors, there is still doubt about what this specific face-down creature is and you have to make a decision about what and how to play.
Sometimes you wanna, you know, play other spells. Casting a True-Name Nemesis when I have GGGUU available means that I have to pass with just green up. And if I only have 1 morph in green, they can play appropriately. The difference between 1 morph in a color and 2 (or more) makes a big difference in the disguising your threats game. If they don't know if that's a Vigilante or a Den Protector changes how they evaluate the game state, and which spells to play, etc. I've played my cube in various configurations of morph subthemes (a 3 per color, 2 per color and 1 per color split at various points of the cube's life) and the more you have, the better they all get. And having a minimum number in a given color can make a difference in how your opponent plays.
I agree that ideally you'll have some in every color and both colors available to you on your opponent's turn at all times you have a face-down creature in play, but that's often an unrealistic assumption to make.
I'm not suggesting to force bad morphs in, just understanding that 2 playable morphs available is often better than just playing the 1 stand-alone morph.
I agree that ideally you'll have some in every color and both colors available to you on your opponent's turn at all times you have a face-down creature in play, but that's often an unrealistic assumption to make.
Sure, you won't always be able to keep mana from two different colors open, but most of the time, you will be able to do just that.
I'm not suggesting to force bad morphs in, just understanding that 2 playable morphs available is often better than just playing the 1 stand-alone morph.
Of course, 2 morphs per color is better, but it is not obligatory. Even 1 per color (and maybe a second one here or there) creates uncertainty and bluff potential.
No, not obligatory. But most certainly preferable if any of the morphs in the cube reach their playability threshold based on their disguise factor (which is a big factor in determining estimated value).
Assuming that the red megamorph creature is at least as playable as the other 4, I think 2 per color becomes a very sensible option even for medium-sized cubes (450-540). At 360, a morph subtheme would be assembled more as you're describing, with likely only 1 playable per color (if it's even supportable at all).
I don't want to be a slave to a theme but one doesn't need a theme when it comes to good cards. Good cards tend to synergize themselves pretty well already.
Den Protector is certainly good in limited, even in cube. Maybe less so for constructed.
With all the manifesting in GW devotion off of Mastery of the Unseen, Den Protector could certainly be good in constructed. I think it will be solid in cube as well, but it will need testing.
No, not obligatory. But most certainly preferable if any of the morphs in the cube reach their playability threshold based on their disguise factor (which is a big factor in determining estimated value).
Assuming that the red megamorph creature is at least as playable as the other 4, I think 2 per color becomes a very sensible option even for medium-sized cubes (450-540). At 360, a morph subtheme would be assembled more as you're describing, with likely only 1 playable per color (if it's even supportable at all).
I have come around to this way of thinking. My playgroup is full of degenerates and not having enough morphs to bluff effectively would disappoint them. I also run a larger cube, so I feel that two good morphs of each color are necessary to make the mechanic feel significant.
I would probably give the nod to the Den Protector since it comes with legs and comes down earlier. I'd put Restock at about the same level as Harmonize - decent card advantage, but quite slow.
I'm just hoping this cycle's evasion gets used more often, its MUCH more amusing and interactive then Protection from colors, or "unblockable". I much prefer these kinds of evasion to real evasion, despite it being worse.
Definitely sold on this guy at 540. Had it in a deck with Ainok Survivalist and Eternal Witness last night and that was pretty neat. Having redundant Regrowth effects made me feel like I could be really aggressive with my plays. Counter my guy? I'm getting it back.
We're testing 13 morph cards total (by color: 2/1/4/2/3 and 1 guild) and it's definitely added a layer of mystery to the morph cards. IMO Rattleclaw Mystic is the key morph to play because you can technically play it in all decks. I bet we end up with 12 morph cards after our testing for this set is complete.
The black one is also 3 mana to flip face up.
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(Not that I really had the mid-combat blowouts happen with Fiend Hunter/Banisher Priest.)
I'll give it a try; wondering if the red one will have haste (please have that and not first strike. Actually just have a good ability. )
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No. I think it's fine actually. It's the perfect early investment in a body for a late-game trap springing, and it has 50+ targets in my cube that either have 4+ base power or can regularly grow to 4+ power on their own. Unlike other Reprisal effects, this guy's not completely dead if you don't find a timely target, and you can always play it as an on-curve lifelink beater if that's what the matchup/curve calls for. It's probably the worst of the 4 that got spoiled, but I think it's pretty good, actually.
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That said, I don't think this girl is good enough.
I'm concerned that her body when not in morph mode is quite bad and only in very very desperate situations would you want to run it out without the morph cost.
Un-morphed morphs are really bad in cube, so 90%+ of the value of the card comes from being able to cast it and flip it up.
Which costs 5 mana over 1 or 2 turns...
Too much to pay for a 3/2 with a bit of evasion + regrowth IMO
Think it's borderline power level is such that it is dependent on having a morph sub-theme in your cube. Having a diverse morph list increases the value to her and the other moves in the cube, potentially enough to push it into playable range.
Only 75% confident in this evaluation, hope I'm wrong.
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Stratus Dancer > Den Protector >> Silumgar Assassin >> Hidden Dragonslayer
The first two are in for sure. The third one is in simply because black 2-drops are still lacking. The last one is a bit sketchy, but it is still removal on a stick. I like removal on a stick.
Now, I'm waiting for the red one. (Btw, he will most certainly not have first strike. According to the guidelines, he could only have first strike if his morph cost were 5 or more, which I doubt, considering that all the other cards in the cycle have a morph cost of 2 or 3.)
As I said before, I don't see the need to run such a strict theme. What's the damage if half the colors have two morphs and half the colors have only one? Since most decks are two colored, there will still be uncertainty over the identity of morphs, even if there are just 2-3 possible option.
I think she's fine. 4G for a Regrowth + a 3/2 body with some mild evasion. That's not much worse than what Eternal Witness offers if you hardcast her. (She's obviously way more abusuable thanks to here etb trigger.) Plus, keep in mind that you can split up the cost into two chunks.
The 2-drop mode is clearly very weak. Think of it this way though: If you want to curve out, this mode only matters if you have absolutely no other 2-drop in hand. If you have another one, you just play that one and keep the morpher for later. If you do not have another 2-drop, you can cast the morpher in its weak mode, but that is still better than missing your 2-drop entirely!
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When you pass with mana up of that color, there's no longer any doubt. If you can get in 2 per color instead of 1 per color, it makes a difference to the value of the morphs in that color.
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I play a face-down creature and leave UG open. Is it a Den Protector? Is it a Stratus Dancer, ready to counter your spell? Is it a risky Sagu Mauler that will be ready to smash on my next turn? Even if those were all possible morphs in those colors, there is still doubt about what this specific face-down creature is and you have to make a decision about what and how to play.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
Sometimes you wanna, you know, play other spells. Casting a True-Name Nemesis when I have GGGUU available means that I have to pass with just green up. And if I only have 1 morph in green, they can play appropriately. The difference between 1 morph in a color and 2 (or more) makes a big difference in the disguising your threats game. If they don't know if that's a Vigilante or a Den Protector changes how they evaluate the game state, and which spells to play, etc. I've played my cube in various configurations of morph subthemes (a 3 per color, 2 per color and 1 per color split at various points of the cube's life) and the more you have, the better they all get. And having a minimum number in a given color can make a difference in how your opponent plays.
I agree that ideally you'll have some in every color and both colors available to you on your opponent's turn at all times you have a face-down creature in play, but that's often an unrealistic assumption to make.
I'm not suggesting to force bad morphs in, just understanding that 2 playable morphs available is often better than just playing the 1 stand-alone morph.
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Of course, 2 morphs per color is better, but it is not obligatory. Even 1 per color (and maybe a second one here or there) creates uncertainty and bluff potential.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
Assuming that the red megamorph creature is at least as playable as the other 4, I think 2 per color becomes a very sensible option even for medium-sized cubes (450-540). At 360, a morph subtheme would be assembled more as you're describing, with likely only 1 playable per color (if it's even supportable at all).
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Den Protector is certainly good in limited, even in cube. Maybe less so for constructed.
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I have come around to this way of thinking. My playgroup is full of degenerates and not having enough morphs to bluff effectively would disappoint them. I also run a larger cube, so I feel that two good morphs of each color are necessary to make the mechanic feel significant.
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Just curious! I only mention it, because I'm still not sold yet on Den Protector being good enough. I haven't tested it yet though.
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We're testing 13 morph cards total (by color: 2/1/4/2/3 and 1 guild) and it's definitely added a layer of mystery to the morph cards. IMO Rattleclaw Mystic is the key morph to play because you can technically play it in all decks. I bet we end up with 12 morph cards after our testing for this set is complete.
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