I think this critter is testable as a flexible finisher for control decks in cube. It's the best 2 mana wall of all time in the early game, and once your opponent gets Threshold it transforms into a solid vinisher. Note that the two lines of text are not connected, so if your opponent is on a fat graveyard and you want to attack you can go hellbent and still beat face in the air. 7 cards is a little steep, which is why I don't see this doing much work outside of control, but in those decks I think it looks pretty valuable.
There's a lot going on here and it's rather unique so I'm finding this card hard to theory craft on but my initial reaction is that it can be really good in the right decks. It locks down early attackers and can become a late game evasive win-con. It works well with graveyard strategies, tinker and artifacts-matters cards. These are all things blue decks typically want to do in my Cube. There's just a lot going on for a two mana card and I'm intrigued enough to test it out.
When I first looked it at this card I kept thinking of it's offensive applications and it fell way short, but reading your post made me think of it's DEFENSIVE applications.
A 5/4 flying wall is pretty incredible in the early game... I wonder how easy it is to consistently keep above four cards in a blue deck without impairing their ability to play defensive?
Also, a cheap artifact type is an advantage in powered cubes that support academy/tinker.
Probably will test this out, but wouldn't have if I didn't read this thread. Still skeptical, but it has a chance.
A 5/4 flying wall is pretty incredible in the early game... I wonder how easy it is to consistently keep above four cards in a blue deck without impairing their ability to play defensive?
My first instinct is it should be pretty easy, but then ran through scenarios, and now I'm not so sure. Assume you mulligan once, are on the play, and hit your first 4 land drops.
Turn 1: Play a land, either cantrip or do nothing. Start at 6, end at 5 Turn 2: Draw a card, play a land, play this guy. Start at 5, end at 4 Turn 3: Draw a card, play a land, counter something on the opponents turn. Start at 4, end at 3
If the opponent plays something you need to counter on turn 3, and plays it before combat as they should if they want to get cards out of your hand, this guy has been able to block once before being able to not block.
So if you run this, do you choose to always be on the draw? Can you not mulligan? It does seem the constraints might not be worth it to me.
A 5/4 flying wall is pretty incredible in the early game... I wonder how easy it is to consistently keep above four cards in a blue deck without impairing their ability to play defensive?
My first instinct is it should be pretty easy, but then ran through scenarios, and now I'm not so sure. Assume you mulligan once, are on the play, and hit your first 4 land drops.
Turn 1: Play a land, either cantrip or do nothing. Start at 6, end at 5 Turn 2: Draw a card, play a land, play this guy. Start at 5, end at 4 Turn 3: Draw a card, play a land, counter something on the opponents turn. Start at 4, end at 3
If the opponent plays something you need to counter on turn 3, and plays it before combat as they should if they want to get cards out of your hand, this guy has been able to block once before being able to not block.
So if you run this, do you choose to always be on the draw? Can you not mulligan? It does seem the constraints might not be worth it to me.
All great points, with the biggest deal being your inability to mulligan and have this be a defender. I think that's a major kicker and has me now questioning if I want to test
Pass. Conditionals like this aren't worth the hoops jumping through, especially when those conditions rely on my opponent's game state. Fueling your opponent's graveyard can be dangerous in a lot of scenarios. Blue can do way better things with less conditions.
I will be watching this one to see if those who decided to give it a test have some surprise success, but personally don't think I'm going to test this.
Card's certainly decent, but I think it's ultimately a miss. Just something about it I dislike. It's a good rate as both an attacker and a blocker, but will face consistency issues with both.
After playing Vantress Gargoyle in limited and as a 4 of in my dimir standard deck, I don't think he'll be good in cube. Needing 7 cards in your opps graveyard in order to attack is too many without a dedicated mill plan. Unless he's coming down turn 2 blocking can also be unpredictable. It can be powerful in the right shell but I think it will be too inconsistent in non-mill decks.
I think this critter is testable as a flexible finisher for control decks in cube. It's the best 2 mana wall of all time in the early game, and once your opponent gets Threshold it transforms into a solid vinisher. Note that the two lines of text are not connected, so if your opponent is on a fat graveyard and you want to attack you can go hellbent and still beat face in the air. 7 cards is a little steep, which is why I don't see this doing much work outside of control, but in those decks I think it looks pretty valuable.
My initial reaction is it feels a bit too restrictive to be good.
A 5/4 flying wall is pretty incredible in the early game... I wonder how easy it is to consistently keep above four cards in a blue deck without impairing their ability to play defensive?
Also, a cheap artifact type is an advantage in powered cubes that support academy/tinker.
Probably will test this out, but wouldn't have if I didn't read this thread. Still skeptical, but it has a chance.
Last Updated 02/07/24
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My first instinct is it should be pretty easy, but then ran through scenarios, and now I'm not so sure. Assume you mulligan once, are on the play, and hit your first 4 land drops.
Turn 1: Play a land, either cantrip or do nothing. Start at 6, end at 5
Turn 2: Draw a card, play a land, play this guy. Start at 5, end at 4
Turn 3: Draw a card, play a land, counter something on the opponents turn. Start at 4, end at 3
If the opponent plays something you need to counter on turn 3, and plays it before combat as they should if they want to get cards out of your hand, this guy has been able to block once before being able to not block.
So if you run this, do you choose to always be on the draw? Can you not mulligan? It does seem the constraints might not be worth it to me.
[180 classic cube]
All great points, with the biggest deal being your inability to mulligan and have this be a defender. I think that's a major kicker and has me now questioning if I want to test
Last Updated 02/07/24
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