"Glyph Keeper"3UU Creature - Sphinx
Flying
Whenever this creature becomes the target
of a spell or ability for the first time each turn,
counter that spell or ability.
Embalm 5UU
5/4
With so little removal about now this might as well be unkillable, but with Heart of Kiran and other better creatures roaming around this thing won't be seeing play anytime soon.
So many good cards that are pushed out due to Vehicles and Copycat in this set. Methinks more bans may be incoming.
Vehicles aren't the problem as much as Copycats are. There's plenty of removal for vehicles in this set, but hardly anything to hose the combo.
Worse yet, the combo can completely null the boardstate and the entire progress of the game up until that point.
Example: Opposing copycat deck player was in top deck mode. I had taken complete control of the board, and was going to swing in for the kill next turn. Opponent topdecks the cat, which he proceeds to cast and blink his Oath of Nissa, finding Saheeli with it, comboing off, and winning.
That's not what one would call a good "game." It's a die roll.
CopyCat decks almost never run enchantment hate, except for maybe a Nahiri in the side, so any deck using W which is not using Authority of the Consuls almost deserves to lose to it.
I could see this sphinx finding a home in Standard quite easily since your opponent has to kill it twice. Most people never have two copies of Unlicensed Disintegration or Harnessed Lightning in hand. There are sufficient answers for Heart of Kiran, so that card is not my primary concern when facing Vehicles (we probably won't have to worry about Vehicles builds for too much longer, in any event).
This is an annoying card. It is a possible control finisher. Is there anything else to say about it? Hopefully it won't be too dominant, but I'm thinking it'll be too slow. If WOTC printed counterspell or mana leak again, I could see this being dominant. But with 2 mana force spike... not as much.
CopyCat decks almost never run enchantment hate, except for maybe a Nahiri in the side, so any deck using W which is not using Authority of the Consuls almost deserves to lose to it.
I could see this sphinx finding a home in Standard quite easily since your opponent has to kill it twice. Most people never have two copies of Unlicensed Disintegration or Harnessed Lightning in hand. There are sufficient answers for Heart of Kiran, so that card is not my primary concern when facing Vehicles (we probably won't have to worry about Vehicles builds for too much longer, in any event).
Then you lose to vehicles. You can't beat Saheeli and still have a hope against the other.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Then you lose to vehicles. You can't beat Saheeli and still have a hope against the other.
True, but then nothing is perfect. Vehicles as an archetype is currently on its way down and out, though.
Technically, vehicles is only good because of Saheeli cat combo decks. If copter were legal vehicles may still be alive.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I don't disagree with that argument. There were cmc 1 answers to the copter in every color except blue, which had to counter it on cast (or, at worst, bounce it from the battlefield upon being crewed but before attacks are declared).
This would be a nicer control finisher in a format that didn't have efficient and hard to deal with threats like copycat, gideon, vehicles. This is a very hard to deal with evasive 4 turn clock. If the enemy is relying on spot removal it takes 4 cards to deal with your 1 sphinx, and unlike hexproof the recursion means it can come back after one sweeper- theirs or yours. But its slow, and the format isn't
This is a mediocre control finisher. A control deck wants to bury the opponent in card advantage (CA), basically maneuvering to a position where it has more answers in hand than the opponent has threats. How does this card contribute to that plan? Two ways, both mediocre (not bad, but nothing to get excited about)
1) it gains CA by forcing the opponent to play 2 removal spells on the sphinx.
2) it gains CA by embalming, so it is a 4-for-1.
Seems good? think again:
1) the arguments above assume targeted removal ii the only way to deal with this thing. Here is where the 3 toughness really hurts: its easy to kill in combat (embalm means it's still is a 2-for-1, since it will generally trade rather than chump), and there are some effects that can "deal 3 to all creatures". Also, the original cost and the embalm cost (5 and 7 respectively) are pretty high for a sorcery-speed card.
2) If you play no creatures then you get to blank all of their removal w/out investing the mana this card asks you to (and w/out using a card slot in your deck). Between creatures that accrue value when they etb (gearhulk), "creatureless" win-cons (planeswalkers, drake haven) and indestructible "creatures" (the gods), I think this is pretty low in the picking order for control finishers.
This is a mediocre control finisher. A control deck wants to bury the opponent in card advantage (CA), basically maneuvering to a position where it has more answers in hand than the opponent has threats. How does this card contribute to that plan? Two ways, both mediocre (not bad, but nothing to get excited about)
1) it gains CA by forcing the opponent to play 2 removal spells on the sphinx.
2) it gains CA by embalming, so it is a 4-for-1.
Seems good? think again:
1) the arguments above assume targeted removal ii the only way to deal with this thing. Here is where the 3 toughness really hurts: its easy to kill in combat (embalm means it's still is a 2-for-1, since it will generally trade rather than chump), and there are some effects that can "deal 3 to all creatures". Also, the original cost and the embalm cost (5 and 7 respectively) are pretty high for a sorcery-speed card.
2) If you play no creatures then you get to blank all of their removal w/out investing the mana this card asks you to (and w/out using a card slot in your deck). Between creatures that accrue value when they etb (gearhulk), "creatureless" win-cons (planeswalkers, drake haven) and indestructible "creatures" (the gods), I think this is pretty low in the picking order for control finishers.
Worth mentioning that U/r still has access to fevered visions and burn. I'd love to see mill become viable again. Bottom line,advanced stitchwing and this guy play a very similar role; trading resources for a resilient body.. Glyphkeeper won't see play any more than stitchwing did.
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"Glyph Keeper" 3UU
Creature - Sphinx
Flying
Whenever this creature becomes the target
of a spell or ability for the first time each turn,
counter that spell or ability.
Embalm 5UU
5/4
The other translation is all correct, but the specific wording would be "for the first time each turn."
(I'm Japanese)
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Emalm dragon basically confirmed?
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Vehicles aren't the problem as much as Copycats are. There's plenty of removal for vehicles in this set, but hardly anything to hose the combo.
Worse yet, the combo can completely null the boardstate and the entire progress of the game up until that point.
Example: Opposing copycat deck player was in top deck mode. I had taken complete control of the board, and was going to swing in for the kill next turn. Opponent topdecks the cat, which he proceeds to cast and blink his Oath of Nissa, finding Saheeli with it, comboing off, and winning.
That's not what one would call a good "game." It's a die roll.
I could see this sphinx finding a home in Standard quite easily since your opponent has to kill it twice. Most people never have two copies of Unlicensed Disintegration or Harnessed Lightning in hand. There are sufficient answers for Heart of Kiran, so that card is not my primary concern when facing Vehicles (we probably won't have to worry about Vehicles builds for too much longer, in any event).
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
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Then you lose to vehicles. You can't beat Saheeli and still have a hope against the other.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
True, but then nothing is perfect. Vehicles as an archetype is currently on its way down and out, though.
Technically, vehicles is only good because of Saheeli cat combo decks. If copter were legal vehicles may still be alive.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1) it gains CA by forcing the opponent to play 2 removal spells on the sphinx.
2) it gains CA by embalming, so it is a 4-for-1.
Seems good? think again:
1) the arguments above assume targeted removal ii the only way to deal with this thing. Here is where the 3 toughness really hurts: its easy to kill in combat (embalm means it's still is a 2-for-1, since it will generally trade rather than chump), and there are some effects that can "deal 3 to all creatures". Also, the original cost and the embalm cost (5 and 7 respectively) are pretty high for a sorcery-speed card.
2) If you play no creatures then you get to blank all of their removal w/out investing the mana this card asks you to (and w/out using a card slot in your deck). Between creatures that accrue value when they etb (gearhulk), "creatureless" win-cons (planeswalkers, drake haven) and indestructible "creatures" (the gods), I think this is pretty low in the picking order for control finishers.
Worth mentioning that U/r still has access to fevered visions and burn. I'd love to see mill become viable again. Bottom line,advanced stitchwing and this guy play a very similar role; trading resources for a resilient body.. Glyphkeeper won't see play any more than stitchwing did.