I hope they do something similar to last year were we focus on a deck each day (with some other new card and a few reprints thrown in) ending with the full decks lists on Friday.
I kinda sad I like prowess but can see how it fights for space. I'd say push it to deciduous maybe, that way design can use it if needed (like a cycle or to push a blue card) but it doesn't need to be in every set or fight for set mechanics.
Nahiri discourse is off topic and old, lets not please.
On the Magic stream today they announced Vivien will be given a three part story written by Cassandra Khaw. While I'm slowly turning cold to her, I glad we get a story and not a Tamiyo/Tibalt/Kenrith Twins/Gobal Series Walkers things again where we just get a back ground bio and that is it.
I leaning towards Jund lands, I was hoping to make a man land deck turning to BtZ and didn't like the Awaken archetype and I might be able to use this deck if it dosnt already have a man land theme.
-First off Kate how dare you remind me how much I'm missing GoT this summer
-Some more clarity for how the Mardu turned to Kolaghan, leaving behind anyone who can't keep up instead of what their worth to the clan is.
-Yasova showing off her trickery and blue side against Atarka is cool
-Tae Jin seems to be hi-jacked by Ugin? and telling...
-THE EDLER DRAGON WAR
-Bolas "reigned justly and fairly, with order and peace" sounds like Bolas propaganda to me, clever for him to twist the dragon killers as evil to their future generation to keep them from not fighting
-At this time its noted Bolas still isn't fully done growing
-Bolas kingdom gets attacked by Vaevictis brood and chases one back to meet his cousins the now named brothers of Vaevictis, Lividus, Ravus, and Rubra. This starts a dragon war, tho we do know Vaevictis lives and his bros die and we get to see them taken down.
-And the spark of the war starts, by Bolas first telling how Vaevictis turned on his brother to their brood and then mentions to his sister that Vaevictis could be taken down. This leads to dragons fighting dragons until we know only 5 mange to survive it all.
-I think we got enough info to know what happened but enough wiggle room if creative decided to further detail it without too many retcons happening.
Vivien was born on the plane of Skalla. Her homeworld was deeply divided between the forest dwellers and the Nura, an advanced civilization that encircled the dwindling woodlands. Vivien belonged to the Smaragdi, rangers and druids sworn to protect the multitude of forest creatures. But civilization was constantly encroaching, and the Smaragdi were fighting a losing battle against the soldiers of progress.
Nicol Bolas took an interest in the Nura and their innovations, and though its archmages tried in vain to fight back, they were no match for the ruthless dragon. After plundering them for their secrets, Bolas decided the plane was of no more use to him and began to destroy it. In desperation, the Nura fled to the forest, but by then, there was no safe place to hide. Sensing that their doom was imminent, the Nura and Smaragdi combined their collective magic into a unique artifact, the Arkbow, which contained an invocation of every creature that ever lived on Skalla. Their plan was to use the Arkbow in a last stand battle against Nicol Bolas. But as the forest erupted into flames and the battle was lost, Vivien instinctively planeswalked to safety with the Arkbow, the last relic of Skalla.
I'll say one thing: The ONE product that I've never been disappointed in is the commander decks. Even last years decks were good and I've made it a habit of just automatically pre-ordering every set when it goes up. 2017 felt a bit on the weak side, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed we'll see more things like Chromatic Lantern, Lightning Greaves, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Eternal Witness, and of course Command Beacon.
I agree, both money and deck structure these always do pretty well. I think the weakness of Commander 2017 is just the inhered weakness you have with tribal deck, but I bought the cat deck and my friend got vampires and wizards and we been using them to help teach people how to play commander since tribal decks are simple to learn to play.
I'm not a fan of "badassery" that's so prevalent in culture these days, it's a stereotypical John-Wayne trait that spawned from old school masculinity, so much so I think it's doing characters a disfavor that, instead of exemplify different qualities of full spectrum of persona, it force characters into that narrow mold, "You can't be influential to the plot unless you are aggressive, physical, don't show vulnerability and don't give a F."
Which is why I appreciate Jace (since Ixalan) so much, because he's being an effective, plot alternating NERD who's actually convincing. He's open to emotions and interpersonal bonds, both positive and negative, with naivety, insight, and hesitation to weigh on his decision. He became a human with strength and weakness instead of a mere "badass telepath". His victory over an old walker was with confidence and handled his traumatic past, and though I question his verdict with Azor I know he did it with the betterment of multiverse in mind. Confidence, intellect, and compassion are so much sexier than muscle and badassery.
BUT, my favorite male character remains Ajani, because in addition to confidence, intellect, and compassion, he's also wise and huggable. Members of Gatewatch all went through their respective crisis, Ajani appeared to be the only one learned his lesson. I'd pick Teferi as well, his growth from a Disruptive Student to archmage of time in itself is memoir worthy, though his appearance in recent stories wasn't as impressive as when he was in the books.
Agree with everything you said as well as add while Ajani had his "grrr I'm angry moment" he also "been allowed" to show sadness with his brother and Elspeth, which is one reason he is my fav walker.
So the creep girl and the mask woman? are new walkers right?
Where was it said those were the actual walkers? And why those two over any other. I seriously doubt the creepy girl is a walker mostly because no way WOTC is writing a story where some little girl gets beat up by a Villain or Heroes. Unless that is a flash back to when she was a little girl purely for the card and they are doing flip walkers or something.
No, just going by how they have portrait art instead of landscape.
-Looks like some of the ways of the Jeski where saved since they had wanders through the plane. While not a huge fan of the frame story I'm liking the bridging of what happened between Fate Reforged and Dragons of Tarkir since the jump between the two time periods was a bit rushed, as well as the info that all the clans survive in small ways wasn't that well explained for all the clan.
I'm hoping that they're using this as a setup for the plot of the eventual return to Tarkir: Revolt against the Dragons and some return to the old ways. Wizards repeatedly said that the world of Khans of Tarkir was more popular than the world of Dragons of Tarkir.
They left that open for a return already, just looks they pushing more to that conflict. Helps that Tarkir after Theros would be the next plane up for a return.
-So Bolas tricks the many heirs of the dragon village to kill each other and he swooped in and took control. More set up for future Bolas character and could this be the origins of Madara?
My first thought when I figured out what Bolas was doing was that this was the start of the Empire of Madara.
In general, the story has been pretty good. Apparently we're not going to get details of the Elder Dragon War, though?[/quote]
Where was that said? If we get the story from Ugin POV and he's not a part of the war I could see why they skipped it.
And re: Wizards resetting tarkir back to a khan-led world, I definitely wouldn't put it past them. With the way they reversed Innistrad after Avacyn Restored. I hope it's done much better than that was and they can find a balance for those who actually do like the dragonlords and their broods, like myself.
I think a more positive reverse would happen, with the humanoids taking over the dragons clans, the dragons gaining a third color and bring back the old ways into the dragon clans.
On the Magic stream today they announced Vivien will be given a three part story written by Cassandra Khaw. While I'm slowly turning cold to her, I glad we get a story and not a Tamiyo/Tibalt/Kenrith Twins/Gobal Series Walkers things again where we just get a back ground bio and that is it.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/chronicles-bolas-blood-and-fire-2018-07-18
-First off Kate how dare you remind me how much I'm missing GoT this summer
-Some more clarity for how the Mardu turned to Kolaghan, leaving behind anyone who can't keep up instead of what their worth to the clan is.
-Yasova showing off her trickery and blue side against Atarka is cool
-Tae Jin seems to be hi-jacked by Ugin? and telling...
-THE EDLER DRAGON WAR
-Bolas "reigned justly and fairly, with order and peace" sounds like Bolas propaganda to me, clever for him to twist the dragon killers as evil to their future generation to keep them from not fighting
-At this time its noted Bolas still isn't fully done growing
-Bolas kingdom gets attacked by Vaevictis brood and chases one back to meet his cousins the now named brothers of Vaevictis, Lividus, Ravus, and Rubra. This starts a dragon war, tho we do know Vaevictis lives and his bros die and we get to see them taken down.
-And the spark of the war starts, by Bolas first telling how Vaevictis turned on his brother to their brood and then mentions to his sister that Vaevictis could be taken down. This leads to dragons fighting dragons until we know only 5 mange to survive it all.
-I think we got enough info to know what happened but enough wiggle room if creative decided to further detail it without too many retcons happening.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planeswalkers/vivien-reid
Theres a bit more, but on skalla itself;
I agree, both money and deck structure these always do pretty well. I think the weakness of Commander 2017 is just the inhered weakness you have with tribal deck, but I bought the cat deck and my friend got vampires and wizards and we been using them to help teach people how to play commander since tribal decks are simple to learn to play.
Agree with everything you said as well as add while Ajani had his "grrr I'm angry moment" he also "been allowed" to show sadness with his brother and Elspeth, which is one reason he is my fav walker.
No, just going by how they have portrait art instead of landscape.
https://twitter.com/blakepr/status/1017060424733167621
They left that open for a return already, just looks they pushing more to that conflict. Helps that Tarkir after Theros would be the next plane up for a return.
My first thought when I figured out what Bolas was doing was that this was the start of the Empire of Madara.
In general, the story has been pretty good. Apparently we're not going to get details of the Elder Dragon War, though?[/quote]
Where was that said? If we get the story from Ugin POV and he's not a part of the war I could see why they skipped it.
I think a more positive reverse would happen, with the humanoids taking over the dragons clans, the dragons gaining a third color and bring back the old ways into the dragon clans.