I would stop 3 things, making garbage rares, overpowered / overpriced mythics and crappy vanilla / underpowered cards in new sets. In fact I believe the first thing I would do was drop the Mythic rarity all together or at the very least make them more accessible to players drop it from 1 in 8 to 1 in 6 packs. I would also allow for slightly better powercreep at uncommon. Overall I would do a slight shake up at every rarity and make cards better for all the different player types.
You would attempt to do so, but you'd probably end up with crap rares and overpoered cards anywah.
I played with the dual deck about 3-4 times, and the golgari deck seems a whole lot more complex. There a lot of ways to get advantage such as using Golgari Thug to recast ravenous rats every other turn, or using life from the loam to cycle your Tranquil Thicket and Barren Moor every turn.
at the very very worst, he's a [c]squire[c] for U or R.
I think he's very good. especially in legacy where you can expect to have a spell or 2 countered, or to fizzle.
Also, as was said earlier he turns every instant or sorcery you have into a charm, so if for some reason your opponent taps out, you
every instant you have is a combat trick. he gets lightning bolted? no worries, your own bolts and brainstorms, dazes, izzet charms, swords to plowshares, surgical extraction, or other instants ensure that he survives.
did someone counter your own spell? turn your elemental into a goyf instead.
As it stands Judge's Familiar will be the best one drop from this block in standard. Hell, it's the best counterspell so far revealed, yes, better than the charm. Give me turn one spell/spike essentially oh and it's a chumb blocker. But add the charm...U/W is still chillin.
The Militant is going to do his thing. Sideboarding him in in Legacy is essential the same as already printed cards, except he's a 2/1. But hey, we shall see.
I get your mathematical stance and how to best the card going forward, but just look backward at already stated cards above. Of course, I must say the Militant is nothing short of ridiculous power hate card that should have never been printed.
What I find funny though - Nivmagus Elemental. Of course we haven't seen all of the cards yet, but what is the likely hood of the usual U/W or U/B or U/W/B control going to do with a joker that exiles snappy's targets? Lol.
I am must more worried about the uncounterable spells.
I mean Slaughter Games for 2BR, can't counter it, and bye, bye force of wills, show and tell, Emrakul, Jace, any card that makes a deck of any kind.
If I see this card in legacy somehow cast, i'm just going to punch my opponent in the face and say good game. That is how I feel about it. But the four casting cost essential makes it very difficult with BR as well.
from black?
You would attempt to do so, but you'd probably end up with crap rares and overpoered cards anywah.
my first booster had: (this is just from memory)
Vampire nighthawk
murder
krenko's command
arms dealer
evolving wilds
Intrepid Hero
Primal Huntbeast
Duskdale Wurm
welkin tern
giant scorpion
bloodthrone vampire
show of valor
prey upon
I can't rememember what the last one was, but i think it was a high pick also.
i want to think that it was plummet
maybe stone rain on a panoptic mirror for good measure
I think he's very good. especially in legacy where you can expect to have a spell or 2 countered, or to fizzle.
Also, as was said earlier he turns every instant or sorcery you have into a charm, so if for some reason your opponent taps out, you
every instant you have is a combat trick. he gets lightning bolted? no worries, your own bolts and brainstorms, dazes, izzet charms, swords to plowshares, surgical extraction, or other instants ensure that he survives.
did someone counter your own spell? turn your elemental into a goyf instead.
That's what you get for playing 1-card decks.
So yes, before blocks happen
"redirecting the damage" from a player to a planeswalker only applies to direct damage.
cry moar