I'm seeing Karn go for a little below 30 bucks at the moment. I can snag a few copies for like 28 dollars a pop, think this is going to be a solid price point for him? Considering hes seeing small amounts of play in all formats he seems like he wont really ever go that low, but I'm not sure how low he could go, and I'm scared of how high he could go if Ravnica creates an environment wheres hes busted.
I had a friend post these on Facebook and I legitimately thought they MUST be fake because WotC couldn't possibly print something SO ugly, and SO irritating to read. Lo and behold I discover THEY WERE REAL. These are seriously some of the ugliest cards of any card game I have ever seen and it hurts me deep down that some of my favorite cards are getting the general treatment of Masterpieces and Expeditions, but they're getting it in the worst most unfathomably hideous fashion.
The person that designed these must be fired immediately, it hurts my SOUL to know that these are going to be real, actual Magic: the Gathering cards found in real sealed product.
I'm surprised EVERYONE isn't hype on these, we've been waiting to complete this cycle for a long while. This cycle has the benefit of not breaking anything as well as being useful in Eternal formats, its like best case scenario stuff here.
I'm psyched, gonna nab up all of them in the relevant colors I play with and I'll be hyped for the privilege.
Definitely not gonna miss out on key lands, nope, not after missing out on Fetches, nuh uh.
I'm excited for her, I hope people think shes terrible so I can pick her up for cheap ASAP. I get a feeling deep down that shes going to see play somewhere and wherever she sees play I'm definitely gonna try and play her.
She might not wind up being great anywhere but I'm very interested in trying her out in a Grixis deck in Modern. Very interested.
I think what people often find unfun about Countermagic isn't just that they dont get to play with their creature, but the psychological effect of, "can I play this cool thing? What if he counters it? I reaaaallly want to play it, but if it gets countered..." I don't really know why thats different from removal, maybe its the fact that for a tiny amount of time your creature was actually on the board? Either way it seems like the sentiment "counters aren't fun" is a pretty established thing and I imagine it's going to be a rare occurrence where we see decent countermagic printed, be it new or a reprint.
As much as I love counterspells (and I do, believe me, my first real deck was UB Fae ) it seems like WotC is aiming for a more creature centric game, and considering we're going to be getting our cards from Standard for the foreseeable future I don't hold high ups for more potent countermagic. I expect a world of continuing the tradition of the Thragtusk/Siege Rhino value creature. I hope I'm wrong, I'd like to play a deck with a strong suite of countermagic and I'd REALLY love to play some counter-centric draw-go control or tempo. Seems like decks are going to be more in the Jund-y value-y midrange-y realm to me though.
In any case some counterspells I'd personally like to see, Circular Logic (I would love a control deck that required GY resource management with Delve and stuff) Forbid Miscalculation Thwart
These embody regimes of countermagic that I like archetypically, Circular Logic requires resource management and is vulnerable to hate, Forbid is a costly recursive hard counter thats negative value, Miscalculation is a flexible generally solid counterspell, and Thwart is a "free" counterspell, even if weak. (maybe Daze is a better example of this though.)
I'm not sure what kind of counterspell is best for Modern, I'm so-so on whether or not I'd want to see Daze reprinted for Modern, I'm wary of "free" counterspells like Daze that can occur so early, but maybe that kind of early counterspell is what Modern countermagic needs to look like? Theres always just Counterspell plain 'ol hard counters, but I doubt they're going to print straight up hard counters that are Modern quality (though I think that Counterspell is of Modern powerlevel, definitely not game breaking), and conditonal countermagic is, to me, more appealing anyways with regards to the way it can influence deck building.
I haven't played anything other than Affinity for a long while so my perspective is skewed, but these are my views for whatever they're worth with regards to counterspells within Modern.
I would say depends on your board and opponent, as a rule I tend to play Skirge first without 0 drops so I can at least get the Vault Skirge swing in since Pest would come in now and not be able to go in for damage alone on the next turn when it can attack, if I have Memnites/Ornithopters then I'll be more inclined to play Pest for an aggressive start since they can all swing at the same time.
But I suck so take my advice with a shaker of salt
Old and boring removal? Sounds like the problem is they need to print new and interesting removal. Too bad interesting removal tends to be pretty mediocre.
I think the most interesting reprint dynamic with regards to Strix isn't it's power level in a vacuum within Modern decks, but FZA's thing about it's power level perhaps making new and powerful Countermagic a liability to print. I'm like 90% sure Counterspell isn't going to get a reprint in the modern regime of Modern-Cards-Come-Through-Standard, but would Strix be too powerful in a world of Miscalculations (to continue FZA's example) or other efficient/flexible/powerful counterspells. So to boil it down would Strix create a difficult design space for U to receive better countersuites. If so which do you think is preferable?
Personally my motto is, "If my opponent is having fun then I'm not" so I like Counterspells. However I think that their plans for Standard (and thusly Modern) are more creature centric, so I'd have to presume we'll see Strix assuming they can print it in Standard (totally doable if you create a proper environment for it to exist in.)
I was mostly arguing against the way he was arguing, while I don't think Strix would hurt Modern much I also don't particularly care if it's printed (as much as I adore UB <3).
I really would like a new Counterspell, although while part of me really wants THE Counterspell, I doubt they'd print it and I think conditional counterspells are also more interesting from a gameplay perspective. Miscalculation for instance, would be a great reprint as far as being a worse Mana Leak while providing more versatility than Mana Leak.
One thing I'd like to know about is how Strix would really impact more Esper/BUG builds, because while I love Grixis, I also love BUG/like Esper and wonder if Strix would help them in any particular way or if, as you put it, it'd just be another card that make's their good MUs better but doesn't help the bad MUs. I can't really say, I havent played anything outside of Affinity in a very long time (been trying to build Grixis/Esper Gifts for a while) so my perspective on matchups is limited.
Whos complaining though? We'd just like to see a card reprinted that would elevate some tier 2 decks into, perhaps, tier 1, I havent seen people in here shouting about how horrible and terrible and *****ty modern is because Baleful Strix isn't in the format.
Even if Strix does get reprinted Grixis will still have bad matchups (Tron, for instance), as people have said. Furthermore you play a deck that is very similar to that, a la Jund.
You need to defend why Grixis doing "good enough" is a reason to not introduce Baleful Strix into Modern. As of yet you haven't really given an argument other than, "it would be broken because its too value (in a vacuum)" or, "Why does it NEED to be printed? Why do these decks NEED to be improved?" But its not about anything NEEDING to happen, Grixis doesn't NEED to be Tier 1, but what does it hurt? Why is having Tier 1 Grixis unhealthy for Modern? What does it break? The argument that having more than one Tier 1 control deck in Modern doesn't really hold without more explanation because there are several Tier 1 aggro and midrange decks. You need to argue why Baleful Strix is unhealthy for Modern that doesn't come from a place of, "Well I don't like control so its unhealthy."
I should also mention half of the cards you mentioned aren't even blue cards. (I take a rough estimation of your point though, cards that enable blue to be played)
I think we can all agree that Modern is great, but "great" isn't perfect, and even if we can never achieve "perfect" it doesn't hurt to keep trying to make it better and better.
I'm not saying control shouldn't be tier 1 (although I would prefer if it wasn't because I don't see anything good in it but that's other debate). I'm against Baleful Strix reprint for two reasons. First the card is too strong against creatures (this means against aggro and midrange decks) which would take another big hit (non-blue midrange decks already took big hit by AV unban). This card is absurdly good in any fair matchup, providing all you need-card advantage, trades with every creature and has evasion. Next reason is that as I've already said I think Modern is in a very fine shape now and none deck needs a help, especially not blue one as these decks already got huge help with AV.
You were askimg me if I find two control decks being tier 1 a problem and yes I definitely wouldn't like that. Then tell me why we should have two control decks in tier 1 section? Does this suddenly become a rule and control needs to be the best archetype in Modern? I mean I don't know what else to think when I see supporting things like that and complaining about control (some blue players still do) despite control got some very decent tools recently and is in a good spot. I don't understand that, seriously.
Btw: Jund is midrange deck. I wouldn't play it if it was control because control is my least favourite archetype and I would never play control. Jund is my favourite Modern deck though so it's not the same. Grixis is closer to Jund than other control decks but it's still control and I'm not fan of blue as a color either.
Why SHOULDN'T we have two control decks in tier 1? "Because I don't like control" is not an answer, just admit that you just don't like blue, you dont like control, you just dont want to have to play them and your opposition to a Baleful Strix reprint has little to do with whether or not it's balanced or not.
I mean you pretty much admit it here anyways, and if your only real argument is "why does Tier 1 need two control decks?" then I don't believe you have much to stand on. Why does Tier 1 need two midrange decks? Two aggro decks? Tier 1 doesnt NEED anything, and thats the wrong question to ask. A better question is, "does having 2 Tier 1 control decks hurt the format?" And I would imagine the answer to that is almost certainly no, it wouldn't hurt Modern.
Because more Tier 1 decks isnt a bad thing? Theres no rule that says Tier 1 needs to have exactly one combo deck, one aggro deck, one midrange deck, one white deck, one red deck, etc. etc.
I also disagree that it would break Grixis Control and I don't know Strix interferes with fair Magic (what IS fair Magic? Just swinging with creatures?) UB/x isn't exactly the greatest color combination anyways, not like it's GB/x, Strix would probably be too much in GB, but UB? Esper, UB, Bug, Grixis, I severely doubt it would break any of those, in the worst case it could make some of them Tier 1. Why is more Tier 1 decks a bad thing?
I'm kind of thinking Filterlands may show up, I think it's certainly feasible.
They produce colorless mana, they don't have any particular synergy with the Tangolands so theres no fear of crazy manabases, they're probably due for a reprint. And as previously mentioned, they have spooky names.
I have no idea if the fact they're expeditions means much, but I want to believe?
The person that designed these must be fired immediately, it hurts my SOUL to know that these are going to be real, actual Magic: the Gathering cards found in real sealed product.
I am a drama queen.
But it still hurts me.
I still like the original art more, but god DAMN is it gonna look slick with the art in the fancy border.
I'm hyped, if it drives down the prices of all the cards in the set maybe I'll even get full sets of the enemy fastlands, man HYPE!
HYPE FOR THE PRETTY!!
I'm psyched, gonna nab up all of them in the relevant colors I play with and I'll be hyped for the privilege.
Definitely not gonna miss out on key lands, nope, not after missing out on Fetches, nuh uh.
Well, I'll love it anyways, because I love Tezzeret, but him being Esper is my worst case scenario.
She might not wind up being great anywhere but I'm very interested in trying her out in a Grixis deck in Modern. Very interested.
As much as I love counterspells (and I do, believe me, my first real deck was UB Fae
In any case some counterspells I'd personally like to see,
Circular Logic (I would love a control deck that required GY resource management with Delve and stuff)
Forbid
Miscalculation
Thwart
These embody regimes of countermagic that I like archetypically, Circular Logic requires resource management and is vulnerable to hate, Forbid is a costly recursive hard counter thats negative value, Miscalculation is a flexible generally solid counterspell, and Thwart is a "free" counterspell, even if weak. (maybe Daze is a better example of this though.)
I'm not sure what kind of counterspell is best for Modern, I'm so-so on whether or not I'd want to see Daze reprinted for Modern, I'm wary of "free" counterspells like Daze that can occur so early, but maybe that kind of early counterspell is what Modern countermagic needs to look like? Theres always just Counterspell plain 'ol hard counters, but I doubt they're going to print straight up hard counters that are Modern quality (though I think that Counterspell is of Modern powerlevel, definitely not game breaking), and conditonal countermagic is, to me, more appealing anyways with regards to the way it can influence deck building.
I haven't played anything other than Affinity for a long while so my perspective is skewed, but these are my views for whatever they're worth with regards to counterspells within Modern.
But I suck so take my advice with a shaker of salt
I think the most interesting reprint dynamic with regards to Strix isn't it's power level in a vacuum within Modern decks, but FZA's thing about it's power level perhaps making new and powerful Countermagic a liability to print. I'm like 90% sure Counterspell isn't going to get a reprint in the modern regime of Modern-Cards-Come-Through-Standard, but would Strix be too powerful in a world of Miscalculations (to continue FZA's example) or other efficient/flexible/powerful counterspells. So to boil it down would Strix create a difficult design space for U to receive better countersuites. If so which do you think is preferable?
Personally my motto is, "If my opponent is having fun then I'm not" so I like Counterspells.
I really would like a new Counterspell, although while part of me really wants THE Counterspell, I doubt they'd print it and I think conditional counterspells are also more interesting from a gameplay perspective. Miscalculation for instance, would be a great reprint as far as being a worse Mana Leak while providing more versatility than Mana Leak.
One thing I'd like to know about is how Strix would really impact more Esper/BUG builds, because while I love Grixis, I also love BUG/like Esper and wonder if Strix would help them in any particular way or if, as you put it, it'd just be another card that make's their good MUs better but doesn't help the bad MUs. I can't really say, I havent played anything outside of Affinity in a very long time (been trying to build Grixis/Esper Gifts for a while) so my perspective on matchups is limited.
Even if Strix does get reprinted Grixis will still have bad matchups (Tron, for instance), as people have said. Furthermore you play a deck that is very similar to that, a la Jund.
You need to defend why Grixis doing "good enough" is a reason to not introduce Baleful Strix into Modern. As of yet you haven't really given an argument other than, "it would be broken because its too value (in a vacuum)" or, "Why does it NEED to be printed? Why do these decks NEED to be improved?" But its not about anything NEEDING to happen, Grixis doesn't NEED to be Tier 1, but what does it hurt? Why is having Tier 1 Grixis unhealthy for Modern? What does it break? The argument that having more than one Tier 1 control deck in Modern doesn't really hold without more explanation because there are several Tier 1 aggro and midrange decks. You need to argue why Baleful Strix is unhealthy for Modern that doesn't come from a place of, "Well I don't like control so its unhealthy."
I should also mention half of the cards you mentioned aren't even blue cards.
I think we can all agree that Modern is great, but "great" isn't perfect, and even if we can never achieve "perfect" it doesn't hurt to keep trying to make it better and better.
Why SHOULDN'T we have two control decks in tier 1? "Because I don't like control" is not an answer, just admit that you just don't like blue, you dont like control, you just dont want to have to play them and your opposition to a Baleful Strix reprint has little to do with whether or not it's balanced or not.
I mean you pretty much admit it here anyways, and if your only real argument is "why does Tier 1 need two control decks?" then I don't believe you have much to stand on. Why does Tier 1 need two midrange decks? Two aggro decks? Tier 1 doesnt NEED anything, and thats the wrong question to ask. A better question is, "does having 2 Tier 1 control decks hurt the format?" And I would imagine the answer to that is almost certainly no, it wouldn't hurt Modern.
I also disagree that it would break Grixis Control and I don't know Strix interferes with fair Magic (what IS fair Magic? Just swinging with creatures?) UB/x isn't exactly the greatest color combination anyways, not like it's GB/x, Strix would probably be too much in GB, but UB? Esper, UB, Bug, Grixis, I severely doubt it would break any of those, in the worst case it could make some of them Tier 1. Why is more Tier 1 decks a bad thing?
They produce colorless mana, they don't have any particular synergy with the Tangolands so theres no fear of crazy manabases, they're probably due for a reprint. And as previously mentioned, they have spooky names.
I have no idea if the fact they're expeditions means much, but I want to believe?