Well... That's the third girl in this set I want to date-)) Vraska and the Dryad start to seem less pretty now...-))
As for the card, it's great. It beats almost any playable 1 to 3 drop in the format, and demands removal in every matchup. Zombies, tokens and SCM all hate it. Abrupt decay? Murder? It will still deal 2-4 damage and eat your removal spell. For RDW, there's nothing else it requires of a 2 drop. Being not a dead draw in the late game (I love haste), and having first strike is just awesome.
Chimeric Mass was better.
Still, it's a good uncommon, because it's always a creature that will dominate the board, unless you missed some land-drops. In limited, of course. If they aren't evasive, of course.
Instead of printing uncounterable spells, they could do something like that:
<Card Name>2R
Instant
<Card Name> deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
When <Card Name> leaves stack, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Resolving causes a spell to leave stack, if I'm not mistaken. As well as being countered or exiled or vensered
Which would make counterspells not completely useless against these cards, but reasonably weak. AND make our beloved Elemental a constructed-playable... Rare, I guess, in this case.
Trostani is too slow for T2, maybe a SB option against aggro for some token deck, but I can think of some better options. In limited, she's okay if you got tokens, but it's all pointless, because she's a rare and you won't be opening her often.
Elemental isn't playable at all right now, until someone finds a way to combo with him. I'm curious what that combo will be. In any sorcery/instant deck, I would rather just have my spell resolve.
Rakdos guilmage is simply the worst guildmage spoiled so far. -1/-1 to a creature is okay for BR, but to a blocking creature... Oh well. They don't want Rakdos-type aggro in standard, we already got it.
Ohhh, the imps for 6 mana! Well this one is at least playable in limited.
Cards are designed well though. No complaints about that.
Well, if I was an aggro deck and this guy was opponent's 4-drop, I wouldn't care about him. Turn 4 is when aggro deck actually kills, or very nearly kills. One blocker, no matter how big it is, can't stop aggro on turn 4. He needs lifelink to do this. Think about it:
Turn 1, 2-power creature
Turn 2, swing 2, then a creature with big potential like Loltroll or Strangleroot.
Turn 3, Multiple options, but let's say we drop something like Geralf's messenger, then swing 4 to 8, usually so. Opp is at 10-14.
Turn 4. We got about 10 or so total power on our creatures, usually biggest creature got power 3. What do we play? Something hasty, or maybe some direct damage. Anyway, chances of this Demon actually stopping us are very low, even if was just 6/6 for 4. And if we can even tap it by sacrificing our diregraf ghoul...
Even if they print another cycle of uncountrable spells in Gatecrash, control will still be in a very good position in this environment.
First of all, control is as good as many options it has, which is a question of mana-stabilization. And we got shocklands, all kinds of duals, and Chromatic Lantern. 5cc is one step from becoming a real deck once again.
Second, they print GREAT versatile removals. Don't feel like Decaying Geralf Messenger? Counter it. Can't counter it because of Cavern? ORing is still here. Can't touch the Geist with spot removal? Supreme verdict. Or a counter.
Yes, you no longer have one answer to every threat possible. Nobody should. THIS is what I call "balance".
In this thread:
* People who can't read cards.
* People who don't understand that there are only 5 cards in the entire set that can't be countered.
* Blue mages who insist on getting a good counterspell in a thread that starts with a good counterspell.
* Blue players who complain about their favorite color not getting the the best cards for once in three years (or for the first time in the history of Magic, dependent on your interpretation).
* Players who call themselves fans of "control" who can't comprehend that there are other forms of control beside "counter target spell".
Exactly what I would say, but maybe in different words. And yes, I love the arrogant "control" players revealing their real face. What happens to Magic in this set is VERY balanced, the problem is that they aren't used to that. Blue caaaaan't be balanced, it must be brooooken!
Well they had to make some version of Wrath since DoJ is rotating, so they've done it. Good thing that blue-based aggro can't cheat through the "kill before Wrath" rule anymore. it was really annoying... Blue isn't supposed to be the best aggressive color, I'm glad they fixed it.
Green enchantment is okay, but I don't think it will see much Standard play.
As for the Decay... Now it is clear that they are pushing Golgary to the top, in the most obvious way. I wonder why would they do this.
That's a sexy one. I would date her and Dryad Militant, thanks God they don't communicate much.
The card seems great for control, but the green mana symbol spoils the day. Don't know how she will be put to play, definitely not in BG or Jund Zombies (pretty useless for aggro).
It can be reanimated, just not in standard. All you need is a reanimation instant.
Why, Hypersonic Dragon into Unburial Rites, technically it is possible.
The enchantment is sooo Rakdos-ish, I almost want to put it to T2 play. But it's so damn bad that I'm not gonna try it.
The Dryad isn't overpowered, just the time has come to finally put things to normal and end this misbalance brought by Snapcaster. Although Snapcaster was logical too, in his own way. What makes me happy is the fact that the Dryad is uncommon.
Still don't think they will print UU Jace and UR Ral. It seems like people just want that for their Delver decks, or simply because this combination of colors is popular, somewhat aspiring.
And no, ISD Garruk is mono green by all means that matter, so the closest thing they did so far is printing Lili in ISD and Sorin in DKA. Which actually leaves our case unprecedented.
After all, Ral just "looks and feels red". And I don't see why an Izzet-affiliated card can't be just red. They aren't all multicolored, are they?:)
If they print something like that, it will not cost lesser than 20$. Seriously, it would be the strongest red PW ever. I don't think they are so keen on resurrecting RDW. I'd say Ral can do something like
+1: Ral deals 2 damage to target player
-2: creatures your opponent controls can't block this turn
-4: you get an emblem with "(some mass Izzet guild mechanic effect)"
Loyalty 3
Sorry, misread it as 3RR. Need some sleep.
Anyway, the idea of a playable red planeswalker for 3 is just too sweet, I even doubt it is possible. On the other hand, mono Red decks are in a very bad situation now, no one expects them to show up, so it is in Wizards tricky nature to print a red mage's dream now.
As for the card, it's great. It beats almost any playable 1 to 3 drop in the format, and demands removal in every matchup. Zombies, tokens and SCM all hate it. Abrupt decay? Murder? It will still deal 2-4 damage and eat your removal spell. For RDW, there's nothing else it requires of a 2 drop. Being not a dead draw in the late game (I love haste), and having first strike is just awesome.
Still, it's a good uncommon, because it's always a creature that will dominate the board, unless you missed some land-drops. In limited, of course. If they aren't evasive, of course.
<Card Name>2R
Instant
<Card Name> deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
When <Card Name> leaves stack, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Resolving causes a spell to leave stack, if I'm not mistaken. As well as being countered or exiled or vensered
Which would make counterspells not completely useless against these cards, but reasonably weak. AND make our beloved Elemental a constructed-playable... Rare, I guess, in this case.
Elemental isn't playable at all right now, until someone finds a way to combo with him. I'm curious what that combo will be. In any sorcery/instant deck, I would rather just have my spell resolve.
Rakdos guilmage is simply the worst guildmage spoiled so far. -1/-1 to a creature is okay for BR, but to a blocking creature... Oh well. They don't want Rakdos-type aggro in standard, we already got it.
Ohhh, the imps for 6 mana! Well this one is at least playable in limited.
Cards are designed well though. No complaints about that.
Turn 1, 2-power creature
Turn 2, swing 2, then a creature with big potential like Loltroll or Strangleroot.
Turn 3, Multiple options, but let's say we drop something like Geralf's messenger, then swing 4 to 8, usually so. Opp is at 10-14.
Turn 4. We got about 10 or so total power on our creatures, usually biggest creature got power 3. What do we play? Something hasty, or maybe some direct damage. Anyway, chances of this Demon actually stopping us are very low, even if was just 6/6 for 4. And if we can even tap it by sacrificing our diregraf ghoul...
First of all, control is as good as many options it has, which is a question of mana-stabilization. And we got shocklands, all kinds of duals, and Chromatic Lantern. 5cc is one step from becoming a real deck once again.
Second, they print GREAT versatile removals. Don't feel like Decaying Geralf Messenger? Counter it. Can't counter it because of Cavern? ORing is still here. Can't touch the Geist with spot removal? Supreme verdict. Or a counter.
Yes, you no longer have one answer to every threat possible. Nobody should. THIS is what I call "balance".
Exactly what I would say, but maybe in different words. And yes, I love the arrogant "control" players revealing their real face. What happens to Magic in this set is VERY balanced, the problem is that they aren't used to that. Blue caaaaan't be balanced, it must be brooooken!
Green enchantment is okay, but I don't think it will see much Standard play.
As for the Decay... Now it is clear that they are pushing Golgary to the top, in the most obvious way. I wonder why would they do this.
The card seems great for control, but the green mana symbol spoils the day. Don't know how she will be put to play, definitely not in BG or Jund Zombies (pretty useless for aggro).
Why, Hypersonic Dragon into Unburial Rites, technically it is possible.
The enchantment is sooo Rakdos-ish, I almost want to put it to T2 play. But it's so damn bad that I'm not gonna try it.
The Dryad isn't overpowered, just the time has come to finally put things to normal and end this misbalance brought by Snapcaster. Although Snapcaster was logical too, in his own way. What makes me happy is the fact that the Dryad is uncommon.
And no, ISD Garruk is mono green by all means that matter, so the closest thing they did so far is printing Lili in ISD and Sorin in DKA. Which actually leaves our case unprecedented.
After all, Ral just "looks and feels red". And I don't see why an Izzet-affiliated card can't be just red. They aren't all multicolored, are they?:)
+1: Ral deals 2 damage to target player
-2: creatures your opponent controls can't block this turn
-4: you get an emblem with "(some mass Izzet guild mechanic effect)"
Loyalty 3
Anyway, the idea of a playable red planeswalker for 3 is just too sweet, I even doubt it is possible. On the other hand, mono Red decks are in a very bad situation now, no one expects them to show up, so it is in Wizards tricky nature to print a red mage's dream now.