As an flavor-centered EDH player, I've always been hoping for a Breeding Pool with more whimsical art. Instead we get a Breeding Pool with horror art. I mean, i guess the name "Breeding Pool" is hard to match with any whimsical concept, but still - I've like a broader variety of what's being depicted in my art. Like maybe a nice pond where cute frogs lay their eggs...
Ruxa, Patient Professor - Am I correct in thinking her first ability has no effect in this deck? I get that her second and third abilities affect Fractals.
From the MtG Wiki, apparently her story was actually told in a MtG Anthology book from 1996:
Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, or Asmor for short, was a female wizard who summoned a Lord of the Pit named Vincent but ran out of stuff to feed it. Being a great cook, she escaped being eaten herself by entering into his service as a chef for seven years and seven days. During this time, she wrote The Underworld Cookbook and had twenty copies made. Because only two copies sold in five months, she ordered two imps to burn the remaining copies. However, the line to the incinerator was too long, so they instead used a garbage chute that led to the overworld. She was finally free, only to find herself hunted by all the creatures that she describes as delicious in the book.
I'm always bugged when we get these beautiful, magical creatures, but they're at common, do so little, and will never see play outside of limited. I want to fill an EDH deck with these sorts of critters, but they all suck.
Unfortunately, I don't give WotC the benefit anymore.
This probably is exactly as it looks. Extus makes a Blood Avatar, the Kenrith Twins prevail over it. That's it.
The way they do previews now, it doesnt matter in their philosophy that story or other surprise elements are revealed. They have already done this before.
Did you see crackle with power? Unless it’s temporary Rowan might be getting a dark Phoenix arc
“We can disagree and still love each other. Unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.” -James Baldwin
I personally think it doesn't makes much sense to use such an specific and confusing wording if he just meant to say "uses a mechanic/keyword from Future Sight". Sure, he can be using this weird wording specifically to confuse people, but I think there are better ways to throw people off without using wording tricks.
It's "there are two cards that call back to the same mechanical reference as something in Future Sight." Which seems to me to imply it's something that existed before Future Sight that at least one Future Sight card referenced. Of course, that could still mean almost anything.
There were a number of Spellshaper cards in Futuresight. And spellshapers would certainly be on flavor for Strixhaven.
Seems odd that WotC would have two 3cmc Simic walkers in Standard at the same time (Her and Oko). And her ability would be stupid good for Oko. Something tells me there was a last minute change and she was altered to be a replacement. I know they design sets 2-3 years out, but a last minute change fits the timeline, I think.
I feel like this is one time the "hotness" of a character is truly flavorfully intentional, since she fits the role of the "mysterious and seductive substitute teacher who shows up out of no where and turns out to be a witch/necromancer/alien/giant mantis, etc." This is a school plane, after all - certain high school tropes outside of wizarding worlds ought to show up.
If you squint real hard it's also a bit like Hogaak.
It seems hinted at in the flavor text to Letter of Acceptance too.
I think they just meant it can go in any deck. Lessons don't have to be in a wishboard, they can be maindecked.
There were a number of Spellshaper cards in Futuresight. And spellshapers would certainly be on flavor for Strixhaven.