I wonder if Rakdos, Lord of Riots EDH would like this. It can give a huge lifeswing, but then again it's probably a bit too "win-more" and that ability won't finish anyone off (unless they're already at 1 life...)
But I like the overall design of this card. It seems obvious that the kicker works on casting, but for some reason it really feels neat to me.
I get a feeling ZNR delivers only on half of the adventure trope with the vehemence of original ZEN. Quests and Traps didn't need to return, but they left a hole that needed filling.
I agree the set has much more emphasis on adventurers and places than adventures themselves. I still think there's a bit more of adventure-feeling than what you let in (some of the MDFCs represent both a place and a peril that awaits there), but yeah, we didn't get a mechanic or a cycle that says "overcome this, have an adventure".
I still think that between adventurers, places, perils and equipments there IS a distinct adventuring feel to ZNR, but also agree that more "pure adventure" cards would convey what Wizards promised better. But maybe that's the thing – it's a problem about communication, sadly not the first time that happened. I don't necessarily have a problem with a set that's more about adventurers than adventures, but WotC should have been more upfront about the emphasis of this set to avoid disappointment in players.
This is much worse than Spreading Seas. Spreading Seas could actually keep your opponent off of a colour, this never does this. Indeed I'm not sure what this meant to actually do, as has been said it turns a land into a better Mana Confluence, why would you want to do that exactly? So it's either a bad fixer on your own land or meant to be used against like Tron but there are much better options than this for that.
Sure, Spreading Seas it is not. But it's a pseudo Spreading Seas for nonbasics with abilities other than adding mana (and there's more of those across formats than just Tron lands), that can also be a pseudo Mana Confluence for you if you need it, that also cantrips. It might be weaker than Seas, but it has more utility. Not the most exciting card ever, but also not something that should be dismissed right away.
Also, if Ashaya decks ever become a thing, this could be a neat response. (A big if, perhaps, but I felt it's worth mentioning.)
Oh for the love of Thassa, is this mechanic all we have to look forward to in this set? Where are the traps, quests and expedition enchantments? Where is all the landfall?
Why are you whining? We knew for a bit now that there will be no traps (and there weren't any in BfZ block, same with quest counters.) I too would like to see new quests, but there were no indications they will be in ZNR.
We've got 16 landfall cards so far, which is just 10 short of the original Zendikar set (11 short of BfZ), the same as Worldwake, and eight times more than Oath – and we still have over 70 cards to go, there surely be at least a couple more. And among these we've got a legendary Avenger variant, an extra combat giver, an impulse draw enchantment, a new Omnath, Lotus Cobra reprint and a landfall planeswalker. Not to mention Ashaya which gives you landfall triggers off your creatures.
Kicker might not be too exciting, but it also got new toys, and MDFCs definitely ate up a bit of the set's complexity/grokableness.
All that said, party is a batching mechanic, it's components have to be widespread througout the set, or it just wouldn't work.
To summarize: this set has more going for it than just party, it has cool new landfall cards, new kickers, and a brand new DFC subset. So if you really need to complain, at least try to find more compelling reasons for it, please.
So a 1 mana cheaper, 2 power less Amphin Pathmage (with added bonus of Human tribal) and the same activation cost. Nothing too amazing, but fun nonetheless.
There has to be at least a couple castles in not!ScotIreland. We just didn't see them last time because we were too busy looking at people become nightmare versions of themselves.
There are castles in Lorwyn/Shadowmoor. Consult with Parapet Watchers' art.
And Atraxa's friend... and Ghave's friend... and Vorel's...
and any other at least partially green commander that cares about counters.
Like whew, this is gonna be seen on so many tables.
But I like the overall design of this card. It seems obvious that the kicker works on casting, but for some reason it really feels neat to me.
Thank you, this is much better.
I agree the set has much more emphasis on adventurers and places than adventures themselves. I still think there's a bit more of adventure-feeling than what you let in (some of the MDFCs represent both a place and a peril that awaits there), but yeah, we didn't get a mechanic or a cycle that says "overcome this, have an adventure".
I still think that between adventurers, places, perils and equipments there IS a distinct adventuring feel to ZNR, but also agree that more "pure adventure" cards would convey what Wizards promised better. But maybe that's the thing – it's a problem about communication, sadly not the first time that happened. I don't necessarily have a problem with a set that's more about adventurers than adventures, but WotC should have been more upfront about the emphasis of this set to avoid disappointment in players.
I guess getting cheaper is the last thing Braids of Fire is gonna do
Sure, Spreading Seas it is not. But it's a pseudo Spreading Seas for nonbasics with abilities other than adding mana (and there's more of those across formats than just Tron lands), that can also be a pseudo Mana Confluence for you if you need it, that also cantrips. It might be weaker than Seas, but it has more utility. Not the most exciting card ever, but also not something that should be dismissed right away.
Also, if Ashaya decks ever become a thing, this could be a neat response. (A big if, perhaps, but I felt it's worth mentioning.)
Why are you whining? We knew for a bit now that there will be no traps (and there weren't any in BfZ block, same with quest counters.) I too would like to see new quests, but there were no indications they will be in ZNR.
We've got 16 landfall cards so far, which is just 10 short of the original Zendikar set (11 short of BfZ), the same as Worldwake, and eight times more than Oath – and we still have over 70 cards to go, there surely be at least a couple more. And among these we've got a legendary Avenger variant, an extra combat giver, an impulse draw enchantment, a new Omnath, Lotus Cobra reprint and a landfall planeswalker. Not to mention Ashaya which gives you landfall triggers off your creatures.
Kicker might not be too exciting, but it also got new toys, and MDFCs definitely ate up a bit of the set's complexity/grokableness.
All that said, party is a batching mechanic, it's components have to be widespread througout the set, or it just wouldn't work.
To summarize: this set has more going for it than just party, it has cool new landfall cards, new kickers, and a brand new DFC subset. So if you really need to complain, at least try to find more compelling reasons for it, please.
That convention was present on the rare split cards, not uncommons. I bet it will be continued on the rares.
Most of these sound cool and all, but man, would Combine Guildmage and House Guildmage be weird.
My Ghave deck sure would love to include her
I see I wasn't the only one mildly hoping for a reprint of Soothsaying... It's really weird they don't reprint it at all.
There are castles in Lorwyn/Shadowmoor. Consult with Parapet Watchers' art.
and any other at least partially green commander that cares about counters.
Like whew, this is gonna be seen on so many tables.
It might not be helping to cast him, but if he's on the field, the discounts will be just flowing