There may be a worthwhile critique of creativity restrictions within Magic, but as part of this discussion, MaRo did further expand on the question. Whether or not this is an acceptable answer I guess is left up to the reader (I personally think they are plenty creative, but not everyone feels that way). Anyway, here is the blog post where he expanded on this topic:
You don't even put Augury Owl's trigger on the stack until the Command has finished resolving. You will draw well before the trigger letting you scry resolves.
Because it invalidates everything about the game up until that point. It also often just leads to a win from the Upheaval player. If you have 4 players and everyone has 10 lands and 4 creatures (basic Board states and not even as good as the Upgeaval player can get), the Upheaval player can float all their mana, bounce everything, drop a land, and then put 5 into casting spells or their general. Now, when it gets to each other player's turn, they drop a land and pass.
The player who casts Upheaval has a huge advantage when the dust settles because it resets everything (lands being the biggest issue)
Unless stated otherwise, activated abilities can be activated whenever you could cast an instant. Since Ballista's does not state otherwise, you can activate its ability on your opponent's turn if you want.
Yes, you lose another life. The way this works is this (note that there are a few priority passes I am skipping over):
Attackers are Declared.
Blockers are Declared.
Combat Damage is dealt. Gifted Aetherborn deals 2 damage. Its controller gains two life.
Simultaneously, the Cliffhaven Vampire deals 2 damage to the creature blocking it and is dealt at least 4 damage.
Because life is gained, Cliffhaven triggers.
Before that trigger goes onto the stack, State-Based Actions are checked and sees a Cliffhaven Vampire with lethal damage on it. The Vampire is destroyed.
The Vampire's trigger goes onto the stack and the Active Player gets priority.
Priority is passed by both players and you lose 1 life when the ability resolves.
Note the important part is that the trigger condition (gaining life) is met while the Vampire is still on the battlefield. A phrase I like (and have seen a couple of places): Damage doesn't kill creatures; State-Based Actions do. Since the creature hadn't been destroyed yet, it still saw the life gain event.
It does gain that ability, but it is way too late for it to do anything. Desolation Twin has a cast ability and Altered Ego doesn't gain that ability until it is on the battlefield which is after it has been cast.
You can just specify which version to display in the hover (though I admit it would be easier if it was done on the server level to exclude "text-only" promo cards from showing up by default).
So [c=|Magic 2012 (M12)]Doom Blade[/c] becomes Doom Blade
Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Should I choose a commander and then build around it, or should I build the deck I want and then choose a commander that fits that deck well?
It sounds like you are getting some good ideas here, but I did want to address this question. Realistically, the answer to this question will often be "it depends". For example, Alesha really wants a specific build (small creatures, mostly creatures) but Karador (as you had built before) can just lead any reanimator or goodstuff deck. So, it seems like you are looking at 4 generals trying to find a way to fit those into certain playstyles. I would say that in your current situation, it may be beneficial to think more about what you want to build (and build it) then find a general that at least somewhat fits.
So, you like Graveyard interaction. This will generally mean Black and possibly White. Green has a few Regrowth effects and Red and Blue have some niche cards. So, if you want graveyard interaction, I think Black is a must.
You mentioned tokens of which White and Green are best at. If you focus on creatures that generate tokens (Avenger of Zendikar, Grave Titan), and so on) then Black is good to have them keep coming back. If you want spells that generate tokens (White Sun's Zenith, Martial Coup) you will want Green to get them back.
Midrange works pretty well for a reanimator strategy. So, really, it seems that Karador is a good deck for you (though you mentioned some concerns with him as a general).
Since you don't want Karador, Meren of Clan Nel Toth would be a good one to fit into what you seem to like in a deck. You lose White, but you get a lot of good creatures, graveyard interaction, token producers, and "free" reanimation every turn with your general (once you get enough Experience).
Yes, that works. The ability cares about basic land types among lands you control so the game says "do you have any swamps; that forest is a swamp" so you get +1/+1. Then, it says "do you have any mountains; that same forest is a mountain" and get another +1/+1. This keeps going for all 5 basic land types so your assessment of the above cards is correct.
Of the options in the Poll, I would lean towards Alesha first followed by Gisa and Geralf. I have had a number of decks over the years and I decided I wanted to try my hand at an Alesha deck and I have been really impressed by her so far. I know you don't want competitiveness to be more important than the amount of fun but I really think Alesha covers both aspects very well. She is quick, efficient (since most of your creatures are going to be small) and resilient (since you can use your graveyard to bring stuff back). With my build, her biggest weakness is flying so I just threw in a Gravity Sphere
Otherwise, Gisa and Geralf look the most fun. Being black, and zombies (assuming you go all out on the tribal aspect), means there is a fair amount of graveyard interaction and being blue gives you quite a few answers and Rooftop Storm (again, tribal). I have honestly thought about building them but then I always feel Thraximundar is better and my cousin has Thrax, so I never do it. Either way, Gisa and Geralf have their charm and I think can be a deck that definitely is not built on the premise of being competitive over being fun.
It does go on the stack above the Expertise, but you don't cast Oath until Expertise is already resolving. Since you do things on the card in order, you would have already created the Servos before even casting Oath. Oath goes on top, then Expertise resolves. Now, Oath is on top and will eventually resolve and will buff those Servos.
I think you understand how Deathtouch works, but you seem to be misunderstanding how combat works.
To start with, you don't tap to "defend" ("block" in Magic terms) but you do tap to attack. However, you don't attack specific creatures. You attack a player or planeswalker and then that player (or planeswalker's controller) decides whether or not they want to block if they can.
If they block, and your Rats deals damage to that creature, it will die.
The same works when you block. If you block a creature with the Rats (it must be a legal block; so no blocking fliers) and deal damage to an attacking creature, that attacking creature will die due to deathtouch.
Technically, the answer is 0. Conspiracies don't go into your deck; they are in your sideboard after drafting. Then, at the beginning of the game, you put any Conspiracy you drafted into your Command Zone. There is no limit to the number of each Conspiracy you can have in the Command Zone.
http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/157385824838/fallen-angel-is-a-trope-seen-all-over-pop
Because it invalidates everything about the game up until that point. It also often just leads to a win from the Upheaval player. If you have 4 players and everyone has 10 lands and 4 creatures (basic Board states and not even as good as the Upgeaval player can get), the Upheaval player can float all their mana, bounce everything, drop a land, and then put 5 into casting spells or their general. Now, when it gets to each other player's turn, they drop a land and pass.
The player who casts Upheaval has a huge advantage when the dust settles because it resets everything (lands being the biggest issue)
Unless stated otherwise, activated abilities can be activated whenever you could cast an instant. Since Ballista's does not state otherwise, you can activate its ability on your opponent's turn if you want.
Blockers are Declared.
Combat Damage is dealt. Gifted Aetherborn deals 2 damage. Its controller gains two life.
Simultaneously, the Cliffhaven Vampire deals 2 damage to the creature blocking it and is dealt at least 4 damage.
Because life is gained, Cliffhaven triggers.
Before that trigger goes onto the stack, State-Based Actions are checked and sees a Cliffhaven Vampire with lethal damage on it. The Vampire is destroyed.
The Vampire's trigger goes onto the stack and the Active Player gets priority.
Priority is passed by both players and you lose 1 life when the ability resolves.
Note the important part is that the trigger condition (gaining life) is met while the Vampire is still on the battlefield. A phrase I like (and have seen a couple of places): Damage doesn't kill creatures; State-Based Actions do. Since the creature hadn't been destroyed yet, it still saw the life gain event.
So [c=|Magic 2012 (M12)]Doom Blade[/c] becomes Doom Blade
1 Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Lands
1 Arid Mesa
1 Badlands
1 Blood Crypt
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Command Tower
1 Diamond Valley
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hanweir Battlements
1 High Market
1 Marsh Flats
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Mistveil Plains
5 Mountain
1 Phyrexian Tower
6 Plains
1 Plateau
1 Polluted Delta
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Scrubland
1 Smoldering Marsh
6 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Windswept Heath
Instants
1 Path to Exile
1 Return to Dust
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Merciless Eviction
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Rout
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Wheel of Fortune
Creatures
1 Academy Rector
1 Agent of Erebos
1 Anathemancer
1 Anger
1 Ashenmoor Liege
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Balefire Liege
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Bomat Courier
1 Bone Shredder
1 Burnished Hart
1 Chainer, Dementia Master
1 Crypt Rats
1 Deathbringer Liege
1 Disciple of Bolas
1 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
1 Duplicant
1 False Prophet
1 Filth
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Grand Abolisher
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
1 Hanweir Garrison
1 Imperial Recruiter
1 Iroas, God of Victory
1 Karmic Guide
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Liliana, Heretical Healer
1 Mentor of the Meek
1 Mirror Entity
1 Necrotic Sliver
1 Noosegraf Mob
1 Pack Rat
1 Ponyback Brigade
1 Priest of the Blood Rite
1 Ravenous Baboons
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Sun Titan
1 Sword of the Animist
Enchantments
1 Attrition
1 Cathars' Crusade
1 Goblin Bombardment
1 Gravity Sphere
1 Vicious Shadows
It sounds like you are getting some good ideas here, but I did want to address this question. Realistically, the answer to this question will often be "it depends". For example, Alesha really wants a specific build (small creatures, mostly creatures) but Karador (as you had built before) can just lead any reanimator or goodstuff deck. So, it seems like you are looking at 4 generals trying to find a way to fit those into certain playstyles. I would say that in your current situation, it may be beneficial to think more about what you want to build (and build it) then find a general that at least somewhat fits.
So, you like Graveyard interaction. This will generally mean Black and possibly White. Green has a few Regrowth effects and Red and Blue have some niche cards. So, if you want graveyard interaction, I think Black is a must.
You mentioned tokens of which White and Green are best at. If you focus on creatures that generate tokens (Avenger of Zendikar, Grave Titan), and so on) then Black is good to have them keep coming back. If you want spells that generate tokens (White Sun's Zenith, Martial Coup) you will want Green to get them back.
Midrange works pretty well for a reanimator strategy. So, really, it seems that Karador is a good deck for you (though you mentioned some concerns with him as a general).
Since you don't want Karador, Meren of Clan Nel Toth would be a good one to fit into what you seem to like in a deck. You lose White, but you get a lot of good creatures, graveyard interaction, token producers, and "free" reanimation every turn with your general (once you get enough Experience).
Otherwise, Gisa and Geralf look the most fun. Being black, and zombies (assuming you go all out on the tribal aspect), means there is a fair amount of graveyard interaction and being blue gives you quite a few answers and Rooftop Storm (again, tribal). I have honestly thought about building them but then I always feel Thraximundar is better and my cousin has Thrax, so I never do it. Either way, Gisa and Geralf have their charm and I think can be a deck that definitely is not built on the premise of being competitive over being fun.
To start with, you don't tap to "defend" ("block" in Magic terms) but you do tap to attack. However, you don't attack specific creatures. You attack a player or planeswalker and then that player (or planeswalker's controller) decides whether or not they want to block if they can.
If they block, and your Rats deals damage to that creature, it will die.
The same works when you block. If you block a creature with the Rats (it must be a legal block; so no blocking fliers) and deal damage to an attacking creature, that attacking creature will die due to deathtouch.