MTG Salvation

No offense to BW, but those over-emphasize the art. For my purposes, I just need pragmatic functionality and readability, not something pretty. (Damn. I sound autistic, don't I?)

Update: I know this'll probably paint me a flip-flopper, but given just how many DFCs I'm gonna need to keep track of (and inform my players of), I'm seriously considering the flip-card proxy method. To those who've been using this approach, how has it been working out?

Quote from avaricious_magpie »

You're in luck, someone on the MTGCube subreddit recently posted a set of single-sided DFC proxies including the flipwalkers.

Here's the link

Aesthetically I feel like these would work best for my group.

Quote from VariSami »

Whispers of Emrakul and Grapple with the Past.

So, a decent discard spell that becomes a less colour-intensive Hymn to Tourach with Delirium and a green update to Corpse Churn. Both worth consideration, although I know Delirium makes me overvalue cards. However, putting dredge back in green might be worth thinking of with the latter.

As has probably been said before, Delirium's are too difficult to be treated as more than functional flavor text outside of formats that actively support them.

Grapple, on the other hand, seems solid (especially as an Instant). If I were supporting self-mill, I'd snap include it.

Quote from AnImAr_ »

If they only gave this flash.

Damn. WOTC: Stop holding back please. Pleaseeeee stop holding back.

My thoughts exactly.

Quote from rancoredmalone »

About Curious Homunculus / Voracious Reader, I feel like I saw one person mention the possibility of this being a useful card in a more BUG style graveyard synergy deck, since you don't need to actually cast all of those spells to transform it. Granted, it does not have specific direct synergies with graveyard decks, other than providing a small amount of ramp and a decent, cheap body on the transformed side. Also, you can possibly get away with having fewer instant/sorceries in that type of deck.

Anyone else think there are enough real possibilities on that end?

Playing as a straightforward blue Werebear instead of big brother to Delver is certainly possible, but seems pretty suboptimal. Self-mill decks are also pretty unusual in these parts compared with UR tempo.

Legendary Land
Tap: C
Tap 2 (so 3, basically): Each player loots.

Reminds me most obviously of Desolate Lighthouse meets Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
both of which see/saw play to varying degrees.

Is this new card what we want?

Quote from midnight_baker »

I think the reason I'm iffy on him is that 4 mana is about what I'd call the going rate to pay to kill a Spirit token and get a 3/2. Like doing that would be the same as playing a Lowland Giant - fine, about what's expected for the mana, but not exciting. It would take two small creatures (or some post combat trickery to kill a 2+ touness creature) for the guy to look like an interesting above-rate cube-quality creature.

Seconded, basically. It's the eternal struggle: Trying to find those gems of cards that are strong enough for our formats, despite being designed for retail limited.

Quote from midnight_baker »

I don't think I could have Smoldering Werewolf in my cube alongside Flametongue Kavu. Maybe the double ping is better than I give it credit.

Same. It would be solid as hell if all the costs were reduced by 1. As is, it's just too weak for its cost(s).

A big facet of combos and synergies in Limited (including Cube) is the opportunity cost associated with drafting all the pieces. It's part of the push-pull (and decision-making) of the format, especially draft. Giving stuff out for free undermines all that.

New Werewolves via social media. Most of them suck, except the Green 1-drop. https://twitter.com/commanderinmtg/status/748238833704001537?s=01

It's got soul and it's super bad.

Aww man. I misread it. Yeah, that IS pretty bad. *sigh*

So far I'm looking at Blessed Alliance, "Oglor Werebear," *Ingenious Skaab* (name pending)

Quote from _i0 »

Quote from majikian »

Blessed Alliance 1W
Instant (U)
Escalate (2)
Choose one or more
- Target Player gains 4 life
- Untap up to two target creatures
- Target opponent sacrifices an attacking creature

a) Hooray, uncommon Escalate cards (Escalators?) with 3 options.
b) I think this could be good. Fine early as an easier-to-cast defensive Celestial Flare and scales up well into the late-game.

Seems about as good as Immolating Glare, so not really something I'm interested in. Trades flexibility / blowout potential for the times when an Edict is so much worse than targeted removal.

A: I. Glare is awesome and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. *rolls up sleeve*

B: Maji has this right. It's a less color-intensive C. Flare that scales up into a blowout combat trick. I'm super down.

Quote from RxPhantom »

I'm pretty stoked for Blessed Alliance too. ... I'd never think of running each effect separately, but the charm-like flexibility combined with the ability to use all three concurrently?! Sold. I hope there are plenty of other good escalate cards. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Quote from _i0 »

Two mana

One target

Card disadvantage

It's flexible enough to be about as good as Vapor Snag, but I cut Snag and haven't really missed it

It's also says "creature" where it really should have said "(nonland) permanent" instead.

All these drawbacks really kill its playability in my book. Had it been printed in an era where design was still wiling to let us target lands, or if it had at least offered some other upside besides "versatility" (like drawing or scrying), I might have considered it. As is, it's just an overcosted Unsummon that can occasionally be a poor man's Remand. Neither of those options look good (especially since neither of those cards are staples in my book).

Quote from guitarspider »

I'll probably try it instead of Vapor Snag. Extra flexibility seems worth the extra mana.

I couldn't disagree more. And I imagine most tempo players (especially Delver fans) would side with me.

Quote from Squirrely »

Awesome, a blue spells matter Werebear.

Indeed.

I like it for Delver tempo, but that's pretty niche ultimately. I doubt it'll make much of splash in regular cubes.

It's like Garrison vs Rabblemaster all over again!

In all seriousness, I was quick to overlook this guy as a "worse Dungeon Geists," but now I'm prepared to reconsider. Prowess on an x/3 has already proven to be fairly impactful on similar creatures (especially in Limited), so that's a good sign already. Having flying and freezing fools makes it just good enough. I'd dare say he's what we always wanted out of a four drop in the Instants/Sorceries matter deck (in contrast to clunkier options like Talrand).

I'm definitely not as bullish as Spairy, but I can certainly how this guy might, at bare minimum, be better than whatever my weakest blue card is. And I'm predicting that it's actually much better than that. I'll test.