I didn't get the impression that Avacyn has been acting as a tyrant this whole time. As I understood it, she acted according to her nature and the other angels chose to follow her as a figure of leadership. When she turned on the lost sister, it was because she saw her as a threat to her mission. The angels who chose to follow her during that schism did so because they trusted Avacyn's judgment.
The way I'm reading it, Avacyn has always been acting according to her own whims, and going along with the organizations that have been formed around her (angel flights, church, etc.) insomuch as they align with her "programmed" goals. Otherwise, she does as she pleases and allows others to follow her as they wish. It's only now that she has actively been seeking to subordinate others into aligning themselves with her.
Hmm. I hadn't considered this, but I think you're right about this perspective as an Avacyn origin story. She did, after all, just appear out of thin air and not from whatever primordial phenomenon created Innistrad as the other angels. So naturally something of a disconnect had to have occurred. The odd vibe I got was from Sigarda's anxiety - SOI is the first explicit example I've seen of flagging faith in her, from Angels and the Lunarch no less. Just feels forced and strange to me. I guess I got a sense of unanimous happiness and unity in an established system in AVR, but now that's changing with a head angel legend questioning her own safety with apprehension. I didn't expect to pick up with something like that after AVR.
I get a sense this story is heading down the BFZ route for me already. It's very uninspired. "Turn the angels evil, especially Avacyn" feels like the most predictable, unimaginative idea to pursue on Innistrad, which of all planes could have had any number of other natural threats. It's funny, as well, to see Wizard's so willing to compromise its Angelic characters and trash what reputations they have (even at the expense of consistency) but absolutely refuses the prospect of breeching new territory with male Angels, or female demons, despite numerous requests for this nonetheless. Can we expect to see compassionate, loving demons overcome by Angel magic to care for humanity? The fact we will not is consistent, right? But Angels, oh those can be any number of things at the expense of consistency - except male. That's one thing we can't risk.
It just feels sad and odd to have the three angels feel such a disconnect with Avacyn. In the original Innistrad block, angels all over Innistrad were in despair over her absence, but not it feels as if she has been ruling them all along like some tyrant? Or that there could be animosity amongst their ranks, due to the defeat of their sister?
I don't know. The original happiness of AVR and all that is being shattered to tell another story. It just feels at odds with the general emotion I got from the original block.
I agree about the Avacyn point. 1000 years is not what I expected. Unless for 5000 years Avacy n was acting undetected and independently as she "matured" but even then, I find that unlikely.
This whole concept feels so forced. Like WOTC did not expect the original Innistrad to be such a hit, and didn't leave room in the story for a return the way they had for Theros. Avacyn Restored wrapped up the story nicely, and that could have been it for Innistrad, with the natural horrors there, but hope and angels to oppose it all the same.
This story feels like it's reaching.
Well. Nahiri seeking revenge is at least plausible. I think it would have been more palpable without twisting the angels, and Avacyn. Just have Nahiri as the villain and most helpless to stop her, with her having Oldwalker knowledge of how to undo Innistrad or whatever.
Maybe loss of faith in Avacyn and the angels is her way of corrupting Innistrad, by turning the tables and making the sincerest hope of the world into a villain. It's sad to see such loved characters become so inconsistent, and a solid ending to a conflict already get turned over. Makes me wonder if there's just going to be upheaval at every corner, with no real resolutions in the lore ever...
The field wipe this causes when it flips can set the opponent back really, really badly. And leave them staring down a 7/8. 0/4 makes for an excellent blocker until then, buying even more time (I mean it's just 1 more than Kraken Hatchling) and it alters people's playing style as soon as it hits the board. The spells you're playing to flip it usually benefit you or harm the opponent anyway, so it's not like anyone is discarding cards to get it flipped, you're actually playing the game - countering, cantrips, Cyclonic Rifting, etc.
From an EDH perspective, it's so awesome to think of this as a sea monster locked in ice. It's a Kraken and a Whelming Wave variant in one. Granted it bounces my other sea monsters, but that's what Quest For Ula's Temple is for! Can't wait to flip this, then Whelming Wave loop with Archaeomancer.
EDIT: Also, I noticed if I keep my devotion at exactly 5, when this flips, my devotion drops to 4, and Thassa won't get bounced. HAHA it's perfect!
Problem being, you are not attacking with this before turn 4 or 5, delver attacks for 3 on turns 2, 3 and 4, goyf starts attacking for at least 3 on turn 3 and both of those cards need no help to start beating your opponent's face, then there's the fact that each copy of goyf does exactly what the previous one did, with this card, each copy you play has diminishing returns as your hand grows smaller with each spell you play, making each copy harder to flip, then there's the problem that has been pointed out before, with being an atrocious top deck, all of that combines to make this a cool and relatively powerful card, but nowhere near the hype it's getting let alone the comparisions with tarmogoyf.
Delver is Blue. This is Blue. They both work with Instants and Sorceries. They can be used together! This is a compliment to, and not a replacement of, Delver IMO. And all while staying Monochrome. No need for fancy lands!
Some of the Instants and Sorceries you'll play to draw in Blue, and fill your hand, will assist in flipping this.
You can control, to a degree, when this flips and basically Whelming Waves the board for free. A Green player swings for game and suddenly your 1-drop cantrip becomes a giant saving upswing.
Tarmygoyf is a Green card. This is a Blue card. A Blue creature good enough to draw comparisons to a broken Green creature. And work alongside Delver?
Card is clearly amazing. But frankly, I do think it is overhyped. Regardless, I want it for flavor reasons.
The field wipe this causes when it flips can set the opponent back really, really badly. And leave them staring down a 7/8. 0/4 makes for an excellent blocker until then, buying even more time (I mean it's just 1 more than Kraken Hatchling) and it alters people's playing style as soon as it hits the board. The spells you're playing to flip it usually benefit you or harm the opponent anyway, so it's not like anyone is discarding cards to get it flipped, you're actually playing the game - countering, cantrips, Cyclonic Rifting, etc.
From an EDH perspective, it's so awesome to think of this as a sea monster locked in ice. It's a Kraken and a Whelming Wave variant in one. Granted it bounces my other sea monsters, but that's what Quest For Ula's Temple is for! Can't wait to flip this, then Whelming Wave loop with Archaeomancer.
EDIT: Also, I noticed if I keep my devotion at exactly 5, when this flips, my devotion drops to 4, and Thassa won't get bounced. HAHA it's perfect!
I'll reserve my judgment until I see the set in its entirety.
That said, we're 59 cards in and I'm convinced SOI will be the best return set yet. On par with the original? Evoking the same feeling for a Vorthos? That will require time and the full set to consider.
It's on the right track so far. BFZ, in comparison, missed the mark entirely and was indeed terrible in every way, except getting a glimpse of Thassa's Bident. Which says more about the beauty and success of Theros.
While I loathe Ravnica, Return to Ravnica was actually also a solid return block (despite how much I did not like it).
Interesting the vampirism allows for Sorin to be 6000+ years old, that Lilliana, seeking immortality and having studied on Innistrad, did not investigate the magical properties of Shilgenger's original curse, and how it conferred such ageless existence.
Tamiyo not getting a card while Lilliana, who already came to Innistrad, got a card and finished her business there last time gets one after showing up for no reason...
He said that a lot of these requests (from the article in general) are actually part of the 7 year plan. I wonder which ones, and better yet, which characters? Return to Theros AND Arixmethes are in the article, so I imagine they'll occur together when they do arrive?
Actually, this article is the entire problem. Neo-Nazis? Really? Way to buy into propaganda. And the Trump reference about "locker room talk" - way to push your political agendas on a card game forum and assume your opinions are the status quo, and the only right way to think. That's why everyone is sick of liberals and SJWs. Arrogance and ignorance. No one gives a damn bro, we're here for card games. Get over yourselves and off your righteous soapbox.
I don't know. The original happiness of AVR and all that is being shattered to tell another story. It just feels at odds with the general emotion I got from the original block.
This story feels like it's reaching.
Well. Nahiri seeking revenge is at least plausible. I think it would have been more palpable without twisting the angels, and Avacyn. Just have Nahiri as the villain and most helpless to stop her, with her having Oldwalker knowledge of how to undo Innistrad or whatever.
Maybe loss of faith in Avacyn and the angels is her way of corrupting Innistrad, by turning the tables and making the sincerest hope of the world into a villain. It's sad to see such loved characters become so inconsistent, and a solid ending to a conflict already get turned over. Makes me wonder if there's just going to be upheaval at every corner, with no real resolutions in the lore ever...
I could have sworn Bruna in this was Storm from X-Men.
Delver is Blue. This is Blue. They both work with Instants and Sorceries. They can be used together! This is a compliment to, and not a replacement of, Delver IMO. And all while staying Monochrome. No need for fancy lands!
Some of the Instants and Sorceries you'll play to draw in Blue, and fill your hand, will assist in flipping this.
You can control, to a degree, when this flips and basically Whelming Waves the board for free. A Green player swings for game and suddenly your 1-drop cantrip becomes a giant saving upswing.
Tarmygoyf is a Green card. This is a Blue card. A Blue creature good enough to draw comparisons to a broken Green creature. And work alongside Delver?
Card is clearly amazing. But frankly, I do think it is overhyped. Regardless, I want it for flavor reasons.
From an EDH perspective, it's so awesome to think of this as a sea monster locked in ice. It's a Kraken and a Whelming Wave variant in one. Granted it bounces my other sea monsters, but that's what Quest For Ula's Temple is for! Can't wait to flip this, then Whelming Wave loop with Archaeomancer.
EDIT: Also, I noticed if I keep my devotion at exactly 5, when this flips, my devotion drops to 4, and Thassa won't get bounced. HAHA it's perfect!
That said, we're 59 cards in and I'm convinced SOI will be the best return set yet. On par with the original? Evoking the same feeling for a Vorthos? That will require time and the full set to consider.
It's on the right track so far. BFZ, in comparison, missed the mark entirely and was indeed terrible in every way, except getting a glimpse of Thassa's Bident. Which says more about the beauty and success of Theros.
While I loathe Ravnica, Return to Ravnica was actually also a solid return block (despite how much I did not like it).
Will be very disappointing.