Loving the lands. Gorgeous artwork. Pearl Lake Ancient is terribly disappointing but I'll still want one for my Ula's Temple EDH. The Phoenix is great IMO.
I'm not feeling it. It's not Kamigawa done right, it's not Japan/Japanese, and it feels pretty cliche and dull to me at the moment.
I feel the need to point out that it is not supposed to be Japanese flavored...though maybe it was not your intention for it to read that way. It is Central Asian/Mongolian flavored with a bit of dragon lore tossed in to help the story.
But I really hope they are not trying to make "a good Bolas". Bolas is the bad guy who is supposed to be unstoppable; thereby making him a challenge for the "good guys", whoever they end up being, to overcome in the overall story between the blocks. Making a character to counterbalance that would make the whole story super pointless to me. Granted Bolas did defeat Ugin once per the story, but I'd also never put it past wizards to dumb down a good thing.
I meant my statement to read more that if WOTC wanted to attempt an Asian themed set, I'd prefer it have been Japanese themed exclusively, which is more popular, or be Kamigawa done right. Then again, nothing but Zendikar was going to have an easy time following Theros since I admired that set much.
Bolas killing Ugin already makes him evil as hell IMO. I don't think they'll make Bolas good, just have it be about Ugin's return or something. We'll see.
Sadly I just can't connect with this set. Not after leaving flawless Theros (At least IMO). I'm not feeling it. It's not Kamigawa done right, it's not Japan/Japanese, and it feels pretty cliche and dull to me at the moment. There is potential here, but I feel my only story related interest thus far is Ugin and the Zendikar/Eldrazi/Bolas ties. But that's because those were interesting stories and planes.
Then again, I hate Ravnica and its guilds, so I'm probably the minority.
Fiora seems more like the Rome/Italian Renaissance block. Theros is Ancient Greece/Greek Mythology. Roman Mythology is largely Greek Myth with Roman names, so I do think when a MTG Rome is done, it'll be more about Rome's actual history than its mythology. And when its myth is involved they'll probably use the exclusively Roman ones.
I feel like Theros should have made more Legendaries out of the characters that didn't get cards in general. I know it wasn't supposed to be like Kamigawa-level, but I expected something close enough. I guess the gods just ate up a lot of the Legendary slots, but IDK. I wish there had been even more. And for a lot of the mentioned characters, too. It makes the most sense for Theros IMO as a Greek Myth set.
You def need to look through most of the legendary creatures in the last few blocks;
Alara and Zendikar block- 15
Scars Block- 13
Innistrad Block-11 (12 if you count Withengar Unbound)
Return to Ravnica- 20 (all of which where apart of cycles)
Theros Block- 26
I think the reason the increased number of Legendaries in Theros went rather unnoticed by me is because 15 of those slots were already anticipated to be the gods. The non-god Legendaries clock in at 11 which is average. I'm not denying Theros did quite a good job at representing many of the major characters or having above average Legendaries, but there are still characters I'd love to see from Theros, and tropes in Greek Myth left to hit (which isn't bad since Return to Theros is likely, and since getting everything in one pass is unlikely and probably unfavorable in that it eliminates further anticipation).
I really do not think Tromokratis is or was ever intended to be Arixmethes. I think Tromokratis is the "release *the* Kraken" card for the Theros block. The art doesn't show Tromokratis carrying a lost city on his spine, he's smaller than the polis he's attacking in the art (not large enough then to carry one) and Arixmethes in the Atlantis trope for Theros from Greek Myth. Since the set as Top-Down, Arixmethes as a lost city carrying beast would have pre-existed Tromokratis' design and the art would have had it.
I want to ask MaRo about this but I don't think he'll answer.
I play Wizard tribal (although it's U/W) since I love Blue and Wizards as well. I love Azami as one of my favorite cards, but I must say. even as part of the 99 in the deck, she's brutal. And I play pretty terrible but cool cards with a handful that happen to be OP, but with Azami they find their way into your hand fast regardless.
I agree that Cymede should have had her own card and been a UR Wizard. Perhaps when we return to Theros we'll see her Keranos Oracle incarnation?
I feel like Theros should have made more Legendaries out of the characters that didn't get cards in general. I know it wasn't supposed to be like Kamigawa-level, but I expected something close enough. I guess the gods just ate up a lot of the Legendary slots, but IDK. I wish there had been even more. And for a lot of the mentioned characters, too. It makes the most sense for Theros IMO as a Greek Myth set.
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 meant my statement to read more that if WOTC wanted to attempt an Asian themed set, I'd prefer it have been Japanese themed exclusively, which is more popular, or be Kamigawa done right. Then again, nothing but Zendikar was going to have an easy time following Theros since I admired that set much.
Bolas killing Ugin already makes him evil as hell IMO. I don't think they'll make Bolas good, just have it be about Ugin's return or something. We'll see.
Then again, I hate Ravnica and its guilds, so I'm probably the minority.
I'll try to use this in my Wizard tribal. Although I hate Morph it's still a fun spy effect to attempt.
I think the reason the increased number of Legendaries in Theros went rather unnoticed by me is because 15 of those slots were already anticipated to be the gods. The non-god Legendaries clock in at 11 which is average. I'm not denying Theros did quite a good job at representing many of the major characters or having above average Legendaries, but there are still characters I'd love to see from Theros, and tropes in Greek Myth left to hit (which isn't bad since Return to Theros is likely, and since getting everything in one pass is unlikely and probably unfavorable in that it eliminates further anticipation).
I really do not think Tromokratis is or was ever intended to be Arixmethes. I think Tromokratis is the "release *the* Kraken" card for the Theros block. The art doesn't show Tromokratis carrying a lost city on his spine, he's smaller than the polis he's attacking in the art (not large enough then to carry one) and Arixmethes in the Atlantis trope for Theros from Greek Myth. Since the set as Top-Down, Arixmethes as a lost city carrying beast would have pre-existed Tromokratis' design and the art would have had it.
I want to ask MaRo about this but I don't think he'll answer.
I feel like Theros should have made more Legendaries out of the characters that didn't get cards in general. I know it wasn't supposed to be like Kamigawa-level, but I expected something close enough. I guess the gods just ate up a lot of the Legendary slots, but IDK. I wish there had been even more. And for a lot of the mentioned characters, too. It makes the most sense for Theros IMO as a Greek Myth set.