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  • posted a message on 2HG Pre-release for Shadows
    Dissension in the Ranks seems a lot better in 2HG to me because they will have twice as many possible blockers to target with it, making it more likely that it will work out well for you.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on Your Unexpected Oath of the Gatewatch Prerelease MVP?
    Zendikar Resurgent is by far the best card in two-headed giant. You just have your teammate run all your best removal and/or counterspells while you play a deck of almost entirely creatures, and it's absolutely insane.

    We survived a brutal onslaught of cards all game. A kicked bearer of silence, Goblin-Dark dwellers flashing back Touch of the void, An awakened coastal discovery followed by a Crush of Tentacles, returning among other things the bearer of silence and goblin-dark dwellers, which eventually flashed back another touch of the void. Bane of Bala Ged which ultimately was a 4 for 1, and put my teammates board down to only 4 basic lands. A ruin processor, a mirrorpool copying the 8/8 from crush of tentacles. And Meanwhile, the only creature we had cast that was over 3 cmc that had managed to survive a single turn was a deathless behemoth. Needless to say it seemed all hope was lost. Then I topdecked zendikar resurgent, and over the next 4 turns or so played about 15 creatures, and managed to win turn 3 (the final turn in 2 headed giant) of extra turns. And on turn 0 of extra turns our opponents were at 36 and still had an 8/8 a 7/8 a 5/5 a 5/4, a 4/4 and around 4-6 smaller creatures still in play, while my teammate's board was still just 4 basic lands
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on [BFZ] Your Unexpected Prerelease MVP?
    I didn't really have any unexpected mvps, but i guess some cards that I expected to be good ended up even better than I expected.

    My two copies of Lifespring Druid were really the glue that held my 3 color deck together, allowing me to cast exert influence for 4 colors of mana every time I cast it, tajuru stalwart with 3 counters on it every time i cast it, and made sure I had the mana to cast grovetender druids with "kicker" every time I cast it. All while being a creature for when I no longer needed the mana.

    The 3 best cards in my deck were exert influence which won me my first game by stealing hero of goma fada, which I followed up with an ally each turn for the rest of the game. Quarantine field, which I knew was going to be amazing, but it was so good the two times I cast it were off of topdecks of games I was losing, and suddenly I wipe my opponents board and all of a sudden am in a commanding position. Yeah this card is the real deal. But probably my best card was tajuru warcaller. Wow, a mini-overrun that turns most of my followup creatures into mini-overruns? It overperformed so hard!

    I also want to mention the a combo that won me one of my games. Granted I was already in a much better position than my opponent as we were both flooded, but I had halimar tidecaller and an expedition envoy in play and all my opponent had was the mana to cash in a spawning bed. But that meant I didn't have any good attacks since he could either trade a scion for my 2/1, or worse, trade 2 scions for my tidecaller. I had a clutch of currents in hand, and really wanted to turn my land into a 3/3 flyer. But since he didn't have any creatures, I couldn't cast it. Until I realized I could target my own creatures and was contemplating casting it on my 1 mana creature that I could just immediately replay after bouncing it, but I wasn't sure if that was worth wasting a bounce spell. Then it clicked and I realized I could bounce my tidecaller to make a 3/3 land, then next turn cast tidecaller again and return the clutch of currents and cast it again making another 3/3, etc. I mean it was super mana inefficient, but it didn't put me down any cards and neither me nor my opponent had anything else to do, so he ended up scooping a couple turns later.

    Cards that underperformed were lumbering falls and the skyline cascade and sandstone bridge. Falls was still an important part of my deck as basically a guildgate, but it was never worth 4 mana (virtually 5) for me to make a 3/3 for a turn, and the hexproof part was completely irrelevant as my opponents always had far more important targets to use their removal on. The spell-lands were essentially always just annoying cipt basics.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on Magic Origins Power Level
    I feel as though some of the commons and most of the uncommons in this set are pushed for limited. Mainly the creatures.
    Posted in: New Card Discussion
  • posted a message on Random Card of the Day: Vedalken Dismisser 4/3/16
    This card is great. One time i got one of these 8th pick in an 8-4. I am amazed at how undervalued it is.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on FKK Sultai
    kheru lich lord and jeskai infiltrator are the opposite of a nonbo, they're a combo! You do realize the lich lord gives the creature flying and trample right? so you attack with infiltrator, if they can't block a flyer, you exile jeskai infiltrator and the top card of your library and return them manifested. If they can't block a flyer you permanently keep the infiltrator, and the other manifest!
    Posted in: Sealed Pool & Draftcap Discussion
  • posted a message on FRF Rare Tier List
    My changes are in parentheses.

    Tier 1 (better than Sabertooth):
    Brutal Hordechief
    Citadel Siege
    Mob Rule (tier 4 to 5, I could definitely be very wrong about this one, as I have yet to see it played, but I just really don't think this is that good)
    Monastery Mentor (tier 3 to 4, this dies to every removal spell, and if you topdeck it, its pretty useless until you draw a some noncreature spells, and even when you do, it just makes some 1/1s. I think unless the deck is totally built around it, mentor won't be that good.)
    Shaman of the Great Hunt (I could see this maybe dropping to tier 2, it's close to sabertooth since it gets killed by most creatures and many removal spells.)
    Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest (tier 2, this just dies to too much removal, and often trades with a morph. I do really like how this is just as good in temur as jeskai since it enables ferocious.)
    Soulfire Grand Master (tier 3, basically what sirgog said.)
    Tasigur, the Golden Fang
    Torrent Elemental
    Whisperwood Elemental

    Tier 2 (better than Pyrotechnics):
    Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
    Archfiend of Depravity (this is very powerful, I could definitely see moving it up to tier 1)
    Crux of Fate
    Dromoka, the Eternal (this would be tier 1 if not for the allied color commitment, which makes it hard for any of the dragons to be tier 1)
    Flamewake Phoenix*moved down*
    Jeskai Infiltrator
    Kologhan, the Storm's Fury (I think this is even stronger than dromoka, and is very close to sabertooth.)
    Monastery Siege*moved up* (I don't understand how this is first pickable. It takes 6 turns, including the turn you played it, to see as many extra cards as taigam's scheming, and the best use of scheming is to get to your 3rd land drop so you can keep a 2 land hand. This honestly seems worse to me than a card many people consider unplayable)
    Outpost Siege
    Silumgar, the Drifting Death
    Supplant Form
    Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

    Tier 3 (better than Beastmaster):
    Dragonscale General (probably tier 2)
    Flamerush Rider (I think it's at least tier 3, but hard to evaluate, maybe tier 2)
    Mardu Strike Leader (I haven't seen this played, and I could be wrong, but this seems like the best possible card for a warrior deck, which is probably the strongest archetype, I'd say tier 1)
    Mastery of the Unseen*moved up* (As I've already said in the thread for this card, it is utterly ridiculous, maybe it's worse in draft than sealed, but I'd still say tier 1)
    Temur War Shaman
    Warden of the First Tree

    Tier 4 (still first pickable in most packs):
    Atarka, World Render*moved up*
    Arcbond (Tier 2, if not tier 1, I think this is the best sweeper in FKK, since it's the cheapest, and it's the easiest to make 1 sided. Especially strong if you pick up a couple of rats.)
    Daghatar, the Adamant (Tier 2. A 4 mana 4/4 vigilance is already great, and one that can come in with lifelink or flying or something with a couple of outlast lords makes this great. The activated ability really pushes it over the top though, since most decks will be able to give their creatures +1/+1 counters, and even if he eats removal, you can often pass one of his counters to another creature on the way out.
    Ojutai, Soul of Winter*moved up*
    Wildcall (tier 3, if not 2, Being able to be cast a 3/3 for three or an 8/8 for 8 gives this card great versatility at any point in the game, and it's even a little better than that. I like this card.)
    Yasova Dragonclaw (I don't understand how you rated the other 2 toughness rares so much higher than yasova, the cards pretty good. I'd say tier 3 probably, possibly 2.)

    Tier 5 (frequently not P1p1 material, but probably always runnable):
    Frontier Siege*moved up* (I don't get how this could possibly be good, I've played against it twice, and both times it did literally nothing.)
    Palace Siege (Tier 1, I've been going back and forth between which is better, this or citadel siege. I vastly underestimated it at first, and then I played both with and against it, and it's very, very hard to beat, especially if you can pick up a merciless executioner. Unlike most of the other sieges, both modes are excellent.)
    Sage-Eye Avengers (Tier 4)
    Sandsteppe Mastodon
    Soulflayer (Close to tier 6, it's usually a worse hooting mandrills)

    Tier 6 (not a limited card/fills some unusual niche in a specialized deck):
    Crucible of the Spirit Dragon
    Ghastly Conscription (I think this a little better than something like villainous wealth, so kind of on the border of tier 5/6)
    Rally the Ancestors
    Scroll of the Masters
    Shamanic Revelation (I greatly disagree that this is unplayable. I think this is good card in a deck with a few 4 power creatures, and/or token makers, and would probably say tier 4)
    Temporal Trespass
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on Mastery of the Unseen is bonkers
    After opening mastery of the unseen in both my events, I came here because I knew this thread would be here and I wanted to agree. It's unbelievably good.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on Do I need to worry about import duties/taxes/customs charges if I buy a card from the EU as an American?
    Quote from KnickM »

    Customs will not send you a bill. Customs duties are paid at shipping time, so any applicable fees will be rolled into your shipping total.

    For US Customs, items under $200 are "negligible". Other countries have other rules.


    This is incorrect. The buyer pays custom fees upon arrival
    Posted in: Market Street Café
  • posted a message on [FRF] Sandsteppe Mastodon
    From Reddit: http://i.imgur.com/11Nni3B.jpg

    Sandsteppe Mastodon - Rare - 5GG
    Creature - Elephant
    Reach
    When Sandsteppe Mastodon enters the battlefield Bolster 5 (Choose a creature with the least toughness or tied with the least toughness among creatures you control. Put 5 +1/+1 counters on it.)
    5/5
    Posted in: The Rumor Mill
  • posted a message on Guy opens Alpha Black Lotus and Tropical Island
    This is probably the best filmed opening of any magic product ever.
    Posted in: Magic General
  • posted a message on Yisan, the Wanderer Bard (UGx)

    Introduction: This deck uses Yisan, the Wanderer Bard to search your deck for creatures, and ramp and untap effects to be able to do it more than once per turn. It uses big efficient creatures like Polukranos, World Eater to apply pressure. Yisan, the Wanderer Bard, similar to Birthing Pod decks, is able to play many 1-ofs that it can search for with Yisan when needed. This deck plays almost no noncreature spells, so most of it's answers take the form of creatures like Reclamation sage

    Elvish Mystic - Every deck should have 4 of these, most likely, this is your only 1 drop.
    sedge scorpion - Great surprise blocker.
    Vortex Elemental - Probably not as good as sedge scorpion, though it does get reshuffled into the deck so you can fetch it again later.

    Kiora's Follower - Can untap a land to ramp, a creature to give pseudo-vigilance, Nykthos, shrine to Nyx for huge ramp, or Yisan for another activation. Plus, in a pinch it's a bear. One of the combo cards of the deck, and the best 2 drop. Play 4.
    sylvan Caryatid - One of the best positioned cards in standard right now, but not as good as Kiora's Follower in this deck. It can provide blue mana if you've only got forests, and is a good blocker vs aggro. Play 1.
    Voyaging satyr - a much worse Kiora's Follower. I'd play 0.
    Phyrexian Revoker - Hate card for planeswalkers, and other things with activated abilities. Play 0-2 in your 75.
    Icefeather Aven - 2 drop 2/2 flyer.
    Omenspeaker - help fix your draws.
    Quickling - 2/2 flyer that can save a creature from removal.

    Yisan, the Wanderer Bard - The central creature in the deck. Play four.
    Courser of Kruphix - One of the best creatures in standard right now. You probably want four of these as well.
    Hornet's Nest - Huge blowout vs midrange decks, especially when they aren't expecting it, and decent vs aggro as well. You want at least one maindeck, and probably want the rest of the playset sideboard.
    Reclamation sage - good sideboard card, and might be good enough to maindeck a copy, depending on your meta.
    Illusory Angel - You don't cast cards you search for with Yisan. This could be a very good card in this deck, I'd probably test it as a 1-of and maybe add more from there. Unfortunately our 3 drop slot is pretty clogged.

    Polukranos, World Eater - Our best 4 drop. A great, efficient creature that doubles as removal, which our deck is very light on. Play 4.
    Nylea's Disciple - Awesome card vs. aggro. Play at least one mainboard, and the rest of the set sideboard.
    Clever Impersonator - Clone anything seems good. Probably a 1-2 of.
    Nylea, God of the Hunt - This deck can get to 5 devotion without too much trouble, since it is pretty much entirely permanents. Giving Polukranos and your other big creatures trample is pretty good as well. Play 0-1.
    Master of Waves Your deck shouldn't have anywhere near as much blue devotion as green, but this is still something to consider.

    Arbor Colossus - Huge beater, hates on flyers, Provides 3 devotion to green. Play at least one to two maindeck, and maybe more in the board.
    Prophet of Kruphix - Can be either ridiculously good, or ridiculously easy for your opponent to remove. Of course, if you get up to 5 verse counters on Yisan, it probably means your opponent doesn't have removal, or else they would have just killed Yisan a long time ago. Play 1-4.
    Perplexing Chimera - I feel like this could actually be the deck where this might fit.
    Prognostic sphinx - A decent card. This might be good enough for this deck.

    sagu Mauler - Big hexproof trampling 6/6 is very good. Play 1-2.
    Hydra Broodmaster - Huge monster makes more monsters. Play 0-2.
    soul of New Phyrexia - Might be good in this deck.
    scuttling Doom Engine - I don't know if this is better or worse than soul of New Phyrexia.

    Hornet Queen - Dropping this completely changes almost any board. Play 0-2

    setessan Tactics - One of few removal spells we can actually run.
    Kiora, Crashing Wave - Good planeswalker in this deck.
    Nissa, Worldwaker - Another planeswalker to consider.
    Chord of Calling - search for whatever creature you need whenever you need it.
    Genesis Hydra - No synergy with Yisan, but in a deck with nearly all permanents, it's hard to blank.
    Hunt the Hunter - Green decks are everywhere. Great sideboard card vs other green decks.
    Negate - Good sideboard card vs. decks with sweepers, which totally wreck our deck.
    Disdainful stroke - Another counterspell to consider

    Posted in: Standard Archives
  • posted a message on Best Possible Hand?
    Flash-Hulk could hypothetically get around leyline of sanctity if the kill is purphoros, god of the forge + 4x Ornithopter +4x memnite + 2x other 0-1 mana creatures. Replacing protean hulk with worldspine wurm also gets around leyline of sanctity, and doesn't reuire building your deck around the combo, but obviously isn't a turn 0 win. Trostani's summoner is the best way I can think of to get around both leylines, but I'm guessing that's not nearly good enough for vintage.
    Posted in: Vintage (Type 1)
  • posted a message on Under/Over performers in KTK limited

    Rakshasa's Secret - Mind Rot is a lot worse in a set that is slow and people hold onto cards in their hands longer.

    How does that make it worse? Wouldn't that make it better, since it's more likely to not be a dead card. The worst part about mind rot is topdecking it when your opponent has no cards in hand.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
  • posted a message on Under/Over performers in KTK limited
    Incremental Growth is amazing. You have to play a bit differently to ensure that you have 3 creatures to target, but 6 points of hasty power spread across 3 creatures is awesome. When you have an Incremental Growth in hand and only 2 creatures out, any creature, even something as simple as embodiment of spring becomes a great top-deck.

    I also found master the way to be really good. by the time I got the mana to cast it, I still had about 3-4 cards in hand, plus it is one of very few burn spells that can target a player, and can do those last few points of damage when needed.

    savage punch definitely over-performed.

    become immense was another overperformer for me. It was my only delve card, so every time I cast it, i only payed G. A 1 mana lava axe that does an extra point of damage turns out to be very good. My best play was casting incremental growth and become immense on the same turn, and dealing exactly the 16 points of damage needed to kill my opponent the turn before he killed me.

    Weave Fate was a huge let down for me. I rarely found myself feeling short on cards, as all my morphs needed 5+ mana to flip, I often did that instead of playing cards like weave fate. On that note, morphs in general were huge overperformers for me.
    Posted in: Limited (Sealed, Draft)
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