Elspeth didn't stay long on Theros because she was scared *****less by the Heliod vs Purphoros War. Just that.
While neowalkers do not have an immunity to compleation, it's utterly preposterous to assume Elspeth was compleated in any way.
The how do you explain that sentence, "They hurt her until she was part of the way they hurt others."? And Ajani didn't say that Theros "scared" her. He said it was unkind to her because she was "different". It is vague but hinting at things we previously didn't know.
She was the person who called the shots as to who was compleated next.
Also that is quite a stretch. One highly ambiguous line (which likely reffers to her mistreatment during Godsend) doesn't erase all other canon material showcasing her to be a normal human being.
Had it being mentioned before that she was the one calling the shots?
Anyway, I wasn't really implying that Elspeth was half-phyrexianised or even a carrier of the oil, but rather that Ajani's story makes sure to emphasise a measure of corruption/loss of humanity at every step in her path, starting with the very beginning. It seemed as a very intentioned way of tracing a downwards path to hint at the end of that path.
Elspeth didn't stay long on Theros because she was scared *****less by the Heliod vs Purphoros War. Just that.
While neowalkers do not have an immunity to compleation, it's utterly preposterous to assume Elspeth was compleated in any way.
The how do you explain that sentence, "They hurt her until she was part of the way they hurt others."? And Ajani didn't say that Theros "scared" her. He said it was unkind to her because she was "different". It is vague but hinting at things we previously didn't know.
Most of the things I was going to mention have already been mentioned, but I'm almost sure that Tezzeret is acquainted with Karn back when he was temporarily made the Father of the Machines.
Today's story had a great deal of ominous hints that seem to point towards a radical transformation the next time we see Elspeth.
First, we had a previously unknown revelation of the extent of the Phyrexian influence on her in her home plane:
They hurt her until she was part of the way they hurt others.
Seems to me as a hint that she was well into the process of compleation before her spark ignited. Then we hear that she was a pariah in her first visit of Theros:
that world is...not as kind as it could be to the different
Different? She was just a human child with no magical powers. Did she carry a visible mark of the Phyrexian influence? Nevertheless, she 'walked to Bant where she was healed, protected, trained and, momentarily, happy. But then Bant was corrupted by the Conflux with Grixis and
She walked on, until she'd forgotten the best version of herself..."
and then, she was brought to Mirrodin to face again the Phyrexians where...
She fought until there was nothing left to give, no reason left to fight.
By the time Ajani found her again in Theros,
Something had broken within her. She never spoke of it, but you could see it pull at her heels. She walked as if into a wind, shoulders bent, eyes never entirely forward.
And that was BEFORE she:
Was lied to and manipulated.
Her lover was murdered.
Her sanity was tinkered with in an "ordeal".
She was betrayed and murdered.
Her soul was claimed by one of her manipulators to remain eternally bound in unlife.
It all paints a downward spiral of despair and a broken psyche. I really cannot believe at this point that she will be white in her next iteration. The very best I could hope is Mardu as she carries her anger and despair with a certain hard to forget code of honour.
I would've never guessed this was the home of Chandra... Were is the burn and young Pyromancers?.
It is not the "home" of Chandra, only her birthplace. Pyromancers and other mages are short of an aberration in Kaladesh. For the things that you'd want to see, we'd have to visit Regatha, Chandra's actual home.
Anyway, lots of great cards left to be revealed. I do think it's a bit silly how Nature's Way is so ridiculously better than Hunt the Weak. Not strictly, maybe, but so much better.
It's ridiculous how many people are dismissing her only because she's not Izzet. In any properly made deck, she's going to get you an extra card each turn, plus a great upside. Since when "draw an extra card each turn is "meh"? She's also great with vehicles.
I can't imagine at this stage what would have brought Ajani here from Theros. Except that perhaps Ashiok is indeed an Aetherborn, and Ajani needs more information on their nature.
Ashiok is not Aetherborn, this was confirmed as PAX.
Besides Ajani's quarry is not with Ashiok (does he even know he exists?) but with Heliod and Erebos. He might have come to Kaladesh looking for a device that allows travel to Theros's Underworld bypassing the dead/undead restrictions.
I'm not sure if we'll see an (non-land) eternal staple reprinted in standard again, regardless of how innocuous. They seem to have reacted very badly to Thoughtseize/Mutavault in standard. It's a shame.
Agreed. Thoughtseize was fine (still very good but fine) after Pack Rat rotated too. I don't like the conclusion they've drawn at all.
I won't even try to contest your notion that Thoughtseize was just "fine". I'm guessing that you played it heavily and attribute a good chunk of the card innate's power to your own skill, which allows you to believe that the detractors were both unskilled and whiny. But even if the card was juuuust at the point where it was "fine" to exist in Standard, it sucked (or in reality, should have sucked) up the power of similar and supporting black cards in all the sets that shared a Standard format with Theros. And that's the problem with including cards that are so much better than the average (or really, better than the best) in a set. You have to balance and design 2 years worth of cards around the fact that card exists.
I'm tired of vehicles already. I don't want to be tapping creatures for dumb vanilla creatures.
I guess you did not even read the card.
I did read the card, I just think it's mediocre. Incidental looting is *okay* but when you have to start tapping your creatures to use your other creatures it's a waste.
What? How is it a waste if you use the creatures you drop each turn and have summoning sickness to crew a vehicle?
Yeah, I'm not getting why Lost Legacy is good. It just seems worse then previous extraction effects.
Which other extraction effect allows you to completely get rid of your opponent's best Planeswalker (which is really easy to infer from their colours choice)in turn 3?
Extirpate.
Dammit, I could have sworn I had typed the word "unconditionally" because I knew there were cheaper ways that needed assistance. Anyway, my point is that this card does it all by itself and needs no special conditions. There's no other card like that.
Yeah, I'm not getting why Lost Legacy is good. It just seems worse then previous extraction effects.
Which other extraction effect allows you to completely get rid of your opponent's best Planeswalker (which is really easy to infer from their colours choice)in turn 3?
EDIT: Then on turn 4 you could play a six drop. Like Oblivion Sower. Or Conduit of Ruin. Or Brood Monitor. Or Ulvenwald Hydra.
And then on turn 5, depending on how well you hit with the previous cards, you could hit just about any of the emerge cards. Or even up to Ulamog.
Red Ramp looks like it might be a thing.
Imagine dropping a second Vessel in turn 3 off her +1.
My favorite card hast to be Venser, the Sojourner. I love flickering effects and Venser was a repeatable, free one. It made unassuming cards like Kor Hookmaster and Glimmerpoint Stag into hard locks, resetted PWs, recovered "mind-controlled creatures and abused things like Titans and Spine. I had more fun than its healthy with that card.
Had it being mentioned before that she was the one calling the shots?
Anyway, I wasn't really implying that Elspeth was half-phyrexianised or even a carrier of the oil, but rather that Ajani's story makes sure to emphasise a measure of corruption/loss of humanity at every step in her path, starting with the very beginning. It seemed as a very intentioned way of tracing a downwards path to hint at the end of that path.
The how do you explain that sentence, "They hurt her until she was part of the way they hurt others."? And Ajani didn't say that Theros "scared" her. He said it was unkind to her because she was "different". It is vague but hinting at things we previously didn't know.
First, we had a previously unknown revelation of the extent of the Phyrexian influence on her in her home plane:
Seems to me as a hint that she was well into the process of compleation before her spark ignited. Then we hear that she was a pariah in her first visit of Theros:
Different? She was just a human child with no magical powers. Did she carry a visible mark of the Phyrexian influence? Nevertheless, she 'walked to Bant where she was healed, protected, trained and, momentarily, happy. But then Bant was corrupted by the Conflux with Grixis and
and then, she was brought to Mirrodin to face again the Phyrexians where...
By the time Ajani found her again in Theros,
And that was BEFORE she:
It all paints a downward spiral of despair and a broken psyche. I really cannot believe at this point that she will be white in her next iteration. The very best I could hope is Mardu as she carries her anger and despair with a certain hard to forget code of honour.
It is not the "home" of Chandra, only her birthplace. Pyromancers and other mages are short of an aberration in Kaladesh. For the things that you'd want to see, we'd have to visit Regatha, Chandra's actual home.
Anyway, lots of great cards left to be revealed. I do think it's a bit silly how Nature's Way is so ridiculously better than Hunt the Weak. Not strictly, maybe, but so much better.
Besides Ajani's quarry is not with Ashiok (does he even know he exists?) but with Heliod and Erebos. He might have come to Kaladesh looking for a device that allows travel to Theros's Underworld bypassing the dead/undead restrictions.
Simic Sky Swallower
I won't even try to contest your notion that Thoughtseize was just "fine". I'm guessing that you played it heavily and attribute a good chunk of the card innate's power to your own skill, which allows you to believe that the detractors were both unskilled and whiny. But even if the card was juuuust at the point where it was "fine" to exist in Standard, it sucked (or in reality, should have sucked) up the power of similar and supporting black cards in all the sets that shared a Standard format with Theros. And that's the problem with including cards that are so much better than the average (or really, better than the best) in a set. You have to balance and design 2 years worth of cards around the fact that card exists.
What? How is it a waste if you use the creatures you drop each turn and have summoning sickness to crew a vehicle?
Dammit, I could have sworn I had typed the word "unconditionally" because I knew there were cheaper ways that needed assistance. Anyway, my point is that this card does it all by itself and needs no special conditions. There's no other card like that.
Which other extraction effect allows you to completely get rid of your opponent's best Planeswalker (which is really easy to infer from their colours choice)in turn 3?
Imagine dropping a second Vessel in turn 3 off her +1.