I think that isn't a great argument because every deck has cards that shore up its weaknesses and allow it to cross the finish line. Most decks have a way to try to still win even from an unfavorable position, and that's something every deck wants. It's like saying that Demonic Tutor is a card that combo decks never want but are forced to play with because they can't just play copies 5-8 of functionally identical copies of their combo pieces.
I agree with some of what you're saying. Even fast aggro decks need a way to win from an unfavorable position, absolutely. In fact, as a fast aggro player, you need to approach every turn as if it's an unfavorable position, because time is limited, your chief advantage is early pressure, and every turn you waste, you exhaust that advantage. So, yes. It helps to have multiple ways to quickly ding your opponent's armor.
Combo, control, and midrange all work very differently, though. I'd actually say that combo is the closest cousin to fast aggro, because you need to assemble and fire off your combo before your opponent can stop it, and every turn you wait makes it more likely that you won't. You're correct in that the combo deck would almost certainly prefer copies 5-8 of their combo pieces to a tutor. But that's never been how the game works. So, in a combo deck, Demonic Tutor is kind of like Goblin Guide is in a fast aggro deck. It's part of plan A; it's not a parachute. A better comparison would be skipping some available tutors and instead putting a second combo in your deck: it makes it more likely that your main combo won't go off, and is a good sign that your deck is not good enough to do what you're hoping it will do.
If I run this in fast aggro, it's going to hurt my early game, which is my plan A. And it comes down too late and does too little to count as an effective finisher. So, I don't know what the point of it is. It's probably just an archetype builder for Limited, where the curve is a little different. Maybe some niche EDH decks want it. I dunno. But it's just out of tune with my game plan as a fast aggro player, so I don't think I'd touch it in 1v1 Constructed.
And this is exactly it... the entire point of Aggro is winning with 2 mountains in play and no cards in hand. Your Plan C -maybe- has room for a 4 mana effect (i.e. Experimental Frenzy and let's be honest, that's not even good enough for many decks. The last really memorable 4CC card I can think of is Hazoret the Fervent). The main reason that Embercleave is even remotely playable is that it can cost as little as 1RR when you are set-up and frequently reads "1RR, instant, you win the game". You are making 2 horrible concessions is you play this card in aggro - 1) It's a tapped land and 2) it costs 5 to active. You want neither of these things in your 60... maybe in your 75 but I'd be very surprised. So aggro is out, that leaves big red... I'm open to the idea that if big red is a thing in your environment you may actually run 1x this land but very skeptical.
Now the rakdos uncommon land that’s interesting for some people because it’s Basicly Blightning for the sac effect and reminder that crucible of worlds effects exist
My only thing with that land is that something must gone horribly wrong with your gameplan in BR for you to want Blightning that costs 5 mana. But as a "break in case of fire" option it seems like a good one.
Always enjoyed tokens based on actual cards, and those Snow Manaliths might actually do more than make snow mana, especially since snow payoffs this time around count snow permanents. Speaking of counting snow, what's the acceptable floor for Graven Lore's snow-dependent ability?
In limited I'll quite happily pay 3UU for a draw three instant with no other text so, 0 is the minimum there. In constructed (Historic) I currently play Commence The Endgame and Chrmister's insight. I'd quite happily replace either for scry 2 draw 3.
I'm playing him in standard, my current green stompy deck runs 12 deathtouch creatures, with this guy it'll be 16,of them.
Ahead of the curve as always.
Also ram through to deal excess damage to a player will be wild with questing beast or other creature that gets deathtouch and trample.
Can't wait to add this guy to the deck. It'll be the first uncommon I craft.
While I love GYs being a strategy (and have nothing helpful to add about the manner in which this card was presented) I do feel like we need some hate for Elder Giants. I would wager that 80% of the games I play in Historic (and I play more than I should) contain either of the Theros giants. More hate for them will (hopefull) promote more variety.
I've retired my historic boggles deck as I'm really enjoying another deck but depending on what other runes we see, if they all draw a card on ETB, I may make some tweaks and bring it back.
Great card, but boast ability sucks hard. You want them to sac before combat, never after
I apologize if I’m mistaken but can’t you activate boast effects before blockers are declared?
If that's true than bravo to you, the card is suddenly much better
Not that I'm saying this is the best play but as I understand it you can Boast as soon as you have declared attacks, which means that any of the various tokens that come from attacking are available to abuse and your opponents have quite difficult block assignments to make.
I was just going to say this. 1 more mana to add an absolutely crazy static ability, as well as costing 1 mana less to activate per turn.
Now Kaldheim's power creeping on Modern Horizons... oh no! /s
In before:
Ymir, Father of the Realms 4UG
Legendary Creature — Elder Giant
You may pay mana to cast this spell.
Convoke, delve
When Ymir, Father of the Realms dies,
search your library for a Forest, Island,
Mountain, Plains, and a Swamp and put them
onto the battlefield.
You may cast Ymir, Father of the Realms
from your graveyard.
Trample, haste
9/9
Might be a mana or two overcosted.
Seriously, though, doesn't Maskwood Nexus ALMOST validate the party mechanic? Crap out a bunch of tokens, play Nexus, and now all the party cards are activated.
I am so confused by the line "You may pay Nana to cast this spell"... Isn't that just true by default?
Lovely in EDH but not sure about any 60 card formats. In order to build a strategy around it I need to run 3 copies but I really don't want to take a turn off to play it, instead I think I just rely on creatures printed with the correct natural types.
I get the feeling foretell will end up like morph. It reads like a bluff mechanic but it really isn't at least in competitive formats, because A) there will be so few competitive foretell cards that each deck archetype will probably end up playing like one, which kinda removes the bluff effect. And B) if the card made the cut in your deck, it's likely a threat or another card I should probably care about. For bluffing mechanics to work you need "duds". But neither morph nor foretell really do this.
This is why manifest is the better bluff mechanic "template".
That's a good point. Still, I think the rate on this is good enough that it will see quite a bit of play. But you are probably right that it will be hard for it to really be a "bluff" - it will often just be "well they have revealed to me that they have a 2-mana counter." I think that's still strong though!
I wasn't concered about power level. I'm mostly talking about the design itself. I feel like morph is a bit of a missed opportunity as a bluff mechanic. It's more of a cost-reduction or combo mechanic. I kinda wish manifest would be the gold standard for bluff mechanics going forward, not morph.
I don't know how true this is now, there seem to be a lot of incentives to play Esper Foretell with a whole bunch of Foretell cards so the bluff factor may well be there.
The non-snoozing one very much looks like one. I'm not sure they come in ginger.
I swear it's like my half Maine Coon sat (or lazed) for the artwork for this. I even showed it to my wife (who is not a fan of My:TG) and she was like "get, that's fluffer".
I was thinking about Questy B yesterday (because it's the only thing that gives me any game against walkers) and cane to the conclusion that QB's power isn't a testament to green as much as a testament to how badly we need walker solutions. This is not that, Hexproof from Walkers is cute but Ugin's -x still sees it. Admittedly, I'll take anything that can punch players and walkers at the same time but haste or 1 more toughness would have been awesome.
And this is exactly it... the entire point of Aggro is winning with 2 mountains in play and no cards in hand. Your Plan C -maybe- has room for a 4 mana effect (i.e. Experimental Frenzy and let's be honest, that's not even good enough for many decks. The last really memorable 4CC card I can think of is Hazoret the Fervent). The main reason that Embercleave is even remotely playable is that it can cost as little as 1RR when you are set-up and frequently reads "1RR, instant, you win the game". You are making 2 horrible concessions is you play this card in aggro - 1) It's a tapped land and 2) it costs 5 to active. You want neither of these things in your 60... maybe in your 75 but I'd be very surprised. So aggro is out, that leaves big red... I'm open to the idea that if big red is a thing in your environment you may actually run 1x this land but very skeptical.
My only thing with that land is that something must gone horribly wrong with your gameplan in BR for you to want Blightning that costs 5 mana. But as a "break in case of fire" option it seems like a good one.
In limited I'll quite happily pay 3UU for a draw three instant with no other text so, 0 is the minimum there. In constructed (Historic) I currently play Commence The Endgame and Chrmister's insight. I'd quite happily replace either for scry 2 draw 3.
Oh yes, ram through is fantastic.
I'd honestly forgotten about Hogaak, I'm not sure how because that was a messed up couple of months.
Not that I'm saying this is the best play but as I understand it you can Boast as soon as you have declared attacks, which means that any of the various tokens that come from attacking are available to abuse and your opponents have quite difficult block assignments to make.
I am so confused by the line "You may pay Nana to cast this spell"... Isn't that just true by default?
I don't know how true this is now, there seem to be a lot of incentives to play Esper Foretell with a whole bunch of Foretell cards so the bluff factor may well be there.
I swear it's like my half Maine Coon sat (or lazed) for the artwork for this. I even showed it to my wife (who is not a fan of My:TG) and she was like "get, that's fluffer".