Most of the time yes, but it also retroactively exiles everything that died instead of just what it's currently on the board, which is very relevant as it allows you to attack and activate it postcombat more efficiently.
They really just reprint the same cards over and over again ...
Incredible lazy job.
While I usually would agree with you here, there's nothing wrong with printing a fixed version of a very popular card. Birthing Pod deserved the hammer and players deserve a replacement.
Reminder that Dovin Baan's whole sthick is that he's a perfectionist. He's kind of a stuck-up bureaucrat, but his main ability is that he's able to see and correct the flaws in everything.
So he being agressively oriented is basically his way of saying "yyyeah, maybe you guys sould be a bit less of a stuck-up bureaucrat?" to the Azorius.
A keywording and restructuring (as an alt cost rather than a reduction) of the basic effect of Bone Picker?
Not sure if that would fit Rakdos as much tho. Saccing and "Dies" triggers are more befitting of Orzhov. Both Haunt and the original Orzhov mechanic in Gatecrash were tied to it as well.
Sanderson: A lot of their Planeswalker designs do a good job of evoking who the character is, simply through use of mechanics. So a Davriel who is able to steal other people’s cards and use them in unexpected ways would be something awesome to see.
Welp, I missed Wandering Champion. As for the others, I was pretty sure we already had those spoiled, but I guess I was wrong.
But either way, lots of fun new toys for Pauper. Kinda scared about Foil, but eh.
Kamigawa's big issue lack of resonance; they didn't even use the Japanese folklore most gaijin are familiar with, other than the moon rabbit (and none of the resurrection motifs because they're blue) and the kitsune (who were white for some reason, rather than red) and I guess kappa, though I don't think the akki really were that much like kappa except for their physical appearance? They have snake people, but no Yamata no Orochi. I've been trying to get Gaijin Goombah to do an episode on Kamigawa for the longest time.
And Lorwyn (aside from elves literally tasked with committing genocide against every other race in Lorwyn) was too sugar bowl for most people. Flavor matters.
Kamigawa and Ixalan do both have powerlevel issues (the polar opposite issues of the blocks from a year before, which is the same as Masques, come to think of it), though I imagine in the future there will be plenty of "good in EDH" Ixalan cards, just like Kamigawa, and for that matter, Masques. (And no, a strictly worse Rampant Growth isn't among them; Kamigawa had a strictly better.)
Why would Kitsunes ever be Red? They are trickster spirits, more ofthen than not malicious, making them more akin to the UB Fae in Lorwyn than W, but even then aside from their ties with "fox fires" making them R is a major stretch... Although there ARE a few W Kitsunes in myths, with the most important being Kuzunoha.
As for Lorwyn, there were way too many things wrong with it to count. It was supposed to be a Tribal block with a monocolor subtheme, but the Tribal aspects were very unbalanced and the monocolor aspects were poorly executed, resulting in a lack of identity, especially when sandwiched between pretty resonant blocks like Alara and Time Spiral. Most people still remember Lorwyn as either "The block that introduced Planeswalkers" or "The block with Faeries". Setting and flavor, while not particularly a homerun or anything, were not the main problem as far as I can tell.
As for Ixalan, there's always a possibility, but don't hold your breath. Problem with Ixalan is that it shares some of its identity with the aforementioned Lorwyn, which makes it a bit more unlikely. And even then, we have like 3 or 4 Planes that are way more likely to be returned to (New Phyrexia, Theros and Dominaria being a given, plus Innistrad somewhat likely), so if we ever return, I expect 4 to 5 years, minimum.
The Blackwater Abomination3UUU
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Horror
Flash
Whenever The Blackwater Abomination enters the battlefield or attacks, tap target creature an opponent controls. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes tapped during your turn, you may put a +1/+1 counter on The Blackwater Abomination and draw a card.
3/3
Inspired on the Creature from the Black Lagoon, if it wasn't obvious enough.
Next: Make a Commander that isn't. Phrasing intentionally vague and open to interpretation, as long as it follows the game's rules.
While I think I managed to scrap together a decent deck, I had very few ways to stop aggressive assaults, and I ended up against 2 Dimir decks, 1 Boros and 1 Izzet. The Boros player absolutely demolished me, and one of the Dimir players I faced opened 2 Dimir Spybugs and a Kraul Swarm. Three of the four games I had to side out both Collar the Culprits 'cuz they were literally useless. Had I faced a Golgari or a Selesnya opponent, I'm pretty sure I would fare batter, but alas.
As for noteworthy singletons, I opened a Lazav, the Multifarious and a Hatchery Spider, but with actual zero other Surveil/Graveyard cards (not even the Catbro or the Rat), I couldn't make anything useful out them.
Kewdaan, Sword of Erlundi1RWB
Legendary Creature - Minotaur Warrior
First strike, Lifelink, Menace
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, exile a card in your hand face-down. The turn's player may look at and play that card this turn, and he or she may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast that spell. At the beginning of the next end step, if that card remains exiled, return it to your hand.
Whenever a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, Kewdaan deals 4 damage to that opponent and he or she discards a card.
4/2
Fun fact: Zedruu is also from Erlundi.
Next: October is coming, so make a spoopy non-B Commander. (Extra rule: U Zombies not allowed because reasons)
Hallowed Grave1BB
Enchantment
When Hallowed Grave enters the battlefield, reveal the top ten cards of your library, then send all creatures revealed this way to the graveyard. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Cards can't leave your graveyard. (Cards in your graveyard cannot be exiled, can't be cast, and can't be returned from the graveyard to anywhere.)
Note that this does not affects a Commander's replacement effect.
Both Golgari and Boros will probably be the most played (not necessarily best) in the Prerelease. Golgari not only for the obvious reason, but because it seems to rely less on synergy and more in powerful standalone cards, which is always a good strategy for a new format. As for Boros, it's definitely the easiest one to build, and seems overall quite strong.
I'll be going Izzet, 'cuz it does seems pretty strong, but as per usual in UR, it's always easy to mess up your spells/creatures ratio, either by poor deckbuilding or just getting bad packs.
Elesh Norn Ascended4WWWW
Planeswalker - Norn
+2: Put a compleation counter on up to one target creature. That creature becomes an artifact in addition to its other types, cannot attack Norn planeswalkers, and if damage would be dealt to that creature, prevent all but 1 of that damage.
-1: Exile target creature. If it was tapped, its controller gets two poison counters.
-4: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control get +1/+1" and "Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1".
{5}
Next: Considering we already have one for Mountains, Swamps and Forests, make a Planeswalker that cares about Islands and/or Plains.
So he being agressively oriented is basically his way of saying "yyyeah, maybe you guys sould be a bit less of a stuck-up bureaucrat?" to the Azorius.
Not sure if that would fit Rakdos as much tho. Saccing and "Dies" triggers are more befitting of Orzhov. Both Haunt and the original Orzhov mechanic in Gatecrash were tied to it as well.
So seems that UB could be an easy shoo-in.
Welp, I missed Wandering Champion. As for the others, I was pretty sure we already had those spoiled, but I guess I was wrong.
But either way, lots of fun new toys for Pauper. Kinda scared about Foil, but eh.
As for Lorwyn, there were way too many things wrong with it to count. It was supposed to be a Tribal block with a monocolor subtheme, but the Tribal aspects were very unbalanced and the monocolor aspects were poorly executed, resulting in a lack of identity, especially when sandwiched between pretty resonant blocks like Alara and Time Spiral. Most people still remember Lorwyn as either "The block that introduced Planeswalkers" or "The block with Faeries". Setting and flavor, while not particularly a homerun or anything, were not the main problem as far as I can tell.
As for Ixalan, there's always a possibility, but don't hold your breath. Problem with Ixalan is that it shares some of its identity with the aforementioned Lorwyn, which makes it a bit more unlikely. And even then, we have like 3 or 4 Planes that are way more likely to be returned to (New Phyrexia, Theros and Dominaria being a given, plus Innistrad somewhat likely), so if we ever return, I expect 4 to 5 years, minimum.
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Horror
Flash
Whenever The Blackwater Abomination enters the battlefield or attacks, tap target creature an opponent controls. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes tapped during your turn, you may put a +1/+1 counter on The Blackwater Abomination and draw a card.
3/3
Inspired on the Creature from the Black Lagoon, if it wasn't obvious enough.
Next: Make a Commander that isn't. Phrasing intentionally vague and open to interpretation, as long as it follows the game's rules.
While I think I managed to scrap together a decent deck, I had very few ways to stop aggressive assaults, and I ended up against 2 Dimir decks, 1 Boros and 1 Izzet. The Boros player absolutely demolished me, and one of the Dimir players I faced opened 2 Dimir Spybugs and a Kraul Swarm. Three of the four games I had to side out both Collar the Culprits 'cuz they were literally useless. Had I faced a Golgari or a Selesnya opponent, I'm pretty sure I would fare batter, but alas.
As for noteworthy singletons, I opened a Lazav, the Multifarious and a Hatchery Spider, but with actual zero other Surveil/Graveyard cards (not even the Catbro or the Rat), I couldn't make anything useful out them.
Legendary Creature - Minotaur Warrior
First strike, Lifelink, Menace
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, exile a card in your hand face-down. The turn's player may look at and play that card this turn, and he or she may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast that spell. At the beginning of the next end step, if that card remains exiled, return it to your hand.
Whenever a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, Kewdaan deals 4 damage to that opponent and he or she discards a card.
4/2
Fun fact: Zedruu is also from Erlundi.
Next: October is coming, so make a spoopy non-B Commander. (Extra rule: U Zombies not allowed because reasons)
Enchantment
When Hallowed Grave enters the battlefield, reveal the top ten cards of your library, then send all creatures revealed this way to the graveyard. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Cards can't leave your graveyard. (Cards in your graveyard cannot be exiled, can't be cast, and can't be returned from the graveyard to anywhere.)
Note that this does not affects a Commander's replacement effect.
Next: Tetsuo Umezawa
I'll be going Izzet, 'cuz it does seems pretty strong, but as per usual in UR, it's always easy to mess up your spells/creatures ratio, either by poor deckbuilding or just getting bad packs.
Planeswalker - Norn
+2: Put a compleation counter on up to one target creature. That creature becomes an artifact in addition to its other types, cannot attack Norn planeswalkers, and if damage would be dealt to that creature, prevent all but 1 of that damage.
-1: Exile target creature. If it was tapped, its controller gets two poison counters.
-4: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control get +1/+1" and "Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1".
{5}
Next: Considering we already have one for Mountains, Swamps and Forests, make a Planeswalker that cares about Islands and/or Plains.