Given Damnation's conspicuous absence from Modern Masters, it shouldn't surprise anyone to see it in a different set. (See: Thoughtseize, Mutavault.) The DoJ equivalent is also bound to happen eventually. One of the two has to come first, and it could have gone either way, really.
Personally, if I were in R&D, I'd probably argue for the straight reprint. Damnation needs more copies in circulation. Pushing it to Theros block frees up a rare slot in Modern Masters, and the version without the regeneration clause fits better in a core set down the line because it's cleaner and simpler. I'd certainly understand if they went the other way, though.
Your opponent is not supposed to know what cards are in your library. He's intentionally looking at extra cards (breaking the rules) to gain an advantage, which is cheating, same as if he'd reached over and flipped up the top few cards of your deck in the middle of the game.
I think Waste Not is the clear choice for reasons already stated. The others show the zombifying well enough, but that's only a third of the card. Waste Not is the only one that ties all three abilities together.
Liliana's Wake would be my second choice, since it's abstract enough that it doesn't just look like a reanimation spell, and it parallels nicely with Liliana's Caress.
One way to bog the game down is to ask something like "If I asked you if you would concede, would you give the same answer to that question that you will give to this question?" That should spur some debate.
It is too bad you can't copy frankie's ability with rings of brighthearth - with the copy you could ask if the answer to the next question will be yes or no, and then have them concede with the second question. I suppose you could cast mirror gallery and clone him with something, but that's an idiotic combo.
First one doesn't work because asking them a question without Frankie Peanuts doesn't bind them to anything. Also, they don't have to answer yes or no. Answer 1: "No." Answer 2: "Go **** yourself." Seems bad.
Second one doesn't work because the answer to the second question (presumably) wouldn't be true, and the "if able" clause kicks in. You'd just end up wasting both questions.
Uncards are the way to go. Fankie Penuts and force your opponent to concede, or Richard Garfield and turn everything into combo pieces.
Frankie Peanuts can't force your opponent to concede if they don't want to. All he can really do is get you information ("Do you have X in your hand?") or lock your opponent into something that turns out to be bad because they don't know what you have. Far as I can tell, he's mostly a much weaker mono-white version of Sen Triplets, unless I'm missing some creative use for him.
The best cards in this pack are Skylasher and Fluxcharger. Skylasher's protection from blue seems extremely relevant in this set--4/10 guilds are blue, aye? Fluxcharger is a pretty large flyer, albeit one that takes a little building around. They're good in different archetypes, and I think it's close enough that it could go either way depending on your preference.
I would take Skylasher. What pushes it over the top is that it's rare--early in the format, it's good to play with rares when you get the chance, since you'll have fewer opportunities to evaluate them. I don't know exactly how good it is, so I'd take the opportunity to find out. (I suspect the answer is "Very good.")
I think the manafixers are definitely defensible here as well. Five-color was a fringe archetype in RTR and GTC, but with DGM it seems like it only gets better, and I can easily imagine forcing it. But even if the draft doesn't pan out that way, and even if you don't end up in both colors, it leaves you with better options for splashing later on.
Well, look. Trait Doctoring is insultingly bad and a big disappointment for Dimir players who were hoping for good Cipher cards. Emmara is insultingly bad and a big disappointment for Selesnya players who were hoping for a cool legend.
Just as different people like different cards, different people hate different cards. It's ultimately a subjective judgement with no right answer: if you wanted good cipher cards more than you wanted a good Selesnya legend, you'll be more disappointed with Trait Doctoring than with Emmara, and vice versa.
The first mode is weird in a block that has Thundermaw Hellkite which has it's own way to get past fliers. It's not like fliers are really doing battle in the current Standard.
The first mode hits ground creatures, not flyers.
Thundermaw Hellkite isn't from RTR block. It's from the core set.
Historically, punisher cards aren't very good. Browbeat and Vexing Devil might have seen a little play in burn decks, but weren't spectacular, and if memory serves that's about it.
Both modes here are pretty good, though. The fact that you get card advantage no matter which option they choose is, if memory serves, a first. It's either a 2-for-1 or a 4-for-1, and both sides are things that play nicely together in a control deck's plan. If punisher's going to break out at last, this could well be the effect that does it.
Personally, if I were in R&D, I'd probably argue for the straight reprint. Damnation needs more copies in circulation. Pushing it to Theros block frees up a rare slot in Modern Masters, and the version without the regeneration clause fits better in a core set down the line because it's cleaner and simpler. I'd certainly understand if they went the other way, though.
Liliana's Wake would be my second choice, since it's abstract enough that it doesn't just look like a reanimation spell, and it parallels nicely with Liliana's Caress.
First one doesn't work because asking them a question without Frankie Peanuts doesn't bind them to anything. Also, they don't have to answer yes or no. Answer 1: "No." Answer 2: "Go **** yourself." Seems bad.
Second one doesn't work because the answer to the second question (presumably) wouldn't be true, and the "if able" clause kicks in. You'd just end up wasting both questions.
Cheatyface only works from your hand, so you can't do that.
Frankie Peanuts can't force your opponent to concede if they don't want to. All he can really do is get you information ("Do you have X in your hand?") or lock your opponent into something that turns out to be bad because they don't know what you have. Far as I can tell, he's mostly a much weaker mono-white version of Sen Triplets, unless I'm missing some creative use for him.
I think it's "Then that creature fights target creature an opponent controls."
Do we know the bird is a 2/2? It looks like its toughness isn't visible in the screenshot.
I would take Skylasher. What pushes it over the top is that it's rare--early in the format, it's good to play with rares when you get the chance, since you'll have fewer opportunities to evaluate them. I don't know exactly how good it is, so I'd take the opportunity to find out. (I suspect the answer is "Very good.")
That being said, my pick here is Species Gorger.
Just as different people like different cards, different people hate different cards. It's ultimately a subjective judgement with no right answer: if you wanted good cipher cards more than you wanted a good Selesnya legend, you'll be more disappointed with Trait Doctoring than with Emmara, and vice versa.
Both modes here are pretty good, though. The fact that you get card advantage no matter which option they choose is, if memory serves, a first. It's either a 2-for-1 or a 4-for-1, and both sides are things that play nicely together in a control deck's plan. If punisher's going to break out at last, this could well be the effect that does it.