50 reviews.. for more than a decade..? Wow kudos to you!
Admittedly I am not a fan of the flavor of the set but this it delivers, especially for cube. I just might put in the top 3 (up to 6) of this list for unpowered 450.
Not to mention the artifact.dec cards of this set are insane. Green gets a Splicer, and goldvein hydra is both a ramp enabler and payoff, as well as having all that artifact synergy. The colored artifacts are really good too, but the blue ones have lots of competition.
In regular cube this seems like a good 2mc shock variant, but the sac ability may not be reliable. This is of course a good addition to the welder package as it acts as sac outlet, cheap sac fodder and has an etb ability.
I don’t want to lessen instants, though. So might remove some sorcery like Arc Trail.
Generally I am not a fan of typal cards, with the exception for Goblins (which is easy to pickup because they are visually identifiable and are all in red.
I dislike this because:
1. A negative interaction is worse than a positive interaction. Not a good gameplay/design where you can randomly kill some creatures and same not.
2. Class based types are hard to keep track. Goblins are visually easy to remember and the some are even in the name. On the other hand, it is not easy to remember which creatures are Rogues, or warlocks.
3. Types tend to be erratad frequently. I don’t want to bother to keep track or check the types every time.
4. Dislike the flavor. Generally I feel this set has a Un/UB vibe. More especially, that card name does not feel like a Magic card.
I understand these points are all personal preference. Objectively this a good Terror Variant and quite cubable. But..
5. I like my terror variants to be able to kill planeswalkers as well.
The equipment/vehicle-like design necessitates a sesond (and sometimes even a third) creature to make it work.
I also consider complexity in the cards and this feels too complex for the payoff in terms of power level.
If you put the counters on it, it is easily chumped, but if you put it in another creature, then you have to attack with a 2/2 to trigger doubling, in which it will likely die.
On the other hand, by itself a 3 drop luminarch aspirant is quite decent already, which is the worst case. I can see the Saddle ability rarely used and it will be fine.
Definitely a shoe in for counters theme cubes.
Requires testing, and seems like a skill testing card.
I might consider replacing Hardened Scales with this in my artifact cube, but green 3 drop is pretty stacked (Trackers, etc)
I really wish they hadn't felt the need to limit to only green creatures - saccing a thraben inspector to cast this would be sick.
It would break the color pie though. The creatures’s color restricts that the spell to be casted in-color.
One advantage of this is it helps you keep 1 land hands. If you have a mana dork (or any green 1 drop), you can cast this and ensure your 3rd land drop on turn 2. Not ideal though as you did not actually ramp, but perhaps the rest of your hand is worth it.
I like that it is a combination of Shadowmage Infiltrator, Paychatog, and Looter il-kor and consquently serves the archtypes: tempo, animator, Upheaval/draw 7s, madness/flashback.
Thr downside is a weaker evasion but between the threat of activation and the Jump it is quite good.
Replacing Psychatog but perhaps try them alongside eaxh other first.
Sad news for sure. Normally the internet is a messy, uncivilized place, but mtgsalvation has been my haven for people talking about the game they love.
Good luck on your next adventure and thanks for the years of fun.
Admittedly I am not a fan of the flavor of the set but this it delivers, especially for cube. I just might put in the top 3 (up to 6) of this list for unpowered 450.
Not to mention the artifact.dec cards of this set are insane. Green gets a Splicer, and goldvein hydra is both a ramp enabler and payoff, as well as having all that artifact synergy. The colored artifacts are really good too, but the blue ones have lots of competition.
it’s quite a good set for cube. Not just mere staples, but also some interesting mechanics like Plot and Spree.
Lavaspur Boots > Eater of Virtue
Forsaken Miner > a 1 drop
maybe
Slickshot Showoff
Harvester of Misery
Some of the spree cards.
For Artifact Cube: With these updates my artifact cube will be a lot more tonen-y
Oltec Matterweaver > ?
Esoteric Duplicator > Mirrodin Beseiged
Simulacrum Synthesizer > Efficient Construction
Worldwaker Helm > ?
I really like these 3 cards, which I
Believe will have fun interactions with tokens, and are artifacts, too! I just don’t know what to take out yet.
Legion Extruder > Electrostatic Bolt Less damage
But more versatile, plus a sac outlet, produces artifact tokens, and an artifact itself.
Sandstorm Salvager > Cradle Clearcutter Yeah, splicer.
Bristlebud Farmer > Ezuri’s Brigade or Glissa Sunseeker the former is a good beater but just is too vanilla.
Goldvein Hydra > Steelbane Hydra
Perhaps I will need to put back more artifact destruction if I remove these.
Roxanne, Starfall Savant > Melira, Scholar or Antiquity
While Roxy is slower, She has removal and ramp.
Lavaspur Boots > Eater of Virtue
Transmutation Font > Obelisk of Alara
Fomori Vault > Dunno yet but probably a high cost artifact.
whew. This is going to be an expensive update! But aurely will make the cube much more fun!
I will add it in my artifact cube, for sure. Hopefully will push an artifact graveyard theme (aside from welder) someday.
I don’t want to lessen instants, though. So might remove some sorcery like Arc Trail.
Both base case and the plot option are both good, though. Not a priority, but I will consider this if easy to acquire.
I dislike this because:
1. A negative interaction is worse than a positive interaction. Not a good gameplay/design where you can randomly kill some creatures and same not.
2. Class based types are hard to keep track. Goblins are visually easy to remember and the some are even in the name. On the other hand, it is not easy to remember which creatures are Rogues, or warlocks.
3. Types tend to be erratad frequently. I don’t want to bother to keep track or check the types every time.
4. Dislike the flavor. Generally I feel this set has a Un/UB vibe. More especially, that card name does not feel like a Magic card.
I understand these points are all personal preference. Objectively this a good Terror Variant and quite cubable. But..
5. I like my terror variants to be able to kill planeswalkers as well.
Works so well with Treasures and Powerstones, plus green token synergy, and token doubling abilities.
If Disenchant is my last instant speex removal, I will not swap; but I still have Nature’s Chant, so I am ok to give this a try.
Problem is that Gravecrawler will eventually be non recurring
I love that it has reminder text. In cube where we have a hundred or so keywords, this is important.
While the power is smaller, haste surely makes up for it as the damage will come earlier.
Ward and Haste is a great combination too.
The great bonus is that this is a much simpler and effective design having no memory issues and bad side effects like my creatures exiling.
Woe Strider
Flesh Carver
Drana Liberator of Malakir
I also consider complexity in the cards and this feels too complex for the payoff in terms of power level.
If you put the counters on it, it is easily chumped, but if you put it in another creature, then you have to attack with a 2/2 to trigger doubling, in which it will likely die.
On the other hand, by itself a 3 drop luminarch aspirant is quite decent already, which is the worst case. I can see the Saddle ability rarely used and it will be fine.
Definitely a shoe in for counters theme cubes.
Requires testing, and seems like a skill testing card.
I might consider replacing Hardened Scales with this in my artifact cube, but green 3 drop is pretty stacked (Trackers, etc)
Yeah, particularly Black, those 1 drops are so easy to recur. White and red to a lesser extent for when the 1 drops are beginning to be outclassed.
It would break the color pie though. The creatures’s color restricts that the spell to be casted in-color.
One advantage of this is it helps you keep 1 land hands. If you have a mana dork (or any green 1 drop), you can cast this and ensure your 3rd land drop on turn 2. Not ideal though as you did not actually ramp, but perhaps the rest of your hand is worth it.
Thr downside is a weaker evasion but between the threat of activation and the Jump it is quite good.
Replacing Psychatog but perhaps try them alongside eaxh other first.