Quote from Tolsiimir »Quote from HurleyV »Quote from AnImAr_ »Why are these rare?! God...It couldn't cost one more and say "enters the battlefield or attacks?"
I find it humorous that this is a response to a 2 drop with the ability to give another creature +2/2 by simply being cast and another +4/4 while being a 4/4 body later (post removal) as bad since it's not "attacks" too or as the other guy suggested trample or haste...
Magic doesn't always need to be stronger and better than the previous set or cards to be fun or played. If you constantly increase power you will end up with a game that's unplayable.
I remember arguments about reprinting Savannah Lions and people saying never White Weenie would be too powerful. Than they printed a 2/2 with the drawback of being legendary. Than the once famous rare became an uncommon and now we print 2/1's with abilities because they were "good" enough.
Similarly when they printed a 3/3 for 2 manna people lost their minds with Watchwolf. Didn't take too much longer before we needed 3 power creatures with abilities to be considered playable.
In a format where you can go T1 2/1 into this swing for 4 and later swing for 6+ while making a 4/4 is somehow bad? Not good? Unplayable?
What do people want from WotC? Goyf creature in every set? Would this be playable as a 3/3 for GG? Would that make you happy? Perhaps a 3/2 with trample? I mean at what point do you say "okay that's enough".
Before you know it we're going to have to make a rule change on life totals because 20 isn't enough time to play a game of magic as too many games are done before turn 5 now of days. Kind of sad if you ask me.
I agree with you to some extent. But you also have to consider that people who buy packs are happier to open something exciting, rather than throw 99% of their opened cards into the garbage can. Cards like these in the rare slot just make everyone feel like they wasted their money.
I think the issue is that people are looking at this to be a complete package and want rares or mythics that can carry the game in their own. It's refreshing design similar to rhonas in that if you keep the battle field in check it's not super impactful, if you start falling behind then this keeps you on the back foot allowing the aggressor to cement themselves firmly in the role.
This is quite an absurd ability because the pump is affected by zombie lords if you return it and plastered on something hard to block could be a huge life swing from nowhere. It makes for swingy but interesting games if you manage the board state correctly. That sounds like a rare that leads to better engagement from both sides without being something like glorybringer in limited or goyf in constructed.
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Also as previously stated Afflict is nasty! But even more so because it's not damage it's loss of life which is much harder to stop out right. And wow, free instant or sorcery if it's not blocked? Doesn't even care about cost? That seems dangerous.
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^^This^^
Honestly the people I play with would try and ruin each others day. True in some groups they will just fight you instead but hey, it's not meant for those groups. It's meant for me, and hive mind... and my true believer
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