Don't forget that we will have to deal with the London Mulligan in less than a Month. So be prepared for guaranteed t1 discard effects,super fast degenerate combo decks, consistent T3 Karn and other fun stuff again.
The mana prodcution might be interesting for things beyong casting stuff. Equiping offensive and defensive (Sword of Fire and Ice and similar), Kessig, Wolf Run, Raging Ravine and perhaps others. Here, 6 mana goes a long way without casting things.
What if we combined this approach with running Sphere ourselves? Sideing out Nykthos for Sphere?
While you're on the Topic of Sphere, assuming it becomes a mainstay in the format (which it probably will) and the menace of UW/UWR Control rises even more it looks like that we have 3 options going forward:
And in General we're not getting hosed as hard as Tron thanks to Enchants producing Mana, not the Lands (except Nykthos). We're still somewhat functional as a Deck even without Nykthos on the field.
Since you mentioned MTGO, there's one Green-Blue list in there that's super interesting. I know it's not exactly Devotion and more straight up Ramp but when do you ever get to talk about Polymorph Combo?
Thanks @Curdbros and @lord_darkview because this is exactly what I was hoping for. A Comprehensive 3 Drop Compendium (that's pretty much Primer ready )
One of the interesting things is that many of our 3-drops are incredibly synergistic. One day, I expect to see a deck that looks not for the card that goes in the 3-drop slot, but the set of 3-drops that win the most games. I tinkered briefly with a list that included Courser, Nissa SoE, Channelers, and Tracker, plus some other relevant synergies like Titan and Vizier. I think there is untapped potential here.
This is the reason why I asked that question. We have so many good cards available to us that we can pump out quickly (3-Drop on Turn2, 2 3-Drops on Turn3) that there has to be, like you said, untapped potential. Also if you want to play with Courser or other cards that give your opponent free information about your Hand you might as well go all the way with it and play as many available synergies as possible to work around that disadvantage akin to your list
Since the Discussion always seems to come back to involve that specific slot I have one question:
What IS the best 3 Drop for each Devotion Archetype and why?
The 3 Mana slot seems to be the most varied and least agreed on looking back at the Lists that have been posted here in the last few Pages.
We've had a strong Case for Nissa, Voice of Zendikar and Kitchen Finks (and in the same vein some Arguments against Courser of Kruphix) but the rest like Mul Daya Channelers don't seem to have an actual analysis as far as strengths/weaknesses in comparison to others go
Isn`t Leatherback Baloth something for Ghalta. 3 Devotion, 4 mana discount, enables Rhonas.
I feel that Push hurt him way too hard. He was a excellent "Removal Magnet" back then and baited out your Opponents Path to Exile,clearing the way for your other, more important Fatties and Finishers or, if they didn't have one of their four copies in Hand, stuck around and pressured the Board. Think Budget Tarmogoyf. But with 8 Maindeckable, easy to trigger 1 Mana Removal Spells in the Format the odds of him sticking around or dying without any payoff are stacked against good old Leatherback. (Path at least gives you an additional Land)
Isn't that a true infinite loop anyways? There's no may on either of those so you'd draw the game. But I'm sure there's a way to borderline abuse it. Just look at Hearthstone and Grim Patron
6 Mana 6/6 with that effect? Feels somewhat undercosted especially considering that it's a rare. Probably getting into "fun-of" Territory here but might as well try it in a R/G build
What if we combined this approach with running Sphere ourselves? Sideing out Nykthos for Sphere?
Sphere increases Mana Cost for the followup play to Sprawl. Sprawl is Mana Neutral with sphere on the board
1) Continue playing like we do now with Nykthos and just go up in Primal Command/Beast Within/any of our 3 Mana "Destroy Artifact" options (Manglehorn,Reclamation Sage,Thrashing Brontodon).
2) Play with a focus on Mana Enchantments like Old T&N. Overgrowth and Fertile Ground are less vulnerable to Field of Ruin and Spreading Seas but slower and less explosive.
3) Play with Devoted Druid Combo. Devoted Druid/Vizier of Remedies does not care about Damping Sphere at all. It also is resilient against Spreading Seas and Field of Ruin but it is super vulnerable to your usual Creature Removal Suite. Bolting your Bird never hurt this much.
And in General we're not getting hosed as hard as Tron thanks to Enchants producing Mana, not the Lands (except Nykthos). We're still somewhat functional as a Deck even without Nykthos on the field.
As someone who still plays Leatherback Baloth let me tell you: Genesis Hydra into Woodland Bellower into Leatherback Baloth feels pretty good
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2 Call of the Herd
4 Explore
1 Farseek
4 Polymorph
4 Search for Tomorrow
2 Cyclonic Rift
1 Batterskull
3 Proteus Staff
4 Utopia Sprawl
2 Blinkmoth Nexus
3 Breeding Pool
6 Forest
1 Island
4 Khalni Garden
1 Lumbering Falls
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Mutavault
1 Treetop Village
1 Creeping Corrosion
1 Dismember
1 Elderscale Wurm
1 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
1 Nature's Claim
2 Negate
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Sagu Mauler
1 Sentinel Totem
1 Terastodon
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
It's basically Tooth and Nailless Tooth and Nail
This is the reason why I asked that question. We have so many good cards available to us that we can pump out quickly (3-Drop on Turn2, 2 3-Drops on Turn3) that there has to be, like you said, untapped potential. Also if you want to play with Courser or other cards that give your opponent free information about your Hand you might as well go all the way with it and play as many available synergies as possible to work around that disadvantage akin to your list
What IS the best 3 Drop for each Devotion Archetype and why?
The 3 Mana slot seems to be the most varied and least agreed on looking back at the Lists that have been posted here in the last few Pages.
We've had a strong Case for Nissa, Voice of Zendikar and Kitchen Finks (and in the same vein some Arguments against Courser of Kruphix) but the rest like Mul Daya Channelers don't seem to have an actual analysis as far as strengths/weaknesses in comparison to others go
I feel that Push hurt him way too hard. He was a excellent "Removal Magnet" back then and baited out your Opponents Path to Exile,clearing the way for your other, more important Fatties and Finishers or, if they didn't have one of their four copies in Hand, stuck around and pressured the Board. Think Budget Tarmogoyf. But with 8 Maindeckable, easy to trigger 1 Mana Removal Spells in the Format the odds of him sticking around or dying without any payoff are stacked against good old Leatherback. (Path at least gives you an additional Land)
Isn't that a true infinite loop anyways? There's no may on either of those so you'd draw the game. But I'm sure there's a way to borderline abuse it. Just look at Hearthstone and Grim Patron
6 Mana 6/6 with that effect? Feels somewhat undercosted especially considering that it's a rare. Probably getting into "fun-of" Territory here but might as well try it in a R/G build