I expect they specified non-mana ability because many players would just assume that she would trigger when sacrificing to Ashnod’s Altar even though mana abilities (without a target) don’t use the stack. So they specified non-mana abilities to spearhead the misunderstanding that would be caused in the rules from this, especially since their Commander products are probably the products that are most bought by casual “kitchen table” magic players.
I know I’ve tried to explain the stack and how it works to several friends I play commander with and they still have difficulty grasping it’s finer points, like why their spells and abilities on their turn are the ones that resolve last even though they are cast/triggered first.
Interesting that there are cards that are eternal legal that use stickers. Are the stickers removable? If not, is it legal to place the stickers over a card sleeve? I’m asking because presumably putting a sticker on a card and then shuffling up that card for another game would be considered playing with marked cards since the sticker would slightly increase the card’s thickness in that spot.
I’m surprised to see that the Space Marines/Inquisitors* are Esper. From what I’ve gleaned 2nd hand from my friends who play 40k, I was almost certain that they’d be either Boros, Orzhov, or full on Mardu.
*(not really sure about the proper name for the faction)
It’s notable that this creature’s ability can be activated at instant speed, so while it is useful just to cheat big dumb demons into play, it can also be used to blank targeted removal on your other creatures in the late game or sac a blocked creature during an alpha strike to tutor out a 2nd copy of this lord.
That’s quite some stats, a 5/7 for 5 mana. Unfortunately it has no keyword to go along with it’s stats like Trample, Vigilance or Reach. Still it might be notable just for the fact that it can’t be killed by Unholy Heat and can cheat lands into play.
However on second thought, even though it has 7 toughness, it is still a far cry from Primeval Titan which always gets ETB value even if it dies to heat the moment it comes down, because you need to cast another creature after casting this to get any value at all.
It feels like it’s just not worth running in most commander decks, unless your commander has a high mana value which is tied to a cost reduction mechanic like Ghalta, Primal Hunger. It would be more interesting if it revealed an additional 2 cards for each time you have cast your commander from the command zone so it scaled with the late game, but that would likely not fit in the rules text box.
I feel like any 2 mana card like this with such keyword soup HAS to be a target for constructed play somehow. I mean maybe boggles still does it better but Ward + Keywords makes me feel like he's sorta safe to voltron in legacy.
I am kind of wondering the same thing. Can’t be countered, takes 3 mana to bolt and trades with a transformed delver of secrets, though I doubt if it will end up being good enough versus the three toughness of dragon’s rage channeler.
Could be fun to test in the 99 of my Titania, Protector of Argoth deck, maybe in place of The Mending of Dominaria since mending always felt slow and mending often doesn’t mill a creature it can rebuy because the deck had 45 lands.
Could also be worth testing as ramp in my Kathril, Aspect Warper deck. Since Erinis has a deathtouch, a keyword Kathril cares about, and the deck goes all-in on dredge cards to fill it’s graveyard so there’s often an abundance of lands to rebuy and often the correct play in the early game is to demonic tutor for Life from the Loam just to hit land drops.
Ok, so can you run multiple Backgrounds in a deck or in play at once, or are you restricted to having one either in the command zone or on the field.
Loving the artwork for this set ngl.
'buster
I’m pretty sure you can only ever have one background in the command zone, but I don’t think you are restricted to having only one background on the battlefield if you have other backgrounds in your deck. Since their explanation of the set’s mechanics does not mention being restricted to only having one enchantment with the background subtype in play. https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/commander-legends-battle-baldurs-gate-mechanics-2022-05-18
Third I’m 95% sure braids in the art is compleated she has multiple arms and her chest is not only glowing it might be see threw and who likely could have done it most likely Sheoldred, Whispering One or a different thane. (She probably found braids body underground which is where she was seen last and resurrected her as a phyrexian)
While it does seem possible that Sheoldred still lives on after Elesh Norn’s attack on her domain, I’d be equally thrilled with the possibility that Sheoldred is dead and Elesh Norn is the one responsible for Braids’s compleation. Mainly because given Braids’s lust for fame and power I could see Braids becoming a new mono black praetor.
It’s not quite Thragtusk. Workshop Warchief only gives you the token when it dies, Thragtusk’s token is a leaves the battlefield trigger, so it much better to blink and you still get the value if an opponent exiles it, tucks it, or bounces it.
This makes most Gideon planeswalkers pretty powerful. Gideon, Ally of Zendikar’s +1 changes him into a 10/10 indestructible because his base power and toughness becomes 5/5 and the equipment gives him another +5/+5 from his 5 loyalty counters. Gideon Blackblade would be similarly a 10/10 by the time he could attack since he’ll be at 6 loyalty by the time he loses summoning sickness. Gideon, Battle-Forged (the flip side of Kytheon, Hero of Akros) is interesting since you could use his +1 to make himself indestructible until your next turn. More or less blanking a lot of sorcery speed removal.
Other interesting planeswalkers of note: The Royal Scions could +1 to give themselves +2/+0 first strike and trample and the fact that they’d be at 7 loyalty by the time they could attack makes them a 9/7 first strike trampler. Elspeth, Knight-Errant can giver herself +3/+3 and flying. Grand Master of Flowers becomes a 14/14 indestructible flier if you get him to 7 loyalty. Ajani, Mentor of Heroes can be a 18/18 by the time he attacks if he’s equipped the turn he comes into play and +1s on himself for three +1/+1 counters and does the same the next turn, since the sword counts any kind of counters. Kaya the Inexorable becomes impossible to kill, since she can +1 to put Ghostform counters on herself (and also pumping herself since it the ghostform counter is a counter that adds to the sword’s bonus) Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast can -2 to Polymorph himself. Sarkhan the Mad’s +0 ability no longer removes loyalty, which means he can draw a card for free every turn and will live through the process provided you don’t reveal anything that costs more than 6 mana.
Devilish Valet seems like it could be a must kill threat in the right kinds of decks. For instance, if you make 3 creature tokens it becomes a 8/3 trample until the end of turn. Something like increasing devotion for example turns it into a 32/3 trample.
I know I’ve tried to explain the stack and how it works to several friends I play commander with and they still have difficulty grasping it’s finer points, like why their spells and abilities on their turn are the ones that resolve last even though they are cast/triggered first.
*(not really sure about the proper name for the faction)
However on second thought, even though it has 7 toughness, it is still a far cry from Primeval Titan which always gets ETB value even if it dies to heat the moment it comes down, because you need to cast another creature after casting this to get any value at all.
I am kind of wondering the same thing. Can’t be countered, takes 3 mana to bolt and trades with a transformed delver of secrets, though I doubt if it will end up being good enough versus the three toughness of dragon’s rage channeler.
Could also be worth testing as ramp in my Kathril, Aspect Warper deck. Since Erinis has a deathtouch, a keyword Kathril cares about, and the deck goes all-in on dredge cards to fill it’s graveyard so there’s often an abundance of lands to rebuy and often the correct play in the early game is to demonic tutor for Life from the Loam just to hit land drops.
I’m pretty sure you can only ever have one background in the command zone, but I don’t think you are restricted to having only one background on the battlefield if you have other backgrounds in your deck. Since their explanation of the set’s mechanics does not mention being restricted to only having one enchantment with the background subtype in play. https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/commander-legends-battle-baldurs-gate-mechanics-2022-05-18
While it does seem possible that Sheoldred still lives on after Elesh Norn’s attack on her domain, I’d be equally thrilled with the possibility that Sheoldred is dead and Elesh Norn is the one responsible for Braids’s compleation. Mainly because given Braids’s lust for fame and power I could see Braids becoming a new mono black praetor.
Other interesting planeswalkers of note:
The Royal Scions could +1 to give themselves +2/+0 first strike and trample and the fact that they’d be at 7 loyalty by the time they could attack makes them a 9/7 first strike trampler.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant can giver herself +3/+3 and flying.
Grand Master of Flowers becomes a 14/14 indestructible flier if you get him to 7 loyalty.
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes can be a 18/18 by the time he attacks if he’s equipped the turn he comes into play and +1s on himself for three +1/+1 counters and does the same the next turn, since the sword counts any kind of counters.
Kaya the Inexorable becomes impossible to kill, since she can +1 to put Ghostform counters on herself (and also pumping herself since it the ghostform counter is a counter that adds to the sword’s bonus)
Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast can -2 to Polymorph himself.
Sarkhan the Mad’s +0 ability no longer removes loyalty, which means he can draw a card for free every turn and will live through the process provided you don’t reveal anything that costs more than 6 mana.
Kinda tempted to build temur in standard with this scute swarm and vilespawn spider. Though I don’t doubt that there’s a jund build that uses tainted adversary, ghoulcaller’s harvest or sedgemoor witch. Could also try pure gruul with scute swarm, Phylath, World Sculptor, delina, wild mage, Arlinn, the Pack’s Hope and burn down the house.