Kind of interesting they broke the cycle with the spellbooks by not using the full name Chandra Nalaar. It'll look even funnier if we got Liliana Vess instead of Last Hope or Veil.
Going to be honest, I couldn't tell that was meant to be Lorwyn on Marsh Flats or Scalding Tarn was meant to be Dominaria. Verdantt Catacombs being on Innistrad is no a brainer because it had the collar of Avacyn. Same goes for Misty Rainforest on Ixalan due to the meso-american jade statue. I could somewhat see Arid Mesa being on Amonkhet, but mostly from the obelisks.
Can anyone refresh me on all the 'crimes' Heliod committed?
Other than stabbing elspeth in the back, something she deserved for being overpowered anyway.
1) Causing Purphuros to get the equivalent of Alzheimer.
2) Causing Thassa to be permanently depressed due to the prior as she and Purphoros are a couple.
3) Killing a mortal, Elspeth, because they simply knew more than he did.
4) Attempting to remake the religion into a monotheistic one and depriving the rest of the pantheon by erasing their presence in Meletis. (He would have succeeded if Elspeth hadn't disarmed him of Khrusor.)
Also Elspeth has always been written, even now, with a lower power budget than other planeswalkers. Her main power is her refined martial training. Which if that is overpowered, then Gideon must appear obscene in comparisons.
You're the one who used that as a defense of the card.
[Ritokure claims that Wizards successfully pushed back against metagaming against Haktos by making it RNG-reliant.]
You have me all wrong, I don't justify bad gameplay like that. I justify bad behavior from players like that. Salty players don't get invited back to the table.
[Ritokure ignores why bad behavior at the table from players is undesirable. Goes after CAC I made.]
Technically I did, 4cmc-matters. Also its not the same thing as its not RNG.
[Ritokure proceeds to claim that a boros commander with only global effects to support it is more interesting than a boros commander with global effects + auras + equipment.]
Strange how it doesn't have haste for such a price on activation.
Why would she need haste? A 1/3 for 2 isn’t really something you care to be hasty.
Because of the activation cost being 2R as a rummage effect is a drawback. No other rummage card even reach two mana for an activation, while loot is the most comparable but with only three cards out of the 61 results for (loot and rummage) in Research Assistant and Bloodfire Mentor and Urza's Tome. Even just two-mana is a rarity among loot cards with Erratic Visionary being the only one. More typically there would be no mana requirement or a single mana to rummage/loot.
Oh no, a card getting metagamed out of a format. I'll alert the media.
E-mail WotC about your brilliance in card design instead, see if they pick you up for GDS. It's their reasoning for Haktos' design, not mine.
You're the one who used that as a defense of the card.
You're just going to justify bad gameplay with "if you don't like it, get out"?
You have me all wrong, I don't justify bad gameplay like that. I justify bad behavior from players like that. Salty players don't get invited back to the table.
As opposed to? The exact same thing plus 4 CMC Voltron? You seem to be deluding yourself on thinking you created a Commander archetype instead of coming to terms with the fact you polished a turd by spitting on it.
Technically I did, 4cmc-matters. Also its not the same thing as its not RNG.
The randomness is what lets this be red as well as let them push him the way they did.
Haktos's ability basically amounts to rolling a 1d6, treating three of the results as the same, or a 1d4 with 1 being the auto-reroll result. Which what cards have rolling dice to determine a result again? Oh yeah, its the silver-bordered cards. Which means his ability is literally from an un-set. The only way they could print Achilles is putting a silver-bordered effect on him in black-border.
I been mulling over this card since he was revealed, and I feel the more elegant solution is just to cut out the RNG part of his text and reworking the protection to have a fixed number.
I disagree 100%. As the article itself says the reason why the CMC is random is so that he isn't metagamed out of a format by everyone simply opting for, say, Drag to the Underworld instead of whatever removal spell you'd play otherwise.
Oh no, a card getting metagamed out of a format. I'll alert the media.
Yes this might not be that relevant in tournament Magic, because it's extremely unlikely he's good enough to be hated on, and even if he is, there are still other ways to sideboard hate for him, but the vast majority of Magic is kitchen table and casual Commander, building a cool deck one day and seeing your entire play group killing your deck two days later by bringing in 4 CMC removal just feels awful.
Salty players don't get invited back to the table if they make a stink about interaction.
Plus, no offense but your card is just boring, even by Boros legends standards.
I been mulling over this card since he was revealed, and I feel the more elegant solution is just to cut out the RNG part of his text and reworking the protection to have a fixed number. That way you can actually have a unique build around commander. Him effectively having shroud from your auras and equipments, but a gamblers chance he might not, is actually one of the most frustrating things about him, at least Multani, Maro-Sorcerer is kind enough to tell you in advanced instead of yanking your chain.
He isn't elegantly designed and feels like a physical MTGArena card that likely had special animations made for him. The ruling around him feels really awkward and hamfisted, as somehow he has no protection if the result is null even though the protection cares about all CMCs except the chosen number. The absolute fact that he uses a replacement effect instead of just a simple ETB just screams to me that someone tried their hardest to negate the possibility he would have protection from all CMC.
Here is how I would design him:
Haktos the UnscarredWWRR Legendary Creature - Human Warrior (R)
Protection from all converted mana costs except 4.
Haktos the Unscarred attacks each turn if able. 6/1 "Many have sought my weakness, but none have found it."
(Same card but no RNG-nonsense, actually has an interesting build-around concept of 4CMC equipment and auras, encourages opponents to run CMC4 removal and creatures. Still vulnerable to global removal like Toxic Deluge or Wrath of God or just Diabolic Edict. Also lore reference: Dies to Serrated Arrows). Also means that because he has no RNG, you can properly set him up with a Sanctum Prelate instead of holding off on the Sanctum Prelate until the RNG number is known.
The blue one could always be pushed. Seriously that Nylea's Intervention so far is the best of the cycle because it simply tutors up any number of lands, don't matter if its basic or nonbasic.
You wouldn’t think Thassa would lend herself to theft strategies, but here we are.
Listen. After the whole thing Kiora, she seems pretty open about it. Why sink ships when you can have more worshippers by utilizing songs like those made by sirens?
I like the way you think my good sir.
I’ll agree Siona feels like a powerful rare at the very least. I really admire how this set is coming together. Who would have thought we’d see a legend that makes us excited not just for enchantments, but auras? And Xena no less. The art too, damn. Sadly she is not in my colors for commander, but I’m getting a copy
As for Thassa, archaeomancer and temporal manipulation loop is the way to go.
Will add those to mine. But yeah she is amazing. Quickly brewed up a decklist for Siona, its incomplete but thats fine, its still got 14 open deckslots. Also another haste enabler is Crashing Drawbridge.
You wouldn’t think Thassa would lend herself to theft strategies, but here we are.
Listen. After the whole thing Kiora, she seems pretty open about it. Why sink ships when you can have more worshippers by utilizing songs like those made by sirens?
Her + Shielded by Faith + Concordant Crossroads is a thing of beauty
Having Crossroads in deck and doing the combo above for infinite mana and casting genesis wave would be amazing. Drop the library on board and turn it sideways lol
She I would say is borderline mythic in her actual capabilities. As its rare that a legendary like this can enable so much at such a low rarity. Compare Siona, Captain of the Pyleas to other uncommon legendarys in the past two years. Most of them are pretty one-dimensional in what they do. Even compare her to Haktos the Unscarred or Polukranos, Unchained or Aphemia, the Cacophony. While they seem to do a lot, they are actually relatively simplistic commanders, some technically weaker than Siona here. Haktos is basically "play global effects, use chalice of the void to protect his weakspot". Polukranos is more about contesting the board and potentially getting bigger with Vigor. Aphemia doesn't feel legendary, like at all.
So far the most comparable is Heliod, Sun-Crowned in terms of power among the gods as he actually has two cards to instantly win with Walking Ballista and Triskelion. But he is also limited by his color identity in mono-white. Which is what helps Siona shine, she has two colors. Purphuros, Bronze-Blooded is a follow-up as he has tricks of his own like Blightsteel Colossus that can just end an opponent right there. Thassa, Deep-Dwelling doesn't have quiet the same combo potential, but she definitely has value over time and can very easily start stealing most creatures with things like Chamber of Manipulation. Nylea, Sharp-Eyed I'm not sure on, probably second-fiddle. Erebos, Bleak-Hearted I feel will play second-fiddle to a stronger black commander.
For Demigods, unless the red or green one has some real kick behind them, its no contest. Siona easily breezes past them with the kind of invisible power she brings.
Aside from a fairly cheese deck with Thassa, Deep-Dwelling in Theft.deck, Siona, Captain of the Pyleas is the commander that makes my brain really churn with ideas on how to build and improve her.
EDIT: Geez even thinking about it, Siona puts Klothys, God of Destiny to shame and Klothys is supposed to be one of the main faces for the set. Athreos, Shroud-Veiled is practically a WB version of Thassa when it comes to theft.deck.
And that is why I feel like I'm taking crazy pills over here. Just holy tap-dancing yawgmoth, the powerlevel of Siona is unreal.
Jace Beleren
Gideon Jura
Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2) Causing Thassa to be permanently depressed due to the prior as she and Purphoros are a couple.
3) Killing a mortal, Elspeth, because they simply knew more than he did.
4) Attempting to remake the religion into a monotheistic one and depriving the rest of the pantheon by erasing their presence in Meletis. (He would have succeeded if Elspeth hadn't disarmed him of Khrusor.)
Also Elspeth has always been written, even now, with a lower power budget than other planeswalkers. Her main power is her refined martial training. Which if that is overpowered, then Gideon must appear obscene in comparisons.
You have me all wrong, I don't justify bad gameplay like that. I justify bad behavior from players like that. Salty players don't get invited back to the table.
Technically I did, 4cmc-matters. Also its not the same thing as its not RNG.
Which you are in agreement with.
Salty players don't get invited back to the table if they make a stink about interaction.
Chalice of the Void and Sanctum Prelate to cover his weakness, then run stuff like True Conviction and Dictate of the Twin Gods and Gratuitous Violence to make him punch harder. That is how you build the actual Haktos. It is that dirt simple and boring.
He isn't elegantly designed and feels like a physical MTGArena card that likely had special animations made for him. The ruling around him feels really awkward and hamfisted, as somehow he has no protection if the result is null even though the protection cares about all CMCs except the chosen number. The absolute fact that he uses a replacement effect instead of just a simple ETB just screams to me that someone tried their hardest to negate the possibility he would have protection from all CMC.
Here is how I would design him:
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior (R)
Protection from all converted mana costs except 4.
Haktos the Unscarred attacks each turn if able.
6/1
"Many have sought my weakness, but none have found it."
(Same card but no RNG-nonsense, actually has an interesting build-around concept of 4CMC equipment and auras, encourages opponents to run CMC4 removal and creatures. Still vulnerable to global removal like Toxic Deluge or Wrath of God or just Diabolic Edict. Also lore reference: Dies to Serrated Arrows). Also means that because he has no RNG, you can properly set him up with a Sanctum Prelate instead of holding off on the Sanctum Prelate until the RNG number is known.
1 Siona, Captain of the Pyleas
Artifacts (11)
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Conjurer's Closet
1 Arcane Signet
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Selesnya Signet
1 Selesnya Keyrune
1 Selesnya Locket
1 Selesnya Cluestone
1 Sol Ring
1 Skull of Orm
1 Cloudstone Curio
Creatures (21)
1 Crashing Drawbridge
1 Mesa Enchantress
1 Femeref Enchantress
1 Verduran Enchantress
1 Argothian Enchantress
1 Satyr Enchanter
1 Sigarda, Heron's Grace
1 Heron's Grace Champion
1 Catapult Master
1 Daru Warchief
1 Preeminent Captain
1 Captain of the Watch
1 Frontline Strategist
1 Field Marshal
1 Boonweaver Giant
1 Heliod's Pilgrim
1 Auratouched Mage
1 Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
1 Essence Warden
1 Soul Warden
1 Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
1 Shielded by Faith
1 Reins of the Vinesteed
1 Rancor
1 Anointed Procession
1 Flickerform
1 Concordant Crossroads
1 Mobilization
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Aluren
1 Sigarda's Aid
Instant (1)
1 Enlightened Tutor
Lands (35)
1 Command Tower
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Savannah
1 Temple of Plenty
1 Temple Garden
1 Temple of the False God
1 Windswept Heath
1 Selesnya Guildgate
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
10 Forest
10 Plains
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Bountiful Promenade
1 Canopy Vista
1 Razorverge Thicket
1 Plea for Guidance
1 Idyllic Tutor
1 Three Dreams
1 Open the Armory
1 Replenish
1 Cultivate
1 Kodama's Reach
So far the most comparable is Heliod, Sun-Crowned in terms of power among the gods as he actually has two cards to instantly win with Walking Ballista and Triskelion. But he is also limited by his color identity in mono-white. Which is what helps Siona shine, she has two colors. Purphuros, Bronze-Blooded is a follow-up as he has tricks of his own like Blightsteel Colossus that can just end an opponent right there. Thassa, Deep-Dwelling doesn't have quiet the same combo potential, but she definitely has value over time and can very easily start stealing most creatures with things like Chamber of Manipulation. Nylea, Sharp-Eyed I'm not sure on, probably second-fiddle. Erebos, Bleak-Hearted I feel will play second-fiddle to a stronger black commander.
For Demigods, unless the red or green one has some real kick behind them, its no contest. Siona easily breezes past them with the kind of invisible power she brings.
Aside from a fairly cheese deck with Thassa, Deep-Dwelling in Theft.deck, Siona, Captain of the Pyleas is the commander that makes my brain really churn with ideas on how to build and improve her.
EDIT: Geez even thinking about it, Siona puts Klothys, God of Destiny to shame and Klothys is supposed to be one of the main faces for the set. Athreos, Shroud-Veiled is practically a WB version of Thassa when it comes to theft.deck.
And that is why I feel like I'm taking crazy pills over here. Just holy tap-dancing yawgmoth, the powerlevel of Siona is unreal.