When everyone knows what is being meant by strictly better, then the phrase is clearly working and there's no need to quibble over whether the phrase should be used.
That tornado front idea is actually interesting. As you suggested, it's probably a bit overpowered and/or complicated. I could see it be pay per charge counter (and they'd do it with charge counters) or sacrifice. It'd make green be a viable control color
He might be asking can the enchantment be bounced, which it can, as qasali's ability uses the stack and can be responded to. In that case, there would be no target at the resolution of qasali's ability and the ability would fizzle.
On the contrary. Have you ever read the book series The Wheel of Time by a Mr. Robert Jordan? In it, the "mages" of the world frequently mention that to lose their ability to "channel" (access and utilize magic) would be a fate worse than death. It's quite possible that a planeswalker would view the loss of their spark in a similar fashion.
in that case, we can still say the sacrifices would have been uneven, and thus its doubtful that's the reason.
what i consider the strongest argument AGAINST ob being walker #3 is that he would have been the lithomancer and hence the builder of the hedrons. I find it very doubtful that he'd willingly give up his spark to do so. I doubt he was tricked, as they later returned to strengthen the cage. The fact that they left and then returned means he couldn't have given up his spark.
The point about color was meant to be a number crunch. I think it's fair to say that self sacrifice is a red or white mechanic, as there is no foreseeable personal profit (making it unlikely that it was a black-aligned decision). There have already been planeswalkers of those two colors in the zendikar block. I'm not positive that this can be used, however, as by making ugin colorless, it seems that WotC is not making the sealing of the Eldrazi a multilateral decision by WUBRG planeswalkers, but rather the actions of a colorless dragon, a black vampire, and a unknown lithomancer.
Where does it say that each walker gave something up to seal the Eldrazi? Ugin obviously got the worse end of the deal if he gave up his life. Spark < Life
either he'll be the lithomancer and lost/gave up his spark the second time the 3 walkers visited zendikar, or he'll be a generic planeswalker who illustrates the perils of zendikar's natural defenses. I could easily see a future article where Beyer pulls a "Ob was a walker just like all of us, but he didn't pay enough attention etc etc not even a planeswalker was safe from Zendikar's mana!"
It makes less sense that he gave up his spark to make the hedrons, as if he was the guy who made the hedrons, i doubt he'd willingly give up his spark. Such an action would be either red or white in alignment, and white is probably getting gideon as a walker and red already had new chandra, so i doubt they'd make another walker of those colors. Of course, the block does seem like it's gonna have a walker of every color, as well as sarkhan, so who knows
Zendikar Incarnate
WUBRG
Choose one:
Zendikar Incarnate becomes any instant or sorcery from the Zendikar set, or
Put a token into play that is a copy of any permanent from the Zendikar set.
The soul of the world, for better or for... well, for better
The polar opposite of apocalypse chime, instead of destroyed any Homelands card, it becomes any Zendikar card... too bad it'd be such bad design
WotC has used cards to embody locations before, but to embody an entire plane in a single card is far too difficult. If they could do it, it'd be a sign that the set was boring.
even if mana base is a resource, its abuse-able nature has meant that very few cards can interact with it without being overly powerful. More than half of the power nine are mana acceleration, and WotC has been careful not to make cards that allow for fast, permanent mana acceleration. Even one shot accelerators, like the rituals, are now rarely printed, with their power level being toned down considerably when they are. Since they so rarely make powerful mana generators, it makes sense that they rarely make powerful mana deniers.
Quest for the Game
Whenever a player draws a card, put a quest counter on ~. When ~ has 40 quest counters on it, you may remove those quest counters and sacrifice ~. You win the game.
sadly, i think it's been calculated based off the orb results that there is only space for 1 cycle of rare quests. This would seem to be a blue quest, so it can't be.
target creature gets +2/+2 and infect until end of turn. Sacrifice it at the end of the turn.
That tornado front idea is actually interesting. As you suggested, it's probably a bit overpowered and/or complicated. I could see it be pay per charge counter (and they'd do it with charge counters) or sacrifice. It'd make green be a viable control color
i dont think that's a way to cheat it into play haha
edit: i guess may take is okay
in that case, we can still say the sacrifices would have been uneven, and thus its doubtful that's the reason.
what i consider the strongest argument AGAINST ob being walker #3 is that he would have been the lithomancer and hence the builder of the hedrons. I find it very doubtful that he'd willingly give up his spark to do so. I doubt he was tricked, as they later returned to strengthen the cage. The fact that they left and then returned means he couldn't have given up his spark.
The point about color was meant to be a number crunch. I think it's fair to say that self sacrifice is a red or white mechanic, as there is no foreseeable personal profit (making it unlikely that it was a black-aligned decision). There have already been planeswalkers of those two colors in the zendikar block. I'm not positive that this can be used, however, as by making ugin colorless, it seems that WotC is not making the sealing of the Eldrazi a multilateral decision by WUBRG planeswalkers, but rather the actions of a colorless dragon, a black vampire, and a unknown lithomancer.
Where does it say that each walker gave something up to seal the Eldrazi? Ugin obviously got the worse end of the deal if he gave up his life. Spark < Life
It makes less sense that he gave up his spark to make the hedrons, as if he was the guy who made the hedrons, i doubt he'd willingly give up his spark. Such an action would be either red or white in alignment, and white is probably getting gideon as a walker and red already had new chandra, so i doubt they'd make another walker of those colors. Of course, the block does seem like it's gonna have a walker of every color, as well as sarkhan, so who knows
cancel - 0
they finally gave up!
Zendikar Incarnate
WUBRG
Choose one:
Zendikar Incarnate becomes any instant or sorcery from the Zendikar set, or
Put a token into play that is a copy of any permanent from the Zendikar set.
The soul of the world, for better or for... well, for better
The polar opposite of apocalypse chime, instead of destroyed any Homelands card, it becomes any Zendikar card... too bad it'd be such bad design
WotC has used cards to embody locations before, but to embody an entire plane in a single card is far too difficult. If they could do it, it'd be a sign that the set was boring.
Rite of Flame
Glory doesnt use this format, so it clearly isn't referring to you having another Glory in the graveyard, but, as Exsam said, the card itself
sadly, i think it's been calculated based off the orb results that there is only space for 1 cycle of rare quests. This would seem to be a blue quest, so it can't be.