Even if we don't get Imperiosaur in this block because he's a dinosaur, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a functional reprint of him if land-fetch and land matters are prominent in this block.
Ya know, I'm tired of seeing Wizards complain about how it's so hard to come up with new design space for red compared to the other colors, but them practically always using goblins in every set. "Hey, I think I figured out how we can open up some design space for red in this block! Let's goblins Moggs/Akki/Boggarts!" Really, I think it might help them if they forced themselves away from goblins in red for a block or so; they definitely just emphasize red's simplicity of being simplistic and just wanting to attack the heck out of things. The most recent and only block not to feature goblins was Odyssey. Beyond that, you have to go back to the expansions Arabian Nights and Legends to find a lack of goblins.
Ya know, the more and more I see the land theme of this block, I feel a little cheated as it was at least a partial theme to the Masques block, and how terribly it was handled in Prophecy. Here's to hoping the land theme in this block (if it is one) is handled a bit better.
yea i'll stick to rav basics....still the best in my book
As awesome as the art is on the Rav lands, I never like running them too much because they push representing the land types to their limits. I know they have to because of the urban setting, but I just feel weird playing a forest that's a bunch of buildings.
As for the new lands, pretty good choices. Glad to see the Island from Mirage; the Mirage lands are some of my favorites. And people need to stop hating on the island from Mercadian Masques! It's really not that bad! Fuh. I admit I'm biased, though, with a big soft spot for that block.
So, Ball Lightning is back. Kickin, amirite? Well anyways, I think it's gonna be pretty to fun to have him around with these new combat damage rules. I can't wait to trample through multiple blockers to trample the player. Maybe I can give him a sac effect so I can just sac before he deals damage. I mean, either way, he's going to be saced at the beginning of the end step. Good ideas, amirite?
Either way, wanna get me a playset of these suckers. They sure are scrumptious balls.
Seriously, though, I'm glad to see they're mining farther back in core sets and expansions than just recent sets to find cards that will help evoke the generic fantasy flavor desired in Magic 2010. Bearing the new combat rules that will come into effect, what other cards do people think might be able to make a comeback from Magic's past core sets? The new strategy within these rules will open up different possibilities than existed before when it comes to creatures that will be good to have in the environment, which will probably become a lot more aggro-heavy since the rules favor combat interaction. Maybe they'll reprint Abu Ja'far. Doubt they'd return his creature type to leper, but that would be sweet if they did.
They've said that it will be a planeswalker that we've seen before. Im hoping that means like Ajani, but technically they could pull a Nicol Bolas, or just straight up reprint someone.
Even though I have no belief in this happening whatsoever, but I really wanna see a Karn planeswalker printed.
2) I actually like mono and dual color decks, that's all I play with, so I'm happy about the new lands.
Maybe it's just me, but I think a lot more people would easily be agreeing with this statement if it weren't for how spoiled we've been with the multicolor in Alara block (with of course the support of stuff from Lorwyn and Shadowmoor blocks). If these new duals had been unveiled at a time when people weren't going nuts over whatever crazy color combo they felt like pulling off this week, people wouldn't be complaining anywhere near as much about them. I mean, it wasn't until only this past block that tri-colored tap lands came out, and those were made for a very specific setting.
The only way I could see Naya Sojourners being justified as a promo is if they had an alternate art for it that was just freaking awesome that they wanted to use. So if that's not the case, there really doesn't seem to be any reason people should care about it.
Also, I fail to see how Mycoid Shepherd is any better based on the new combat rules. Would anyone care to elaborate on that for me?
I'm really hoping at this point that Zendikar is in no way based on a real-world ancient civilization. Speculation on what civilization it might be, based on the scant information at hand, seems a bit ridiculous, and just as likely as pirates and dinosaurs were. Moreover, Magic being a fantasy game, it need not base its own ancient civilization directly on a civilization or set of civilizations from the real world.
But to add to this game of "who can name the best civilization from a long time ago," I'll throw out Geats, which some of you might recognize from Beowulf. Based on that poem, their culture definitely featured a lot of treasure and perils!
EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention that I see no reason to pigeonhole Egyptian culture into just black; it could easily be spread throughout all five colors.
Black: The suffering that can occur at death; cults that breach the taboo in some way
White: The promise that can be fulfilled by the afterlife; worship of gods such as Ra; social hierarchy
Blue: The Nile-centricism of their culture; connections with the Mediterranean
Red: Well, Egypt kind of is a desert area; irrationality allowed by state structure
Green: Animism as prevalent in religion; bounteous flora and fauna provided by Nile
This makes me want to go pick up a set of four Ball Lightnings from The Dark asap, because I frickin love that card but have no copies of it.
Also, love the new dual. I'd say it's well balanced and well playable.
I'm guessing Sengir Vampire will be popping up in this set. Too much vampire stuff being unveiled for him not to be in it. If he is over-sighted, it's just a shame. And as much as I like the vampire stuff, I wanna see more zombie. My Onslaught block buddies, Gangrenous Zombies and Death Baron need new friends!
Also, I hope they have several oozes in the set that are just as playable as Acidic Slime. A viable ooze tribal deck would kick ass.
Magic was never simple. Every three months they release 200-300 more intricacies to the game (not counting special products like this).
Hey, back in the days of just Alpha the game was a piece of cake, simply made up of elegant abilities like banding and cards like Raging River. Sure, sets like Legends were making the game more intricate, but there were still cards like Takklemaggot to help ease new players with simple but fun card designs. Heck, even by the time of Mirage block when things had gotten quite complicated already, there were still abilities like phasing to help provide a simple but fun gaming experience.
As for the actual topic at hand, I really hope there is a plane card for Ulgothra. I hope it gives all creatures -3/-3 and makes every spell cost 3 more to accurately reflect the power level of the Homelands setting. In all honesty, though, I really would like to see a card of that plane, because as much as the set sucked, there's no other set in Magic that has quite the same flavor to its setting.
You might be thinking Orochi Leafcaller.
Even if we don't get Imperiosaur in this block because he's a dinosaur, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a functional reprint of him if land-fetch and land matters are prominent in this block.
So you expect to see Skyshroud Ranger, amirite?
Ya know, the more and more I see the land theme of this block, I feel a little cheated as it was at least a partial theme to the Masques block, and how terribly it was handled in Prophecy. Here's to hoping the land theme in this block (if it is one) is handled a bit better.
As awesome as the art is on the Rav lands, I never like running them too much because they push representing the land types to their limits. I know they have to because of the urban setting, but I just feel weird playing a forest that's a bunch of buildings.
As for the new lands, pretty good choices. Glad to see the Island from Mirage; the Mirage lands are some of my favorites. And people need to stop hating on the island from Mercadian Masques! It's really not that bad! Fuh. I admit I'm biased, though, with a big soft spot for that block.
Either way, wanna get me a playset of these suckers. They sure are scrumptious balls.
Seriously, though, I'm glad to see they're mining farther back in core sets and expansions than just recent sets to find cards that will help evoke the generic fantasy flavor desired in Magic 2010. Bearing the new combat rules that will come into effect, what other cards do people think might be able to make a comeback from Magic's past core sets? The new strategy within these rules will open up different possibilities than existed before when it comes to creatures that will be good to have in the environment, which will probably become a lot more aggro-heavy since the rules favor combat interaction. Maybe they'll reprint Abu Ja'far. Doubt they'd return his creature type to leper, but that would be sweet if they did.
Also, balls.
Even though I have no belief in this happening whatsoever, but I really wanna see a Karn planeswalker printed.
Maybe it's just me, but I think a lot more people would easily be agreeing with this statement if it weren't for how spoiled we've been with the multicolor in Alara block (with of course the support of stuff from Lorwyn and Shadowmoor blocks). If these new duals had been unveiled at a time when people weren't going nuts over whatever crazy color combo they felt like pulling off this week, people wouldn't be complaining anywhere near as much about them. I mean, it wasn't until only this past block that tri-colored tap lands came out, and those were made for a very specific setting.
Also, I fail to see how Mycoid Shepherd is any better based on the new combat rules. Would anyone care to elaborate on that for me?
But to add to this game of "who can name the best civilization from a long time ago," I'll throw out Geats, which some of you might recognize from Beowulf. Based on that poem, their culture definitely featured a lot of treasure and perils!
EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention that I see no reason to pigeonhole Egyptian culture into just black; it could easily be spread throughout all five colors.
Black: The suffering that can occur at death; cults that breach the taboo in some way
White: The promise that can be fulfilled by the afterlife; worship of gods such as Ra; social hierarchy
Blue: The Nile-centricism of their culture; connections with the Mediterranean
Red: Well, Egypt kind of is a desert area; irrationality allowed by state structure
Green: Animism as prevalent in religion; bounteous flora and fauna provided by Nile
Also, love the new dual. I'd say it's well balanced and well playable.
I'm guessing Sengir Vampire will be popping up in this set. Too much vampire stuff being unveiled for him not to be in it. If he is over-sighted, it's just a shame. And as much as I like the vampire stuff, I wanna see more zombie. My Onslaught block buddies, Gangrenous Zombies and Death Baron need new friends!
Also, I hope they have several oozes in the set that are just as playable as Acidic Slime. A viable ooze tribal deck would kick ass.
Hey, back in the days of just Alpha the game was a piece of cake, simply made up of elegant abilities like banding and cards like Raging River. Sure, sets like Legends were making the game more intricate, but there were still cards like Takklemaggot to help ease new players with simple but fun card designs. Heck, even by the time of Mirage block when things had gotten quite complicated already, there were still abilities like phasing to help provide a simple but fun gaming experience.
As for the actual topic at hand, I really hope there is a plane card for Ulgothra. I hope it gives all creatures -3/-3 and makes every spell cost 3 more to accurately reflect the power level of the Homelands setting. In all honesty, though, I really would like to see a card of that plane, because as much as the set sucked, there's no other set in Magic that has quite the same flavor to its setting.