In your current list, three cards jump out as removable/replaceable with some better instant speed interaction:
Bone Shredder is a little over priced for what you are getting, as Dark Banishing was never exactly spectacular. Even in a deck that wants to see its creatures sac themselves, you have enough redundancy there already.
Similarly Vampire Hexmage is more of a meta call. I don't tend to see planeswalkers that I can't kill with removal or combat, and that's about the only silver bullet that I have to deal with. If you don't have huge, relevant targets, you could easily make this Vraska's Contempt.
Finally, the third Sign in Blood variant doesan't tend to get as much mileage, especailly since you have Arena and Necro too. I would cut Night's whisper and grab something else from your maybeboard. (My vote goes to the Mischief, I love that card.)
Cutting Bone Shredder is a good idea. With the addition of Plaguecrafter, I still have the same amount of creatures that sacrifice themselves.
I still like Hexmage in my playgroup, but I'll definitely pay more attention to how useful it is.
I'm not sure how I feel about cutting the draw, but it's another thing for me to keep an eye on.
I failed to read your previous response to someone recommending removing Hexmage, so that's my bad. I still see it as the most notable cut, as Plaguecrafter gives you another creature-based way to interact with Walkers (essentially covering both Bone Shredder and the Hexmage) in your list. Adding in that Vraska's Contempt will also help in that regard, though if you're drowning in walkers you should just run all three.
While unhelpful so far as making cuts, Disciple of Bolas is another card that seems pretty much tailor-made for your deck and is a solid way to draw cards.
In your current list, three cards jump out as removable/replaceable with some better instant speed interaction:
Bone Shredder is a little over priced for what you are getting, as Dark Banishing was never exactly spectacular. Even in a deck that wants to see its creatures sac themselves, you have enough redundancy there already.
Similarly Vampire Hexmage is more of a meta call. I don't tend to see planeswalkers that I can't kill with removal or combat, and that's about the only silver bullet that I have to deal with. If you don't have huge, relevant targets, you could easily make this Vraska's Contempt.
Finally, the third Sign in Blood variant doesan't tend to get as much mileage, especailly since you have Arena and Necro too. I would cut Night's whisper and grab something else from your maybeboard. (My vote goes to the Mischief, I love that card.)
Clickbaity title aside, most of what you're talking about is ultimately upsides for the makers of magic, if not the community. Arena is poised to make an impact, their overpriced masterpiece set is guaranteed to sell, and their crossover products have the attention of two loyal fanbases that already have plenty of cross-platform intersection.
The tournament scene and LGS's at large are, indeed, taking a bit of a beating here, but let's be entirely frank: these are not Magic's target market. They never have been, and certainly aren't with Hasbro at the head. Tournament magic is uninteresting for the common viewer, making it a remarkably bad sport, but Arena has at least a shot at making it more flashy and easily consumed.
No sky falling, the game is merely shifting more towards digital platforms and casual play- where it makes more money.
I've run her in a couple of draw-go style decks, as she checks off a couple of important things. Her mana cost is very low so she can be cast at sorcery speed while still leaving up room for instant answers, she gives you two decent mana sink abilities (the first of which is non-threatening, which can matter), she can blank non-evasive attackers, and her second ability represents a win condition if the game becomes a grind.
If you aren't interested in playing at instant-speed, however, I would give a full pass.
If I would write a book about the "win more" concept.
I'd use this card as the cover.
I suppose it helps you safely overcommit to the board in wrath-heavy environments?
Absolutely. It's a stellar Commander card since it lets an aggressive deck with a high creature count overcommit and reap some benefits before the next wipe.
Sad that the new Hallowed Fountain art spoiled Azorius as Bolas- curved horn symbology everywhere and Thopters that could easily be of Kaladesh design. Not sure if that means Tezz or Dovin (or some yet unnamed individual) but we can confirm Azor=Bolas.
We're another reanimation spell away from a solid sultain reanimator deck, and that big ol' giant seems like a great way to chew chunks out of life totals when reanimated.
It mills one fewer card, but the fact that it doesn't have to be a land put into the GY from her ability, just any land that happens to be there, she has potentially better late game applications. Also two more power, making her better a good chunk of the time. Oh, and she is a viable tribe.
I've been playing a Sultai Reanimator deck at local FNM's and Classics/Opens, and the cards in GRN just keep making it better and better. Doom Whisperer is going to make the deck consistent as hell. Love this card! Also, between Doom Whisperer and Dream Eater, is there a lore reason why the Dimir might have a number of super powerful nightmares this time around?
A lot of the flavor in this set talk about an "atmosphere of suspicion" and general distrust among the guilds. House Dimir thrives in such a setting, so it only makes sense that they would be able to give this "atmosphere" physical form with Nightmares.
I failed to read your previous response to someone recommending removing Hexmage, so that's my bad. I still see it as the most notable cut, as Plaguecrafter gives you another creature-based way to interact with Walkers (essentially covering both Bone Shredder and the Hexmage) in your list. Adding in that Vraska's Contempt will also help in that regard, though if you're drowning in walkers you should just run all three.
While unhelpful so far as making cuts, Disciple of Bolas is another card that seems pretty much tailor-made for your deck and is a solid way to draw cards.
Bone Shredder is a little over priced for what you are getting, as Dark Banishing was never exactly spectacular. Even in a deck that wants to see its creatures sac themselves, you have enough redundancy there already.
Similarly Vampire Hexmage is more of a meta call. I don't tend to see planeswalkers that I can't kill with removal or combat, and that's about the only silver bullet that I have to deal with. If you don't have huge, relevant targets, you could easily make this Vraska's Contempt.
Finally, the third Sign in Blood variant doesan't tend to get as much mileage, especailly since you have Arena and Necro too. I would cut Night's whisper and grab something else from your maybeboard. (My vote goes to the Mischief, I love that card.)
The tournament scene and LGS's at large are, indeed, taking a bit of a beating here, but let's be entirely frank: these are not Magic's target market. They never have been, and certainly aren't with Hasbro at the head. Tournament magic is uninteresting for the common viewer, making it a remarkably bad sport, but Arena has at least a shot at making it more flashy and easily consumed.
No sky falling, the game is merely shifting more towards digital platforms and casual play- where it makes more money.
Not a reprint, but worth noting the Mission Briefing in the Dimir one, which is gettin talked up as another potential chase.
If you aren't interested in playing at instant-speed, however, I would give a full pass.
Absolutely. It's a stellar Commander card since it lets an aggressive deck with a high creature count overcommit and reap some benefits before the next wipe.
He could just be Esper colored- while abnormal, no reason that someone with an additional color couldn't lead a guild with 2/3rd of their color pie.
It mills one fewer card, but the fact that it doesn't have to be a land put into the GY from her ability, just any land that happens to be there, she has potentially better late game applications. Also two more power, making her better a good chunk of the time. Oh, and she is a viable tribe.
A lot of the flavor in this set talk about an "atmosphere of suspicion" and general distrust among the guilds. House Dimir thrives in such a setting, so it only makes sense that they would be able to give this "atmosphere" physical form with Nightmares.