Haven't had this much fun since the Planar Chaos prerelease. I'm not saying this is the best set since then, but I just had tons of fun. Sealed is usually a lame format for me, but I wouldn't mind playing RTR sealed again.
I think what it boils down to is that people challenging design decisions and aren't qualified to do so.
I envy the person who is able to look at a partial spoiler, without playing a sealed tourney or draft, and is able to gauge how "healthy" the format's removal is. Even more so, I envy the person who is able to see how the format will be two expansion sets down the road.
Lavamancer has to have two cards to Exile to kill Deathrite Shaman. Shaman only need one card to activate any of it's abilities. In any gravayard. To reiterate, Lavamancer can only kill this if it gets lucky.
thank you!
Deathrite Shaman will ALWAYS have a relevant ability to use. If it doesn't, you're probably winning.
I can tell which people slept on KoR. This card is better than lavamancer, in every format. It's not close. For some this won't be apparent until it starts selling for $15. The shaman has 3 abilities..... 3 relevant abilities... it's called value. Btw, head to head, lavamancer has a hard time killing this dude and will end up losing it's spot in jund decks.
Better than lavamancer in modern Jund. It can't deal 2 damage to a creature to kill an x/2, but it does a better job against the more troublesome threats like goyfs, kor, snappy, witness.
Additionally, it gives you game1 outs to storm, living end, and other combo decks that abuse the graveyard.
It's almost always a birds of paradise on turn 2. This is going to be nasty in black decks for a long time.
Tested with this today. This card is no joke. It's a finisher.... if you can manage to chain two of them, you are netting a 2 for 1 on your opponent every turn. As with all control decks, you just need to survive long enough to make this happen, but it's not difficult a all.... Terminus, Detention sphere, forbidden alchemy, and yes... syncopate get you there.
I've been testing with this card the last two days straight. It functions similarly to past in flames, but allows you the convenience of not relying on the graveyard.
Of course you can create a turn where you utilize Epic Experiment and Past in Flames, but it's not required to win.
This will be solid in modern storm, but not as a 4 of.
Ah.... your opponent is always going to do the opposite of what you want them to. If you have 4 mana available and cast the Devil, why would I force you to sac it? So I can get brimstone volleyed?
After turn 2, the 4/3 body is outclassed by most stuff in tier 1 decks.
Read through this entire thread. Its apparent that its going to be the playtesting/tournament results that are going to set the record straight.
This card is definitely a skill tester when it comes to card evaluation. I would rather have Stromkirk noble on the first turn than Vexing Devil. I get that some people think that's crazy, but playtesting should reveal this as an obvious choice.
If you are a pro player you should be good at all aspects of the game.
I really dont see a problem. You have 2 choices, go or dont. I am pretty sure they will have enough to play if you dont go...yeah I went there..
Ha, that was good.
They'll probably have more than enough without me, but the issue remains. There's a lack of empathy on the boards that I kind of understand. But look at the OP by TylerMusic321. There were already several Pros in the know about the format and everyone else just had to wait/continue play testing extended/modern.... all for nothing.
How is that ok? There's this ego thing attached anytime people are unsatisfied with policy or procedure. And the response is, "you should be a better player". In many cases this has merit. But I'm specifically talking about policy/procedure that stymies people becoming better players/them not making it to the tournament prepared.
I'm not trying to make this sound like the end all, but cumulatively, with all the other issues that come up, some of which you and I care about and others we don't, it doesn't make for a very good record of fairness and integrity.
How much notice is enough? GP San Diego is over two months away.
Considering plane tickets and hotel is included for many people, I'd say a much as possible.
Look, this isn't an FNM, launch party, or pre-release. Many people fly overseas to go to a Grand Prix. And I imagine that the people who are willing to do that, put substantial amounts of time into play testing.
Mr. Nightmare, two month might have been enough if the entire set for Innistrad was spoiled and we could play test. But it's not.
Much of the reason I am so upset is that this decision wreaks of pro-player preference. It really needs to stop. If you have an event that is listed as a particular format, then it should be that format. If for some reason it can't be that format, you should take the path of least resistance.
Think of it, if not modern then why not Extended? If they think Extended is dead, then why not Standard?
And If I felt like being snarky, I'd just say I don't feel like playing against players who have had access to the entire Innistrad set since July..... yeah I went there.
After weeks of ambiguity, they finally announced the format would be Sealed/Booster Draft.
Am I the only one who is inconvenienced by this? Not the format mind you, but the way in which this was revealed and the time line.
I could write a long post explaining why this isn't right, but very few would read it. So I'll just ask everyone else: What sense does it make to change the GP from "Extended" to Sealed?
Also, how is it that Wizards can release information for all events leading up to and AFTER GP San Diego and just ignore the fact that some people have to plan their schedules based on this information.
If anyone from Wizards is reading this, just make GP San Diego Modern. That's what people want, that's what's fair, and that's what many of us expected you to do after the PT Philly audible.
Not to hate on the magic community at large, but I'm seeing some really poor card evaluation here. "Pharaoh goes on top of your deck, he's not that good". Really?
To dismiss a card with the presented abilities is very short-sighted.
I envy the person who is able to look at a partial spoiler, without playing a sealed tourney or draft, and is able to gauge how "healthy" the format's removal is. Even more so, I envy the person who is able to see how the format will be two expansion sets down the road.
thank you!
Deathrite Shaman will ALWAYS have a relevant ability to use. If it doesn't, you're probably winning.
It's not Legendary
It's not Mythic
it has 5 toughness
Detain is a mechanic
You will lose to this more than once in sealed/draft if you play a significant amount of the format.
Additionally, it gives you game1 outs to storm, living end, and other combo decks that abuse the graveyard.
It's almost always a birds of paradise on turn 2. This is going to be nasty in black decks for a long time.
Of course you can create a turn where you utilize Epic Experiment and Past in Flames, but it's not required to win.
This will be solid in modern storm, but not as a 4 of.
After turn 2, the 4/3 body is outclassed by most stuff in tier 1 decks.
This card is definitely a skill tester when it comes to card evaluation. I would rather have Stromkirk noble on the first turn than Vexing Devil. I get that some people think that's crazy, but playtesting should reveal this as an obvious choice.
Ha, that was good.
They'll probably have more than enough without me, but the issue remains. There's a lack of empathy on the boards that I kind of understand. But look at the OP by TylerMusic321. There were already several Pros in the know about the format and everyone else just had to wait/continue play testing extended/modern.... all for nothing.
How is that ok? There's this ego thing attached anytime people are unsatisfied with policy or procedure. And the response is, "you should be a better player". In many cases this has merit. But I'm specifically talking about policy/procedure that stymies people becoming better players/them not making it to the tournament prepared.
I'm not trying to make this sound like the end all, but cumulatively, with all the other issues that come up, some of which you and I care about and others we don't, it doesn't make for a very good record of fairness and integrity.
Considering plane tickets and hotel is included for many people, I'd say a much as possible.
Look, this isn't an FNM, launch party, or pre-release. Many people fly overseas to go to a Grand Prix. And I imagine that the people who are willing to do that, put substantial amounts of time into play testing.
Mr. Nightmare, two month might have been enough if the entire set for Innistrad was spoiled and we could play test. But it's not.
Much of the reason I am so upset is that this decision wreaks of pro-player preference. It really needs to stop. If you have an event that is listed as a particular format, then it should be that format. If for some reason it can't be that format, you should take the path of least resistance.
Think of it, if not modern then why not Extended? If they think Extended is dead, then why not Standard?
And If I felt like being snarky, I'd just say I don't feel like playing against players who have had access to the entire Innistrad set since July..... yeah I went there.
Am I the only one who is inconvenienced by this? Not the format mind you, but the way in which this was revealed and the time line.
I could write a long post explaining why this isn't right, but very few would read it. So I'll just ask everyone else: What sense does it make to change the GP from "Extended" to Sealed?
Also, how is it that Wizards can release information for all events leading up to and AFTER GP San Diego and just ignore the fact that some people have to plan their schedules based on this information.
If anyone from Wizards is reading this, just make GP San Diego Modern. That's what people want, that's what's fair, and that's what many of us expected you to do after the PT Philly audible.
To dismiss a card with the presented abilities is very short-sighted.