But, still, better this than they print blocks like Theros / Homelands / Masqueses / Kamigawa only so that they avoid having to ban anything. Risk taking is good for all eternal formats.
It seems silly to have come this far. People didn't like a combo on combo metagame, so everything better than Energy kept getting banned. Copycat, Emrakul, Marvel, Copter... and now a bunch of dorks that turn sideways and a card that fetches a land for G.
I mean, kudos to Wizards for aggressively using the ban-hammer to improve their game. That's cool. I drastically prefer this to printing weak, safe cards or issuing errata. Still, one has to wonder whether they would have been better served by letting a combo metagame exist rather than starting down this silly road.
Such a good idea. Let the crazy flow, for just a little while. Encourage people to have a good time and brew with hundreds of new cards! Yay!
Now, the banned list is kind of weird. They caught some logistically bad cards, and some combo cards, but not others. "Ach, Hans, Run!" is pretty much a win condition, as is Spike. And Frankie Peanuts with coercive logic just reads: "Target player loses next upkeep."
Beyond this, you can construct all kinds of Rube Goldberg scenarios with Un-cards, but that's no different from regular Magic.
Well Stooge, this whole finance forum is withering on the vine. So, it's not just you.
Anyway, buyout scares come in waves. This last one was prompted by Saffron Olive and similar people talking about Reserve List cards, as far as I can tell. We're past that. Ixalan is pretty safe as a set and has not exploded older cards. We have some reprint sets coming up. No news on Ixalan 2.0 yet. So, there's no trigger at the moment for buyouts.
Next time there is another event that prompts people to remember the Reserve List, there will be another buyout.
I really hope we are building up for a "master plan" of Bolas being put into effect using the trinkets he has been collecting or inventing. And, I hope it works. None of this "haha my master plan whoops the Justice League broke it damn" nonsense.
What is he collecting so far?
1. A planar portal from Kaladesh;
2. An army of immortals from Amonkhet;
3. A device that prohibits planeswalking.
Is it just as simple as a plan to trap walkers in one plane and wipe them out? Or keep them out while he conquers planes one at a time?
Speaking of which, it's pretty clear that the thing at the Golden City is Feroz's Ban.
Old Walkers were basically you and I when we're playing Magic. You can link to mana across the multiverse, and summon "copies" of any creature you have bound from any place.
But, then the Mending happened and Walkers basically became normal magic users that can travel between Planes. So, now, they need other devices in order to transport things around.
This sounds like the perfect time to simultaneously reprint all the old broken cards not on the Reserved list and have a really fun Standard for a while. Lightning Bolt, Dark Ritual, Sol Ring, Lotus Petal, Mana Crypt, Counterspell, Force of Will... let's do it.
I like that all three cards reference items relevant to their own franchise. Now if we ever do see a MLP card, you know it's going to involve brushing a MLP toy. Maybe for a power/toughness boost? Or lifegain? Actually, I'd like to see a whole cycle of MLP cards that use the brushing mechanic for on-tribe effects. Pegasus? Grants flying. Unicorn? Make your next spell cheaper. Or maybe...
See, now, this is exactly what I was worried about. It's bad enough when someone pulls out cringe-worthy playmats or sleeves... I don't want to have to declare blockers against a My Little Pony card.
I guess you have to hand it to them; it took Wizards over 20 years to put product placement in Magic: The Gathering. It's an Un-set, and it's fine, and if people like these great, no sweat. More power to everyone printing and buying these cards. I'm not hating.
But, I do find these cards pretty repulsive. What's next? Shield of Pepsi? The Star Wars MTGO set? I mean, c'mon. This is some 15-year-old-with-Magic-Set-Editor level stuff going on here.
Preorders for Hour of Devastation are predictably silly, but there are a few that you might not regret pre-ordering too much. So, with that, I give you:
CARDS YOU MIGHT NOT BE EMBARRASSED TO PRE-ORDER
1. Mirage Mirror - $2.00
This seems like a fine price for a good clone effect. Compare it to that good clone from Khan, whose name escapes me but as I recall experienced lots of steady growth over time. Seems like a safe buy in.
2. Bontu's Last Reckoning - $3.00
Of all the exhaust-yourself cards, this one probably is as good as it gets. That's because it removes your opponent's cards in exchange for your tempo. If you get a 3-for-1, it might not matter much that you can't fully operate next turn. Three seems fine for an OK wrath effect.
3. Ramunap Excavator - $5.00
This seems like the most eternally-playable card in the set so far. Crucible of Worlds with Legs could be very good. When we get Magus of the So-and-So, if the Magus does not cost more and if summoning sickness is not an issue, then they tend to be played at least sometimes instead of the original. (See: Magus of the moat). I like this card tons long term, and it seems trivial for it to climb over $5.00 down the road.
4. Reason // Believe - $1.50
It's not QUITE below 2 dollars yet, but it will get there and then I like it. The first mode is a fair dig spell that can get past three bad cards. But, the trick of it is that later copies play extremely well together, setting up a topdeck for the ones in your graveyard. Heck it sets itself up all by itself when you draw it late. I know we have cards like Call of the Wild that see no play, but how many of those ALSO let you stack your deck? Previously, that effect cost 7 mana for Summoning Trap or the Khan's version. Reducing that cost by 1 AND allowing you to spread it over two turns AND giving it to you on a card that is useful by itself early on is no joke. This card is going to see some casual play and could even bust into a fringe deck in Modern; it'll hold some value over time.
And, on the flip side:
CARDS YOU WILL FEEL BAD ABOUT PRE-ORDERING
5. Solemnity - $5.00
I don't think this is as good as people think it is, and hate cards that do not become format staples tend to go down in price. I don't like this preorder at all.
6. Razaketh, the Not-Grislebrand - $12.00
Card's bad yo. It can do silly things with Lingering Souls, but lots of cards can do that. It's too expensive for Standard, and by the time you hit Modern you need to make some serious excuses about why you don't play Grislebrand / Emrakul / Runescar-freaking-Demon over this guy. EDH won't let him be bulk, but he's not gonna be far off.
2
But, still, better this than they print blocks like Theros / Homelands / Masqueses / Kamigawa only so that they avoid having to ban anything. Risk taking is good for all eternal formats.
2
I mean, kudos to Wizards for aggressively using the ban-hammer to improve their game. That's cool. I drastically prefer this to printing weak, safe cards or issuing errata. Still, one has to wonder whether they would have been better served by letting a combo metagame exist rather than starting down this silly road.
1
Now, the banned list is kind of weird. They caught some logistically bad cards, and some combo cards, but not others. "Ach, Hans, Run!" is pretty much a win condition, as is Spike. And Frankie Peanuts with coercive logic just reads: "Target player loses next upkeep."
Beyond this, you can construct all kinds of Rube Goldberg scenarios with Un-cards, but that's no different from regular Magic.
1
Anyway, buyout scares come in waves. This last one was prompted by Saffron Olive and similar people talking about Reserve List cards, as far as I can tell. We're past that. Ixalan is pretty safe as a set and has not exploded older cards. We have some reprint sets coming up. No news on Ixalan 2.0 yet. So, there's no trigger at the moment for buyouts.
Next time there is another event that prompts people to remember the Reserve List, there will be another buyout.
1
What is he collecting so far?
1. A planar portal from Kaladesh;
2. An army of immortals from Amonkhet;
3. A device that prohibits planeswalking.
Is it just as simple as a plan to trap walkers in one plane and wipe them out? Or keep them out while he conquers planes one at a time?
Speaking of which, it's pretty clear that the thing at the Golden City is Feroz's Ban.
Return to Homelands confirmed.
1
But, then the Mending happened and Walkers basically became normal magic users that can travel between Planes. So, now, they need other devices in order to transport things around.
My body is ready for Timespiral 2.0.
1
See, now, this is exactly what I was worried about. It's bad enough when someone pulls out cringe-worthy playmats or sleeves... I don't want to have to declare blockers against a My Little Pony card.
1
I guess you have to hand it to them; it took Wizards over 20 years to put product placement in Magic: The Gathering. It's an Un-set, and it's fine, and if people like these great, no sweat. More power to everyone printing and buying these cards. I'm not hating.
But, I do find these cards pretty repulsive. What's next? Shield of Pepsi? The Star Wars MTGO set? I mean, c'mon. This is some 15-year-old-with-Magic-Set-Editor level stuff going on here.
1
CARDS YOU MIGHT NOT BE EMBARRASSED TO PRE-ORDER
1. Mirage Mirror - $2.00
This seems like a fine price for a good clone effect. Compare it to that good clone from Khan, whose name escapes me but as I recall experienced lots of steady growth over time. Seems like a safe buy in.
2. Bontu's Last Reckoning - $3.00
Of all the exhaust-yourself cards, this one probably is as good as it gets. That's because it removes your opponent's cards in exchange for your tempo. If you get a 3-for-1, it might not matter much that you can't fully operate next turn. Three seems fine for an OK wrath effect.
3. Ramunap Excavator - $5.00
This seems like the most eternally-playable card in the set so far. Crucible of Worlds with Legs could be very good. When we get Magus of the So-and-So, if the Magus does not cost more and if summoning sickness is not an issue, then they tend to be played at least sometimes instead of the original. (See: Magus of the moat). I like this card tons long term, and it seems trivial for it to climb over $5.00 down the road.
4. Reason // Believe - $1.50
It's not QUITE below 2 dollars yet, but it will get there and then I like it. The first mode is a fair dig spell that can get past three bad cards. But, the trick of it is that later copies play extremely well together, setting up a topdeck for the ones in your graveyard. Heck it sets itself up all by itself when you draw it late. I know we have cards like Call of the Wild that see no play, but how many of those ALSO let you stack your deck? Previously, that effect cost 7 mana for Summoning Trap or the Khan's version. Reducing that cost by 1 AND allowing you to spread it over two turns AND giving it to you on a card that is useful by itself early on is no joke. This card is going to see some casual play and could even bust into a fringe deck in Modern; it'll hold some value over time.
And, on the flip side:
CARDS YOU WILL FEEL BAD ABOUT PRE-ORDERING
5. Solemnity - $5.00
I don't think this is as good as people think it is, and hate cards that do not become format staples tend to go down in price. I don't like this preorder at all.
6. Razaketh, the Not-Grislebrand - $12.00
Card's bad yo. It can do silly things with Lingering Souls, but lots of cards can do that. It's too expensive for Standard, and by the time you hit Modern you need to make some serious excuses about why you don't play Grislebrand / Emrakul / Runescar-freaking-Demon over this guy. EDH won't let him be bulk, but he's not gonna be far off.
1