I actually like this lord. Comes down a turn earlier which is nice on its own, as it can lead to more aggro builds. First turn lacerator, second turn hexmage and they take 2, 3rd turn him and they take 5, 4th turn you have you mana to spam more or tendrils something out of the way.
Standard has something that isn't run in other formats for the most part that makes zoo mostly a no go, which is wrath effects. A lot of decks are running Doj and Martial coup and with zoo not being fast enough those mostly end any chance zoo had. While i love the creature base of Nactal, loam lion, stepee lynx, geopede and goblin guide as much as the next guy, without duals, without goyf, and without more redundancy, it mostly doesn't fly.
Zoo also does great in extended because people will fetchshock themselves down a lot more than they do in standard.
I almost feel that this printing supports the fact that neither will be reprinted in M11. If they were to be reprinted in M10 they would be Mythics. Why take away the rarity of 2 New to the set Mythics like that? If M11 is anything like M10, then tezz would not have enough artifact support to matter in the confines of the set anyways. Tezz worked in Alara block because of things like borderposts and a ton of artifact creatures.
The good news is both cards have a place in extended and even legacy to some extent, so buying it with rotation looming is not all that harsh. Would be nice if they came with relevant rares too, like Timesieve.
Thought gourger
Vengevine
Bloodbraid Elf
Bloodghast
Is a strong start to something that may or may not be a combo deck, but has alot of the makings of a strongly synergistic deck.
Has anyone really looked at burning inquiry in any serious light lately? It has very strong potential, if only to disrupt your opponents opening hand, not just for the megrim deck you can run with it.
I love him, but part of me just cant ever see him being used over Baneslayer, period. If baneslayer is in standard, transcendent master will always be relegated to baneslayer 5.
I don't think training grounds could ever double or tripple even with a ton of creatures with abilities running around...
It doesn't produce any advantage except allow you to do what you were going to do anyway just a little cheaper but it wastes slots and I believe the term would be "win more".
If it was neccessary to have it in play to win then the deck would almost automatically be bad. And if it didn't need it to win the spot would better be suited for removal or more threats.
If Training grounds either becomes a component to a viable infinite combo, or helps create card advantage (ala rebels or sphynx of magosi) then it absolutely can be worth using and easily could go up in price.
Ghostfire would have been a great card for red to deal with the firewalker, shame that it didnt make it.
Instead of red getting color hosers they should get specialized burn spells, similar to quenchable fire, that play off the color pie.
How bout a Soul warden that deals damage instead of lifegain for red. This hoses wennie decks it normally cant outrace. Maybe whenever a land is played instead of creatures (there was a legendary gob like this i believe). This hoses control strategies.
What about a burn spell that removes loyalty plainswalkers if you kill a creature with it.
How bout instead of protection, you make a creature that does something aggressive when targeted by a specific color.
Goblin Hatemonger
RR
2/1
Whenever Goblin Hatemonger blocks or is blocked by a blue or white creature, that creatures controller takes 2 damage.
Whenever Goblin Hatemonger is targeted by a blue or white spell, that spells controller takes 2 damage.
Color hosing should be in flavor for certain, not just slapping protection on a creature.
I don't think plainswalkers are unfair, at least not the concept of them and how they work. What i do think is wrong with them is the balance of the individual cards. As has been pointed out a few times, most of the Blue and White walkers are honestly not costed right. Jace should probably cost 5 (and he would still see play) and elspeth should probably have less starting loyalty. Both are way to open ended and generically strong, whereby there is no real thinking as to include them or not. There is almost never a case where you wouldn't include Jace right now in a blue deck, there are no cards that don't play well with him.
Nissa in my opinion is the most balanced walker recently made. Shes manageable in that a searing blaze will not only kill her but her man and the CA she generates, but compare her to Elspeth and you strongly see the difference.
Both cost 2 colored 2 generic mana
Both have Two +1 abilities and one ultimate which is pretty much game over
Both create men
That being said and all those things equal, Nissa starts with 2 less loyalty, leaving her boltable, blazeable, quakeable. Nissas men are bigger, but nissas men are limited to 4 in play at any time, and also force her to include an otherwise weaker card in her 60 to work. Nissa also forces you to play a mostly tribal deck to get the full benefit, while elspeth allows it but does not require it.
Just between thoes 2 cards that fill a very similar role, you can see the overall imbalance between the powerlevel of the walkers. Walkers themeselves are a very welcome addition to magic, and one of the best things to happen to the game since its inception. There is a lot of room to explore walkers and to make them amazing. But if they continue to not be balanced against each other and other cards properly, there will be problems down the line for certain, but that goes with any cards really.
I'm in the camp that believes Dragonlord can be too little early on. RDWs is aiming to win as fast as possible, and the reason it does so well most of the time is because it can stop another deck from coming online. If it sacrifices speed for late game options, it will go to the late game more often than not. Once your in the late game, there better options for other decks than your late game choice (baneslayer is still better).
A lot of people like him over Hellspark right now, but honestly i think i would still rather have hellspark as long as searing blaze is still in the format. Its faster, trample, and unearth has uses where leveler falls short.
Also consuming vapors is a strong card and prominent card as it is, its stronger against RDW decks that put bigger creatures wth staying power into play than the pre dragon lord variant.
Zoo also does great in extended because people will fetchshock themselves down a lot more than they do in standard.
Bloodbraid elf
Goblin guide
lightning bolt
Knight of the Reliquary
Maelstrom Pulse
Blightning
Baneslayer Angel
Any of the Fetchlands
The good news is both cards have a place in extended and even legacy to some extent, so buying it with rotation looming is not all that harsh. Would be nice if they came with relevant rares too, like Timesieve.
G 8
Sorcery
Overwhelming Stampede costs 1 less for each creature you control. All creatures get +4 +0 and Trample.
Thought gourger
Vengevine
Bloodbraid Elf
Bloodghast
Is a strong start to something that may or may not be a combo deck, but has alot of the makings of a strongly synergistic deck.
Has anyone really looked at burning inquiry in any serious light lately? It has very strong potential, if only to disrupt your opponents opening hand, not just for the megrim deck you can run with it.
The new art is not only good, its doing so much more that it used to in terms of storytelling and really involving you in the card.
Rest for the weary (also teams up with ad nauseam for a fun combo :P)
Dragons claw
Firewalker
Lone Missionary
Most removal.
Im sure you can find a way.
If Training grounds either becomes a component to a viable infinite combo, or helps create card advantage (ala rebels or sphynx of magosi) then it absolutely can be worth using and easily could go up in price.
Instead of red getting color hosers they should get specialized burn spells, similar to quenchable fire, that play off the color pie.
How bout a Soul warden that deals damage instead of lifegain for red. This hoses wennie decks it normally cant outrace. Maybe whenever a land is played instead of creatures (there was a legendary gob like this i believe). This hoses control strategies.
What about a burn spell that removes loyalty plainswalkers if you kill a creature with it.
How bout instead of protection, you make a creature that does something aggressive when targeted by a specific color.
Goblin Hatemonger
RR
2/1
Whenever Goblin Hatemonger blocks or is blocked by a blue or white creature, that creatures controller takes 2 damage.
Whenever Goblin Hatemonger is targeted by a blue or white spell, that spells controller takes 2 damage.
Color hosing should be in flavor for certain, not just slapping protection on a creature.
Nissa in my opinion is the most balanced walker recently made. Shes manageable in that a searing blaze will not only kill her but her man and the CA she generates, but compare her to Elspeth and you strongly see the difference.
Both cost 2 colored 2 generic mana
Both have Two +1 abilities and one ultimate which is pretty much game over
Both create men
That being said and all those things equal, Nissa starts with 2 less loyalty, leaving her boltable, blazeable, quakeable. Nissas men are bigger, but nissas men are limited to 4 in play at any time, and also force her to include an otherwise weaker card in her 60 to work. Nissa also forces you to play a mostly tribal deck to get the full benefit, while elspeth allows it but does not require it.
Just between thoes 2 cards that fill a very similar role, you can see the overall imbalance between the powerlevel of the walkers. Walkers themeselves are a very welcome addition to magic, and one of the best things to happen to the game since its inception. There is a lot of room to explore walkers and to make them amazing. But if they continue to not be balanced against each other and other cards properly, there will be problems down the line for certain, but that goes with any cards really.
A lot of people like him over Hellspark right now, but honestly i think i would still rather have hellspark as long as searing blaze is still in the format. Its faster, trample, and unearth has uses where leveler falls short.
Also consuming vapors is a strong card and prominent card as it is, its stronger against RDW decks that put bigger creatures wth staying power into play than the pre dragon lord variant.