Older formats will never be very popular. The issue is not card availability. It is format complexity. The popularity of standard always has been that it is the least complex constructed format. Too much complexity results in a feeling of helplessness both during deck creation and deck usage that the majority of players cannot handle.
I've played Magic at a high level for well over a decade. I know templating exists, but I simply don't care about it. I do appreciate that it exists though. When I'm creating custom cards even if I'm trying to create something reasonable, proper "Magic card grammar" is hardly a priority for me. I'm there to develop my creativity not to show how well I can follow something a kin to Magic MLA.
I think your frustration represents expecting too much. I think you are better off getting past this because I think what you want won't ever exist. It has nothing to do with lack of ability. It has to do with lack of motivation and frankly, lack of a need for it in general.
(Now this is where you insert an example of an unreadable card and prove how the worst case scenario proves the need for perfection)
you may have it assemble a contraption (To assemble a contraption, exile an artifact, target artifact gains all abilities of the exiled artifact.).
I think it's easier to understand and still in the spirit of your design. I don't think there is anything wrong with this affecting creatures. It also might be quite cool to have the exiled artifact come from a graveyard in order to make this not card disadvantage.
Any card that searches and makes you shuffle your deck is frustratingly annoying. These types of cards are the biggest reason I hate EDH. Reducing shuffling is one of the best things they can do for magic.
I think the fact that Modern is on a different level of complexity than Standard just means that there will never be a healthy following to Modern. Standard FNMs are already 90% people that don't fully understand the decks they play... Modern would be a train wreck. My guess is this product will sell based upon casual players wanting the cards for their kitchen table games more so than for the Modern format.
I think this card needed something else to put it at the same power level as the other one mana hybrid creatures. Would 1/2 with unleash have been too strong? I don't think so.
Alternately, 1/1 first strike with unleash would have been good too. As would have 1/1 unleash with 1 damage to target creature on entering the battlefield.
As it is it's a good card but noticeably not as good as some of the others in the cycle.
I disagree. A one-mana red creature with 2 power with basically no drawback is actually incredibly strong. This is easily the best of the cycle and may be one of the best cards in the entire set.
Another chance to get Pithing Needle! Sure, the artwork isn't as cool, but you know what? It stops Plansewalkers. NOT SO TOUGH NOW ARE YOU JACE????
Pithing Needle will always be underwhelming vs Planeswalkers b/c the walker gets to use one of their abilities before you shut them down. So it's always essentially card disadvantage. I'm hoping some day they'll make a 2 casting cost or even 3 casting cost Pithing Needle that cycles. That'd be actually appealing.
I think too many people are looking at the "sac a creature to tap and make it bigger" part as some weird kind of benefit. It's not. This guy is not better than a creature that simply reads 2bb 6/6 flying.
In the best case scenario, that's what he is. In every other scenario, he's worse. Sure, he'll be occasionally better if your opponent is an idiot, but then that's not a meaningful way to look at any card.
What surprises me most about this card is that it's not Mythic. It certainly has a Mythic feel while being most damaging in limited.
As to how much play this will see, I'm going to guess very little. When you really digest it, it becomes clear this is not a control card. Control decks don't want vanilla monsters that cannot block when you need them to. On the flip side, it's a bit expensive for anything aggressive. Probably at its best in the control vs control mirror due to clock time, low cost and fewer creatures on the other side of the board. As a result, I expect to find it most in control sideboards in competitive play.
Even though I despised all other contributions he made to the site, I still loved him as the co-host of Magic TV. Pretty stunned that he would do such a thing considering he enjoyed a standing in the community that he never earned skill or knowledge wise. I highly doubt we'll ever see him again, not sure what he'll do with his life now. Seems like he's going to have to figure out a lot of things without his magic family. Truly a terrible decision.
If Torpor Orb costed 1 mana, maybe it'd be useful, but at 2, it's not. Even at 1, it's not like you're going to draw it in your opening hand every time and even against caw-blade there aren't that many targets it affects. Tapping out early for a card that does exactly nothing is the easiest way to lose at Magic.
Torpor Orb is a bulk rare and anyone paying more than that in the first month of it's release is getting themselves ripped off.
I think your frustration represents expecting too much. I think you are better off getting past this because I think what you want won't ever exist. It has nothing to do with lack of ability. It has to do with lack of motivation and frankly, lack of a need for it in general.
(Now this is where you insert an example of an unreadable card and prove how the worst case scenario proves the need for perfection)
you may have it assemble a contraption (To assemble a contraption, exile an artifact, target artifact gains all abilities of the exiled artifact.).
I think it's easier to understand and still in the spirit of your design. I don't think there is anything wrong with this affecting creatures. It also might be quite cool to have the exiled artifact come from a graveyard in order to make this not card disadvantage.
Why? You can play both in the same deck.
I disagree. A one-mana red creature with 2 power with basically no drawback is actually incredibly strong. This is easily the best of the cycle and may be one of the best cards in the entire set.
Pithing Needle will always be underwhelming vs Planeswalkers b/c the walker gets to use one of their abilities before you shut them down. So it's always essentially card disadvantage. I'm hoping some day they'll make a 2 casting cost or even 3 casting cost Pithing Needle that cycles. That'd be actually appealing.
In the best case scenario, that's what he is. In every other scenario, he's worse. Sure, he'll be occasionally better if your opponent is an idiot, but then that's not a meaningful way to look at any card.
What surprises me most about this card is that it's not Mythic. It certainly has a Mythic feel while being most damaging in limited.
As to how much play this will see, I'm going to guess very little. When you really digest it, it becomes clear this is not a control card. Control decks don't want vanilla monsters that cannot block when you need them to. On the flip side, it's a bit expensive for anything aggressive. Probably at its best in the control vs control mirror due to clock time, low cost and fewer creatures on the other side of the board. As a result, I expect to find it most in control sideboards in competitive play.
Torpor Orb is a bulk rare and anyone paying more than that in the first month of it's release is getting themselves ripped off.
Can I still be added? It's not like I created this after the fact. The message should still be in your inbox.