I think you were once right, but the rules have changed and what you're stating is no longer correct.
The oracle text on Mimic Vat is as follows:
Imprint — Whenever a nontoken creature dies, you may exile that card. If you do, return each other card exiled with Mimic Vat to its owner’s graveyard.
{3}, {T}: Create a token that’s a copy of a card exiled with Mimic Vat. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
1. The activated ability on Mimic Vat states that you create a token copy of a card exiled with Mimic Vat. It does not say it has to be the imprinted card.
2. Imprint is an obsolete keyword. There is no reference to "Imprinted" cards anymore. The activated ability is linked to specific cards in exile, but there's no additional rules baggage around "Imprint". Specifically, in the current comprehensive rules doc, the only entry for "Imprint" is in the glossary, and it's as follows (Current Comprehensive Rules):
Imprint
“Imprint” used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and has no rules meaning. All cards printed with the imprint keyword have received errata in the Oracle card reference.
If you could tell me where you found the Imprint ruling you cite in your post, I'd be grateful, but I have a deep suspicion that it is obsolete. Unless you can find compelling evidence that it works the way you say, I can't say I believe your stance that it simply doesn't work.
Even if imprint itself has recieved some changes, the rules of linked abilities are still in place.
607.1. An object may have two abilities printed on it such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects or players to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions, objects, or players. If so, these two abilities are linked: the second refers only to actions that were taken or objects or players that were affected by the first, and not by any other ability.
607.2a If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that instructs a player to exile one or more cards and an ability printed on it that refers either to “the exiled cards” or to cards “exiled with [this object],” these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a result of an instruction to exile them in the first ability.
linked abilities are one of the messiest parts of the rules, but I honestly don't think there is a concise way to express on each card that abilities are linked and don't refer to anything else. Imprint, I believe, was their attempt to make these connections clearer, but even that falls short of clearly expressing the intent of linked abilities, cause if you play imprint cards exactly as written, you could still Saheeli, Sublime Artificer a Knowledge Pool into a Mimic Vat and glitch the game out.
I've yet to see this card hit a table, but I suspect that's a consequence of recency and scarcity more than anything. Just the static ability is the sort of thing that excites EDH people.
I don't think you can add 6 +1/+1 counters, on a flicker body, for 4 mana. Even if its a 1/1
The requirement of having 6 other creatures to get that value is steeper than you're giving credit to. And like, when's the last time you saw someone win by flickering Meadowboon or Primeval Protector?
One of the many creatures they've printed that would be infinitely more interesting if they halved the cost and made it a 1/1 instead of making you pay for a big body.
I actually dismissed this card, but seeing the feedback on it makes me want to play around with it. I also had no idea that it could give copies of spells the splice effect, which greatly increases it's usefulness imo.
So my understanding is clear, could you splice this onto a spell cast with an Isochron Scepter activation? To my knowledge, copies of spells aren't "cast" by most rules definitions, but Scepter states that you're casting the copy, so would that make it a valid Everdream target?
Mono-green control decks are atypical for good reason. It's not green's slice of the color pie. But if you're going to build it, you may as well start with a card advantage engine in the command zone.
(I don't think it is big enough for its own thread and is about new cards changing old mechanics)
I only think there are 2 possibilities here:
1) They thought they were just cleaning up rules and didn't realize it's a functional change.
2) They've designed more cards with splice to print in the near future and didn't realize how broken splice spells that target get before sending them to the printers, so they panicked and changed rules sneakily hoping less people would notice their negligence when such cards release.
Even if imprint itself has recieved some changes, the rules of linked abilities are still in place.
607.1. An object may have two abilities printed on it such that one of them causes actions to be taken or objects or players to be affected and the other one directly refers to those actions, objects, or players. If so, these two abilities are linked: the second refers only to actions that were taken or objects or players that were affected by the first, and not by any other ability.
607.2a If an object has an activated or triggered ability printed on it that instructs a player to exile one or more cards and an ability printed on it that refers either to “the exiled cards” or to cards “exiled with [this object],” these abilities are linked. The second ability refers only to cards in the exile zone that were put there as a result of an instruction to exile them in the first ability.
linked abilities are one of the messiest parts of the rules, but I honestly don't think there is a concise way to express on each card that abilities are linked and don't refer to anything else. Imprint, I believe, was their attempt to make these connections clearer, but even that falls short of clearly expressing the intent of linked abilities, cause if you play imprint cards exactly as written, you could still Saheeli, Sublime Artificer a Knowledge Pool into a Mimic Vat and glitch the game out.
This card is good because it give you easy recurring etb value. This card is amazing because it hoses things like persist entirely by accident.
I've yet to see this card hit a table, but I suspect that's a consequence of recency and scarcity more than anything. Just the static ability is the sort of thing that excites EDH people.
Get down, Mr. President!
The requirement of having 6 other creatures to get that value is steeper than you're giving credit to. And like, when's the last time you saw someone win by flickering Meadowboon or Primeval Protector?
One of the many creatures they've printed that would be infinitely more interesting if they halved the cost and made it a 1/1 instead of making you pay for a big body.
Correct.
rogerandover: Nissa- Mono Green Control
Mono-green control decks are atypical for good reason. It's not green's slice of the color pie. But if you're going to build it, you may as well start with a card advantage engine in the command zone.
A bit mana intensive for my liking, but splice and "draw a card" are both potent lines of text.
Edit: Thank you Bob.
Good modality. One early usage, one lategame reach.
I will be disconnected until Sunday night. Fight amongst yourselves.
Bonus points for sacrificing to Momentous Fall
I only think there are 2 possibilities here:
1) They thought they were just cleaning up rules and didn't realize it's a functional change.
2) They've designed more cards with splice to print in the near future and didn't realize how broken splice spells that target get before sending them to the printers, so they panicked and changed rules sneakily hoping less people would notice their negligence when such cards release.
This eldrazi has no respect for walls.