I usually just buy the fat pack and get the novel, but there was a sale at the local bookstore so I bought it. Overall it's great. The roles of most of the people, Teysa, Kos, even Bob are so well developed it's amazing how this book cost me four bucks. If you can go get it, do so. It's very good.
*****-5 Stars
Is there anyone else here STOKED about a new Djinn?? I am! This set is really cool, with all these nice creatures. Phoenix's, Nephilim's, Djinn('s?), Vampires...this is such a cool plane..
The minotaur seems more like Ordruun Commando than an actual guildhero. As for the giant, it's definitly Boros...but looking at the cards none of the giants have that ball and chain. It would have to be between Oathsworn Giant, Sunhome Enforcer, Hammerfist Giant, or Helldozer. Since Helldozer is black though (and undead btw) it probably has to be one of the other three IMO.
Is it weird to anyone else that his name is just "Boborgymos?" I'm so accustomed to having a legendary creature with more than one word in its name. He's the only guildleader so far with a one-word name; I was expecting something like "Boborgymos, Gruul Berserker" or something fancy.
I'm definitely going to play a replicate deck just because of some the madness sure to be in this set. If Gigadrowse looks like something useful just imagine what else The Izzet have in store for us.
--I like Fiery Conclusion, it's sort of an after-battle Shrapnel Blast for creatures. You need to deal some extra damage? Attack with your 3/3, then sac it for 8 damage. You could combo it with Terrarion (if you don't have enough to use its mana ability) and deal 5 damage and draw a card. I'm sure there's better cards to combo with from other sets, I just don't feel like looking.
--As for Smash, I like that card. I would definitly substitute it in for a shatter or two because of the draw feature I use in my deck.
--I think the Lizardman is pretty bad. Considering you even had a Crucible Of Worlds in play, you'd still be losing two mana a turn so I would never attack with it. Ok blocker I suppose, frustrating in the early-game because of its power.
I don't see Dredge too useful though. As of the cards on the spoiler with Dredge, they don't seem worth the card mill. Like the $$$$ Imp on the spoiler. It is a 1/2 flier for 2B and Dredge 5. I wouldn't put 5 cards in my graveyard to return it to my hand because, 1.) i'm sure your opponent would let 1 damage go through rather then getting a creature Tangle Asp'd. 2.) I don't like the 2B casting cost, seems a bit much for just 1/2 flier. You'd have to beef it up to make it worth blocking, and even so your opponent loses a creature (unless it's indestructible). I'm sure there will be a good card worth the Dredging though, I hope so.
So this Radiance mechanic, for some reason I still don't grasp the concept. When you play a spell with radiance, all creatures that share a color with the targeted creature get the effect right? So if there was a spell that gave target creature +2/+2 and you targeted a green creature, it would target all other green creatures wouldn't it? So wouldn't your opponents green creatures get +2/+2 also?
Oooh...I like that a lot. And by a lot I mean it's just awesome. Only thing i'm not favoring...the eye. It's too human and it doesn't seem to fit in with the impending evil the rest of the picture represents. You'd think it's someone wearing a mask because of that eye and I think it throws off the balance of darkness shown in the art. I like Mindwiper too...also a lot.
Wait a minute, when you said Mindwiper, is it an actual card or did you mean Mindwarper?
I did pretty well at a prerelease near me in RI. I played mostly black, with Kagemaro and Raving Oni-Slave which worked pretty well together for me. I had some red too (Captive Flame, Glitterfang) and some artifact (Pithing Needle!, Wine Of Blood And Iron.) I mainly pumped up creatures I had to max then attacked with monstrosities. I netted 6 boosters and of course, Kiyomaro as the promo.
I have to disagree with you Onderzeeboot, I rather like Ron Spencer's artwork. I go with WotC's decision of giving Beard the boot because I just don't favor that type of art. Same with Phil Foglio and Martina Pilcerova. Not really liking that stuff. Rebecca Guay has some good stuff in her art and it's not terrible and WotC should slap themselves for not including her art in the Mirrodin block because some stuff would look better than it does now. Ravnica will be interesting with Beard gone because I can say he was good at making his art look decently real. The preview is a bit cartoonish however so i'm not sure how the current artists will fit in. I say "skip Ravnica and return to Domninaria" or "stay on Kamigawa, it's freakin shweet."
Pithing Needle is so broken it's not even funny. Ok, maybe it is... It stops so much though! Goodbye moonfolk and those damn Meloku tokens. Goodbye shackles and those damn...um...creature stealing things. Just plain great. Wine Of Blood And Iron is really good with huge tramplers. I.e. Darksteel Colossus. Attack with an 11/11, pump for 4 colorless to a 22/11 and maybe that extra 4 colorless for (hopefully) a one-hit KO with a 44/11. Shweetness...
*****-5 Stars
--As for Smash, I like that card. I would definitly substitute it in for a shatter or two because of the draw feature I use in my deck.
--I think the Lizardman is pretty bad. Considering you even had a Crucible Of Worlds in play, you'd still be losing two mana a turn so I would never attack with it. Ok blocker I suppose, frustrating in the early-game because of its power.
Wait a minute, when you said Mindwiper, is it an actual card or did you mean Mindwarper?