It's not functionally identical because there are cards that affect snowlands that would not otherwise effect the original duals lands.
Hence not a "functional" reprint.
For all intents and purposes, it is a functional reprint. Technically you might be right, but realistically it doesn't matter because it's "close enough" to simply not happen.
It's just ridiculous. Ever since SFM and Jace got banned, every single time there's either a controversial card or 'degenerate' strategy in a format, everyone and their grandmother complains and jumps right on the 'BAN IT NOW' bandwagon. Instead of actually sitting down and thinking of a way to counteract this problem, the community whines and WotC just banhammers it away. Modern is a prime example of that. (Which might as well be Yugioh, but that's a whole different topic..)
That's why this is so absurd. The strategy may be 70% of field in different iterations, but no one is actually trying to stop it. Everyone complains and complains until they get to a breaking point where they just play the same deck as everyone else, then it becomes oppressive, then cards get banned that really don't have to.
I'm pretty sure you could workout something to have a good matchup against tokens and potential other decks in the field. Unfortunately, if everyone just keeps playing Tokens, you might as well ban the stupid card so they have to play something else, which is pitiful in-and-of itself.
People have tried and tried to hate out tokens.
You know what they found out? The best way to do it is to just play tokens. If you think you can break the metagame for block then go ahead and try. You'll end up with a tokens deck packing Ray of Revelations, I'm sure.
My source is indeed second hand, but i have heard an almost identical story from 3 different, completely unrelated, sources and i believe that is enough confirmation to believe the story.
And where did those "3 different, completely unrelated, sources" hear it from? Were they all there watching it as it happened? Did they all hear it from one person who said he "totally saw this happen?"
There's a lot of room for bias and misrepresentation with second hand sources, let alone third hand sources.
I think getting the best authors in the world to write a series of novels based on a card game is easier said then done.
Especially when Wizards demands stringent deadlines on those authors. You won't find any author with a critical acclaimed history eagerly taking the book contracts WotC was dishing out.
I also firmly believe that unless the books were extremely hyped that not many would take the time to read them. Most enjoy the game aspect of this game and while on MTGsalv you will likely find more people involved with the lore of the story millions of players could care less.
You don't need the best authors in the world. That's ridiculous. You just need competent writers and competent editors. That's it.
Yes. You have a permanent with an activated ability, that has no special restrictions, so it can be activated whenever you have priority, which is before Doom Blade resolves.
Just in case it wasn't clear enough, even if you pass priority and Doom Blade is put on the stack, you can still activate the ability in response, since it doesn't say "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery."
Once again Chadmart, we're paying customers. We're allowed to have our perspective. You can be thankful all you want. I can be disappointed all I want.
I'll still have fun playing this cube. That does NOT mean that I'm overwhelmed with joy and excitement and that I'll be praising WotC for everything they do. It's like FTV legends. Sure, they could have just not printed it. But they did, and people were underwhelmed.
What happened? They said they'll try to make the next one better. Oh hey! Look at that! Complaints get them to try harder! What a curveball!
Guys, we can play Magic Online at home in gym shorts at literally any hour of the day (for money if desired), and now they are GIVING US WHAT WE ASKED FOR by putting a fully functional cube draft queue on the program, and we aren't happy.
We need some perspective
"What happened next? Did you FLY THROUGH THE AIR?"
Oh come on.
We're paying customers. We don't have to grovel at their feet for what can be considered the bare minimum.....
Or there is a third option. You could subscribe to Star City Game's "premium" account (I am currently a subscriber, and it's helped my game a bit) which gives you access to articles written by various pros https://sales.starcitygames.com/premium/
You don't have to pay for premium to read old premium articles. This is a pretty important thing to note, since the topic creator can go to SCG right now and read any premium article that's a month old.
Online: Generally I stay silent. If I'm feeling real saucy, though, I'll have some fun. If they say "so lucky" or ANYTHING like that, then I spam it back to them every other time they cast a spell. If they top deck a land I go "and you even hit your tenth land drop, wow so so lucky." I try to make them laugh when I do this, though, it's not like I want them to rage themselves into a stroke or something. If they ever say that they're insanely good and I'm a scrub, I usually reply with "any genuinely good player has been in this situation a million times. how come you still get this sore over it?" Good players tend to admit that they're just frustrated and apologize. Bad players just spout off a bit longer about how broken the shuffler is or something silly like that.
Offline: I try to just let them vent. If they want to get frustrated, then they're more likely to make mistakes, which I can't say I have much of a problem with. If I say something, it'll be simple. "Yuuuup. It happens, sorry."
Phantom
Limited times
4-3-2-2
Doesn't add support for people making their own cubes
I'm not sure how it could be worse
I completely agree.
I love Magic Online very much, but Wizards seems to ALWAYS find a way to make something awesome feel like a disappointment. I'd be happier with phantom events for no prizes that were available on demand, even if it was just the "official" cube and no personal cubes. That would simply be fun.
For all intents and purposes, it is a functional reprint. Technically you might be right, but realistically it doesn't matter because it's "close enough" to simply not happen.
Not to mention a 5 mana answer to a 2 mana spell that cancels it out doesn't always get there.
People have tried and tried to hate out tokens.
You know what they found out? The best way to do it is to just play tokens. If you think you can break the metagame for block then go ahead and try. You'll end up with a tokens deck packing Ray of Revelations, I'm sure.
Googling "purejank sleeves" shows that they are actual sleeves.
And where did those "3 different, completely unrelated, sources" hear it from? Were they all there watching it as it happened? Did they all hear it from one person who said he "totally saw this happen?"
There's a lot of room for bias and misrepresentation with second hand sources, let alone third hand sources.
You don't need the best authors in the world. That's ridiculous. You just need competent writers and competent editors. That's it.
Just in case it wasn't clear enough, even if you pass priority and Doom Blade is put on the stack, you can still activate the ability in response, since it doesn't say "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery."
Rise of the Eldrazi. It's right there on the side in that link.
I'll still have fun playing this cube. That does NOT mean that I'm overwhelmed with joy and excitement and that I'll be praising WotC for everything they do. It's like FTV legends. Sure, they could have just not printed it. But they did, and people were underwhelmed.
What happened? They said they'll try to make the next one better. Oh hey! Look at that! Complaints get them to try harder! What a curveball!
Oh come on.
We're paying customers. We don't have to grovel at their feet for what can be considered the bare minimum.....
You don't have to pay for premium to read old premium articles. This is a pretty important thing to note, since the topic creator can go to SCG right now and read any premium article that's a month old.
Offline: I try to just let them vent. If they want to get frustrated, then they're more likely to make mistakes, which I can't say I have much of a problem with. If I say something, it'll be simple. "Yuuuup. It happens, sorry."
I completely agree.
I love Magic Online very much, but Wizards seems to ALWAYS find a way to make something awesome feel like a disappointment. I'd be happier with phantom events for no prizes that were available on demand, even if it was just the "official" cube and no personal cubes. That would simply be fun.