So it's spoiler season and Avacyn Restored is a pretty phenomenal set, even at 25% spoiled every card seems over the top and impressive across the board, kudos to wotc for this one. This is something that will be compared to other impressive third sets like Urza's Destiny or Apocalypse. I'm very excited about this one especially with Grand Prix Los Angeles around the corner. I thought I would take some time to talk about the planeswalkers and how they really are breaking new ground.
I'm the kinda person that would follow the color wheel, or the set number, or any number of things that would make me examine Tamiyo first, but I believe that the stigma Tibalt portrays would actual cause you to read only half of this week's blog as he is so obscure that most of came to a conclusion.
So
RR
Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded
Planeswalker - Tibalt
+1: Draw a card, then discard a card at random.
-4: Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded deals damage equal to the number of cards in target player's hand to that player.
-6: Gain control of all creatures until end of turn. Untap them. They gain haste until end of turn.
Illus. Peter Mohrbacher #161/244 2
Because he fits the proper curve for rdw doesn't necessarily mean that's where he belongs. At turn 2, on the draw, the only way to successfully attack him and drop him requires a champion of the parish and 2 triggers, something that a lot of decks wouldn't want to see right away. As a planeswalker that can't defend himself this worst case scenario makes him a fog that would allow a control or midrange deck the extra turn against the agro match ups. This is red's wall of omens when it's a bad play. Now, when it goes unchecked it starts fueling decks like frites or u/r delver which seems to be assembling. His ultimate is something that may not be used often but not many walkers can without the proper set up, at RR it is very likely that our first devil walker will for lack of a better word threaten his opposition to draw the attention his way. As more miracles are spoiled remember to check back on Tibalt, I wouldn't cram them all into a deck but there may be a place for reforge the souls, possibly Temporal Mastery.
So from there we look at a card that a lot of people are on the fence about.
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Planeswalker - Tamiyo
+1: Tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
-2: Draw a card for each tapped creature target player controls.
-8: You get an emblem with "You have no maximum hand size" and "Whenever a card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, you may return it to your hand."
Illus. Eric Deschamps #79/244 4
This is a frost titan that cost 5 that is a hella lot harder to kill. The 5 drop puts it at a disadvantage in certain situations, much like JTMS was back during its release, you wouldn't want to put it in danger with the potential of a small army of jund creatures and I can say the same now with Tamiyo. Tamiyo isn't Jace. I would say when Jace was fair, I'm sure that's a hard statement to take in, Tamiyo comes damn close, her only folly is the extra 1 mana, but if any of you remember Gideon had the same kinda critiques against him. When you look at both of these walkers it's best to ignore the ultimates as they aren't very impressive in comparison to others, but the first 2 abilities are simply amazing in the right decks.
These are both fair, well designed walkers, which still means that you have to 2 for 1 them, last time I checked that was called card advantage.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
More spoilers
It's normally not like me to really be so main stream and tackle spoilers as they come in like this, yes I've addressed full and complete sets once they have been fully spoiled, all the more reason for me to do it.
Angel of Jubilation
Is very very real. I would go as far as to say Mikaeus, the Lunarch has been replaced in a lot of decks. I would go further to say that bulking up on Mikaeus is a very bad idea, not that it really has been a good one.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Been there done that, limited bomb, flavor, casual, crack them, trade them, profit.
Banishing Stroke
New Phyrexia has done a great job keeping good uncommons like this down. It will see plenty of play in block this summer, but wont really be able to shine in standard until rotation. Without seeing more cards that will interact with the miracle mechanic it's hard to see it's potential but if the cards do present itself this could be the next dismember, the next inquisition. That's based on the fact that anything is possible, at this point it's not very probable.
Cloudshift
It's cute, possibly a decent board card, could see play in modern alongside another card I'm about to mention in a WUR twin deck.
Restoration Angel
This card is getting a lot of attention, as it should. The big interaction is this and snapcaster, and as I advised on twitter last week, holding snap caster is a safe call as even if this is hype this is hype that already drives an already playable card. Other cards that interact with this: titans, metamorph and his cousins, variants of acidic slime, and any of the come into play silver bullets in pod decks. And as I mentioned in cloud shift, restoration angel + kiki jiki brings another splintertwin esk engine and could re surge the decks dominance in modern as the loss of ponder and preordain makes it inconsistent and slow piecing together combo pieces. Don't be shocked that this isn't at least an experimental deck that you might see piloted by well known deck builders in the near future.
Silverblade Paladin
The buy a box promo, underwhelming in that aspect, but it's par for what it does, without its soul bound battle buddy, which can easily be disrupted in the same kinda decks that would run his cousin mirrian crusader. Definitely a limited bomb.
Latch Seeker
Big invisible stalker, no hexproof. More blue agro type creatures, which is something that has become a trend, still no resurrection of fish or skies type decks but I can top that up to phyrexian mana, titans, swords, which neither had to really deal with in a standard environment.
Temporal Mastery
Where the angel was the flavor of the week last week, this is this weeks. And I've talked negatively about this card, because it really isn't as absurd to the point where personal tutor should sell out out $50, and by gp atlanta we will see this. This isn't like time warp where you can combo with it because without it's miracle cost its just to much. There will be many cases where top decking this only means you draw yet another card, and that's not bad, when I see it I think this is how time walk was when there weren't the various knobs and levers that exist in most combo decks.
Wingcrafter
Soulbound thing, limited these seem amazing, but there are far to many removal spells now a days that turn these cards into vanilla creatures.
Demonic Taskmaster
I like how "good" demon cards are half decent cards, it's decent, not very stable in constructed play. All these board position cards do is give people a reason to complain about dismember.
Demonlord of Ashmouth
I imagine during testing this didn't have the exile clause and play testers were just letting it sac itself to itself. Along side other creatures with undying its amazing otherwise it acts like the champion cards from Lorewyn.
Griselbrand
Another flavor card, limited bomb, edh powerhouse, I could see this as maybe a target for mimeoplasim. This could be a go to card in frites after rotation, maybe this set will open an opportunity for frites to be competitive in block.
Killing Wave
I like it, it's going to kill a lot of dudes in certain match ups and a couple points of damage, it's not necessarily death cloud, mutilate, or damnation, but I wouldn't over look this when your slinging swamps.
Thunderous Wrath
Cards that will be in RDW 500 Trebeck. The goblin grenade you have to top deck without the sac draw back, this will see play.
Craterhoof Behemoth
Generic Green Timmy mythic, is huge and silly, with all these big monsters I wonder if more ways to cheat them into play will present them self, I hope that's not the case, a tooth and nail type meta is about as boring as the control mirror.
Druids' Repository
It will be interesting if a green weenie deck that utilizes this presents itself, but right now it's no where to be seen. Limited card. Edric comes to mind for edh.
Howlgeist
It cost 6 for a quasi unblockable 4/2 with undying, it's a big mess, I'd draft it if I absolutely had to.
Joint Assault
Giant Growth with a bonus if I play shakey cards, house of cards type strategy that most Johnnys may attempt because they have to build something miserable that wins 1% of the time?
Sigarda, Host of Herons
Makes me laugh, it's like every casuals dream, but I wouldn't call it a casual card, it's just a hexproof dude with edict proof. Day of judgement is still a card.
Moonsilver Spear
Spear of saint traft, it's a bit pricey in comparison to other amazing equipment cards but if delver needed something for the mirror in block this is it.
Cards number #233/244, #234/244, and #235/244 will cause people to cry for the ban hammer.
Angel of Jubilation
Is very very real. I would go as far as to say Mikaeus, the Lunarch has been replaced in a lot of decks. I would go further to say that bulking up on Mikaeus is a very bad idea, not that it really has been a good one.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Been there done that, limited bomb, flavor, casual, crack them, trade them, profit.
Banishing Stroke
New Phyrexia has done a great job keeping good uncommons like this down. It will see plenty of play in block this summer, but wont really be able to shine in standard until rotation. Without seeing more cards that will interact with the miracle mechanic it's hard to see it's potential but if the cards do present itself this could be the next dismember, the next inquisition. That's based on the fact that anything is possible, at this point it's not very probable.
Cloudshift
It's cute, possibly a decent board card, could see play in modern alongside another card I'm about to mention in a WUR twin deck.
Restoration Angel
This card is getting a lot of attention, as it should. The big interaction is this and snapcaster, and as I advised on twitter last week, holding snap caster is a safe call as even if this is hype this is hype that already drives an already playable card. Other cards that interact with this: titans, metamorph and his cousins, variants of acidic slime, and any of the come into play silver bullets in pod decks. And as I mentioned in cloud shift, restoration angel + kiki jiki brings another splintertwin esk engine and could re surge the decks dominance in modern as the loss of ponder and preordain makes it inconsistent and slow piecing together combo pieces. Don't be shocked that this isn't at least an experimental deck that you might see piloted by well known deck builders in the near future.
Silverblade Paladin
The buy a box promo, underwhelming in that aspect, but it's par for what it does, without its soul bound battle buddy, which can easily be disrupted in the same kinda decks that would run his cousin mirrian crusader. Definitely a limited bomb.
Latch Seeker
Big invisible stalker, no hexproof. More blue agro type creatures, which is something that has become a trend, still no resurrection of fish or skies type decks but I can top that up to phyrexian mana, titans, swords, which neither had to really deal with in a standard environment.
Temporal Mastery
Where the angel was the flavor of the week last week, this is this weeks. And I've talked negatively about this card, because it really isn't as absurd to the point where personal tutor should sell out out $50, and by gp atlanta we will see this. This isn't like time warp where you can combo with it because without it's miracle cost its just to much. There will be many cases where top decking this only means you draw yet another card, and that's not bad, when I see it I think this is how time walk was when there weren't the various knobs and levers that exist in most combo decks.
Wingcrafter
Soulbound thing, limited these seem amazing, but there are far to many removal spells now a days that turn these cards into vanilla creatures.
Demonic Taskmaster
I like how "good" demon cards are half decent cards, it's decent, not very stable in constructed play. All these board position cards do is give people a reason to complain about dismember.
Demonlord of Ashmouth
I imagine during testing this didn't have the exile clause and play testers were just letting it sac itself to itself. Along side other creatures with undying its amazing otherwise it acts like the champion cards from Lorewyn.
Griselbrand
Another flavor card, limited bomb, edh powerhouse, I could see this as maybe a target for mimeoplasim. This could be a go to card in frites after rotation, maybe this set will open an opportunity for frites to be competitive in block.
Killing Wave
I like it, it's going to kill a lot of dudes in certain match ups and a couple points of damage, it's not necessarily death cloud, mutilate, or damnation, but I wouldn't over look this when your slinging swamps.
Thunderous Wrath
Cards that will be in RDW 500 Trebeck. The goblin grenade you have to top deck without the sac draw back, this will see play.
Craterhoof Behemoth
Generic Green Timmy mythic, is huge and silly, with all these big monsters I wonder if more ways to cheat them into play will present them self, I hope that's not the case, a tooth and nail type meta is about as boring as the control mirror.
Druids' Repository
It will be interesting if a green weenie deck that utilizes this presents itself, but right now it's no where to be seen. Limited card. Edric comes to mind for edh.
Howlgeist
It cost 6 for a quasi unblockable 4/2 with undying, it's a big mess, I'd draft it if I absolutely had to.
Joint Assault
Giant Growth with a bonus if I play shakey cards, house of cards type strategy that most Johnnys may attempt because they have to build something miserable that wins 1% of the time?
Sigarda, Host of Herons
Makes me laugh, it's like every casuals dream, but I wouldn't call it a casual card, it's just a hexproof dude with edict proof. Day of judgement is still a card.
Moonsilver Spear
Spear of saint traft, it's a bit pricey in comparison to other amazing equipment cards but if delver needed something for the mirror in block this is it.
Cards number #233/244, #234/244, and #235/244 will cause people to cry for the ban hammer.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Avacyn Commander Deck
Hello everybody it's Monday again so here I am to beat everyone to the punch..."beat everyone to the *insert magic jargon here*", patient pending...I'm working on it. I thought I'd have to gripe about WotC's botch earlier today when they used some cheap programing method to host the first official spoiler for Avacyn Restored, it took them several hours but it was finally corrected.
Check it out.
While this fits your typical cookie cutter reanimator target, it's still underwhelming when she weighs in to Iona, progenesis, emrakul, even in standard this may make a decent companion to elesh, but it's not going to replace her.
And then I thought wow, this would be a pretty awesome commander.
So without further a due, the first Avacyn, Angel of Hope commander deck:
Commander
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Creatures
Sun Titan
Solemn Simulacrum
Benalish Commander
Fiend Hunter
Captain of the Watch
Kor Cartographer
Cloudgoat Ranger
Emeria Angel
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Hero of Bladehold
Knight-Captain of Eos
Patrol Signaler
Riftmarked Knight
Daru Warchief
Knight Exemplar
Adarkar Valkyrie
Admonition Angel
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Serra Ascendant
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Myr Battlesphere
Twilight Drover
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Mirror Entity
Celestial Crusader
Instants
Raise the Alarm
White Sun's Zenith
Beacon of Immortality
Oblation
Enchantments
Leyline of the Meek
Oblivion Ring
Luminarch Ascension
Mobilization
Glorious Anthem
Honor of the Pure
Marshal's Anthem
Celestial Mantle
Faith's Fetters
Endless Horizons
Land Tax
Crusade
Sorcery spells
Conqueror's Pledge
Decree of Justice
Flicker
Hour of Reckoning
Martial Coup
Nomads' Assembly
Spectral Procession
Storm Herd
Rout
Lands
Arid Mesa
Flooded Strand
Windswept Heath
Marsh Flats
Emeria, The Sky Ruin
Flagstones of Trokair
Kjeldoran Outpost
Kor Haven
Maze of Ith
Mystifying Maze
Mistveil Plains
Sejiri Steppe
Windbrisk Heights
27 Plains
Artifacts
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Fellwar Stone
Coalition Relic
Extraplanar Lens
Gauntlet of Power
Sol Ring
Sensei's Divining Top
Thran Dynamo
Planeswalker
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Of course this is just a rough draft, but this is what I would start out with before doing anything fancy like fit in a stoneforge package or change up the creature/wrath ratio, a lot of that has more to do with your own meta. The beauty of Alacyn is you don't have to play swiftfoot boots or lightning greaves, although I would recommend looking for a place for them once people wise up and start running oblation and chaos warp, but I couldn't begin to tell you the number of times I've had opponents that had to read oblation. Play dudes, ramp up, drop angel, and laugh as the battles of attrition fall into your favor. Enjoy.
Check it out.
While this fits your typical cookie cutter reanimator target, it's still underwhelming when she weighs in to Iona, progenesis, emrakul, even in standard this may make a decent companion to elesh, but it's not going to replace her.
And then I thought wow, this would be a pretty awesome commander.
So without further a due, the first Avacyn, Angel of Hope commander deck:
Commander
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Creatures
Sun Titan
Solemn Simulacrum
Benalish Commander
Fiend Hunter
Captain of the Watch
Kor Cartographer
Cloudgoat Ranger
Emeria Angel
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Hero of Bladehold
Knight-Captain of Eos
Patrol Signaler
Riftmarked Knight
Daru Warchief
Knight Exemplar
Adarkar Valkyrie
Admonition Angel
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Serra Ascendant
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Myr Battlesphere
Twilight Drover
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Mirror Entity
Celestial Crusader
Instants
Raise the Alarm
White Sun's Zenith
Beacon of Immortality
Oblation
Enchantments
Leyline of the Meek
Oblivion Ring
Luminarch Ascension
Mobilization
Glorious Anthem
Honor of the Pure
Marshal's Anthem
Celestial Mantle
Faith's Fetters
Endless Horizons
Land Tax
Crusade
Sorcery spells
Conqueror's Pledge
Decree of Justice
Flicker
Hour of Reckoning
Martial Coup
Nomads' Assembly
Spectral Procession
Storm Herd
Rout
Lands
Arid Mesa
Flooded Strand
Windswept Heath
Marsh Flats
Emeria, The Sky Ruin
Flagstones of Trokair
Kjeldoran Outpost
Kor Haven
Maze of Ith
Mystifying Maze
Mistveil Plains
Sejiri Steppe
Windbrisk Heights
27 Plains
Artifacts
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Fellwar Stone
Coalition Relic
Extraplanar Lens
Gauntlet of Power
Sol Ring
Sensei's Divining Top
Thran Dynamo
Planeswalker
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Of course this is just a rough draft, but this is what I would start out with before doing anything fancy like fit in a stoneforge package or change up the creature/wrath ratio, a lot of that has more to do with your own meta. The beauty of Alacyn is you don't have to play swiftfoot boots or lightning greaves, although I would recommend looking for a place for them once people wise up and start running oblation and chaos warp, but I couldn't begin to tell you the number of times I've had opponents that had to read oblation. Play dudes, ramp up, drop angel, and laugh as the battles of attrition fall into your favor. Enjoy.
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