Instead of writing about the same regurgitated spoiler article like some kinda movie remake of an 80's franchise. I thought it would be fun to examine the fecal matter, more so the part that most of you have been eating.
Squadron Hawk: Welkin hawk 2.0 is a welcome upgrade to the nostalgic and the flavor is appreciated. Thing is though Welkin hawk wasn't very good during its day, and it never had to worry about forked bolt. Wall of omens and martial coup accomplish the same task several times as efficient. Wall drawing a more efficient spell, especially in the early game. And martial coup, which acts as the board sweeper that hawk would be stalling for plus I get more dudes for less mana. Maybe the next incarnation will have flash or missile launchers or something that would make a sorcery speed 3 card filter for 4 1/1 fliers at 4wwww desirable.
Time Reversal: Time spiral was good because the 6 lands you committed tapping for mana untapped giving you a fresh hand to combat your opponents fresh hand. As for time twister I will quote wikipedia as it sums up why it is so incrediablely powerful.
"Whereas the other Power 9 cards are simple in concept Timetwister is more complex. It forces all players to shuffle their hand, graveyard, and library together and draw seven new cards. The effect is symmetrical, meaning that it affects all players alike. Thus it is not at first apparent why Timetwister is a powerful card. Its power lies mostly in situations where the player casting it has fewer cards in his or her hand than the opponent. Then the player casting Timetwister can essentially catch up on cards in hand towards his opponent. Decks can be built to create these opportunities more often, especially the use of cards like the Moxes makes these situations come up more often."
There is a large gap between 3 and 5 mana, and an even larger one without moxes. I am very excited about how this card is pre-ordering at 30+ as there will be many that will learn the hard way.
Demon of Death's Gate: Because we needed another card to make baneslayer look good. Vacuum test monoblack and on the play vs mythic:
Turn 1
Swamp cast a dude, you pass and your opponent plays a land and casts a mana dork.
Turn 2
Swamp cast 2 dudes, sacrifice all 3 and pay 6 life your now at 14, you pass and your opponent plays a land and casts yet another mana dork.
Turn 3
Swamp and swing for 9, your opponent is at 11, you pass and your opponent plays a land and casts Baneslayer and passes turn.
Turn 4
Attacking is no longer a choice as the angel can now block you gaining 5 life to your 4 trample damage, you pass and your opponent swings bringing you down to 9 and them at 16.
Turn 5
With Baneslayer tapped you now have an open shot you swing for 9, they are now at 5, you pass and they untap and they race you go down to 4 they are now at 10.
Turn 6
They go to 1, you pass, you die.
Everyone plays Baneslayer, whether your Mythic, NLB, UW control, Super Friends, naya or Time Sieve.
Mitotic Slime: Siege-gang commander -3.0, Kozilek's predator beta? Without an additional effect or a cheaper cost mitotic slime fits into the "to little to late" category. For the same cost I can play a more versatile set of creatures that may die to a board sweeper but having 2 2/2's after a DoJ is a narrow perk.
Obstinate Baloth: The rest the world realizes that yes it does in fact counter blightning. Jund is very much an adaptable deck and versions without blightning have proved themselves viable. This card will in fact make Jund better as most will bluff blightnings fearing their opponents into siding out better cards for the 4 drop. Not only that but Jund can trade with it much easier now, being that vengevine was blightnings replacement in most non-blightning builds.
Fuana Shaman: Survival of the fittess would never of made the impact that it has if it had a 2/2 for a body. The kinda of deck that could abuse this is much to fragile, and the deck that doesn't acts as a grizzly bear with cycling, and in most cases will have to cycle twice to get vengevine in the yard.
Dark Tutelage: This is not a Dark Confidant, even tho it does in fact deal damage as such, with it's slightly less color dependent cost its an awful phyrexian arena at best. Bob's 2/1 body was his strength allowing you to run him into your opponent repeatedly until they realized it was better to stop taking 2 to the dome and giving you tempo.
Viscera Seer: Poor little guy is never going to get his chance to shine. What looks like an attempt to make standard dredge work will be overshadowed by one the greatest hosers ever: leyline of the void.
