Chris Taylor
Contributor
If we don't I might make one
Sets (RNA) Ravnica Allegiance Spoilers
- Thread starter TrainmasterGT
- Start date
The Azorius keyword is Addendum.
The same ability as Careful Consideration
Also: Enter Bolas (We knew this already, but still)
The same ability as Careful Consideration
Also: Enter Bolas (We knew this already, but still)
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Fuck, they gave GU a fantastic split card.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I think you're being too harsh on the new mechanics. Surveil and jump-start are excellent value mechanics, and I expect all of the new mechanics to play well. I'm actually excited about riot, looks like great flexibility.
The new mechanics all seem really solid to me, like they'll play well. They're straightforward but deep, which makes me optimistic that the mechanical complexity will find itself on rares and mythics rather than keywords.
People online seem to be down on the new Simic keyword but I think it'll play really well. Riot and Addendum too.
People online seem to be down on the new Simic keyword but I think it'll play really well. Riot and Addendum too.
It's good says I
All the mechanics in GRN play well even though some didn't seem exciting when initially revealed, so I have fairly high expectations for RNA.
The only thing I don't like about the GRN mechanics is the surveil trigger cards. They're cool for limited, but I think they also made it so surveil needed to be held back a bit. I think if they hadn't made surveil trigger cards (and hadn't printed opt in dominaria), we almost could have had "Opt" with surveil instead of scry. Oh, what could have been...
The only thing I don't like about the GRN mechanics is the surveil trigger cards. They're cool for limited, but I think they also made it so surveil needed to be held back a bit. I think if they hadn't made surveil trigger cards (and hadn't printed opt in dominaria), we almost could have had "Opt" with surveil instead of scry. Oh, what could have been...
Yeah, none of the individual mechanics in GRN are super interesting. You've got slightly different scry, slightly different flashback, count the number of creatures in my graveyard, convoke again, and mentor the only mechanic interesting in and of itself because it messed with your combat trick timing. However, the individual card design in GRN is amazing. I think because there are more mechanics in a guild set in a regular set, it's better to have each individual mechanic be simpler and easier to grok, and let the cards themselves do the heavy lifting in terms of complexity.
I dunno. Maybe I just have faith in WotC because they released one of my favorite limited sets of all time followed by one of my favorite constructed sets of all time, so they've bought a lot of good will from me. I think the R&D workflow revamp is pretty wildly successful from my massive sample size of two sets, but I'm optimistic.
A note on Emergency Powers and the upcoming Ravnica set in 2019:
Bolas will be converted mana cost 7.
Bolas will be converted mana cost 7.
First day of official spoilers, we've got some stuff:
I love the typing, and that's some funky art, but I'm unsure of how good this is. Smaller Cloudblazer at 2UG is okay if unexciting, you start cooking at 4UG though. Being able to shift around counters on to this will determine just how strong it can actually be in a given environment. It's respectable at least, I'll try out anything in UG just to give that color combo some life.
I really like this one. Curator of Mysteries has been solid if unexciting as a 4/4 flier for 4, but this does the same smoothing of draws without any additional input. Anti-Mulligan Sphinx is nice and clean.
I love the typing, and that's some funky art, but I'm unsure of how good this is. Smaller Cloudblazer at 2UG is okay if unexciting, you start cooking at 4UG though. Being able to shift around counters on to this will determine just how strong it can actually be in a given environment. It's respectable at least, I'll try out anything in UG just to give that color combo some life.
I really like this one. Curator of Mysteries has been solid if unexciting as a 4/4 flier for 4, but this does the same smoothing of draws without any additional input. Anti-Mulligan Sphinx is nice and clean.
I think that Sphinx is a good example of how the advent of Arena is going to end up being good for cube owners. The theory being: WOTC is pushing Arena as a best-of-1 format, therefore they need to include more maindeckable variance-reducing cards, which also turn out to be great cube cards.
The way Krasis reads is annoying. Why isn't it costed at 
, gain X life and draw X cards, and ETBs with 2X +1/+1 counters, rather than the clunky rounding down clause?
, gain X life and draw X cards, and ETBs with 2X +1/+1 counters, rather than the clunky rounding down clause?
Chris Taylor
Contributor
The way Krasis reads is annoying. Why isn't it costed at
You can cast it at odd numbers now, even if you get less. XXUG cant make a 1/1 to chump for eg.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Holy shit.
This is one of those "All these words are right up my alley, but I'm worried" cards. Like I'm runnning anthems and hissing iguanar right now, and they're alright. This does more, and can hit creatures.
That is my favorite spoiler by far to this point, the card is absolutely incredible. I've been trying to figure out ways to differentiate the different aggressive decks in my format and had been tinkering with gold cards and offerings here and there and this is the best signal I could imagine for the B/R balls to the walls aggressive decks in my format. Being able to trade up 2/x power creatures with beefy 4/4s is absolutely wild. Your suicidal attacks to push through damage are way more punishing now. You can also just gun down boards with a Carrion Feeder + Gravecrawler+ enough black mana. Shooting any target for 1 damage gives this insane utility, my favorite Blood Artist variant to this point. Windmill slam include for me, awesome card.
So I'm looking at the Diva here and I have mixed feelings. I agree with shamizy - this crosses the majority of check boxes for the red/black archetype I'm running (I'm going for an aggressive tokens/sacrifice theme, using cards like Murderous Redcap, Falkenrath Aristocrat for anchor cards and various token producers in red and sac outlets in black). It's the fact it says "Non-Tokens" that bothers me somewhat - it may have been broken without that additional note, but I'm now trying to think of recursive, non-token threats in red and black to push the archetype further.
Besides Gravecrawler,Relentless Dead, Scrapheap Scrounger, and Bloodsoaked Champion, what other recursive threats exist to extend more value for the Diva? Is there any recursive threats in red at all (Edit: Besides the Pheonixs... Pheonixiese... Phoenices???)?
Besides Gravecrawler,Relentless Dead, Scrapheap Scrounger, and Bloodsoaked Champion, what other recursive threats exist to extend more value for the Diva? Is there any recursive threats in red at all (Edit: Besides the Pheonixs... Pheonixiese... Phoenices???)?
I don't know if you need to fully commit to a recursive theme to make this worth it. I think just being able to ping out an extra 2-3 points of damage during a game while also beefing up aggressive bodies as an anthem on legs gives you more than enough reach as an aggressive deck. This makes your opponent think about early blocks completely differently because instead of just dealing with a simple 2 power attacker, they have to contend with whether they want to trade a card or risk taking 3 damage instead which is not at all negligible. Alongside any burn and efficient creature removal you may have drafted, I think this card is more than capable of filling in holes and letting you cross the finish line.
I don't think you necessarily want big time recursive threats higher up the curve (my BR decks tend to go more wide and then burn/kill stuff that's problematic), but a good one could be Flamewake Phoenix being able to rccur off any boosted 3 power body and will now hit for 3 in the air.
And while the nontoken clause is necessary for Limited purposes and to keep this reasonable, this plays very well with any token producers you might have in Red if you decide to go for a bigger red deck or just splash black to play it. All of a sudden Pia and Kiran Nalaar are pouring 7 power onto the field, Hanweir Garrison is swinging for 7 with his buddies, and Siege-Gang Commander is coming out there with a full 9 additional power on board. This card just seems more bonkers every time I consider the applications of it in my environment.