Sets (CMR) Commander Legends Testing/Includes

[TrainmasterGT]

This is a testing/includes thread. Post pictures or a text list using /c with what cards you plan to include and what cards you plan to test.​

(Probably) Including:

Testing:

Reprints of Note:

So, this set is kind of mediocre for cube, but that's kind of OK. There's a lot of good reprints that we can use in this set at the very least. I'm excited to get a nonfoil copy of Fyndhorn Elves for my cube. There's a lot of novel designs in this set that could be worth playing for fun over some other slightly more efficient options. The big problem for me at least is that slow cards tend play poorly in my environment. Even though a card like Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty or Annoyed Altisaur can provide a lot of sweet value for playing them, they don't necessarily get there simply for being slow. Sweet-Gum Recluse may be an exception because it has flash, but I'm not sure how much that matters outside of the control match.

Speaking of Control, there are a lot of cool monarch cards in this set that tend to benefit control decks. I have been considering a Palace Jailor inclusion for years now, but haven't due to a lack of other monarch cards that interested me. Parts of the Court cycle, Fall from Favor, and Feast of Succession all seem like cool inclusions. While I know many have had issues with Court of Cunning's ability to churn out quick kills, I kind of like the idea of having a blue card that forces the other player into taking a hyper-aggressive stance in order to win the game that also rewards the player with something other than not dying. Most of my concerns with the Monarch come from how punishing it can be to unexperienced players, which might be enough for me to bar including it given my playgroup's wide range of skill levels. We will see...

Krark, the Thumbless has been a polarizing card with people I've consulted on the manner. I had a conversation with a member of this forum on a different platform about Krark the day he was spoiled on another platform, and they pointed out that Krark really makes reactive spells a lot worse. Krark can even cause game losses when players can't kill a crucial creature using a kill spell because Krak bounced the spell instead of copying it. For example, a shock getting bounced when it really needs to kill a creature being equipped by a Sword of X&Y can end the game. However, Krark does seem to fit quite well as a weird card advantage engine in Red based spell decks casting a lot of random one-cost spells. He looks like he will play well with Dreadhorde Arcanist, being able to return a spell which would otherwise be exiled back to hand for later casting when not doubling it. In either case, I think Krark is a poor turn two play with explosive potential later on. However, his nicheness and difficulty of use could bar him from my list. I'd love to see some more conversation about this card.

What are your plans for this set?
-GT

 

[ravnic]

Definitely:



Aesi is what I wanted from Z3ndikar. I actually wish her second ability was some diffirent on a similar power level, as it is very close in function to my other card Tatyova.


Probably:



I wanted to push control a little, so I''ll give monarch another shot.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

20 untested cards I'm considering

Ghost of Ramirez DePietro is the most likely one to get included, because it gels so well with the discard theme I'm running in .
I've been thinking of removing the elemental subtheme from . I already included Bloodbraid Elf and Shardless Agent, and frankly this set adds some amazing light cascade support. The shard is already home to a solid ramp theme as well, which combines pretty well with the awesome new five- and six-mana cascade spells. Averna, the Chaos Bloom and Maelstrom Wanderer do tie that theme together pretty nicely, I think.
I'm always eyeing black mass removal spells at five mana and above. Crux of Fate has been a staple for the longest time, because it's the only reliable five mana one available. Last year brought me Nightmare Unmaking, which has leads to some awesome play patterns, but this set gives me two new options. Feast of Succession is the first monarch card that gets me excited. My players dislike the monarch mechanic, but on an expensive mass removal spell like this it feels appropriate, super cool. That said, -4/-4 isn't as solid as a wrath. The other option I fancy is Necrotic Hex, which can't really replace one of the existing two black wraths, because it's so expensive, but it sounds like a super cool late game third option!
The six drop in black has always either been a bit lackluster, or super OP. I am actually super happy with Marionette Master, but I might switch Skeletal Vampire for Rakshasa Debaser, which I find a really exciting Baneslayer (i.e. a card that only starts having impact if it sticks for a turn)!

Spoiler

Edit: I put the images in spoiler tags.

 

[Velrun]

Velrun’s cube only wants one thing and it’s fucking disgusting



The four Courts will get a ‘New cost’ sticker with a new cost. They will all cost 1 more generic mana than they do on print.

 

[blacksmithy]

Feast of Succession is a Jund Wildfire key card if ever i did see one

 

[ravnic]

Does this guy survive a Wildfire? (Assuming no counters have been put onto him before)

 

[Velrun]

No

Each card must resolve fully before the next card or ability can resolve.

 

[ravnic]

I expected that answer

 

[sigh]

Get to deal 1 damage to something at least

 

[LadyMapi]

But hey, if you did have four counters on her beforehand... boom, you've got a 9/9 as your Wildfire follow-up.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

It does trigger four times, because the lands get sacrificed before the creatures are dealt damage, but unfortunately it's very dead by the time those triggers get to resolve

 

[Mondschwein]

Just found the time going through and check which cards I'd like to test. There are more than I hoped for, but let me ask one thing beforehand:

How do you guys like Monarch in cube? How strong is it? What kind of deck wants it? Does it create a certain tension in games? Is a well-timed monarch very swingy?
I'm asking because I don't like how monarch changed pauper, and I never thought I might add it to cube, but I also found a lot of aggro and midrange decks come together while control doesn't have as many tools, and monarch looks like control really wants it, but I can see midrange and even slower aggro decks like it as well, so I wonder if it would help control at all. The biggest issue is: haven't updated my list and am pretty lazy, so sorry that you can't help me with my last thought but the questions I asked at the beginning of this post should be enough.

Anyway, here's what I find interesting:

Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - value for madness/selfmill
Halana, Kessig Ranger - creaturefall.dec loves it. I prefer playing that kind of effect on a stick (and this one has a relevant body, also) because I hate the need for narrow enchantment removal which Electropotence and Warstorm Surge would've needed to be answered. This one also isn't as powerful as Terror of the Peaks, which is way too pushed for my environment.
Laboratory Drudge - not super excited. I like Secrets of the Dead and especially Burning Vengeance, but as I mentioned before, I really dislike playing enchantments. As Vengeance needs some dedication to work, I might still add it (it's not as easily abused/overwhelming).
Tormod, the Desecrator - another payoff for selfmill/gy matters. definitely better to handle than Desecrated Tomb, have to see which one I like better. there's also Thalia's Geistcaller.
Alharu, Solemn Ritualist - this looks very interesting to me. not sure if I like this better or Basri's Lieutenant, the latter being a more powerful version.
Araumi of the Dead Tide - again, selfmill likes this card. only really good with strong evasive beaters or value etbs.
Elvish Dreadlord - not sure about this one. I always liked the idea of a dies-trigger being a mass removal, so you have to sacrifice/kill it somehow or opponent might not attack into it -> stall, more time for the control player. But I don't like that it's only -3/-3 and non-elves, which randomly might be relevant. I like that you can use him twice, though. better than Magma Phoenix which leads to repetetive gameplay, and Havoc Demon, which comes way too late.
Demonic Lore - very similar to Treacherous Blessing. along with Liliana's Mastery, we have some excellent blink/selfbounce targets. Demonic Pact still looks like the only one that really is strong enough for such a deck, though.

That's it. If someone tells me monarch is great and I should try it out (after covid obv) then the list could even grow a bit.

 

[Velrun]

I like monarch but you have to be careful because you are responsible everyone at the table if they play your cube

Games end pretty quick after the first player has become the monarch. It is very swingy and thus we must be careful with which cards we include. Most of my monarch cards are high converted mana cost. It is allowed to end games faster if the converted mana cost is high.

My cube is gigantic and we didn't pull any of the monarch cards from Commander Legends during the last cube session so I can't give you an educated opinion on those. However I like the following from previous sets:



I think I will pull out Behemoth once we have pulled some of the Commander Legends monarch cards and see them be successful. The ones I've included are:

 

[Mondschwein]

Thank you. Yeah, I thought that it'd be potentially swingy, so I would only add monarch cards without too strong additional benefits in the form of 'as long as you're the monarch'. I'd rather add the mentioned Feast of Succession (love the art, and I like sweepers coming down late).