Sets Commander 2016 Spoilers

Onderzeeboot

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Peter LaCara said:
I'm probably not going to add much from this set, if anything so far. I hate the Partner text on all the commanders (I only allow Daretti, Scrap Savant in because his effect is nearly impossible to replicate), and the vast majority of the cards in here clearly either are only good in multiplayer, or only balanced in multiplayer. That's probably fine, though. I haven't even finished adding everything I want to from Kaladesh yet, and a bunch of my regular cubers moved away so I haven't even drafted mine in a few months anyway.
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Speaking of only balanced in multiplayer, are these just way too good in 1 on 1?

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I mean, Citadel Siege was just bonkers in my cube, and Orzhov Advokist is a mana cheaper and comes with a body to put counters on! Of course your opponent can also put counters somewhere, but if she does she doesn't get to attack you.

And Ikra? My lord that's a bunch of lifegain! I cut Whip of Erebos because it dragged games out for too long, is this just as bad? At least it only works when you connect with your opponent?

As for the partner text, I think I can ignore that just fine if the card plays well. So far there's a few cards that I would like to try out (remember, no {W/U}, {B/R}, {R/G}, {W/B} and {G/U} in my cube).

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shamizy

shamizy

GiftsForgiven said:
I still quite like him. I just wish he had something like Fear or X-walk or some evasive ability instead of deathtouch.
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I actually find Deathtouch to be massively underrated in general. Sure, it's not as good if you're facing down a board of 1/1s, but it's pretty interesting how often people are unwilling to trade off cards if it just feels like they've lost out on the exchange resource wise. People will let in 2-3 attacks, losing 1/4th or 1/3rd of their life total thinking yeah, I can deal with this later, instead of just trading away early on.
 
Tzenmoroth

Tzenmoroth

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This looks super sweet. I feel like I've always wanted this.

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I might like this better than Conscripts. Maybe. Or about the same. I think I need to test this because it feels like its going to lead to some pretty hilarious moments.
 
sigh

sigh

Chris Taylor said:
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This actually doesn't seem that bad. Threatens are usually only cast to kill someone, but the threat of getting another free threaten next turn might be worth it.

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Oooooooooooo...

Edit: Ah god damnit
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I like Ash Barrens a lot. For one, probably a good BLB candidate, especially for non-wastes solutions to {c}. But also just in general, wastes + lay of the land seems like a decent deal
 
shamizy

shamizy

Onderzeeboot said:
Speaking of only balanced in multiplayer, are these just way too good in 1 on 1?

636131679651533782.png
Pwonf2U.png


I mean, Citadel Siege was just bonkers in my cube, and Orzhov Advokist is a mana cheaper and comes with a body to put counters on! Of course your opponent can also put counters somewhere, but if she does she doesn't get to attack you.

And Ikra? My lord that's a bunch of lifegain! I cut Whip of Erebos because it dragged games out for too long, is this just as bad? At least it only works when you connect with your opponent?
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I actually think Advokist is just a bad card. You and your opponent each grow a creature, but now they just have a bigger blocker than before. If they kill the Advokist right after, then you're left facing down a slightly bigger threat. It's only good if you can keep your opponents board clear. I'm just not a fan.

Ikra has a strange body and just seems like it will be obnoxious to play against. Incidental lifegain in the 2-3 range is fine, but huge swings of 7-8+ is a bit oppressive. This card isn't really going to close out the game for you in any meaningful way, just drag it out.

On another note, finally have my first add with Ash Barrens. What a sweet card.
 
Golvin

Golvin

Ikra looks fine if you are attempting to make the BG Toughness matters deck work in a cube. I wish there was more cards that card about having high toughness directly outside of Khans Block and Doran. (Maybe better enablers?) But, I do agree that if handled improperly, the deck can turn games into someone browning in quicksand. (There is nothing like high toughness creatures to slow down a format.)
 
Golvin

Golvin

Grim Contest always had an interesting flavor behind it. Other considerable GB toughness matters cards to be used are Assault Formation, Abzan Beastmaster, Disciple of Griselbrand, Korozda Guildmage, Sapling of Calfenor, and a few others. In short, not a lot of anchors for the archetype that I was happy using in my cube. They generally failed to fill their role due to the speed of my cube and the liberal amounts of card advantage.

The other problem with having too many high toughness to power creatures is that it causes games to slow down too much and stonewall aggro. (To reference an earlier post: whip has not been nearly as much of an offender in my cube as toughness matters was.) But, I will say that it presents an interesting alternative or spin-off of GB Pod or the basic midrange value deck.
 
Golvin

Golvin

I do love that Wizards has decided that toughness matters is a viable design space to play around in compared to their historic focus on power matters. Hopefully they will decide to properly explore it in a standard or limited environment sometime soon. I think it would be interesting as a tear two-three deck unless enabled as an aggro deck.
 
psly4mne

psly4mne

Peter LaCara said:
Evolving Wilds is much better turn 1. This is interesting enough that I could see running both.
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I don't think that's true. Compare: turn 1 Evolving Wilds, fetch a basic tapped, turn 2 play another land. To: turn 1 play another land, EOT landcycle, turn 2 play a basic untapped.

Evolving Wilds is much better turn 1 if your only other land is a checkland; Ash Barrens is much better turn 1 if you're packing Mana Tithe / Force Spike.
 
Golvin

Golvin

psly4mne said:
Evolving Wilds is much better turn 1 if your only other land is a checkland; Ash Barrens is much better turn 1 if you're packing Mana Tithe / Force Spike.
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Depending on the number of colors you are running there are no real difference besides Evolving Wilds forces the land to come into play tapped. At the very least you have sold me on looking into where I could fit Ash Barrens. If it was not for GR Landfall/Ramp I think it would be an easy one for one. (Plus, I really like the art too.)
 
Diakonov

Diakonov

Ash Barrens and Evolving Wilds work at the same speed/tempo cost in terms of mana fixing, but if you topdeck Barrens or need every last bit of mana and don't need to fix, it is another land that comes into play untapped. This is a major advantage over Wilds, IMO. I'll still probably keep two Wilds in the ULD for decks that want landfall or Titania, but otherwise I see Barrens as killing two birds with one stone for Wilds & Wastes.
 
Onderzeeboot

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
My buy list:

Entrapment Maneuver
Faerie Artisans
Grip of Phyresis
Magus of the Will
Parting Thoughts
Frenzied Fugue
Ancient Excavation
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
Silas Renn, Seeker Adept
Sylvan Reclamation
Conqueror's Flail
10 Ash Barrens
40 of each Guay basic

Most of these I mentioned before, except Entrapment Maneuver, I think :)

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Love it!
 
sigh

sigh

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is fairly ridiculous? The absolute worst case is cycling for {1}{G}. If the opponent blocks with 3 creatures? 2 mana vigilance to team + draw 4? Thats... crazy! Now, they do get their entire team untapped for blocking, but it still seems like ridicloud value, especially since you can dig to removal before damage. Is it too good?
 
James Stevenson

James Stevenson

Steamflogger Boss
Staff member
I don't get the hype on this card at all. If somebody reports with play experience, I'll believe it.

I mean, it's AMAZING in multiplayer. Like, way beyond reasonable.

edit: I guess it's a pretty cool way to untap and block with a cantrip. I just don't see how this is ever going to be amazing on the attack. Your opponent is going to decide everything!
 
Diakonov

Diakonov

Chris Taylor said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but you do need to do it pre-blocks right?
Odd green punisher card?
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Yeah, I definitely misread it at first. The card has to resolve before blockers are declared since the declaration of blockers causes the triggers. Making it...weird.

You will never get to draw extra cards. If you want them to block, they won't, and if you don't want them to block, you wouldn't cast the card in the first place. That effect is even worse than a punisher card.

As James said, it's a decent defensive card, but inelegant with basically irrelevant extra text. Reminds me of Will of the Council.
 
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