Arcanist is the more interesting card because it requires you to enter the rumble zone and thereby changes your play patters, whereas Magmatic Channeler is a Saga with a bunch of chapters that give you an option to cast a variant on Tormenting Voices and then you get a 4/4 as the last chapter. But my bias will always be towards the cards that pay you off for performing certain actions rather than for putting them into your deck.
General Fight Club
- Thread starter Jason Waddell
- Start date
if you really want to deeply support Rx spells rather than, say, UR spells, just to give you an idea of how deep i’ve gone in that direction… of my 7 red two drops, 6 care about noncreature spells, and there’s one custom 2 drop not shown that is also a noncreature spells creature, so i am firmly in the same “why not both” camp as @sigh
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I do like arcanist more because it lets you "live the dream" a lot better than channeller which is just kinda a looter/tarmogoyf (Hardly a bad place to be, for sure)
I think I'm (in a do as I say not as I do kinda way, since I'm only running 1 and I am EXTREMELY fussy with my red 2s at the moment) is run both.
I think I'm (in a do as I say not as I do kinda way, since I'm only running 1 and I am EXTREMELY fussy with my red 2s at the moment) is run both.
I adore both for both GY shenanigans sake and for supporting spells decks, but they've been comparatively unpopular to other two drops and have been at the cusp of my cube for the last year. I'm committed to keeping them in over generic aggro beaters, but it's hard to justify two dudes with 1 base power at such a competitive MV in such an aggressive color, no matter the other context.
Personally, I only have 30 instants or sorceries at 1 MV in my list of 720 cards -- that's just 4% of the cube. As a result, it's really tough to use Dreadhorde Arcanist without any additional ways to buff him. There are plenty, sure, but unless you can make it a sure thing, his utility is fairly limited.
Magmatic Channeler, on the other hand, is an engine all in herself, a 'Goyf that can feed herself. But still, not a high pick for Rx aggressive decks unless you're running 8-10 spells, which you'd be lucky to get with the amount of competition for burn spells. All the same, if I could only keep one, I'd keep her for her increased flexibility, even if she doesn't have the classic border treatment or as high of a ceiling.
@Chris Taylor, looking at your list, I imagine both would be incredibly good and fit in quite well with you red twos. Loving the custom cards, but I do gotta ask -- why run two Heartfire Immolators? I get the double Pyromancers, it's a great glue card and really contributes to your spells-matter package. But both of these we're discussing do as well, and the redundancy in Immolators is less necessary thanks to your prowess-having customs.
Please do not leave.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Immolater is a card that sparks joy with me so I added two when it came out
I'd made a bunch of red 2/2 prowess for 2 and none of them felt great, but Immolater has their upside and a solid floor (I've cubed with ember hauler before)
Okay then. I will stay in the background then. I’ll keep updating the MtG Lore thread (which now has the (15 song) Neon Dynasty soundtrack and the What the Deck thread and I’ll keep running the Weekly Fun Q whenever we’re between spoiler seasons. Thank you @Rusje
Context: Medium powered cube with a small reanimator package:
vs. vs.
How many of these would you run? And which of these?
I like how these cards are two combo pieces in one (fatty + discard) for the reanimator archetype and are still relevant if you don`t draw into your reanimation.
vs. vs. How many of these would you run? And which of these?
I like how these cards are two combo pieces in one (fatty + discard) for the reanimator archetype and are still relevant if you don`t draw into your reanimation.
In a compareable set up I am only running the rex, but that's mostly for space reasons. I like the Skyturtle the most (even though I don't see why it's an enchantment, but lets leave that discussion) and I would run it if I had more gold slots. It works in both black/green and blue/black reanimator!
Also, while it has less oomph as a creature, you should run Krosan Tusker. It's a green, instant speed divination that bins a 6/5 to reanimate.
Also, while it has less oomph as a creature, you should run Krosan Tusker. It's a green, instant speed divination that bins a 6/5 to reanimate.
Maybe it helps to think of the turtle as a hybrid
card? While not super good it can be run in a mono or deck in a pinch.Agree with you on the Tusker. Here is the rest of my self-discarding creatures:
While they provide some value for reanimation, they are not super splashy and you don´t feel as clever when reanimating these.
of these i would run Waker, Turtle, and Krosan Tusker given your power level. If you do run Turtle you should strongly consider Season of Renewal for that sweet loop actionContext: Medium powered cube with a small reanimator package:
How many of these would you run? And which of these?
I like how these cards are two combo pieces in one (fatty + discard) for the reanimator archetype and are still relevant if you don`t draw into your reanimation.
I would stay away from Rex, it is a 2 turn clock which can be a tad to strong on turn 3 and it adds complexity with a trample counter. Too many different counters are confusing.Context: Medium powered cube with a small reanimator package:
How many of these would you run? And which of these?
I like how these cards are two combo pieces in one (fatty + discard) for the reanimator archetype and are still relevant if you don`t draw into your reanimation.
the cool thing about Waker, Tusker, and Turtle is sometimes you will indeed just hard cast them and it’s “fine” if that was what you needed to have something to do with your mana. you are never ever gonna hard cast Rex. if your other decks can hang with a t2-4 11/11 that’s fine but if you’re mostly a fair cube Rex is just not a “fair” card
Rex is awesome for reanimator. A target that's actually exciting without being a win-more mythic. So many other options are just... not enticing at all for an actual reanimator deck. Sure tusker is value, but it's just that, value. Not many look at it and immediately go "this would make a great target for a reanimator deck!". That player may end up picking it up, but you don't swivel into reanimator because of tusker, and any other Gx deck is just as likely to want it. But with the Rex, you look at it and you know. You know. And it does that without being Griselbrand, and with a cycling outlet in case the cards don't land right or you don't have another discard.
Even if you have a dream hand and can get it in the grave T1 and reanimate with the life // death T2, it offers no self-spell-protection (except from burn I guess) and has no haste. The opponent still has a fair chance to handle it for 2 more turns. And that's a dream scenario, because you can't discard it to itself T1, you would need an outlet or to get lucky with something like stitcher's supplier.
This scenario also knocks you down to almost half-health. That might put you in auto-kill range for an aggro deck before you can get both swings in (or stop you from swinging because of that threat).
I run Rex, and will run Turtle. I'm also on the archfiend of ifnir mentioned above, as well as angel of the ruins and ruin grinder for some sweet landcycling action.
Even if you have a dream hand and can get it in the grave T1 and reanimate with the life // death T2, it offers no self-spell-protection (except from burn I guess) and has no haste. The opponent still has a fair chance to handle it for 2 more turns. And that's a dream scenario, because you can't discard it to itself T1, you would need an outlet or to get lucky with something like stitcher's supplier.
This scenario also knocks you down to almost half-health. That might put you in auto-kill range for an aggro deck before you can get both swings in (or stop you from swinging because of that threat).
I run Rex, and will run Turtle. I'm also on the archfiend of ifnir mentioned above, as well as angel of the ruins and ruin grinder for some sweet landcycling action.
shoutout to Monitor for getting Ramunap Ruins in play for you
agree. there’s room for both depending on your size and themes but if you have to pick one, giant is just better
Chris Taylor
Contributor
But we have to ask the real question: Where are greater tanuki's gigantic testicles?