General Fight Club
- Thread starter Jason Waddell
- Start date
Both are great, but I prefer Nissa. Curse is likely too good in most Riptide-type lists.
Nissa has a little more play, as it can make the tokens it is later going to pump. It also doesn't require that you attack with your mana dorks to make them 2/2s, which is nice. I also don't run many enchantments in my Cube, and therefore very little enchantment removal, making Nissa is easier to interact with. That makes it my pick.
Nissa has a little more play, as it can make the tokens it is later going to pump. It also doesn't require that you attack with your mana dorks to make them 2/2s, which is nice. I also don't run many enchantments in my Cube, and therefore very little enchantment removal, making Nissa is easier to interact with. That makes it my pick.
+1 for Curse of Predation being a smidgen too good. I think this opinion is shared by a couple of folks on here, all of whom are anywhere from slightly to outrageously aggro-leaning. It takes very little work before it's a Dictate of Heliod, or even a Collective Blessing.
At four mana, it'd probably be fair, and I think I'd still snap run it.
At four mana, it'd probably be fair, and I think I'd still snap run it.
+1 for too good from me too. The amount of things that can take it way over the top is pretty crazy. Lingering souls? Even raise the alarm into curse is bankers. I do love my elfish PW's, apparently (I run all but OG Nissa). Like Tanner said, still strong but leaves more interesting options.
Yeah, Tanner makes an interesting point about planeswalkers-as-anthems actually being easier to interact with, than actual Glorious Anthem. It's mainly for this reason that I'm still running oldie-but-goodie Ajani Goldmane; his upside is higher than your typical Crusade, but sometimes your sequencing is off, or your opponent throws you a curveball, and then he just bites the dust before he gets a chance to pump all your critters.
Dom Harvey
Contributor
Doesn't the vigilance make Ajani Goldmane harder to interact with in general?
Also:
Also:
In constructed, it definitely did, when the normal line was Spectral Procession -> Ajani Goldmane; that was always nothing short of brutal. I find that in cube, efficient token makers are harder to come by, and there are plenty of instances where you have zero, one, or two bodies out when you cast him, making it a real decision on whether to drop his loyalty to pump immediately, or to bump up his loyalty and try to get more animals on the board first.
Re: landfall red two drops, I would say neither, but Plated Geopede if you must - he's really hard to tangle with in the red zone
Re: landfall red two drops, I would say neither, but Plated Geopede if you must - he's really hard to tangle with in the red zone
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I've found nissa to be both weak and a lot better at simply plusing until she ultimates.
You're right though, what I really want is green Ajani Goldmane
You're right though, what I really want is green Ajani Goldmane
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Chris Taylor
Contributor
You ever have one of those times where you say something, and then you come back and something wholly unexpected but in hindsight totally obvious happens?
Thanks bootman
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Love the Bearjani. Can you link the art so I can add that as an actual custom if I need to, instead of just borrowing your scan?
I've been contemplating this:
I've been contemplating this:
Sweet card. Templated a little weird for an enchantment if you are using WotC schemes for how enchantments work. If they were to make it the card would have no
and instead would have some sort of "Activate an ability of this card once per turn" rider. That's my best guess, at least. That being said, this ain't WotC so have fun.Also just noticed that the Mana dork part doesn't remove a counter. Sweet and strong card.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I think if it was an actual card it'd just say "at the beginning of your precombat main phase choose one" but then we're basically back to curse of predation.
Looking for a 3 cmc mana rock with upside - write-in answers again welcome!
I wasn't sure I agreed with your decision to cut the talisman but I felt like I would stand behind it because 3cc rocks and regular life gain are a frustrating and tedious play experience on both sides of a match and probably interfere with game length. Obelisk also just has so little speaking for it though... I feel like there's gotta be a better solution. Something a little bit more dynamic that encourages players to slow roll a little less and doesn't hurt the way playing something that is essentially just a wastes that costs 3 mana does.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Looking for a 3 cmc mana rock with upside - write-in answers again welcome!
My favorite upside is +1:
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Sure, no problem! Basically the perfect art for a green "Ajani", and it's unused as well, because the original client didn't think the art was fierce enough
Also, tapping enchantments have been done before, but they always feel a bit off to me flavor-wise. Like, is that a spell that can act on its own? A sentient spell? I would be inclined to make it an enchant land.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
All of the mana rocks in my cube are 3cc or higher, if you want to ramp before turn 3, you have turn to green. I first weeded out Worn Powerstone and Coalition Relic after I found they were a bit too good at enabling the midrange/control deck to deal with aggro by just putting a Titan onto the battlefield on turn 4. Then I cut the 2cc mana rocks when aggro was still getting pounded by 4cc wraths. The 3+ cc rocks still see play in decks aiming for haymakers, and green has a bit more identity as the ramp color because it's actually better at ramping than other colors now. I'm pretty pleased with the effect this decision had on my cube, so I'm curious what it is you find tedious about 3cc.
I'm not sure what to do about the tediousness either, besides only recommend Powerstone and RelicLooking for a 3 cmc mana rock with upside - write-in answers again welcome!
. I do like Unstable obelisk quite a bit. I am actually quite fond of this little guy:The ability cost is a little steep, but it gets closer and closer to "
, : Draw a card" the longer the game goes on.I guess technically mana prism fits the theme of what you are looking for, but.... prismatic lens kinda just beats it. Is there a reason it's gotta be 3cmc? One of the neatest mana-rocks-with-upside imo is:
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Sure, no problem! Basically the perfect art for a green "Ajani", and it's unused as well, because the original client didn't think the art was fierce enough
Also, tapping enchantments have been done before, but they always feel a bit off to me flavor-wise. Like, is that a spell that can act on its own? A sentient spell? I would be inclined to make it an enchant land.
Hahahahahah the original art description is "A Grizzeled Old Warrior". Amazing!
Yeah, I think Lucas is right - these 3 cmc mana rocks are just too durdly, and Pristine Talisman had the annoying side effect of prolonging games when I used to run it. I already have four 2 cmc mana rocks (Prismatic Lens, Mind Stone, Sphere of the Suns, Coldsteel Heart), and was looking to add a 'big' mana rock with some jump to it, but on second thought maybe a fifth rock is just better.
I wasn't all that impressed by Guardian Idol when I had it in a couple years ago, but maybe the time is right for it now.
I wasn't all that impressed by Guardian Idol when I had it in a couple years ago, but maybe the time is right for it now.
That is probably true, but there are some decks who naturally durdle around more than others, and are okay doing it (environment speed could affect this statement, obvs). I've liked Guardian Idol well enough, but can see where it's not really super impressive/flashy.
If you don't confine yourself to three mana, I think the goto "big rock with nice upside" has gotta be