Sets [KLD] Kaladesh Spoilers Thread

[sigh]

Oh, look at this! Provides evasion, card cycling, and is pretty reasonably costed, too. The value is obviously all in the mid-late game, but it could be interesting in an aggro-reanimator deck (protect Alesha, Who Smiles at Death as she reanimates? Eh? Eh?) and has great play with Wharf Infiltrator, too, for churning out lil eldrazi dumplings.

I am really liking this card. Rummaging for any color at the very least, and manaless unblockable has to be good? I see applications in lots of decks

• midrange beater decks that want to connect with their 4 mana 5/5.
• Let that seeker of the Way or Monastery Mentor connect, while providing valuable filtering for a spell deck
• discard outlet for reanimator, as mentioned. But even legit reanimator, with the added bonus of making your fatties unblock able next turn

Sweet card!

 

[Tzenmoroth]

Cultivator Caravan - 3
Artifact - Vehicle - Rare
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool
Crew 3
5/5

This card seems super neat. A mana rock that can attack for 5 if you have 3 creatures out. I like that it comes down turn 3 as well so it can't accelerate board wipes.

You only need to have a single 3 power creature out. Its pretty good but idk, its no Chimeric Idol and certainly no Scuttlemutt.

 

[Chris Taylor]

You only need to have a single 3 power creature out. Its pretty good but idk, its no Chimeric Idol and certainly no Scuttlemutt.

or a 2/1 and a 1/1

 

[Chris Taylor]

New Cycle spoiled by Limited Resources. More proliferate synergy sure, but some of these seem like decent creatures at base. Thriving Rino especially is probably quite close to the 3 mana 3/4 we've wanted for a while, while Grubs and Rats seem like slight upgrades/other options to Shambling Ghoul or Borderland Marauder

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

The bodies are pretty beefed up!

Look at this card!! Look at his cool moustache! It feels like a good tie in for a Wb disruption aggro deck with thalias and thought seizes.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Here's Tendo Ice Bridge that works better in multiples and doesn't require dice in the middle of your manabase, that seems pretty neat

 

[Diakonov]

Oh, look at this! Provides evasion, card cycling, and is pretty reasonably costed, too. The value is obviously all in the mid-late game, but it could be interesting in an aggro-reanimator deck (protect Alesha, Who Smiles at Death as she reanimates? Eh? Eh?) and has great play with Wharf Infiltrator, too, for churning out lil eldrazi dumplings.

This card has excellent flavor.

Take this key to get into the city.
Keep it secret. No one must find out that I gave you the key.
Such intrigue! The stress takes a toll on my mind.
(later)
Thank the gods, you've returned! Here, the payment I promised for the secrets you have stolen...

 

[sigh]

So, I have a big dilemma with this set. Energy.

It seems like a sweet mechanic in a vacuum, but it presents issues. Namely, it's another resource to be spent and kept track of, and it comes at a cost to simplicity and barrier to entry. We just had to deal with and incorporating that into formats (maybe ripping it back out later). What are people's thoughts going into this set on Energy? Just throwing in cards regardless of the mechanics particulars because they are good in play? Not incorporating it at all? Trying out a couple cards to see how they feel?

I feel like there could be a significant opportunity cost to not trying Energy out, but at the same time, it's definitely a different direction for magic to go than it usually does. That is a significant cost to a format also, or it can be.

Just overthinking it and let people have fun with some pokemon cards as they stack up E counters?

 

[RavebornMuse]

Return X target cards from your graveyard to your hand. Exile Wildest Dreams.

o_O Sweeeeeet!

Is a flexible Restock gonna be up to par? I want to think so, especially in green, which can ramp to draw more out of it. I just wish it didn't have the exile clause!

 

[Grillo_Parlante]

So, I have a big dilemma with this set. Energy.

It seems like a sweet mechanic in a vacuum, but it presents issues. Namely, it's another resource to be spent and kept track of, and it comes at a cost to simplicity and barrier to entry. We just had to deal with and incorporating that into formats (maybe ripping it back out later). What are people's thoughts going into this set on Energy? Just throwing in cards regardless of the mechanics particulars because they are good in play? Not incorporating it at all? Trying out a couple cards to see how they feel?

I feel like there could be a significant opportunity cost to not trying Energy out, but at the same time, it's definitely a different direction for magic to go than it usually does. That is a significant cost to a format also, or it can be.

Just overthinking it and let people have fun with some pokemon cards as they stack up E counters?

I think the thing to do is wait until the full spoiler and see the density and quality of energy cards. Right now I suspect that it will lack sufficient density for cube. If it passes that bar, however, than you can make a decision weighing its cons to its pros.

 

[RavebornMuse]

So, I have a big dilemma with this set. Energy.

It seems like a sweet mechanic in a vacuum, but it presents issues. Namely, it's another resource to be spent and kept track of, and it comes at a cost to simplicity and barrier to entry. We just had to deal with and incorporating that into formats (maybe ripping it back out later). What are people's thoughts going into this set on Energy? Just throwing in cards regardless of the mechanics particulars because they are good in play? Not incorporating it at all? Trying out a couple cards to see how they feel?

I feel like there could be a significant opportunity cost to not trying Energy out, but at the same time, it's definitely a different direction for magic to go than it usually does. That is a significant cost to a format also, or it can be.

Just overthinking it and let people have fun with some pokemon cards as they stack up E counters?

You're overthinking it. This is probably the most simple to introduce mechanic for cube in a long time, honestly.

Compare to.. oh, I don't know, any of the other shit we ask players to keep track of? Creature type line? The graveyard as a near-constant concern (for most of our formats)? Duplicates? Level up counters in an environment that also supplies +1/+1 counters? Indicating Warden of the First Tree and his bizarre pseudo-level up ability? We ask a lot more of our players every game than energy.

The comparison between the elegance of Energy and the absolute trainwreck shitshow that is the sixth colour of Magic is a bad one. requires difficult mana base formulations, and manabase is already part of the hurdle that most players struggle with the worst. Adding a sixth colour of Magic makes the hardest part of deckbuilding significantly harder, harder than most seasoned drafters here probably truly appreciate.

Meanwhile, Energy is largely self-sufficient. Cards generate their own Energy so far in some fashion or another, and have such obvious and natural synergies when you put them side-by-side; "Oh, I can save my energy from X card to expend on Y card. Neat!" Going back to a concept I use in my own cube development, which I've referenced here, Energy is a package we can easily include, as it offers lines and signs simultaneously across all cards. It's marvelously inclusive and easy to understand. I'll likely be giving each player an "Energy card" to stack energy counters on, and that'll be the end of it. This is the best new idea in Magic in a long time, and I guarantee you, players are going to learn it fast and love the thrill of trying to unlock its full potential.

 

[sigh]

I think the thing to do is wait until the full spoiler and see the density and quality of energy cards. Right now I suspect that it will lack sufficient density for cube. If it passes that bar, however, than you can make a decision weighing its cons to its pros.

Very prudent advice

While I definitely will be doing that, however I mean also using energy cards outside of a theme: Would you run Thriving Grubs on it's lonesome because it's a better Borderland Marauder? Bristling Hydra?

You're overthinking it. This is probably the most simple to introduce mechanic for cube in a long time, honestly.

Compare to.. oh, I don't know, any of the other shit we ask players to keep track of? Creature type line? The graveyard as a near-constant concern (for most of our formats)? Duplicates? Level up counters in an environment that also supplies +1/+1 counters? Indicating Warden of the First Tree and his bizarre pseudo-level up ability? We ask a lot more of our players every game than energy.

The comparison between the elegance of Energy and the absolute trainwreck shitshow that is the sixth colour of Magic is a bad one. requires difficult mana base formulations, and manabase is already part of the hurdle that most players struggle with the worst. Adding a sixth colour of Magic makes the hardest part of deckbuilding significantly harder, harder than most seasoned drafters here probably truly appreciate.

Meanwhile, Energy is largely self-sufficient. Cards generate their own Energy so far in some fashion or another, and have such obvious and natural synergies when you put them side-by-side; "Oh, I can save my energy from X card to expend on Y card. Neat!" Going back to a concept I use in my own cube development, which I've referenced here, Energy is a package we can easily include, as it offers lines and signs simultaneously across all cards. It's marvelously inclusive and easy to understand. I'll likely be giving each player an "Energy card" to stack energy counters on, and that'll be the end of it. This is the best new idea in Magic in a long time, and I guarantee you, players are going to learn it fast and love the thrill of trying to unlock its full potential.

And a smashingly good if very energetic analysis . I am convinced to shake off the rust of these old magic bones and give energy a shot. I guess WCS my group hates it and I do a system restore. As you point out, this is a lot less painful that is because it's not a manbase concern, and I went along with that, so???

As of now the energy cards that I'm most interested in are probably:
Aetherstorm Roc
Thriving Grub
Bristling Hydra
Aether Hub
But I can see arguments for further investment to make the mechanic more holistic.

 

[Grillo_Parlante]

I've not really been impressed by any of the energy cards thus far. In a format that can reward managing energy as an additional resource, it seems promising, but you need density for that. Otherwise its just a clunky take on another etb value mechanic.

Grubs is intersting if you have competing uses for its energy counters, otherwise not to much. I suppose there could be odd points on the curve or niches for the cards to fill, but generally not too excited about the cards for cube.

Usually with these mechanics, we get 1-2 playable cards for each respective power level, so I doubt I will get the density I want, outside of the draft environ proper. We'll see though.

 

[Jason Waddell]

I don't know, I think Energy seems super sweet for a low-level cube. The mechanic really intrigues me. Resource management in Netrunner was phenomenal, and this appears to borrow some of that. The design is at its most interesting through when you have a variety of energy sinks in your deck, as otherwise the individual cards are kind of clunky on their own. Really looking forward to this limited environment.

 

[Peter LaCara]

This card is weird, but cool, which seems to be the mantra for this set. I might like it as a Phyrexian Arena alternative.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I still think Midnight Owl is the more logical name for that card. It has nothing to do with Oil and the Japanese title suggest sleep deprivation.

 

[shamizy]

I still think Midnight Owl is the more logical name for that card. It has nothing to do with Oil and the Japanese title suggest sleep deprivation.

Nah, looks like a play on the saying "burning the midnight oil".

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Nah, looks like a play on the saying "burning the midnight oil".

Huh, I figured it was a play on night owl. I learned something new today!

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

Huh, I figured it was a play on night owl. I learned something new today!

Oh jesus so did I. Figured the damage was from continuously being up several hours?

 

[yan]

wheres the red mech titan wizards slow rolling

i kinda like these. no equip cost but the artifact is more vulnerable. does this read +2/+2, flying, looting and looting on blocks? or no

 

[FlowerSunRain]

If you have a 1/1 creature it does.

Vehicles are pretty cool, but they don't scale with the size of the "equipped" creature.

 

[ahadabans]

Mechanically, I like vehicles. But flavor wise? Not really a fan. For the same reason I always default to a fantasy setting over a sci-fi one. I just like wizards and dragons better, especially in a game called "Magic".

I hope they do a set of medieval flavored vehicles. Siege engines, ballistas, Viking longship, whatever. It's a neat idea.

 

[Grillo_Parlante]

Mechanically, I like vehicles. But flavor wise? Not really a fan. For the same reason I always default to a fantasy setting over a sci-fi one. I just like wizards and dragons better, especially in a game called "Magic".

I hope they do a set of medieval flavored vehicles. Siege engines, ballistas, Viking longship, whatever. It's a neat idea.

Don't worry, I suspect the phyrexians will be showing up in the next set to wreak the pod racers and their racing tracks.

You would think the people in the multi-verse would have figured out by now what happens when you have the gall to build a prospering robot utopia. I can taste chandra's tears already.

 

[Peter LaCara]

I doubt I'm gonna run the card, but this is easily the best name in the set thus far.

I like this a lot. Like, more than Mulldrifter, maybe. Mulldrifter is just so generically goodstuff and powerful, this may be an acceptable compromise.

 

[ahadabans]

I like this a lot. Like, more than Mulldrifter, maybe. Mulldrifter is just so generically goodstuff and powerful, this may be an acceptable compromise.

This is exactly the scenario I think where this card is appropriate. It's clearly a pretty big downgrade from Mulldrifter (evoke matters so much on that card), and tacking on 2 life at the cost of making it multi-colored is also a bad tradeoff. That said, if you want to tone down ETB value dudes this card is actually sort of sweet because it still does a lot of that while being harder to run and abuse. Instead of having a generic Ux value good stuff filler card (that goes in everything), you can make it a guild theme and tie it more narrowly to UW blink/skies or whatever. Neat.