Card/Deck Low Power Card Spotlight

[LadyMapi]

If it returned to the battlefield, it'd be a better Bloodghast. By, like, a lot.

Ravnic, I'd test it out — it is definitely one of those cards where you want to discard it for value at least once before you actually play it, though. So I'd say that it's excellent in an Artifact/Madness deck (since it gives you a card you can repeatedly pitch for value that turns into a 4/2 when you're in the clear), OK in an artifact/dredge deck (sometimes you'll "draw" a 4/2 while stocking your graveyard), and bad in an Artifact/Sacrifice deck (4 mana for a repeatable sac target is expensive).

 

[blacksmithy]

agree with Mapi. i need to check if it’s in arena, it would rock in blood decks as a Squee that can beat down when needed

 

[LadyMapi]

I kinda want to try it out with Seize the Spoils, honestly.

 

[blacksmithy]

macabre waltz and bomat courier
life from the loam and bridge duals
gifts ungiven and myr battlesphere

 

[ravnic]

If it returned to the battlefield, it'd be a better Bloodghast. By, like, a lot.

Ravnic, I'd test it out — it is definitely one of those cards where you want to discard it for value at least once before you actually play it, though. So I'd say that it's excellent in an Artifact/Madness deck (since it gives you a card you can repeatedly pitch for value that turns into a 4/2 when you're in the clear), OK in an artifact/dredge deck (sometimes you'll "draw" a 4/2 while stocking your graveyard), and bad in an Artifact/Sacrifice deck (4 mana for a repeatable sac target is expensive).

Very interesting analysis. But one question remains for me: How good would it be n a deck with 15+ artifacts but almost no way to get it into the graveyard besides trading? I mean, a 4/2 is going to trade with something, usually.

I like the squee-like use case and I think with the dozens of discard outlets in my cube, it would happen naturally, even if your decks focus is artifacts and not really madness. But what I want primarily, is another black artifact payoff, not a madness payoff.

 

[blacksmithy]

2 toughness sucks but it’s not bad as long as you are not behind. if you’re behind, it doesn’t stabilize at all

 

[Rusje]

Is a unkillable 4/2 a nice payoff for a heavy artifact deck? Is it a nice bridge between artifacts and dredge/sacrifice/madness? And why does a Kaladeshi Pilot love to read The Underworld Cookbook?

Y'all think way too hard. Treat it like a sque, I.e., use it as a card advantage card. The issue is that with squee returns every turn and this one when one plays an artifact....

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Y'all think way too hard. Treat it like a sque, I.e., use it as a card advantage card. The issue is that with squee returns every turn and this one when one plays an artifact....

I actually tested this and ended up colorshifting Squee to black instead (lowering its casting cost to 1B).

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

After having played some crimson vow on Arena I've really started to like this card. It adds a fun minigame as the aggressive player, and feels a little bit like mother of runes but less busted.

 

[whydirt]

Have you heard the good news of Infantry Veteran?

 

[Brad]

Minister is one of my favorite Vow cards because of how well it fits into Onslaught Masters. A little life gain trigger for BW Clerics and a power-buffing one drop for Wx aggro.

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

Have you heard the good news of Infantry Veteran?

That's an interesting comparison! The life gain from minister is pretty relevant when racing though

 

[ravnic]

I do have a lifegain theme going in Wx, yet I am not convinced to cut Infantry Veteran for this. The Veteran is a much better card than people give it credit for, especially in go wide aggro decks. For blocking purposes, it almost acts like a virtual anthem, as the defending player has to calculate the +1/+1 for each attacker, potentially. It can let you make attacks on boards that would otherwise be stalled. And it works nicely with first and double strike, flying or lifelink.

 

[Heymaker]

I've been looking for some Simic inspiration based on some self-mill and recursion elements. With a little research, I came across some interesting directions based on Clear the Mind decks and Stream of Thought decks that popped up in their respective limited formats, that used those shuffle effects to some degree.

Anyone encounter fun deck builds in their cube after including Clear the Mind and/or friends (Loaming Shaman, Turn the Earth, Devious Cover-Up, Stream of Thought, Witness the Future, etc)?

 

[japahn]

I like the idea, but in practice these decks add a lot of time to the rounds, especially if your boards tend to get clogged and complex over time (which is less of a problem in retail limited, but can get pretty bad in cubes). It's the type of deck that is alright in Arena since rounds are async, but in paper drafts it warps the uh... event itself. Some people also are not into conceding until they are 100% dead, so that makes things worse.

When once it a while a game comes down to Junktroller being Lurrus, it's a blast.

 

[ravnic]

I'm guilty for loving the grind too much as well. So I would love to talk with you about our lord and library-saver Gurzigost.



Yes, he may be an ugly beast that looks like you just caught him pooping in a hole. Yes, he might drag out a game every once in a while. But as a 6/8 super trampler he's also very good at killing people, which mostly mitigates the second concern. As long as he's staying alive, he also turns into the best tutor ever once you milled your whole deck. Now, if that doesn't sound like fun!

 

[blacksmithy]

now see THIS is a low power archetype that speaks to me

 

[LadyMapi]

Some ideas:

 

[blacksmithy]

don’t forget a bazillion removal spells to keep the board clean until you can in fact mill yourself to ~~death~~ profit

 

[LadyMapi]

Yeah, honestly the archetype is all about playing a long control game. You don't really need anything other than the shufflers and a few potential finishers to make it all work.

EDIT: For whatever reason, I was reminded of this overly cute combo:

 

[Rusje]

Yeah, honestly the archetype is all about playing a long control game. You don't really need anything other than the shufflers and a few potential finishers to make it all work.

EDIT: For whatever reason, I was reminded of this overly cute combo:

That's just one time 3 additional damage right? It is slightly damage wose better than the lands deck damage combo (return shock variant when opponent gets life, together with the land that gives the opponent life) but it is much easier disrupted...

 

[Jason Waddell]

Build your own Searing Blaze

 

[Velrun]

I mean if youe cube has 10 Spellsbombs or other sacrifice artifacts, it could be a real build around without much other support except for tutors.

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

For what it's worth shuffle effects do work well with aggressively self milling + laboratory maniac.

 

[LadyMapi]

There's a reason I called it "overly cute".