Sets [M20] Core Set 2020

[Velrun]

It’s like calling Aristocrats for “Sacrifice matters.”

It makes sense but it is boring.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

It’s like calling Aristocrats for “Sacrifice matters.”

It makes sense but it is boring.

Aristocrats works though, because there was a popular and succesful deck (ab)using the sacrifice matters theme. People associate "aristocrats" with that theme. If you want the same for the discard matters theme, you'ld have to find something that resonates. Doesn't have to be a historic deck, it can also be a movie or popular book. Maybe a movie about overcoming amnesia (i.e. making something out of discarding memories/cards) like Bourne, Total Recall, or Memento? Oh, or, considering that the ideal is to set up a Squee "loop": Groundhog Day? Ultimately, trying to name something feels a bit forced, and people just understand this as the discard matters theme. I think I would just bewilder them with one of these names. Only MtG-related thing I can think off of the top off my head is Madness. That's not that bad of an idea actually, even madness-less decks employ a madness-like shell to enable their discard shenanigans. It's sort of how like Affinity doesn't play any actual affinity cards anymore nowadays

Yeah, let's just call the archetype Madness (without madness cards).

 

[Velrun]

Madness then!

 

[Peter LaCara]

Has anyone played with or against this card yet?


It just reads like a sweet card. Makes you think, wins the game if its played properly, but also costly and expensive.

It's very slow and the cost is real, but the payoff was absolutely worth it at least in the two sealed decks I had it in. I have no idea how it would be in anything outside core set limited. I suspect it doesn't get there unless you're super low powered or aggro is non-existent.

 

[Mondschwein]

Out of my mind and just in Grixis colours..

Spoiler

Discard matters, aristocrats, artifacts, reanimator

Altar definitely being one of the worst of them all. I like Demonic Rising instead.

 

[Knifethrower]

Has anyone played with or against this card yet?


It just reads like a sweet card. Makes you think, wins the game if its played properly, but also costly and expensive.

Could be a payoff for a defenders deck.

 

[marwatt]

 

[japahn]

Isn't that just a worse Merfolk Looter that is passable in UB Control/Madness? I want to like the card, but it's super narrow.

 

[Velrun]

I have NEVER seen that card before..

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I have NEVER seen that card before..

Wait until you see the other blue card with black tendencies from that era!

 

[ravnic]

That artwork is so ... prehistoric. Could be from an old "dino-book" I've had as a kid. Damn I love old mtg art.

 

[marwatt]

Isn't that just a worse Merfolk Looter that is passable in UB Control/Madness? I want to like the card, but it's super narrow.

It is a human as well . Had it lying around and am running it as a second looter next to thought courier in a low power environment with madness/discard matters archetypes. Ofcourse the ice age version: krovikan sorcerer|ia.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Reading the M-files, and only now realize...



...is best buddies with...



Wow. Mind blown that it is any token! I need to get Curse of Opulence back into my cube!

 

[Peter LaCara]

So I'm enamored with Risen Reef. What is the as-fan of elementals that you're going to need before it's more than just an expensive Coiling Oracle?

 

[Velrun]

6 in your deck.

But I would not put Elemental tribals into my cube. When it curves = Too strong. When it doesn’t curve = Too weak.

And you are not in control. Meaning you are not the one who dictates if your games will go well or poorly. It is up to the draws more than most other decks.

 

[Peter LaCara]

6 in your deck.

But I would not put Elemental tribals into my cube. When it curves = Too strong. When it doesn’t curve = Too weak.

And you are not in control. Meaning you are not the one who dictates if your games will go well or poorly. It is up to the draws more than most other decks.

 

[TrainmasterGT]

 

[japahn]

I don't think Elementals payoffs are especially snowbally. Risen Reef is, but it's one card, fairly fragile, and 3cc is not that fast.

The critical mass depends on other payoffs and on the power level of your cube. In my slow and low power cube, considering there are no other Elementals payoffs, I'd run Risen Reef begrudgingly with another 3 elementals in the deck, and happily with another 6. The problem with having a single payoff is that if you don't draw it (rule of thumb I use is 50% of games) your deck is just a pile.

 

[Velrun]

So I'm enamored with Risen Reef. What is the as-fan of elementals that you're going to need before it's more than just an expensive Coiling Oracle?

Okay. Let’s play your game.

My issue with strategies that snowball is the same as my issue with ‘non-games’. The stakes are too high. People have been drafting for 30 minutes and constructed deck for another 15. If they are then suppose to endure 3 full matches of unfun, then that is no good. The same goes for balance in the cube.

However Jason made a format where this can be ignored: Microsealed
https://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/ideas-for-a-microsealed-cube.2045/
Link to Ravnic’s post where there is a link to Jason’s article.

All the issues are gone because there is so much change after each game and match. Your cards have exhaust/abandon so you cannot win too much with them.

This is where I would put Elementals. I would keep them in Temur.

I have taken the liberty of looking up potential cards for you:


















+ 3 Cavaliers from Core 2020.

There are a lot of different routes to dig into here but I think it is safe to say that you would have a blast fiddling with this Also this works on many different power levels. I am still not convinced this works in a regular cube.