Sets [MCD] M14 previews

Dom Harvey

Contributor
It looks like the Core Sets are continuing to be excellent stand-alone sets. We've only had about 1/3 of the previews (including lands) and there's already a few cards to discuss.

Liliana's Reaver
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Creature - Zombie
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Deathtouch
Whenever Liliana's Reaver deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card and you put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield tapped.
Illus. Karl Kopinski 4/3


I don't know how favourably this compares to Graveborn Muse, but maybe?

Ogre Battledriver
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Creature - Ogre Warrior
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Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, that creature gets +2/+0 and gains haste until end of turn.
Ogres are driven by passion, rage, and another ogre standing behind them with a whip.
Illus. Greg Staples
3/3


Be still my beating heart! Just think of all the things this works well with: Empty the Warrens (!!!), Burning-Tree Emissary/Priest of Urabrask, Mogg War Marshal/Blade Splicer/Marsh Flitter/Huntmaster/Lingering Souls/Spectral Procession/Emeria Angel/(Promise of Bunrei), Meloku/Siege-Gang Commander/Cloudgoat Ranger/Deranged Hermit/Avenger of Zendikar/Myr Battlesphere, Wolfbriar Elemental, Silverblade Paladin/Wolfir Silverheart, Restoration Angel, Geist of Saint Traft, Soltari Champion/Hero of Bladehold, Titans, Kor Skyfisher, Murderous Redcap, Zombie Infestation, Young Pyromancer, the card type Creature. I'm not sure if I should test it though, as MTGS says it's not good enough for the Cube. Gotta stay true to Keldon Champion.

Young Pyromancer
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Creature - Human Shaman
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Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a 1/1 red Elemental creature token onto the battlefield.
Immolation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Illus. Cynthia Sheppard


Good enough in red aggro decks as a Bear that provides incidental value, and a card that you can build around. Between this, Delver, Guttersnipe, Talrand, Augur, and so on, the spells matter theme in U/R doesn't need too much attention to become competitive.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
I'm not sure if I should test it though, as MTGS says it's not good enough for the Cube. Gotta stay true to Keldon Champion.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not.

Also, you didn't post the stats on Young Pyromancer. You say it's a bear, but that could mean all sorts of things. ;)

Image.ashx
 

CML

Contributor
Take me to the Reaver // drop me in the water (this was a better song when people played Brood War)

+1 on Pyromancer being awesome. True to character I'm gonna say my favorite spoiler so far is the 3/3 for GG. I also like the G uncounterable card and the mythic and rare G enchantments. Green is the sweetest color and if you disagree with me you are wrong.

None of the White cards really do it for me

Edit: Battledriver is particularly droolworthy. What a card!!!

Second edit: read the rest of your 'first impression' jason -- no love for Mogg War Marshal? dog is a legacy staple! (it's kinda funny when i use that terminology to explain why, in fact, Siege-Gang Commander is a stronger card than Thundermaw Hellkite...)
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Well, I run him, so that's love right? Mostly I was trying to look at other two-drops that put multiple bodies on the field.
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Fuckers stole my flavor text on pryomancer! That was what I had as a flavor text on forkcaster mage!
I'll edit in my thought on M14 so far in a bit
 

CML

Contributor
more love than i have for the dude ;) and of course he's just a tribal card in legacy but god is he good. (it's funny that out of the three tribal decks in legacy, the red one is control, the blue one is aggro, the green one is combo)
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
So far:
Ajani's Chosen:
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This could be interesting, kinda like a less all or nothing Sigil of the Empty Throne. Enchantress could be an interesting sub theme for a cube :)

Seraph of the Sword:
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If I want a cho-mano, this is a pretty sweet cho mano. Phantom Monster is a sweet magic card after all.

Jace's Mindseeker:
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That's a hell of a chancellor of the spires. +1 for the mill deck eh CML? :p
The difference between 6 and 7 is huge after all.

Grim Return:
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Interesting. Part Undying Evil, part Dominate? it might be too much mana, but thats a cool effect.

Young Pyromancer:
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Interesting. I just ditched the spells matter blue red thing (for the most part), but he looks better than talarand did. He might even have a decent place in the red aggro deck, since it usually has a bunch of burn spells flying around.

Ogre Battledriver:
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I'm not terribly optimistic. He's midrange tastic though, so if you're looking for some help in that department, sign on up. I'm sure it's fine average case scenario, but it's just not what I'm looking to do.

Savage Summoning:
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Yeah sure the uncounterable thing seems weird, but I'll by it. Scout's Warning, only a counter instead of a card? Could be. Certainly makes green more tricksy, which I like.
 

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
I guess I'm the only one who likes the mythic angel? I always thought that Baneslayer was a little bit over the line, plus the new angel is a (potential) anthem which is always welcome in white. It seems like the exact card I want.
 
The demon seems great! it's a nekrataal that turns on sacrifice synergies! I like that it's not always right to just send him out alone too.
I also really like young pyromancer. Seems like a good slot for the spells tempo deck.
I'll also keep Vastwood Hydra, Goblin Diplomats, and flying cho-manno in mind
 

CML

Contributor
yeah but not from modern!

i was trying to come up with a witty retort based around baneslayer's more-broadly useful "gain 5" disposition but i couldn't, help me out?
 

CML

Contributor
haha, whenever i watch political stuff over here i always wanna yank the damn mic from under obama's throat and start ad-libbin CML-style. the one politician that isn't like that is bill clinton, then i realized that people i considered friends were those few with whom i didn't have that compulsion to 'come up with both sides of the dialogue.' on the other hand, the worst professors at college were the ones that 'had dialogues with themselves and monologues with others.' language is fun
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
I'm lovin the demon so far, as I found he's a lot more in line with what I want than bloodgift demon.

Here's what we get instead of thundermaw btw:
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Now a few things to note here: it does say "or player" and it does say "or another dragon", so it's better than I thought it was (Which was the worst foundry champion ever)
Still not too excited for dragon tribal in my cube though :p Go deep on Crucible of Fire?
 
giant tribal takes priority at the moment. i might be able to support both if i get real sly though ... i'll be looking into it and maybe i'll conjure some kind of primer post or something ;)
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Just a heads up, the Young Pyromancer article was fairly well trafficked, so if anyone wants to take a stab at any other card previews I'd be happy to post it.
 

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
When I saw Liliana's Reaver, the first card that popped to mind is Ashling, the Extinguisher. Both cards have the same cost, similar bodies, and a beneficial trigger on dealing combat damage to a player. Obviously Liliana's Reaver is much more effective on an empty board. Some difference in power level, but I think the functionality is similar enough that you can use your experience with Ashling as a comparison point.
 
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