I really like Silumgar's Command, mostly for the destroy Planeswalker text. That's always a useful mode to have on hand. It's always done its job in my list, either bouncing + killing something smaller or shutting down a big play + bouncing a creature. It's great for control decks and not really a high pick, though I'll pretty much always play it since it's a solid roleplayer.
Card/Deck Single Card Spotlight
- Thread starter Dom Harvey
- Start date
This with Psionic Blast and Imprisoned in the Moon might solve the problem of UG decks not having access to removal. Kind of like a permanent Snakeform that doesn't draw a card.
Lame.
That's the bottom line: compares really unfavorably with Snakeform.
Most drafters will avoid aura-based removal, correctly. I'm going to give Imprisoned a try since song of the dryads has been a modest success, but let's not go crazy here.
Most drafters will avoid aura-based removal, correctly. I'm going to give Imprisoned a try since song of the dryads has been a modest success, but let's not go crazy here.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
i.m.o UG having a unique identity that doesn't revolve around the familiar formula of creatures + removal is not an actual problem.
Dom Harvey
Contributor
It is if that identity never gets to manifest itself because the lack of removal proves to be a fundamental weakness
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
That shouldn't be a problem though, since its identity isn't hard removal based.
I will say, I don't think a straight UG deck has every really swept my cube. But the nature of Green's fixing lends itself to playing or splashing a third color.
I'm not saying it's not possible, but mostly players draft in such a way to avoid being boxed into
.
I'm not saying it's not possible, but mostly players draft in such a way to avoid being boxed into
.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
The thing with actual simic, is that its very focused in what it can and can't do, and wants specific cards. Other color combinations that might have the problem of trending towards weaker pairing identities can always lean on a crutch of creatures + removal to create some basic structure (without requiring much thought on the part of the designer) and without much of a margin of error in card selection.
With the possible exception of gy cubes, all that simic decks ever actually want to do is use blue to apply green's midrange pressure, with the success or failure of that archetypal plan resting on a handful of cards. I.m.o that type of tempo deck is incredibly fun to both play with or against, and it would be sad to lose something special just because its a little more difficult to understand and support. Especially when the proposed "solution" removal cards are always so underwhelming; I would much rather see UG truly embrace its identity as a tempo pairing with a unique play style.
With the possible exception of gy cubes, all that simic decks ever actually want to do is use blue to apply green's midrange pressure, with the success or failure of that archetypal plan resting on a handful of cards. I.m.o that type of tempo deck is incredibly fun to both play with or against, and it would be sad to lose something special just because its a little more difficult to understand and support. Especially when the proposed "solution" removal cards are always so underwhelming; I would much rather see UG truly embrace its identity as a tempo pairing with a unique play style.
I'm on team "Simic Tempo is cool", but I think this slight disagreement is a power level thing. The higher your average card power level, the jankier Simic tempo gets in my experience. And at a certain point, it is not worth drafting because the nut version of the deck isn't better than a generic goodstuff deck and it's 5 times harder to draft.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
I think it actually gets better at higher power level. I've seen Caleb Durward draft a couple powered cube simic decks and they always look great: wolfir silverheart is an amazing buff card for them, they get skullclamp to use on their mana dorks, noble hierarch is another great way to buff threats, and they get mana drain.
Maybe it's more like a U shaped curve then? Good at low power. Good at max power. Maybe not as good in the middle?
Wolfir is certainly amazing with flyers (my favorite pairing with BoP). But Simic tempo isn't the only deck that wants that card (or that play). And without clamp, wolfir, and mana drain. Is UG still a great deck? Honest question. I can't remember the last time I saw one of these at the table (though it was popular years ago).
Wolfir is certainly amazing with flyers (my favorite pairing with BoP). But Simic tempo isn't the only deck that wants that card (or that play). And without clamp, wolfir, and mana drain. Is UG still a great deck? Honest question. I can't remember the last time I saw one of these at the table (though it was popular years ago).
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
I think its very picky about what cards are in its pool. It needs large creatures, stat buffs, and the ability to suddenly force damage through. Wolfir is an all-star in that regard, and does everything the deck wants. Mystic snake and soft counters are very good too.
I'm not sure the higher power formula even can work without wolfir in the card pool.
I'm not sure the higher power formula even can work without wolfir in the card pool.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
I think the key thing for the deck is the ability to suddenly produce power and toughness, which only a handful of cards do well. Cards like wonder, wolfir silverheat, control magic, become immense and mistfire adept (at their respective power levels) can suddenly produce an immense amount of pressure out of nowhere, which backed up by soft counters and other blue disruption, is pretty good at ending games.
I strongly support blue tempooo decks in my cube and find that one to be quite fitting. Did someone actually put this in their cube?
I strongly support blue tempooo decks in my cube and find that one to be quite fitting. Did someone actually put this in their cube?
Yeah! Except here she's more for control and Pod midrange. Tempo wants stuff like Clique more imo.
I run her as well. She's very, very strong and doesn't need to particularly synergize with any mechanic in order to be good. Even if she just blanks removal for a few turns, it's worth it... to say nothing of putting the stop to Reanimation or Fattycheat shenanigans...
This is a card I'm surprisingly fond of, even though I don't actually have it in my cube...
I strongly support blue tempooo decks in my cube and find that one to be quite fitting. Did someone actually put this in their cube?
She's strong. Stronger than that. Stronger. Getting warmer. Still stronger. Keep going. Right by the 'busted in half' marker. Yeah, there she is.
I cut it for being too powerful. She's really oppressive, and if you have any board state at all when you cast her, it makes it insanely difficult for your opponent to interact with you. Plus, if you have any way to blink her, or give her +1/+1 counters, she gets even dumber. She's not quite Umezawa's Jitte level of making life miserable for your opponent, but she's closer than you think.