Card/Deck Single Card Spotlight

[James Stevenson]

I know they've been discussed before, but what do people think of the Souls cycle now that they've been around for awhile?

I like Soul of Innistrad and Ravnica. The black one because I like graveyard value cards, especially if they still do work when they're in the bin. The Ravnica is cool for multicolor themes, like in the E Domain cube. The rest bore me.

 

[Alfonzo Bonzo]

I like and play the black and the red ones. I find the others a bit dull and like how they play into discard and self mill for value.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I never dared try the white one, team-wide lifelink is such a nuisance...

 

[sigh]

I like and play the black and the red ones. I find the others a bit dull and like how they play into discard and self mill for value.

Exactly this. Love being able to pitch them to a looter or something and still use the spell effect (and have it be worth it). I'm currently on red and black as well.

White was overbearing if it stuck around.

Blue just seems soooo expensive. But it neat.

Green seems like the weakest one.

 

[whydirt]

I assume the artifact one is just too boring since no one talks about it?

 

[Jason Waddell]

Oh, I thought Soul of Ravnica was a 5cmc activation. Should I take it out of E Domain?

 

[sigh]

Oh, I thought Soul of Ravnica was a 5cmc activation. Should I take it out of E Domain?

It does seem like the perfect environment to maximize the ability, and 7 mana draw 5 is costed the same as Mind Spring at that point. But instant speed and repeatable. And from the grave.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

In a cube with a middling power level (IN: Cataclysm, Knight of the Reliquary, Liliana of the Veil, Bow of Nylea; OUT: Hero of Bladehold, Koth of the Hammer, Damnation, Grafted Wargear) how does this play? I've seen some standard coverage yesterday, and even there it grows to an unmanageable size, so I'm wondering if this is too good for my cube?

 

[safra]

In a cube with a middling power level (IN: Cataclysm, Knight of the Reliquary, Liliana of the Veil, Bow of Nylea; OUT: Hero of Bladehold, Koth of the Hammer, Damnation, Grafted Wargear) how does this play? I've seen some standard coverage yesterday, and even there it grows to an unmanageable size, so I'm wondering if this is too good for my cube?

It's great but not overwhelming; include it post-haste.

 

[RavebornMuse]

How is this? Is this too strong? Too weak? I can't really explain it, but this card to me just radiates excitement. Naya Lands could realistically be a deck, I think, but talking about this pair in particular, I'm not sure what it's for aside from go-wide aggro or token swarm. Is it just a rude aggro tool? I remember it being pretty stressful to face down in EMA, but it always felt like a challenge to beat, rather than something that was guaranteed to stomp you out with value (like Assemble the Legion always felt), and I really enjoyed seeing it on the other side of the table. Thoughts?

 

[ahadabans]

Goblin Trenches is definitely not too strong IMO. Was originally in power max lists but got replaced as soon as there were other options. Works well with things like crucible and LFTL. Also pretty cool with Knight of the Reliquary. I've been tempted to add that in the past.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

It's great but not overwhelming; include it post-haste.

It's already in, I was wondering if I should take it out after what I saw Guess it's staying in! I love that card anyway, but balance is always a concern!

 

[sigh]

It's already in, I was wondering if I should take it out after what I saw Guess it's staying in! I love that card anyway, but balance is always a concern!

I think keeping it in is a good choice . Constructed and cube play out very differently, even if two particular of those formats are close in power level. Its a huge mana and time investment in a cube environment.

... (very in depth and thorough post from RBM's cube that I am using to attract her attention hopefully)
....

Have you gotten a chance to play around with/test:
?
Its still listed as under evaluation in your CT list, but I was hoping you have some data. She's at the very top of my maybeboard, because I think that she can bring a lot to the table, but am not quite sure

• Good mana sink. Helps agro with late game mana efficiency
• Growing threat
• Board wipe. This particularly interests me for my GR control archetype.

Has she worked out for you? Thanks for the help!
Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[GiftsForgiven]

In a cube with a middling power level (IN: Cataclysm, Knight of the Reliquary, Liliana of the Veil, Bow of Nylea; OUT: Hero of Bladehold, Koth of the Hammer, Damnation, Grafted Wargear) how does this play? I've seen some standard coverage yesterday, and even there it grows to an unmanageable size, so I'm wondering if this is too good for my cube?

Honestly, this guy is obscene. His power explosively increases depending on the number of fetchlands you draft in your cube. I know that he's a monster in my cube (not a first pick, but never something you want to sit across from), although his draw is much better there as general card quality is up. If you have efficient removal/aren't running double fetches, I'd give him a go.

I'd put him in a similar place as managorger hydra. If Managorger isn't format-warping in your cube, this guy won't be either.

 

[Jason Waddell]

Love Tracker. So many synergies, solid power level, rewards tight sequencing and resource allocation. I can see it being too powerful for some cubes, but if that's not the case for yours, I think it's a really fun card. Don't really see it ever leaving either of my cubes.

 

[James Stevenson]

Love Tracker. So many synergies, solid power level, rewards tight sequencing and resource allocation. I can see it being too powerful for some cubes, but if that's not the case for yours, I think it's a really fun card. Don't really see it ever leaving either of my cubes.

Have you considered Ulvenwald Mysteries?

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Have you considered Ulvenwald Mysteries?

I have. I'm running a few other green card advantage cards that I like, and are probably a bit better, but it certainly looks like an option!

 

[James Stevenson]

I have. I'm running a few other green card advantage cards that I like, and are probably a bit better, but it certainly looks like an option!

Well I was wondering if Jason thought about it for Eldrazi Domain. Probably the same as you: an option, but not quite good enough.

 

[Jason Waddell]

Yeah, I considered it, but for that type of slot I liked Evolutionary Leap and Birthing Pod better. I know why the "nontoken" is there on Mysteries, but it makes me like Leap a lot more.

 

[shamizy]

In a cube with a middling power level (IN: Cataclysm, Knight of the Reliquary, Liliana of the Veil, Bow of Nylea; OUT: Hero of Bladehold, Koth of the Hammer, Damnation, Grafted Wargear) how does this play? I've seen some standard coverage yesterday, and even there it grows to an unmanageable size, so I'm wondering if this is too good for my cube?

I love him, will never cut him from my cube. He's one of the main reasons to even go green. I play him in any green deck I draft and I especially love how well he synergizes with ramp decks. The biggest issue you run into when going with green fatties is that once you've blown your load ramping, you're a boardwipe or a few timely removal spells from being almost hellbent with zero gas. Tracker lets you refuel and is a threat that must be dealt with and is completely interactive in combat as just a vanila X/X+1.

Synergies with Courser of Kruphix, Fetchlands, and ramp cards while giving green card advantage. Fantastic card.

 

[genericco]

I'm in love with Tracker too, but boy is it pushed. Onder mentioned Knight of the Reliquary; Tireless Tracker makes Knight of the Reliquary look like a hot turd.

I think Tracker is a stronger pick than rampy cards like Oracle of Mul Daya and Shaman of Forgotten Ways, and even when your deck is planning on ramping into big threats you're better off playing the card advantage game with Tracker.

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

Considering the base case is usually a 4/3 that cantrips, it's pretty rough.

 

[Jason Waddell]

I'm in love with Tracker too, but boy is it pushed. Onder mentioned Knight of the Reliquary; Tireless Tracker makes Knight of the Reliquary look like a hot turd.

I think Tracker is a stronger pick than rampy cards like Oracle of Mul Daya and Shaman of Forgotten Ways, and even when your deck is planning on ramping into big threats you're better off playing the card advantage game with Tracker.

Yeah, but also, a big part of playing ramp is making it so your opponents have to exhaust some of their removal before you drop your bigger dudes. I think Tracker is the right kind of "good stuff" here.

 

[Chriskool]

Over the past 4 years, this card has dropped from ~$40 to ~$5.

Does anyone have exciting experience with this Eternal roleplayer of years past?

There is some tension with RAV block bouncelands. It can trigger landfall a few more times. While being a quick clock in the air, it's susceptible to a lot of removal with a mere 3 toughness.

 

[Peter LaCara]

Over the past 4 years, this card has dropped from ~$40 to ~$5.

Does anyone have exciting experience with this Eternal roleplayer of years past?

There is some tension with RAV block bouncelands. It can trigger landfall a few more times. While being a quick clock in the air, it's susceptible to a lot of removal with a mere 3 toughness.

Huh. I've never seen that card before. I might like it more than Serendib Efreet. It feels more blue at any rate (Efreet should've been black all along). The land bouncing thing has precedent with Meloku and that UU Counterspell whose name I'm blanking on and I'm too lazy to look up since I'm on my phone.