Magic The Gathering

[Flexo]

Companions are... one of the most retarded "I saw it on hearthstone" ideas that I've ever seen, yeah, completely unrelated to wotc's problem of modality, but I otherwise think a ton of issues are coming from the fact that they're being fucking lazy with design by printing modal things - and I point the finger at planeswalkers for it.

Except they didn't get it from hearthstone, it LITERALLY came from Commander. Like no joke, if you go look for the article on companions, they talk about trying to bring the commander experience to standard.

A Twinkle in Someone's Ikoria

Mark's second Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths preview article steps away from mutate to discuss the set's other major mechanics and themes.

magic.wizards.com

One of their ideas was for a mechanic inspired by Commander. It was a card that sat outside of your deck that you could cast at any time but had the constraint that your deck needed to meet certain criteria. Dave had been interested in something that encouraged players to build their deck around some constraint, and this mechanic seemed like the cleanest execution.​

I felt better about something not dying from damage when it was a protection from color or they had to spend mana and tap it for regeneration.

Regeneration was nice in its balance. Sometimes I debate whether Ward should have made the controller pay the cost (nu-regen) or as it is now, opponent pays the cost.

Man, they are digging deep for this set. How many current players even know who this guy is, much less why his card reads like Baby's First Custom Magic Card?

They've expressly stated that the Magic Horizons sets are EXPLICITLY designed for old players. Here's Mark's exact quote:

A Modern Approach, Part 1

There's a ton of fun squirreled away in Modern Horizons 2. Here's how the design teams started to crack this nut.

magic.wizards.com

Modern Horizons is aimed at enfranchised players who can handle more complexity and have a warm remembrance of Magic's past.​

 

[Oddjob OTP]

Regeneration was nice in its balance. Sometimes I debate whether Ward should have made the controller pay the cost (nu-regen) or as it is now, opponent pays the cost.

It's a cool idea, just too bad they only printed it on like 4 cards, only one of which sees much use standard and one that will probably get used in historic and no where else. Hexproof unless opponent pays mana or health is probably more useful that hexproof for a cost, at least on a smaller card like Sedgemoor Witch because I don't have to save resources and I still get something for you paying the cost. Hexproof for a cost is more useful on big things- I know I've saved my Dreamtrawler from a lot of removal with his discard a card ability.

As a side note, it's really nice that your average M:tG player is illiterate and doesn't cast removal on Dreamtrawler in first main phase (meaning I have to tap him before I can declare an attack or else lose him) and waits until I've attacked them with him.

 

[Flexo]

It's a cool idea, just too bad they only printed it on like 4 cards, only one of which sees much use standard and one that will probably get used in historic and no where else. Hexproof unless opponent pays mana or health is probably more useful that hexproof for a cost, at least on a smaller card like Sedgemoor Witch because I don't have to save resources and I still get something for you paying the cost. Hexproof for a cost is more useful on big things- I know I've saved my Dreamtrawler from a lot of removal with his discard a card ability.

As a side note, it's really nice that your average M:tG player is illiterate and doesn't cast removal on Dreamtrawler in first main phase (meaning I have to tap him before I can declare an attack or else lose him) and waits until I've attacked them with him.

They have said repeatedly that Ward is the latest new evergreen keyword so just because it's on 4 cards now, get ready because it will be appearing on more later.

 

[breadandcircuses]

I think my new favorite card has to be Strict Proctor.

I have a few of them. I might make a negative ETB tribal around it.

 

[AnotherPleb]

Is Imperial Recruiter too slow for Modern?

 

[Maratus volans]

Is Imperial Recruiter too slow for Modern?

Maybe? Since we don't have Splinter Twin, I'm at a loss for what to do with it. Run it in Humans, I guess?

As an aside, I like that the promo art of the card has both Kiki and a Pestermite in the background.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

Currently the 3-pack Draft Pack of MH2 is cheaper than both the bundle and booster box on Amazon. I won't drop $240 on a box, but $20 for three packs ain't so bad.

(I just saw someone at my comic book store drop $80 on a fucking prerelease kit. insane)

 

[Oddjob OTP]

New set is finally out, kind of at a loss for some of their choices for Forgotten Realm tie in cards (no Szass Tam, Elminster, R.A Salvadore characters other then Breunor and Drizzt, a lot of general DnD cards that aren't really FR specific like Vecna) but the class enchants seem pretty cool and the dice roll mechanic is handled pretty OK on most cards (the good result isn't much better then the bad result). Dungeons seem like only useful for midrange decks and not anywhere near fast enough outside of standard, and maybe then only after rotation.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Dungeons seem like only useful for midrange decks

I think there is potential for an Orzov Venture deck with the 1/1 Death Touch that ventures when it attacks and the Dragonborn.

Dungeon of the Mad Mage is a real engine and putting your opponent in the position of "Spend a card on this 1/1" or let you freely venture is a horrible choice to have to make.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

I think there is potential for an Orzov Venture deck with the 1/1 Death Touch that ventures when it attacks and the Dragonborn.

Dungeon of the Mad Mage is a real engine and putting your opponent in the position of "Spend a card on this 1/1" or let you freely venture is a horrible choice to have to make.

My thought is that if there's any venture deck that "makes it" it will probably be Azorius control with the legendary dragonborn, enchanted with the "flying, venture if you do combat damage" aura and maybe the legendary that makes all your room abilities trigger an additional time. Maybe with strixhaven spell that copies legendary creature spells into non legendary versions.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

My thought is that if there's any venture deck that "makes it" it will probably be Azorius control with the legendary dragonborn, enchanted with the "flying, venture if you do combat damage" aura and maybe the legendary that makes all your room abilities trigger an additional time. Maybe with strixhaven spell that copies legendary creature spells into non legendary versions.

There could be esper, but I don't think a Venture Deck without the Orzhov 1/1 is gonna make it. Honestly I think that card could just be an aggro card that makes value over time. I could see it being sorta the reverse Lovestruck beast where it just becomes a problem of ""Nothing can really block this favorably" where Lovestruck was "nothing can really attack into this very well."

 

[Rumpled Foreskin]

I don’t really like the new set. For that matter, stop making cards available in three separate types in every single set. It’s cool for Modern 2, considering old school fetches, but it’s so obnoxious to appear in every single set.

 

[Polyboros2]

I think they made the set very bland and simple because they believe the DnD brand is going to bring a lot of new players into Magic.

As if DnD nerds didn't know about Magic the FUCKING Gathering.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

I'd give them a pass on the complexity, this is the set they replaced Magic 2022 with after all. Some of the cards seem way more complex then you'd think given that though. Book of Vile Darkness + Hand of Vecna + Eye of Vecna Megazord combining into Vecna as an example, or Demilich. I also like the choice cards, flavor wise they are cool and they seem like they are right where they should be cost wise.

I've also been enjoying 2022 Play on Arena because I already had a couple magecraft decks that were nearly '22 ready and I'm destroying people playing starter decks they shoved a few Strixhaven rares in and called it good. Azorous Magecraft went from probably the worst duo to possibly the best, they got a good draw combat trick and a 2 drop spell that makes something unblockable. I'm currently running it with Orvar the All Form to dupe Lightscribes and Clarion Spirits in there but I'd drop him if I was more interested in winning then having fun.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

There could be esper, but I don't think a Venture Deck without the Orzhov 1/1 is gonna make it. Honestly I think that card could just be an aggro card that makes value over time. I could see it being sorta the reverse Lovestruck beast where it just becomes a problem of ""Nothing can really block this favorably" where Lovestruck was "nothing can really attack into this very well."

Double post etc etc, I spectated a friend playing bo3 against something similar with his mono green aggro deck. It was actually 4 color so it could cast pay off cards like Koma but it was basically the same otherwise. It also should be noted that he lost 2-1 against my friend's also-not-22-standard aggro deck and that loss was maybe due to a misplay on my friends part (he cast compelled duel on his stonecoil serpent to force his opponent's "room trigger twice" legendary to block him and die, forgetting that his stonecoil has protection from multicolored and can not be blocked by that legendary anyway, when he could have cast it on his Scavenging Ooze and probably removed it)

I had already taken a crack at theory crafting a deck and made a couple changes but I'll post it for posterity. My version is 22 Standard so the pay off cards were kind of shit actually (Rest in Pepperoni Dreamtrawler and Kiora Bests the Sea God), so I just went with alrund's because that wins games pretty well.

Spoiler: muh cardboard autism

Deck
4 Triumphant Adventurer (AFR) 237
4 Nadaar, Selfless Paladin (AFR) 27
3 Fly (AFR) 59
3 Cloister Gargoyle (AFR) 7
3 Hama Pashar, Ruin Seeker (AFR) 224
4 Dragon Turtle (AFR) 56
3 Bloodchief's Thirst (ZNR) 94
3 Power Word Kill (AFR) 114
3 Saw It Coming (KHM) 76
2 Negate (ZNR) 71
4 Hengegate Pathway (KHM) 260
4 Brightclimb Pathway (ZNR) 259
4 Clearwater Pathway (ZNR) 260
2 Plains (AFR) 265
8 Island (AFR) 269
2 Swamp (AFR) 273
4 Alrund's Epiphany (KHM) 41

I have a feeling that it's weakness will be heavy removal and a lack of draw if you can't venture spam enough but there's not much I can do about it in 60 cards

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

I have a feeling that it's weakness will be heavy removal

The majority of the best removal is going away come rotation, no elminate, no Stomp, no Petty Theft, no Heartless act no more swift end.

This last year or so has had a standard that is arguably the best set of removal in the history of the game.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

The majority of the best removal is going away come rotation, no elminate, no Stomp, no Petty Theft, no Heartless act no more swift end.

This last year or so has had a standard that is arguably the best set of removal in the history of the game.

RIP Fire Prophecy too, probably the best common red removal spell since Lightning Bolt.

 

[Anonymus Fluhre]

New set is finally out, kind of at a loss for some of their choices for Forgotten Realm tie in cards (no Szass Tam, Elminster, R.A Salvadore characters other then Breunor and Drizzt, a lot of general DnD cards that aren't really FR specific like Vecna) but the class enchants seem pretty cool and the dice roll mechanic is handled pretty OK on most cards (the good result isn't much better then the bad result). Dungeons seem like only useful for midrange decks and not anywhere near fast enough outside of standard, and maybe then only after rotation.

Elminster probably wont get used due to the pointy hat.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

What the hell is with people being insufferably slow in MtG:A? Like slow like I have one card in my fucking hand and it's not playable at instant speed but I really need to take 45 seconds to think about whether to confirm your attacking creature- I'm at the computer since you can see me highlight the rectangles on my screen to try to discern the meaning of the glyphs on them.

I've played about 20 games today in quick draft and 3/4 I was spent at least half the time with priority then they did. Not only is it annoying for me or anyone with a brain or a memory span longer then a goldfish that can remember the board state for more then 3 seconds too it fucks them over too, because they sit in games longer. If they are all fucking phone players they need to be matched against other phone players as punishment.

And no, I'm not talking about roping, although that's a thing too.

 

[Flexo]

I think they made the set very bland and simple because they believe the DnD brand is going to bring a lot of new players into Magic.

As if DnD nerds didn't know about Magic the FUCKING Gathering.

They did say this is also supposed to function as a core set akin to Magic Origins.

What the hell is with people being insufferably slow in MtG:A? Like slow like I have one card in my fucking hand and it's not playable at instant speed but I really need to take 45 seconds to think about whether to confirm your attacking creature- I'm at the computer since you can see me highlight the rectangles on my screen to try to discern the meaning of the glyphs on them.

I've played about 20 games today in quick draft and 3/4 I was spent at least half the time with priority then they did. Not only is it annoying for me or anyone with a brain or a memory span longer then a goldfish that can remember the board state for more then 3 seconds too it fucks them over too, because they sit in games longer. If they are all fucking phone players they need to be matched against other phone players as punishment.

And no, I'm not talking about roping, although that's a thing too.

Yeah, sometimes I think my internet was throttled and my connections went bad. I really wish there was a dialog/emote option for "sorry, my internet is bad." It bugs me that in the interest of limiting "hurtful" words in the game it ends up making the players ruder.