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Jun 24, 2012 -- 11:25PM, Incoming_Wormhole wrote:

Yawn. Another set, another mythic rare that's just an uncommon with part of its mana cost missing.

It's ability isn't even interesting.

Boy do I feel like a chump for picking up some Volcanic Dragons last year though. Here I was thinking that a 4/4 hasty flier for six mana was weak, but usable. Nope. I can either shell out $6 apiece (or however much this piece of garbage is going to cost) to play a fair game or just accept that if my opponent spends more money than me, they're going to win more often than not.

I was thinking of buying some cards from magic 2013, but I really don't want to encourge this kind of behavior.

Gosh, I can't wait to see what cool stuff they'll come up with in Return to Ravnica. A Watchwolf that costs 1 mana? Ghost Counsil with Lifelink for 3?

Meet the new titans, same as the old titans.

That's your problem for thinking that Volcanic Dragon is a Constructed playable card. I am guessing you haven't been playing Magic (competitively) for very long. We all go through that stage.

Large creatures are naturally more powerful in Limited than in Constructed, so we need to design some for each format. If all large creatures were designed to be playable in Constructed then they'd all have to be rare and mythic to stop them from ruining Limited games. If all large creatures were designed to be balanced in Limited, then none of them would be good enough for Constructed and you'd have to either play weenie aggro or control all the time.

The legendary creatures each hail from a different plane.

Apparently Ravnica and Ravnica are different planes.  Krenko and Yeva say Hi.

The rings are each from a different location on the plane of Shadalar.

Wait, what?  None of these names appears in the Microprose game which is the original source of Shandalar.  The names Thune and Xathrid and Kalonia are all from M10, and the other two we've never heard before.  Then there's Talrand and the two Planechase planes that say Shandalar on them, none of which have anything to do with Azaar the lichlord or Arzakon the planeswalker or Whim the blue dragon or any of the other things you saw in the Shandalar game.  Where exactly are you getting this information, Maro?  Whoever told you these names are Shandalar didn't do the research.  But then, that's pretty standard by now; you've got a pretty well-proven track record of refusing to pay attention to your own history.

Jun 24, 2012 -- 9:15PM, Drab_Emordnilap wrote:

One great way to do this was to choose an old mechanic each year to bring back for a one-year stint. Magic 2011 brought back scry from Future Sight in the Time Spiral block. Magic 2012 brought back bloodthirst from Guildpact in the Ravnica block. Magic 2013 brings back exalted from Shards of Alara block.

Poor Fifth Dawn; everyone tried to forget you ever existed. 

I'd like to take a moment here and pay my Internet respects to Fifth Dawn, that sad sad little collection of cardboard, whose greatest achievement has been hijacked by Future Sight.

Jun 24, 2012 -- 9:39PM, Kennon1st wrote:

This is to Dragons as Baneslayer is to Angels? Somehow I'm disappointed.

Jun 24, 2012 -- 10:01PM, The_Great_Galendo wrote:

I'm not that impressed by the red dragon.  Is it a good card?  Yeah.  Is it "a Dragon that was to Dragons what Baneslayer Angel was to Angels"?  Not really.  If they couldn't answer it, Baneslayer usually just straight up won you the game.  Some decks just rolled over and died to a resolved Baneslayer.  If they can't answer this, it...deals them five damage?  And kills their flying 1/1 tokens?  That's cool, I guess.

Honestly though, I see this dragon more as a "Oh no!  Lingering Souls is way too powerful!  Quick, let's make a hoser and put it in the next core set!"  Color me unimpressed by R&D/Development's attempt to correct their mistake.

I'd say you should be happy this is not the Dragon equivalent of Baneslayer Angel. Baneslayer Angel, if anything, made me hate angels. This card is actually okay.

Jun 24, 2012 -- 11:43PM, Senyuno wrote:

Why exalted? The mechanic was created by Brian Tinsman for the Bant sub-design team. (Brian,Ken Nagle, and myself). Doug and his team felt like exalted did exactly what you wanted for a core returning mechanic: it dripped flavor, was easy to grasp mechanically, and played well.

I had to pause there, as others have, because I honestly don't quite understand the flavor of exalted... and that's never a good sign. I guess, an exalted creature is one that exalts another (or itself)? So it strongly believes in an individual, truly raises it up to a grand level with its inspiration or devotion. And for some reason in MtG the indivdual that deserves this adjective is one who has the courage to attack alone, knowing it's supporters have his back. Is that it?

The problem I have with Exalted is that the term is just not really correct. An exalted person is a person who is exalted by others. In general, creatures with exalted exalt other creatures as well as being exalted by themselves. That just doesn't make sense.

Jun 25, 2012 -- 12:25AM, Fireballmage wrote:

I'm surprised that so many people are bemoaning Thundermaw Hellkite. After years of whining that most (mono-red) dragons were jank, it's nice to get a good mono-red dragon.

It's even nicer when it has such good flavor, especially compared to Thundermare , its obvious inspiration (which was just kinda nonsensical); when it appears, it makes a storm that kills little creatures with lightning and buffets bigger ones with wind (tapping them down).  

Yeah, I mainly like this card because of the Thundermare reference as well.

Jun 25, 2012 -- 1:53AM, Zindaras wrote:

Jun 24, 2012 -- 9:15PM, Drab_Emordnilap wrote:

One great way to do this was to choose an old mechanic each year to bring back for a one-year stint. Magic 2011 brought back scry from Future Sight in the Time Spiral block. Magic 2012 brought back bloodthirst from Guildpact in the Ravnica block. Magic 2013 brings back exalted from Shards of Alara block.

Poor Fifth Dawn; everyone tried to forget you ever existed. 

I'd like to take a moment here and pay my Internet respects to Fifth Dawn, that sad sad little collection of cardboard, whose greatest achievement has been hijacked by Future Sight.

I'll never forget Fifth Dawn. While I'd been playing for a while before it, the Fifth Dawn prerelease was the first actual tournament I went to.

I went 0-7, including losing to a Door to Nothingness . You don't forget that kind of pain!

Jun 25, 2012 -- 1:53AM, Zindaras wrote:

I'd like to take a moment here and pay my Internet respects to Fifth Dawn, that sad sad little collection of cardboard, whose greatest achievement has been hijacked by Future Sight.

Not me, I loved fifth dawn - Darksteel was the set in that block which I thought was lacking.  5D was where we finally got to see the Sylvok, I loved it for that as well as for the color-based equipment cycle (aside from Cranial Plating being absurdly overpowered, the concept at least was neat and I play Horned Helm and Neurok Stealthsuit whenever I can).

Jun 24, 2012 -- 9:39PM, Kennon1st wrote:

This is to Dragons as Baneslayer is to Angels? Somehow I'm disappointed.

Jun 24, 2012 -- 10:01PM, The_Great_Galendo wrote:

The problem I have with Exalted is that the term is just not really correct. An exalted person is a person who is exalted by others. In general, creatures with exalted exalt other creatures as well as being exalted by themselves. That just doesn't make sense.

This.  The mechanic should have been called "honor" or "faithfulness" or something, representing the idea that your champion is stronger because his people believe in him and have pure souls.