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I also really like Gruul, but I'm considering going Boros splash Gruul. The bloodrush almost never requires GG. 

I just saw some of the new spoilers...

Ripscale Predator Creature - Lizard 6/5 - 4RR
Ripscale Predator can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.

+  

Alpha Authority Enchantment - Aura - 1G
Enchant creature Enchanted creature has hexproof and can't be blocked by more than one creature.

Is that game (a 6/5 hexproof/unblockable)? 


Of course, you can still remove the aura... but you better have an immediate answer...  

100% agreed this time.  

Gruul is going to have EVERYONE scared of the attack phase if the attacker has any cards in hand and untapped mana.  Anything from +3/2 for G to +1/2 and death touch all the way up to +9/9 and trample for 5GG, with a LOT of powerful effects (like the guaranteed bramblehulk if you pick gruul) at the 3cc level for bloodrush.

It seemed to me that boros has TONS of killer 2 and 3 drops, and even their 1 drop guys trade WAY up once battalion comes online  (and how hard is it going to be to get 3 creatures out in boros?).  Looks to be a very strong guild to me.  

Dimir is going to be VERY under rated for sure....but I will agree, unless you can use a copy effect/steal effect, most of the guild cards with cipher are very expensive, and I don't think it'll hold up against a boros/gruul aggro deck.  Watch out for someone smart enough to get some late picked walls/gates and cheap counter magic to pull a mill win out of their butt.  

Orzhov looks to be very promising as well.  I think they'll be heavily drafted in the begining, and then interest will fade (who doesn't want the guild leader.....WOW!).  Extort looks to be amazingly powerful, and the guild has access to tons of lifegain, tons of removal, and extort cards don't seem to be overpriced for the bodies they are on, which can get nuts fast.  Just 2 extort cards can create a 4 point life swing for 2 mana EACH time you play any other spell in your deck.  Life loss is also not counterable....and the life gain will pad you against the aggro decks until you find your kill cards, or a fatty.  Should be strong.  

Simic is the mixed bag to me.  Many over priced evolve cards are going to cause simic to be too slow to compete with the aggro guilds, and they have no lifegain to pad that loss of speed like orhoz.  I can see an aggro version with all their 3/1 fliers though with a splash for either white or black.  I don't like all the extra moving effects of +1/1 counters as I'd want to put out a new creature, or cast a spell....but that could just be my personal bias.  I think Simic will be the most OVER rated of all the guilds.

I'll be rocking Gruul come Friday though.  When it comes right down to it....you can't go wrong with giant creatures that f*** with combat math in a limited environment.  You'll be able to bluff all kinds of damage through once someone gets on the wrong end of a 3-for-1 trade because of bloodrush, and they get scared to engage you.  I just wish there was more BURN in this set....hardly anything at all for the final push.  Gonna have to rely on bluffs and trample to finish.   

Up front I think Gruul looks like it is probably the best in a limited environment. Lots of efficiently costed beaters that double as tricks. I'm excited to see this format develop however, and don't think Gruul will end up being quite as dominant as I am expecting it to be. Green seems really good in general.

The prerelease for me is all about fun though and even though I think Gruul is the best positioned to win, it is my least favorite color combo to play so I will be going Orzhov which is one of my favorite.