Continuing, if we're going to talk about the entire guild sucking based on one card, then why can't we just splash blue for some of their unblockable creatures. No block = no smite. Heck, how about the hexproof guys in simic? We play green. Hexproof = no smite. Not to mention WE play red....and WE have access to burn as well. With the exception of boros (toughest matchup I see) we run more creatures than other decks, and ours are bigger to boot, so using spot burn to get rid of blockers eliminates the chance of a smite as well. I see FAR more ways around the card than I see liability from it.
The unblockable creature in Dimir is either double black or doubleblue. Then you have keymaster rogue that is splashable but has a drawback that is preferred by Simic. The only other option is the keyrune, which requires both black and blue.
You may run more creatures in Gruul than other decks on average. But if you use bloodrush, it will tend to even out.
Boros doesn't have a lot of life gain, but orzhov has tons.
Actually not that much. There are no creatures with lifelink besides the keyrune. There are only 2 spells that give you life, purge the profane and zarichi tiger . And filling your deck with 4 cost cards doesn't sound like a great plan when you plan to use extort to win. Plus, the tiger is kind of bad. So it's really just extort, which is not fast by any means.
Also, using extort isn't as easy as it looks. You need to play spells, and after the first few turns, your hand won't be that big. And there are things like orzhov charm and removal that you won't play just to get an extort out of them. The turn you decide to play them, you might have all your mana, or you might have drawn a smog elemental that you want on the battlefield asap.
Also, this is a discussion about the pre-release, so it only concerns sealed.
totally off topic question : if a cartel aristocrat equipped with illusionist's bracers uses her eff, would u still have to sacrifice a creature to use the copied ability from bracers ?????
No, it's like copying a spell. You don't have to pay the cost a 2nd time.
Rapid Hybridization is NOT a common, its uncommon...and it gives the "victim" a 3/3 token. While that may be fine for the blue mage defending against my 7/6 ruination wurm, even though it may be worth it to stop the bloodrush...that's not an ideal play by any means. I think a lot of blue mages are going to not want to run this card, as it generates little to no advantage.
It's removal in simic,. You don,t really have a lot of choices. and for 1 mana, you get your number 3 evolve, killing a creature that would die anyway and boost your evolvers during combat.
Rapid Hybridization is going to be run by anyone heavy in blue in limited, ESPECIALLY against Gruul where the 3/3 is a bust at worst and it also costs them the bloodrushed card. Hybriding your own dying/useless creature to get a round of evolution: also nice. Like Pongify before it, that card will be massivley underrated.
"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice." THE COALITION WAR GAME -Phyrexian Praetor Round 1: (4-1-2, 1 kill) Round 2: (16-8-2, 4 kills) Round 3: (18-9-2, 1 kill) Round 4: (22-10-0, 2 kills) Round 5: (56-16-3, 9 kills) Round 6: (8-7-1) [current round]
The unblockable creature in Dimir is either double black or doubleblue. ......
This statement is incorrect.
in dimir colors (blue or black, not including the simic green) there are 3 creatures with "unblockable." One is the keymaster, as you mentioned. The next option is Incursion Specialist (which is more of a gimmic creature, and I don't recommend) which costs 1 and 1 blue. The third option is the Deathcult Rogue , (unblockable here being conditional aswell.) which costs 1 and 2 hyrid mana. So while it IS double of colored mana, the double can be any combo of blue or black... I know this isn't a big distinction, but it does make the Rogue more playable. /rant
The unblockable creature in Dimir is either double black or doubleblue. ......
This statement is incorrect.
in dimir colors (blue or black, not including the simic green) there are 3 creatures with "unblockable." One is the keymaster, as you mentioned. The next option is Incursion Specialist (which is more of a gimmic creature, and I don't recommend) which costs 1 and 1 blue. The third option is the Deathcult Rogue , (unblockable here being conditional aswell.) which costs 1 and 2 hyrid mana. So while it IS double of colored mana, the double can be any combo of blue or black... I know this isn't a big distinction, but it does make the Rogue more playable. /rant
For the purposes of slpashing them in Gruul as suggested, my interpretation is correct. There is no point adding 2 different land types to cast one creature. So in a non blue non black deck. It's virtually double colored.
..."window.parent.tinyMCE.get('post_content').onLoad.dispatch();" contenteditable="true" /> It's removal in simic,. You don,t really have a lot of choices. and for 1 mana, you get your number 3 evolve, killing a creature that would die anyway and boost your evolvers during combat.
That's my thinking. This one spell is one of the versatile in the set. As destruction, it has many useful options:
Against Gruul, you're going to be getting rid of something big *and* a pump for cheap. Yeah, they get a 3/3 vanilla. Better than a 4/4 trampler pumped by +5/+4 any day of the week.
Against Battalion, it really screws up their ability to attack. Take away that 3/3 flyer that drains you for 3, and they get a 3/3 vanilla. Seems good enough.
Against Orzhov... uh... [c]Alms Beast[c]? Other than that, not a whole lot I'd like to kill off in Orzhov.
Against Dimir, a ciphered up unblockable is not a 3/3 vanilla. Good trade much of the time.
Against Simic, can get rid of their nastier evolvers, but I'd be a bit more careful.
Against yourself, you evolve everything and leave a decent body to boot.
In draft I can see myself snagging these whenever I get the chance. 1 mana unconditional removal is quite good, and the "drawback" is rather meaningless.
Well, my pre release is over and I'm pretty happy with the resulting 3-1 finish.
I played gruul and built a pretty mean deck that was basically early game muggings and mana ramp from a keyrune and double verdant growths into my 5 6cc slots including double rublehulks and several ruin worms.
Only match I lost (and horribly) was my first against a boros deck that popped the big angel auerlia on me each time when my manabase was a bit unstable.
After that first loss, I played a mirror against gruul, and then had to go through two more boros decks.
I stumbled across a SICK combo by pairing madcap skills with alpha authority....which was ruled as essentially creating an unblockable creature and helped me through the final round.
I'll post a decklist later...as its 8am here and I'm exhausted.
Best of luck to those still to play. Madcap skills is WONDERFUL. Play it! I promise it'll be used against you.
I stumbled across a SICK combo by pairing madcap skills with alpha authority....which was ruled as essentially creating an unblockable creature and helped me through the final round.
Wow, I was just thinking about this combo yesterday. Hope I can pull it at my prerelease in a few hours. I think I'll go Boros today and Gruul tomorrow.
