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By: Cheater Hater, Vincent Borchardt
Apr 14 2015 12:00pm
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Modern Masters 2015 Articles:
Introduction Part 1
Introduction Part 2

When I'm making a set, I want to try and make it better all the time. I have two goals with this: make Limited a better format and get the set list closer to what Wizards will actually print. As with any set design, the changes get smaller and more refined as time goes on, though since I'm not really following that formal of a design process (since I'm the only person actively designing the set) the changes occasionally be bigger. Here's what the set looks like now:

Set List

Design Spreadsheet

Overall I changed 23 slots, though there are only 19 new cards (since some cards just changed rarity).  I'm going to go over every single change to help explain the process I go through.

Verduran Enchantress Spike Feeder Fertilid

Slith Strider Deceiver Exarch Umara Raptor

Verduran EnchantressSpike Feeder / Spike FeederFertilid

Slith StriderDeceiver Exarch / Deceiver ExarchUmara Raptor

Oh boy, this is a really big change to start with, but it gives you an idea of the kind of maneuvering that can go on just to make a simple change. The main change I wanted to make was swapping Spike Feeder for Fertilid, since Spike Feeder isn't really common, and I want one more land-searcher at common for Green. The problem with that is that I still want Spike Feeder in the set at uncommon, and thus that sets off a chain reaction:

  • Spike Feeder needs to kick out a Green uncommon, and Verduran Enchantress is an easy cut (since it was a failed experiment).

  • Graft has too many uncommons, and since Phantom Wurm is staying in the set, I move over to Blue and kick out the marginal Slith Strider.

  • To fill in the Slith Strider slot, I move Deceiver Exarch to uncommon since Splinter Twin is new to this version (and Gating doesn't need so many value creatures).

  • Deceiver Exarch gets replaced with an odd choice at first glance: Umara Raptor. It actually makes a lot of sense, since it works really well as a creature for the Graft archetype, something that Blue mostly lacks.

This set of changes actually has more consequences to this update, and I'll cover those next.

Cryptic Annelid Turtleshell Changeling

Cryptic AnnelidTurtleshell Changeling

I don't like Cryptic Annelid in this set, especially at common—it's just so weird, and I already have a lot of Scry in the set. The problem is that you don't have many options for a common Blue 4-drop, but one I'm trying is Turtleshell Changeling. This feels really out of place as a Changeling, though it actually works with both the Wizards sub-theme of UR, as well as Umara Raptor. This slot would be a lot easier to fill if I could use a flier in the slot (even something as simple as Snapping Drake), but after adding Umara Raptor, over 50% of Blue's common creatures would have Flying (counting Helium Squirter), and I feel like that's too many, even though MMA1 had a similar number.

Essence Warden Thornweald Archer

Essence WardenThornweald Archer

Essence Warden feels like it is too good with both all the Elf tokens, as well as the Eldrazi Spawn generators—in games I've played, it often gained ten or more life in one game, even if it wasn't played right on T1 or T2 (though that did happen often). This might not have been a problem now that I have Rain of Embers at common, but combined with another card I'm adding later, I feel like it's time to try something else in the slot. Thornweald Archer isn't new to the set, and it actually feels like it might be too efficient a creature. The problem comes again with the lack of options for the slot; most of the options boil down to either being a mana elf (which overlaps with Utopia Sprawl, a key part of Auras) or a 2-mana 2/2 (which overlaps with both Nest Invader and Aquastrand Spider). One of the most interesting options here was Sylvan Ranger, but Fertilid filled that niche. Nettle Sentinel is also an option, but I don't like someone being able to assemble both Nettle Sentinel and Heritage Druid. The best option here might be to replace Utopia Sprawl with a traditional Aura and put in a mana elf, but that isn't happening in this version update.

Repeal Reality Acid Spreading Seas

RepealReality Acid / Reality AcidSpreading Seas

As much as I like the Gating archetype, it's time to be honest with myself: Reality Acid shouldn't be common in a set where it reads much closer to Vindicate with Buyback. Even though the setup in Time Spiral block was very similar to the setup I have here (Dream Stalker instead of Kor Skyfisher, Tolarian Sentinel instead of Vedalken Mastermind), the biggest difference is that you have three packs of Reality Acids here, instead of just one Planar Chaos pack. In addition, there are more tools here: Aether Tradewinds is a big deal, and Vedalken Mastermind is a lot better than Tolarian Sentinel since it's cheaper and doesn't cost a card to return Reality Acid. As such, I moved it to uncommon, knocking out Repeal (which just got a reprint in Speed vs Cunning), and filled the void with Spreading Seas, which is still a good aura to bounce.

Pyroclasm Molten Rain Rain of Embers

PyroclasmMolten Rain / Molten RainRain of Embers

In case you haven't noticed, Wizards doesn't print much efficient land destruction at and certainly doesn't do so at common. Still, some land destruction cards are played in Modern, so they need to get reprinted eventually, so I moved Molten Rain to uncommon. Conversely, I moved Pyroclasm to common, though I did have to make it slightly weaker as a consequence. Still, what this does is allow more decks to have the cards to beat the both the Elf and Eldrazi Spawn token decks. The choice of which common Pyroclasm is an interesting choice, though—Tremor might be too strong in hating the token decks, but even then, the choice between Hurly-Burly, Rain of Embers, and Seismic Shudder is the kind of tweaking you can do, even when you can only use existing cards.

Creeping Mold Seal of Primordium

Creeping MoldSeal of Primordium

As in the last case, Wizards doesn't want to encourage land destruction, but making the only green Naturalize effect Creeping Mold encourages that, even though it isn't that efficient. Switching the slot to Seal of Primordium solves that problem, though being an Enchantment is an interesting tension: it destroys Auras while pumping Yavimaya Enchantress.

Moorish Cavalry Ghalma's Warden

Moorish CavalryGhalma's Warden

You'll remember I mentioned switching the RW Aggro archetype to have a Metalcraft theme in the last MMA2 article, and this change is clearly a remnant of that. Unfortunately, I couldn't crack that problem in this version, and as such this is just a swap of one boring White 4-drop for another.

Dragon Fodder Ridge Rannet

Dragon FodderRidge Rannet

Sneaking in just under the wire, Dragon Fodder jumped outside the range of MMA2 with its reprint in Dragons of Tarkir. In its place, we have a 2-drop of a different kind: Ridge Rannet. Yes, it's technically a 7-drop, but I'm expecting it's going to be cycled a lot more than it's actually cast. Thinking back to my last MMA2 article, you might be expecting Twisted Abomination to show up in the set as well, but it turns out the combination of Undertaker and a creature with Cycling is a lot more powerful than I thought, even when you just have Viscera Dragger. I felt that Ridge Rannet was safe since it's primarily a cycler (though it could be cast in the Eldrazi Spawn archetype, like Jungle Weaver, but Twisted Abomination is actually a good creature.

Fleshbag Marauder Blightsoil Druid

Fleshbag MarauderBlightsoil Druid

Speaking of cards that have a bad interaction with Undertaker, even being in a token set doesn't mean a repeatable edict effect at common is a good idea. Having the functional reprint Merciless Executioner remain at uncommon in Fate Reforged also confirms this downgrade was a bad idea. I don't like that this leaves the set without a non-rare edict effect when cards like Slippery Bogle and Calciderm are in the set, but that can be changed in future updates. As for the replacement, Blightsoil Druid is one of the few Black Elves in Modern, and it helps fix the mana of the set a bit.

Troll Ascetic Ohran Viper

Troll AsceticOhran Viper

Newsflash: Troll Ascetic is really powerful with good Auras. I've known this since I took the risk to put it in, but writing about the Fleshbag Marauder swap above and realizing that it leaves the set without an edict effect outside of Grave Pact, I realized that it wasn't healthy for the set to leave it in. Ohran Viper was a quick swap that works decently with the Aura archetype, but it certainly isn't final. Other cards that could fit in the slot include Loaming Shaman, Oracle of Mul Daya, or Vinelasher Kudzu, just to name a couple.

Fill with Fright Horrifying Revelation

Fill with FrightHorrifying Revelation

Apparently I missed a card when looking for Black cards that mill in the range—or more likely, I didn't consider it while Funeral Charm was still in the set. Obviously this isn't going to be a major player in the set, but neither was Fill with Fright, and there's also the Scry interaction that makes this marginally better than the average one mana discard spell.

Torrent of Souls Blightning

Torrent of SoulsBlightning

After adding Scourge Devil, I feel like there were too many mass pump effects between that, Torrent of Souls, Final Revels, and Swell of Courage (not to mention all the Proliferate cards), and since Torrent of Souls wasn't seeing much play, I cut it. To replace it, I put in the classic Blightning, which helps fill the gap left by Fill with Fright's departure.

Lantern Kami Soul's Attendant

Lantern KamiSoul's Attendant

Lantern Kami is really boring in the set, especially considering that if Auras wants a 1-drop flier, they can grab Vault Skirge from Black. Instead, I can put in Soul's Attendant, which, while the same basic card as Essence Warden, shouldn't be as good without Elves and Eldrazi Spawn in the same colors (though it still has synergies with Gating). The choice between Soul Warden and Soul's Attendant is a very interesting one: Soul's Attendant is the default choice since it was only printed in Rise of the Eldrazi, but not only is Soul Warden the card Wizards would print by default (since they don't use optional triggers for these effects anymore), they might have been telegraphing the decision by leaving Soul Warden out of Tempest Remastered. I have Soul's Attendant here since Wizards is more likely to reprint Soul Warden in a Standard-legal set, but both choices are possible.

Icatian Javelineers Savannah Lions

Icatian JavelineersSavannah Lions

This is another surprise reprint—who could have expected Icatian Javelineers to be reprinted in Duel Decks: Elspeth vs Kiora? Even though Icatian Javelineers works well in the set (and I liked proliferating javelin counters), I'm cutting it for an upgrade in power by bringing back the classic Savannah Lions. This is another interesting choice of functionally identical cards, since Elite Vanguard is also in the range, and again I'm picking the card less likely to be printed in a Standard-legal set (unless we're seeing Cat tribal sometime soon).

Crystal Shard Crystal Ball

Crystal ShardCrystal Ball

Another shocking revelation: Crystal Shard isn't a fun card to play with, even before you add all the Gating synergies to it. In addition, if I was going to keep it in the set, I'd want to make it fill one of the Blue uncommon slots, like I've done with Llanowar Reborn, and I don't want to cut any Blue uncommons. Crystal Ball has been a card I've wanted in the set for a while, and it should help the smoothing/fixing problems I've been having in the set.

Debtors' Knell Evershrike

Debtors' KnellEvershrike

This is a bit of a weird choice, especially since Evershrike is worth a lot less than Debtors' Knell. Still, I don't think I need to worry about that part as much, and Evershrike is probably the best it will ever be in this set combined with all the cheap auras.

Flame Fusillade Splinter Twin

Flame FusilladeSplinter Twin

This is an obvious change that I mentioned above—I feel it is safe with Deceiver Exarch at uncommon, and people won't get the infinite combo too much. Still, this needs to be watched really closely. For instance, Totem-Guide Hartebeest is still in the set at this point, and maybe having a common tutor for Splinter Twin is too good, even though it's a three-color wedge combination.

Hurkyl's Recall Cryptic Command

Hurkyl's RecallCryptic Command

Here is the big reason I can cut Debtors' Knell and upgrade Molten Rain: Cryptic Command is being reprinted again. The weird thing is that this is actually a downgrade in value for MTGO, since Hurkyl's Recall is ~$35, while Cryptic Command is ~$20. Still, since Hurkyl's Recall's price is mostly an MTGO problem, there are a lot more avenues for Wizards to solve it: an MTGO promo, a reprint in a Commander deck, or even an MTGO-only set like an “Old Core Sets” Remastered or Masters Edition V (both of which are projects I want to attempt eventually).

 

Those are all the changes I made, but I think I might get one more revision of the set out before Modern Masters 2015 releases (my self-imposed cutoff is the start of previews, which is in about a month). Here are some of the cards and themes I'll be looking at possibly changing in my final version:

  • Rare/Mythic Overhaul

The one thing I didn't really do much with in this revision is the rare/mythic balance. Sure, there were some swaps at the edges, but there are still things I could do, mostly adding more reprints from MMA1 (such as Blood Moon, Doubling Season, and Vendilion Clique). I also don't like my mythics at all, even though we know a third of them already—cards like Sorin Markov and Consecrated Sphinx feel out of place in the set.

  • Reducing/Removing Common/Uncommon Unplayables

While I've written about the “Blood Moon” problem of rares unplayable in limited needed to be reprinted for availability reasons, you conversely don't see many, if any unplayable commons or uncommons in Masters sets. For example, if we look at MMA1, the only really unplayable card is Narcomoeba, and that was another availability reprint (even if it did technically fit in Dredge). Sure, some cards were better than others, but most of the underplayed cards are sideboard cards (Krosan Grip, Relic of Progenitus), cards that were unexpectedly underpowered (Frogmite, most of the Dredge cards), or cards adjacent to the main archetypes ((Hani Kami), Runed Stalactite). By contrast, my Modern Masters 2015 design still has a bunch of cards that no one has really played, such as Oblivion Crown, Frostling, Lone Wolf, and most of the random Metalcraft cards. Some of these cards are “last resort” cards, where if you're missing a part of an archetype, you can be sure to get something even if it's bad. I don't know if that's the best strategy, or if it's better to try to make all the cards good and just leave you in the dust if you end up in the wrong archetype.

  • The RW Aggro Archetype revamp

As I mentioned multiple times before, I've wanted to turn the RW Aggro archetype into a Metalcraft archetype, but the cards just aren't there, especially if I don't want to use many, if any of the Alara block colored artifacts. The problem is that a lot of the few cards I can choose from are just taken up by better cards that are more important for their archetypes. For example, Auriok Edgewright and Snapsail Glider are both cards I would want to fill out the curve, but Allies needs Kazandu Blademaster and Stonework Puma more. Galvanic Blast would make the archetype strong, but Madness wouldn't appreciate Fiery Temper looking so underpowered in comparison. Dispatch is another removal spell that would make the archetype work, but Auras likes Faith's Fetters. Maybe I just want to shift this hard back to Landfall again? Of all the archetypes, I'm most interested on how Wizards solves this one (especially if they do something other than an aggro deck).

 

Anyway, next time I'll put away Modern Masters 2015 for a bit and start working on a new, completely speculative project: Mercadian Masques Remastered.

 

Vincent

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