This is such a good set for commander. I have a list half a page long of cards I at least want to try. It certainly makes up for the disappointment that was Dark Ascension. I think you are pretty on the ball with you review here too.
I think the thing that really stands out is the murderers row of legends. Everyone of them is begging to be a general.
I don't have much comment on what makes a good cube, having never played anything except the MTGO one. Nice job with the draft, switching colors and winning it all. I would have done several picks differently, though it obviously worked out for you:
P1P4: Unless you plan on reanimator, Hippie is the pick here. An early Hippie just wins games, and you already passed Sheoldred, so you're not really looking to go reanimator. Then you get Dark Ritual 2 picks later which just backs this up--turn 1 Hippie has been a devastating play the entire history of Magic.
P2P6: Take the plainscycler for sure, but you realized this already. Being able to grab dual lands is a big deal.
P2P12: The Mold Shambler deserves serious consideration. The Viper is nice, but planeswalkers, artifacts, enchantments and specialty lands are just so big, I think you go for the removal card.
P3P1: It's Karn followed by Mirrari's Wake followed by Wispmare I think. One of the two cantrip walls will table; you passed Venser earlier so somebody will grab Omens but Blossoms will probably come back.
P3P2: This is Land Tax all day long every day. Land Tax is huge game, doubly so in 40-card land, and especially when you're on the draw. Generally it means you draw nothing but business and can cast it all, or you time walk your opponent. It also turns out you get Emeria Angel, which gives extra lands some utility.
P3P4: Ranger is mediocre for you, I think this pick is all Pridemage. Early pressure plus an answer for troublesome equipment and so many things.
P3P6: You already have early game and lifelinkers to blow out RDW type of decks, I think this pick has to be Relic of Progenitus to fight off whoever got the reanimator deck or just whatever combo decks.
P3P7: Lightning Helix deserves some consideration here.
P3P8: Again, not too worried about RDW here, and Luminarch Ascension just destroys durdley decks, of which there are many in this format. When you're on the play and have some early drops as blockers (of which you have plenty) this thing wins games before they start.
Also, I wanted to say I like your quiz-style presentation, challenging us to determine the correct line of play. That said, for your next article, I'd still like for you to narrate your videos. Keep the screenshot and the quiz, but audio helps these kinds of articles tremendously.
I think the fact that there is a card you would pick above all others regardless of the situation is evidence that it should be removed because it's too powerful.
I guess I have a bigger problem with the combo of Strip Mine AND Crucible of Worlds/Life from the Loam than Strip Mine itself. It's one of my least favorite combos to play against. Strip Mine is a high pick even without those two cards floating around.
Treachery is certainly the most powerful card in p1p2. The problem is that taking it makes it incredibly difficult to stick with my first pick. By passing Lilliana Vess, Sheoldred, and Shadowmage Infiltrator I'm pretty much kissing Black and Blue/Black goodbye, which means I'm deciding on p1p2 that I wasted my first pick.
Now if I had kept my options open and had taken Dismember p1p1, then I agree with you completely about Treachery. If anything, these two picks show how important it is to keep your options open.
Good show I agree with everything walkerdog says and would of said it myself had I replied first. I also aagree with almost everything you said about card replacement. All but one card, Strip mine. This is a necessary card for this format because there are so many lands that do stuff and it can go in any deck. I always grab it no matter what, p1p1 sure. It has won me some games too. All hail the strip mine!
p1p2 you HAVE to take treachery unless you are not playing any sort of control cards. Your deck going forward would have been great as a UBR deck or UWG deck, as you prefer. P2P7: Whipcorder may Wheel, I really feel Destiny (plays nice with your mana-men) is the pick.
I liked how you transitioned into GW beats. That was well-played. It would been even easier if you'd taken Dismember P1P1 but... still really well done to recover and build a solid deck.
Funny thing, I'm putting together a Kaho deck now, and I've found that she's more of a late-game win condition. I tried rushing her on turn 4, but that didn't work. The key is to generate card advantage so that you can leave mana open for when your opponent does get their removal. You have to build the deck to be able to win without her so that when you're ahead you can stay ahead through the use of counterspells.
Your deck looks like a lot of fun. I did something similar way back when. I think I used Thrax and filled the deck with all cool multicolor cards. I even had Cloven Casting which would have been awesome if I could have ever really gotten it to work.
Huge props on Unscythe. Like Leviathan, I didn't think it was very good, but if games could be won on style points, it's a one card combo!
Also like Leviathan, I'm surprised that you can keep up with your current mana base. I was running 40 land with 5 extra land tutors/artifact sources and was having problems. When I updated the deck at the end of last year I upped the number to 39 lands and 10 tutors/artifact sources. Even at that point I still felt like I couldn't do everything I wanted because of mana limitations.
Freed from the Real: Getting you through your honey-do list! (our new slogan)
That's annoying. I try to check the recording before it uploads, but usually I just play it and check a random section to make sure it plays. I will try to be more diligent in the future.
not sure about the novel, the last time I read those they came in the fat packs.
Interesting deck. I never would have thought about using Oriss, she seems so limited. I really like that you are giving Atalya some love, she seems to have helped you a lot.
Since your deck is pretty creature heavy, I would recommend Emeria, the Sky Ruin. Reya Dawnbringer would help as well, but I can understand if you didn't want to include it due to mana cost. You could probably also use Maze of Ith/Mystifying Maze as well to help with defense. And Kor Haven.
You have a decent amount of life gain effects, so Well of Lost Dreams might be helpful with your draw. Good stuff.
Wow, you're running Blood Tyrant, Tetsuo, Unscythe, Prince of Thralls, Drastic Revelation and Call the Skybreaker! All in the same deck! Wow, and Elemental Augury! Kudos to you sir. Although I gotta say, when I tried playing with Unscythe I was thoroughly unimpressed. I hope your results are better.
I'm surprised that you've found people to underestimate Vicious Shadows. That card is truly backbreaking most of the time. There are plenty of times where that card just ends games, especially if you run a few token creators and Damnation or something similar.
You are running the full compliment of Signets and Journeyer's Kite plus Ingot, but only 35 lands. Is that enough for you to keep up with the ramp decks that are running rampant (hah!) out there?
The Devil will see play. He is a good man. But the draw back is real.
Standard RDW is a joke deck at this point. However, since the perception is that Wolf Running is the best thing to be doing right now and that your other one-drop creatures are Goblin Arsonist and Fireslinger, he will go into RDW in Standard and will put pressure on Wolf Run Ramp to either take 4 or Devil's Play it. I am going to still play Delver.
Block has a whole bunch more things going on and I am sure that most of the decks with red base or secondary color beaters already have better options (Stromkirk Noble, Champion of the Parish).
I do think Modern is THE place for him. I think he might be slightly better than Figure of Destiny in red decks, which is already placing him in the fringe since most straight RDW decks in modern don't run him. Figure is a Boros creature ATM in Modern. Goblin Guide is way better than this guy for RDW. Still, I think the devil will go into RDW to a decent effect and may work out well in Boros with Ranger of Eos too.
Legacy is different because I play exactly one deck maybe once a week. I am not going to pretend I know about Legacy Burn, but again he seems to be competing for the Figure of Desitny slot, and I have heard that Figure is the worst creature in the deck so I think he may find a place in Legacy Burn for a while. If he does well, he will also find a home there.
Bottom line, I don't think he is as bad as the people who say he is bad. I also don't think he is as good as the people who say he is good. I think it is a fine middle of the road beater that has an incredible p/t-cmc ratio with a VERY REAL drawback...
My only concern with the vexing devil is ISD block. RW agro seems like the already top deck in the format and this will only make it more so. Banned, not Banned, who really cares about rules and regualtions? I just hope I open lots of them.
It is easier to call for banning cards then to develop strategies to beat them.
Wizards has been a good Daddy in this regard lately, and most people just want Daddy to fix all their problems for them.
Others just want Grizzly Bear Wars.dek to be all that is legal so everyone can play with the same power level of cards and there is absolutely nothing unfair about anything ever.
Vexing Devil is great card design. Just like Browbeat it LOOKS like it will do a lot more than it will actually do. The other player will always choose the option that is best for them. 4 damage for R is great, a 4 power beater for R is great--but letting your opponent choose which one it is is not so great.
If they can't deal with it, then they will eat 4 and its a slightly better lightning bolt, but if they can deal with it then it will do nothing, which is a fair drawback for it doing 4 for R sometimes. Its fine and not as broken as it seems, nowhere near the power level of Lightning Bolt or Goblin Guide though.
This is such a good set for commander. I have a list half a page long of cards I at least want to try. It certainly makes up for the disappointment that was Dark Ascension. I think you are pretty on the ball with you review here too.
I think the thing that really stands out is the murderers row of legends. Everyone of them is begging to be a general.
It stops fetches by preventing you from paying the life.
I don't have much comment on what makes a good cube, having never played anything except the MTGO one. Nice job with the draft, switching colors and winning it all. I would have done several picks differently, though it obviously worked out for you:
P1P4: Unless you plan on reanimator, Hippie is the pick here. An early Hippie just wins games, and you already passed Sheoldred, so you're not really looking to go reanimator. Then you get Dark Ritual 2 picks later which just backs this up--turn 1 Hippie has been a devastating play the entire history of Magic.
P2P6: Take the plainscycler for sure, but you realized this already. Being able to grab dual lands is a big deal.
P2P12: The Mold Shambler deserves serious consideration. The Viper is nice, but planeswalkers, artifacts, enchantments and specialty lands are just so big, I think you go for the removal card.
P3P1: It's Karn followed by Mirrari's Wake followed by Wispmare I think. One of the two cantrip walls will table; you passed Venser earlier so somebody will grab Omens but Blossoms will probably come back.
P3P2: This is Land Tax all day long every day. Land Tax is huge game, doubly so in 40-card land, and especially when you're on the draw. Generally it means you draw nothing but business and can cast it all, or you time walk your opponent. It also turns out you get Emeria Angel, which gives extra lands some utility.
P3P4: Ranger is mediocre for you, I think this pick is all Pridemage. Early pressure plus an answer for troublesome equipment and so many things.
P3P6: You already have early game and lifelinkers to blow out RDW type of decks, I think this pick has to be Relic of Progenitus to fight off whoever got the reanimator deck or just whatever combo decks.
P3P7: Lightning Helix deserves some consideration here.
P3P8: Again, not too worried about RDW here, and Luminarch Ascension just destroys durdley decks, of which there are many in this format. When you're on the play and have some early drops as blockers (of which you have plenty) this thing wins games before they start.
Also, I wanted to say I like your quiz-style presentation, challenging us to determine the correct line of play. That said, for your next article, I'd still like for you to narrate your videos. Keep the screenshot and the quiz, but audio helps these kinds of articles tremendously.
I think the fact that there is a card you would pick above all others regardless of the situation is evidence that it should be removed because it's too powerful.
I guess I have a bigger problem with the combo of Strip Mine AND Crucible of Worlds/Life from the Loam than Strip Mine itself. It's one of my least favorite combos to play against. Strip Mine is a high pick even without those two cards floating around.
Treachery is certainly the most powerful card in p1p2. The problem is that taking it makes it incredibly difficult to stick with my first pick. By passing Lilliana Vess, Sheoldred, and Shadowmage Infiltrator I'm pretty much kissing Black and Blue/Black goodbye, which means I'm deciding on p1p2 that I wasted my first pick.
Now if I had kept my options open and had taken Dismember p1p1, then I agree with you completely about Treachery. If anything, these two picks show how important it is to keep your options open.
Good show I agree with everything walkerdog says and would of said it myself had I replied first. I also aagree with almost everything you said about card replacement. All but one card, Strip mine. This is a necessary card for this format because there are so many lands that do stuff and it can go in any deck. I always grab it no matter what, p1p1 sure. It has won me some games too. All hail the strip mine!
One thing to consider for the corci deck is wildfires and Burning of Xinye since you can play them with corci out and she stays alive...
Angel of Jubilation only prevents the sacrifice of creatures. Fetch lands etc are fine.
p1p2 you HAVE to take treachery unless you are not playing any sort of control cards. Your deck going forward would have been great as a UBR deck or UWG deck, as you prefer. P2P7: Whipcorder may Wheel, I really feel Destiny (plays nice with your mana-men) is the pick.
I liked how you transitioned into GW beats. That was well-played. It would been even easier if you'd taken Dismember P1P1 but... still really well done to recover and build a solid deck.
Best one graphics I have ever seen...Love this one so much...NET CSIR Coaching In Chandigarh | UGC NET CSIR Coaching
Funny thing, I'm putting together a Kaho deck now, and I've found that she's more of a late-game win condition. I tried rushing her on turn 4, but that didn't work. The key is to generate card advantage so that you can leave mana open for when your opponent does get their removal. You have to build the deck to be able to win without her so that when you're ahead you can stay ahead through the use of counterspells.
Well, it is similarly situational to how Vexing Devil is a 4/3.
You should read the fine print on that 13/13 before calling it a 13/13. :)
This might be true of Kaleidoscope and Singleton, but Extended is just a fossil.
Your deck looks like a lot of fun. I did something similar way back when. I think I used Thrax and filled the deck with all cool multicolor cards. I even had Cloven Casting which would have been awesome if I could have ever really gotten it to work.
Huge props on Unscythe. Like Leviathan, I didn't think it was very good, but if games could be won on style points, it's a one card combo!
Also like Leviathan, I'm surprised that you can keep up with your current mana base. I was running 40 land with 5 extra land tutors/artifact sources and was having problems. When I updated the deck at the end of last year I upped the number to 39 lands and 10 tutors/artifact sources. Even at that point I still felt like I couldn't do everything I wanted because of mana limitations.
Freed from the Real: Getting you through your honey-do list! (our new slogan)
That's annoying. I try to check the recording before it uploads, but usually I just play it and check a random section to make sure it plays. I will try to be more diligent in the future.
not sure about the novel, the last time I read those they came in the fat packs.
Savagery plus Tree....sic.
Interesting deck. I never would have thought about using Oriss, she seems so limited. I really like that you are giving Atalya some love, she seems to have helped you a lot.
Since your deck is pretty creature heavy, I would recommend Emeria, the Sky Ruin. Reya Dawnbringer would help as well, but I can understand if you didn't want to include it due to mana cost. You could probably also use Maze of Ith/Mystifying Maze as well to help with defense. And Kor Haven.
You have a decent amount of life gain effects, so Well of Lost Dreams might be helpful with your draw. Good stuff.
Wow, you're running Blood Tyrant, Tetsuo, Unscythe, Prince of Thralls, Drastic Revelation and Call the Skybreaker! All in the same deck! Wow, and Elemental Augury! Kudos to you sir. Although I gotta say, when I tried playing with Unscythe I was thoroughly unimpressed. I hope your results are better.
I'm surprised that you've found people to underestimate Vicious Shadows. That card is truly backbreaking most of the time. There are plenty of times where that card just ends games, especially if you run a few token creators and Damnation or something similar.
You are running the full compliment of Signets and Journeyer's Kite plus Ingot, but only 35 lands. Is that enough for you to keep up with the ramp decks that are running rampant (hah!) out there?
yea I like it, but like I said it starts to lose value if you play it on a ledgewalker
The Devil will see play. He is a good man. But the draw back is real.
Standard RDW is a joke deck at this point. However, since the perception is that Wolf Running is the best thing to be doing right now and that your other one-drop creatures are Goblin Arsonist and Fireslinger, he will go into RDW in Standard and will put pressure on Wolf Run Ramp to either take 4 or Devil's Play it. I am going to still play Delver.
Block has a whole bunch more things going on and I am sure that most of the decks with red base or secondary color beaters already have better options (Stromkirk Noble, Champion of the Parish).
I do think Modern is THE place for him. I think he might be slightly better than Figure of Destiny in red decks, which is already placing him in the fringe since most straight RDW decks in modern don't run him. Figure is a Boros creature ATM in Modern. Goblin Guide is way better than this guy for RDW. Still, I think the devil will go into RDW to a decent effect and may work out well in Boros with Ranger of Eos too.
Legacy is different because I play exactly one deck maybe once a week. I am not going to pretend I know about Legacy Burn, but again he seems to be competing for the Figure of Desitny slot, and I have heard that Figure is the worst creature in the deck so I think he may find a place in Legacy Burn for a while. If he does well, he will also find a home there.
Bottom line, I don't think he is as bad as the people who say he is bad. I also don't think he is as good as the people who say he is good. I think it is a fine middle of the road beater that has an incredible p/t-cmc ratio with a VERY REAL drawback...
how is that for anti-hyperbole?
Devil wasn't even played in the Block PT. It's not really even viable atm in a Tier 1 deck at least.
My only concern with the vexing devil is ISD block. RW agro seems like the already top deck in the format and this will only make it more so. Banned, not Banned, who really cares about rules and regualtions? I just hope I open lots of them.
I mean, if a 13/13 for B was able to make it unbanned...
It is easier to call for banning cards then to develop strategies to beat them.
Wizards has been a good Daddy in this regard lately, and most people just want Daddy to fix all their problems for them.
Others just want Grizzly Bear Wars.dek to be all that is legal so everyone can play with the same power level of cards and there is absolutely nothing unfair about anything ever.
OMG!!! ITZ UH 4/3 FER 1. BAN ALL TEH CRADZ!!!
Vexing Devil is great card design. Just like Browbeat it LOOKS like it will do a lot more than it will actually do. The other player will always choose the option that is best for them. 4 damage for R is great, a 4 power beater for R is great--but letting your opponent choose which one it is is not so great.
If they can't deal with it, then they will eat 4 and its a slightly better lightning bolt, but if they can deal with it then it will do nothing, which is a fair drawback for it doing 4 for R sometimes. Its fine and not as broken as it seems, nowhere near the power level of Lightning Bolt or Goblin Guide though.