Fantastic read!
Javasci, this was hilarious at times and filled to the brim with good strategic content. The variety of paths to victory with this deck that you used or even recognized that you could have used is staggering - no two games are quite alike, which makes for fun problem solving. Finally, you sound like the person with the little angel and devil on each shoulder, yapping away incessantly. Makes for a fun personality. Keep up the good work. BoB
Wow.. this site (new to it) is awesome. while most other sites give you the "real world" pros that you see once and a while, this is perfect for me as it gives me insight into the minds of the people I see in the t8's of events.
Hitting planeswalkers is actually a BAD thing for this card to do. As mentioned, white wants to be playing powerful planeswalkers like Elspeth, why on earth would you want to nuke her like that? Wrath of God was great before because it allowed you to sweep out all of aggro's pesky little critters while things like your o-rings, borderposts, and elspeths stuck around to help you take control of the game. Now you lose all of those things. The only kind of deck who doesn't care about its own enchantments, artifacts, etc are aggro. Which deck is too fast to even vaguely consider using this card? Aggro. It's jank. This isn't even touching on the ridiculous mana cost in a time when the game's faster than ever.
Furthermore, as I mentioned chaotically in my prev comment, are other very minor details that clearly demonstrate (to me) that not a lot of (good) thinking went into designing M10, the new publication schedules, the rule changes etc.
One example? If I have to believe MTGO-Salvation they are publishing a card named: Runeclaw Bears, cost 1G, 2/2, no abilities.
Does it ring a bell?
It's a "clone" of Grizzly Bears that is no longer in the core.
Grizzly Bears has been in the core for how long? Forever?
What's the point of removing it to create another 1G, 2/2 plain creature that is also a bear?????????
Now that's really something.....
As I commented before, lots of small details that are terribly meaningful.....
As many other, I do not like the rule changes to combat for more or less the same reasons discussed elsewhere.
However, I do not know how to express this but it's really the cards included in M10 (and how they have been designed) that disappoints me greatly.
Also pls allow me to disagree with your opinion on the o-ring and the needle since they do neutralize planeswalker and the fact that they do not destroy the planeswalker is of limited relevance considering that: (1) they are much faster cards than the planar cleansing (2) the needle has a persistent effect - lasts more than one round - and is versatile and super-fast.
Additionally I didn't mention maelstrom pulse that also can get rid of the planeswalker and costs 1BG only...
So planeswalkers are really not a good reason for removing a "brand card" like WOG for planar cleansing (they could have also co-existed.. since wog could co-exist with austere command et al.)
Thanks for the kind words. Whenever I play G/W I have a little Star Wars moment where I'm Han & Luke vs. a mighty Black-Red menace. It's a fun deck to play, whatever else.
I don't see any legit argument for this card being playable, it takes a full 2 turns longer to set up a wrath effect, assuming that you are somehow not missing your first 6 land drops, which is a big assumption. meaning you are either playing blockers which will be getting wrated away, or you are dead to an aggro deck. Also, triple white makes it quite a bit harder to cast. You can argue the viability of this card all you want, but to me it is definitely one of the weaker wrath effects that has ever seen print, and that says a lot when you consider how many have been printed.
Another fun suspend card: Curse of the Cabal, with hazes and other accelerators it can be nasty for opponents. Chronomantic Escape used to be bugged with Paradox Haze, if you had any additional upkeeps after it went off it would cancel the effect, not sure if that was ever fixed.
I also love suspend and am looking forward for that mechanic to reappear. It's also nice to see an article about 2HG here.
Leaving BB elf out is probably a good call. I'd have to test it to see... Possibly over mancer and jenara? Elf is much better when you have all kinds of removal to snag. Thanks for giving me a new deck to tool around with ;).
It's been a while since we had a Block article here, so thanks for this. And it is also good to see that my beloved shard is still doing well in Block. Adding red for Uril and Realm Razer also makes a lot of sense.
I expect Time Warp to be a card people try in decks, only to find that it is just too slow. That's what it was the last time it was printed in an aggro-heavy format.
You seem to be carrying baggage from the rules changes to the cards themsemves. So much so that it has begun to blind your logic. Neither O-ring or Pithing needle are "answers" to planeswalkers. In fact, O-oring is one of the weakest answers for a planeswalker. If it doesn't put it into the grayeyard(pulse) or rfg it permanently (purge) there's a good chance that your still going to have to deal with it again. I learned this lesson, again, in alara block. If you haven't actually destroyed it, you're going to have to deal with it again.
Nothing stops all the outside the usa players from getting the "rewards" too. Click the box saying that you are in the US and stop whining. And even if you dont get the free cards, who cares. Its a few lands and maybe an uncommon. Very very few people are going to be getting more than a thoctar, so really, what is the big deal. I have about 25 thoctars, i give em away for free, they have no value. A different pic! Who cares, they are digital. You can go into the settings and change the pic yourself if you care so much.
I always thought us americans were whiners, but the reaction to the rewards program has shown me that foreigners can be even bigger whiners than us.
Caverns, I believe, isn't quite worth it. I played it during Necro's lame duck weekends, in order to run Orim's Chant - and both were quite effective. However, without Necro to make it that bit more useful, I don't think having Caverns around is worth it being a colorless nonbasic legendary land when you don't get it in your opening hand, or when you're going first.
Turn 0 wins, in my opinion, should not be considered with this deck, since it can only run 1 Flash. However, caverns is good for a turn 0 tutor into a turn 1 win - but in my opinion, not good enough. It may differ depending on other card choices, though.
Dreadnoughts are an idea I think should be explored - I'd probably cut the marauders for the fourth wall and some number (preferably three) noughts, and cut one of the useless wishboard cards (reins?) for a trickbind. While marauders can attack in a pinch, shifting walls can block in a pinch - which is more useful. Someone else would have to explore this idea, though, as I'm taking a break from MTGO to focus on college preparation.
(Note that with disciple kill, you don't have to worry about crypt or relic - they can't stop either hulk triggers or disciple triggers.)
The main reason I didn't run dreadnoughts is because I felt I didn't have space for Stifles, and without Stifle-Nought, the fact that you can cast walls/marauders that you draw for 0 makes them better. But, when making that decision, I forgot about the wishboard - and there have been times in the tournaments that I've wished I had Noughts.
Every time I have I have played this guy he completely changes the complexion of the game. Every time he kills a creature he gets another counter. Not to mention Bone Splinters and other effects. Oh yeah, and lets not forget this is limited where there are blocks and creatures die. The other bonus is he is black and can't be ex-capped. I believe Jordan had it right.
Nice theory and great article, but how is the deck only 59 cards?
I like the deck idea, but where are the Riftwing's and Jhoira's Timebug's????
Fantastic read!
Javasci, this was hilarious at times and filled to the brim with good strategic content. The variety of paths to victory with this deck that you used or even recognized that you could have used is staggering - no two games are quite alike, which makes for fun problem solving. Finally, you sound like the person with the little angel and devil on each shoulder, yapping away incessantly. Makes for a fun personality. Keep up the good work. BoB
Wow.. this site (new to it) is awesome. while most other sites give you the "real world" pros that you see once and a while, this is perfect for me as it gives me insight into the minds of the people I see in the t8's of events.
Props to walkerdog for the link.
Hitting planeswalkers is actually a BAD thing for this card to do. As mentioned, white wants to be playing powerful planeswalkers like Elspeth, why on earth would you want to nuke her like that? Wrath of God was great before because it allowed you to sweep out all of aggro's pesky little critters while things like your o-rings, borderposts, and elspeths stuck around to help you take control of the game. Now you lose all of those things. The only kind of deck who doesn't care about its own enchantments, artifacts, etc are aggro. Which deck is too fast to even vaguely consider using this card? Aggro. It's jank. This isn't even touching on the ridiculous mana cost in a time when the game's faster than ever.
sry for being not too clear in some comments but I am writing them fast and English is not my native language.
Furthermore, as I mentioned chaotically in my prev comment, are other very minor details that clearly demonstrate (to me) that not a lot of (good) thinking went into designing M10, the new publication schedules, the rule changes etc.
One example? If I have to believe MTGO-Salvation they are publishing a card named: Runeclaw Bears, cost 1G, 2/2, no abilities.
Does it ring a bell?
It's a "clone" of Grizzly Bears that is no longer in the core.
Grizzly Bears has been in the core for how long? Forever?
What's the point of removing it to create another 1G, 2/2 plain creature that is also a bear?????????
Now that's really something.....
As I commented before, lots of small details that are terribly meaningful.....
As many other, I do not like the rule changes to combat for more or less the same reasons discussed elsewhere.
However, I do not know how to express this but it's really the cards included in M10 (and how they have been designed) that disappoints me greatly.
Also pls allow me to disagree with your opinion on the o-ring and the needle since they do neutralize planeswalker and the fact that they do not destroy the planeswalker is of limited relevance considering that: (1) they are much faster cards than the planar cleansing (2) the needle has a persistent effect - lasts more than one round - and is versatile and super-fast.
Additionally I didn't mention maelstrom pulse that also can get rid of the planeswalker and costs 1BG only...
So planeswalkers are really not a good reason for removing a "brand card" like WOG for planar cleansing (they could have also co-existed.. since wog could co-exist with austere command et al.)
Thanks for the kind words. Whenever I play G/W I have a little Star Wars moment where I'm Han & Luke vs. a mighty Black-Red menace. It's a fun deck to play, whatever else.
I don't see any legit argument for this card being playable, it takes a full 2 turns longer to set up a wrath effect, assuming that you are somehow not missing your first 6 land drops, which is a big assumption. meaning you are either playing blockers which will be getting wrated away, or you are dead to an aggro deck. Also, triple white makes it quite a bit harder to cast. You can argue the viability of this card all you want, but to me it is definitely one of the weaker wrath effects that has ever seen print, and that says a lot when you consider how many have been printed.
Another fun suspend card: Curse of the Cabal, with hazes and other accelerators it can be nasty for opponents. Chronomantic Escape used to be bugged with Paradox Haze, if you had any additional upkeeps after it went off it would cancel the effect, not sure if that was ever fixed.
I also love suspend and am looking forward for that mechanic to reappear. It's also nice to see an article about 2HG here.
who play alot of magic will get everything up to a tog.
Leaving BB elf out is probably a good call. I'd have to test it to see... Possibly over mancer and jenara? Elf is much better when you have all kinds of removal to snag. Thanks for giving me a new deck to tool around with ;).
It's been a while since we had a Block article here, so thanks for this. And it is also good to see that my beloved shard is still doing well in Block. Adding red for Uril and Realm Razer also makes a lot of sense.
Nice job!
LE
I expect Time Warp to be a card people try in decks, only to find that it is just too slow. That's what it was the last time it was printed in an aggro-heavy format.
In Bant, Finest Hour is just much better.
You seem to be carrying baggage from the rules changes to the cards themsemves. So much so that it has begun to blind your logic. Neither O-ring or Pithing needle are "answers" to planeswalkers. In fact, O-oring is one of the weakest answers for a planeswalker. If it doesn't put it into the grayeyard(pulse) or rfg it permanently (purge) there's a good chance that your still going to have to deal with it again. I learned this lesson, again, in alara block. If you haven't actually destroyed it, you're going to have to deal with it again.
Omg, you sound just like some player called Exodus.
Maybe you don't care: others do.
Are you giving away free PROMO Damnations aswell? No? Right, didn't think so...
Nothing stops all the outside the usa players from getting the "rewards" too. Click the box saying that you are in the US and stop whining. And even if you dont get the free cards, who cares. Its a few lands and maybe an uncommon. Very very few people are going to be getting more than a thoctar, so really, what is the big deal. I have about 25 thoctars, i give em away for free, they have no value. A different pic! Who cares, they are digital. You can go into the settings and change the pic yourself if you care so much.
I always thought us americans were whiners, but the reaction to the rewards program has shown me that foreigners can be even bigger whiners than us.
Caverns, I believe, isn't quite worth it. I played it during Necro's lame duck weekends, in order to run Orim's Chant - and both were quite effective. However, without Necro to make it that bit more useful, I don't think having Caverns around is worth it being a colorless nonbasic legendary land when you don't get it in your opening hand, or when you're going first.
Turn 0 wins, in my opinion, should not be considered with this deck, since it can only run 1 Flash. However, caverns is good for a turn 0 tutor into a turn 1 win - but in my opinion, not good enough. It may differ depending on other card choices, though.
Dreadnoughts are an idea I think should be explored - I'd probably cut the marauders for the fourth wall and some number (preferably three) noughts, and cut one of the useless wishboard cards (reins?) for a trickbind. While marauders can attack in a pinch, shifting walls can block in a pinch - which is more useful. Someone else would have to explore this idea, though, as I'm taking a break from MTGO to focus on college preparation.
(Note that with disciple kill, you don't have to worry about crypt or relic - they can't stop either hulk triggers or disciple triggers.)
The main reason I didn't run dreadnoughts is because I felt I didn't have space for Stifles, and without Stifle-Nought, the fact that you can cast walls/marauders that you draw for 0 makes them better. But, when making that decision, I forgot about the wishboard - and there have been times in the tournaments that I've wished I had Noughts.
Good luck!
Every time I have I have played this guy he completely changes the complexion of the game. Every time he kills a creature he gets another counter. Not to mention Bone Splinters and other effects. Oh yeah, and lets not forget this is limited where there are blocks and creatures die. The other bonus is he is black and can't be ex-capped. I believe Jordan had it right.
Of course the question is how many puns can we make about left?
I like being on the left! I mean I did vote for Obama! ;)
If I had a nickle for every time someone said that about a card that then went on to see play, I'd have a LOT of nickles.
Thankfully you provided such a solid argument to defend your statements. Otherwise you might look like a typical anonymous internet know-it-all.
And there has been a lot of talk about Mogg Fanatic, but what about Scarland Thrinax???
and the Thrinax belongs to the Alara block so: recently designed...
Incoherence going on.. BIG TIME!
Forgot to mention..
Pithing needle gets rid of planeswalkers and costs one (colorless!)..
Oblivion ring gets rid of them also and costs 2w ...
There really was the need of designing this piece of crap?
M10 and the changes to the combat rules are clear signs of self-destruction.