what the goddamn fuck
I prefer Ice Age as well. Both sets have some cool cards, but are overall both absolute jank, and I say that as someone who came in during Ice Age and owns a complete set of it.
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Magic: the Gathering |OT8| Eldritch Moon - It's only a paper (and digital) moon
- Thread starter SigmasonicX
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I prefer Ice Age as well. Both sets have some cool cards, but are overall both absolute jank, and I say that as someone who came in during Ice Age and owns a complete set of it.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Force of Will does not save Alliances from being a jank set. It's a jank set.
what the goddamn fuck
I liked Ice Ages more than Alliances as well. It was also easier for me to find packs of Ice Age, and you got 15 in a pack instead of 8.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I still don't think SaffronOlive's analysis that Grim Flayer is bad because a 4/4 Trampler that costs 2 mana is inherently bad in the format because of Sylvan Advocate makes any sense.
I mean, no it doesn't attack through Sylvan Advocate if the Advocate is turned on. But every Grim Flayer deck is probably playing their own Sylvan Advocates and probably 4 copies of Hissing Quagmire. And Sylvan Advocate is hardly the Lightning Bolt of the format where nothing that can't attack through it is playable nor does deck construction require that you only play creatures equal to the best creature in the entire format.
If Grim Flayer is bad, its because its too hard to turn on its ability.
I mean, no it doesn't attack through Sylvan Advocate if the Advocate is turned on. But every Grim Flayer deck is probably playing their own Sylvan Advocates and probably 4 copies of Hissing Quagmire. And Sylvan Advocate is hardly the Lightning Bolt of the format where nothing that can't attack through it is playable nor does deck construction require that you only play creatures equal to the best creature in the entire format.
If Grim Flayer is bad, its because its too hard to turn on its ability.
I feel like Flayer is bad because its ability is too hard to turn on. Also it dies to Languish. Also Advocate has better stats and is easier to cast. Also trample is worthless on a 2/2 (team #shouldabeendeathtouch). It's one of those cards that seems like it should work but it's just got too many little things that don't add up.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
95% of creatures die to Languish and again, I don't instantly buy into "not as good as Sylvan Advocate" because lots and lots of playable cards are "not as good as Sylvan Advocate."
If Grim Flayer isn't good, its because its too hard to make him a 4/4.
Right. But sometimes Advocate doesn't. And that adds up to making a big difference in my judgement of Flayer.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Grim Flayer costs 2 mana and its combat ability is literally better than Scry 3. It isn't a mutually exclusive choice between Grim Flayer and Sylvan Advocate because by definition a Grim Flayer deck can also play Advocate and probably is.
You're right. It isn't an absolute given. But which card has been getting the nod up until this Pro Tour? I would argue Advocate is/was seeing way more play.
charlequin
Banned
have you people looked at ice age recently
this was not a good set
this was not a good set
Kinda awesome interaction in a Nic Fit deck in the legacy weekly on Tuesday: using Conch Horn to put Emrakul back on top of the deck so that he can sacrifice his Academy Rector to Evolutionary Leap to get the Emrakul in hand and Omniscience in play. He's played the deck for a while, but adding Conch Horn is pretty fantastic.
Edit: also he used Eldritch Evolution to go from 13 mana Emrakul to 15 mana Emrakul in an earlier game in our match.
Edit: also he used Eldritch Evolution to go from 13 mana Emrakul to 15 mana Emrakul in an earlier game in our match.
SigmasonicX
Member
I'm noticing some Emrakul fatigue in this thread already, but my view is that a finisher seeing a lot of play is much different from engine cards like Collected Company. For one thing, the game usually ends soon after Emrakul comes out, and the fact that it's the top end means that the rest of the deck can vary greatly from player to player (well, until the best version is found). In comparison, in this Standard, Collected Company leads to generally similar decks and is present during the entire match.
Latest Developments article on designing for Spike (the player type that cares about demonstrating their skill at the game).
Latest Developments article on designing for Spike (the player type that cares about demonstrating their skill at the game).
Show me a set, especially a first set in a block, without jank.
I don't think anyone is sick of Emrakul yet? Just surprised.
charlequin
Banned
Yeah, I completely agree with you here. And if anything today's results so far suggest it can get online pretty quickly.
Yeah, I mean obviously there are bad cards in every set, but I feel like these are pretty representative. Ice Age has only terrible mechanics, tons of super-janky mini themes, and lots of cards that were never good even at the time and have only gotten worse since. Alliances was much more revolutionary at the time and had a much greater proportion of solid, playable, coherently designed cards than its predecessor.
keeblerdrow
Member
Did the walk of shame to my LGS this morning and picked up 2 emrakuls. I was looking at them yesterday but then thought I'd just trade for the 2 I want at fnm tonight. Nnnnnnnope. Not trading for those suckers at 30 or 40, so 14 cash it is. It was everywhere on camera last night.
I'm also sad we won't see sub-30 Liliana for a long time, if ever. I'm at 0 copies of her.
I've been brewing around Thalia's Lancers the last couple days. Being able to search out oaths is a great interaction for the card. It may make an Abzan, Bant, or esper superfriends viable because it also makes great defense. Costs 1 less than deploy the gatewatch, as well.
Know what card would be fantastic in current standard that saw no play in its time? Garruk, Apex Predator. It's casting cost seems almost trivial now.
I'm also sad we won't see sub-30 Liliana for a long time, if ever. I'm at 0 copies of her.
I've been brewing around Thalia's Lancers the last couple days. Being able to search out oaths is a great interaction for the card. It may make an Abzan, Bant, or esper superfriends viable because it also makes great defense. Costs 1 less than deploy the gatewatch, as well.
Know what card would be fantastic in current standard that saw no play in its time? Garruk, Apex Predator. It's casting cost seems almost trivial now.
Upon reviewing the Alliances cards due to this discussion, I have to agree, it's much less janky, especially compared to how I remember it. By a lot. I didn't realize Alliances stepped it up so hard. Like, there's a lot of unremarkable cards in the set. But man... Ice Age does dial it up.
That said, Ice Age has a lot of stuff that's great. The Pain Lands are a big one. Jester's Cap started a long fascination with artifacts that fuck with your opponent's library. Necropotence, we all know that one. Illusions of Grandeur is super fun to donate. Shit, Brainstorm was born here. I actually even like Cumulative Upkeep as a concept.
Still, I admit I needed another look at these sets to see the truth. I can admit I was originally wrong.
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
Grim Flayer is played with like 20 kill spells it's gonna trigger and it's gonna be a 4/4.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Ice Age Painlands were a huge FUCK YOU at the time because they were the first duals that weren't just legit duals.
Part of the reason I hated the set was the idea that they were going to print strictly worse versions of existing cards.
Part of the reason I hated the set was the idea that they were going to print strictly worse versions of existing cards.
Joe Molotov
Member
Yeah but that Sulfurous Springs art, tho
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
A bunch of the jank posted were at common too so nobody had a clue what half the cards in the set were supposed to be doing
A Serious Man
Member
I like Ice Age's flavor, so that's worth something I guess. I'll even defend Coldsnap.
Etrian Oddity
Member
Told you guys to snag up Elder Deep Fiend when you could. It's a fuckin monster. 8)
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I have no idea why I am playing Sealed League when I have enough time to play Swiss Draft (obviously I am not good enough to do shit in 8-4s).
"God's Beard!"
Member
Ice Age is home to the first MTG card that ever left an impression on me when I was a kid.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Every once in a while I try to imagine what my deck would look like if I was transported back to early '95 when I started playing and I had the resources to build a good deck.
I'm guessing I would play more copies of Serra Angel than I already was.
I'm guessing I would play more copies of Serra Angel than I already was.
Etrian Oddity
Member
So why can I not tap my Leaf Gilder the turn I cast it, but you can tap your summon-sickness Knight on the same turn you summoned it via Town Gossipmonger's ability? Doesn't seem right.
keeblerdrow
Member
What's everyone running at fnm tonight?
I've been on Bant company for the last 3 weeks after 2-2ing with brews for 2 months solid. I might try the temurge deck I saw last night at the PT. or blend that with some crush of tentacles goodness.
I've been on Bant company for the last 3 weeks after 2-2ing with brews for 2 months solid. I might try the temurge deck I saw last night at the PT. or blend that with some crush of tentacles goodness.
Joe Molotov
Member
Summoning Sicking only stops a creature from attacking or tapping to use it's own activated ability. It can still be tapped for other reasons (i.e. to pay Gossipmonger's activation).
SigmasonicX
Member
Tapping through the arrow symbol and "Tap an untapped _" are separate things. One way to think about it is that the former is done by the creature while you, the player, are the one doing the latter. A spell that taps a creature can still tap a creature with summoning sickness. Thus, summoning sickness matters for the former but not the latter.
blindrocket
Member
I have three local stores to play FNM at, one of which it is doing Modern, the other is a Booster draft (which they seem to do most of the time) and I don't know about the third store.
I'm pretty excited to play Modern at FNM.
"God's Beard!"
Member
My deck in 1995 was a stack of literally every card that I had. My friend and I would play in the rec room after school and neither of us knew the rules.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I don't even own a functioning MTG deck. My Kozilek EDH deck uses face down cards in sleeves because I only own like 5 Wastes lol
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";212569734]I don't even own a functioning MTG deck. My Kozilek EDH deck uses face down cards in sleeves because I only own like 5 Wastes lol[/QUOTE]
I got too lazy to find more of my Urza's Saga swamps so I started forests in my mono-Black Oona deck. Wastes have got to be even worse.
I got too lazy to find more of my Urza's Saga swamps so I started forests in my mono-Black Oona deck. Wastes have got to be even worse.
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
I have a bunch of wastes from drafting. Even sold a foil waste.
Mindslaver effects in EDH are nasty as hell. Having one whenever you want it could be really fun.
Heh heh heh
"God's Beard!"
Member
I really think that Karn, Silver Golem and the new Kozilek are the only real colorless EDH commanders. There's not really a ton of viable strategies, and those two are the only two that really let you do something once you've dumped all your mana rocks. Emrakul is powerful, but there's a real risk of just going hellbent and getting run over.
braggin'
braggin'
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
[QUOTE="God's Beard!";212574807]braggin'[/QUOTE]
I'll take what I can get.
I'll take what I can get.
LOLWHAT
what the goddamn fuck
Alliances is not a jank set, at least compared to Ice Age.
blindrocket
Member
To answer your question though, I'm taking Modern Jund.
I wish I had Kalitas, but I think I'll put in a couple Abbot of Keral Keep in there.
Abbot seems quite bad in Jund imo, as an alternate and cheap 4 drop I'd look into Pia and Kiran.
Because we are talking about Ice Age block era, here, from Inquest Magazine, is a Financial review for the just released Homelands set!
Few things to note
- "Could be hard to get!"
-Correctly identified Baron Sengir as overrated, but makes no mention of Ishan's Shade
-Have you ever heard of primal order?
Few things to note
- "Could be hard to get!"
-Correctly identified Baron Sengir as overrated, but makes no mention of Ishan's Shade
-Have you ever heard of primal order?
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