Magic: The Gathering

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Magic: The Gathering

I suppose, but getting all 3 colors of mana on the table by turn 3 is a challenge all on its own. It's not a bad card, but I really think you're underestimating how difficult it will be to put into play consistently.

Perhaps, but maybe not by a lot. Shocklands may be going out (another design faux pas--rotating out of one multicolored set and into another), but that doesn't change the fact that Fetchlands are still coming back in. Plus there's the better City of Brass from Journey Into Nyx. Something like T1 Flooded Strand into Plains, T2 Mountain, T3 Mana Confluence isn't all that implausible.

That being said, I do not expect aggro to be at all viable in the upcoming Standard. Go big and/or go home.

[Icemage]

Re: Magic: The Gathering

Perhaps, but maybe not by a lot. Shocklands may be going out (another design faux pas--rotating out of one multicolored set and into another), but that doesn't change the fact that Fetchlands are still coming back in. Plus there's the better City of Brass from Journey Into Nyx. Something like T1 Flooded Strand into Plains, T2 Mountain, T3 Mana Confluence isn't all that implausible.

Absolutely not implausible, but unless you're going to fill your deck with fetchlands, you're going to need a tiny bit of luck to get 3 of the right ones by turn 3 (bearing in mind you've only drawn into 9-10 cards at that point, 1 of which will be assumed to be Mantis Rider in this scenario). 3 lands, different (potential) colors out of 8-9 cards doesn't seem like a consistent scenario to me. Possible? Yes. Likely? Maybe. You can only run 4 each of City of Brass + Mystic Monastery, so you need a bit of luck to get that 3rd color even with fetchlands in the mix (because you might just draw basics). Not a "lot" of luck, but "some", and that's assuming you want to run City + a tapland.

That being said, I do not expect aggro to be at all viable in the upcoming Standard. Go big and/or go home.

There's still a fair amount of super aggressive cards in the format, though the general lack of quality 1-drops is definitely a concern.

Wizards has to be careful that the format doesn't become flooded with 4 or 5-color variants. What you say above is almost as true for a 5 color deck that just splashes a couple of colors as it is for a 3-color deck.

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Actually now that I think of it, one of the scariest new cards might be Sagu Mauler. You can sneak it onto the table as a morph for 3, then morph it (with no chance for opponent to respond because morph doesn't use the stack) into a 6/6 trample hexproof for 3UG, which will negate any spells or effects that your opponent was going to use to nail that pesky "2/2"...


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: Magic: The Gathering

More (Potential) Table Flips:



Standard viable? Possibly, given the format is slowing down. Has serious potential for evil in Modern or EDH.

[Icemage]

Re: Magic: The Gathering

^ That's likely the most interesting MtG card I've seen in the past few sets.

I don't think you'd main deck more than 1 (because it's kinda worthless against super-aggressive decks and heavy control decks), but this is the sort of card that mid-tempo decks and some combo decks fear most.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: Magic: The Gathering

Agreed, it's a neat trick that's definitely worth a slot in the deck but more than 1 would be dicey - I'd run 2 at the very most (unless you have some kind of tutor) just to keep your opponents on their toes and surprise the crap out of them when it hits - it's WAY more playable than the quad black one (which is amazing but even with Delve it's pricey).

Speaking of Delve, I'm somewhat surprised this card doesn't have it - but that would probably push the card over the top into ban-worthy territory.