I've finally saved up enough gems for a Traditional Draft in Arena. What do you guys suggest trying to draft? I know the AI prioritizes certain things so trying to draft those is futile.
RNA draft is really open... as a new drafter I would probably avoid Azorius and don't try to build 4c Gates, but otherwise just keep a card rating guide in front of you (even for experienced players this is good because it's easy to misread cards while drafting them) like LSV's or this. Don't be afraid of splashing a third color if your mana is good and keep an eye on 10-15th picks for multi-color playables, because it's usually a good sign that the guild is open.
I've actually been slowly working on a better OP, I should get that out this afternoon.
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astrobstrdSo full of mercy...Registered Userregular
I don't feel nearly as boxed in to certain decks in RNA as I did Guilds by bot priorities, especially after they made 4 bots in any given draft spike Dimir.
I'd say my general advice if you haven't drafted is, when in doubt, take the cheaper card or the single color card (until you are committed).
I don't feel nearly as boxed in to certain decks in RNA as I did Guilds by bot priorities, especially after they made 4 bots in any given draft spike Dimir.
I'd say my general advice if you haven't drafted is, when in doubt, take the cheaper card or the single color card (until you are committed).
Guilds was just a worse format. Not bad, but worse.
astrobstrdSo full of mercy...Registered Userregular
The nicest thing I can say about Guilds limited is "better than it looks on paper".
I like RNA quite a bit, since the potential for nonsense is high. Hell, if it is open, a nonsense deck is the best choice.
Wonder if they'll ever do an integrated "full block" packs thing on Arena or MODO. Having all the guilds around could be fun, but saddling RNA green with Guilds green could be a drag too.
The new product is a brand new set called "Modern Horizons." It will consist of brand new cards and reprints of cards that are "too powerful for Standard but not yet in Modern." The set is not Standard legal at all. Built to be draftable, comes out June 14th, prerelease is draft instead of sealed.
254 cards + buy-a-box (which is a reprint)
Not on Arena, coming to MTGO for $6.99/pack (no MSRP for paper per new policy)
I think it's interesting to make a Modern-focused set because it changes a lot of design considerations but I'd have liked to see some reprints of Modern staples that are getting pricey.
I've updated my initial post with the first preview card and I'll keep adding more to the spoiler as they're revealed.
jgeis on
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KalTorakOne way or another, they all end up inthe Undercity.Registered Userregular
edited February 2019
printing new/Legacy cards into Modern while skipping Standard... interesting
I mean, I'm fine if that means we don't get another Core Set 2019, i.e. a set peppered with limited-unplayable rares aimed at maybe doing something in Modern.
Actually I'll just link to the digital card images when the official spoiler goes up, but they just revealed a Serra planeswalker that's a 4-drop with 4 loyalty and -3: Make a Serra Angel
Note that this set isn't contemporaneous with the ongoing storyline, it jumps around and grabs stuff from all over Magic's history. So Serra is not explicitly still alive.
jgeis on
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PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
Note that this set isn't contemporaneous with the ongoing storyline, it jumps around and grabs stuff from all over Magic's history. So Serra is not explicitly still alive.
don't take this away from me
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KalTorakOne way or another, they all end up inthe Undercity.Registered Userregular
But I am interested to see what they think is too powerful for a standard format but not modern
Is it a power-level thing? I'm honestly not sure, still trying to wrap my head around it.
IIRC they've said that they don't like balancing Standard cards for modern; they try to shape power levels to the Standard environment and then adjust Modern if necessary. Obv I doubt they'd knowingly let something through that would be fine in standard but break modern in half (cough Treasure Cruise/Dig), but they seem fine printing cards that at least match modern-playable cards in terms of power, otherwise Modern would be pretty much stagnant.
The one power-level area that I could see being a stark contrast between standard and modern is cards with older abilities that break their more recent soft design rules. Stuff like protection from colors, or mana-free repeatable sacrifice outlets, or cheap creatures with full hexproof. Those abilities already exist in modern and there's still plenty of design space there, but they've shied away from them in standard.
A Serra Angel on turn 4 is alone like, fringe-of-fringe playable (being slightly worse than Aurelia/Seraph of the Scales, which are fringe playable); putting that on a Walker that also has the flexibility to completely lock most decks out of ever winning if you can slam her with protection T4 is a very, very scary card for Standard.
I ate an engineer
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turtleantGunpla Dadis the best.Registered Userregular
Yeah Serra's emblem + a hexproof creature means if your opponent doesn't have a board wipe or eldest reborn handy you basically can't lose in standard. Just don't block and you're golden.
Yeah Serra's emblem + a hexproof creature means if your opponent doesn't have a board wipe or eldest reborn handy you basically can't lose in standard. Just don't block and you're golden.
Note that the emblem, like actual Worship, only prevents damage from killing you. The good news is that life loss still gets around it. The bad news is that a lot of black effects that used to cause life loss (in older sets) now cause damage. Still plenty of effects that can work, though. Especially if you're running Vampires.
serra was around during the urza cycle right? did she get killed during that?
Later on.
She created her plane (which looked dope) out of pure white mana with special mirrors that allowed her an omnipotent view of everything that happened there.
Urza arrived there after being attacked by Phyrexians and was treated/healed then leaves, fearing that they will follow him however the Phyrexians had already infiltrated the plane behind him, tainting it with black mana in the process.
Serra gathered the populace that wanted to leave and fled the plane leaving one of her archangels, Radiant to look after it. However Radiant was herself corrupted by the Phyrexians and begins to go mad while her legions of angels start slaughtering the remaining populace. She attacks Urza when he returns on hearing what is happening and almost kills him.
Urza survives, loads more refugees onto the Weatherlight then collapses the plane and directs the energies into the Weatherlight, which lets it jump between planes.
Serra if I recall correctly wanders around for a while, meets Feroz the planeswalker and they create a shield that prevents other planeswalkers from entering the plane. They beat up on Baron Sengir and his vampires to protect the populace of the realm. Feroz dies and Serra is heartbroken, fleeing then hiding her identity before eventually being stabbed to death by a thief. Not wanting to live without Feroz does not heal herself and dies.
I didn't really have beef with Wilderness Reclamation until playing against 5 temur control decks in a row
Now you can just ban that shit
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turtleantGunpla Dadis the best.Registered Userregular
Speaking of MtG story I learned how original Mirrodin block's story ended last night and I'm mad.
The heroic goblin character gives up his artificial planeswalker spark to bring everyone that Memnarch kidnapped back to life and return them to their home planes .
He then climbs out of the big bad's lair and is immediately ripped to pieces by a group of goblins that exiled him way back and just happened to be there.
Sad trombone music sting plays.
What a stupid gotcha ending. Kinda glad that place got phyrexia-d now.
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KalTorakOne way or another, they all end up inthe Undercity.Registered Userregular
serra was around during the urza cycle right? did she get killed during that?
Later on.
She created her plane (which looked dope) out of pure white mana with special mirrors that allowed her an omnipotent view of everything that happened there.
Urza arrived there after being attacked by Phyrexians and was treated/healed then leaves, fearing that they will follow him however the Phyrexians had already infiltrated the plane behind him, tainting it with black mana in the process.
Serra gathered the populace that wanted to leave and fled the plane leaving one of her archangels, Radiant to look after it. However Radiant was herself corrupted by the Phyrexians and begins to go mad while her legions of angels start slaughtering the remaining populace. She attacks Urza when he returns on hearing what is happening and almost kills him.
Urza survives, loads more refugees onto the Weatherlight then collapses the plane and directs the energies into the Weatherlight, which lets it jump between planes.
Serra if I recall correctly wanders around for a while, meets Feroz the planeswalker and they create a shield that prevents other planeswalkers from entering the plane. They beat up on Baron Sengir and his vampires to protect the populace of the realm. Feroz dies and Serra is heartbroken, fleeing then hiding her identity before eventually being stabbed to death by a thief. Not wanting to live without Feroz does not heal herself and dies.
I remember Radiant vs. Serra being some of the cooler story-flavor text in Urza-block
Posts
RNA draft is really open... as a new drafter I would probably avoid Azorius and don't try to build 4c Gates, but otherwise just keep a card rating guide in front of you (even for experienced players this is good because it's easy to misread cards while drafting them) like LSV's or this. Don't be afraid of splashing a third color if your mana is good and keep an eye on 10-15th picks for multi-color playables, because it's usually a good sign that the guild is open.
The latter.
I'd say my general advice if you haven't drafted is, when in doubt, take the cheaper card or the single color card (until you are committed).
Guilds was just a worse format. Not bad, but worse.
I like RNA quite a bit, since the potential for nonsense is high. Hell, if it is open, a nonsense deck is the best choice.
Wonder if they'll ever do an integrated "full block" packs thing on Arena or MODO. Having all the guilds around could be fun, but saddling RNA green with Guilds green could be a drag too.
254 cards + buy-a-box (which is a reprint)
Not on Arena, coming to MTGO for $6.99/pack (no MSRP for paper per new policy)
Preview Cards:
I'll update this post as more info comes out.
ineedmayo.com Eidolon Journal Updated
But I am interested to see what they think is too powerful for a standard format but not modern
I've updated my initial post with the first preview card and I'll keep adding more to the spoiler as they're revealed.
I mean, I'm fine if that means we don't get another Core Set 2019, i.e. a set peppered with limited-unplayable rares aimed at maybe doing something in Modern.
edit: Cabal Therapist is a pretty cool callback.
serra confirmed walker and still alive
oooohhhh baby
don't take this away from me
Is it a power-level thing? I'm honestly not sure, still trying to wrap my head around it.
IIRC they've said that they don't like balancing Standard cards for modern; they try to shape power levels to the Standard environment and then adjust Modern if necessary. Obv I doubt they'd knowingly let something through that would be fine in standard but break modern in half (cough Treasure Cruise/Dig), but they seem fine printing cards that at least match modern-playable cards in terms of power, otherwise Modern would be pretty much stagnant.
The one power-level area that I could see being a stark contrast between standard and modern is cards with older abilities that break their more recent soft design rules. Stuff like protection from colors, or mana-free repeatable sacrifice outlets, or cheap creatures with full hexproof. Those abilities already exist in modern and there's still plenty of design space there, but they've shied away from them in standard.
Slivers all the way down.
Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
I might have to check out GPDC then.
Unless they put it out by Dulles again, they shouldn't be allowed to call that DC.
ineedmayo.com Eidolon Journal Updated
I just checked the CFB Events website...
I'm sorry
in other news, full Serra art
that is definitely incredibly powerful for standard
Note that the emblem, like actual Worship, only prevents damage from killing you. The good news is that life loss still gets around it. The bad news is that a lot of black effects that used to cause life loss (in older sets) now cause damage. Still plenty of effects that can work, though. Especially if you're running Vampires.
Later on.
She created her plane (which looked dope) out of pure white mana with special mirrors that allowed her an omnipotent view of everything that happened there.
Urza arrived there after being attacked by Phyrexians and was treated/healed then leaves, fearing that they will follow him however the Phyrexians had already infiltrated the plane behind him, tainting it with black mana in the process.
Serra gathered the populace that wanted to leave and fled the plane leaving one of her archangels, Radiant to look after it. However Radiant was herself corrupted by the Phyrexians and begins to go mad while her legions of angels start slaughtering the remaining populace. She attacks Urza when he returns on hearing what is happening and almost kills him.
Urza survives, loads more refugees onto the Weatherlight then collapses the plane and directs the energies into the Weatherlight, which lets it jump between planes.
Serra if I recall correctly wanders around for a while, meets Feroz the planeswalker and they create a shield that prevents other planeswalkers from entering the plane. They beat up on Baron Sengir and his vampires to protect the populace of the realm. Feroz dies and Serra is heartbroken, fleeing then hiding her identity before eventually being stabbed to death by a thief. Not wanting to live without Feroz does not heal herself and dies.
Now you can just ban that shit
He then climbs out of the big bad's lair and is immediately ripped to pieces by a group of goblins that exiled him way back and just happened to be there.
Sad trombone music sting plays.
What a stupid gotcha ending. Kinda glad that place got phyrexia-d now.
I remember Radiant vs. Serra being some of the cooler story-flavor text in Urza-block