I get that Blue has domain over "Polymorphing", or the Magic of changing thing's shapes. The problem is, the flavor is taken too far; it gives Blue something it shouldn't have.
You can justify a lot via the flavor of Polymorphing or changing a thing's shape. Here's some examples:
-A Blue spell that messes with the shape of something's essential parts in real time and becomes "Destroy target creature". Perfectly flavorful, and since it allows regeneration it shows that critters with strong constitution (i.e. can regenerate) can resist it. MOAR FLAVORFUL GOODNESS!
-A Blue spell that pumps or adds +1/+1 counters. Why not? Blue can Polymorph a dude, why not slightly modify him to be more effective? Maybe it accelerates keratin development...ooh! sounds Sciency, and thus even more Blue.
-Or how about a Polymorphing magic that exiles Artifacts/Lands/Enchantments and replaces them with a less threatening version. Hey, thats polymorphing/alteration magic as well, so it's good in Blue, right?
The point I'm trying to make is that flavor and top-down design need to have mechanical limits. Wizards broke one with this card. It's bad design.
1. polymorhping in magic has worked using destroy then token for a while. It's a way to template the ability so that there's no memory issues. Saying polymorhping is out of blue because it destroys creatures is like saying form of dragon isn't red because it can gain you life, and grants you moat. The flavor is that the creature is never destroyed, it's transformed. Destroy then token is just a convenient way of accomplishing the flavor
2. Blue doesn't get pump because pump is very green.
3. polymorphing in magic is about turning something into a specific somehing else. It couldn't be used to make any creature better, it can only be used to make one creature into another. in other words polymorphing is human goes to boar not human goes to buffer human. It's just not how polymorhing in magic has eve worked
4. polymorphing doesn't exile, and has only ever worked with creatures (at least in blue) so blue polymorhing shouldn't do anything to lands/artifacts/enchants/planeswalkers.
Top down design does have mechanical limits. Swineify is just a polymorph.
edit: apparently I didn't read the card. This new polymorph effect exiles. My bad.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
- Manite
The bigger and better stuff can have hexproof, pro blue, you can blink then, you can return than to your hand, you can counter mass baconization, you can equip you pig and make it goes beast, you can have sideboards.
It's just a removal spell, magic has loads of then.
MaRo apparently has a problem with Pongify like effects. Flavor wise, transforming a creature only to have the original version come back as a new creature while the transformed version is still there makes no sense. So making sure the creature isn't in the yard prevents this oddity.
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EDH: URJhoira of the GhituUR(Under con.) BMaralen of the MornsongB UBLazav, Dimir MastermindUB Standard: UMono U DevotionU Casual: GPrimordial Hydra JankinessG
All into 2/2 vanillas with a useless creature type. And not coming back (exile).
One of the best removal spells ever printed.
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that's not what happened at all. kamahl stabbed phage, akroma, and some old lady and they became korona. then korona got stabbed by her "prophets" and kamahl got drunk with a mutant centaur
Giving blue non-bounce removal is a bit risque... but I really like it. Removal w/ replacement is something that walks the line between green and blue. Just look at Beast Within and Pongify.
I like this card a lot, the exile seems as relevant as ever with these indestructible gods coming out. With Detention Sphere and Ratchet Bomb it becomes an unconditional exiling wrath, which is very strong. If not you could always have an Omenspeaker or 2 to block some of their 2/2s.
^ Black Pyroclasm... or as close as it gets. Don't understand why people think this is out of Blue's pie... Rapid Hybridization en mass shouldn't be that much of a stretch.
I think it's a great card, a one sided 'handle annoying dudes' while not being too absurd in a control deck... Or just run this along side a set of Staticasters........
Because Rapid Hybridization is also out of blue's pie? That was something you could let slide in planar chaos with Pongify because breaking the color pie was the whole point of planar chaos, but permanent polymorphing just shouldn't be a thing.
Not unless you go the classic polymorph route and risk replacing the creature with something better.
This is better than 99% of white, black or red removal in EDH. It's a ****ing stupid card.
In EDH, this card is insane. Exiling is way better than destroying because so many decks put emphasis on the graveyard, 2/2s mean almost nothing with 40 life, and pinpoint removal of the largest threats is better than mass removal thanks to politics and keeping your own threats.
I wonder when they're going to rein in the stupid Blue cards in EDH.
The problem is that destroying the creature isn't flavorful, and flavor is a big deal this block.
I wonder why they don't just go the Lignify route; it removes most issues with being "removal", fits into an enchantment block, and fits the idea of a magical transformation better, since magical transformations can usually be undone.
-A Blue spell that pumps or adds +1/+1 counters. Why not? Blue can Polymorph a dude, why not slightly modify him to be more effective? Maybe it accelerates keratin development...ooh! sounds Sciency, and thus even more Blue.
I'm surprised they haven't actually made this card yet with all the emphasis on Blue's transformation.
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The wedding is over. Now it's time for the honeymoon.
One of the most powerful limited removal spells ever, by far. It looks borderline broken there, honestly. As for Standard, probably sideboard only.
At first I thought it seemed broken in limited, but then I realized it really depends on the format. In a format where most of the creatures are going to be 2/2s anyway or where the opponent will often have a full board, this won't do much. It's in a format where 3/3s are the standard that this will really shine.
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At first I thought it seemed broken in limited, but then I realized it really depends on the format. In a format where most of the creatures are going to be 2/2s anyway or where the opponent will often have a full board, this won't do much. It's in a format where 3/3s are the standard that this will really shine.
Well, Theros limited (with the spoilers so far) looks to have a ton of beef. Sure, they get 2/2s out of it, but this really looks like a selective Wrath effect. And worse case you can morph your 1/1s into 2/2s. Oh. And this is also the first card so far that permanently deals with an online god, which look to be incredibly difficult to deal with in a limited format.
Because Rapid Hybridization is also out of blue's pie? That was something you could let slide in planar chaos with Pongify because breaking the color pie was the whole point of planar chaos, but permanent polymorphing just shouldn't be a thing.
Not unless you go the classic polymorph route and risk replacing the creature with something better.
Yeah because Pongify is totally the first time that blue has ever had that effect.
The color shift frame just indicates that a card is based on another card but color shifted. Plenty of cards in Planar Chaos were off-color without being color shifted. The entire point of Planar Chaos is that many of the cards have abilities that could make sense in colors, but don't with the current (At-the-time) color pie.
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This card definitely excites me. As long as cards like Ratchet Bomb, Illness in the Ranks, and Jace, Architect of Thought's +1 all exist in control's back pocket, the 2/2 "drawback" doesn't seem as negative. Esper control is definitely workable.
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*I COLLECT EHAN106 ALTERS. GOT ANY?*
An actor without a director is but a mannequin.
While a director without a writer is unemployed.
But ultimately a writer without words is dead.
~R. D. Newman
"7,015 creatures in existence. They all die to removal."
Never before has a boy wanted more...zombie slaying.
I for one love it. Its removal for blue. I like cards that break the color pie from time to time. Not all the time...but one every few sets keeps things interesting. It allows interesting surprises in my casual legacy decks
I for one love it. Its removal for blue. I like cards that break the color pie from time to time. Not all the time...but one every few sets keeps things interesting. It allows interesting surprises in my casual legacy decks
It's a Polymorph variant, perfectly fine for blue. They just changed the silly destroy clause to exile, since that fits better from a flavor point of view.
The color shift frame just indicates that a card is based on another card but color shifted. Plenty of cards in Planar Chaos were off-color without being color shifted. The entire point of Planar Chaos is that many of the cards have abilities that could make sense in colors, but don't with the current (At-the-time) color pie.
You do realize that Fledgeling Mawcor is based off of Mawcor which both have an ability that's been in blues slice since the dawn of Magic? So just because a card was in Planar Chaos doesn't mean it's out of it's slice.
What's wrong with Mawcor? Pingingisknown to Blue, just as it's known to Red. Actually Red has less iterations of pingers than Blue had for a long time. Blue just lost theirs and Red picked them up after Planar Chaos.
Hmm... someone beat me to it it seems.
Well, it's a good thing that Frontline Medic is so cheap nowadays... I guess it's a possibility that that may change slightly in time to come.
hurray for blue getting everything. After the best aggro creatures, utility creatures, stack contro spell and best planeswalkers, now we're getting some mass removal because flavor, meanwhile red has lost ld and will get the new burn spell variant card and ****ty fatties because reasons.
You do realize that Fledgeling Mawcor is based off of Mawcor which both have an ability that's been in blues slice since the dawn of Magic? So just because a card was in Planar Chaos doesn't mean it's out of it's slice.
What's wrong with Mawcor? Pingingisknown to Blue, just as it's known to Red. Actually Red has less iterations of pingers than Blue had for a long time. Blue just lost theirs and Red picked them up after Planar Chaos.
Hmm... someone beat me to it it seems.
Pinging is not in Blue's modern color pie at all, nor was it in Blue's color pie at the time of Planar Chaos. Vulshok Sorcerer had already been printed three blocks ago. Blue pingers were nowhere to be found in Ravnica or Kamigawa. Fledgeling Mawcor was an intentional reference to the shift from Blue to Red. Of course I realize that it's a reference to Mawcor and Blue pingers. That's the joke. Blue pingers were no longer part of the color pie, so after years of no new Blue pingers, we got one in the set about breaking the color pie.
For other color pie breakers without color shifted borders in Planar Chaos, consider the 1 mana flying Green common. Planar Chaos should not be taken as evidence for what the color pie should be (nor should it be taken as evidence for what the color pie shouldn't be, since the color pie has changed since then) because the entire point of the set was to stretch and break the color pie.
1. polymorhping in magic has worked using destroy then token for a while. It's a way to template the ability so that there's no memory issues. Saying polymorhping is out of blue because it destroys creatures is like saying form of dragon isn't red because it can gain you life, and grants you moat. The flavor is that the creature is never destroyed, it's transformed. Destroy then token is just a convenient way of accomplishing the flavor
2. Blue doesn't get pump because pump is very green.
3. polymorphing in magic is about turning something into a specific somehing else. It couldn't be used to make any creature better, it can only be used to make one creature into another. in other words polymorphing is human goes to boar not human goes to buffer human. It's just not how polymorhing in magic has eve worked
4. polymorphing doesn't exile, and has only ever worked with creatures (at least in blue) so blue polymorhing shouldn't do anything to lands/artifacts/enchants/planeswalkers.
Top down design does have mechanical limits. Swineify is just a polymorph.
edit: apparently I didn't read the card. This new polymorph effect exiles. My bad.
- Manite
I'd be fine with it if it didn't exile.
MaRo apparently has a problem with Pongify like effects. Flavor wise, transforming a creature only to have the original version come back as a new creature while the transformed version is still there makes no sense. So making sure the creature isn't in the yard prevents this oddity.
URJhoira of the GhituUR(Under con.)
BMaralen of the MornsongB
UBLazav, Dimir MastermindUB
Standard:
UMono U DevotionU
Casual:
GPrimordial Hydra JankinessG
Reckoners, Cerebruses, Gods, Eldrazi, Goyfs, Oozes, Merfolk, Fae...
All into 2/2 vanillas with a useless creature type. And not coming back (exile).
One of the best removal spells ever printed.
Because Rapid Hybridization is also out of blue's pie? That was something you could let slide in planar chaos with Pongify because breaking the color pie was the whole point of planar chaos, but permanent polymorphing just shouldn't be a thing.
Not unless you go the classic polymorph route and risk replacing the creature with something better.
I wonder when they're going to rein in the stupid Blue cards in EDH.
The problem is that destroying the creature isn't flavorful, and flavor is a big deal this block.
I wonder why they don't just go the Lignify route; it removes most issues with being "removal", fits into an enchantment block, and fits the idea of a magical transformation better, since magical transformations can usually be undone.
I'm surprised they haven't actually made this card yet with all the emphasis on Blue's transformation.
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Thanks to Rivenor of Miraculous Recovery Signatures!
Well, Theros limited (with the spoilers so far) looks to have a ton of beef. Sure, they get 2/2s out of it, but this really looks like a selective Wrath effect. And worse case you can morph your 1/1s into 2/2s. Oh. And this is also the first card so far that permanently deals with an online god, which look to be incredibly difficult to deal with in a limited format.
Yeah because Pongify is totally the first time that blue has ever had that effect.
Oh wait.
Notice how Pongify doesn't have the color shift frame?
UBBreya's Toybox (Competitive, Combo)WR
RGodzilla, King of the MonstersG
-Retired Decks-
UBLazav, Dimir Mastermind (Competitive, UB Voltron/Control)UB
"Knowledge is such a burden. Release it. Release all your fears to me."
—Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Neither did several other off-color cards.
The color shift frame just indicates that a card is based on another card but color shifted. Plenty of cards in Planar Chaos were off-color without being color shifted. The entire point of Planar Chaos is that many of the cards have abilities that could make sense in colors, but don't with the current (At-the-time) color pie.
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An actor without a director is but a mannequin.
While a director without a writer is unemployed.
But ultimately a writer without words is dead.
~R. D. Newman
"7,015 creatures in existence. They all die to removal."
Never before has a boy wanted more...zombie slaying.
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On Vault of the Archangel
It's a Polymorph variant, perfectly fine for blue. They just changed the silly destroy clause to exile, since that fits better from a flavor point of view.
Why would you think that ?
Based on what ?
New effects are added to the pie every set. They added this to blue. It's simple as that, really.
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras
You do realize that Fledgeling Mawcor is based off of Mawcor which both have an ability that's been in blues slice since the dawn of Magic? So just because a card was in Planar Chaos doesn't mean it's out of it's slice.
What's wrong with Mawcor? Pinging is known to Blue, just as it's known to Red. Actually Red has less iterations of pingers than Blue had for a long time. Blue just lost theirs and Red picked them up after Planar Chaos.
Hmm... someone beat me to it it seems.
Well, it's a good thing that Frontline Medic is so cheap nowadays... I guess it's a possibility that that may change slightly in time to come.
Pinging is not in Blue's modern color pie at all, nor was it in Blue's color pie at the time of Planar Chaos. Vulshok Sorcerer had already been printed three blocks ago. Blue pingers were nowhere to be found in Ravnica or Kamigawa. Fledgeling Mawcor was an intentional reference to the shift from Blue to Red. Of course I realize that it's a reference to Mawcor and Blue pingers. That's the joke. Blue pingers were no longer part of the color pie, so after years of no new Blue pingers, we got one in the set about breaking the color pie.
For other color pie breakers without color shifted borders in Planar Chaos, consider the 1 mana flying Green common. Planar Chaos should not be taken as evidence for what the color pie should be (nor should it be taken as evidence for what the color pie shouldn't be, since the color pie has changed since then) because the entire point of the set was to stretch and break the color pie.
Thanks to Rivenor of Miraculous Recovery Signatures!
While this card is not a stretch of the color pie philosophy, it's a stretch on what effect the color actually gets access to on a real card.