MTG Salvation

I'm pretty comfortable speculating that Ral Zarek is a non-native planeswalker in Innistrad block. His art fits the other arts we've seen so far.

I would prefer lifelink over first strike for the aura btw, but as is...it seems people are already underestimating this one. I would not be shocked if it finds constructed play. Will it? I couldn't say for sure, but most certainly not shocked if it does.

Quote from Melete

It's not bad, at all. It curves into t3 Mirran Crusader t4 Angelic Destiny, swing 12 in the air. It's just a little vulnerable to spot removal in response, but you'd be amazed how hard it is to get rid of a 6/6 pro-black pro-green double striking flyer.

On the other hand, people are currently learning how to deal with a 4-drop Aura which must not be allowed to land.

Quote from Metallix87

Seven, good sir.

You are absolutely right sir, a good sign that I am dead tired

I love Angelic Destiny. Some auras should gain that return to hand ability as a keyword called Transcendence. That would seriously make my day.

Oh and the demons cool too.

I'm loving that Knight. I hope there's some Knight tribal to make sense of the push it had in Mirrodin Besieged.

Also, I want that aura!!

Quote from Whisper

Put the pictures the flavor text and the rest together in a crude mtg set editor muckup... Gives some kind of idea of how they look like.. The art seems quite flashy... I would have anticipated something more toned.. Some of it seems to scream to each-other.. As if they were from a different set..

You forgot the line "Enchant creature" on the auras.

Quote from fnord

On the other hand, people are currently learning how to deal with a 4-drop Aura which must not be allowed to land.

We may see some 4/8 angelic Spellskites in the future

Quote from fnord

On the other hand, people are currently learning how to deal with a 4-drop Aura which must not be allowed to land.

Different in many respects.

1) The aura itself is not resilient. While it is a good point that Angelic Destiny must land on the creature the same way this does in order for it to become effective, it's important to note that the two do have their own inherent differences just based on the card's own abilities.

2) And this is much more important. Splinter Twin can only be played in the much less aggressive manner of "Do I have a Deceiver Exarch out?" Which means you as a player cannot be nearly as aggressive with the card, like say auto-dropping it on T4 if you opponent tapped out last turn...or if you know your opponent can't deal with the creature it'll be landing on. This isn't a two-card combo, well kind of, but obviously it's much easier to have ANY creature on the board than it is to have a specific one...that of course would be gunned for the moment it hits play.

So yeah.

Man, I'm loving the art and the feel for this set. I've been anticipating it ever since we saw the new Liliana art. I havn't been this excited for a set in a long time. If the rest of the cards are good that'll be a plus, but from look and flavor alone I want as much Innistrad as I can get.

can you imagine getting that aura by the way in draft.
In limited it is a superboosted sword.

Quote from Melete

I'm pretty comfortable speculating that Ral Zarek is a non-native planeswalker in Innistrad block. His art fits the other arts we've seen so far.

He looks a lot like an Izzet mage.

Dammit, Wizards, you made it again...first art and I am again stoked to see the set. I am getting a medieval feel from it, like the times of Robin Hood. Loving the Cultist's background, as well as the Angelic Destiny background. Medieval England/Germany, that's it.

Cool new cards are cool! I adore the artwork on those! The style is so .. different. I can't put my finger on it. Less "hyper-real" I guess, even though they do look somewhat realistic. More "game-y"? Either way, I like. And I'm digging the "dark/gothic" look/feel of the art. I mean, it's dark, but not depressing. More like an energized dark, like before a storm.

Still not sure how I feel about the whole "graveyard matters" thing though. :/

Quote from Caranthir

Dammit, Wizards, you made it again...first art and I am again stoked to see the set. I am getting a medieval feel from it, like the times of Robin Hood. Loving the Cultist's background, as well as the Angelic Destiny background. Medieval England/Germany, that's it.

I dunno why, but the Angelic Destiny art gives me a strong Spanish vibe.

Love the art. I'm willing to bet ALL of those are INN. I honestly thought wizards didn't have the sand to do a set in this style. Color me impressed and excited.

Angelic Destiny is exactly the type of card you do NOT want to happen in a Hexproof-saturated set, especially one with at least three to four good Hexproof creatures on the one-to-four mana range. I appreciate their effort at making a Mythic, constructed-quality Aura, but the combination with Hexproof (and quite likely Thrun regeneration) makes this potentially dangerous.

Silhana Ledgewalker + Blanchwood Armor was an unnecessary headache back in the day, and adding Rancor recovery and to the equation doesn't make it any better. At least if this is in M12 we can kiss Baneslayer Angel goodbye. Which is a very healthy thing for the Type 2 environment.

The rest of the cards seem well-balanced and fun to play. Hoping to see at least some of these in Innistrad if it indeed does have a graveyard matters theme. Here's to Flashback making a well-deserved comeback...

i'm on the excited bus as well. the theme and art of INN (assuming these are in there) are very enticing to me... and a good change from the recent sets. i also love(d) flashback as a mechanic. can't wait to see it back again!

Phyrexian Arena Demon?? Black is back, baby.

I'm looking forward to the cries of "MBC is back!" in response to the demon.

Quote from Kid Icarus

I'm looking forward to the cries of "MBC is back!" in response to the demon.

Sadly, grave titan is back too. Theres not enough room in the world a deck

Angelic Destiny is good. Everybody loves it today. Six months from today, everybody's going to be crying about overpriced mythics.

It's complexity makes it an uncommon. It can't be uncommon because it would be too powerful in Limited, but at least make it a rare. It doesn't feel mythic in any way.

I'm excited to play with it though. Flashback is cool too.

Quote from clan_iraq

Sadly, grave titan is back too. Theres not enough room in the world a deck

I can see a black control deck that is more oriented on creatures and less about mass removal.

how about some curve of turn 1 discard spell, turn 2 sphere of suns, turn 3 obliterator, turn 4 arena demon, turn 5 grave titan? not too shabby.

Wow, that demon is awesome. He's all sorts of fun slapped onto a big, beefy package.

Quote from gereffi

Angelic Destiny is good. Everybody loves it today. Six months from today, everybody's going to be crying about overpriced mythics.

It's not good enough to be a $25 mythic. It's more Consecrated Sphinx than Sword of Feast and Famine.