Emmara is like the worst parts of Legends and Homelands got pregnant, aborted the fetus, tossed it in the trashcan, set it on fire and wrapped the corpse in a Dragon's Maze pack wrapper.
I hate to break it to you but while you make a good point on her background that justifies her actions, each of her abilities, in oracle text and in your words screams "I'm a huge *****," especially the annoying, brooding type.
I know I'm a little late, but I'm curious - would you have chosen that word if it had been a male with the same character/backstory/abilities?
Wow. Just... the abilities, the flavor, the balance... unbelievable. Wow did they ever hit it out of the park with her.
I have to agree with you completely, and this is coming from a blue player. I don't get all the people saying her +1 does nothing, only something with titan power can kill her with 1 hit and even then she still makes you pay for it. She's just so well designed from top to bottom, and I don't see her being hard to cast with RTR amazing mana bases.
...is some great Magic flavor text on Dead Reveler. I mean, seriously, that's up there with Werebear.
The planeswalker is awesome, but then, what planeswalker isn't?
The Justicar is awesome as well. It might be the Feeling of Dread for this limited environment (ie: completely written off but then dominates the limited environment).
The +1 is intersting. It's a "don't touch me" for the PW.
The -3 is fine. Always nice to make something go boom (though I miss good LD in BG).
The -7 is... vexing. Thankfully, the Assassin tokens say "combat damge." However, the original Rav block had a way of making sure the damage got through. Perhaps we'll see something similar in RTR block.
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May your games be chaotic and your decks be Rogue.
She seems really good tbh.
Her first use of +1 puts her at 6 loyalty.
Aside from dead bore, that takes a lot of creature damage or a big burn spell.
Having green lets you play her earlier too, increasing the chances that she will survive longer.
If you time her right she can eat up a lot of your opponent's time/resources.
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If combo should die before I wake I'll slide a Smokestack in every deck I play, roll in every shop wreck the Spirit of EDH.
I know people get exited about PW... But this card is not that great.
When you use your +1, opp will bash you in the face.
If you use the -3, great a 5 mana Vindicate, probably loosing PW next turn.
Try to go ultimate... Wow three 1/1 that your opponent saw coming a mile away.
This is not the kind of card that will define a metagame or win PT. at 5 mana i expect a little better, she can be good in the right situation.
Also this wont be played in Modern/Legacy so please people don't go spend 50$ on this cardboard, you will regret it in a few months. This is only a medium standard/block card.
Vraska - Wizards are really getting better at making playable but not broken planeswalkers and she's a perfect example. The +1 ability coupled with the initial 5 starting loyalty means that anyone wanting to kill her with combat damage is looking at spending 2-3 normal creatures or at least 1 finisher style creature in order to do so. The -3 ability means that she can come down on a board which has only 1 threat and safely blow it up and the -7 ability while by no means an auto win is hugely flavourful and will a lot of the time go the distance.
Yes she's not as good as Gideon at stemming a hoard of creatures (they'll just ignore her) but if you're in a decent board position or not too far behind she's golden.
I know I'm a little late, but I'm curious - would you have chosen that word if it had been a male with the same character/backstory/abilities?
I know sincerity doesn't come across well on the internet, but this is a valid question so it deserves my honest answer. Yes, I would have absolutely called him a *****.
I'll restate that Vraska isn't a bad character, but I disagree that she's really original. She has the same, if not crazily similar tortured past as Elspeth, a taste for vengeance that Liliana has, and will explore the multiverse somewhat how Nissa does, in that everytime she finds a new Gorgon will be a revealing experience. If she was stuck on Ravnica, she'd be a said tragic case, but as is, she's free to roam the multiverse and seek "revenge" on anyone in her way.
As for the opinion someone else stated as to what she'd do to Bolas, that's a neat idea. I'd really like to see another planeswalker baddy that's just opposed to working with him for no good reason other than pride, vengeance, etc. It'd be a cool dynamic to have two separate characters that try to thwart the "general good" while trying to best one another as well.
So, sorry if I offended anyone by referring to her as a *****. With all the limited information I have, that's what I'm going with, but as others have stated, I'll be interested to see how she pops up again.
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Vraska has quite a nice flavor, but she will die regardless. She screams aggro, so her name seems like a misnomer. Either she will be killed right off via attacks or spell, or your opponent ultimately ignores her and lets you build her as they smash your face before finishing her off with a spell prior to you being able to ultimate her. I like the idea that she tries to be untouchable, but she is, I will gladly send some spirits at her face. Her kill target permanent reminds me of Liliana Vess whom I tend to use just to solely tutor....
I think she's one of the best planeswalkers yet. More often then not she will likely come in, use her -2, and then your opponent will still have to answer her or lose another card next turn. In a more or less even game you can use her +1 and then your opponent has to suicide dudes into her giving you the necessary combat edge to squeeze ahead. She's very interactive and forces players to make real decisions. I give her a 9/10 only because I think she should've costed 1BBG instead of 3BG given that her abilities are clearly skewed towards black.
Unfortunately every try hard from Sacramento to Shanghai preaches from the top of their 27 lands + Mana Reflection that Tooth and Nail and Time Stretch are fine to play in the same turn but Armageddon is unfair.
Vraska has quite a nice flavor, but she will die regardless. She screams aggro, so her name seems like a misnomer. Either she will be killed right off via attacks or spell, or your opponent ultimately ignores her and lets you build her as they smash your face before finishing her off with a spell prior to you being able to ultimate her.
I think everyone is ignoring how high her loyalty is.
Who cares if they kill her if they lose two creatures or waste a big kill spell.
If they ignore her you build her up and ultimate.
Worst case scenario she is a one shot lightning rod that doesn't do anything.
Best case she protects you and gives you card advantage.
Edit: Pay attention to who you are playing.
Play around counters, and and sidebord her out if they're running lots of dead bore.
Welp, the new planeswalker is a Golgari and utterly awesome.
Time to start deck-building.
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Real Men Play Aggro
EDH:
R Heartless Hidetsugu R Godo, Bandit Warlord G Kamahl, Fist of Krosa B Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker RG Thromok the Insatiable WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon
1st decently costed walker that can destroy permanents, not bad at all, the +1 protects it perfectly coz it says "attack me and die". her -3 is nuts, vindicate with non land clause in a walker means she can answer about almost anything and ultimate is quite usefull, activate it in an empty field with no hands means trouble in paradise if not answered immediately. Couple this with Liliana of the Veil and you get a planeswalker tag team... Now all I have to do is gather some woodland cemetery and start on building my Golgari deck, and if budget allows it make it Jund or BUG, either way works.
#1 - What's the dumbest idea you ever had?
#2 - 15/15 for 15?
#1 - Make it dumber
#2 - Give it protection from removal and counter?
#1 - DUMBER!
#2 - Add Timewalk?
#1 - DAMN IT MAN, I SAID DUMB!! DUMB !!!
#2 - It destroys everything when it attacks.... And wait, I have a friend who plays mill decks... I want to beat him too.
#1 - Excellent! Recess is over, go back and learn sex-ed with the other 6th graders.
...is some great Magic flavor text on Dead Reveler. I mean, seriously, that's up there with Werebear.
What's up with Rakdos and puns? At least its not up there with Niv and his ego. Rakdos is the "goblin" comic relief of this block.
For Vraska , problem with her +1 is that it only protects her, nothing else. This may be a good thing, IF she had spectacular minus abilities. Pulse and Miniphages does not count as spectacular abilites. Good, but not that GOOD.
Another thing is that her +1 gives the opponent full control of the choice (to attack or ignore), and in competitive environments - is always bad.
Oh btw, Vraska can blow up other planeswalkers. Still not Jace 2 awesome.
Edit: In short, good but "not busted" skill intensive (more for the opponent) pw
. I give her a 9/10 only because I think she should've costed 1BBG instead of 3BG given that her abilities are clearly skewed towards black.
Fair enough, but if she costed that she'd probably come in as a 4 loyalty. Not nearly as threatening, IMO. Fact is, having an incoming loyalty of 5 allows that first +1 to make opponents make hard choices. Do they worry about hitting her, and losing chumps? Or do they worry about her blowing up TWO things at will, versus one?
I think R&D hit this one in the damned sweet spot. Damn near, if not certain, perfect card design.
Justicar - Not too sure how I feel about this one. Maybe if he was a little tougher. 3/2? 3/3?
Reveler - Reinforcing the mechanic. Kinda meh, good in limited being a 2/3 though.
Dat Vraska ult. I just. . . I can't even. . . Now I know why Doubling Season will never come back. But aside from that at 5 mana I'd have prefered the -3 just be vindicate. +1 seems really weak, but I guess unless they're attacking with the new troll they won't hit her. Red will have no problem dealing with her.
The +1 is not weak at all, because they will lose at least one creature attacking her and if they don't attack, they will let her build her Loyalty, which is not a good thing, considering that a deck running properly her should have a way to protect the assassins from her ultimate or give them evasion.
It's a win/win situation. Either she gets attacked and destroys something, either she does not and she can build up and use her (-) abilities, which are both powerful.
Also: Nice name dude
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If there is such a thing as too much power, I have not discovered it!
Best planeswalker in a while. I've not been that much a fan for control planeswalkers, but she is sweet. The fact that she always gives at least card parity and probably card advantage is cool. And her ultimate is so cool and flavorfull.
Sadly, it's pretty obvious she is good. So she won't be cheap. Start saving up boys.
I know I'm a little late, but I'm curious - would you have chosen that word if it had been a male with the same character/backstory/abilities?
I have to agree with you completely, and this is coming from a blue player. I don't get all the people saying her +1 does nothing, only something with titan power can kill her with 1 hit and even then she still makes you pay for it. She's just so well designed from top to bottom, and I don't see her being hard to cast with RTR amazing mana bases.
The planeswalker is awesome, but then, what planeswalker isn't?
The Justicar is awesome as well. It might be the Feeling of Dread for this limited environment (ie: completely written off but then dominates the limited environment).
The -3 is fine. Always nice to make something go boom (though I miss good LD in BG).
The -7 is... vexing. Thankfully, the Assassin tokens say "combat damge." However, the original Rav block had a way of making sure the damage got through. Perhaps we'll see something similar in RTR block.
Her first use of +1 puts her at 6 loyalty.
Aside from dead bore, that takes a lot of creature damage or a big burn spell.
Having green lets you play her earlier too, increasing the chances that she will survive longer.
If you time her right she can eat up a lot of your opponent's time/resources.
WBRG Saskia the Unyielding
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon
RWU Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
RG Wort, the Raidmother
WU Brago, King Eternal
B Chainer, Dementia Master
When you use your +1, opp will bash you in the face.
If you use the -3, great a 5 mana Vindicate, probably loosing PW next turn.
Try to go ultimate... Wow three 1/1 that your opponent saw coming a mile away.
This is not the kind of card that will define a metagame or win PT. at 5 mana i expect a little better, she can be good in the right situation.
Also this wont be played in Modern/Legacy so please people don't go spend 50$ on this cardboard, you will regret it in a few months. This is only a medium standard/block card.
Very good in limited thought.
Bident Layers
B Devotion
RG Devotion
UW Control
Modern:
Jund
UW Control
Combo Pod
Legacy:
DeathBlade
RUG Delver
BUG Control
Yes she's not as good as Gideon at stemming a hoard of creatures (they'll just ignore her) but if you're in a decent board position or not too far behind she's golden.
Machius proudly supports R_E's right to Rumour!
What?? Tamiyo's +1 is miles ahead of Ajanis.
If they attack you instead of your planeswalker that's a good thing.
Your deck should have other ways of protecting you besides Vraska.
WBRG Saskia the Unyielding
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon
RWU Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
RG Wort, the Raidmother
WU Brago, King Eternal
B Chainer, Dementia Master
I know sincerity doesn't come across well on the internet, but this is a valid question so it deserves my honest answer. Yes, I would have absolutely called him a *****.
I'll restate that Vraska isn't a bad character, but I disagree that she's really original. She has the same, if not crazily similar tortured past as Elspeth, a taste for vengeance that Liliana has, and will explore the multiverse somewhat how Nissa does, in that everytime she finds a new Gorgon will be a revealing experience. If she was stuck on Ravnica, she'd be a said tragic case, but as is, she's free to roam the multiverse and seek "revenge" on anyone in her way.
As for the opinion someone else stated as to what she'd do to Bolas, that's a neat idea. I'd really like to see another planeswalker baddy that's just opposed to working with him for no good reason other than pride, vengeance, etc. It'd be a cool dynamic to have two separate characters that try to thwart the "general good" while trying to best one another as well.
So, sorry if I offended anyone by referring to her as a *****. With all the limited information I have, that's what I'm going with, but as others have stated, I'll be interested to see how she pops up again.
No we would have said, "He's a huge dick."
Also that pw will be gross if GUB comes out good.
So Pro I have an alpha Volcanic Island
I think everyone is ignoring how high her loyalty is.
Who cares if they kill her if they lose two creatures or waste a big kill spell.
If they ignore her you build her up and ultimate.
Worst case scenario she is a one shot lightning rod that doesn't do anything.
Best case she protects you and gives you card advantage.
Edit: Pay attention to who you are playing.
Play around counters, and and sidebord her out if they're running lots of dead bore.
WBRG Saskia the Unyielding
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon
RWU Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
RG Wort, the Raidmother
WU Brago, King Eternal
B Chainer, Dementia Master
Time to start deck-building.
Real Men Play Aggro
EDH:
R Heartless Hidetsugu
R Godo, Bandit Warlord
G Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
B Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
RG Thromok the Insatiable
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon
head to head/ability vs ability....obviously
when you consider ajani comes down a turn earlier, it's not at all.
Bident Layers
B Devotion
RG Devotion
UW Control
Modern:
Jund
UW Control
Combo Pod
Legacy:
DeathBlade
RUG Delver
BUG Control
What's up with Rakdos and puns? At least its not up there with Niv and his ego. Rakdos is the "goblin" comic relief of this block.
For Vraska , problem with her +1 is that it only protects her, nothing else. This may be a good thing, IF she had spectacular minus abilities. Pulse and Miniphages does not count as spectacular abilites. Good, but not that GOOD.
Another thing is that her +1 gives the opponent full control of the choice (to attack or ignore), and in competitive environments - is always bad.
Oh btw, Vraska can blow up other planeswalkers. Still not Jace 2 awesome.
Edit: In short, good but "not busted" skill intensive (more for the opponent) pw
Fair enough, but if she costed that she'd probably come in as a 4 loyalty. Not nearly as threatening, IMO. Fact is, having an incoming loyalty of 5 allows that first +1 to make opponents make hard choices. Do they worry about hitting her, and losing chumps? Or do they worry about her blowing up TWO things at will, versus one?
I think R&D hit this one in the damned sweet spot. Damn near, if not certain, perfect card design.
The +1 is not weak at all, because they will lose at least one creature attacking her and if they don't attack, they will let her build her Loyalty, which is not a good thing, considering that a deck running properly her should have a way to protect the assassins from her ultimate or give them evasion.
It's a win/win situation. Either she gets attacked and destroys something, either she does not and she can build up and use her (-) abilities, which are both powerful.
Also: Nice name dude
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Sadly, it's pretty obvious she is good. So she won't be cheap. Start saving up boys.
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