I bought this set yesterday. They're fun to play, but surprisingly balanced, as well. Tibalt will always be a less than stellar card, but with the amount of flashback cards in the deck, you can generally random discard them at a good consistency. His -4 is also surprisingly effective, considering it punishes a large hand(which Sorin's deck pushes towards.)
Sorin's deck, is quite nice, as well. Full of flavor and very beatdown-ish. The alternative-art Spectral Processions and Lingering Souls are certainly welcome, as well.
Pretty solid in form and function. I'd get it at least for the value.
This is the most fun i've had with a duel deck since Jace v. Chandra!
Very balanced, and lots of fun little interactions. For example, I was playing Tib and had no creatures, my brother had two spirits and was at 5 life. I played browbeat and he used sorin's thirst in response on his own creature to have enough to pay the life.
Esper doesn't fit Sorin's flavor, and Tidehollow Sculler is very Esper (in name, in being a colored artifact creature, etc.). Plus, Tidehollow Sculler is probably headed for a reprint in Modern Masters. They might have wanted to avoid reprinting it too often.
Esper doesn't fit Sorin's flavor, and Tidehollow Sculler is very Esper (in name, in being a colored artifact creature, etc.). Plus, Tidehollow Sculler is probably headed for a reprint in Modern Masters. They might have wanted to avoid reprinting it too often.
Funny they could just keep blightning artwork and use the new artwork on breaking point and it would pretty much fit perfectly.
Yes I agree that the new artwork for blightning would have been perfect for breaking point, but I like it as it is, since I now can have four copies of that card in my red/black deck, with three different images: one of the original artwork from Shards of Alara, two with the textless promo artwork, and now one with the new artwork from this set. Also, on tyat subject, in my black/white deck, I have four copies of mortify: one with the original artwork from Guildpact, two with the promo textless artwork, and now one with the new artwork from this set; I do enjoy having a diversity of artwork in the cards in my decks.
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
The next one is supposed to be faction v faction right? I hope we get rats v squirrels!
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Huey, Dewey and Louie are always dressed in RUG. it is CLEARLY going to be the wedges block Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
I'm not sure I agree with that. The name is pretty generic. Yes, the original flavor was as one of Chainer's nightmares, but it doesn't have any explicit flavor restrictions in its name/type/ability (which once was Torment-exclusive but has since been reused)/etc.
It will likely be themed to match next year's block.
Maybe. They've skipped around a bit (doing the Ravnica/RTR-themed duel deck before the Innistrad-themed one). I could see the next one being generic, as it's been a while since they did a non-plot-based duel deck (Knights v. Dragons), and I doubt they want to preview the new set every time.
I'm not sure I agree with that. The name is pretty generic. Yes, the original flavor was as one of Chainer's nightmares, but it doesn't have any explicit flavor restrictions in its name/type/ability (which once was Torment-exclusive but has since been reused)/etc.
The name isn't really the issue. The issue is that we've never had an indication that Sorin is someone who would mess around with nightmare horrors, much less ones that attack the mind like this one is meant to.
It isn't on theme for him, as a sangromancer, to use something like this.
As I stated ages ago, the themes of these decks are completely off character. They play well, but they don't really have anything to do with Sorin or Tibalt past about 3-4 cards each.
To continue the subject of artwork, why does the copy of evolving wilds in Sorin's deck not use the new artwork from Dark Ascension? The other artwork has been used three times before this deck, and this printing makes that four times, now. Plus, since many cards in this deck are from the Innistrad block, which makes perfect sense, since the two main characters in this set originated from that plane, why would evolving wilds not also use the artwork from that block?
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
To continue the subject of artwork, why does the copy of evolving wilds in Sorin's deck not use the new artwork from Dark Ascension? The other artwork has been used three times before this deck, and this printing makes that four times, now. Plus, since many cards in this deck are from the Innistrad block, which makes perfect sense, since the two main characters in this set originated from that plane, why would evolving wilds not also use the artwork from that block?
I fail to see why one would be bothered by this other than "Bah, could be the other artwork, but eh.". Diehard Vorthos?
I particularly don't care, although I do find the Dark Ascension art prettier.
I gotta say, this one is a home run. If you are on the fence, go buy it.
It's the most balanced duel deck I've ever played (so far I've tested EvT, AvNB, VvK, IvG).
Playtest vs GF:
Game 1: Playing as Tibalt, start off with early 1/1 offense. I get held off by spirit tokens, then start getting overrun. I make my comeback with pyroclasm, then set up the Reassembling Skeleton + Skirsdag Cultist combo engine. She fires back with removal, even takes down my topdeck Hellrider. She drops Butcher of Malakir, gains some life with Absorb Vis as I stall, then wipes me out with two attacks, the last boosted by a Sorin, Lord of Innistrad emblem.
Game 2: Playing as Tibalt. I'm putting early pressure again, then end up dropping Sulfuric Vortex. She answers with a Duskhunter Bat which starts pecking me down so I begin losing the race. Her Wall of Omens keeps me at bay. I pick off the flier to stop the bleeding, then I get my buddy Tibalt down and start digging for fuel. She drops a Sengir Vampire, which is BAD news. I'm desperate because I can't stop Sengir, and my own Vortex has me on a clock. I +1 Tibalt, and draw into Breaking Point. I have 4 cards in hand, and end up dumping a swamp. I board sweep with the GF at 9, which means if she stops it I sac my Skirsdag Cultist to itself for 2, then pass my turn to finish the game. She drops her board into the bin, I sac Cultist anyway for 2, then get back my Ashmouth Hound from her dying Fiend Hunter. Next turn she wipes out Tibalt with Absorb Vis. I reanimate a Hellspark Elemental and swing hard for 5, then pass my turn and that's the game.
The deck is just too much fun, and it's back and forth. Tibalt turns out to be exciting, as each activation is a dice roll, and his -4 hits HARD for this matchup, the game I got him out he was VITAL to my win. This duel deck has solid removal for both sides, which is great. You never feel like it's "topdeck a bomb and the game is over" like some of the other duel decks.
In case anyone is wondering, the tcgplayer "low" values for this duel deck is right now @ $64.38, but the actual duel deck singles have yet to hit the market. When they do I'd say it's still going to be a solid $30 in cards for a $20 buy in. Totally worth it.
Also, if you don't feel like being gouged (if your LGS sells @ msrp I'm totally for buying it there) Wal Mart and Target are full of stock, lots to go around. I saw about 7 still on the shelf at the nearest Wal Mart, and Target had 3 displays initially. You can still buy Izzet vs Golgari decks too.
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Maybe. They've skipped around a bit (doing the Ravnica/RTR-themed duel deck before the Innistrad-themed one). I could see the next one being generic, as it's been a while since they did a non-plot-based duel deck (Knights v. Dragons), and I doubt they want to preview the new set every time.
The first Duel Decks of the year are in an interesting spot, as they are our last look at Magic's previous block, specifically looking through the lens of two of its Planeswalkers (first Venser vs. Koth and now Sorin vs. Tibalt), the second Duel Decks of the year look at the current block through the lens of two groups from the plane (Izzet vs. Golgari and this fall's unannounced decks.)
Want to see other duel decks I made ? Check out my Blog ! Feel free to post advice or give topics for me to make duel decks out of. Check out the Theros Block Planeswalker Theme Duel Decks Elspeth, Xenagos, Ashok, Kiora, Ajani
gonna try them out today
or next week
love altered artwork and the fact that the tibalt deck is a choice deck, gonna tinker it to make it focused on one playstyle.(i was thinking malignus would be fun, as well as some classic red/black spells)
I gotta say, this one is a home run. If you are on the fence, go buy it.
It's the most balanced duel deck I've ever played (so far I've tested EvT, AvNB, VvK, IvG).
Playtest vs GF:
Game 1: Playing as Tibalt, start off with early 1/1 offense. I get held off by spirit tokens, then start getting overrun. I make my comeback with pyroclasm, then set up the Reassembling Skeleton + Skirsdag Cultist combo engine. She fires back with removal, even takes down my topdeck Hellrider. She drops Butcher of Malakir, gains some life with Absorb Vis as I stall, then wipes me out with two attacks, the last boosted by a Sorin, Lord of Innistrad emblem.
Game 2: Playing as Tibalt. I'm putting early pressure again, then end up dropping Sulfuric Vortex. She answers with a Duskhunter Bat which starts pecking me down so I begin losing the race. Her Wall of Omens keeps me at bay. I pick off the flier to stop the bleeding, then I get my buddy Tibalt down and start digging for fuel. She drops a Sengir Vampire, which is BAD news. I'm desperate because I can't stop Sengir, and my own Vortex has me on a clock. I +1 Tibalt, and draw into Breaking Point. I have 4 cards in hand, and end up dumping a swamp. I board sweep with the GF at 9, which means if she stops it I sac my Skirsdag Cultist to itself for 2, then pass my turn to finish the game. She drops her board into the bin, I sac Cultist anyway for 2, then get back my Ashmouth Hound from her dying Fiend Hunter. Next turn she wipes out Tibalt with Absorb Vis. I reanimate a Hellspark Elemental and swing hard for 5, then pass my turn and that's the game.
The deck is just too much fun, and it's back and forth. Tibalt turns out to be exciting, as each activation is a dice roll, and his -4 hits HARD for this matchup, the game I got him out he was VITAL to my win. This duel deck has solid removal for both sides, which is great. You never feel like it's "topdeck a bomb and the game is over" like some of the other duel decks.
.
I wholeheartedly second this. I tested these with my wife yesterday and we have pretty much the same experience - the removal is plentiful on both sides, the game is almost never truly lost, and many times they are incredibly tight.
These are one of the most fun DD I played with - I would compare them to Jace vs. Chandra or Izzet vs. Golgari.
Unbelievers, just buy them and try them.
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100% Vorthos Spike and Storyline Expert
Former Fact Prospector of the Greek Alliance.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Picked mine up yesterday, played it with some friends.
For starters, holy crap I love both decks. They're absolutely a blast and well balanced. This is easily the best Duel Deck I've played (I can't say to be around a lot, but the last 2 planeswalker duel decks were so meh and typically imbalanced.)
But my favorite part is that the Sorin Duel Deck can basically be used to build a newbie Teysa EDH with very few additions. And the alternate art cards in it are GORGEOUS.
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Sorin's deck, is quite nice, as well. Full of flavor and very beatdown-ish. The alternative-art Spectral Processions and Lingering Souls are certainly welcome, as well.
Pretty solid in form and function. I'd get it at least for the value.
Very balanced, and lots of fun little interactions. For example, I was playing Tib and had no creatures, my brother had two spirits and was at 5 life. I played browbeat and he used sorin's thirst in response on his own creature to have enough to pay the life.
Just neat math games.
Esper doesn't fit Sorin's flavor, and Tidehollow Sculler is very Esper (in name, in being a colored artifact creature, etc.). Plus, Tidehollow Sculler is probably headed for a reprint in Modern Masters. They might have wanted to avoid reprinting it too often.
Mesmeric Fiend fits him even less, in fairness.
Mesmeric hadn't been printed in modern frame and was very popular in it's time.
Yes I agree that the new artwork for blightning would have been perfect for breaking point, but I like it as it is, since I now can have four copies of that card in my red/black deck, with three different images: one of the original artwork from Shards of Alara, two with the textless promo artwork, and now one with the new artwork from this set. Also, on tyat subject, in my black/white deck, I have four copies of mortify: one with the original artwork from Guildpact, two with the promo textless artwork, and now one with the new artwork from this set; I do enjoy having a diversity of artwork in the cards in my decks.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
And that had a single thing to do with being on flavor how exactly?
Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons
ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
I'm not sure I agree with that. The name is pretty generic. Yes, the original flavor was as one of Chainer's nightmares, but it doesn't have any explicit flavor restrictions in its name/type/ability (which once was Torment-exclusive but has since been reused)/etc.
ZOMG yes please!
BUG Reanimator
BWG Nic-Fit
BGR Punishing Nic-Fit
It will likely be themed to match next year's block.
Maybe. They've skipped around a bit (doing the Ravnica/RTR-themed duel deck before the Innistrad-themed one). I could see the next one being generic, as it's been a while since they did a non-plot-based duel deck (Knights v. Dragons), and I doubt they want to preview the new set every time.
The name isn't really the issue. The issue is that we've never had an indication that Sorin is someone who would mess around with nightmare horrors, much less ones that attack the mind like this one is meant to.
It isn't on theme for him, as a sangromancer, to use something like this.
As I stated ages ago, the themes of these decks are completely off character. They play well, but they don't really have anything to do with Sorin or Tibalt past about 3-4 cards each.
I highly approve of this motion. May the powers that be, make it happen! (Squirrrrrls Rul)
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
I fail to see why one would be bothered by this other than "Bah, could be the other artwork, but eh.". Diehard Vorthos?
I particularly don't care, although I do find the Dark Ascension art prettier.
Have all of them.
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It's the most balanced duel deck I've ever played (so far I've tested EvT, AvNB, VvK, IvG).
Playtest vs GF:
Game 1: Playing as Tibalt, start off with early 1/1 offense. I get held off by spirit tokens, then start getting overrun. I make my comeback with pyroclasm, then set up the Reassembling Skeleton + Skirsdag Cultist combo engine. She fires back with removal, even takes down my topdeck Hellrider. She drops Butcher of Malakir, gains some life with Absorb Vis as I stall, then wipes me out with two attacks, the last boosted by a Sorin, Lord of Innistrad emblem.
Game 2: Playing as Tibalt. I'm putting early pressure again, then end up dropping Sulfuric Vortex. She answers with a Duskhunter Bat which starts pecking me down so I begin losing the race. Her Wall of Omens keeps me at bay. I pick off the flier to stop the bleeding, then I get my buddy Tibalt down and start digging for fuel. She drops a Sengir Vampire, which is BAD news. I'm desperate because I can't stop Sengir, and my own Vortex has me on a clock. I +1 Tibalt, and draw into Breaking Point. I have 4 cards in hand, and end up dumping a swamp. I board sweep with the GF at 9, which means if she stops it I sac my Skirsdag Cultist to itself for 2, then pass my turn to finish the game. She drops her board into the bin, I sac Cultist anyway for 2, then get back my Ashmouth Hound from her dying Fiend Hunter. Next turn she wipes out Tibalt with Absorb Vis. I reanimate a Hellspark Elemental and swing hard for 5, then pass my turn and that's the game.
The deck is just too much fun, and it's back and forth. Tibalt turns out to be exciting, as each activation is a dice roll, and his -4 hits HARD for this matchup, the game I got him out he was VITAL to my win. This duel deck has solid removal for both sides, which is great. You never feel like it's "topdeck a bomb and the game is over" like some of the other duel decks.
In case anyone is wondering, the tcgplayer "low" values for this duel deck is right now @ $64.38, but the actual duel deck singles have yet to hit the market. When they do I'd say it's still going to be a solid $30 in cards for a $20 buy in. Totally worth it.
Also, if you don't feel like being gouged (if your LGS sells @ msrp I'm totally for buying it there) Wal Mart and Target are full of stock, lots to go around. I saw about 7 still on the shelf at the nearest Wal Mart, and Target had 3 displays initially. You can still buy Izzet vs Golgari decks too.
BUDGET DECK BUILDER SINCE 93'
Modern ------------------------- WU Azorius Titan Midrange
Commander ------------------- WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
***Are you looking for cards priced below TCG NM "LOW" and with FREE SHIPPING? - Click HERE! for my sales thread - 485 Feedback 100% positive!***
From the article "Shuffling Sorin, Torturing with Tibalt":
Legions vs barbarians?
Decks used- GGarruk vs LilianaB, WElsepth vs TezzeretU, WGKnights vs DragonsR
WGRAjani vs BolasRUB, WUVenser vs KothR, RUIzzet vs GolgariGB.
WBSorin vs TibaltBR, WRHeros vs Monsters RG
Want to see other duel decks I made ? Check out my Blog ! Feel free to post advice or give topics for me to make duel decks out of. Check out the Theros Block Planeswalker Theme Duel Decks Elspeth, Xenagos, Ashok, Kiora, Ajani
or next week
love altered artwork and the fact that the tibalt deck is a choice deck, gonna tinker it to make it focused on one playstyle.(i was thinking malignus would be fun, as well as some classic red/black spells)
that'd be cool.
i was thinking of the mercadian masques saga; rebels vs mercenaries.
Double post merged; please use the edit or multiquote buttons in future. -viper
Thanks Argentleman;)
WB Teysa token aggroBW (retired)
MAKING (Onmath, Numot, maybe something in Esper)
I wholeheartedly second this. I tested these with my wife yesterday and we have pretty much the same experience - the removal is plentiful on both sides, the game is almost never truly lost, and many times they are incredibly tight.
These are one of the most fun DD I played with - I would compare them to Jace vs. Chandra or Izzet vs. Golgari.
Unbelievers, just buy them and try them.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
For starters, holy crap I love both decks. They're absolutely a blast and well balanced. This is easily the best Duel Deck I've played (I can't say to be around a lot, but the last 2 planeswalker duel decks were so meh and typically imbalanced.)
But my favorite part is that the Sorin Duel Deck can basically be used to build a newbie Teysa EDH with very few additions. And the alternate art cards in it are GORGEOUS.
RRR Khorenthos - The Red Block (Feedback needed!) RRR