Looking at most land bases in Standard right now, Burning Earth looks absolutely amazing. Trouble is, those mana bases were built in a format which doesn't contain Burning Earth.
Burning Earth will never be a Tier 1 card, because it can only get so popular before people adjust to its presence in Standard by playing basic lands. Once that point comes, Burning Earth will be relegated to the sideboard, and then it'll be taken out of sideboards because "nobody plays enough nonbasics anymore".
The alternative is that the mono-red Burning Earth deck won't be powerful enough for the metagame to take it seriously. Therefore, most people won't play it, but occasionally a rogue red deck will steal a few wins with it. In that case, it'll be kind of awesome to be the Burning Earth guy, but if that guy ever does score a high-profile winning streak (either at a PTQ or simply at his local FNM) than we're back to scenario #1-- the metagame stops providing him with enough nonbasics to make Burning Earth good.
Looking at most land bases in Standard right now, Burning Earth looks absolutely amazing. Trouble is, those mana bases were built in a format which doesn't contain Burning Earth.
Burning Earth will never be a Tier 1 card, because it can only get so popular before people adjust to its presence in Standard by playing basic lands. Once that point comes, Burning Earth will be relegated to the sideboard, and then it'll be taken out of sideboards because "nobody plays enough nonbasics anymore".
The alternative is that the mono-red Burning Earth deck won't be powerful enough for the metagame to take it seriously. Therefore, most people won't play it, but occasionally a rogue red deck will steal a few wins with it. In that case, it'll be kind of awesome to be the Burning Earth guy, but if that guy ever does score a high-profile winning streak (either at a PTQ or simply at his local FNM) than we're back to scenario #1-- the metagame stops providing him with enough nonbasics to make Burning Earth good.
I agree with what you're saying here. Basically, the card is powerful enough to have an impact on the meta. But if it ever will is up to the players of the game. Kind of like Illness in the Ranks.
Some of these cards are interesting, but why is there a functional reprint of Llanowar Elves? Is WotC concerned about the fact that its name references the forest of Llanowar, a specific location on the plane of Dominaria? If that is the case, I find that to be contradictory to the fact that the new Archangel of Thune, from this same set, references the continent of Thune, a specific location on the plane of Shandalar, and numerous cards from the previous core set referenced numerous planes in the multiverse. Furthermore, this core set shall again contain Serra Angel, whose name references the planeswalker Serra, who was born on Dominaria. Therefore, why can a card in this core set not reference Dominaria, if there shall be cards that reference Shandalar?
Also, why are there cards, both in this set, and other sets, that seem to encourage players to play only basic lands and punish them for using nonbasic lands? That seems to be very unfair and discriminatory, to me.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“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
Some of these cards are interesting, but why is there a functional reprint of Llanowar Elves? Is WotC concerned about the fact that its name references the forest of Llanowar, a specific location on the plane of Dominaria? If that is the case, I find that to be contradictory to the fact that the new Archangel of Thune, from this same set, references the continent of Thune, a specific location on the plane of Shandalar, and numerous cards from the previous core set referenced numerous planes in the multiverse. Furthermore, this core set shall again contain Serra Angel, whose name references the planeswalker Serra, who was born on Dominaria. Therefore, why can a card in this core set not reference Dominaria, if there shall be cards that reference Shandalar?
If I remember correctly, a member of Magic R&D has said that they needed a simple mana elf without a name tied to a plane. That's not to say that no cards with names related to a plane can't be in a set, as you've noted, but merely that sometimes you need a Llanowar Elves somewhere you don't want that particular name (like Duels of the Planeswalkers).
Also, why are there cards, both in this set, and other sets, that seem to encourage players to play only basic lands and punish them for using nonbasic lands? That seems to be very unfair and discriminatory, to me.
There are answers to everything. You play a creature, I use Swords to Plowshares. You cast Entomb, I cast Rest in Peace. You play 5cgoodstuffs.dec, I play Mono-red aggro with Burning Earth.
If I remember correctly, a member of Magic R&D has said that they needed a simple mana elf without a name tied to a plane. That's not to say that no cards with names related to a plane can't be in a set, as you've noted, but merely that sometimes you need a Llanowar Elves somewhere you don't want that particular name (like Duels of the Planeswalkers).
Yes, that does make sense, and it also makes me wish to ask: would that idea make it possible to have an equivalent of Llanowar Elves in every color: i.e., a 1/1 creature for 1 mana that produces 1 mana of its appropriate color? I would very much like to see that, unless it would not make sense, flavor-wise or mechanically, in colors other than green.
There are answers to everything. You play a creature, I use Swords to Plowshares. You cast Entomb, I cast Rest in Peace. You play 5cgoodstuffs.dec, I play Mono-red aggro with Burning Earth.
Yes, I can understand that, but why punish only the usage of non-basic lands, rather than punishing the usage of all lands in general?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“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
Yes, that does make sense, and it also makes me wish to ask: would that idea make it possible to have an equivalent of Llanowar Elves in every color: i.e., a 1/1 creature for 1 mana that produces 1 mana of its appropriate color? I would very much like to see that, unless it would not make sense, flavor-wise or mechanically, in colors other than green.
Wouldn't make sense mechanically. Green is the go-to colour for mana acceleration, just like black is the color of discard and red of direct damage.
A 1/1 creature for 1 of its color that produces 1 of its color is a thing of greens color pie. Artifact creatures can tap for mana sometimes, but like the myr's they cost 2, or they will produce colorless mana. I could only see wizards doing this in a set like planar chaos, where things like Damnation (Wrath of God in black) were shifted to a different color. What I don't know is what color they would shift a "mana elf" to.
Yes, that does make sense, and it also makes me wish to ask: would that idea make it possible to have an equivalent of Llanowar Elves in every color: i.e., a 1/1 creature for 1 mana that produces 1 mana of its appropriate color? I would very much like to see that, unless it would not make sense, flavor-wise or mechanically, in colors other than green.
Well it would be possible if you change the effect slightly for each color.
A green mana dork can simply tap for mana, sometimes even a lot of mana or mana of any color.
Black mana dorks demand you to discard a card, pay life, exile cards from a (your) graveyard or to sacrifice the creature. Also sometimes you get the mana when you play the creature, making it "free" and finally some black creatures accelerate your mana for each swamp you control.
Red mana dorks add mana when they come into play or allow you to sacrifice something to get mana (creatures, artifacts, lands).
White or blue mana dorks don't exist in modern magic.
Yes, that does make sense, and it also makes me wish to ask: would that idea make it possible to have an equivalent of Llanowar Elves in every color: i.e., a 1/1 creature for 1 mana that produces 1 mana of its appropriate color? I would very much like to see that, unless it would not make sense, flavor-wise or mechanically, in colors other than green
It's very unlikely. Mana ramp is green's specialty, and secondary to red, then tertiary in Black (at a cost). Since it's tertiary in Black and we seldom see mana acceleration in it these days, it wouldn't be in the form of a 1/1 mana dork. It could possibly sacrifice another creature to add one to your mana pool, at most. Red also won't see a mana dork, because it's too efficient for Red being the secondary mana ramp color, and it'd also require a sacrifice or downside.
There are answers to everything. You play a creature, I use Swords to Plowshares. You cast Entomb, I cast Rest in Peace. You play 5cgoodstuffs.dec, I play Mono-red aggro with Burning Earth.
Wow, that's one hell of a sideboard you're playing with there...
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
It's very unlikely. Mana ramp is green's specialty, and secondary to red, then tertiary in Black (at a cost). Since it's tertiary in Black and we seldom see mana acceleration in it these days, it wouldn't be in the form of a 1/1 mana dork. It could possibly sacrifice another creature to add one to your mana pool, at most. Red also won't see a mana dork, because it's too efficient for Red being the secondary mana ramp color, and it'd also require a sacrifice or downside.
Red doesn't exactly ramp, it has temporary mana production like rituals. Black actually has real ramp though it is usually tied to creatures and based on swamps.
Red doesn't exactly ramp, it has temporary mana production like rituals. Black actually has real ramp though it is usually tied to creatures and based on swamps.
Well, that's what I meant by "ramp"; I personally don't distinguish between temporary, ie. Desperate Ritual or Infernal Plunge and Llanowar Elves or Cabal Coffers. Granted, I should probably be using the term "mana acceleration" rather than "ramp", since one is a broad term while the other may assume something more permanent.
... mana dorks add mana when they come into play or allow you to sacrifice something to get mana (creatures, artifacts, lands).
White or blue mana dorks don't exist in modern magic.
Forest Creature -
Creature - Forest Creature (C)
T:
1/1
It's hard to imagine what will, in turn, replace Forest Creature in core sets. But that's just because our puny minds are so limited!
.
It'll probably be something like:
Green Thing
Creature - Thing, Green.
0/1
If Green Thing dies, draw a card and then discard your hand.
Burning Earth will never be a Tier 1 card, because it can only get so popular before people adjust to its presence in Standard by playing basic lands. Once that point comes, Burning Earth will be relegated to the sideboard, and then it'll be taken out of sideboards because "nobody plays enough nonbasics anymore".
The alternative is that the mono-red Burning Earth deck won't be powerful enough for the metagame to take it seriously. Therefore, most people won't play it, but occasionally a rogue red deck will steal a few wins with it. In that case, it'll be kind of awesome to be the Burning Earth guy, but if that guy ever does score a high-profile winning streak (either at a PTQ or simply at his local FNM) than we're back to scenario #1-- the metagame stops providing him with enough nonbasics to make Burning Earth good.
I agree with what you're saying here. Basically, the card is powerful enough to have an impact on the meta. But if it ever will is up to the players of the game. Kind of like Illness in the Ranks.
R Norin the Wary: I've Got a Bad Feeling About This
UG Thrasios & Kydele: Knowledge is Power
RG Borborygmos Enraged: The Breaking of the World
BG The Gitrog Monster: All Glory to the Hypnotoad
WUR Zedruu the Greathearted: Endless Possibilities, One Outcome
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain: What's Dead May Never Die
Turn your junk into something great with PucaTrade!
Why not just run Price of Progress? I've watched that card kill a bunch of people with 1 cast.
Standard
RBUGrixis Tutelage
BR Devoid Beatdown
Modern
RAffinity
B 8 Rack
Legacy
0 Dredge
EDH
RBBladewing's Zombie Dragons
BUGRW Sliver Legion's Overrun
that would be busted, its almost strictly better than land grant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpgjnU7C3Aw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe7kkZixasc
Yeah, the first thing that comes to mind when I see an unplayable core set card doesn't tend to be how making it free would break legacy.
*DCI Rules Advisor*
Also, why are there cards, both in this set, and other sets, that seem to encourage players to play only basic lands and punish them for using nonbasic lands? That seems to be very unfair and discriminatory, to me.
“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
There are answers to everything. You play a creature, I use Swords to Plowshares. You cast Entomb, I cast Rest in Peace. You play 5cgoodstuffs.dec, I play Mono-red aggro with Burning Earth.
Yes, that does make sense, and it also makes me wish to ask: would that idea make it possible to have an equivalent of Llanowar Elves in every color: i.e., a 1/1 creature for 1 mana that produces 1 mana of its appropriate color? I would very much like to see that, unless it would not make sense, flavor-wise or mechanically, in colors other than green.
Yes, I can understand that, but why punish only the usage of non-basic lands, rather than punishing the usage of all lands in general?
“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
Because this is tool for mono-colored decks against multi-colored ones. Simple as that. I'm not sure why this is a problem.
WBG Karador GBW
R Daretti R
RG Omnath GR
WRG Modern Burn GRW
WB Modern Tokens BW
DCI Rules Advisor as of 5/18/2015
Well it would be possible if you change the effect slightly for each color.
A green mana dork can simply tap for mana, sometimes even a lot of mana or mana of any color.
Black mana dorks demand you to discard a card, pay life, exile cards from a (your) graveyard or to sacrifice the creature. Also sometimes you get the mana when you play the creature, making it "free" and finally some black creatures accelerate your mana for each swamp you control.
Red mana dorks add mana when they come into play or allow you to sacrifice something to get mana (creatures, artifacts, lands).
White or blue mana dorks don't exist in modern magic.
It's very unlikely. Mana ramp is green's specialty, and secondary to red, then tertiary in Black (at a cost). Since it's tertiary in Black and we seldom see mana acceleration in it these days, it wouldn't be in the form of a 1/1 mana dork. It could possibly sacrifice another creature to add one to your mana pool, at most. Red also won't see a mana dork, because it's too efficient for Red being the secondary mana ramp color, and it'd also require a sacrifice or downside.
(Also known as Xenphire)
Wow, that's one hell of a sideboard you're playing with there...
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Red doesn't exactly ramp, it has temporary mana production like rituals. Black actually has real ramp though it is usually tied to creatures and based on swamps.
Well, that's what I meant by "ramp"; I personally don't distinguish between temporary, ie. Desperate Ritual or Infernal Plunge and Llanowar Elves or Cabal Coffers. Granted, I should probably be using the term "mana acceleration" rather than "ramp", since one is a broad term while the other may assume something more permanent.
(Also known as Xenphire)
There is a guy at my local card shop who collects Llanowar Elves. They did it specifically to screw that guy over.