I hated the foils too, and I won´t miss these sets at all. They were fake collector´s items, a horrible reprint outlet, and they always seemed to promise better cards than they could deliver.
But the worst part about the sets was the diminishing card selection quality. I don´t understand why WotC keeps making a good product line, then gradually stops making a decent effort to make said products good, and then discontinue them when they don´t sell as well as they used to. Look at the first FTV sets, like Relics and Realms, and compare them to Lore and Annihilation. Look at the first five or six duel decks sets, which had lots of cool reprints and actually had well constructed decks and somewhat deep gameplay, and compare them to some of the latter ones where the matchup is lopsided or the decks just run past each other. Even the event decks used to be half decent, like the Kuldotha Red one (which had Goblin Guide and also could actually win some FNM matches) or the one with SFM, but then they turned completely embarrassing after a while. Why do they start skimpimg on product development when a product line has been out for a while, instead of delivering consistent quality?
Edit: Here´s some bonus half baseless, half off-topic speculation about the Signature Spellbook product: Did you notice in the new Duel Decks announcement, where they wouldn´t reveal the foil in the green deck? I think it looks like they are about to present some kind of new foil technique and/or art concept. Signature Spellbook is a special product that only has one single foil. I bet they are planning on doing something super special with that one card, like a new 3D or animated effect.
I think that's selection bias showing.
Relics had chaff like Masticore, Jester's Cap, Ivory Tower, and Zuran Orb. Dragons had Draco, Dragon Whelp, Ebon Dragon, Shivan Dragon, Rith the Awakener, Thunder Dragon, and Two-Headed Dragon.
The quality was always a little hit or miss.
I disagree. All sets had bad cards, but the quality and rate of the good cards declined.
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When I hit my 3000 post mark, I'm gone for good.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
I hated the foils too, and I won´t miss these sets at all. They were fake collector´s items, a horrible reprint outlet, and they always seemed to promise better cards than they could deliver.
But the worst part about the sets was the diminishing card selection quality. I don´t understand why WotC keeps making a good product line, then gradually stops making a decent effort to make said products good, and then discontinue them when they don´t sell as well as they used to. Look at the first FTV sets, like Relics and Realms, and compare them to Lore and Annihilation. Look at the first five or six duel decks sets, which had lots of cool reprints and actually had well constructed decks and somewhat deep gameplay, and compare them to some of the latter ones where the matchup is lopsided or the decks just run past each other. Even the event decks used to be half decent, like the Kuldotha Red one (which had Goblin Guide and also could actually win some FNM matches) or the one with SFM, but then they turned completely embarrassing after a while. Why do they start skimpimg on product development when a product line has been out for a while, instead of delivering consistent quality?
Edit: Here´s some bonus half baseless, half off-topic speculation about the Signature Spellbook product: Did you notice in the new Duel Decks announcement, where they wouldn´t reveal the foil in the green deck? I think it looks like they are about to present some kind of new foil technique and/or art concept. Signature Spellbook is a special product that only has one single foil. I bet they are planning on doing something super special with that one card, like a new 3D or animated effect.
I think that's selection bias showing.
Relics had chaff like Masticore, Jester's Cap, Ivory Tower, and Zuran Orb. Dragons had Draco, Dragon Whelp, Ebon Dragon, Shivan Dragon, Rith the Awakener, Thunder Dragon, and Two-Headed Dragon.
The quality was always a little hit or miss.
I disagree. All sets had bad cards, but the quality and rate of the good cards declined.
It's because they tightened up their game design too much when they tried to make the game work as a paper version of hearthstone. Spectators wanted longer games and pro players wanted games that were more games of skill, so they started changing where powerful cards could show up in the curve, cut out fast mana, and did a number of other changes that didn't mesh well with modern. The reason I'm hating wizards so much right now is that they basically broke their own game by trying to change it.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
i'm just disappointed that they discontinued FtV before doing a FtV elves.
Aren't they doing their second Elf Duel Deck soon-ish? That should make up for it.
eh...kinda. i want my FTV foil llanowar elves/elvish archdruid/nettle sentinel/heritage druid
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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 hated the foils too, and I won´t miss these sets at all. They were fake collector´s items, a horrible reprint outlet, and they always seemed to promise better cards than they could deliver.
But the worst part about the sets was the diminishing card selection quality. I don´t understand why WotC keeps making a good product line, then gradually stops making a decent effort to make said products good, and then discontinue them when they don´t sell as well as they used to. Look at the first FTV sets, like Relics and Realms, and compare them to Lore and Annihilation. Look at the first five or six duel decks sets, which had lots of cool reprints and actually had well constructed decks and somewhat deep gameplay, and compare them to some of the latter ones where the matchup is lopsided or the decks just run past each other. Even the event decks used to be half decent, like the Kuldotha Red one (which had Goblin Guide and also could actually win some FNM matches) or the one with SFM, but then they turned completely embarrassing after a while. Why do they start skimpimg on product development when a product line has been out for a while, instead of delivering consistent quality?
Edit: Here´s some bonus half baseless, half off-topic speculation about the Signature Spellbook product: Did you notice in the new Duel Decks announcement, where they wouldn´t reveal the foil in the green deck? I think it looks like they are about to present some kind of new foil technique and/or art concept. Signature Spellbook is a special product that only has one single foil. I bet they are planning on doing something super special with that one card, like a new 3D or animated effect.
I think that's selection bias showing.
Relics had chaff like Masticore, Jester's Cap, Ivory Tower, and Zuran Orb. Dragons had Draco, Dragon Whelp, Ebon Dragon, Shivan Dragon, Rith the Awakener, Thunder Dragon, and Two-Headed Dragon.
The quality was always a little hit or miss.
I disagree. All sets had bad cards, but the quality and rate of the good cards declined.
Not really.
Transform has several decent value cards (Jace, Huntmaster, Bloodline Keeper, Delver) that have maintained value, with some lesser cards behind it.
Lore had Dark Depths + Token, Jitte, and Tolaria West, though this one is weaker.
Angels had Entreat, Avacyn, Iona, and Akroma for value
Annihilation... was crap, no question.
But the value level and reprint types are still good. Again, selection bias.
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Level 1 Judge
"I hope to have such a death... lying in triumph atop the broken bodies of those who slew me..."
You don't call "dying to removal" if the removal is more expensive in resources than the creature. If you have to spend BG (Abrupt Decay), or W + basic land (PtE) to remove a 1G, that is not "dying to removal". Strictly speaking Goyf dies to removal, but actually your removal is dying to Goyf.
I think when people are talking about quality of cards in the FTV they are more so talking about cards that see play. While FTV did have some decent cards from a monetary perspective, they aren't cards that see a ton of play, and it only takes one good card to really make these sets shine. The one card that does see extensive play is Delver of Secrets in the set. Good card, just not a mythic or something.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I hated the foils too, and I won´t miss these sets at all. They were fake collector´s items, a horrible reprint outlet, and they always seemed to promise better cards than they could deliver.
But the worst part about the sets was the diminishing card selection quality. I don´t understand why WotC keeps making a good product line, then gradually stops making a decent effort to make said products good, and then discontinue them when they don´t sell as well as they used to. Look at the first FTV sets, like Relics and Realms, and compare them to Lore and Annihilation. Look at the first five or six duel decks sets, which had lots of cool reprints and actually had well constructed decks and somewhat deep gameplay, and compare them to some of the latter ones where the matchup is lopsided or the decks just run past each other. Even the event decks used to be half decent, like the Kuldotha Red one (which had Goblin Guide and also could actually win some FNM matches) or the one with SFM, but then they turned completely embarrassing after a while. Why do they start skimpimg on product development when a product line has been out for a while, instead of delivering consistent quality?
Edit: Here´s some bonus half baseless, half off-topic speculation about the Signature Spellbook product: Did you notice in the new Duel Decks announcement, where they wouldn´t reveal the foil in the green deck? I think it looks like they are about to present some kind of new foil technique and/or art concept. Signature Spellbook is a special product that only has one single foil. I bet they are planning on doing something super special with that one card, like a new 3D or animated effect.
I think that's selection bias showing.
Relics had chaff like Masticore, Jester's Cap, Ivory Tower, and Zuran Orb. Dragons had Draco, Dragon Whelp, Ebon Dragon, Shivan Dragon, Rith the Awakener, Thunder Dragon, and Two-Headed Dragon.
The quality was always a little hit or miss.
I disagree. All sets had bad cards, but the quality and rate of the good cards declined.
Not really.
Transform has several decent value cards (Jace, Huntmaster, Bloodline Keeper, Delver) that have maintained value, with some lesser cards behind it.
Lore had Dark Depths + Token, Jitte, and Tolaria West, though this one is weaker.
Angels had Entreat, Avacyn, Iona, and Akroma for value
Annihilation... was crap, no question.
But the value level and reprint types are still good. Again, selection bias.
Yep agreed
And actually this proves they are dodo brains
Originally damnation was suppose to be in FTV annilations the only reason they didn't was because saving it for a core set but a extremely powerful deck in standard ruined everything.
What's sort of hurting them is diluting their own available card pool to reprint thanks to having so many secondary products being pushed at once. Because they don't want to reprint certain cards into the ground, they print a lot of lower demand cards across more products while keeping rather high MSRP on the products. I'm kind of agreeing with Saffron Olive that the reason earlier products were better is due to them being able to get away with more when secondary products were far and few between. Now there are so many secondary MtG products that it's a miracle we don't see at least two or three different items on the walmart store shelves. Now I'm wondering if they are doing this discontinuation because they found even FTVs were becoming an issue.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Aren't they doing their second Elf Duel Deck soon-ish? That should make up for it.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Marath, Will of the Wild
Friendly Kess Twin Combo
Tatyova - Sir Bounce A Lot
Gonti's Luxury Pie
Prime (Eldrazi) Speaker Zegana (Retired)
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
It's because they tightened up their game design too much when they tried to make the game work as a paper version of hearthstone. Spectators wanted longer games and pro players wanted games that were more games of skill, so they started changing where powerful cards could show up in the curve, cut out fast mana, and did a number of other changes that didn't mesh well with modern. The reason I'm hating wizards so much right now is that they basically broke their own game by trying to change it.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
They do have humor, but long-standing corporate policy requires them to only express it through Un sets.
eh...kinda. i want my FTV foil llanowar elves/elvish archdruid/nettle sentinel/heritage druid
Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons
ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
Not really.
Transform has several decent value cards (Jace, Huntmaster, Bloodline Keeper, Delver) that have maintained value, with some lesser cards behind it.
Lore had Dark Depths + Token, Jitte, and Tolaria West, though this one is weaker.
Angels had Entreat, Avacyn, Iona, and Akroma for value
Annihilation... was crap, no question.
But the value level and reprint types are still good. Again, selection bias.
"I hope to have such a death... lying in triumph atop the broken bodies of those who slew me..."
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Yep agreed
And actually this proves they are dodo brains
Originally damnation was suppose to be in FTV annilations the only reason they didn't was because saving it for a core set but a extremely powerful deck in standard ruined everything.
quality and inclusions kinda tanked.
i'm sure they'll blame poor sales and lack of interest, which they created.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I would have loved the heck out of this product.