I love Ravnica but I feel sort of uninterested in the third time there. Maybe because it still feels sort of recent even though it's been almost 6 years. or maybe because I feel there's places I'd like a second trip to like Kamigawa or Tarkir
1) I really hope they don't kill Bolas, I am still salty about the Eldrazi, he's the only good antagonist they have left.
2) I hope they do something that is not shocklands. do fetches again. the shock prices have not really gone up since last time, they are not hard to get. they are great lands, but they are in no way the lands most in need of printing. another massive run when prices are still not rising from last time could drop them to the point of not being special to pull, like the m15 cycle.
3) I don't know if the powers that be are more greedy or just straight up stupid. Leaving Dominaria after one set, and then first thing in the new era of 'we are done with 3 set blocks' they do a three set block. not only that, but ON THE PLANE that had to be the biggest factor in the choice to end them. Dragon Maze was a catastrophe. My LGS STILL has that set, they can't give it away. That is greed and idiocy, especially when Dominaria is doing great, and could really benefit from a second set.
It's honestly kind of funny to say that it's greedy for them to do multiple sets on one plane while calling them stupid for not milking another. I'm glad that they didn't do another set on Dominaria, as much as I loved the one we got. One really good set feels more respectful of Magic's first plane than attempting to do more and more likely than not having multiple middling sets instead considering WOTC's track record. I think that they did a good job making their run on the plane succinct. This is in contrast to what they have to do on Ravnica considering the sheer number of two color factions on the plane.
Also I really, really hope we don't get fetches in standard again after how Tarkir standard was.
I wouldn't call it milking, or there being an issue to ask for a second. I actually thought the switch to 2 set blocks was a really good idea. do you remember RTR block? if they had done it in 2 sets, not stretched it out (and had a set with one card) it would have been much better.
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Project Booster Fun makes it less fun to open a booster.
Not pumped about Ravnica, but I could've dealt with that if it wasn't going to drag on for AN ENTIRE FREAKIN' YEAR! Seriously, I don't get Ravnica's mass appeal.
Wizards: Hey guys, here's Ravnica. It's a city with ten guilds and they don't like each other.
Players: HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!
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Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 6/29/20 (Core Set 2021).
It's a good thing that the third set of Ravnica isn't supposed to be built around Ravnica really then. And I think switching to sets as needed is probably better than two, if just because it means that "risky" prospects can be done more easily. I have an easier time imagining them doing a one set Kamigawa block than two or three, for instance. Or any number of other risky set ideas they really had to work on selling, like Innistrad or Zendikar were.
Not pumped about Ravnica, but I could've dealt with that if it wasn't going to drag on for AN ENTIRE FREAKIN' YEAR! Seriously, I don't get Ravnica's mass appeal.
I don't think they could do a single set and squeeze all ten guilds into one set. So it's only one set more than it had to be. And if I'm understanding them correctly, the third set will be very different. I expect it to not be multicolor/guild focused and feel more like a regular set that just happens to find place on Ravnica.
I'm not a huge fan if Ravnica either. I mean I like it, but I don't love it. But how well a set is executed means SO much more than what plane it is on. I'll take a good set from my least favourite plane (probably Ixalan) over a bad set from one of my favorites. Dismissing sets this early is a bit pointless imho.
Oh and psst, might wanna ixnay on the it-shay. Just saying.
People love Ravnica because the original Ravnica block was a landmark for Magic's design, flavor, and gameplay and was generally hugely popular and successful, and those warm fuzzy associations have stuck with the plane through the (mostly successful and well-liked) Return to Ravnica block. Also the concept intrinsically invites people to identify with the setting ("choose your guild"), which gives people a really strong emotional bond to the setting.
I do think people going "well I don't like Ravnica [the setting] so I'm not going to touch this at all" are being silly. I didn't really care much for Ixalan or Amonkhet but Magic is big and there was stuff I enjoyed in both of these.
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On average, Magic players are worse at new card evaluation than almost every other skill, except perhaps sideboarding.
I'm guessing the first two Ravnica sets will be the typical two color combinations and the third set will feature three to five color combinations with the distinct factions working together, similar to the later sets in Shards of Alara block. I'm hoping the final set isn't too similar to Alara block, with a team-up against Bolas and his possible defeat.
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I'm guessing the first two Ravnica sets will be the typical two color combinations and the third set will feature three to five color combinations with the distinct factions working together, similar to the later sets in Shards of Alara block. I'm hoping the final set isn't too similar to Alara block, with a team-up against Bolas and his possible defeat.
Three color combinations? I'd be interested in that. Though I'm not sure three color is different enough from two color to really work as a major shift. I'm kind of expecting some other sort of theme, though enemy wedges would be fine with me.
I'm guessing the first two Ravnica sets will be the typical two color combinations and the third set will feature three to five color combinations with the distinct factions working together, similar to the later sets in Shards of Alara block. I'm hoping the final set isn't too similar to Alara block, with a team-up against Bolas and his possible defeat.
Three color combinations? I'd be interested in that. Though I'm not sure three color is different enough from two color to really work as a major shift. I'm kind of expecting some other sort of theme, though enemy wedges would be fine with me.
4 color? Bring back the Nephilims and make them legendaries at that
I’ll go as far as to say there’s a 98% chance we’re getting the ten Shocklands in these three Ravnica sets. How could they not be in, Wizards mentions all ten guilds in the press release for Guilds Of Ravnica and Ravnica Allegiance.
This standard is going to be very strong with splashing and dual color combinations
I personally would like to see Shadowmoor again. But would they even bother with it shifting back to Lorwyn?
It didn't become Lorwyn, it became basically a new plane that is somewhere between the two. But we don't really know how it works out. I wouldn't be surprised if they did some sort of dual-faced card gimmick if they went back. It's one of the places that could really use it.
I'm guessing the first two Ravnica sets will be the typical two color combinations and the third set will feature three to five color combinations with the distinct factions working together, similar to the later sets in Shards of Alara block. I'm hoping the final set isn't too similar to Alara block, with a team-up against Bolas and his possible defeat.
Three color combinations? I'd be interested in that. Though I'm not sure three color is different enough from two color to really work as a major shift. I'm kind of expecting some other sort of theme, though enemy wedges would be fine with me.
There will be at least one three color card: Nicol Bolas. Also, I can imagine a Legacy Weapon-type card featuring the guilds coming together to fight Bolas.
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This online community, like many others, is another example of a highly invested, vocal minority being contrarians and just not liking popular things. I bet there would be just as many people complaining about Theros if that was the popular plane we're returning to the second time already. "Gods again? UGH! Wizards is getting so lazy and greedy!"
''People don't like what I like? They are CLEARLY just being contrarians. It's impossible to have a different opinion and not like the things I like!''
Lol Ravnica becomes Alara. Although you cannot really theme match. By that I mean nothing really combines well. Orzhov and Sultai are the necromancy focused guilds while Grixis is the necromancy focused plane. Izzet and Boros are the more artifact focused guilds and they don't really make Esper. Does Naya or Jund get Gruul?
I be interested to see if anyone could smoothly combine the guilds like that. I don't think its possible if the goal is to maintain themes perfectly.
My attempt the ones in column A you don't have a choice on. Then you choose Column B or Column C to complete the process.
A + B or C
GRIXIS: (IZZET) + DIMIR or RAKDOS
BANT: (SIMIC) + SELESNYA or AZORIUS
JUND: (GOLGARI) + RAKDOS or GRUUL
NAYA: (BOROS) + GRUUL or SELESYNA
ESPER: (ORZHOV) + AZORIUS or DIMIR
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
All I can say is that those youtube comments have restored my faith in humanity. It can get depressing on Reddit because it's such a boring echo chamber. But then I see WotC getting 1.8k dislikes, I see all these people complaining about actual problems with game, quality, oversaturation and the general direction WotC is taking and I feel normal again.
Made me realize that Reddit / Twitter is an extremely small but loud minority of players. They in no way represent the pulse of the greater worldwide community. Sadly WotC only seems to listen to them and they block / dismiss every other criticism.
All I can say is that those youtube comments have restored my faith in humanity. It can get depressing on Reddit because it's such a boring echo chamber. But then I see WotC getting 1.8k dislikes, I see all these people complaining about actual problems with game, quality, oversaturation and the general direction WotC is taking and I feel normal again.
Made me realize that Reddit / Twitter is an extremely small but loud minority of players. They in no way represent the pulse of the greater worldwide community. Sadly WotC only seems to listen to them and they block / dismiss every other criticism.
In the comments sections I saw a lot of people complaining about cringe(warranted), and a lot of people complaining about SJWs and wanting to redpill Magic(stupid). YouTube has really devolved into a cesspool in recent years.
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Protection from reason (Decadent_Creed can't be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by reason.)
Not pumped about Ravnica, but I could've dealt with that if it wasn't going to drag on for AN ENTIRE FREAKIN' YEAR! Seriously, I don't get Ravnica's mass appeal.
I don't think they could do a single set and squeeze all ten guilds into one set. So it's only one set more than it had to be. And if I'm understanding them correctly, the third set will be very different. I expect it to not be multicolor/guild focused and feel more like a regular set that just happens to find place on Ravnica.
I'm not a huge fan if Ravnica either. I mean I like it, but I don't love it. But how well a set is executed means SO much more than what plane it is on. I'll take a good set from my least favourite plane (probably Ixalan) over a bad set from one of my favorites. Dismissing sets this early is a bit pointless imho
I can't say I disagree with your points. I knew going back to Ravnica would require at least two sets to accommodate the guilds. A third set, though, regardless how different it may be, is pushing it. I don't hate Ravnica as a setting, but it does bore me a little bit. Not everything can be just for me though, and that's okay. Three sets though...jeez.
I may also be primed for a negative reaction, mainly due to how they, in my opinion, wrecked Zendikar and Innistrad. If the previous Ravnica blocks are any indication, the sets themselves will probably be well-designed. The setting prevents me from getting truly excited about it, though.
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Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 6/29/20 (Core Set 2021).
Not pumped about Ravnica, but I could've dealt with that if it wasn't going to drag on for AN ENTIRE FREAKIN' YEAR! Seriously, I don't get Ravnica's mass appeal.
I don't think they could do a single set and squeeze all ten guilds into one set. So it's only one set more than it had to be. And if I'm understanding them correctly, the third set will be very different. I expect it to not be multicolor/guild focused and feel more like a regular set that just happens to find place on Ravnica.
I'm not a huge fan if Ravnica either. I mean I like it, but I don't love it. But how well a set is executed means SO much more than what plane it is on. I'll take a good set from my least favourite plane (probably Ixalan) over a bad set from one of my favorites. Dismissing sets this early is a bit pointless imho
I can't say I disagree with your points. I knew going back to Ravnica would require at least two sets to accommodate the guilds. A third set, though, regardless how different it may be, is pushing it. I don't hate Ravnica as a setting, but it does bore me a little bit. Not everything can be just for me though, and that's okay. Three sets though...jeez.
I may also be primed for a negative reaction, mainly due to how they, in my opinion, wrecked Zendikar and Innistrad. If the previous Ravnica blocks are any indication, the sets themselves will probably be well-designed. The setting prevents me from getting truly excited about it, though.
The third set is basically required by the story. They can't really easily have Bolas' Invasion happen/be the mechanical focus in the first set, because that'll run into the problem they had with Battle for Zendikar, where people want to go back to Ravnica to be on Ravnica, not have it be the backdrop for a war. So they needed the first set to just show Ravnica being Ravnica. And they can't introduce the invasion full scale in the second set, or the guilds that got put there will end up shafted for space due compared to those that went first. So they need a third, seperate set to actually have the full story resolution in, which will not prominently feature any of the guilds.
All I can say is that those youtube comments have restored my faith in humanity. It can get depressing on Reddit because it's such a boring echo chamber. But then I see WotC getting 1.8k dislikes, I see all these people complaining about actual problems with game, quality, oversaturation and the general direction WotC is taking and I feel normal again.
Made me realize that Reddit / Twitter is an extremely small but loud minority of players. They in no way represent the pulse of the greater worldwide community. Sadly WotC only seems to listen to them and they block / dismiss every other criticism.
In the comments sections I saw a lot of people complaining about cringe(warranted), and a lot of people complaining about SJWs and wanting to redpill Magic(stupid). YouTube has really devolved into a cesspool in recent years.
The only problem I have with the SJW pundits is that we all know wizards political stance. It's not adding anything and it's hiding the fact everyone is really getting tired of this garbage fire presentation on these videos. Wizards gets more advertisement for their sets from people making fun of their announcements than the actual announcement.
... Shamalan twist: wizards is intentionally making cringe worthy advertisements because we advertise it for them?
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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!
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Either of those 2 and Theros are my top 3 places I want to go back to.
Theros would be cool too, it would be cool to see what happened after Elspeth was killed
I wouldn't call it milking, or there being an issue to ask for a second. I actually thought the switch to 2 set blocks was a really good idea. do you remember RTR block? if they had done it in 2 sets, not stretched it out (and had a set with one card) it would have been much better.
Wizards: Hey guys, here's Ravnica. It's a city with ten guilds and they don't like each other.
Players: HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!
My 720 Peasant Cube
I'm not a huge fan if Ravnica either. I mean I like it, but I don't love it. But how well a set is executed means SO much more than what plane it is on. I'll take a good set from my least favourite plane (probably Ixalan) over a bad set from one of my favorites. Dismissing sets this early is a bit pointless imho.
Oh and psst, might wanna ixnay on the it-shay. Just saying.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
I do think people going "well I don't like Ravnica [the setting] so I'm not going to touch this at all" are being silly. I didn't really care much for Ixalan or Amonkhet but Magic is big and there was stuff I enjoyed in both of these.
Three color combinations? I'd be interested in that. Though I'm not sure three color is different enough from two color to really work as a major shift. I'm kind of expecting some other sort of theme, though enemy wedges would be fine with me.
4 color? Bring back the Nephilims and make them legendaries at that
This standard is going to be very strong with splashing and dual color combinations
I personally would like to see Shadowmoor again. But would they even bother with it shifting back to Lorwyn?
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
It didn't become Lorwyn, it became basically a new plane that is somewhere between the two. But we don't really know how it works out. I wouldn't be surprised if they did some sort of dual-faced card gimmick if they went back. It's one of the places that could really use it.
There will be at least one three color card: Nicol Bolas. Also, I can imagine a Legacy Weapon-type card featuring the guilds coming together to fight Bolas.
''People don't like what I like? They are CLEARLY just being contrarians. It's impossible to have a different opinion and not like the things I like!''
I be interested to see if anyone could smoothly combine the guilds like that. I don't think its possible if the goal is to maintain themes perfectly.
My attempt the ones in column A you don't have a choice on. Then you choose Column B or Column C to complete the process.
A + B or C
GRIXIS: (IZZET) + DIMIR or RAKDOS
BANT: (SIMIC) + SELESNYA or AZORIUS
JUND: (GOLGARI) + RAKDOS or GRUUL
NAYA: (BOROS) + GRUUL or SELESYNA
ESPER: (ORZHOV) + AZORIUS or DIMIR
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
Made me realize that Reddit / Twitter is an extremely small but loud minority of players. They in no way represent the pulse of the greater worldwide community. Sadly WotC only seems to listen to them and they block / dismiss every other criticism.
In the comments sections I saw a lot of people complaining about cringe(warranted), and a lot of people complaining about SJWs and wanting to redpill Magic(stupid). YouTube has really devolved into a cesspool in recent years.
I can't say I disagree with your points. I knew going back to Ravnica would require at least two sets to accommodate the guilds. A third set, though, regardless how different it may be, is pushing it. I don't hate Ravnica as a setting, but it does bore me a little bit. Not everything can be just for me though, and that's okay. Three sets though...jeez.
I may also be primed for a negative reaction, mainly due to how they, in my opinion, wrecked Zendikar and Innistrad. If the previous Ravnica blocks are any indication, the sets themselves will probably be well-designed. The setting prevents me from getting truly excited about it, though.
My 720 Peasant Cube
The only problem I have with the SJW pundits is that we all know wizards political stance. It's not adding anything and it's hiding the fact everyone is really getting tired of this garbage fire presentation on these videos. Wizards gets more advertisement for their sets from people making fun of their announcements than the actual announcement.
... Shamalan twist: wizards is intentionally making cringe worthy advertisements because we advertise it for them?
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!