Sphinx of the Second Sun is a nifty design, I wonder if this could be blue version of extra attacks and maybe a balanced way to do extra turn type effects.
I can't stand to look at Amonkhet Sphinxes. According to the art book Bolas wasn't able to brainwash them into forgetting Amonkhets past or serving him so he bound them to be unable to communicate. So during Amonkhet they all knew what was up and couldn't do anything to warn or help.
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"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
the Sphinx WHAAAAAT!?! THAT IS BEYOND BUSTED (aware of cmc but reminder of all the Quicksilver Amulet Or/and show and tell effects)
The sphinx is good, but wouldn't say busted. It slots into a similar role of omniscience, a powerful card if you get it to stick but not a meta-changer. It's not as powerful as omniscience, since you have to wait a turn to get its bonuses, and it's both easier to get on the board and easier to kill. It's too expensive to slot into decks unsupported, 9/10 times you'd rather have Omniscience with a Show and Tell, and if you're wanting it for the extra upkeeps Paradox Haze is less than half the CMC. All of that said, this will definitely see play in reanimator decks that run U.
that's a lot of mana in a color that can basically just win with that much mana.
still, it'll be fun to flash it in with leyline or something on your opponents eot. problem is, if you stick it and don't win immediately afterward, well your deck is just bad. most of the time even a bad deck is going to go oops, got there. so its cute, but i don't think it adds much to the game.
So if you can get more combat phases and main phases , the Sphinx kinda does time walk.
Aggravated Assault, kinda makes the Turn phases super wonky with this and then suddenly "sorcery" speed becomes kinda confusing too (only in a mainphase, thats then somewhere in between a bunch of combat and beginning phases).
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Just a bit sad that this doesnt somehow combo with Approach of the Second Sun, so the flavor win is missing out.
Also dont see any "Nicol Bolas" horns anywhere in the art, so that again is kinda weak (maybe the shape of its head is "somehow" a reverse bolas horns? well quite a stretch ...)
(Just noticed the horn symbol right at the statue its sitting on)
The sphinx is good, but wouldn't say busted. It slots into a similar role of omniscience, a powerful card if you get it to stick but not a meta-changer. It's not as powerful as omniscience, since you have to wait a turn to get its bonuses
To be clear you get the bonuses on the turn you cast it (or otherwise cheat it into play) as long as you do so in your Precombat Main Phase. Cast this, move to attacks, move to second main and a new Beginning Phase is created. Obviously this limits you to Instants or things with Flash but this is true for every turn.
I think it has its place in certain decks that are just trying to outvalue opponents.
the Sphinx WHAAAAAT!?! THAT IS BEYOND BUSTED (aware of cmc but reminder of all the Quicksilver Amulet Or/and show and tell effects)
The sphinx is good, but wouldn't say busted. It slots into a similar role of omniscience, a powerful card if you get it to stick but not a meta-changer. It's not as powerful as omniscience, since you have to wait a turn to get its bonuses, and it's both easier to get on the board and easier to kill. It's too expensive to slot into decks unsupported, 9/10 times you'd rather have Omniscience with a Show and Tell, and if you're wanting it for the extra upkeeps Paradox Haze is less than half the CMC. All of that said, this will definitely see play in reanimator decks that run U.
You don't need to wait a full turn to get the Sphinx of the Second Sun bonuses. Just get this guy on the battlefield during your pre-combat main phase. Ding, it triggers during your post-combat main phase.
It's definitely not as powerful as Omniscence, as even in Legacy, you can cast spells worth a total of an obscene amount of mana the turn you get Omni onto the battlefield. Due to this guy's awkward untap and draw timing, I think Legacy Reanimator would still rather reanimate Griselbrand.
To be clear you get the bonuses on the turn you cast it (or otherwise cheat it into play) as long as you do so in your Precombat Main Phase. Cast this, move to attacks, move to second main and a new Beginning Phase is created. Obviously this limits you to Instants or things with Flash but this is true for every turn.
I think it has its place in certain decks that are just trying to outvalue opponents.
Thank you for pointing that out. Misread the card as "precombat" and not "postcombat." That makes it better than my initial estimation, but not by much. I'm not sure what you mean by "limits you to Instants or things with Flash." Since the new beginning phase happens at the start of your postcombat main-phase, wouldn't you then be entering your 2nd main with everything uptapped?
Any deck that already runs stuff like Quicksilver Amulet will want it, same with anything running a Polymorph strategy. It has its places, to be sure, but it's not busted by any means.
To be clear you get the bonuses on the turn you cast it (or otherwise cheat it into play) as long as you do so in your Precombat Main Phase. Cast this, move to attacks, move to second main and a new Beginning Phase is created. Obviously this limits you to Instants or things with Flash but this is true for every turn.
I think it has its place in certain decks that are just trying to outvalue opponents.
Thank you for pointing that out. Misread the card as "precombat" and not "postcombat." That makes it better than my initial estimation, but not by much. I'm not sure what you mean by "limits you to Instants or things with Flash." Since the new beginning phase happens at the start of your postcombat main-phase, wouldn't you then be entering your 2nd main with everything uptapped?
Read the card carefully. While the new beginning main phase is “created” at the beginning of your post-combat main phase, it actually occurs right after that phase (as indicated by those words “after this phase” at the end)
It goes:
Beginning phase #1
Main phase
Combat
Main phase
Beginning phase #2
End phase
It ends up working like a souped up wilderness reclamation, if that helps explain things.
The Sphinx is one unique, creative and impressive effect. I love that take on foresight/time magic. So cool. I definitely want one. Wish it had been a Theros sphinx, but Amonkhet is definitely thematic for them too
That Sphinx looks like someone just walked in on him sitting on the toilet.
Neat design though. Siani is nice too (although I already knew about her). Definitely going to try to build something with her, might not be the strongest deck but flying tribal is my pet theme.
Some blue fliers, one of which comes with free scry, and another with free untaps. Oh, and Warden of Evos Isle and Siren Stormtamer reprints.
Source: mtgcommander.net
GWUBRDraft my Old Border Nostalgia Cube! and/or The Little Pauper Cube That Could!RBUWG
Modern:WDeath & TaxesW | RUGRUG DelverRUG
I can't stand to look at Amonkhet Sphinxes. According to the art book Bolas wasn't able to brainwash them into forgetting Amonkhets past or serving him so he bound them to be unable to communicate. So during Amonkhet they all knew what was up and couldn't do anything to warn or help.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
siren stomtamer great reprint it was getting exspensive
the Sphinx WHAAAAAT!?! THAT IS BEYOND BUSTED (aware of cmc but reminder of all the Quicksilver Amulet Or/and show and tell effects)
The sphinx is good, but wouldn't say busted. It slots into a similar role of omniscience, a powerful card if you get it to stick but not a meta-changer. It's not as powerful as omniscience, since you have to wait a turn to get its bonuses, and it's both easier to get on the board and easier to kill. It's too expensive to slot into decks unsupported, 9/10 times you'd rather have Omniscience with a Show and Tell, and if you're wanting it for the extra upkeeps Paradox Haze is less than half the CMC. All of that said, this will definitely see play in reanimator decks that run U.
that's a lot of mana in a color that can basically just win with that much mana.
still, it'll be fun to flash it in with leyline or something on your opponents eot. problem is, if you stick it and don't win immediately afterward, well your deck is just bad. most of the time even a bad deck is going to go oops, got there. so its cute, but i don't think it adds much to the game.
Aggravated Assault, kinda makes the Turn phases super wonky with this and then suddenly "sorcery" speed becomes kinda confusing too (only in a mainphase, thats then somewhere in between a bunch of combat and beginning phases).
----
Just a bit sad that this doesnt somehow combo with Approach of the Second Sun, so the flavor win is missing out.
Also dont see any "Nicol Bolas" horns anywhere in the art, so that again is kinda weak (maybe the shape of its head is "somehow" a reverse bolas horns? well quite a stretch ...)
(Just noticed the horn symbol right at the statue its sitting on)
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I think it has its place in certain decks that are just trying to outvalue opponents.
You don't need to wait a full turn to get the Sphinx of the Second Sun bonuses. Just get this guy on the battlefield during your pre-combat main phase. Ding, it triggers during your post-combat main phase.
It's definitely not as powerful as Omniscence, as even in Legacy, you can cast spells worth a total of an obscene amount of mana the turn you get Omni onto the battlefield. Due to this guy's awkward untap and draw timing, I think Legacy Reanimator would still rather reanimate Griselbrand.
Thank you for pointing that out. Misread the card as "precombat" and not "postcombat." That makes it better than my initial estimation, but not by much. I'm not sure what you mean by "limits you to Instants or things with Flash." Since the new beginning phase happens at the start of your postcombat main-phase, wouldn't you then be entering your 2nd main with everything uptapped?
Any deck that already runs stuff like Quicksilver Amulet will want it, same with anything running a Polymorph strategy. It has its places, to be sure, but it's not busted by any means.
Read the card carefully. While the new beginning main phase is “created” at the beginning of your post-combat main phase, it actually occurs right after that phase (as indicated by those words “after this phase” at the end)
It goes:
Beginning phase #1
Main phase
Combat
Main phase
Beginning phase #2
End phase
It ends up working like a souped up wilderness reclamation, if that helps explain things.
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
Omnath, Locus of Rage
Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
Toshiro Umezawa
Thraximundar
Jirina Kudro
Geist of Saint Traft
Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
This site has me constantly saying "Some peoples' kids"
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Neat design though. Siani is nice too (although I already knew about her). Definitely going to try to build something with her, might not be the strongest deck but flying tribal is my pet theme.