After this much needed break from spoiler season (Unfinity obviously doesn't count :p) The Brother's War spoilers have started. And the first uncommon is yet another 2/1 aggro one drop with relevant upside for white. At least Domiaria United had some good one drops for black and red or I would have to complain about the abundance of great one drops in white compared to the other colors.
Recruitment Officer will definitely make his (or her?) way into my cube. If you have 12 other creatures with mana value 3 or less in the deck the chance to draw one with the ability is ~80%, which is a great late game mana sink. I would probably rank only Usher of the Fallen and Dauntless Bodyguard higher and in some decks Skymarcher Aspirant.
Agreed. It's another basically staple. Admittedly, 2 power 1-drops that do something more relevant to their primary role and suit the decks that want them better are a tier above something like this. But it shores up a major weakness of those kinds of decks with a mana sink that you will (only) use when you really need it: running out of gas. I suppose that it could also be interesting for some kind of UW tempo deck which leaves mana open on the regular for stuff like counters.
This falls into the category of “1 mana 2/1 with an ability you shouldn’t expect to use”, which is starting to feel bloated for white. That said, this is one of the better ones.
Still a cut below the ones you can expect to use, like Usher and Bodygaurd
I don't actually expect to use its ability in an average game.
But since its best case scenario is, in fact, a savior for one of the ways a game have a worst case scenario it will probably be worth something.
You don't expect to want a mana sink that makes you 1drop playable on turn 5?
I can expand on my reasoning here, a bit.
When I look at this card, I have to ask in what kinds of situations will I activate the ability?
- I am playing a pretty aggressive deck, or a deck with an abnormal number of <= 3 drops
- I have run out of better things to do from my hand, or with my excess mana in general
- My 1 drop is alive in the later stages of the game
Even if these conditions are satisfied, I then have to ask in what situations will the card be relevant towards the outcome of the game?
- I hit a creature in the top 4
- The creature I hit is impactful in the later stages of the game
- The creature I hit is impactful even at a 4 mana up-charge
Maybe this is because I have a tight 360 card cube, but I find the power level of peasant is high enough that tempo really matters. We're far from the days where games go to topdecking with any frequency. I imagine in my cube, most games this is cast it is not activated, and in most games it's activated only as a "lose less" last gasp.
That said, the floor for the card itself is pretty high as a 1 mana 2/1, I just don't believe the ability adds much.
I think it's good because it's a typical aggro 1drop that also has the failure mode where it can get you out of trouble if plan A (go fast) fails and you start having to play the topdeck game. Most 1drops are garbage in that scenario.
If I'm playing Savannah Lions, you better believe I'm going to want the ones which aren't useless on turn 6.
Thinking about it more, I think I have to agree with Marth^3. Even when you activate its ability, you are really hoping to highroll a good result. Pulling a... Seeker of the Way isn't exactly putting you back in the game. Nevermind its capacity for whiffing.
Also jesus christ my cubecobra list is out of date. And considering the fact that I thankfully have a few subscribers, I should do my due diligence and fix it.
Also jesus christ my cubecobra list is out of date. And considering the fact that I thankfully have a few subscribers, I should do my due diligence and fix it.
Considering that it's almost time for the average cube for the year, yes, you should definitely get it updated.
Overwhelming Remorse - 4B to exile a creature or Planeswalker at instant speed. Costs 1 less for each *creature* card in your yard. Reminds me of Murderous Cut. Not sure which is better though. The exile is nice, and I really like that it doesn't exile the cards from your yard like cut does. But, I expect it'll be harder to cast this for B than with Cut, and Cut works well in creature-light control decks too.
Gaea's Courser - 4G for a 4/5 that draws a card on attack if you have 3+ creatures in the yard. Seems a little expensive, and it has to live a turn before you get a card back. But, if you're looking for a "Baneslayer" for GB, I guess this could work.
Overwhelming Remorse - 4B to exile a creature or Planeswalker at instant speed. Costs 1 less for each *creature* card in your yard. Reminds me of Murderous Cut. Not sure which is better though. The exile is nice, and I really like that it doesn't exile the cards from your yard like cut does. But, I expect it'll be harder to cast this for B than with Cut, and Cut works well in creature-light control decks too.
This is the same case as we have seen with Gurmag Angler and Writhing Necromass. Gurmag is able to come in faster than Necromass because you can cast it with any card in your graveyard, not only creatures thanks to delve.
It's a better Catalog, but it's nowhere comparable to Rampant Growth for the vast majority of cubes and decks. Powerstones kinda suck unless you lean really hard into artifacts - that whole "This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell" clause and all.
It's a better Catalog, but it's nowhere comparable to Rampant Growth for the vast majority of cubes and decks. Powerstones kinda suck unless you lean really hard into artifacts - that whole "This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell" clause and all.
Woah! I had totally spaced on them even having that clause. That changes things a lot. But yeah, it was probably necessary to keep the designs in line.
Combat Thresher seems interesting to me. For 1 mana more, you get a Fencing Ace that cantrips. In addition, unlike Fencing Ace and variants, it has a role in blink (not only drawing a card, but growing to a 3/3). Not an instant staple, but playable.
Nothing exciting so far. Arbalest Engineers looks on-rate but not exciting enough for a multicolored slot.
I was initially excited for the obstinate baloth downshift but on second read it really doesn't do anything very powerful. Creep has come a long way.
I agree Third Path Iconoclast seems solid, but my biggest issue is that while the effect is powerful it's also just another Young Pyromancer which is not especially interesting.
It's not 'just' another Young Pyromancer[/card; it's a Young Pyromancer you can expect to pick up slightly later than the normal one, which is a big deal. The card really shines the most in Izzet, but Rakdos and some Boros decks also gladly pick it up.
Zephyr Sentinel seems really solid as well to me. I don't see it as a direct upgrade over Kor Skyfisher, since 3 toughness matters.
Obstinate Baloth I think is outclassed nowadays. Also green 4s are pretty stacked.
Combat Thresher joins the ranks of white 3s that draw a card. While I would value it below Inspiring Overseer, I think it might be better than Priest of Ancient Lore, which I don't currently play. I also like that it synergises well with blink, and double strike has a high ceiling I think.
Recruitment Officer will definitely make his (or her?) way into my cube. If you have 12 other creatures with mana value 3 or less in the deck the chance to draw one with the ability is ~80%, which is a great late game mana sink. I would probably rank only Usher of the Fallen and Dauntless Bodyguard higher and in some decks Skymarcher Aspirant.
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Still a cut below the ones you can expect to use, like Usher and Bodygaurd
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
But since its best case scenario is, in fact, a savior for one of the ways a game have a worst case scenario it will probably be worth something.
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430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
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I can expand on my reasoning here, a bit.
When I look at this card, I have to ask in what kinds of situations will I activate the ability?
- I am playing a pretty aggressive deck, or a deck with an abnormal number of <= 3 drops
- I have run out of better things to do from my hand, or with my excess mana in general
- My 1 drop is alive in the later stages of the game
Even if these conditions are satisfied, I then have to ask in what situations will the card be relevant towards the outcome of the game?
- I hit a creature in the top 4
- The creature I hit is impactful in the later stages of the game
- The creature I hit is impactful even at a 4 mana up-charge
Maybe this is because I have a tight 360 card cube, but I find the power level of peasant is high enough that tempo really matters. We're far from the days where games go to topdecking with any frequency. I imagine in my cube, most games this is cast it is not activated, and in most games it's activated only as a "lose less" last gasp.
That said, the floor for the card itself is pretty high as a 1 mana 2/1, I just don't believe the ability adds much.
If I'm playing Savannah Lions, you better believe I'm going to want the ones which aren't useless on turn 6.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
Also jesus christ my cubecobra list is out of date. And considering the fact that I thankfully have a few subscribers, I should do my due diligence and fix it.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Considering that it's almost time for the average cube for the year, yes, you should definitely get it updated.
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Harvester might be interesting. The two prodigies feel a little too dependent on artifact synergies to get enough value out of them.
This is the same case as we have seen with Gurmag Angler and Writhing Necromass. Gurmag is able to come in faster than Necromass because you can cast it with any card in your graveyard, not only creatures thanks to delve.
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Scrapwork Cohort is super strong. And Ashnod's Harvester... woah, that's pushed. I kinda don't like it.
The prodigies will be great for my artifact cube.
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Woah! I had totally spaced on them even having that clause. That changes things a lot. But yeah, it was probably necessary to keep the designs in line.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
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Two mana is a lot more than one, but the fact that Blossoming Defense doesn't have any counters synergy makes me want to test this one out.
WiJ
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Agree. A Young Pyromancer that also triggers on enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers.
Arbalest Engineers is not bad. Quite a bit of flexibility.
Obliterating Bolt is a better Thundering Rebuke/Lava Coil.
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I was initially excited for the obstinate baloth downshift but on second read it really doesn't do anything very powerful. Creep has come a long way.
Snakeskin Veil is great. It's already in my cube alongside blossoming defense. =]
Obstinate Baloth at uncommon; time to figure out if I want to cut Arborback Stomper or Blossom Prancer for it (I don't think I will).
I agree Third Path Iconoclast seems solid, but my biggest issue is that while the effect is powerful it's also just another Young Pyromancer which is not especially interesting.
Zephyr Sentinel seems really solid as well to me. I don't see it as a direct upgrade over Kor Skyfisher, since 3 toughness matters.
Obstinate Baloth I think is outclassed nowadays. Also green 4s are pretty stacked.
Combat Thresher joins the ranks of white 3s that draw a card. While I would value it below Inspiring Overseer, I think it might be better than Priest of Ancient Lore, which I don't currently play. I also like that it synergises well with blink, and double strike has a high ceiling I think.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube