An early creature that doesn't require any setup, draws a card when it dies with the chance of cheating something into play or ramping a land for you. Note that it's a may effect, so you can choose to draw a Strangler instead of putting it directly into play if it's revealed. If you reveal a relic, map, strangler, another copy of itself, or even a land, it comes into play.
This card seems absolutely phenomenal, easily earns a spot in the main board. Gives us something to play early, trades very favorably, can easily ramp us mana, or just gives us a card back.
I've been testing quite a bit and a few opinions on some new cards.
Endbringer is too slow and usually just dies before he does anything relevant. We have better cards now, I don't think it earns a slot.
Eldrazi Displacer has been working out very well, I'd keep it as a 2 or 3-of. It's a great body early on that has tons of utility and I love to see it late game. I've used it to dodge removal, I've used it to kill tokens, I've used it to stall creatures, I've used it to prevent myself from getting twin'd, I've used it to nullify an Arcbound Ravager's death ability, I've done it all (Except for blinking a Wasteland Strangler, don't count on it happening).
Reality Smasher is insane beyond belief. Definitely a 4-of. If they don't have leak or cryptic ready, it's insanely hard to 1-for-1. Just watch out for playing into a Lili -2. The card puts a ton of pressure in so many matchups, provides a huge wall against aggressive decks, and forces a 2-for-1 against grindy decks. The fact that it has trample and haste is just oh so much better.
Kozilek, the Great Distortion works well in the sideboard against grindy matchups. Going from 0 to 7 cards is a win con on its own.
Haven't tested it yet, but Thought-Knot Seer seems very good and difficult to get rid of (4 CMC just above Inquisition of Kozilek and 4 toughness just outside of Lightning Bolt). Blinkable with Displacer to hit out more cards. I can definitely see this making Tidehollow Sculler obsolete, and is easily maindeckable. It also permanently exiles cards, meaning we might be able to cut out all the bad exile cards and just leave it at Relics, Paths, and Seers exiling cards for our processors. Maybe even cut down some Relics. This is pretty huge, as we begin making the deck run more smoothly. Everything feeds each other.
Also, thinking about the mirror match, I've been contemplating Fulminator Mage. Doesn't get you behind on land drops like Ghost Quarter does. The casting cost of course isn't the easiest thing. But the mirror is definitely about who can land threats first.
EDIT: Ruling question. If we blink Seer with Displacer, do they draw a card or do we look at their hand first? How do the triggers go on the stack, can we choose the order?
I think it's fantastic. he can easily be a 3 drop 5/5 trample haster. That can turn us into an aggressor in a heartbeat. Auto 2 for 1 is great. Also something to note. If they are top decking... they can't kill it with spot removal.
Counterspells and Liliana are the easiest ways to deal with it.
This seems really solid. Excellent body with haste and trample. It's practically a guaranteed 2-for-1 and puts on a lot of pressure. Definitely at least a 2-of.
New card spoiled, seems we got the short end of the stick. Seems worse than Caves for a pure BW version, but could potentially open up multi-color builds. Seems worse than Cavern of Souls, unfortunately.
Oh man, I just realized. Eldrazi Displacer can also unflip Delvers and stop baby Jace from flipping. Also kills tokens like a Voice or Thragtusk token. Hnnn, it does so much, I love it.
Whenever we do something, we need to know why we're doing it. That being said, I want to have a quick discussion on BW vs BR so that we know why we're sticking with white and what red offers.
Going into red shows payoff in cheap removal. Bolt and Terminate, as well as the standard red sweepers improve matchups against creature-based and aggressive decks. Against Tron and Scapeshift, having access to Crumble and Slaughter Games provide one card answers to our most problematic matchups.
White gives us access to unconditional removal of Path to Exile that also sets up one card in the exile to be processed. White also gives us Lingering Souls for numerous and recurring fliers. In the sideboard we have a lot more artifact/enchantment hate and burn answers, but our options against Tron, Scapeshift, and the likes are more limited. (But we do still have the slightly worse Memoricide)
Why so few list use All is Dust? It's probably one of the best boardwipe available, works with Eldrazi Temple, and with Oblivion Sower landsteal mid game it's almost always playable and not touching any of our permanents that are almost entirely colorless?
I main board 1 and I really love it. I only board it out against super fast matchups like burn and affinity. It puts in a lot of work since it gets discounted by our temples and eyes.
We've had a ton of mainboard discussion, but I'd like to talk about sideboards for a moment. I want to hear what you guys are playing and why. Here's my current board:
3 Timely Reinforcements - I keep increasing the number of this because I love it so much. I find myself putting it in against anything trying to play fairly. It creates very favorable trades or chump blockers, as well as providing a significant amount of life back. Sun Droplet formerly took this card's spot in my sideboard, but Reinforcements has proven to be much more versatile, being awesome in a variety of different matchups.
2 Languish - I play this over Damnation because it lets your creatures live and it can hit Etched Champion. I board this in against anything trying to play a bunch of creatures early.
2 Torpor Orb - I always advocate this card whenever possible. Since almost all our creatures trigger on cast, it can safely be played. Shuts down twin, snapcasters, a lot of abzan cards, sisters, and more.
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - Amazing card for grindy matchups, makes a great target for Eye of Ugin that can keep your hand well stocked and provides a massive threat.
1 Aven Mindcensor - Puts in work against the combo decks we have trouble against: Tron, Bloom Titan, and Scapeshift. I might want to increase the count of this card.
2 Disenchant
2 Stony Silence - For Affinity and Lantern Control.
I'm thinking of adding Surgical Extraction to my board, or maybe to my main.
An early creature that doesn't require any setup, draws a card when it dies with the chance of cheating something into play or ramping a land for you. Note that it's a may effect, so you can choose to draw a Strangler instead of putting it directly into play if it's revealed. If you reveal a relic, map, strangler, another copy of itself, or even a land, it comes into play.
This card seems absolutely phenomenal, easily earns a spot in the main board. Gives us something to play early, trades very favorably, can easily ramp us mana, or just gives us a card back.
Endbringer is too slow and usually just dies before he does anything relevant. We have better cards now, I don't think it earns a slot.
Eldrazi Displacer has been working out very well, I'd keep it as a 2 or 3-of. It's a great body early on that has tons of utility and I love to see it late game. I've used it to dodge removal, I've used it to kill tokens, I've used it to stall creatures, I've used it to prevent myself from getting twin'd, I've used it to nullify an Arcbound Ravager's death ability, I've done it all (Except for blinking a Wasteland Strangler, don't count on it happening).
Reality Smasher is insane beyond belief. Definitely a 4-of. If they don't have leak or cryptic ready, it's insanely hard to 1-for-1. Just watch out for playing into a Lili -2. The card puts a ton of pressure in so many matchups, provides a huge wall against aggressive decks, and forces a 2-for-1 against grindy decks. The fact that it has trample and haste is just oh so much better.
Kozilek, the Great Distortion works well in the sideboard against grindy matchups. Going from 0 to 7 cards is a win con on its own.
Haven't tested it yet, but Thought-Knot Seer seems very good and difficult to get rid of (4 CMC just above Inquisition of Kozilek and 4 toughness just outside of Lightning Bolt). Blinkable with Displacer to hit out more cards. I can definitely see this making Tidehollow Sculler obsolete, and is easily maindeckable. It also permanently exiles cards, meaning we might be able to cut out all the bad exile cards and just leave it at Relics, Paths, and Seers exiling cards for our processors. Maybe even cut down some Relics. This is pretty huge, as we begin making the deck run more smoothly. Everything feeds each other.
Also, thinking about the mirror match, I've been contemplating Fulminator Mage. Doesn't get you behind on land drops like Ghost Quarter does. The casting cost of course isn't the easiest thing. But the mirror is definitely about who can land threats first.
EDIT: Ruling question. If we blink Seer with Displacer, do they draw a card or do we look at their hand first? How do the triggers go on the stack, can we choose the order?
Counterspells and Liliana are the easiest ways to deal with it.
Corrupted Crossroads
From the main, Path to Exile and Lingering Souls are lost in exchange for Lightning Bolt and Terminate. In the sideboard, Timely Reinforcements, Disenchant, and Stony Silence are lost in exchange for Kozilek's Return, Crumble to Dust, and Slaughter Games (Note: Not a complete list of possible board cards).
Going into red shows payoff in cheap removal. Bolt and Terminate, as well as the standard red sweepers improve matchups against creature-based and aggressive decks. Against Tron and Scapeshift, having access to Crumble and Slaughter Games provide one card answers to our most problematic matchups.
White gives us access to unconditional removal of Path to Exile that also sets up one card in the exile to be processed. White also gives us Lingering Souls for numerous and recurring fliers. In the sideboard we have a lot more artifact/enchantment hate and burn answers, but our options against Tron, Scapeshift, and the likes are more limited. (But we do still have the slightly worse Memoricide)
As well, each color saw some a new playable card in OGW so far. White seeing Eldrazi Displacer and red seeing Kozilek's Return.
So what do you guys think about all of this?
I main board 1 and I really love it. I only board it out against super fast matchups like burn and affinity. It puts in a lot of work since it gets discounted by our temples and eyes.
3 Timely Reinforcements - I keep increasing the number of this because I love it so much. I find myself putting it in against anything trying to play fairly. It creates very favorable trades or chump blockers, as well as providing a significant amount of life back. Sun Droplet formerly took this card's spot in my sideboard, but Reinforcements has proven to be much more versatile, being awesome in a variety of different matchups.
2 Languish - I play this over Damnation because it lets your creatures live and it can hit Etched Champion. I board this in against anything trying to play a bunch of creatures early.
2 Torpor Orb - I always advocate this card whenever possible. Since almost all our creatures trigger on cast, it can safely be played. Shuts down twin, snapcasters, a lot of abzan cards, sisters, and more.
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - Amazing card for grindy matchups, makes a great target for Eye of Ugin that can keep your hand well stocked and provides a massive threat.
1 Aven Mindcensor - Puts in work against the combo decks we have trouble against: Tron, Bloom Titan, and Scapeshift. I might want to increase the count of this card.
2 Disenchant
2 Stony Silence - For Affinity and Lantern Control.
I'm thinking of adding Surgical Extraction to my board, or maybe to my main.