Dude this decks looks fun. Hanweir Garrison is another card Im trying to play test. With turn 1 Champion turn 2 Lightning Mauler and turn 3 Hanweir pair with the Mauler. Just wish this card had Haste itself :). Anyhow as for Infect try Sudden Shock or Deflecting Palm since your running :symr:. or even Spellskite
Hi all, I was an active member in the last Modern Human thread but haven't been around for a while. The latest round of spoilers have bought me back though!
Now I'm thinking about two new cards. Firstly Combat Celebrant. Now if I am going to use him it is a finisher so definitely I definitely want no more than two in the deck. So I'm thinking about swapping out Silverblade Paladin for him. The big advantage to the Paladin is that he has impact as soon as he hits the battlefield as he gives my biggest creature double strike which is often lethal. However Celebrant almost gives that ability to all my creatures. I think with Mauler and Mimic in the deck he has the potential to be very good. Especially with a turn 5 Mauler and him to hit them twice from no-where. I will definitely play test him in this build.
The other card is Gideon of the Trials. Now I don't think it's main deck for me, it slows my tempo down but I'm thinking that it might well be worth side decking for decks that use one big hitter. I'm especially wondering about Infect which is a deck that I often struggle with. What do you guys think? What would you cut from my side board for it?
As for Glory-Bound Initiate I think that unless you are running Always Watching it's not worth thinking about. Unless it has vigilance it is essentially a 2/2 lifelinker as it only attacks every other turn. We can definitely get more value form other cards.
Ok so I ran proxy's of some of the new cards and a bunch of other stuff to see how they interacted with my deck, other decks and play styles will have different results. So just because it didnt make the cut doesnt mean its a bad card just didnt fit or couldnt find room in my deck
After all my play testing I found through play testing Kari Zev's Expertise is just bad ass for my deck. The taking the creature was one thing but being able to drop another spell/creature/whatever add to that the Burning-Tree Emissary trigger gave me so much board advantage. This was especially noticeable and helpful when I was on the draw. I was really concerned about affecting the speed of my deck but since I basically get a creature (usually a good one) with Haste and drop another spell its very interactive/fun. He's good early and late game but is the 1st card sided out vs Burn, Infect, Storm, Scapeshift and Affinity.
Here's what else I play tested and found.
2nd inline to go in if I need more then KZE was these next 2. Hanweir Garrison this card was so fun to play and test. As a Midrange and late game after board sweep dudes a beast. Supreme Verdict/Day of Judgement okay my next turn he comes down. Early games unless I pair him with Mauler on turn 3 he never lives past the turn he's drop so I dont get the tokens but when I do even if they kill him turn 3 dropping a Thalia's Lieutenant just pumps so much. But that combo is more rare. He's not fast enough vs the decks I need speed and doesn't have enough pop vs Big Zoo, Death's Shadow whatever variation, Green Stompy, etc. But damn when he sticks this card is so much fun with all the Human synergies. If Im running a midrange Humans he is definitely a 3 of. Actually I may build that for the hell of it.
Collective Effort, another 2 or 3 (most likely 2) for 1 card. The counters stay on and not just end of turn but also you get to kill something 4 power. Only issue is that when I see this on my turn 3/4 and their 2/3 having KZE is better. Usually the +1 +1 gets onto 2 to 3 creatures but I do have to tap 1 to get the extra ability so it negates some of the damage that KZE would have got plus a possible extra drop. Now this is great mid to late game. Man a tokens or a Soldier deck would luv this card. I have 3 and may get 1 more, its a good card to have around.
Thalia, Heretic Cathar on the play is just vicious. However on the draw was slower then what I had wanted. The First Strike helps and he'd be my second choice to add if not for KZE. Was really good against creature heavy or creature win dependent decks except Affinty their just too fast. Slowing Tron down 1 turn was nice but I never had much issue there. Same as KZE 1st card sided out vs Burn, Infect, Storm, Scapeshift and Affinity.
Combat Celebrant when its hits is a finisher but you need to have multiple creatures on the board and keep in mind at least one early drop will get removed. Lightning Mauler soulbounding into Haste was ok cause swinging with him turn 3 and get just a few extra points isnt worth the slot in my deck unless I have Legion Loyalist for his Battalion trigger and then they dont chump block him and since he dont untap next turn having him early really dosent do him justice. Im sure in other decks in Modern he'll be good like a Midrange Zoo, Naya Zoo, Big Zoo and very good in Commander but in my deck + Always Watching it slows me down too much with too many (8) 3 drops to make him workable here. Plus he'll be a Standard all star. Heck I may try a tokens either B/W or Goblins with this dude plus would also be fun to try with Hellrider......
Glory-Bound Initiate, vs aggro creatures and Burn that lifelink is huge. Even got some extra turns vs Affinity game 1. I can see him being great in Standard especially with Always Watching yet in Modern committing so many resources to him and having him + AW at the same time is good when its together but slower and if your dont have AW turn 3 its not as worth it. I like him again in a Midrange decks. Im expecting to see him in some Soul Sisters builds.
Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, helps turn on Kytheon/Gideon with the monkey. Wish the monkey lived longer though and wished the token was a Human instead. Hanweir Garrison seemed to work better in my deck. I like that she is able to be casted off BTE and the Human thing helps Champion but the Mauler and Bushwhacker are much faster. This card gives me some extra reach but not enough pop mid late game.
I've never noticed Shattering Spree before. Do you find it effective? I got very excited initially but then one of my friends pointed out it was a sorcery and therefore against Affinity:
Does nothing to affinity, in response to you destroying everything, I sac all the targets to ravager, sac ravager to itself, put all the +1/+1 counters on blinkmoth Nexus which you can't target with it, and swing at you for lethal poison on my turn with you tapped out completely
Are we missing something? What has been your experience with it as a sideboard card?
I run Shattering Spree (which will get past Chalice on 1 cause it has Replicate. The spell will be countered but not the Replicate so you'd basically use 2 mana) as my Artifact removal and one of the main reason is that in Legacy I often see/saw Chalice in games 2 and 3 but in Modern it can also give me 2 and 3 for 1 vs Affinity knocking out Cranial Plating, the Swords and other stuff not named Etched Champion. I see Affinity 1 in 4 games so I need more tech/more then just a 1 for 1 vs them. Good Affinity players will never let your get to 4 manna for Shatterstorm unless its that just perfect scenerio or you have a deck that has some ramp like an Elf deck and Ive seen a turn 3 Fracturing Gust and the Affinity player just scooped.
As for what your friend says how often does he have Archbound and Inkmoth (Blinkmoth is not Infect but can give +1) and Equipment at the same time, And its highly unlikely he can sac 9 things at once to pump Inkmoth to be lethal Infect damage next turn. Etched Champion + Equipment is more dangerous. Also whats more important to hit Cranial Plating and the swords or a Blinkmoth that you could have other answers for. Etched Champion is what its is a card with few answers to. Every player is gonna say "well if you have this my deck has this". Play test it and see if it works for you if it doesnt then hey there are other options. It may take some getting used to at first but proxy an Affinity deck like I have and run 50 games, since its Affinity the games should last 3 to 4 turns each .
For me a person who sees Affinity 1 out of 4 players. Shattering Spree by itself isnt great or a guaranteed win but good however Shattering Spree with access to other stuff like Path/Both/etc has been a blessing for me. My Burn sideboard has 3 Spree's and 3 Wear // Tear and that combo has netted me more wins vs Affinity then any other hate combo. Affinity is so much faster so I play a more control game early, If they dump their hand they have to wait for a good top deck if I remove the big threats cause their a deck that needs really 4/5 main cards and about 2 of them at once to win or its just 1/1 or 0/2 stuff. If I can gain some advantage back by doing a 2 or 3 for 1 then great.
I know people like Destructive Reverly cause it also hits for 2, Ancient Grudge for Flashback or Smash to Smithereens cause it hits for 3 also but in Burn I run Shattering Spree with Wear // Tear which also gets you past Chalice and helps in other match ups.
Harsh Mentor is soooooooo good in this deck if this deck runs W/R.
In my local meta, we have a Mono-White Humans deck that has been destroying the scene here and it completely filled up with top tier decks. One of the most spicy additions to this deck I've seen is that they run Knight of the Holy Nimbus no one ever expects it and no one ever really get rid of it except for Path to Exile.
Harsh Mentor is soooooooo good in this deck if this deck runs W/R.
In my local meta, we have a Mono-White Humans deck that has been destroying the scene here and it completely filled up with top tier decks. One of the most spicy additions to this deck I've seen is that they run Knight of the Holy Nimbus no one ever expects it and no one ever really get rid of it except for Path to Exile.
Turn 2 BTE into Harsh Mentor, yes please. Only downside in a speed/rush deck like mine is that he dosent have Haste and you dont want him dying into attacks but he may draw removal away from Champion and Kytheon early on and still do some damage from Fetch Land activation. Another card to play test, the MTG life is good .
Been to FNM Modern, 3-1 against 18 players with my monowhite humans.
2-0 against Death Shadow
2-0 against Death Shadow
2-0 against Stompy
Lost 1-2 against Bant
I think Human is really good against Death Shadow. We are to fast for them.
In my testing I had the opposite experience with Mono White Humans vs DSJ: humans rely on synergy and the combination of hand disruption and removal left me running on bad topdecks.
Out of curiosity, why are you running 2 Flooded Strand? And 2 Path + 1 Declaration in Stone? If it's budgetary restrictions maybe trade your fetches for the rest of the Paths? And why 1 Dragon Hunter over the better 4th Soldier of the Pantheon or Woe-Reaper? How had Hanweir Militia Captain performed?
If you're going to raise your curve enough to hit 5 drops Lavinia of the Tenth is probably a better choice since it solves the deck's evasion problem rather than just being another goodstuff card.
For Samut you'd be looking more toward a midrange decks unless you switch to a ramp Humans deck with like Avacyn's Pilgrim, Noble Hierarch and Birds of Paradise but then you'd also get to throw Sigarda in there. Ive tried that formula and while in Standard that GW deck was good at times and the faster Humans deck in the RTR and Inistrad era was better and lots of fun. I havent been able to get that GW ramp version consistent enough for Modern. Who knows maybe someone can brew a Naya deck like that and get Samut on turn 3 but what would the rest of that deck look like? The hamster wheels is turning in my brain
I like Glory-Bound Initiate because it helps against tight MUs : Valakut, Burn, Merfolk, Affi,...
3 damage for a 2-drop is good, 4 damage is equal to Voltaic Brawler that we know is good enough for the maindeck.
And it's in the primary color. It's at least an upgrade to most white 2-drops we've had access to. The tempo loss of exert and the lack of evasion are issues but it might be good enough once all MUs are taken in consideration. Gideon of the Trials is a fine option against combo decks (Ad Naus, that will be interested in the card btw). It may be a maindeck option in the right meta and the right variant.
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
I don't think that any of those decks would even care about Glory-Bound Initiate, I don't think it is particulary good or even playable as a creature that can attack once in every 2 turns (in the case it isn't removed).
He can be improved with cute synergies with cards like: Always Watching/Brave the Sands or Herald of Dromoka but none of those are playable anyway.
Harsh Mentor is much better and even he is probably more of a SB card.
I don't find any of the new humans to be particularly useful to us and like Dennis I'm skeptical of Glory-Bound Initiate. However, I am looking forward to the full spoilers tomorrow because the tokens revealed that we can expect one more human with embalm:
The value really depends on how they end up costing it. 2 mana for a 3/2 vigilance which you could return as a zombie human (yes they retain the human subtype!) for, say, 2 or 3 mana would be really pushed and great for us. A 3 mana 3/2 that you could Embalm it for 1 mana miiiight even be ok. I'm not sure what to expect because the costing on this set has been so awful (by modern standards), but Wizards loves to make pushed creatures so there's a chance it might be good.
EDIT: Oh lol, Unwavering Initiate was already revealed. Costs 3 to play, 4 to embalm. Pass.
I think the most interesting card for Humans so far might be Dusk // Dawn:
It could make White Weenie significantly more competitive against the gigantic Shadows, Goyfs, and Eldrazi lumbering around. The biggest challenge is the casting cost. You could build a weenie list with 22 lands that hits 4 CMC in a timely enough manner, but I don't know if you'll be able to hit 5 for Dawn very reliably. Nailing the asymmetry is difficult, too -- it works very well with Savannah Lions but once you add a lord you hit all your own creatures.. Any Champion of the Parish that's still on the board will get wiped for sure =/
EDIT 2: Yeah this is probably just not asymmetric enough to be worth hitting 4-5 CMC :<
I like Glory-Bound Initiate because it helps against tight MUs : Valakut, Burn, Merfolk, Affi,...
3 damage for a 2-drop is good, 4 damage is equal to Voltaic Brawler that we know is good enough for the maindeck.
And it's in the primary color. It's at least an upgrade to most white 2-drops we've had access to. The tempo loss of exert and the lack of evasion are issues but it might be good enough once all MUs are taken in consideration. Gideon of the Trials is a fine option against combo decks (Ad Naus, that will be interested in the card btw). It may be a maindeck option in the right meta and the right variant.
I don't think that any of those decks would even care about Glory-Bound Initiate, I don't think it is particulary good or even playable as a creature that can attack once in every 2 turns (in the case it isn't removed).
He can be improved with cute synergies with cards like: Always Watching/Brave the Sands or Herald of Dromoka but none of those are playable anyway.
Harsh Mentor is much better and even he is probably more of a SB card.
On the flip side if it sticks its strong and it will force removal on him that may have been used on something else. And it has to be answered especially if Always Watching or other effects give it Vigilance. I hope this card becomes a staple in Human and White Aggro decks.
Oh boy having him out turn 1 and Glory-Bound Initiate Turn 2 or a power 2 and 3 drop with a Combat Celebrant turn 4 if he lives that long......I may have found a easy Haste enabler for another deck I was trying out.
These spoilers have been quite the tease for us, imo. So many humans that are close to being good enough, but not quite there; just too much competition, especially at 2 and 3 cmc. Harsh Mentor is the only one that might actually be used in modern, but probably as a sideboard card.
With that said, I really like the 2 mana x/4 green humans and wish they didn't have awful downsides. Maybe run them with Melira, Sylvok Outcast to get around it? #BringOnTheJank
As a 1/1 no but his Haste ability turns on other stuff like a turn 3 Preeminent Captain into another good creature like Brimaz or Ranger of Eos. Now thats hypothetical but maybe I can get something like that to run. Plus Id take him over cards like Elite Vanguard and Mardu Woe-Reaper cause he'll speed up a deck. Over Champion or Kytheon no but as a 3rd one drop possibly.
As for Standard a turn 2 Lifelink 4/4 Glory-Bound Initiate isnt a bad way to start a game. But again we'll see how this card plays out, it aint a game changer but could be a useful card. I think its always better to have more options then limited ones.
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http://modernnexus.com/how-to-beat-infect/
After all my play testing I found through play testing Kari Zev's Expertise is just bad ass for my deck. The taking the creature was one thing but being able to drop another spell/creature/whatever add to that the Burning-Tree Emissary trigger gave me so much board advantage. This was especially noticeable and helpful when I was on the draw. I was really concerned about affecting the speed of my deck but since I basically get a creature (usually a good one) with Haste and drop another spell its very interactive/fun. He's good early and late game but is the 1st card sided out vs Burn, Infect, Storm, Scapeshift and Affinity.
Here's what else I play tested and found.
2nd inline to go in if I need more then KZE was these next 2.
Hanweir Garrison this card was so fun to play and test. As a Midrange and late game after board sweep dudes a beast. Supreme Verdict/Day of Judgement okay my next turn he comes down. Early games unless I pair him with Mauler on turn 3 he never lives past the turn he's drop so I dont get the tokens but when I do even if they kill him turn 3 dropping a Thalia's Lieutenant just pumps so much. But that combo is more rare. He's not fast enough vs the decks I need speed and doesn't have enough pop vs Big Zoo, Death's Shadow whatever variation, Green Stompy, etc. But damn when he sticks this card is so much fun with all the Human synergies. If Im running a midrange Humans he is definitely a 3 of. Actually I may build that for the hell of it.
Collective Effort, another 2 or 3 (most likely 2) for 1 card. The counters stay on and not just end of turn but also you get to kill something 4 power. Only issue is that when I see this on my turn 3/4 and their 2/3 having KZE is better. Usually the +1 +1 gets onto 2 to 3 creatures but I do have to tap 1 to get the extra ability so it negates some of the damage that KZE would have got plus a possible extra drop. Now this is great mid to late game. Man a tokens or a Soldier deck would luv this card. I have 3 and may get 1 more, its a good card to have around.
Thalia, Heretic Cathar on the play is just vicious. However on the draw was slower then what I had wanted. The First Strike helps and he'd be my second choice to add if not for KZE. Was really good against creature heavy or creature win dependent decks except Affinty their just too fast. Slowing Tron down 1 turn was nice but I never had much issue there. Same as KZE 1st card sided out vs Burn, Infect, Storm, Scapeshift and Affinity.
Combat Celebrant when its hits is a finisher but you need to have multiple creatures on the board and keep in mind at least one early drop will get removed. Lightning Mauler soulbounding into Haste was ok cause swinging with him turn 3 and get just a few extra points isnt worth the slot in my deck unless I have Legion Loyalist for his Battalion trigger and then they dont chump block him and since he dont untap next turn having him early really dosent do him justice. Im sure in other decks in Modern he'll be good like a Midrange Zoo, Naya Zoo, Big Zoo and very good in Commander but in my deck + Always Watching it slows me down too much with too many (8) 3 drops to make him workable here. Plus he'll be a Standard all star. Heck I may try a tokens either B/W or Goblins with this dude plus would also be fun to try with Hellrider......
Glory-Bound Initiate, vs aggro creatures and Burn that lifelink is huge. Even got some extra turns vs Affinity game 1. I can see him being great in Standard especially with Always Watching yet in Modern committing so many resources to him and having him + AW at the same time is good when its together but slower and if your dont have AW turn 3 its not as worth it. I like him again in a Midrange decks. Im expecting to see him in some Soul Sisters builds.
Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, helps turn on Kytheon/Gideon with the monkey. Wish the monkey lived longer though and wished the token was a Human instead. Hanweir Garrison seemed to work better in my deck. I like that she is able to be casted off BTE and the Human thing helps Champion but the Mauler and Bushwhacker are much faster. This card gives me some extra reach but not enough pop mid late game.
So this is what Im gonna go with for now. I pulled 2 Chained to the Rocks and 1 Thalia's Lieutenant for 3 Kari Zev's Expertise .
4 Legion Loyalist
4 Champion of the Parish
4 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
2 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Lightning Mauler
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
3 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
3 Kari Zev's Expertise
20 Lands
4 Arid Mesa
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Bloodstained Mire
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Mountain
1 Plains
4 Inspiring Vantage
4 Leyline of Sanctity
4 Shattering Spree
4 Deflecting Palm
3 Anger of the Gods
Stony Silence is also really good.
I run Shattering Spree (which will get past Chalice on 1 cause it has Replicate. The spell will be countered but not the Replicate so you'd basically use 2 mana) as my Artifact removal and one of the main reason is that in Legacy I often see/saw Chalice in games 2 and 3 but in Modern it can also give me 2 and 3 for 1 vs Affinity knocking out Cranial Plating, the Swords and other stuff not named Etched Champion. I see Affinity 1 in 4 games so I need more tech/more then just a 1 for 1 vs them. Good Affinity players will never let your get to 4 manna for Shatterstorm unless its that just perfect scenerio or you have a deck that has some ramp like an Elf deck and Ive seen a turn 3 Fracturing Gust and the Affinity player just scooped.
As for what your friend says how often does he have Archbound and Inkmoth (Blinkmoth is not Infect but can give +1) and Equipment at the same time, And its highly unlikely he can sac 9 things at once to pump Inkmoth to be lethal Infect damage next turn. Etched Champion + Equipment is more dangerous. Also whats more important to hit Cranial Plating and the swords or a Blinkmoth that you could have other answers for. Etched Champion is what its is a card with few answers to. Every player is gonna say "well if you have this my deck has this". Play test it and see if it works for you if it doesnt then hey there are other options. It may take some getting used to at first but proxy an Affinity deck like I have and run 50 games, since its Affinity the games should last 3 to 4 turns each .
For me a person who sees Affinity 1 out of 4 players. Shattering Spree by itself isnt great or a guaranteed win but good however Shattering Spree with access to other stuff like Path/Both/etc has been a blessing for me. My Burn sideboard has 3 Spree's and 3 Wear // Tear and that combo has netted me more wins vs Affinity then any other hate combo. Affinity is so much faster so I play a more control game early, If they dump their hand they have to wait for a good top deck if I remove the big threats cause their a deck that needs really 4/5 main cards and about 2 of them at once to win or its just 1/1 or 0/2 stuff. If I can gain some advantage back by doing a 2 or 3 for 1 then great.
I know people like Destructive Reverly cause it also hits for 2, Ancient Grudge for Flashback or Smash to Smithereens cause it hits for 3 also but in Burn I run Shattering Spree with Wear // Tear which also gets you past Chalice and helps in other match ups.
Could be good in a hatebears-esque list with Thalia and Renegade Rallier?
In my local meta, we have a Mono-White Humans deck that has been destroying the scene here and it completely filled up with top tier decks. One of the most spicy additions to this deck I've seen is that they run Knight of the Holy Nimbus no one ever expects it and no one ever really get rid of it except for Path to Exile.
Turn 2 BTE into Harsh Mentor, yes please. Only downside in a speed/rush deck like mine is that he dosent have Haste and you dont want him dying into attacks but he may draw removal away from Champion and Kytheon early on and still do some damage from Fetch Land activation. Another card to play test, the MTG life is good .
2-0 against Death Shadow
2-0 against Death Shadow
2-0 against Stompy
Lost 1-2 against Bant
I think Human is really good against Death Shadow. We are to fast for them.
3 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Champion of the Parish
2 Hanweir Militia Captain
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
3 Thraben Inspector
1 Dragon Hunter
3 Mardu Woe-Reaper
3 Knight of the White Orchid
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Gather the Townsfolk
4 Brave the Elements
1 Declaration in Stone
1 Return to the Rank
2 Path to Exile
2 Flooded Strain
17 Plains
2 Stony Silence
2 Graffdigger Cage
2 Disenchant
2 Journey to Nowhere
2 Lantern Scout
1 Return to the Rank
2 Selfless Spirit
Out of curiosity, why are you running 2 Flooded Strand? And 2 Path + 1 Declaration in Stone? If it's budgetary restrictions maybe trade your fetches for the rest of the Paths? And why 1 Dragon Hunter over the better 4th Soldier of the Pantheon or Woe-Reaper? How had Hanweir Militia Captain performed?
Everyone loves an angry mob RWG
Why so Bloo? RU
3 damage for a 2-drop is good, 4 damage is equal to Voltaic Brawler that we know is good enough for the maindeck.
And it's in the primary color. It's at least an upgrade to most white 2-drops we've had access to. The tempo loss of exert and the lack of evasion are issues but it might be good enough once all MUs are taken in consideration.
Gideon of the Trials is a fine option against combo decks (Ad Naus, that will be interested in the card btw). It may be a maindeck option in the right meta and the right variant.
He can be improved with cute synergies with cards like: Always Watching/Brave the Sands or Herald of Dromoka but none of those are playable anyway.
Harsh Mentor is much better and even he is probably more of a SB card.
However, I am looking forward to the full spoilers tomorrow because the tokens revealed that we can expect one more human with embalm:The value really depends on how they end up costing it. 2 mana for a 3/2 vigilance which you could return as a zombie human (yes they retain the human subtype!) for, say, 2 or 3 mana would be really pushed and great for us. A 3 mana 3/2 that you could Embalm it for 1 mana miiiight even be ok. I'm not sure what to expect because the costing on this set has been so awful (by modern standards), but Wizards loves to make pushed creatures so there's a chance it might be good.EDIT: Oh lol, Unwavering Initiate was already revealed. Costs 3 to play, 4 to embalm. Pass.
I think the most interesting card for Humans so far might be Dusk // Dawn:
It could make White Weenie significantly more competitive against the gigantic Shadows, Goyfs, and Eldrazi lumbering around. The biggest challenge is the casting cost. You could build a weenie list with 22 lands that hits 4 CMC in a timely enough manner, but I don't know if you'll be able to hit 5 for Dawn very reliably. Nailing the asymmetry is difficult, too -- it works very well with Savannah Lions but once you add a lord you hit all your own creatures.. Any Champion of the Parish that's still on the board will get wiped for sure =/
EDIT 2: Yeah this is probably just not asymmetric enough to be worth hitting 4-5 CMC :<
I say the lifegain is good early and may give you an extra turn but against Burn its gonna get hit early by Searing Blase or Searing Blood. Other decks are already go side in Pyroclasm, Anger of the Gods and Engineered Explosives against creature decks with lots of early drops.
On the flip side if it sticks its strong and it will force removal on him that may have been used on something else. And it has to be answered especially if Always Watching or other effects give it Vigilance. I hope this card becomes a staple in Human and White Aggro decks.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/cards/amonkhet/28773-bloodlust-inciter
Oh boy having him out turn 1 and Glory-Bound Initiate Turn 2 or a power 2 and 3 drop with a Combat Celebrant turn 4 if he lives that long......I may have found a easy Haste enabler for another deck I was trying out.
With that said, I really like the 2 mana x/4 green humans and wish they didn't have awful downsides. Maybe run them with Melira, Sylvok Outcast to get around it? #BringOnTheJank
As a 1/1 no but his Haste ability turns on other stuff like a turn 3 Preeminent Captain into another good creature like Brimaz or Ranger of Eos. Now thats hypothetical but maybe I can get something like that to run. Plus Id take him over cards like Elite Vanguard and Mardu Woe-Reaper cause he'll speed up a deck. Over Champion or Kytheon no but as a 3rd one drop possibly.
As for Standard a turn 2 Lifelink 4/4 Glory-Bound Initiate isnt a bad way to start a game. But again we'll see how this card plays out, it aint a game changer but could be a useful card. I think its always better to have more options then limited ones.