So far, it's been pretty underpowered jank, in my opinion. None of the Surveil stuff has been good, which is sad. Radical Idea is probably the most playable card so far, but it's not even card advantage. The fact that you can play it at instant speed means that it could be interesting in builds that want to discard cards (like Dredge or Madness decks), in which case this would draw them cards in the process, which is great. Are those decks going to want Blue, though? I doubt it.
Mentor is definitely my least favourite mechanic. I like the design of it wanting a high power creature, consequently giving it low toughness and making it fragile. The upside of baby-sitting your Mentor can be pretty big, but the price isn't worth it for now.
It is kind of interesting how big hexproof creatures don't see much play. Delver, burn and affinity punish them too much, we don't even see benthic giant see play and it is in the right color for control.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pauper: UB Wight Phantasm RB Burn UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Yeah, it had a black rarity symbol the other day. The problems for the big Hexproof creatures are the cost along with the prevalence of Edict effects, they can get chump blocked all day due to lack of trample, and can't even trade with the big bads in the format like Gurmag Angler.
Rosemane Centaur seems decent, but it gets outclassed by other creatures.
The state of removal in the format seems to be getting worse and worse with every set. Granted we do have a lot of great removal available, but still...
For some reason every set or block seems to require a mechanic involving +1/+1 counters and I don't care about most of them. Mentor is no different, especially because the Common ones might just be "vanilla" creatures with the mechanic attached.
Jump-start has potential but we'll have to see. For now it seems like a bad Flashback or a "fixed" Retrace.
Sizzle looks pretty dang good, instant speed divination or a cantripping flameslash.
Sumala looks like it could be really good, basically a commune with the gods stapled to a creature (so it hits itself.) There are a few white flicker effects to pair it with, and it might make Gond combo better.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pauper: UB Wight Phantasm RB Burn UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Sumala Woodshaper looks to have a little potential as mentioned above.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
I was just building a a White Weenie deck that uses Vault Skirge, so Healer's Hawk is probably replacing it there.
At first I was really down on Radical Idea. I was psyched for Jump-Start since I've been working on a Grixis Madness Control deck...it uses looting and stuff like Fiery Temper, Dark Withering, and such as a value engine. Radical Idea does have the advantage that it's a Madness enabler that's immune to removal, unlike Merfolk Looter/Thought Courier, and is both uncounterable (relevant to Spellstutter Sprite) since the discard is part of the cost, and instant speed so it can drop Circular Logic, unlike Faithless Looting/Careful Study. So I'll at least try it out.
Darkblade Agent looks good, but it seems like it requires an all-in Surveil deck built around it to make it good. So it seems it won't see any play unless we get a good source of repeatable surveil similar House Guildmage.
Garrison Sergeant looks like the beefiest Double Strike creature available in Pauper so far and playing a Gate isn't a big hoop to jump through. Not sure if it will see play since it doesn't seem to fit in any of the current Boros archetypes in Pauper, but maybe this will allow for a basic midrange deck?
Centaur Mediator gives you an extra life point over Centaur Healer, but I'd rather play the latter. Centaur Mediator would probably be preferred in a deck that doesn't care about your opponent's life total like an Infect deck or Turbofog, but even then it seems like a fringe sideboard option for those decks.
I'm not sure how I feel about Never Happened. It looks good for a main deck option that has some graveyard hate, but I don't like the CMC. If it cost 2 mana then I would love it, but that would probably push it into Uncommon rarity. I'll probably test it out and see how it feels.
Wojek Bodyguard looks like the best Mentor creature for the format so far. An on curve creature that can pump your early drops to keep them relevant into the midgame looks nice!
These cards could be a slow way for colours with little to no draw to finally get some card draw. 7 mana to draw two cards is really steep, but it is spread out across multiple turns. It also ramps, which is cool.
I also really like Notion Rain. It's a lot like Read the Bones, but being able to put the cards in your graveyard is way more powerful. It could be a good draw spell for decks that play Gurmag Angler and other graveyard shenanigans.
I think the lockets are great, draw 2 to get rid of old or excess ramp is great even at four mana. The deck that really wanted them was Tron, and unfortunately the color requirements make that difficult or impossible.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pauper: UB Wight Phantasm RB Burn UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
The lockets look like stronger cluestones since they actually net an extra card. I've been running a BUG deck that uses Fangren Marauders main deck along with Mind Stone and similar cards, so I will be using some Lockets in the deck!
Undergrowth Scavenger saw little to no play, so I would be surprised if this did. While Rhizome Lurcher does come into play with an extra 2/2 stat for the same cost, it only counts your own graveyard as opposed to all graveyards like Scavenger. I'm sure they would end up being pretty similar in size.
Full Spoiler is up. Not too much else to talk about.
I really like Ornery Goblin. His ability looks innocuous enough, but this basically means that he kills any X/1s before they even get to deal their damage. Having a 2/1 body for a very cheap price makes him a surprisingly efficient beater that will be hard to block. Give him Deathtouch and you've got a real monster.
Burglar Rat is like Ravenous Rats, but affects all opponents, making is strictly (if only slightly) better. It also doesn't target. Pretty fringe benefits but still worth noting.
Severed Strands is unique and fairly costed. Not sure if it's worth playing.
Portcullis Vine is another well costed creature with a potentially powerful ability. I don't think there are many defender-heavy decks that would want this. Maybe good enough for the Freed from the Real/Axebane Guardian combo deck?
Yeah, aside from that, people have mentioned Healer's Hawk. This card will likely encourage players to play more equipment and stuff. Two powerful keyword abilities for just W is quite good. Step aside, Suntail Hawk!
I could see people running both Vault Skirge and Healer's Hawk in the same deck to overload on hard-to-race fliers. I know I will.
Arboretum Elemental
Potent bomb with hexproof, it lacks trample unlike siege wurm but I think being removal proof is worth it.
Barging Sergeant Haste is always nice on a bomb...
Hammer Dropper sonic assault Deadly Visit unexplained disappearance
Blade Instructor and Healer's Hawk are both borderline playable.
Radical idea and direct current look bad though. Maybe as Madness enablers?
And of course, Necrotic Wound isn't a common. The tragedy of WotC hating removal continues.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
So far, it's been pretty underpowered jank, in my opinion. None of the Surveil stuff has been good, which is sad. Radical Idea is probably the most playable card so far, but it's not even card advantage. The fact that you can play it at instant speed means that it could be interesting in builds that want to discard cards (like Dredge or Madness decks), in which case this would draw them cards in the process, which is great. Are those decks going to want Blue, though? I doubt it.
Mentor is definitely my least favourite mechanic. I like the design of it wanting a high power creature, consequently giving it low toughness and making it fragile. The upside of baby-sitting your Mentor can be pretty big, but the price isn't worth it for now.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
Yep, saw it also as a common last night. I remember, cause my brain immediately started going overdrive on how to build around this.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
Rosemane Centaur seems decent, but it gets outclassed by other creatures.
The state of removal in the format seems to be getting worse and worse with every set. Granted we do have a lot of great removal available, but still...
For some reason every set or block seems to require a mechanic involving +1/+1 counters and I don't care about most of them. Mentor is no different, especially because the Common ones might just be "vanilla" creatures with the mechanic attached.
Jump-start has potential but we'll have to see. For now it seems like a bad Flashback or a "fixed" Retrace.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
Sizzle looks pretty dang good, instant speed divination or a cantripping flameslash.
Sumala looks like it could be really good, basically a commune with the gods stapled to a creature (so it hits itself.) There are a few white flicker effects to pair it with, and it might make Gond combo better.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
Help UB decks get Gurmag Angler out quicker?
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
At first I was really down on Radical Idea. I was psyched for Jump-Start since I've been working on a Grixis Madness Control deck...it uses looting and stuff like Fiery Temper, Dark Withering, and such as a value engine. Radical Idea does have the advantage that it's a Madness enabler that's immune to removal, unlike Merfolk Looter/Thought Courier, and is both uncounterable (relevant to Spellstutter Sprite) since the discard is part of the cost, and instant speed so it can drop Circular Logic, unlike Faithless Looting/Careful Study. So I'll at least try it out.
Corrupt Control B | Burn R | UG Turbofog UG | White Weenie W | GW Tethmos WG | BG Cycling Combo BG
Enchantress GBW | Colorless Tron C | Red Deck Wins R | UG Madness UG | Mono-G Tron G | UR Puzzlehorns UR
Rhystic Tron WU| WU Prowess WU | BR Reanimator BR | Mono-R Control R | Stompy G | Temur Tron URG
Mardu Infinite Priest WBR | 85-Card Dredge BRG | Elves GU | Boros Bully RW | Jeskai Familiars RWU
Yep, definitely! Plus, its also an aggressive 3/2 for 3cmc! I think the Surveil mechanic has the potential to have an impact in pauper.
Garrison Sergeant looks like the beefiest Double Strike creature available in Pauper so far and playing a Gate isn't a big hoop to jump through. Not sure if it will see play since it doesn't seem to fit in any of the current Boros archetypes in Pauper, but maybe this will allow for a basic midrange deck?
Centaur Mediator gives you an extra life point over Centaur Healer, but I'd rather play the latter. Centaur Mediator would probably be preferred in a deck that doesn't care about your opponent's life total like an Infect deck or Turbofog, but even then it seems like a fringe sideboard option for those decks.
I'm not sure how I feel about Never Happened. It looks good for a main deck option that has some graveyard hate, but I don't like the CMC. If it cost 2 mana then I would love it, but that would probably push it into Uncommon rarity. I'll probably test it out and see how it feels.
Darkblade Agent might be good if some actual cantrips get made (surveil 1 + draw at CMC1) but I doubt we are getting slightly better Opt this set.
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
Selesnya Locket
These cards could be a slow way for colours with little to no draw to finally get some card draw. 7 mana to draw two cards is really steep, but it is spread out across multiple turns. It also ramps, which is cool.
I also really like Notion Rain. It's a lot like Read the Bones, but being able to put the cards in your graveyard is way more powerful. It could be a good draw spell for decks that play Gurmag Angler and other graveyard shenanigans.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I really like Ornery Goblin. His ability looks innocuous enough, but this basically means that he kills any X/1s before they even get to deal their damage. Having a 2/1 body for a very cheap price makes him a surprisingly efficient beater that will be hard to block. Give him Deathtouch and you've got a real monster.
Burglar Rat is like Ravenous Rats, but affects all opponents, making is strictly (if only slightly) better. It also doesn't target. Pretty fringe benefits but still worth noting.
Severed Strands is unique and fairly costed. Not sure if it's worth playing.
Portcullis Vine is another well costed creature with a potentially powerful ability. I don't think there are many defender-heavy decks that would want this. Maybe good enough for the Freed from the Real/Axebane Guardian combo deck?
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Burglar Rat is good, and actually works pretty well with Severed Strands. 2/1 tribal go!
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
I could see people running both Vault Skirge and Healer's Hawk in the same deck to overload on hard-to-race fliers. I know I will.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio