And I also saw some others like GB levelers. There was a lot going on, and usually felt really balanced. It was mentioned either on the podcast Limited Resources or a mothership article that Scars had a problem in that all of the rare bombs were cards that just devastated your opponent's board, like Sunblast Angel, and that it kind of skews the luck factor in the draft. I don't think Rise had that problem to nearly the same degree. It was mentioned that they attempted to fix that in Besieged (though Massacre Wurm is an exception), and the only problem I have with it is that they have a ton of rares across the sets that simply don't do anything.
I also agree that we need more non-insular mechanics. It's funny, I think I read something my Mark Rosewater that described how certain linear mechanics, like "splice onto arcane" lead to "bad" sets because they don't play well with the surrounding sets, and here we are with the posterchilds of this kind of mechanic in metalcraft, proliferate, and infect, courtesy Mr. Rosewater.
It wasn't necessarily about good cards but good synergy. Also, the levelers forces people to make decisions about how to effectively spend your mana and bluff. There was so much going on in each game yet it was never too overwhelming.
Yes, RoE drafting was not about drafting good cards, but aweful cards that are bomby in your deck. You didn't signal colors but whole archetypes. Your rewards for that were huge.
The same can be said for Ravnica, Time Spiral, Shards, Lorwyn and Scars too. It's just that Zendikar didn't have that because the only archetype was X/x aggro. Nothing special about Rise.
The same can be said for Ravnica, Time Spiral, Shards, Lorwyn and Scars too. It's just that Zendikar didn't have that because the only archetype was X/x aggro. Nothing special about Rise.
I think Time Spiral is my favorite drafting block. So crazy and weird and there are tons of little interactions that can lead to nutty decks.
I also agree that we need more non-insular mechanics. It's funny, I think I read something my Mark Rosewater that described how certain linear mechanics, like "splice onto arcane" lead to "bad" sets because they don't play well with the surrounding sets, and here we are with the posterchilds of this kind of mechanic in metalcraft, proliferate, and infect, courtesy Mr. Rosewater.
I wouldn't group metalcraft and proliferate with splice onto arcane and infect. Playing plenty of artifacts is far different than trying to get playable arcane spells together. Unlike arcane, which was present during only a single block, artifacts - and artifact decks - have been there from the very beginning. And proliferate is one of the most open ended mechanics ever, since almost any block has some kind of counter theme, be it +1/+1, -1/-1, charge or poison.
I've wanted to ask you for some time now, bwian: Who is the woman in your avatar? She looks familiar.
And as I've said a dozen times, Rise of Eldrazi was the awesomest limited format ever. Ravnica was great, too, and I do like the MBS/SoM/SoM draft, too.
I wouldn't group metalcraft and proliferate with splice onto arcane and infect. Playing plenty of artifacts is far different than trying to get playable arcane spells together. Unlike arcane, which was present during only a single block, artifacts - and artifact decks - have been there from the very beginning. And proliferate is one of the most open ended mechanics ever, since almost any block has some kind of counter theme, be it +1/+1, -1/-1, charge or poison.
I've wanted to ask you for some time now, bwian: Who is the woman in your avatar? She looks familiar.
And as I've said a dozen times, Rise of Eldrazi was the awesomest limited format ever. Ravnica was great, too, and I do like the MBS/SoM/SoM draft, too.
It's comments like this that make me wish I was around for the RGD and TPF draft formats; everyone says they were awesome and I wasn't playing at the time.
Your're right that artifacts abound in all sets. However, metalcraft tends to be a hoop that's hard to jump through, and the benefits are usually mediocre. Proliferate is pretty cool, but again, the enablers aren't that great, at least in Standard.
Offtopic: My avatar is of Himura Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin. Not a woman. Also, I've only really watched the OVA, since the series is more lighthearted than my tastes in anime usually run. /offtopic
Offtopic: My avatar is of Himura Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin. Not a woman. Also, I've only really watched the OVA, since the series is more lighthearted than my tastes in anime usually run. /offtopic
But if you watch the series first, it makes the OVA that much more epic! You understand the characters, are more interested in his mysterious backstory, and (if you're like me) the utter shift in brutality was quite a shock! I definitely needed a change of pants after watching the OVA's. =D
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The same can be said for Ravnica, Time Spiral, Shards, Lorwyn and Scars too. It's just that Zendikar didn't have that because the only archetype was X/x aggro. Nothing special about Rise.
I disagree to a certain extent. Lorwyn had archetypes but it was basically just tribes, so it wasn't the same. The decision making level wasn't the same as it was in Rise. I loved Lorwyn, but the archetype reasoning wasn't why. Shards didn't really have archetypes I don't think. And Scars doesn't have that many archetypes, I don't think, though it has gotten better with the addition of beseiged. Ravnica I haven't played enough to know, and Time Spiral was my intro to drafting so I was too scrubby to really have good opinions then. But I will say that Time Spiral is up there with Rise in terms of greatest limited blocks.
Offtopic: My avatar is of Himura Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin. Not a woman. Also, I've only really watched the OVA, since the series is more lighthearted than my tastes in anime usually run. /offtopic
I congratulate you. The series is really boring and dragged out (I watched all the way until that burnt guy was dead and then called it a day when they started fillers there). The OVA is really awesome and everyone should see it, though.
*panics in order to say something on topic*... Uh... Print more cube cards!
in my opinion, "unfun" effects are really just effects a player doesn't understand how to use or how to beat. i'd rather understand (and play with others who understand) how to use and beat powerful effects than simplify the cube so no one has to.
For all I know, you are Kai Budde and for all you know I'm John Finkel. It doesn't matter. What matters is your logical argument for or against the card in question.
So, before seeing the new sword, do we just automatically make room for it? I knew the previous four and autoincludes, do we just assume this one is as well?
So, before seeing the new sword, do we just automatically make room for it? I knew the previous four and autoincludes, do we just assume this one is as well?
This one would even be an autoinclude without abilities other than +2/+2 and protection from red and white.
This one would even be an autoinclude without abilities other than +2/+2 and protection from red and white.
Yeah, I've already made room for it. I'm cutting Loxodon Warhammer. I'm going to be sad to see LH go. But I don't think I have room for 7 3cc equipments (5x swords, grafted wargear, lh) in a 450 card cube.
I can already tell my cube is going to have
Artifact
Excluded
Loxodon Warhammer!
For quite awhile.
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Calvin and Hobbes Cube Tutor
So, before seeing the new sword, do we just automatically make room for it? I knew the previous four and autoincludes, do we just assume this one is as well?
I would at least have something picked out that this can replace.
I think it's gonna have a free Hull Breach strapped to the connect. That & +2/+2 and double protections will make it a staple, IMO.
Sword of War and Peace 3
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and protection from red and white.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player you may destroy target artifact and/or enchantment that player controls.
Equip 2
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I would agree with your guess if it weren't for the name. War does not have a lot to do with artifacts and peace does not have a lot to do with destroying enchantments.
Maybe War makes all creatures your opponents control attack next turn? that would be neat as it would free the way for the sworded creature unless another creature is played.
I would agree with your guess if it weren't for the name. War does not have a lot to do with artifacts and peace does not have a lot to do with destroying enchantments.
Maybe War makes all creatures your opponents control attack next turn? that would be neat as it would free the way for the sworded creature unless another creature is played.
That seems like it doesn't play well with the protections the sword has. I mean, if their creatures are attacking you all the time, you won't be able to block their creatures with your protection dude (since it didn't swing), and you won't get to swing through their team with your protection (since they're all tapped). I would guess something different for red.
edit: What I mean to say is that the things you usually want to do with a creature that has Protection is attack and block, and that ability plays poorly with both of those.
I was thinking the "Peace" ability would be [tap a creature, it doesn't untap]. Doesn't that seem to fit "peace" better than blow up an enchant?
No, seeing how most of the enchantment destruction uses phrases like tranquil and calming, etc... I think it fits in thematically to have peace destroy enchantments.
Decks I know I built in Rise:
UR counter-burn (stellar performer)
GW beats
UW levelers
RB aggro
Gx ramp
BW aggro-control
WR aggro
And I also saw some others like GB levelers. There was a lot going on, and usually felt really balanced. It was mentioned either on the podcast Limited Resources or a mothership article that Scars had a problem in that all of the rare bombs were cards that just devastated your opponent's board, like Sunblast Angel, and that it kind of skews the luck factor in the draft. I don't think Rise had that problem to nearly the same degree. It was mentioned that they attempted to fix that in Besieged (though Massacre Wurm is an exception), and the only problem I have with it is that they have a ton of rares across the sets that simply don't do anything.
I also agree that we need more non-insular mechanics. It's funny, I think I read something my Mark Rosewater that described how certain linear mechanics, like "splice onto arcane" lead to "bad" sets because they don't play well with the surrounding sets, and here we are with the posterchilds of this kind of mechanic in metalcraft, proliferate, and infect, courtesy Mr. Rosewater.
My Cube Blog @theCubeMiser on Twitter
It wasn't necessarily about good cards but good synergy. Also, the levelers forces people to make decisions about how to effectively spend your mana and bluff. There was so much going on in each game yet it was never too overwhelming.
I loved it.
The same can be said for Ravnica, Time Spiral, Shards, Lorwyn and Scars too. It's just that Zendikar didn't have that because the only archetype was X/x aggro. Nothing special about Rise.
Manic Vandal smashing your bongs since 2010
I think Time Spiral is my favorite drafting block. So crazy and weird and there are tons of little interactions that can lead to nutty decks.
Draft my cube!
Watch me stream!
I wouldn't group metalcraft and proliferate with splice onto arcane and infect. Playing plenty of artifacts is far different than trying to get playable arcane spells together. Unlike arcane, which was present during only a single block, artifacts - and artifact decks - have been there from the very beginning. And proliferate is one of the most open ended mechanics ever, since almost any block has some kind of counter theme, be it +1/+1, -1/-1, charge or poison.
I've wanted to ask you for some time now, bwian: Who is the woman in your avatar? She looks familiar.
And as I've said a dozen times, Rise of Eldrazi was the awesomest limited format ever. Ravnica was great, too, and I do like the MBS/SoM/SoM draft, too.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
It's comments like this that make me wish I was around for the RGD and TPF draft formats; everyone says they were awesome and I wasn't playing at the time.
Your're right that artifacts abound in all sets. However, metalcraft tends to be a hoop that's hard to jump through, and the benefits are usually mediocre. Proliferate is pretty cool, but again, the enablers aren't that great, at least in Standard.
Offtopic: My avatar is of Himura Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin. Not a woman. Also, I've only really watched the OVA, since the series is more lighthearted than my tastes in anime usually run. /offtopic
My Cube Blog @theCubeMiser on Twitter
But if you watch the series first, it makes the OVA that much more epic! You understand the characters, are more interested in his mysterious backstory, and (if you're like me) the utter shift in brutality was quite a shock! I definitely needed a change of pants after watching the OVA's. =D
You never drafted the BR removal deck? It was definitely one of my favorite archetypes in Rise.
I disagree to a certain extent. Lorwyn had archetypes but it was basically just tribes, so it wasn't the same. The decision making level wasn't the same as it was in Rise. I loved Lorwyn, but the archetype reasoning wasn't why. Shards didn't really have archetypes I don't think. And Scars doesn't have that many archetypes, I don't think, though it has gotten better with the addition of beseiged. Ravnica I haven't played enough to know, and Time Spiral was my intro to drafting so I was too scrubby to really have good opinions then. But I will say that Time Spiral is up there with Rise in terms of greatest limited blocks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnxugIyI1dc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ixdHQj3O4
I congratulate you. The series is really boring and dragged out (I watched all the way until that burnt guy was dead and then called it a day when they started fillers there). The OVA is really awesome and everyone should see it, though.
*panics in order to say something on topic*... Uh... Print more cube cards!
Manic Vandal smashing your bongs since 2010
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=6515068#post6515068
For reference, the other swords:
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This one would even be an autoinclude without abilities other than +2/+2 and protection from red and white.
Cheers,
rant
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Yeah, I've already made room for it. I'm cutting Loxodon Warhammer. I'm going to be sad to see LH go. But I don't think I have room for 7 3cc equipments (5x swords, grafted wargear, lh) in a 450 card cube.
I can already tell my cube is going to have
Artifact
Excluded
Loxodon Warhammer!
For quite awhile.
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
I hadn't even thought about it in terms of the protecrions. Yeah, I'm making room.
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I would at least have something picked out that this can replace.
I think it's gonna have a free Hull Breach strapped to the connect. That & +2/+2 and double protections will make it a staple, IMO.
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Sword of War and Peace 3
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and protection from red and white.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player you may destroy target artifact and/or enchantment that player controls.
Equip 2
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
I agree with red blowing up an artifact though
edit: also, in case anyone missed, Aaron Forsythe confirmed on his twitter that the white part is NOT Blinding Angel, although they did test it
L2 Judge
Maybe War makes all creatures your opponents control attack next turn? that would be neat as it would free the way for the sworded creature unless another creature is played.
That seems like it doesn't play well with the protections the sword has. I mean, if their creatures are attacking you all the time, you won't be able to block their creatures with your protection dude (since it didn't swing), and you won't get to swing through their team with your protection (since they're all tapped). I would guess something different for red.
edit: What I mean to say is that the things you usually want to do with a creature that has Protection is attack and block, and that ability plays poorly with both of those.
L2 Judge
No, seeing how most of the enchantment destruction uses phrases like tranquil and calming, etc... I think it fits in thematically to have peace destroy enchantments.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!