It is the last small set Wizards will ever print. Might as well make it a good one. Im putting this one in my dimir section, its easier to fit it in there than the golgari section and the fact that golgari decks can run it is just pudding.
I'm going to be putting this guy in my Dimir section as well since golgari is just too stacked atm. All these inclusions are leading to a downright cube overhaul, jeez.
While the Delve body is a-ok, I'm a little sceptic about the "draw" ability. It's card advantage, yeah, but is it really worth the mana and the tempo it takes? The card drawn is always going to be the worst nonland card in your graveyard. The opponent almost never has to give you the card you want. If you Delve Tasigur in and empty the graveyard, there is the possibility of no-card-for-you (reveal 2 lands). Sure, the worst nonland card may be still a good card, but I'm still concerned about Tasigur's consistency.
The body is very pushed, so the draw effect is really gravy. Just for illustration's sake, I wouldn't complain about '5G: gain 2 life' on a Tarmogoyf. But the draw is better than that, since you exile the cards in the GY that you don't want to redraw using its Delve mechanic, so you already stack the deck in your favour. Even if you empty the GY when you play it, the chances of hitting two lands off the top are <20%, decreasing with the number of fetches you're running. If you're in a board position where you really need one specific card, Tasigur might not get you that, but you will always get gas. For sure the best BUG option IMO.
You only really activate your card when you have the mana available. Perhaps you pass the turn with mana up for counters/removal/whatever and don't wind up playing a reactive spell ...that creates a perfect opportunity to throw in random activations for value. Either that, or instances where you're flooded or don't have another play; Tasigur can just snag you some extra gas. Similar to the windows in which you activate Grenzo.
And 4 mana for a 4/5 is really a good start, and it will usually cost less than that. A 4/5 for B late game is sick. I will probably end up playing this in decks that can't play its ability (or just splash a few lands to do so), just as a big extremely cheap curve topper. A 1B discount versus Tombstalker to get -1/0 and lose flying is more than reasonable and pushes this card into more archetypes. It's also ANOTHER Human which is relevant now. I thought it was a Snake before, but nope.
So someone tried to argue with me that Hooting Mandrils was not that far off of Goyf, and would see constructed play if it weren't for treasure cruise. I saw his point but it seemed enough worse(and goyf isn't the best cube card) so I took a pass on it. But this guy really has my noodle burning. I think the thing I like the most is that late in the game, when you don't normally care about a discount in casting cost this guy is gives you something to do with that saved mana.
And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
That scenario is actually pretty iffy IMO. I like FTF as a set so far but it seems to me some Cube owners are abandoning their discernment. This is an ok card that will show up in some cubes. If it does better than that it will exceed reasonable expectations. Just look at the cards its drawing comparisons to: Tarmogoyf, Tomb Stalker, Hooting Mandrils. If the power level of that list runs right to left this card skews to the right..
And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
That scenario is actually pretty iffy IMO. I like FTF as a set so far but it seems to me some Cube owners are abandoning their discernment. This is an ok card that will show up in some cubes. If it does better than that it will exceed reasonable expectations. Just look at the cards its drawing comparisons to: Tarmogoyf, Tomb Stalker, Hooting Mandrils. If the power level of that list runs right to left this card skews to the right..
I think this card is very solid. The issue for me is that unlike some of these hybrid cards(the two green ones) I consider this a true gold card. Maybe I can splash the black but if I can can't regularly threaten the draw activation, which requires double color, then this goes down a ton. I don't cube any of the three cards, but both Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time have impressed me. I think delve is very powerful and so I will probably try it and many of the other hybrids but most probably wont stick for being too 'gold' even if they go in multiple two color decks.
Total side note but I like how people are discussing running this over itself.
Well, it has to be said that Kolaghan is clearly better than Kolaghan. Considering what BR decks usually want and how stiff the competition in this guild is, there is no way that I would run Kolaghan over Kolaghan! Kolaghan might make it in as the sixth guild card or so. Kolaghan on the other hand ranks several places below that.
It was so funny to me when they described this as a downgrade to the original Zurgo during the Pax East panel. I was thinking if this is a downgrade, they should really "downgrade" all legendary creatures. Haha.
My deck designing is quite concise at this point:
1. Come up with deck idea
2. Realize this idea is somehow fundamentally similar to another deck I have or that is commonly played in my group
3. Decide I don't want to disassemble one of my existing decks
4. Give up and do nothing
I don't see the point of this new shroud mechanic. It's strictly worse than Hexproof. Threshold is pretty bad too, Delirium is a much better mechanic and probably easier to activate.
Otherwise this card is a pretty neat guy. Dodges removal and grows into a Primal Huntbeast. 3/5
If it wasn't compared to it yet, let's do it now: Goyf needs four different types of cards in all graveyards to be a 4/5. This needs 4 cards in your graveyard to be castable on turn 2. That's much worse. It's your yard only, Goyf can always be cast on turn 2 and grow later and become even bigger than 4/5. So in terms of body for an aggro card, Goyf clearly wins. But this isn't an aggro card, and it has an ability...
I think the body is okay (like Hooting Mandrills) and the ability is okay (kind of like Azure Mage's) and both together on the same card is pretty good.
This card is extremely underwhelming to me, just like how I find Tombstalker extremely underwhelming. It's not as though I'm Cubing with Hooting Mandrils either, and its ability to "draw" cards is actually pretty bad. I feel like people are considering this card because it's really the only other Sultai option other than Charm.
This card is extremely underwhelming to me, just like how I find Tombstalker extremely underwhelming. It's not as though I'm Cubing with Hooting Mandrils either, and its ability to "draw" cards is actually pretty bad. I feel like people are considering this card because it's really the only other Sultai option other than Charm.
Its not the only option, Sidisi, Brood Tyrant is quite good, and has synergies with those colors well. That being said I think this guy is pretty good also, and Ill give him a try.
And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
That scenario is actually pretty iffy IMO. I like FTF as a set so far but it seems to me some Cube owners are abandoning their discernment. This is an ok card that will show up in some cubes. If it does better than that it will exceed reasonable expectations. Just look at the cards its drawing comparisons to: Tarmogoyf, Tomb Stalker, Hooting Mandrils. If the power level of that list runs right to left this card skews to the right..
Eh, I think it skews to the left of that list and hooting mandrils is not a bad card if the environment supports delve at all. Not cubable, but not far from it... And this card is much better.
Think the doubters are really underestimating a cheap 4/5 and it's ability
And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
That scenario is actually pretty iffy IMO. I like FTF as a set so far but it seems to me some Cube owners are abandoning their discernment. This is an ok card that will show up in some cubes. If it does better than that it will exceed reasonable expectations. Just look at the cards its drawing comparisons to: Tarmogoyf, Tomb Stalker, Hooting Mandrils. If the power level of that list runs right to left this card skews to the right..
Eh, I think it skews to the left of that list and hooting mandrils is not a bad card if the environment supports delve at all.
Maybe Hooting Mandrills needs its own thread to discuss this. I would play them if they were a 5/5.
Good grief, this card is a beating. Maybe the best of a great bunch as far as FRF adds went, so far at least. The draw ability is a phenomenal mana sink and a 4/5 is a nightmare to deal with in combat or with burn. He has that oversized 'Goyf feel, in many ways.
Had high expectations, but was disappointed in actual gameplay. The ability is 1-2 mana too expensive. The body is ok, but without any form of evasion nothing spectacular. Probably gonna be cutted with the next update. The exact same was also true for Soulfire grand master, overcosted ability with unimpressive basic stats.
I've been pretty impressed with tasigur. Sometimes the ability can be a little slow or too "random", but he's great in grindy match ups and when you can cast him for cheap he's still impressive as a vanilla 4/5. Plus in certain decks just one activation can be enough, if you're playing Recurring Nightmare/reanimator in general.
Wizards will still be printing small sets as the second set in a two-set block. One big, one small rinse repeat.
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mm/metamorphosis
I'm going to be putting this guy in my Dimir section as well since golgari is just too stacked atm. All these inclusions are leading to a downright cube overhaul, jeez.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
While the Delve body is a-ok, I'm a little sceptic about the "draw" ability. It's card advantage, yeah, but is it really worth the mana and the tempo it takes? The card drawn is always going to be the worst nonland card in your graveyard. The opponent almost never has to give you the card you want. If you Delve Tasigur in and empty the graveyard, there is the possibility of no-card-for-you (reveal 2 lands). Sure, the worst nonland card may be still a good card, but I'm still concerned about Tasigur's consistency.
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And as far as not getting a good card compared to a draw, how many cards do you cube with, that you draft, include in your deck, probably already use in the game, that aren't land, that are bad? Not many. Especailly since you can delve away the dark rituals and early game chaff you already used. Then if you are still stuck with one bad card, they give it to you and you get gas on the next activation.
That scenario is actually pretty iffy IMO. I like FTF as a set so far but it seems to me some Cube owners are abandoning their discernment. This is an ok card that will show up in some cubes. If it does better than that it will exceed reasonable expectations. Just look at the cards its drawing comparisons to: Tarmogoyf, Tomb Stalker, Hooting Mandrils. If the power level of that list runs right to left this card skews to the right..
I think this card is very solid. The issue for me is that unlike some of these hybrid cards(the two green ones) I consider this a true gold card. Maybe I can splash the black but if I can can't regularly threaten the draw activation, which requires double color, then this goes down a ton. I don't cube any of the three cards, but both Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time have impressed me. I think delve is very powerful and so I will probably try it and many of the other hybrids but most probably wont stick for being too 'gold' even if they go in multiple two color decks.
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It was compared to the comparison of Hooting Mandrils to Goyf. So no, no one compared it to tarmogoyf
I think the body is okay (like Hooting Mandrills) and the ability is okay (kind of like Azure Mage's) and both together on the same card is pretty good.
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Its not the only option, Sidisi, Brood Tyrant is quite good, and has synergies with those colors well. That being said I think this guy is pretty good also, and Ill give him a try.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/3pq
Eh, I think it skews to the left of that list and hooting mandrils is not a bad card if the environment supports delve at all. Not cubable, but not far from it... And this card is much better.
Think the doubters are really underestimating a cheap 4/5 and it's ability
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Maybe Hooting Mandrills needs its own thread to discuss this. I would play them if they were a 5/5.
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