I remember playing this in some variety of constructed burn deck a long, long time ago. It's better in an environment where every card in your deck can go face, less so when you're trying to deal just the last points of damage with burn and suddenly your Lightning Strike can get blocked.
I guess Ulka wanted a new thread so he could control the title? Otherwise I don't see a reason not to jump in.
I'm sure there are some others that kill blocking creatures, but I couldn't find them at short notice. I can see a case for only killing creatures that are entering combat (eschewing Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile for example) but I guess in most cases we don't care about killing blockers, and the attackers are what we care most about, meaning there are better options. Blessed Alliance doesn't cost double white and has a bunch of other upsides. Condemn is the cheapest effect to hit only attackers.
I don't think anyone wants the flexibility of killing blockers enough to warrant downgrading other parts of the card.
I wanted the new thread mostly to keep an archive, have a title and normally I would be doing it but I've been super swamped with work as I work payroll and Ended up having to take over an additional 6000 employees pay for the last week so I apologize for not keeping up.
On Celestial Flare,
I feel its a strong card for the blockers part but its a mode most don't think about. I am going to try to remember that when I play next as it could be relevant but I doubt its worth the WW cost.
I wanted the new thread mostly to keep an archive, have a title and normally I would be doing it but I've been super swamped with work as I work payroll and Ended up having to take over an additional 6000 employees pay for the last week so I apologize for not keeping up.
This sort of thing is precisely why I don't try to be in charge of remembering to update a thread on the internet regularly anymore.
Due to the late upload on the 30th I skipped the 31st but we are back again today with a personal favorite card:
So wonder has been a card that I have considered in cube as it enables U/W fliers as an archetype heavily while also playing into the graveyard decks. However I haven't had it in my cube for a while.
I feel like it has its positives and negatives, like its 2/2 for 4 body. but Im curious what others think?
Wonder will never leave my CU/be. The card keeps getting better as time passes. I wish effects like this were printed these days but they are too abusable at uncommon. Quite honestly, one of my favourite draft archetypes is Izzet aggro with the incarnations. There is just something indescribably satisfying about going T1 Mountain, Bloodlust Inciter, T2 Island, Bloodrage Brawler, discard Wonder, tap Inciter and swing for 4 in the air. The card is synergestic and works in multiple archetypes, from aggro decks to reanimator and occasionally even control: giving that hexproof finisher flying is no laughing matter and Wonder helps block despite the low creature count. Its effect is strong and it is never dead: even as a creature on board, Wonder acts as a rattlesnake in addition to being just an overcosted flier.
I've seen Wonder do OK in opponents' decks occasionally, but I never really want to play it. It is unique/interesting, mostly with the cards that Sami listed above, but it's also something I consider very cuttable.
I also started watching how it would do versus the never-discussed Levitation, and I think the average-case in boards that I've seen has Levitation working better.
Deleted the title because work is too nuts for me currently ( short staffed by 3 people in my area) to stay updated so I adjusted that. I will keep an archive of discussion on main post still so if I dont upload one feel free to post it.
On todays topic:
I love rager and with me re-exploring Blink as a mechanic I may work to re include the rager but currently he is cut due to my black creatures being so competetive. I try to mirror constructed blocks for amounts and black creatures is 2nd least in total amount.
On the one hand it seems like fine value, but it still always look a bit 'filler' to me. If it was in my pool I'd guess it would make the deck a reasonable amount of the time and would almost never be bad. I think I just prefer cards that feel like they have a bit more of a role.
Rager is fine filler. It's something I would be fine playing if I had nothing better for the slot (cube or deck), but I would never be actively looking to include it.
I run Phyrexian Rager -- mostly because I really liked Dusk Legion Zealot in RIX and I was thinking: "This is not good enough for my Peasant cube because the 1/1 body sucks. Now if it was the same effect on a 2/2 for 3..." and it turns out that card exists, so I put it in.
It's been alright I would say, definitely not a card I'd highly prioritize, but it's generally a fine speed bump that controlling decks can put up while gaining card advantage, and of course once you blink or bounce it it becomes great.
I think Rager has been in and out of my cube a few times. It's a card I'm never upset to see, but I never get overly excited by it either. It plays a solid role, fits into most decks, but is easily replaced by ... almost anything you want to try at that spot.
I wouldn't be surprised if I brought it back in, then out, then in, etc.
I hope Ulka does not mind me listing a card here since it has been a while.
When Kaladesh originally came out, I remember everyone thinking this was the best vehicle and a strong card in its own right. In terms of theorycrafting, I think that still holds, but how often do you find yourself not wanting to dedicate deck space to this train? The addition of Untethered Express certainly does not reflect that well on it.
Freighter is strong, but often doesn't have synergy with other cards in the deck which makes it a bit hard for me to fit in to decks. For instance, R and W can crew it easily, but are often go wide strategies which has anti-synergy with crew. I'm sure it's correct for me to jam it into most aggressive decks, but it doesn't quite feel right to do so.
Draft my Peasant Cube.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
I'm sure there are some others that kill blocking creatures, but I couldn't find them at short notice. I can see a case for only killing creatures that are entering combat (eschewing Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile for example) but I guess in most cases we don't care about killing blockers, and the attackers are what we care most about, meaning there are better options. Blessed Alliance doesn't cost double white and has a bunch of other upsides. Condemn is the cheapest effect to hit only attackers.
I don't think anyone wants the flexibility of killing blockers enough to warrant downgrading other parts of the card.
On Celestial Flare,
I feel its a strong card for the blockers part but its a mode most don't think about. I am going to try to remember that when I play next as it could be relevant but I doubt its worth the WW cost.
--
Back on topic,
Flare is really bad, like 7th-tier removal
You'd almost certainly win more games with Kill Shot (or a basic Plains if you're aggro) in your deck than Flare.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
This sort of thing is precisely why I don't try to be in charge of remembering to update a thread on the internet regularly anymore.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
So wonder has been a card that I have considered in cube as it enables U/W fliers as an archetype heavily while also playing into the graveyard decks. However I haven't had it in my cube for a while.
I feel like it has its positives and negatives, like its 2/2 for 4 body. but Im curious what others think?
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I also started watching how it would do versus the never-discussed Levitation, and I think the average-case in boards that I've seen has Levitation working better.
On todays topic:
I love rager and with me re-exploring Blink as a mechanic I may work to re include the rager but currently he is cut due to my black creatures being so competetive. I try to mirror constructed blocks for amounts and black creatures is 2nd least in total amount.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
It's been alright I would say, definitely not a card I'd highly prioritize, but it's generally a fine speed bump that controlling decks can put up while gaining card advantage, and of course once you blink or bounce it it becomes great.
I wouldn't be surprised if I brought it back in, then out, then in, etc.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
When Kaladesh originally came out, I remember everyone thinking this was the best vehicle and a strong card in its own right. In terms of theorycrafting, I think that still holds, but how often do you find yourself not wanting to dedicate deck space to this train? The addition of Untethered Express certainly does not reflect that well on it.