Quote from lookingupanddown »Note that apparently a lot of Eldraine and Ixalan were held back from this set to their respective sets later this year.
That's why we got two random dinosaurs that tell us nothing about anything. Three, if we count the Thopteryx.
Imagine we would've gotten a card that clarifies which of the Theros gods survived.
Hahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Even some of the cards that seem to hint towards some sort of story detail don't actually tell us anything. What's the deal with Ayara's Vanguard? Did Ayara survive? Is this her legacy? Who is being exiled in Tolaria's Contempt? (Yes, I know, I watched the video, not the point. It should be at least mentioned on the card.)
This set fulfills so few of its own stated goals that it's difficult not to describe it a failure.
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Read that character as Antikythera. Amazing art but... is there even an Erebos anymore
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Who is to say OSM didn't see missed calls from an unknown or spam risk number and ignore them, over the span of 15 minutes? This all occurred within barely a week. We have the whole set now, all 50 cards of it, and people are still bemoaning that it revealed nothing, lore-wise.
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This is what happens when WOTC has no value for their settings. They're conservative with their Planeswalker characters but careless with the settings, constantly plunging them into apocalypse scenarios for lack of storytelling talent. It always feels cheap. Some of the best lore were simply moments exploring a plane's thematic features or characters bonding, such as Jace and Vraska on Ixalan. I enjoyed Ixalan being an adventure quest, taking a survey of the plane through various factions on a mission.
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It's just not a good look.
You know what would have been a favorable approach? Realizing the guy is clearly a fan of the game, that there was a mistake, and cultivating something positive by offering him an alternative opportunity (like spoiling future cards on his channel, growing his viewership through an approved and amicable manner, for example) and alternative product, in exchange for what he purchased early. Thus preserving the integrity of their consumer base while diffusing a regrettable, but not illegal, situation. Brute force and resentment was selected instead, and the fields were salted behind them. After M30, people are rightfully disgusted.
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A potential return to Theros sounds exhausting, with all the ground and residual plot it must cover, assuming it ever resolves any of it.
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Granted, many marine creatures are arthropods, but I'd have appreciated a little more aquatic influence in his features. For example, Awoken Horror is similarly inspired by centipedes, but its appendages are crustacean inspired, with a similar design for Hullbreaker Horror. In this case, there isn't a clear distinction between Insecta and the marine origin of Caetus - or if there is, the artwork is too distant to distinguish the details.
Yes, the card really should have created 1/1 serpents, and Caetus should have been a Kraken, probably. Perhaps the artwork of the token will clarify?
WHERE IS INVASION OF THEROS? I hope it's blue, or at least green or Simic.
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WHERE IS KENESSOS? HMMM???????
COULD THIS BE THE LEGENDARY SUNKEN OLANTIN?
COULD THIS BE A SUNKEN TEMPLE ON THE RUINS OF ARIXMETHES'S SPINE????
SOME OTHER LOCATION???
OH HO HO HO HOOOOOOO MY FRIENDS, THIS IS PRFECT
THIS IS EXCELLENCE INDEED!
A MYSERIOUS UNDERWATER THASSA SHRINE! AND HERE IS OUR GLIMPSE HERE!!!
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I tried to make this an even trade between funcitonality while staying true to the theme. So sure, cards like Clinging Aneomones should be Elvish Piper for example. But I really wanted to represent as many different sea creatures as possible. To capture the exploration element, I included many unique lands, which work great with Realms Uncharted, that is thematic. I may drop this card and many of the ETB tapped lands for Islands, but not sure yet.
The most difficult part of this deck was having to cut the following cards, which I am considering re-adding (especially Exploration):
Dizzy Spell can search many of the one-drops, specifically Quest for Ula's Temple or Training Grounds. The latter is strictly to augment Thrasios. They're not on theme, but add a lot more consistency to the deck. This is tied with my Jace and Theros themed Enchantment deck as my favorite deck.
And the moment we've all been waiting for, at long last, ARIXMETHES!
1x Kenessos, Priest of Thassa
Creature (34)
1x Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait
1x Archaeomancer
1x Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle
1x Biblioplex Kraken
1x Breaching Leviathan
1x Brinelin, the Moon Kraken
1x Deep-Sea Kraken
1x Hullbreaker Horror
1x Icebreaker Kraken
1x Kiora's Follower
1x Koma, Cosmos Serpent
1x Kraken Hatchling
1x Kraken of the Straits
1x Lorthos, the Tidemaker
1x Nadir Kraken
1x Octoprophet
1x Reef Worm
1x Scourge of Fleets
1x Sea-Dasher Octopus
1x Sealock Monster
1x Serpent of Yawning Depths
1x Shipbreaker Kraken
1x Shoal Kraken
1x Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep
1x Spawning Kraken
1x Stormsurge Kraken
1x Sword Coast Serpent
1x Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
1x Thassa, God of the Sea
1x Thassa's Oracle
1x Thrasios, Triton Hero
1x Tolarian Kraken
1x Trench Behemoth
1x Tromokratis
1x High Tide
1x Mysteries of the Deep
1x Thassa's Intervention
1x Tidal Wave
1x Voyage's End
1x Worldly Tutor
Enchantment (10)
1x Ior Ruin Expedition
1x Khalni Heart Expedition
1x Kiora Bests the Sea God
1x Omen of the Sea
1x Ominous Seas
1x Quest for Ancient Secrets
1x Quest for Ula's Temple
1x Retreat to Coralhelm
1x Search for Azcanta
1x Thassa's Ire
Sorcery (9)
1x Crush of Tentacles
1x Explore
1x Pull from the Deep
1x Sylvan Tutor
1x Thassa's Bounty
1x Time of Need
1x Treasure Hunt
1x Wash Out
1x Whelming Wave
Artifact (3)
1x Bident of Thassa
1x Expedition Map
1x Nyx Lotus
1x Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
1x Kiora, Master of the Depths
1x Kiora, the Crashing Wave
Land (34)
1x Academy Ruins
1x Coral Atoll
1x Crystal Grotto
1x Flooded Grove
2x Forest
1x Halimar Depths
1x Hinterland Harbor
16x Island
1x Khalni Garden
1x Lonely Sandbar
1x Lotus Field
1x Magosi, the Waterveil
1x Mosswort Bridge
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
1x Temple of Mystery
1x Temple of the False God
1x Unknown Shores