Sigh. Tell me about it. Not that she's a wizard but I've been waiting for a Tragic Poet reprint as well in the new border. Not even the Daxos deck had it in 2015. SMH!
The Dinosaur Legend is very impressive as a commander. I was actually surprised. I like that Ixalan will be such a Timmy set. I don't like when WOTC shys away from high CMC fatties "because standard" but this time, they delivered. I don't know man… Dinosaurs may even grow on me after this set.
It's possible the leak was intentional IMO. A leaker is more likely to spoil this with several high quality images that reveals the whole sheet than tease a Planeswalker's ultimate while focusing on a Sorcerous Spyglass. Or favor one complete grainy picture over high quality shot of chase cards. But really, no one can know for sure.
Either way, despite having no interest in Dinosaurs (I'm in the minority) and lukewarm interest in Pirates, I actually like what I manage to see. I think Ixalan may actually be a pretty cool set, and I'm a sucker for exploration themes. It's why I loved Theros and original Zendikar. I think we're getting a similar feel here. Lannery Storm is such a cool name with sick art too. I bet she was caught in a tempest and surviving it made her HBIC.
So I've noticed a lot of the new Dragon deck cards happen to be lore-based or story characters we've heard of but not seen in card form. I know they've made lore characters cards in previous commander sets; And maybe it's just a coincidence that the Dragon deck happens to have a lot of them.
But...
I started thinking about some other story based characters who also fit into some possible tribes. Maybe we can find some hidden spoilers! Here are some of the cards that crossed my mind:
Crucius - A sphinx from Alara was was said to have created Etherium. Not much is known about him because he vanished. Seems artifact based, but could also maybe be worked into a tribal card.
Arixmethes - A Theros "forgotten city" that is actually a Kraken or Leviathan. Probably pretty big.
Colfenor - A pretty old and powerful Treefolk.
Feather - An Angel in the Boros Guild.
Lord Windgrace - A leonin, or cat guy.
Anyone know any other story characters that fit a tribe?
I was thinking Lord Windgrace might be in this Cat deck.
Thraxes could be in the Dragon one.
I suspect Crucius would be in a future product if they do a UR Artifact Legend that has been heavily requested. He'd be the Sphinx PW with artifact abilities like Crucuius of Etherium or something.
Angels could be one of the decks this year, and I'd expect a Serra Planeswalker, Feather, and the 4th Angel Sister
I don't think they're doing Krakens this year sadly, but perhaps they'll do tribal decks again and we'll get Arixmethes as the Eminence commander or something. He's at least a 12/12 (could be a 10/10 with monstrosity or something, but Kiora remarks he is at least as big as Kozilek). IDK whether it's better to get him in Return to Theros or in a Commander product?
1) Taigam (16)
2) Arixmethes (14)
3) Yawgmoth (13)
4) Lord Windgrace (12) -tie
4) Fblthp (12) - tie
6) Feather (11)
7) Xantcha (10)
8) Massacre Girl from Ravnica (6) - tie
8) Archmage Jodah (6) - tie
10) Ashnod (5) - tie
10) The Raven Man (5) -tie
12) Tocasia (4) - tie
12) O-Kagachi (4)- tie
Looks like we're getting Taigam and O-Kagachi so far off this list. I see Windgrace as a potential here too.
I really want Human Wizards to be one of the decks and have Jenrik and Choryu - although they're FAR less popular than some of my other requests. If I could choose, I want Choryu to complete the Kamigawa cycle of characters without cards.
Windgrace is a Planeswalker. He is featured on Planeswalker's Fury and rode with Urza in the Nine Titans during the Phyrexian Invasion of Dominaria. He then sacrificed his spark to seal the time rift over Urborg after infusing his life into the swamp.
Yeah he didn't belong on the Legendary Creature poll, but he got so many votes he was in the poll anyway I guess. MaRo isn't in creative so he may not have known Windgrace isn't a Legend but a PW.
Bringing death and harm to innocent people for personal gain is evil. Regardless of color affiliation. Lacking the capacity to care or see this makes the individual a sociopath/psychopath, which is no excuse in itself. We can argue the intricacies of morality all day - even murder can be justified in self-defense - so it's a context issue. The context here is personal gain. Therefore, Bolas is evil, just in the context of Black.
We've seen Toshi be all out for himself and for personal gain, doing some questionable things (but out of tact and reason) and still ultimately doing the greater good for all, while benefitting. Bolas is outright ending an entire world of people, bringing untold suffering to all who are innocent, and killing off beings devoted to protecting their children. There is no justifying this with any color philosophy or moral debate.
So I've noticed a lot of the new Dragon deck cards happen to be lore-based or story characters we've heard of but not seen in card form. I know they've made lore characters cards in previous commander sets; And maybe it's just a coincidence that the Dragon deck happens to have a lot of them.
But...
I started thinking about some other story based characters who also fit into some possible tribes. Maybe we can find some hidden spoilers! Here are some of the cards that crossed my mind:
Crucius - A sphinx from Alara was was said to have created Etherium. Not much is known about him because he vanished. Seems artifact based, but could also maybe be worked into a tribal card.
Arixmethes - A Theros "forgotten city" that is actually a Kraken or Leviathan. Probably pretty big.
Colfenor - A pretty old and powerful Treefolk.
Feather - An Angel in the Boros Guild.
Lord Windgrace - A leonin, or cat guy.
Anyone know any other story characters that fit a tribe?
I was thinking Lord Windgrace might be in this Cat deck.
Thraxes could be in the Dragon one.
I suspect Crucius would be in a future product if they do a UR Artifact Legend that has been heavily requested. He'd be the Sphinx PW with artifact abilities like Crucuius of Etherium or something.
Angels could be one of the decks this year, and I'd expect a Serra Planeswalker, Feather, and the 4th Angel Sister
I don't think they're doing Krakens this year sadly, but perhaps they'll do tribal decks again and we'll get Arixmethes as the Eminence commander or something. He's at least a 12/12 (could be a 10/10 with monstrosity or something, but Kiora remarks he is at least as big as Kozilek). IDK whether it's better to get him in Return to Theros or in a Commander product?
1) Taigam (16)
2) Arixmethes (14)
3) Yawgmoth (13)
4) Lord Windgrace (12) -tie
4) Fblthp (12) - tie
6) Feather (11)
7) Xantcha (10)
8) Massacre Girl from Ravnica (6) - tie
8) Archmage Jodah (6) - tie
10) Ashnod (5) - tie
10) The Raven Man (5) -tie
12) Tocasia (4) - tie
12) O-Kagachi (4)- tie
Looks like we're getting Taigam and O-Kagachi so far off this list. I see Windgrace as a potential here too.
I really want Human Wizards to be one of the decks and have Jenrik and Choryu - although they're FAR less popular than some of my other requests. If I could choose, I want Choryu to complete the Kamigawa cycle of characters without cards.
I think in that case it would be better for Kyodai to get a card alone as the Spirit leader (Michiko has her own) and we get an All-Consuming Oni of Chaos card. My Spirit deck is lead by Geist of St. Traft and has an Angel sub-theme.
I agree with most of what you said and definitely that Hazzoret feels like that but also that i would like p argue that Avacyn, robotic as she was, she did care a lot for the humans and angels on innistrad. All to say that Avacyn could be another example of a God truly caring for her people.
She definitely was. She was even learning to be more angel and human-like, such as smiling to inspire comfort. Avacyn was essentially the god of Innistrad right down to hearing prayers. And her loss too can be traced back to…
Bolas.
While Bolas was to blame for the Eldrazi being loose, Nahiri was still the direct culprit of what went down in Innistrad, and unless Bolas's plans run that deeply, it wasn't his idea to sic Emrakul on Sorin's homeplane out of vengeance or twist the leylines with lithomancy.
And had Nahiri not steered Emrakul to Innistrad, the titan would have done the same damage to Zendikar, before moving with her brothers on to another plane to do the same. Gatewatch would have lost to all 3 at once, so it was a guarantee that more planes would falter to them (with or without the GW in the equation). Nahiri didn't change much but hit two birds with one stone really.
Bolas did ask Bontu to kill Hazoret, which she did not. Only cast a spell that weakened her to appear dead only to free her from it. She had also anticipated the fight itself, presumably planning to spare Hazoret all the while, but feigning loyalty as a means to survive. Perhaps she felt if Bolas could take enough from the world, if enough of his plan for it was fulfilled, at least she and the god Bontu would come to spare in their fight would survive?
I agree with most of what you said and definitely that Hazzoret feels like that but also that i would like p argue that Avacyn, robotic as she was, she did care a lot for the humans and angels on innistrad. All to say that Avacyn could be another example of a God truly caring for her people.
She definitely was. She was even learning to be more angel and human-like, such as smiling to inspire comfort. Avacyn was essentially the god of Innistrad right down to hearing prayers. And her loss too can be traced back to…
Bontu was a coward. She betrayed her family and her very world to a foreign enemy in the hopes of preserving herself. Only in the end, the only thing she preserved was the knowledge of what would transpire as the only being capable of opposing it, having never tried. She died betrayed herself, knowing that truth. Her story is just another example of why it never pays to be a coward. Even as a Black character, she was better off dying for higher virtues than what she died for here. Nothing.
Courage and Cowardice are White terms applied to colors that dont believe in such things. For Black, the same where there is no good or evil only what one can do and what one cannot, there is no courage or cowardice only survival and power. Bontu saw Bolas and tbought the best route to survival, maybe even for the entire plane was for her to cozy up to him. On top of that her ambition got the best of her. Bolas could certainly offer her more power than she could have otherwise acquired. She didnt know that she was going to be dead either way. She made what she thought was the best decision with the information she had.
Article describes her desperation and sadness. While you raise a good point, there was a chance for survival on either side. She chose what she thought was the easier victory by betraying. She could have been a god on Amonkhet instead of Bolas's pawn. This wasn't about power for her. Amonkhet gods are not like Theros gods and genuinely care for Amonkhet. But for Bontu, she really was a coward. She's just the only one incapable of having seen that.
It's looking like my prediction from the very begining may be spot on.
And it's the tribes chosen will be ones that don't have a leader or needs something better that are popular and iconic Ofcoarse
So tribes for the other two spots must be one of these.
Vampire (grixis or mardu vampire wanted)
Wizard (we need one outside mono blue)
Human (give us a naya with a tribal ability)
Angel (they are on the edge because of 5-color slot being taken by dragons but mardu still has a chance.)
Spirit (this has the most tribal stuff with no perfect leader karador is not going to cut it O-kagachi coming soon is a close but no cigar catergory)
Knight or soldier (they would be in the spot of human if one of those made it except mardu instead.)
If only a commander product had delivered a Grixis Vampire before. If only. A Jeleva of sorts. But that's only a wish of course.
New banned words for this thread:
Eldrazi - Go buy BFZ. No one else wants to anyway.
Devoid - Failed mechanics can be found there too.
Vampires - Go buy SOI/EMN.
Zombies: Go buy SOI, EMN, AMN, HOU and hell, INN, Dark Ascension and AVR at that. Wasn't long ago.
Artifacts/Colorless - Go buy KLD, AER
Elves - Go buy literally anything from the last 3 decades
Merfolk - Go buy the new Duel Deck
Goblin - See above
We get this product only once a damn year, so make your requests and expectations count.
Actually, this article is the entire problem. Neo-Nazis? Really? Way to buy into propaganda. And the Trump reference about "locker room talk" - way to push your political agendas on a card game forum and assume your opinions are the status quo, and the only right way to think. That's why everyone is sick of liberals and SJWs. Arrogance and ignorance. No one gives a damn bro, we're here for card games. Get over yourselves and off your righteous soapbox.
Sigh. Tell me about it. Not that she's a wizard but I've been waiting for a Tragic Poet reprint as well in the new border. Not even the Daxos deck had it in 2015. SMH!
Either way, despite having no interest in Dinosaurs (I'm in the minority) and lukewarm interest in Pirates, I actually like what I manage to see. I think Ixalan may actually be a pretty cool set, and I'm a sucker for exploration themes. It's why I loved Theros and original Zendikar. I think we're getting a similar feel here. Lannery Storm is such a cool name with sick art too. I bet she was caught in a tempest and surviving it made her HBIC.
Edit:
1) Urza (46)
2) Serra (28)
3) Tamiyo (25)
4) Jaya Ballard (20)
5) Elspeth (10)
5) Nahiri (10)
7) Ashiok (9)
7) Commodore Guff (9)
9) Koth (8
9) Lord Windgrace (8)
9) Ramaz (8)
12) Karn (7)
13) Raven Man (7)
14) Domri (6)
14) Jeska (6
14) Ral Zarek (6)
14) Taysir (6)
14) Tevesh Szat (6)
19) Bo Levar (5)
19) Garth One-Eye (5)
19) Leshrac (5)
19) Narset (5)
19) Nicol Bolas (5)
19) Teferi (5)
19) Venser (5)
Pissed that Teysir and Venser are so low.
Bringing death and harm to innocent people for personal gain is evil. Regardless of color affiliation. Lacking the capacity to care or see this makes the individual a sociopath/psychopath, which is no excuse in itself. We can argue the intricacies of morality all day - even murder can be justified in self-defense - so it's a context issue. The context here is personal gain. Therefore, Bolas is evil, just in the context of Black.
We've seen Toshi be all out for himself and for personal gain, doing some questionable things (but out of tact and reason) and still ultimately doing the greater good for all, while benefitting. Bolas is outright ending an entire world of people, bringing untold suffering to all who are innocent, and killing off beings devoted to protecting their children. There is no justifying this with any color philosophy or moral debate.
Thraxes could be in the Dragon one.
I suspect Crucius would be in a future product if they do a UR Artifact Legend that has been heavily requested. He'd be the Sphinx PW with artifact abilities like Crucuius of Etherium or something.
Angels could be one of the decks this year, and I'd expect a Serra Planeswalker, Feather, and the 4th Angel Sister
I don't think they're doing Krakens this year sadly, but perhaps they'll do tribal decks again and we'll get Arixmethes as the Eminence commander or something. He's at least a 12/12 (could be a 10/10 with monstrosity or something, but Kiora remarks he is at least as big as Kozilek). IDK whether it's better to get him in Return to Theros or in a Commander product?
http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/131522021203/results-to-character-poll
1) Taigam (16)
2) Arixmethes (14)
3) Yawgmoth (13)
4) Lord Windgrace (12) -tie
4) Fblthp (12) - tie
6) Feather (11)
7) Xantcha (10)
8) Massacre Girl from Ravnica (6) - tie
8) Archmage Jodah (6) - tie
10) Ashnod (5) - tie
10) The Raven Man (5) -tie
12) Tocasia (4) - tie
12) O-Kagachi (4)- tie
Looks like we're getting Taigam and O-Kagachi so far off this list. I see Windgrace as a potential here too.
I really want Human Wizards to be one of the decks and have Jenrik and Choryu - although they're FAR less popular than some of my other requests. If I could choose, I want Choryu to complete the Kamigawa cycle of characters without cards.
Bolas did ask Bontu to kill Hazoret, which she did not. Only cast a spell that weakened her to appear dead only to free her from it. She had also anticipated the fight itself, presumably planning to spare Hazoret all the while, but feigning loyalty as a means to survive. Perhaps she felt if Bolas could take enough from the world, if enough of his plan for it was fulfilled, at least she and the god Bontu would come to spare in their fight would survive?
Bolas.
New banned words for this thread:
Eldrazi - Go buy BFZ. No one else wants to anyway.
Devoid - Failed mechanics can be found there too.
Vampires - Go buy SOI/EMN.
Zombies: Go buy SOI, EMN, AMN, HOU and hell, INN, Dark Ascension and AVR at that. Wasn't long ago.
Artifacts/Colorless - Go buy KLD, AER
Elves - Go buy literally anything from the last 3 decades
Merfolk - Go buy the new Duel Deck
Goblin - See above
We get this product only once a damn year, so make your requests and expectations count.