I can't imagine at this stage what would have brought Ajani here from Theros. Except that perhaps Ashiok is indeed an Aetherborn, and Ajani needs more information on their nature.
I wish the whale art on Skywhaler's Shot was a creature card instead, zoomed in on the whale. Such a gorgeous piece of art with a whale emerging from the clouds as if to dive. Wasted on a White Instant
I wonder if Return to Theros will have flashy Enchantments like "Gifts of the Gods" or something. Not sure what expensive enchantments they'd use though. Omniscience with Thassa art would be amazing.
But those Islands are gorgeous. Specifically the first two.
Why do you loathe it? Given how Blue it is I figured you'd like it. Unless you don't like UR.
I don't like planes like Kaladesh, Ravnica, Mirrodin, etc. I don't like Artifacts, UR, industry, etc. It's just aesthetically not pleasing to me in any of its themes. Planes I love are Theros, original Zendikar, Kamigawa, Ice Age Dominaraia, even Innistrad to an extent was interesting, both INN and AVR.
Bolas may be powerful but he has sunk his toes into a lot of messy plots - who knows if he can keep ahead enough of all of it. Alara failed for such a reason after all. That said, I wonder if Amonkhet has an afterlife like Theros does, and if the spark might survive that afterlife. Factoring in the living *and* the dead might give Amonkhet a large pool of planes walkers.
Bolas got what he wanted from Alara. He didn't fail, he just didn't get to destroy the plane to flex his new power because Ajani summoned the soul duplicate.
Also, I'm not above suspicion that Theros isn't a different plane from Amonkhet. Theros is flat... what if Amonkhet is on the flip side of the world or something.
Since Greek gods were thought to be the inspiration for the Egyptian gods, when the gods fled Greece disguised as animals to escape Typhoeus, it would be neat if Amonkhet were a remote part of Theros across the Siren Sea, and its 5 gods being different manifestations of the major gods.
Still, this most certainly will not be the case and I like having Egypt World be its own plane. I would, however, like some link to Theros. Greece and Egypt communicated often.
Writing was fair, about as good as we can expect. Doug Beyer is definitely one of the better writers on Creative, but not the best. The only thing that felt pushed was Liliana's corruption of Chandra. I mean, that was just a little too easy at some parts.
I'm glad Tezzeret is back, though I do wonder how he got in-vegtabled. Perhaps Bolas decided he could be useful again.
Pia is alive. Because yeah, nobody saw that coming.
Finally, I'm glad they finally ditched that stupid swimsuit thing for Liliana. The dress has always been her best costume.
Lillana's corruption of Chandra was my favorite part. I think Chandra is very easily influenced. I hope that mosaic of Kiran appears on the art of a card. So beautiful and nostalgic. Poor Chandra, I feel myself identifying with her a lot more. My favorite line was "I know home can be a source of pain" - Lilliana is really growing on me too despite my not liking her at all before due to her killing angels.
Anyone feel like revealing Tezzeret and Pia at once, and so soon, felt a bit rushed though? We'll have to see how the story plays out. I expected at least Tezzeret to be a more dramatic reveal at the main fair as its judge, and getting close to him being a difficult feat. Like an emperor of sorts. Again, time will tell how this is meant to play out.
Agreed about Doug. This was still rather good regardless.
I think that's why so many of us loved Thassa vs. Kiora. It involved summoning and casting spells like crazy. I agree there's too much physical nonsense. Fortunately the fight with Emrakul was all about magic. Even the other titans, toward the end.
I do agree there's too much physical confrontation and not enough magic. That's something I miss about Theros. The spells there were huge and flashy, especially when cast by the gods.
I wish Taysir would get a card. Personally as someone from Lebanon which is basically between Greece and Egypt (and closer in culture to Greece than the latter) I'm pretty much assured that Theros may very well be the best and only representation of me, and I loved it. I'm surprised anyone would have issues with being represented. If anything I think the louder outcry is not enough representation.
I hate Vehicles, both their concept and their design. Come on, cars in Magic: The Gathering?
But no male Angels because that's too much for a fantasy game.
I have no problems with male or female angels, so I don't really know why you say that to me.
I think he meant Wizards with that statement. In his opinion male angels shouldn't be that much of a no-go if cars are made for it. I don't really see the connection by the way, this is a aethersteampunk setting in which such a (commonly requested) mechanic makes sense. I don't see any particular need besides player demand (which doesn't seem to be high, sorry Jenrik) for male angels.
I like Vehicles as a mechanic, but I'm not sure how well they will play. I guess we will have to wait and see. Energy counters are an interesting mechanic, hope they found a way to reduce its seeming parasitism. Having most if not all energy related cards be enabler and consumer is a good first step. Fabricate is in my opinion quite necessary as a base mechanic and synergizes with the artifact theme and the vehicles. None of the mechanics seem to be bad per se.
There isn't any real need for male angels, but there isn't any real obvious harm in making them, so it does seem like an odd thing to avoid.
And Energy counters don't seem that parasitic. Each card that uses them being able to generate energy seems like a good way to avoid it, though I wouldn't be surprised if there was one or two that don't work that way.
Exactly. Angels are also the second most popular creature type. Sad to see so much new ground covered when a fantasy game has mechanical vehicles but can't have male angels or other awkwardly forbidden things.
Possibly, but the gods only know as much as the mortals. And phyrexia is subtle. By the time it is discovered, it could already be too late.
Kruphix's domain is knowing, though. He'd presumably pick up on it if a phyrexian entity gained enough sentience or if a PW like Elspeth familiar with them arrived, or simply figuring it out himself considering he's accessed knowledge about them from her and presumably others before.
I think the Eldrazi were the only real threat to Theros. Bolas might be (not that he'd want to be, but in the event he did) but even then, he's not entirely what he once was either. It depends on how cohesive the pantheon decided to be, really. We'll see how the gods interact with him on Amonkhet for a rough idea of planar ruling entities and a powerful walker and how those meld. "Killing" a Theros god is impossible directly. Eldrazi end planes so it's getting around that, although they also only seem to consume worlds in need of recycling, which Theros might not be anyway under natural circumstances. Then there's Phyrexia which the gods could potentially handle. Bolas would immediately be noticed by and mind-read by Kruphix. But as we've seen Phenax helping Ashiok with mischief and Xenagos rising to power because of Heliod and Purphoros escalating conflicts in the pantheon, and Kiora surviving because of the Silence to pose as Thassa and fight her when the god needed to reclaim devotion shows why the gods simply overlook important things for petty things. Even if the gods cleared a major threat I feel like they'd have back-up plans to screw over one another when the war ended just to come out on top above the others lol.
Bolas isn't an old walker anymore though. The Gatwwatch knows that, and he isn't capable of the same impressive feats anymore. This could be the undoing of his control over Amonkhet. The gods seeing he's a shell of his former self. That said I hope this plane has Millennium Items!
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.
I wish the whale art on Skywhaler's Shot was a creature card instead, zoomed in on the whale. Such a gorgeous piece of art with a whale emerging from the clouds as if to dive. Wasted on a White Instant
But those Islands are gorgeous. Specifically the first two.
Since Greek gods were thought to be the inspiration for the Egyptian gods, when the gods fled Greece disguised as animals to escape Typhoeus, it would be neat if Amonkhet were a remote part of Theros across the Siren Sea, and its 5 gods being different manifestations of the major gods.
Still, this most certainly will not be the case and I like having Egypt World be its own plane. I would, however, like some link to Theros. Greece and Egypt communicated often.
Anyone feel like revealing Tezzeret and Pia at once, and so soon, felt a bit rushed though? We'll have to see how the story plays out. I expected at least Tezzeret to be a more dramatic reveal at the main fair as its judge, and getting close to him being a difficult feat. Like an emperor of sorts. Again, time will tell how this is meant to play out.
Agreed about Doug. This was still rather good regardless.
I do agree there's too much physical confrontation and not enough magic. That's something I miss about Theros. The spells there were huge and flashy, especially when cast by the gods.
These are making me sad. I'm surprised they're not Red though. But Sadness is a Black domain I suppose?
I think the Eldrazi were the only real threat to Theros. Bolas might be (not that he'd want to be, but in the event he did) but even then, he's not entirely what he once was either. It depends on how cohesive the pantheon decided to be, really. We'll see how the gods interact with him on Amonkhet for a rough idea of planar ruling entities and a powerful walker and how those meld. "Killing" a Theros god is impossible directly. Eldrazi end planes so it's getting around that, although they also only seem to consume worlds in need of recycling, which Theros might not be anyway under natural circumstances. Then there's Phyrexia which the gods could potentially handle. Bolas would immediately be noticed by and mind-read by Kruphix. But as we've seen Phenax helping Ashiok with mischief and Xenagos rising to power because of Heliod and Purphoros escalating conflicts in the pantheon, and Kiora surviving because of the Silence to pose as Thassa and fight her when the god needed to reclaim devotion shows why the gods simply overlook important things for petty things. Even if the gods cleared a major threat I feel like they'd have back-up plans to screw over one another when the war ended just to come out on top above the others lol.