I don't like Risk Factor in a control deck. Having played it in an aggressive U/R build, it was only really good when I was already applying pressure to the opponent's lifetotal. Besides, Inescapable Blaze is also useful for dealing with resolved planeswalkers.
I've been playing around with a creatureless Drake Haven shell in grixis colors. In contrast to the Haven lists I've seen so far, it relies less on the cycling keyword, and more on the fact that haven triggers on all discard outlets, then using Fevered Visions to refuel.
So far, it seems largely unfavored against Aetherworks Marvel, and additionally, a resolved Nahiri, the Harbinger can be problematic as well. Other than that, most matchups seems decent, and if Marvel or Nahiri are prevalent in the meta, it should be possible to alter the main and sideboard to improve the matchups.
Especially because snapcaster mage has a monocle on his eye and whoever on the box art doesn't.
I mean, to be fair, the snapcaster featured on the art in Innistrad is a Snapcaster Mage, not the Snapcaster Mage, considering he isn't a legend.
I certainly like that it looks like they did away with the horrible MM15 packs style. While they were a nice idea on paper, the fact that they were so easy to repack was kind of an embarrassment.
To be honest, seeing Grizzy on the packs makes me kind of hopeful that Through the Breach made it in there somewhere as a fun, red rare.
They can't put Through the Breach in because they didn't want to include a whole Arcane theme and it wouldn't make sense in the draft environment without a bunch of other Arcane cards and of course the most important thing about a short printed $10 per pack MSRP product that is heavily speculated on is the goddamn draft environment
Wizards can arbitrarily justify whatever they want. After all, they excluded Serum Visions because there were no other cards with Scry X in the set, just to make Scry X evergreen in the following set. Then they also extensively supported their themes like exalted consisting exclusively of Noble Hierarch, Battlegrace Angel and Ethercaste Knight. And lets not forget their "aura voltron" theme in Daybreak Coronet, with the only other beneficial auras in the set being Splinter Twin and Goblin War Paint. With that in mind, assuming they bother to think about Arcane, I could absolutely see them just chucking Lava Spike and Evermind in the set, along with Through the Breach and call that a drafting theme.
I could see it pushing burn over the top in modern, but I'm not sure it would that big a deal in legacy. As fair as I know, Goblin Guide is only played in Burn and UR Delver in legacy, neither of which is tier 1. I don't really know of any other shell where it would be played, and it doesn't seem like a card that would spawn an archetype by itself.
Stuff along these lines seems like the could be interesting:
Energy Counter 1U
Instant
Choose target spell. You get EE, then you may pay any amount of Energy. ~ counters that spell, unless its controller pays 1 for each E paid.
Energy Prison 3
Artifact
Creatures can't attack unless their controller pays E for each creature he or she controls that's attacking.
Gremlin Guide R
Creature - Gremlin
Haste
Whenever ~ attacks, defending player gains E
2/2
Energy Converter 1
Artifact t, E: Add C to your mana pool.
So how will shops make the matches and the standings for conspiracy? Just one match FFA? Or 1vs1 matches like in normal draft?
I believe you're supposed to draft it in a normal 8man pod. After the draft, the pod is then split into two subpods, which then each play a FFA. I'm not completely certain though.
I too, find the increase in the amount of sorceries over instants annoying. I don't really have an opinion as to whether sorceries are more skill intensive than instants, but my favorite concept about magic is the stack, and as instants gets neglected, so does stack interaction :/
I wonder if the UR geist is the missing piece for a playable UR Prowess deck in Standard.
It seems way too slow to me. Back when I played URb prowess during Khans/Oath standard, the only main deck spell I played above 2 cmc was Treasure Cruise. While I haven't played standard since rotation, from what I've seen, the format generally seems faster.
Wait, it doesn't deal damage to planeswalkers? Ouch... That changes my evaluation for FANTASTIC to meh.
You can redirect the damage to player to planeswalker.
Edit: Alright, I thought there was a difference between "opponent" and "player" in relation to planeswalkers. I was wrong, never mind.
My evaluation goes back to AWESOME!!
You can redirect all non-combat damage done to an opponent to a planeswalker that opponent controls. You just have to do it in whole chucks, e.g. if your opponent controls a PW on 2 loyalty, you have to redirect all 3 damage from your Lightning Bolt to it. Additionally, redirection is announced upon resolution, not when it is put on the stack.
I've seen a number of people comparing the meld mechanic to B.F.M., Spirit of the Night and Scion of Darkness. While I can see the similarity between Meld and BFM, can anyone explain how Spirit and Scion relates to Meld?
limitedcard. Never not durdle!4 Drake Haven
4 Fevered Visions
4 Call the Bloodline
3 Trial of Ambition
Instant
3 Fiery Temper
3 Fatal Push
2 Magma Spray
Sorcery
4 Cathartic Reunion
1 Avacyn's Judgment
4 Sweltering Suns
3 Tormenting Voice
4 Fetid Pools
4 Canyon Slough
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Mountain
3 Island
1 Swamp
3 Spirebluff Canal
2 Smoldering Marsh
4 Negate
1 Magma Spray
2 Scarab Feast
2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 By Force
2 Lost Legacy
2 Never // Return
4x Mox Opal
4x Izzet Signet
4x Talisman of Progress
4x Paradox Engine
Instant(8):
4x Thirst for Knowledge
4x Paradoxical Outcome
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Faithless Looting
4x Serum Visions
4x Sleight of Hand
2x Grapeshot
3x Darksteel Citadel
3x Glimmervoid
2x Island
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Spirebluff Canal
2x Steam Vents
Energy Counter 1U
Instant
Choose target spell. You get EE, then you may pay any amount of Energy. ~ counters that spell, unless its controller pays 1 for each E paid.
Energy Prison 3
Artifact
Creatures can't attack unless their controller pays E for each creature he or she controls that's attacking.
Gremlin Guide R
Creature - Gremlin
Haste
Whenever ~ attacks, defending player gains E
2/2
Energy Converter 1
Artifact
t, E: Add C to your mana pool.
What do you have to do in order to get a decent burn spell in standard?