The other rares in the pool were 2x Dragonshift (one foil), Catch/Release, and [CARD]Mystic Genesis
[/CARD], and I also ended up with a Maze's End.
I feel like the deck built and played itself despite me. It had just the right curve, power, and balance of colors. In the game I came closest to losing all night, he had 3 ground creatures against my Azorius Keyrune and Soulsworn Spirit. He was at 18, attacked and took me to 2, and passed.
I topdeck Supreme Verdict. Attack with Soulsworn, then Verdict. He plays Boros Mastiff, I think. Next turn, topdeck Beck//Call, play it fused. Draw Steeple Roc, Unflinching Courage, Give//Take, and something else, and pass. Next turn, played the Roc, enchanted it, then played Give on the following turn to swing for 8 lifelink in the air. He gave up soon after.
Steeple Roc and Ascended Lawmage were amazing, as was Thrashing Mossdog. Most people I saw didn't have much evasion, but many packed their own Mossdogs. Steeple Roc obviously beats Mossdog's face.
Scion of Vitu-Ghazi was a card that single-handedly stabilized for me in a lot of games.
Deputy of Acquittals was decent, and would have been better if I had faced more removal.
Ethereal Armor won me a bunch of games. I had 2, complemented by Martial Law and Righteous Authority, which, incidentally, are also really good. My enchanted creatures almost always had +2/+2 and first strike, the latter of which gains tons of value when you get to select which of your opponent's creatures are allowed to block.
Wait, I'm confused. Shouldn't this specify who gets control of the token when it comes into play? I mean, I'm guessing that you get the token, no matter who controlled the original creature, but isn't that sort of thing usually specified? Or was this a templating change that occurred after M10?
I haven't tested this, obviously, but I think that there are a few things you could do to improve the deck.
-4 Mind Control: More expensive and less powerful than Sower, which should be enough.
+1 Negate
+1 Ant Queen
+2 some other big, evasive finisher. Time warp back to when Simic Sky Swallower was Standard legal, if need be.
Finally, switch Telemin and Garruk. Garruk combos nicely with Ant Queen and your mana dudes.
I'd like to add some mana solutions to the deck. Something that can be charged, such as Saprazzan Cove or Coalition Relic would be nice, but both of those would require a few turns to come online. Any suggestions for cards that would work out better for the deck?
I've been working on this deck list for a while, but I've never really tried to finalize it until now. The idea is to have some fun with Ambiguity in what will probably turn out to be UG aggro/control build. Here's what I've come up with:
I think most of the inclusions speak for themselves. The kill here is either combat with Fungal Behemoth or Draining Whelk, or direct damage via Triskelion.
The fact that there's a Viashano and a Vedalken at the end is likewise interesting. It almost made me stop and give up because I was sure there couldn't possibly be those two and Thallids in Alara, but I guess it makes sense if the theme of the set is a whole bunch of separate planes coming together.
I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I just did a Google search for Jhessian Infiltrator, and I found the following link: http://mjmj.info/data/o_list_ej.txt It appears to be a list of every printed magic card.
What caught my eye was the card next to it on the list, Jhessian Balmgiver, which had the abbreviation [CON] next to it. I checked gatherer because I didn't recognize the card or the abbreviation, and I got no results. I then hit ctrl-F to search for other instances of [CON], and there are a bunch, none of which are in gatherer.
Is it at all possible that this list contains the names of all the Conflux cards? Can anyone with a better knowledge of the internet find out where this site comes from? Is this just a hoax?
Hoax or not, I'm gonna go through and compile all the names of the supposed [CON] cards into one list. That way, we'll be able to check against anything that gets spoiled and the orb when it goes up.
Edit: Here's the list I got, noting reprints where I saw them. I notice some of you guys were way faster than I was. It'll be good to check these against each other to make sure we've got the whole thing.
Absorb Vis
Aerie Mystics
Ancient Ziggurat
Apocalypse Hydra
Armillary Sphere
Asha's Favor
Aven Squire
Aven Trailblazer
Banefire
Beacon Behemoth
Blood Tyrant
Bloodhall Ooze
Bone Saw
Brackwater Elemental
Canyon Minotaur
Celestial Purge
Charnelhoard Wurm
Child of Alara
Cliffrunner Behemoth
Conflux
Constricting Tendrils
Controlled Instincts
Corrupted Roots
Countersquall
Court Homunculus
Cylian Sunsinger
Dark Temper
Darklit Gargoyle
Drag Down
Dragonsoul Knight
Dreadwing
Elder Mastery
Ember Weaver
Encumbering Stone
Esper Cormorants
Esperzoa
Ethersworn Adjudicator
Exotic Orchard
Exploding Borders
Extractor Demon
Faerie Mechanist
Fiery Fall
Filigree Fracture
Fleshformer
Font of Mythos
Frontline Sage
Fusion Elemental
Giltspire Avenger
Gleam of Resistance
Gluttonous Slime
Goblin Outlander
Goblin Razerunners
Grixis Slavedriver
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
Hellkite Hatchling
Hellspark Elemental
Hermitage Illusionist
Ignite Disorder
Infectious Horror
Inkwell Leviathan
Jhessian Balmgiver
Kaleidostone
Kederekt Parasite
Knight of the Reliquary
Knotvine Mystic
Kranioceros
Lapse of Certainty
Maelstrom Archangel
Magister Sphinx
Malfegor
Mana Cylix (reprint)
Manaforce Mace
Maniacal Rage (reprint)
Mark of Asylum
Martial Coup
Master Transmuter
Matca Rioters
Mayael's Retaliator
Might of Alara
Mirror-Sigil Sergeant
Molten Frame
Nacatl Hunt-Pride
Nacatl Outlander
Nacatl Savage
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker (!)
Noble Hierarch
Nyxathid
Obelisk of Alara
Paleoloth
Paragon of the Amesha
Parasitic Strix
Path to Exile
Pestilent Kathari
Progenitus
Quenchable Fire
Rakka Mar
Reliquary Tower
Rhox Bodyguard
Rhox Meditant
Rotting Rats
Rupture Spire
Sacellum Archers
Salvage Slasher
Scarland Thrinax
Scattershot Archer
Scepter of Dominance
Scepter of Fugue
Scepter of Insight
Scornful Ather-Lich
Sedraxis Alchemist
Shambling Remains
Shard Convergence
Sigil of the Empty Throne
Skyward Eye Prophets
Sludge Strider
Soul's Majesty
Sphinx Summoner
Spore Burst
Suicidal Charge
Sylvan Bounty
Telemin Performance
Thornling
Toxic Iguanar
Traumatic Visions
Tukatongue Thallid
Unstable Frontier
Unsummon (reprint)
Vagrant Plowbeasts
Valeron Outlander
Valiant Guard
Vectis Agents
Vedalken Outlander
Viashino Slaughtermaster
View from Above
Voices from the Void
Volcanic Fallout
Voracious Dragon
Wall of Reverence
Wandering Goblins
Wild Leotau
Worldheart Phoenix
Worldly Counsel (reprint)
Wretched Banquet
Yoke of the Damned
Zombie Outlander
Huh. I misread this at first, thinking it was "If a creature would come into play during an opponents turn, it comes into play during your next turn instead.", which is decidedly better and more interesting.
Still, this looks like it has its uses, and is different from Spelljack in that it can respond to token generation and the like. I'm looking at you, Dragonstorm.
Unfortunately, Mystical Teachings would not be printed in a Core Set unless they included plenty of creatures with Flash (which they wouldn't, simply because there aren't that many.) Without Flash creatures actually *in* the core set, only half of the ability of the card would matter in Core-Set-only games, which goes against the philosophy of the Core Set (i.e., to print cards that are easy to understand and usable in a vacuum.)
Looking for free will means we are looking for the capacity to have chosen something else. We have to ask some questions first: was it an intrinsic bias affecting our decision? or perhaps was it a response to an external stimuli? Finding free will in this way comes only after eliminating all other possible sources of a decision or action;
Even if free will can be posited only at the elimination of all other factors, that fact alone does not place it within the realm of the supernatural. Your statement, if I understand correctly, is the same as that of Sherlock Holmes (paraphrased of course): If all else is eliminated, then the remainder, however unlikely, must be the truth. "However unlikely" does not, though, mean that we must resort to that which is outside reality in order to have explanitory power. Your questions (intrinsic bias, external stimuli) are within the realm of psychology, allowing the ultimate decision about free will fall within the same realm.
This is, of course, a whole other thread within itself.
If you look at it this way, free will becomes the last possible explanation for an action's origin, something tantamount to the supernatural.
I think I disagree, but I'm not sure exactly what you're saying here. Can you explain this a bit more?
My point is informed by some research I did a while back into the work of Benjamin Libet, a neuropsychological scientist. He found that the neurological impetus for an action occurs before awareness of the desire to act. While Libet's findings are contraversial, I only meant to say that the debate as to whether individuals have a choice regarding how to act is a psycholigical one: i.e., are our actions determined by our past actions, upbringing, and genetics, or do we, as agents, have the ability to override our memories and act independantly of them? The debate, therefore, is grounded in the natural (the nature of the brain and consciousness) rather than the supernatural.
My imaginary friend is three stories tall and can breathe fire.
Warning for a Spam/Troll Combo
Now, come on. James Bond would totally have said that.
To remedy the spam warning, let me be more clear. It is easy to attribute qualities to that which does not exist. Much of this thread is an argument which is based on the idea that a supernatural being exists. I posit that there is no such entity. That renders the arguments in this thread as follows:
1. The "word of god" is actually the word of several men, all of whom mean to convince potential followers to live as the authors wish. The Bible, then, is not only fallible, it is the word of men who wish to start a cult of believers.
2. Free will is neither a theological nor a metaphysical debate. It is a psychological one. Our status of free will depends on neurological chemistry and the psychological origin of action, which is a debate best left to scientists.
3. Attributing qualities and actions to a god is tantamount to attributing qualities and actions to any mythological creature such as unicorns or the flying spaghetti monster. If two people argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, the winner is no closer to metaphysical truth than the loser.
As for the troll warning: yeah. Guilty as charged.
1 Simic Guildgate
1 Azorius Guildgate
5 Plains
5 Forest
5 Island
Creatures:
1 Cloudfin Raptor
1 Experiment One
1 Azorius Arrester
1 Greenside Watcher
1 Deputy of Acquittals
1 Simic Fluxmage
1 Battering Krasis
1 Elusive Krasis
1 Drakewing Krasis
1 Soulsworn Spirit
1 Thrashing Mossdog
1 Ivy Lane Denizen
1 Ascended Lawmage
1 Steeple Roc
1 Jelenn Sphinx
1 Scion of Vitu-Ghazi
1 Dramatic Rescue
1 Azorius Keyrune
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Unflinching Courage
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Give/Take
1 Beck/Call
The other rares in the pool were 2x Dragonshift (one foil), Catch/Release, and [CARD]Mystic Genesis
[/CARD], and I also ended up with a Maze's End.
I feel like the deck built and played itself despite me. It had just the right curve, power, and balance of colors. In the game I came closest to losing all night, he had 3 ground creatures against my Azorius Keyrune and Soulsworn Spirit. He was at 18, attacked and took me to 2, and passed.
I topdeck Supreme Verdict. Attack with Soulsworn, then Verdict. He plays Boros Mastiff, I think. Next turn, topdeck Beck//Call, play it fused. Draw Steeple Roc, Unflinching Courage, Give//Take, and something else, and pass. Next turn, played the Roc, enchanted it, then played Give on the following turn to swing for 8 lifelink in the air. He gave up soon after.
Impressions:
Armadillo Cloak is good.
Steeple Roc and Ascended Lawmage were amazing, as was Thrashing Mossdog. Most people I saw didn't have much evasion, but many packed their own Mossdogs. Steeple Roc obviously beats Mossdog's face.
Scion of Vitu-Ghazi was a card that single-handedly stabilized for me in a lot of games.
Deputy of Acquittals was decent, and would have been better if I had faced more removal.
I haven't tested this, obviously, but I think that there are a few things you could do to improve the deck.
-4 Mind Control: More expensive and less powerful than Sower, which should be enough.
+1 Negate
+1 Ant Queen
+2 some other big, evasive finisher. Time warp back to when Simic Sky Swallower was Standard legal, if need be.
Finally, switch Telemin and Garruk. Garruk combos nicely with Ant Queen and your mana dudes.
4x Gemstone Mine
4x Llanowar Reborn
4x Breeding Pool
4x Yavamaya Coast
3x Island
3x Forest
Creatures (22):
2x Guilder Bairn
3x Triskelion
2x Draining Whelk
4x Cytoplast Root-Kin
3x Phantom Nantuko
3x Fertilid
2x Forgotten Ancient
2x Fungal Behemoth
2x Jace Beleren
4x Spell Counter
4x Counterspell
3x Voidslime
3x Ambiguity
4x Cytoshape
3x Guile
4x Remand
4x Quash
I think most of the inclusions speak for themselves. The kill here is either combat with Fungal Behemoth or Draining Whelk, or direct damage via Triskelion.
What caught my eye was the card next to it on the list, Jhessian Balmgiver, which had the abbreviation [CON] next to it. I checked gatherer because I didn't recognize the card or the abbreviation, and I got no results. I then hit ctrl-F to search for other instances of [CON], and there are a bunch, none of which are in gatherer.
Is it at all possible that this list contains the names of all the Conflux cards? Can anyone with a better knowledge of the internet find out where this site comes from? Is this just a hoax?
Hoax or not, I'm gonna go through and compile all the names of the supposed [CON] cards into one list. That way, we'll be able to check against anything that gets spoiled and the orb when it goes up.
Edit: Here's the list I got, noting reprints where I saw them. I notice some of you guys were way faster than I was. It'll be good to check these against each other to make sure we've got the whole thing.
Absorb Vis
Aerie Mystics
Ancient Ziggurat
Apocalypse Hydra
Armillary Sphere
Asha's Favor
Aven Squire
Aven Trailblazer
Banefire
Beacon Behemoth
Blood Tyrant
Bloodhall Ooze
Bone Saw
Brackwater Elemental
Canyon Minotaur
Celestial Purge
Charnelhoard Wurm
Child of Alara
Cliffrunner Behemoth
Conflux
Constricting Tendrils
Controlled Instincts
Corrupted Roots
Countersquall
Court Homunculus
Cylian Sunsinger
Dark Temper
Darklit Gargoyle
Drag Down
Dragonsoul Knight
Dreadwing
Elder Mastery
Ember Weaver
Encumbering Stone
Esper Cormorants
Esperzoa
Ethersworn Adjudicator
Exotic Orchard
Exploding Borders
Extractor Demon
Faerie Mechanist
Fiery Fall
Filigree Fracture
Fleshformer
Font of Mythos
Frontline Sage
Fusion Elemental
Giltspire Avenger
Gleam of Resistance
Gluttonous Slime
Goblin Outlander
Goblin Razerunners
Grixis Slavedriver
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
Hellkite Hatchling
Hellspark Elemental
Hermitage Illusionist
Ignite Disorder
Infectious Horror
Inkwell Leviathan
Jhessian Balmgiver
Kaleidostone
Kederekt Parasite
Knight of the Reliquary
Knotvine Mystic
Kranioceros
Lapse of Certainty
Maelstrom Archangel
Magister Sphinx
Malfegor
Mana Cylix (reprint)
Manaforce Mace
Maniacal Rage (reprint)
Mark of Asylum
Martial Coup
Master Transmuter
Matca Rioters
Mayael's Retaliator
Might of Alara
Mirror-Sigil Sergeant
Molten Frame
Nacatl Hunt-Pride
Nacatl Outlander
Nacatl Savage
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker (!)
Noble Hierarch
Nyxathid
Obelisk of Alara
Paleoloth
Paragon of the Amesha
Parasitic Strix
Path to Exile
Pestilent Kathari
Progenitus
Quenchable Fire
Rakka Mar
Reliquary Tower
Rhox Bodyguard
Rhox Meditant
Rotting Rats
Rupture Spire
Sacellum Archers
Salvage Slasher
Scarland Thrinax
Scattershot Archer
Scepter of Dominance
Scepter of Fugue
Scepter of Insight
Scornful Ather-Lich
Sedraxis Alchemist
Shambling Remains
Shard Convergence
Sigil of the Empty Throne
Skyward Eye Prophets
Sludge Strider
Soul's Majesty
Sphinx Summoner
Spore Burst
Suicidal Charge
Sylvan Bounty
Telemin Performance
Thornling
Toxic Iguanar
Traumatic Visions
Tukatongue Thallid
Unstable Frontier
Unsummon (reprint)
Vagrant Plowbeasts
Valeron Outlander
Valiant Guard
Vectis Agents
Vedalken Outlander
Viashino Slaughtermaster
View from Above
Voices from the Void
Volcanic Fallout
Voracious Dragon
Wall of Reverence
Wandering Goblins
Wild Leotau
Worldheart Phoenix
Worldly Counsel (reprint)
Wretched Banquet
Yoke of the Damned
Zombie Outlander
Cached Partial list from Google
Still, this looks like it has its uses, and is different from Spelljack in that it can respond to token generation and the like. I'm looking at you, Dragonstorm.
Even if free will can be posited only at the elimination of all other factors, that fact alone does not place it within the realm of the supernatural. Your statement, if I understand correctly, is the same as that of Sherlock Holmes (paraphrased of course): If all else is eliminated, then the remainder, however unlikely, must be the truth. "However unlikely" does not, though, mean that we must resort to that which is outside reality in order to have explanitory power. Your questions (intrinsic bias, external stimuli) are within the realm of psychology, allowing the ultimate decision about free will fall within the same realm.
This is, of course, a whole other thread within itself.
I think I disagree, but I'm not sure exactly what you're saying here. Can you explain this a bit more?
My point is informed by some research I did a while back into the work of Benjamin Libet, a neuropsychological scientist. He found that the neurological impetus for an action occurs before awareness of the desire to act. While Libet's findings are contraversial, I only meant to say that the debate as to whether individuals have a choice regarding how to act is a psycholigical one: i.e., are our actions determined by our past actions, upbringing, and genetics, or do we, as agents, have the ability to override our memories and act independantly of them? The debate, therefore, is grounded in the natural (the nature of the brain and consciousness) rather than the supernatural.
Now, come on. James Bond would totally have said that.
To remedy the spam warning, let me be more clear. It is easy to attribute qualities to that which does not exist. Much of this thread is an argument which is based on the idea that a supernatural being exists. I posit that there is no such entity. That renders the arguments in this thread as follows:
1. The "word of god" is actually the word of several men, all of whom mean to convince potential followers to live as the authors wish. The Bible, then, is not only fallible, it is the word of men who wish to start a cult of believers.
2. Free will is neither a theological nor a metaphysical debate. It is a psychological one. Our status of free will depends on neurological chemistry and the psychological origin of action, which is a debate best left to scientists.
3. Attributing qualities and actions to a god is tantamount to attributing qualities and actions to any mythological creature such as unicorns or the flying spaghetti monster. If two people argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, the winner is no closer to metaphysical truth than the loser.
As for the troll warning: yeah. Guilty as charged.
Warning for a Spam/Troll Combo