Has anyone seen this article?
Do you think that this Sphinx of Foresight version of GDS might actually be good?
I mean, I'd certainly welcome it. More (potentially, at least) consistency and an additional late game threat seems nice to have...
edit:
Different topic: Does anyone have experience with the Izzet Phoenix matchup? Is it good/bad?
Whoa, hold the phone... correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t Damping Sphere and, say, Heartbeat of Spring create a colored-Mana lock? There has to be potential there. This looks dangerously busted to me, even with the symmetrical tax, if you can cast everything via a colorless build, and your opponent can’t. Looking at turn 3/4 Karn, Liberated and Ugin, Spirit Dragon without a tron shell.
Edit: Well, need a little clarity. So, if it taps for more than 2, it just taps for 1, regardless?
Your combo doesn't work, because the land itself doesn't tap for more than two Mana. Heartbeat of Spring is the thing that adds the additional mana, not the land itself.
@ topic generally:
I'm pretty sure that Damping Sphere will have a noticeable impact on the modern meta game, and stir it in a good direction.
The Wizard-spells aren't good and aren't even remotely modern playable. Modern has a much better counterspell in Logic Knot.
Alright, so what do the unbans mean for Faeries? Is the deck dead now, due to BBE? I mean, we rely heavily on Countermagic which is AWFUL against BBE.
Does the JtMS unban help us much? What would a new decklist look like?
Honestly, I think the BBE unban might be terrible for our deck, but I'm not sure.
Darkslick shores just isn't our best land.
I know a lot of people like it, and its not incorrect in all lists, but it has a lot of problems.
Anyone playing multiple cryptics, mistbinds, snapcasters, etc, is going to feel it sometimes.
Secluded glen is again, obviously dependent on the build of the deck. Revealing cards is not ideal, but I've seen plenty of people say something to the tune of "I would never play this card because of the information, even if it nearly always entered untapped" which is very unfair in my mind.
The thing is that Shores enters untapped more often than Glen (in pretty much all builds) in addition to it not revealing much information about your hand. There really is no case to be made in favor of Secluded Glen over Darkslick Shores.
Green in general is a victim of this in modern because efficient removal in black, red, and even white take away the advantages above curve power and toughness creatures have.
This is true. I really wish Path to Exile did not exist in Modern. Fatal Push is okay, as black is after all the color that is supposed the have the best removal. Bolt, while very good, isn't very good against green creatures (goyf, mandrills etc.).
The problem of the current Standard also isn't the fact that removal is bad, since Energy plays a LOT of Cards with ETB effects. Removal doesn't help you against these kinds of cards since the "damage" is already done when they resolve. What would help are Counterspells, but playable versions of those aren't allowed to exist any more.
The biggest problem with talking about this deck is how different lists can look.
That being said, I personally am a fan of secluded glen, and a fan of river of tears. Drowned catacombs is alright, and I avoid darkslick shores.
Also, 14 island/swamps is more than it seems like.
I think secluded glen is better than a lot of people give it credit for. Revealing cards means your opponent is going to be playing around it, and you can often get a good handle on how the next couple of turns will play out. Additionally, playing a glen tapped when you have a faerie in hand can also be a relevant mind game.
Darkslick Shores and Polluted Delta are clearly our best lands.
Whether or not Secluded Glen is even playable depends on the build and on the amount of Faeries in the deck.
Also, revealing cards is pretty much only downside. You are giving your opponent information, which is, generally speaking, bad.
Sorry Modern, if Standard and limited die you will not have a game to play because they will not be able to produce new sets.
Sorry Standard, if Modern and Legacy die you will not have a game to play because all standard cards will be worthless within a short period of time, and players will be even less willing to buy Standard product.
I'd like to make the point that the formats need each other. Older formats give some cards from standard lasting value and make players more likely to open boosters. Standard and Limited are important drivers for sales and create a lot of profit for WotC, which ultimately keeps them alive and is good for the entire community.
I'm convinced that the fact that there is a huge, seemingly increasing gap between Standard and Modern is a disaster for the game. It decreases the possibility of Modern evolving because almost all new cards are terrible, decreases WotC's ability to "intervene" in the format without using the banlist because they can't make cards that are good enough for Modern without breaking Standard, and decreases the willingness of Modern players to buy Standard product.
On top of that, the power-gap between Standard and Modern, particularly when it comes to noncreature-spells doesn't even seem to be good for Standard. I don't understand why WotC went down that road and as a Modern/Legacy player and long-time fan of the game I hope that they will rectify this.
@Skitzafreak:
Look, it's simple. I know you enjoy playing Lantern. It's just that it makes people miserable. It's not fun to play against. If you don't understand, fine. But that's how a lot of people feel.
Modern is the best format right now, it has everything they envisioned, multiple decks, different archetypes, open to brewers etc.
Modern, in terms of openness and deck choices is amazing at the moment. There are viable aggro, control, midrange and combo decks, which is great. It is (and always has been) by far my favorite format.
What bothers me a bit about the format is the amount of decks that feel "dumb" to play against, like Tron or Dredge. I want to make meaningful decisions in my games, not hope that my opponent won't be able to goldfish quickly enough or that I draw my sideboard cards. I like games that are a back-and-forth battle and have many moments where you need to stop to think for a bit before you make your next move, and there are too many decks where such situations are rare, at least for my taste.
Also, I feel like Lantern is the best deck right now. Sure, it's hard to play and interesting to play against if you can interact with it in some way - but I know how miserable it can make people feel, since I sometimes play with it myself. What bothers me about it is the "Rule-Changing" aspect of Ensnaring Bridge: "What, you play creatures? pfff. Those don't work any more! What are you even doing?". It's like playing a different game, even though people came to play magic.
Just to add an additional datapoint:
I was told by the owner of the Game Store that I sometimes go to that Standard has died at his shop. Tournaments are no longer firing.
Modern and Legacy on the other hand, are doing very well and overall attendance has risen.
I played against Death and Taxes, Grixis Deaths Shadow, and UR Breach.
Notes: Remand was very good. Works well with Ancestral Vision and LotV, as it gives both cards enough time to generate value.
It is also amazing against Delve Creatures, something that Remand-less versions of the deck frequently struggle against, since we do not have many ways of dealing with them if they come down early.
In addition to that, it is alright against Lingering Souls, another problematic card.
LotV felt powerful in the deck, I'll definitely keep her in the Main for the time being.
The "Only creatures and planeswalkers are allowed to be good"-policy will be abandoned.
There will be a core set in order (amongst other reasons, of course) to facilitate reprints that would otherwise be a flavor-problem.
There will be less chaff in Sets in general. Less cards will be completely and utterly useless for constructed formats than is currently the case. Of course there will always be a few "chase cards" but there will be fewer complete duds.
Do you think that this Sphinx of Foresight version of GDS might actually be good?
I mean, I'd certainly welcome it. More (potentially, at least) consistency and an additional late game threat seems nice to have...
edit:
Different topic: Does anyone have experience with the Izzet Phoenix matchup? Is it good/bad?
Your combo doesn't work, because the land itself doesn't tap for more than two Mana. Heartbeat of Spring is the thing that adds the additional mana, not the land itself.
@ topic generally:
I'm pretty sure that Damping Sphere will have a noticeable impact on the modern meta game, and stir it in a good direction.
The Wizard-spells aren't good and aren't even remotely modern playable. Modern has a much better counterspell in Logic Knot.
Does the JtMS unban help us much? What would a new decklist look like?
Honestly, I think the BBE unban might be terrible for our deck, but I'm not sure.
The thing is that Shores enters untapped more often than Glen (in pretty much all builds) in addition to it not revealing much information about your hand. There really is no case to be made in favor of Secluded Glen over Darkslick Shores.
This is true. I really wish Path to Exile did not exist in Modern. Fatal Push is okay, as black is after all the color that is supposed the have the best removal. Bolt, while very good, isn't very good against green creatures (goyf, mandrills etc.).
The problem of the current Standard also isn't the fact that removal is bad, since Energy plays a LOT of Cards with ETB effects. Removal doesn't help you against these kinds of cards since the "damage" is already done when they resolve. What would help are Counterspells, but playable versions of those aren't allowed to exist any more.
Darkslick Shores and Polluted Delta are clearly our best lands.
Whether or not Secluded Glen is even playable depends on the build and on the amount of Faeries in the deck.
Also, revealing cards is pretty much only downside. You are giving your opponent information, which is, generally speaking, bad.
Sorry Standard, if Modern and Legacy die you will not have a game to play because all standard cards will be worthless within a short period of time, and players will be even less willing to buy Standard product.
I'd like to make the point that the formats need each other. Older formats give some cards from standard lasting value and make players more likely to open boosters. Standard and Limited are important drivers for sales and create a lot of profit for WotC, which ultimately keeps them alive and is good for the entire community.
I'm convinced that the fact that there is a huge, seemingly increasing gap between Standard and Modern is a disaster for the game. It decreases the possibility of Modern evolving because almost all new cards are terrible, decreases WotC's ability to "intervene" in the format without using the banlist because they can't make cards that are good enough for Modern without breaking Standard, and decreases the willingness of Modern players to buy Standard product.
On top of that, the power-gap between Standard and Modern, particularly when it comes to noncreature-spells doesn't even seem to be good for Standard. I don't understand why WotC went down that road and as a Modern/Legacy player and long-time fan of the game I hope that they will rectify this.
Look, it's simple. I know you enjoy playing Lantern. It's just that it makes people miserable. It's not fun to play against. If you don't understand, fine. But that's how a lot of people feel.
Modern, in terms of openness and deck choices is amazing at the moment. There are viable aggro, control, midrange and combo decks, which is great. It is (and always has been) by far my favorite format.
What bothers me a bit about the format is the amount of decks that feel "dumb" to play against, like Tron or Dredge. I want to make meaningful decisions in my games, not hope that my opponent won't be able to goldfish quickly enough or that I draw my sideboard cards. I like games that are a back-and-forth battle and have many moments where you need to stop to think for a bit before you make your next move, and there are too many decks where such situations are rare, at least for my taste.
Also, I feel like Lantern is the best deck right now. Sure, it's hard to play and interesting to play against if you can interact with it in some way - but I know how miserable it can make people feel, since I sometimes play with it myself. What bothers me about it is the "Rule-Changing" aspect of Ensnaring Bridge: "What, you play creatures? pfff. Those don't work any more! What are you even doing?". It's like playing a different game, even though people came to play magic.
I was told by the owner of the Game Store that I sometimes go to that Standard has died at his shop. Tournaments are no longer firing.
Modern and Legacy on the other hand, are doing very well and overall attendance has risen.
4x Spellstutter Sprite
4x Snapcaster Mage
1x Mistbind Clique
1x Vendilion Clique
4x Fatal Push
4x Remand
2x Opt
3x Cryptic Command
2x Thoughtseize
2x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Ancestral Vision
Planeswalkers:
2x Liliana of the Veil
4x Bitterblossom
Lands:
23 Lands
I played against Death and Taxes, Grixis Deaths Shadow, and UR Breach.
Notes:
Remand was very good. Works well with Ancestral Vision and LotV, as it gives both cards enough time to generate value.
It is also amazing against Delve Creatures, something that Remand-less versions of the deck frequently struggle against, since we do not have many ways of dealing with them if they come down early.
In addition to that, it is alright against Lingering Souls, another problematic card.
LotV felt powerful in the deck, I'll definitely keep her in the Main for the time being.
Instead of Masterpieces we get real reprints.
The "Only creatures and planeswalkers are allowed to be good"-policy will be abandoned.
There will be a core set in order (amongst other reasons, of course) to facilitate reprints that would otherwise be a flavor-problem.
There will be less chaff in Sets in general. Less cards will be completely and utterly useless for constructed formats than is currently the case. Of course there will always be a few "chase cards" but there will be fewer complete duds.