Also in my cube there can be a small accidental wolf tribal theme, Master of the Wild Hunt really likes this guy and Garruk Relentless thinks he's a pretty cool dude.
The "Wolf" Deck is pretty popular in my cube, too, I run all of these cards, plus Huntmaster of the Fells also works really good with the Mayor.
I think I may give this card a shot. My cube is becoming more and more creature focused (I don't think that's necessarily a good or bad thing, mind you) and this is the sort of card that in conjunction with some other tools blue has access to (Tradewind Rider and Opposition come immediately to mind) this could help enable a real hard control deck in a deck that still runs a lot of creatures. Plus, it's a personal favorite. I've wrecked many an EDH games on the back of this guy (my old Momir Vig, Simic Visionary deck).
Okay, I know I'm a bit different when it comes to my philosophy, and while I think creatures that kill artifacts are good in red aggro decks, I don't like Keldon Vandals for the same reason that I dislike a lot of echo cards: the card plays against red's strengths as an aggro color.
Red has a ton of really awesome 4-drops that it really wants to get onto the battlefield fast. Why do I want to waste 2 turns and not be able to play my awesome 4-drop on curve? I think the card could be played, however I'd prefer to think of it as more of a utility guy and I play it when I have to, and not an aggro 3-drop, and for that I prefer Manic Vandal, as I don't have to pay for him twice.
If he had haste, I'd like him a lot more. I run Avalanche Riders and Keldon Champion, I'm OK with echo if I can attack the same turn I play it.
One guy I run at 3 CMC in red that I don't think a lot of others do is Inner-Flame Acolyte. It comes as a 4/2 haster most of the time, then leaves a 2/2 body. In a pinch, it can give +2/+0 to a flyer such as Chandra's Phoenix or you can evoke it to give a later guy haste.
I'm a big sucker for haste in red aggro, and 4 power of haste that leaves behind a 2/2 body has been solid for our red decks.
I had this in the original build of my cube. The only deck that really would want to run this is a deck that runs lots of enchantments and artifacts so you can hit 3 of the opponent's permanents and 1 of your own, but then that changes the math from a 4-1 which is a huge blowout to a 3-2 which is ok, but nothing special. And it's STILL hard to pull off.
I wish this card was more like Hull Breach, because the effect is awesome, and a 4 CMC multicolor sorcery should be awesome.
Getting a library out turn 1 is almost the same as playing jace, the mind sculptor turn 1. And do you know how good a jace is on turn 1? It's almost impossible to lose the game if you land a jace turn 1.
That's not always the case. One item that comes up often in play, if I'm on the play and I mulligan, Library is definitely not an auto-win, and I don't think it's nearly the level of "Black Lotus, Land, Jace, the Mind Sculptor" on turn 1 in this on the play/mulligan situation.
I think the card's drawbacks are not being addressed fairly. Yes, drawn late, it is a land that produces colorless mana, so while it's not strictly a dead card, unless the card you require to advance/win the game is a land that ETB untapped (which admittedly does happen sometimes, but usually in those long games you're looking for business), it's still not helping you. Now, I realize that this is somewhat counterable by saying "it takes up a land slot in your deck," yes, that is true, but at the same time it took up a pick in the draft that could've been a business spell, which I think counts as a valid argument since this is a card that has very high draft demand and is often first picked.
Secondly, like I described in the first paragraph I wrote in this post, while it has the power level to dominate games, it has flaws that other cards that also do this don't...for example, let's take Pack Rat, which is also an early play that can dominate games. Mulliganing really helps in a deck with the Rat because you have more chances to draw him, however the Library becomes worse when you mulligan as not only does it's power not come through if found on a mulligan, but since it does occupy a land spot in your deck your hand also has one less colored mana producing land.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, as this was just to be fair,
The power of the card when it is active is astounding, and in my mind is WELL worth those drawbacks to take as a 1st pick.
Personally, I like it more than Jitte (creatures and artifacts are usually easier to deal with than lands), but not as much as Sol Ring.
i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it i love it
It's existence is one of the reasons why I make sure I have some method to deal with lands in all 5 colors. (Also because I like mana denial.)
If playing Library on the draw is one of the greatest plays in cube, one of the most disheartening might be if on the very next turn your opponent Sinkholes that Library. Yeah, you get your card back, but you were so excited to see Library in your opening hand...hopefully I'll draw my Eternal Witness!
that is not a very impressive play. wouldn't it be better to just blow up the walker instead of giving them another activation?
Probably, but this way I've also ruined their draw, and if they do decide to play the 'walker, given they know that I have Shambler in hand, they've used their mana on that instead of something else. 9 times out of 10 I'll take that, depending on the board and which particular planeswalker it is (if it's Elspeth Tirel, not that great. If it's Gideon, I'm pretty happy).
I think this card's a house and is one of the best reasons to go green. "Here, let's put that planeswalker on the top of your deck, I'll tutor for...Mold Shambler."
The more I play cube the more I like tutors, and I like this one a lot because when you don't need it to be a tutor it doesn't have to be.
Another one that I like more than Mind Control is Legacy's Allure, and especially if you're playing multiplayer. Not everyone can play around it, and not many decks can really play around it completely if played on turn 2. But, it definitely is a MUCH worse topdeck.
I run Delver in my cube, and I like him, especially with Mystical Tutor! I've built decks with this sort of strategy before, and they're sometimes successful. I have a great fondness for Snapcaster Mage, and he's at his best in a deck like this.
So you can add Mystical Tutor and Snapcaster Mage to the list of cards for this archetype, although it's not a stretch to run 'em.
I think this guy is absolutely obscene in a multiplayer Cube. Back when my cube was played multiplayer more often this was one of the best reasons to play white, and really helped tokens be more viable in multiplayer, and I found his ability to save himself a lot more important in multiplayer.
That said, I think he's outclassed in 1-1 games by the other big 6-drops that white has to offer, and particularly by Sun Titan, since as a non-flyer its the one it's most comparable to.
But that said, if token strategies start to appear in bigger numbers outside of white, this might become a nice addition. It might be something to look at in a later point in time.
If I'm choosing between Siege-Gang and Kiki-Jiki, I'd take Kiki-Jiki, just because the ability is so unique and it's great when a unique effect can still be so powerful.
But the two of them are unbelievably good together, and along with FTK make a wicked combo for red based midrange or control strategies. I'm not sure how big your cube is, but for me at 630 keeping both seems to be the way to go.
I haven't yet acquired a Zealous Conscripts or a Thundermaw Hellkite, so luckily I have a little less competition, but I'd look at cutting a 6-drop before one of the goblins.
I like the Whipcorder more but mostly because I think it's the 2nd best white Morph creature, and I want to keep at least 2 Morphs per color to keep people on their toes and not automatically know the creature is an Exalted Angel.
The "Wolf" Deck is pretty popular in my cube, too, I run all of these cards, plus Huntmaster of the Fells also works really good with the Mayor.
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Red has a ton of really awesome 4-drops that it really wants to get onto the battlefield fast. Why do I want to waste 2 turns and not be able to play my awesome 4-drop on curve? I think the card could be played, however I'd prefer to think of it as more of a utility guy and I play it when I have to, and not an aggro 3-drop, and for that I prefer Manic Vandal, as I don't have to pay for him twice.
If he had haste, I'd like him a lot more. I run Avalanche Riders and Keldon Champion, I'm OK with echo if I can attack the same turn I play it.
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I'm a big sucker for haste in red aggro, and 4 power of haste that leaves behind a 2/2 body has been solid for our red decks.
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I wish this card was more like Hull Breach, because the effect is awesome, and a 4 CMC multicolor sorcery should be awesome.
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That's not always the case. One item that comes up often in play, if I'm on the play and I mulligan, Library is definitely not an auto-win, and I don't think it's nearly the level of "Black Lotus, Land, Jace, the Mind Sculptor" on turn 1 in this on the play/mulligan situation.
I think the card's drawbacks are not being addressed fairly. Yes, drawn late, it is a land that produces colorless mana, so while it's not strictly a dead card, unless the card you require to advance/win the game is a land that ETB untapped (which admittedly does happen sometimes, but usually in those long games you're looking for business), it's still not helping you. Now, I realize that this is somewhat counterable by saying "it takes up a land slot in your deck," yes, that is true, but at the same time it took up a pick in the draft that could've been a business spell, which I think counts as a valid argument since this is a card that has very high draft demand and is often first picked.
Secondly, like I described in the first paragraph I wrote in this post, while it has the power level to dominate games, it has flaws that other cards that also do this don't...for example, let's take Pack Rat, which is also an early play that can dominate games. Mulliganing really helps in a deck with the Rat because you have more chances to draw him, however the Library becomes worse when you mulligan as not only does it's power not come through if found on a mulligan, but since it does occupy a land spot in your deck your hand also has one less colored mana producing land.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, as this was just to be fair,
The power of the card when it is active is astounding, and in my mind is WELL worth those drawbacks to take as a 1st pick.
Personally, I like it more than Jitte (creatures and artifacts are usually easier to deal with than lands), but not as much as Sol Ring.
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It's existence is one of the reasons why I make sure I have some method to deal with lands in all 5 colors. (Also because I like mana denial.)
If playing Library on the draw is one of the greatest plays in cube, one of the most disheartening might be if on the very next turn your opponent Sinkholes that Library. Yeah, you get your card back, but you were so excited to see Library in your opening hand...hopefully I'll draw my Eternal Witness!
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Probably, but this way I've also ruined their draw, and if they do decide to play the 'walker, given they know that I have Shambler in hand, they've used their mana on that instead of something else. 9 times out of 10 I'll take that, depending on the board and which particular planeswalker it is (if it's Elspeth Tirel, not that great. If it's Gideon, I'm pretty happy).
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The more I play cube the more I like tutors, and I like this one a lot because when you don't need it to be a tutor it doesn't have to be.
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So you can add Mystical Tutor and Snapcaster Mage to the list of cards for this archetype, although it's not a stretch to run 'em.
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That said, I think he's outclassed in 1-1 games by the other big 6-drops that white has to offer, and particularly by Sun Titan, since as a non-flyer its the one it's most comparable to.
But that said, if token strategies start to appear in bigger numbers outside of white, this might become a nice addition. It might be something to look at in a later point in time.
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But the two of them are unbelievably good together, and along with FTK make a wicked combo for red based midrange or control strategies. I'm not sure how big your cube is, but for me at 630 keeping both seems to be the way to go.
I haven't yet acquired a Zealous Conscripts or a Thundermaw Hellkite, so luckily I have a little less competition, but I'd look at cutting a 6-drop before one of the goblins.
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