And lots of people are predictably, and somewhat justifiably, very annoyed by this because there's no good reason to name it Fountain of Ichor if they didn't want to invoke speculation - the word doesn't even have anything to do with oil outside of MTG's use of it as an alias for Glistening Oil. If you draw your definition from English in general, it's a badly chosen nonsense name. If you draw your definition from the context of MTG, it's yet another obnoxious red-herring meant to stir speculation, which I would have thought they would learn to do better or not do at all by now.
How could they call it to avoid the issue? Fountain of Oil would be even worse...
Could have just not referencing a card with oil in this way? Or maybe on another plane, or made the flavor text clear this was the being of industry etc. Also it animating an artifact dinosaur is a huge phyrexian link, it could have something different. Then every card with Ichor in bar Ichorid relates to Phyrexians/the glistening oil. Could have used black gold, crude, petroleum wellspring etc. I feel the name, ability and flavor text must have been apparent it hinted at phyrexians, if they didn't want that speculation they had alternatives, and even if they have no intention of doing a phyrexia on Ixalan, why shut the speculation down and not just let people stay intrigued.
Still, shut down now, no dino engines...at least not compleated ones.
Did a double take too on Fountain of Ichor
I'm unsure if it's just using the term as a generic one for oil/tar. As I feel they could have named it as such/differently, and the fact it appears to animate an artifact dinosaur is such a strong link. Ichor was used on a lot of phyrexian related cards, the fact it says something differently entirely seems more ominous than them simply hitting oil to me. Of course the flip side is, if it was meant to be Glistening oil, why is it they have to dig deep for it, and it not be starting to appear on the surface of the world, which is what it seems to generally do. Lets them just hint, let people speculate, then use it in future if they wish to, phyrexian dinosaurs would sell..
I don't mind it, but in a multiplayer game I'd expect any triggers to occur. If player X swings in with a load of lifelink at player Y, and Y scoops in response, I will give X those lifelink triggers and would expect the same in return, same with any on attack triggers, when this deals damage etc. Scooping to deny someone those sort of triggers is to me childish and spiteful. To compare it to football/soccer, and I know this isn't the best comparison but to me it's similar, it would be like Team X being 2-0 up at Half time, and Team Y saying they don't want to play the rest and so it ends 2-0, when Team X were dominating and need the opportunity to up their Goal difference as they're fighting relegation/promotion.
Shelved him to bring him back at a later date, not surprised at all, but it gets rather repetitive.
Let me guess...
A) Emrakul senses him in there and gets him out for some purpose, or possesses him, mutates his form etc.
B) We have another Phyrexian set regarding planar portals and at their moment of defeat they somehow let him out and it turns out they've had dealings with him as it's all part of the plan.
Seems inferior to others in the cycle to me. Stealing a creature for a turn is generally 3-4 mana, we have Act of Treason in standard right now from Allegiance. So you're basically paying another 3 mana...for a shock. It seems a very poor offering, even in limited it ain't great. Would it have killed them to steal a creature and say give it double strike, deals double damage, gets trample and +x/+x etc until EOT, at least that makes it worth something and seems more fitting to the guilds partnership
Not had a good luck at the ratio of draw, removal etc.
But right away a big concern for me is that a lot of your cards granting +1 counters are single use sorceries/instants, you have a few ways to give the Dog hexproof or no combat damage occurring, but it can still be removed reasonably often if you don't have the right card to hand and there's not too many ways to have it say survive a board wipe, where now all your counters are lost with its death.
So a few more permanent ways to give it counters repeatedly...
Artifact/Equipment wise which was my main idea, since they'll survive at least creature removal.. Armory of Iroas Blade of the bloodchief (assuming you're in a multiplier environment they'll be enough death going on, 1vs 1 maybe not as impactful but still decent) Dragon Blood Yes its a horribly overcosted ability, but being green you may well have a bit of mana to spare at times, and its guaranteed counters and I highly doubt many would waste removal on it.. Power Conduit, as long as he has a counter on to start with (or something does to start it off), it's take one give two..
Few enchantments which are relevant.. Curse of Predation, politics and benefits you a fair bit Death's Presence high cmc but I'd say you run enough creatures to make this relevant..
There are a few more albeit also high cmc and as you say you want to keep it low as possible
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Could have just not referencing a card with oil in this way? Or maybe on another plane, or made the flavor text clear this was the being of industry etc. Also it animating an artifact dinosaur is a huge phyrexian link, it could have something different. Then every card with Ichor in bar Ichorid relates to Phyrexians/the glistening oil. Could have used black gold, crude, petroleum wellspring etc. I feel the name, ability and flavor text must have been apparent it hinted at phyrexians, if they didn't want that speculation they had alternatives, and even if they have no intention of doing a phyrexia on Ixalan, why shut the speculation down and not just let people stay intrigued.
Still, shut down now, no dino engines...at least not compleated ones.
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I'm unsure if it's just using the term as a generic one for oil/tar. As I feel they could have named it as such/differently, and the fact it appears to animate an artifact dinosaur is such a strong link. Ichor was used on a lot of phyrexian related cards, the fact it says something differently entirely seems more ominous than them simply hitting oil to me. Of course the flip side is, if it was meant to be Glistening oil, why is it they have to dig deep for it, and it not be starting to appear on the surface of the world, which is what it seems to generally do. Lets them just hint, let people speculate, then use it in future if they wish to, phyrexian dinosaurs would sell..
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...apart from that though a nice inclusion for Ishkanah.
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You're sick...
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Let me guess...
A) Emrakul senses him in there and gets him out for some purpose, or possesses him, mutates his form etc.
B) We have another Phyrexian set regarding planar portals and at their moment of defeat they somehow let him out and it turns out they've had dealings with him as it's all part of the plan.
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but yeah, fantastic value, either with superfriends or there's enough counters on creatures for it to be very impactful.
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But right away a big concern for me is that a lot of your cards granting +1 counters are single use sorceries/instants, you have a few ways to give the Dog hexproof or no combat damage occurring, but it can still be removed reasonably often if you don't have the right card to hand and there's not too many ways to have it say survive a board wipe, where now all your counters are lost with its death.
So a few more permanent ways to give it counters repeatedly...
Creatures..
Immaculate Magistrate
Ivy Lane Denizen
and just a shout out to these single use but decent options..
Jugan, the Rising Star
and Vastwood Hydra
Artifact/Equipment wise which was my main idea, since they'll survive at least creature removal..
Armory of Iroas
Blade of the bloodchief (assuming you're in a multiplier environment they'll be enough death going on, 1vs 1 maybe not as impactful but still decent)
Dragon Blood Yes its a horribly overcosted ability, but being green you may well have a bit of mana to spare at times, and its guaranteed counters and I highly doubt many would waste removal on it..
Power Conduit, as long as he has a counter on to start with (or something does to start it off), it's take one give two..
Few enchantments which are relevant..
Curse of Predation, politics and benefits you a fair bit
Death's Presence high cmc but I'd say you run enough creatures to make this relevant..
There are a few more albeit also high cmc and as you say you want to keep it low as possible