Why do they have the rare foil sticker on the bottom? Ugh I hate that thing, I purposely try to buy older variants of cards to avoid that sticker. I thought these lands were common? Why are they rare?
Might be an authentication sticker rather than a rarity sticker. As these and steamflogger boss are the only "black" bordered cards.
What I find amusing is that although yes it has many good rares and mythics along with some uncommons and commons. The majority of the commons and uncommons so far have been not as powerful. I wonder if this is there new tactic to keep the packs more affordable.
First, like Tiro of Meletis was saying, focus on the races instead of the spirits.
Second, the flavor cannot choke the mechanics again and be unbending like it did in the original Kamigawa.
Third, flavor should be more familiar to a western audience.
Fourth, new mechanics to properly portray this kind of flavor.
With those in mind, Kamigawa can actually be a good, if not great, block.
Mercadia and Kamigawa are not going to happen in Standard anytime soon, if at all. Both where pretty reviled sets. Don't get me wrong, both had their good mechanics (Spellshapers for Mercadia, Bushido and Ninjitsu for Kamigawa), but overall, they were just horrendous badly made blocks. We will likely see them both in Auxiliary Products. Indeed, we have been seeing modern parts of Kamigawa show up in both Planechase 2, Commander, and recently in duel decks.
Both also were follow ups to blocks that WotC made way too strong for standard at that time (Urza to Mercadia, Mirrodin to Kamigawa). Masques and Kamigawa actually have brought not just many good mechanics, but also many many staple tournament cards that see play even today. Fun thing to know about Masques, once Urza's block rotated out, it became the backbone of many competitive decks. They are serviceable blocks that are actually good, not great, in quality in retrospection. Mercadian Masques and Kamigawa have also delivered quite a few powerful Commander decks.
"Horrendous badly made blocks" is too hyperbolic to be taken even with a grain of salt.
I would argue the only interesting "I Win The Game" card is Chance Encounter. And that is because their is a bit of suspense behind if the controller of it can reach ten victorious coin flips. Even with a Krark's Thumb as that only tilts the odds in their favor, not guarantees them a winning coin flip.
Also just with the activated ability: Not only does it allow her to ignore commander tax, not only does it give Derevi effectively flash, but it also makes it so Derevi sneak past a lot of counter spells or cards that outright ban you (Meddling Mage) from casting Derevi. Derevi in general might as well have a mana cost of infinity because you are rarely going to be hard casting her anyway. I think the only things that even deal with that activated ability are stuff Phyrexian Revoker and Pithing Needle, assuming the Derevi player doesn't have artifact removal on hand. The sheer value of that activated ability alone is such a valuable thing that I feel like I am taking crazy pills with how absurdly good it actually is in Commander.
Fun thought experiment (at least for me): Take Derevi's activated ability and move it onto another commander you could think of. The cost of that activated ability is equal to the commander's normal mana cost. Example: "R: Put Norin onto the battlefield from the command zone."
And as a follow up question to the thought experiment: Do you believe that is balanced on that commander?
Turn five = Cast mystic speculation twice with buyback.
Turn six = Same as the previous turn. Flip the artifact.
Second, the flavor cannot choke the mechanics again and be unbending like it did in the original Kamigawa.
Third, flavor should be more familiar to a western audience.
Fourth, new mechanics to properly portray this kind of flavor.
With those in mind, Kamigawa can actually be a good, if not great, block.
Both also were follow ups to blocks that WotC made way too strong for standard at that time (Urza to Mercadia, Mirrodin to Kamigawa). Masques and Kamigawa actually have brought not just many good mechanics, but also many many staple tournament cards that see play even today. Fun thing to know about Masques, once Urza's block rotated out, it became the backbone of many competitive decks. They are serviceable blocks that are actually good, not great, in quality in retrospection. Mercadian Masques and Kamigawa have also delivered quite a few powerful Commander decks.
"Horrendous badly made blocks" is too hyperbolic to be taken even with a grain of salt.
Negatives: Still has way too many 1-of non legendary cards.
1 Karona the False God
The Goddess' Avatars (2)
1 Transguild Courier
1 Scrapbasket
1 Coalition Victory
All That She Touches (2)
1 Prismatic Omen
1 Chromatic Lantern
34 Forests
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
Its basically a shell of a combo deck. It runs combo pieces. It runs pieces that protect the combo parts.
I mean if I really wanted to win in a boring and uninteresting way that is anti-climatic and ran innocuous pieces...
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
1 Paradox Haze
1 Prototype Portal
1 Copy Enchantment
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Copy Artifact
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Clever Impersonator
1 Academy Ruins
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Expedition Map
I would argue the only interesting "I Win The Game" card is Chance Encounter. And that is because their is a bit of suspense behind if the controller of it can reach ten victorious coin flips. Even with a Krark's Thumb as that only tilts the odds in their favor, not guarantees them a winning coin flip.
The best of the rings for her would be Xathrid and Evos.
Fun thought experiment (at least for me): Take Derevi's activated ability and move it onto another commander you could think of. The cost of that activated ability is equal to the commander's normal mana cost.
Example: "R: Put Norin onto the battlefield from the command zone."
And as a follow up question to the thought experiment: Do you believe that is balanced on that commander?