Time for my normal gripe on FTV sets. I just have to ask if anyone has ever seen one of these for MSRP? I haven't, but I would definitely buy multiples if I did. I just hate that these end up being so inflated. They don't help the players, don't make things more accessible and the MSRP is a joke. All they do is give secondary market stores with access to them a means of gaining an enourmous profit margin on a boxed product.
They used to consider these exempt from the reserve list, but not anymore. New FTV sets follow reserve list rules.
Both of the game stores I've frequented sold FTVs at MSRP. If you have multiple gaming stores within roadtrip distance, which seems likely, you should call around and check -- I bet you can find a store that will do a preorder.
Edited: the format I wanted to mention doesn't work with this set because of the flip cards. My fault. I had this really long post too...
You should post it up anyway, it could be useful for people in this situation who have other sets on hand. I know I'm always looking for new ways to draft with small groups.
That's true, but we're at P1P6 already - how many more good ones are you expecting to see?
Falkenrath Torturers go pretty late, right? One or two of those would be fun. You're totally right, though, that we can't even begin to count on a sacrifice themed deck coming together. I vote Gather because I like it better in a vacuum than Thalia, the synergy with Flayer and whatever else we might get is only a small bonus.
Thalia's ability is very likely to hurt us as much as it helps us. For starters, it makes Increasing Devotion cost 6. Her body is good, but two 1/1s is also good presence for two mana and the tokens have some nice added benefits. I think it would be a mistake not to get Gather here.
I'm glad we're not taking the Inquisitor, because I'm really not convinced by that guy so far. Between the other two, I like Niblis better than Seakite -- the latter is a stronger card in a vacuum, but I think it's close enough that staying in white pushes Niblis ahead. I wouldn't even consider that if there was a huge power difference between the cards, but in this case (and with this vry powerful P1P1) I think it makes enough of a difference.
I'm also probably a little biased toward Niblis because it's more aggressive, and even with the format slowed down a little I still think that's the best place to be.
Yeah, the people who were arguing for Stalker are the people who should make you punch the air with joy when you're paired against them. There's something to be said for the argument that red isn't a very strong color in the format, but Volley is just a better card by miles and miles and Stalker is really not good enough to first pick.
Had a looong game 2 today at the midnight DKA prere, following a looong game 1. My UB skaab control vs his UW control. In the second game we jammed up the board pretty well with multiple large ground dudes on his side and one large dude plus Rats and Skeleton on mine. I got fliers eventually, but he kept making 1/1 tokens from Mausoleum Guards, Midnight Haunting, and Geist-Honored Monk. Meanwhile he had hit me a lot of times with a Shriekgeist, and that plus my own self-milling had me almost out of cards. I finally start drawing into solid removal, and eventually end up spending the back side of Sever the Bloodline on his Geist and then Tragic Slip and Claustrophobia on 1/1 tokens. Got in with my Murder of Crows on my last possible turn and won with zero cards in library, just as the buzzer went off for turns. The card on top of his library was a Nephalia Drownyard.
Blademaster usually acts like a Grey Ogre at the very least, and it does have an upside -- I agree that it's not great, but I have a hard time seeing that as unplayable.
Quote from Maverick78f »
I feel it's subpar. In comparison with the Village Ironsmith, it seems weaker, and I've never considered ironsmith as good, but rather decent. The marginal uses you invoke look both rare and not that much game breaking.
It might be seen as a little too obvious, but I think the best bet is to do a series of single color FTVs. Presumably starting with FtV:White and going through the five, then maybe Land. Not the most novel and unique concept, I know, but it would give them plenty of leeway to choose fifteen really exciting cards for each box.
+1 for mono-Boar. It's not the best, but it's acceptable in pretty much any green deck. I know that crazy Lumberknot plays can happen, but I've never seen one myself, so I'm a little skeptical about how frequent they are... usually I've been able to just ignore an enemy knot and swing past it. Higher potential, but lower average. Granted, this may be because of my strong tendency to play aggressive decks.
Imagine if Avacyn is toying with Innistrad. That is to say, what if she's the cause of good and evil as part of some sense of "balance" and justice? Like that mediocre movie Judas or whatever with Keanu Reeves. I could see a plot twist of that kind happening.
I'm still betting on an eventual Avacyn // Griselbrand double-faced card.
Wrest Control - 1R
Instant
Untap target permanent and gain control of it until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn and deals damage to you equal to its converted mana cost.
i like this one from the print this thread. i think it's from a while back and i forget who posted it. it's probably overpowered but i'd play it at 2R or RR. it should also probably say nonenchantment, although red can grab enchantments with word of seizing.
That's another one of mine, actually. I'd say it's definitely "too strong to print" as-is, although 2R or 1RR might work. It's certainly a pretty good anti-planeswalker bullet, if we end up looking for one of those.
The two creature-based threateners posted here are both good, and I like that they can be used to beat face even if the other guy doesn't have any creatures. Ghost Rider is my favorite, but either could work depending on where we need guys on the curve.
Both of the game stores I've frequented sold FTVs at MSRP. If you have multiple gaming stores within roadtrip distance, which seems likely, you should call around and check -- I bet you can find a store that will do a preorder.
You should post it up anyway, it could be useful for people in this situation who have other sets on hand. I know I'm always looking for new ways to draft with small groups.
Falkenrath Torturers go pretty late, right? One or two of those would be fun. You're totally right, though, that we can't even begin to count on a sacrifice themed deck coming together. I vote Gather because I like it better in a vacuum than Thalia, the synergy with Flayer and whatever else we might get is only a small bonus.
I'm also probably a little biased toward Niblis because it's more aggressive, and even with the format slowed down a little I still think that's the best place to be.
Requiem Angel says non-Spirit, not non-Token.
Hermit gets in for 2 before flipping.
More like, the sheer number of oblivious people on the internet has made it difficult to tell when someone is being sarcastic.
Bateleur only has 1 life, and he can't block the Intimidate guy.
I'm still betting on an eventual Avacyn // Griselbrand double-faced card.
That's another one of mine, actually. I'd say it's definitely "too strong to print" as-is, although 2R or 1RR might work. It's certainly a pretty good anti-planeswalker bullet, if we end up looking for one of those.
The two creature-based threateners posted here are both good, and I like that they can be used to beat face even if the other guy doesn't have any creatures. Ghost Rider is my favorite, but either could work depending on where we need guys on the curve.