I would say he is popular as he has been reprinted before. It fits with the Theros enchantment theme, and with the rumor that there will be Shard 3-color cards in the set.
While I personally believe that this is real, I’m a bit confused as to why people think that “cycling” is a point to realism?
Gavin did say that 8 mechanics would be returning... in the commander decks... which I doubt that these box-toppers are from.
Further, it sounds like people would be making the same claim to realism for a wide array of mechanics that could’ve returned back. I don’t recall anything being said about cycling in particular.
I think that maybe 1 or 2 of the returned mechanics are in the main set, he did not say that all 8 returned mechanics are exclusive to the commander decks.
Honestly, I feel the good run we had with Guilds was a fluke and now we're back to 3-4 color good stuff decks again. Aside from fringe decks and mono red, every deck is mono-, poly- or tri- color blue. The Golgari deck became Sultai, white weenie became Azorious, Dimir added white, Selesnya went Bant, and don't get me started on that stupid Gates deck. The only decks untouched are mono U tempo and Izzet drakes.
WotC succeeded in turning standard into mini-modern; degenerate blue combo decks or hyper agro red. Midrange is mostly dead due being controlled out or raced by agro.
Standard going to be a long stretch of red deck wins vs Blue/x Goodstuff.
100% agree with this, and the Bo1 Arena ban does nothing to change this. The add blue trend will continue, waiting for March Banlist.
What about those times when you are tapped out with the Enchantment removal in hand, but have to wait for your opponent to finish their 5 turn sequence and lose anyway, because now they are just ahead anyway.
Lol ppl here complaining about nexus too. I still have only lost to nexus decks once. Just play a counterspell and kill them. They usually cant play that many nexi
I don't believe in isolation that Nexus is the problem, but I do believe the combination with Wilderness is over the top. I have played a game, where my game ended on turn 5, while my opponent reached like turn 12.
I also believe the only reason Wilderness is a problem, is because there are so many cards that probably should have been sorceries: Growth Spiral, Nexus, everything with Addendum, The Jump Start Draw cards, etc...
So I dont generally lurk around these parts, but after a few hours last night in Arena, things I would watch for.
Light up the Stage and Skewer the Critics make burn a real issue. A very cheap and basic list can do some stupid things by Turn 3 if they get a Steam-Kin to stick on Turn 2.
I agree that Wilderness Reclamation is the problem, each one on the field is effectively an extra turn, because all the cards are instants. And Nexus of Fate just doubles the current effective turns a player has.
Zur the Enchanter
I would say he is popular as he has been reprinted before. It fits with the Theros enchantment theme, and with the rumor that there will be Shard 3-color cards in the set.
I think that maybe 1 or 2 of the returned mechanics are in the main set, he did not say that all 8 returned mechanics are exclusive to the commander decks.
Also a Noivern in the lower right... catering for the new school kids.
100% agree with this, and the Bo1 Arena ban does nothing to change this. The add blue trend will continue, waiting for March Banlist.
I don't believe in isolation that Nexus is the problem, but I do believe the combination with Wilderness is over the top. I have played a game, where my game ended on turn 5, while my opponent reached like turn 12.
I also believe the only reason Wilderness is a problem, is because there are so many cards that probably should have been sorceries: Growth Spiral, Nexus, everything with Addendum, The Jump Start Draw cards, etc...
I agree that Wilderness Reclamation is the problem, each one on the field is effectively an extra turn, because all the cards are instants. And Nexus of Fate just doubles the current effective turns a player has.
1 Wilderness Reclamation + 1 Nexus of Fate = 4 Effective Turns
2 Wilderness Reclamation + 1 Nexus of Fate = 6 Effective Turns
Etc...
It is broken, I just start watching Youtube on the side in MTG Arena, while my opponent plays with themselves.