Kheru Lich lord is one of those cards that is just asking for too much. It looks like a fun card, but its just got too much going on. Wizards designs these bomby cards that people want to play, but we just can't. They just need to make something that's cheaper and simpler, then maybe people would play these cards over a diverse range of formats. In comparison to that Mardu Demon, this card is a disappointment. Had I designed this card...
Kheru Lich Lord BGU
Creature - Zombie Wizard (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, return a card at random from your graveyard to your hand.
3/3
So simple. So playable. Not broken. The random factor minimizes shenanigans. Returning any card allows for creatures (black) spells (blue) and all cards (green) to work together in harmony. It's a 3/3 to make sure it's not terribly weak, as black and green have strong creatures, and blue has a high toughness. Anyhow, this is what I would have made. Many decks would have played it, and I think it's far from broken. It's a lot better than what we got, however...
So your idea of not broken is a 3/3 for 3 mana that draws you a card a turn... Lol. That card is absurd.
Wow, Tusker is so incredibly bland, I feel like it could have been uncommon.. I don't see anything UR about that card at all. I mean that's a worse Provoke.
People who think this is bad have clearly never played with Broodmate Dragon. Two big flying dudes from one card is a sweet deal. Mono-coloured makes it even more versatile than Broodmate was too.
This is significantly less versatile than a broodmate. You can't really play this in a deck with less than 20 creatures and expect it to be good. That means it can't really be a finisher in a control deck, and at 5 its probably just a bit too expensive for a very aggressive deck which relegates it to all mid range all the time. It's still a fine card and since standard is heavy midrange these days I fully expect it to see play but it is worse than broodmate by a good margin.
I really don't like this mechanic being used this way
Basically, you have a mythic that says you can pay 3WW for a below the curve unimpressive creature, or you have to jump through the small hoop of satisfying raid to get the real value out of the card and get your bodies.
All raid is acting is as a contrived hurdle, just a drawback requirement in addition to casting the spell.
That's kind of the point. I don't view raid as an upside mechanic. It is a downside mechanic that lets them print powerful effects for cheaper than normal mana investment.
It's also nice that is promotes good play in newer players (as playing spells post combat is generally correct).
Feels kinda weird at mythic but it is fairly sweet. Seems like it belongs in a junk midrange list. Resilient creatures means you will be attacking regularly and have a good chance of firing this guy off for max value.
Monoblack's power comes from the consistency of Pack Rat, the oppressive power or Lifebane Zombie, the ability of Underworld Connections to keep up with Revelation and the lack of good answers to Desecration Demon. Without Thoughtseize mono-black would still exist by using some other disruption spell like Duress.
Except it didn't. All those cards existed before Thoughtseize came into rotation and the deck was a non-starter.
Both mono black and mono blue spawned as decks as a direct result of Theros block. Those are the 2 most played archetypes in the format comprising some 36% of the metagame at a glance so I don't understand how you can claim that it didn't spawn any new archetypes.
I should also point out that expecting a block to create new archetypes is a bit of a high standard. Most block don't introduce archetypes until rotation of the previous block. Even Zendikar with Jace and Stoneforge didn't really spawn archetypes until the very tail end of Alara's term with that UW control deck Chapin played.
The people complaining that Theros was underpowered are either just seeing what they want to see or haven't played standard recently. All of the top decks exist almost solely on the back of Theros block cards with the exception of UW.
For eternal formats we even got Eidolon of the Great Revel, Courser of Kruphix, and Anger of the Gods which have all already seen reasonable play in modern. People who expect more than a handful of cards from a block to be playable in modern or legacy need to manage their expectations. That is not the norm. Is 3 low? Maybe, maybe not but not by a significant margin if it is.
That's not to say there aren't complaints that can be lodged against Theros block. I definitely agree that Born of the Gods was abysmal, the mechanics were uninspired (sorry, I had to) and there were no real standout cards. The enchantment theme wasn't really a theme. How disappointing is it that in the standard with the enchantment block the best enchantment in the format is Underworld Connections, a card NOT from the block? I feel the rest of the block had excellent mechanics but I would not fault you for calling the block a failure as a whole because of these issues. However to call the cards underpowered, or to claim that they have had minimal impact on standard is a blatantly uninformed opinion. New sets almost ALWAYS have minimal impact on legacy and modern, RTR was a freak accident which even the rest of it's own block couldn't follow up on, so you cannot really count it against Theros block.
I am currently running Horde of Notions as my 5c general in a God themed deck. I find that Horde is the best because you get the excellent synergy with Maelstrom Wanderer and Maelstrom Wanderer is sweet in a deck based on getting a bunch of 4 and 5 mana permanents into play. Certainly play Child of Alara in the deck as it's great, but I prefer Horde in the hot seat.
As a random sidenote might I suggest open the vaults/replenish/living death/patriarch's bidding along with survival of the fittest to set up some sweet turns.
There are 3 people in my meta already running Marath so I am not particularly interested in it. I've considered Rith instead but I have played Rith before so meh.
I am putting together a list for Gahiji, Honored One and I am looking for the most cost efficient token producers. Storm Herd is all well and good but 10 mana is many mana. I want things that are cheaper, like Sengir Autocrat but on color.
I think sultai charm is still the best one but abzan is definitely number 2.
Seems pretty sweet though.
So your idea of not broken is a 3/3 for 3 mana that draws you a card a turn... Lol. That card is absurd.
It already was uncommon! Sort of...
This is significantly less versatile than a broodmate. You can't really play this in a deck with less than 20 creatures and expect it to be good. That means it can't really be a finisher in a control deck, and at 5 its probably just a bit too expensive for a very aggressive deck which relegates it to all mid range all the time. It's still a fine card and since standard is heavy midrange these days I fully expect it to see play but it is worse than broodmate by a good margin.
That's kind of the point. I don't view raid as an upside mechanic. It is a downside mechanic that lets them print powerful effects for cheaper than normal mana investment.
It's also nice that is promotes good play in newer players (as playing spells post combat is generally correct).
Except it didn't. All those cards existed before Thoughtseize came into rotation and the deck was a non-starter.
Both mono black and mono blue spawned as decks as a direct result of Theros block. Those are the 2 most played archetypes in the format comprising some 36% of the metagame at a glance so I don't understand how you can claim that it didn't spawn any new archetypes.
I should also point out that expecting a block to create new archetypes is a bit of a high standard. Most block don't introduce archetypes until rotation of the previous block. Even Zendikar with Jace and Stoneforge didn't really spawn archetypes until the very tail end of Alara's term with that UW control deck Chapin played.
Monoblack's power comes from Thoughtseize and Gray Merchant (with Hero's Downfall giving it more outs to planeswalkers, a card type which has always plagued black). Monoblue couldn't be a deck without Master of Waves or Thassa. Monsters would be awful without Polukranos, Stormbreath Dragon, and Xenagos. Jund walkers needs Sylvan Caryatid, Courser, and Xenagos. Even UW, the deck that relys the least Theros cards runs Dissolve which is critical to it's success and Elspeth is it's finisher of choice when it plays one. And lest we forget the scry lands which are all-stars. The red decks all play Eidolon of the Great Revel and Firedrinker Satyr.
For eternal formats we even got Eidolon of the Great Revel, Courser of Kruphix, and Anger of the Gods which have all already seen reasonable play in modern. People who expect more than a handful of cards from a block to be playable in modern or legacy need to manage their expectations. That is not the norm. Is 3 low? Maybe, maybe not but not by a significant margin if it is.
That's not to say there aren't complaints that can be lodged against Theros block. I definitely agree that Born of the Gods was abysmal, the mechanics were uninspired (sorry, I had to) and there were no real standout cards. The enchantment theme wasn't really a theme. How disappointing is it that in the standard with the enchantment block the best enchantment in the format is Underworld Connections, a card NOT from the block? I feel the rest of the block had excellent mechanics but I would not fault you for calling the block a failure as a whole because of these issues. However to call the cards underpowered, or to claim that they have had minimal impact on standard is a blatantly uninformed opinion. New sets almost ALWAYS have minimal impact on legacy and modern, RTR was a freak accident which even the rest of it's own block couldn't follow up on, so you cannot really count it against Theros block.
As a random sidenote might I suggest open the vaults/replenish/living death/patriarch's bidding along with survival of the fittest to set up some sweet turns.
There are 3 people in my meta already running Marath so I am not particularly interested in it. I've considered Rith instead but I have played Rith before so meh.
What are some of the best ways to make duders?