@rantipole: I already preemptively made the point about Counterspell - try reading the whole of my post
I can't think of too many other situations when I wouldn't be happy with anything flipped over from this. The Counterspell scenario is also pretty unlikely, and could happen for any cascade card. Bituminous Blast flipping Spell Snare also equates to 4 damage for 5 mana - not great. Those are the risks you take!
It seems to me like one of those cards everyone races to spit on at first and when someone finally puts it to good use, pretends that they liked it all along - Stillmoon Cavalier and Wall of Reverence being two good recent examples. Consider you are playing 3 for another card that costs between 1-4 mana, but also that card is a bonus card on top of the effect of the bounce. I think a lot of people are underrating it. It's obviously not as good as Bituminous Blast because for the same mana cost (5) you are getting Cascade + a 2 mana effect (Boomerang) rather than Cascade plus a 3 mana effect (Flame Javelin)*, but it is a different card. If it sucks in practice, after having been given play time and fair evaluation and after all knee-jerk reactions, I'll sure be the first to admit it.
There's a lot of other Cascade cards I wouldn't consider playing, however.
On another note, I would like to see Cascade come back on some monocoloured cards at a later point - a fair few of the Cascade cards have no business being gold at all (Bituminous Blast, Deny Reality, Demonic Dread) and Cascade doesn't have a particular allegiance to any one colour or pair. The risk would be having enough Cascade cards to make a entire deck with Cascade
Demonspine Whip: worth it?
*Which even then isn't as good as the three mana effect, because it can't target a player.
There's not a fair comparison to make with Aven Fisher. Wall of Mulch is pure woof, but Wall of Blossoms is in every Cube. Even then, having a 2/2 flying beater for 4 that immediately replaces itself - seems better to me in many decks than a 0/4 for 2 that replaces itself. Even Elvish Visionary already makes the cut in a fair few cubes as a cantripping 1/1 for 2. The Falcons is also the only one of those three that provides an offensive force.
The fact that the Messenger Falcon is in the two colours that give Blink effects (e.g. Momentary Blink and Galepowder Mage) is just delicious gravy.
Ooh, I remember the Pendulum from the Mir prerelease - I opened two of them! They were allstars that day.
I might give that a try.
I am recommending "Ach! Hans, Run!" to anyone who runs with Un cards - Sneak Attack on steroids. It's one of the best Academy Rector targets in the Cube and makes the clock very short if not dealt with.
I have been thinking about all the Cascade spells a little. The Deny Reality (bounce a permanent for 5 with cascade) gets better the more I think about it. You would be happy with pretty much any good 4-mana or less effect when bouncing a permanent. Think about it. In the worst case scenario, you may flip a generic 2/2 or something. Still, you get a 5 mana Man-O'-War that can target any type of permanent. In any Cube though, any creature you flip will be far better than a Grizzly Bears. Even flipping a Wonder or Leonin Skyhunter makes this a Riftwing Cloudskate.
Consider also the possibility of turning over a Damnation or Cryptic Command. Destroy all creatures and bounce a land, or bounce two permanents and draw a card. A Diabolic Servitude? Even a lowly Serum Visions, Shock, or Thoughtseize tacked to this effect is somewhat awesome.
I think that most of the cards in Cube should be good enough that you are getting a deal for anything you reveal. Unless it's a counterspell
I am definitely stoked to try Deny Reality for all its innocuity, and I think it has massive potential.
As for Sen Triplets, I think that card is immensely overrated at the moment. It is a good candidate for Cube though, for sure. Your opponent basically needs to topdeck the answer straight away.
A word for my main man Thraximundar, although he hasn't got much love on here. Against any deck other than devoted control, he is at the very least a Cruel Edict and swing for 7. He might be the perfect finisher (other than Bolas ;)) in U/B/R control, my personal most-drafted archetype. He goes nicely with any recursion spells, too. I will probably kick out Cruel Ultimatum for him, which is just too awkward to play in Cube.
I also really like Engima Sphinx and might give it a trial.
One last thing: has anyone else noticed how sick Messenger Falcons is?
I think most of the Cascade spells have potential, although those three seem best to me.
The thing with Cascade is that it is always card advantage right? So I guess it can make an innocuous effect like Stormcaller's Boon into a good card. I would play Ardent Plea and possibly the 5-mana Boomerang with Cascade, among some others. They might turn out terrible, but I have high hopes for the bounce spell. The problem with those bounce cards is that they are inherent card disadvantage... well not any more!
Even the 5/5 for 6 mana GW guy has promise - imagine the card text printed in full, outside reminder brackets, in a set without Cascade. It would be getting plenty of attention here. The only problem is the volume of good G/W stuff, and this set brings a lot more to the table. Dauntless Escort and the Pridemage are auto-include, in my book.
Also I'd like to add that the Blodbraid Elf is one of the sickest creatures I've ever seen. And she's an elf
Good call r_e, and I already pre-ordered a playset for about £4 a few days back, just because I couldn't believe how cheap these were. Even if it never sees constructed play, it's a 10 out of 10 casual card, with cracking art to boot.
I must say I was surprised to see how low these guys are selling. Still it's our gain!
People were complaining of Magic going the OTHER way 13 years ago when suddenly Necropotence hit the environment. Pure control (The Deck) and aggro-tempo (ErhnaGeddon) couldn't deal with suicide necro. I'm sure some otherwise dedicated Magic players quit after seeing a whole season dominated by black decks and anti-black sideboard hate. In general, people hated saying goodbye to marginally curving midrange fellas like Sengir Vampire and Serra Angel, which had been finishers since Alpha. In an environment where you are being outdrawn 5 or 6 to 1, creatures are a luxury.
Now the pendulum has swung many times, and currently rests the other way. Most decks in t2 right now have some creatures, and this is due to a sea change at Wizards favoring combat and interactive play. Creatures are undercosted, slathered with special abilities, and combat itself enriched with new complexities. Now stalling for time to assemble a combo is the luxury here. You either have a team, or you shut down their team. Maybe in Zendikar the pendulum will start to swing the other way, and give us better counterspells and new toys, but I think Wizards feels they are closer to the "roots" of the card game itself, when tournaments revolve around swinging with creatures and using combat tricks.
As for skill vs. luck, look at what you said about control and think. Creature based formats can be very dull without some added complexities to the combat phase. Now combat is much more complicated and skill-intensive than it used to be, perhaps more so than ever since the 6th Ed rules overhaul. The "smart kids" have to be smarter overall now than ever before. Yes, certain combo decks in the past were brainbenders; tracking mana, spells, cards left in library, etc. for combo decks required skill. I argue that today's interactive metagame requires that same level of skill. Control is seen as reactive, not interactive, so has gotten a lot of its tools nerfed and forced into the red zone on the backs of creatures or creature auras. Some people don't like that level of complexity forced on them. They long for the simpler days of Draw-Go and maybe, just maybe, some future block will send the pendulum swinging back their way. But I think those days are far off, if not over.
QFT. Well said that man.
Control is still a possible and powerful archetype, but I think the game is all the better for encouraging interactivity. Those who ever played the game when Ponza was around will probably agree!
I think Magic is in a very healthy state, personally.
Aven Mimeomancer
Wall of Denial (this is just totally evil!)
Mask of Riddles
Soul Manipulation
Bituminous Blast
Defiler of Souls
Lightning Reaver
Bloodbraid Elf
Dauntless Escort
Qasali Pridemage
Mycoid Shepherd
Necromancer's Covenant
Zealous Persecution
Spellbound Dragon
Lord of Extinction
Maelstrom Pulse
Glory of Warfare
Intimidation Bolt
Sages of the Anima
Thraximundar
Uril, the Miststalker
I think these reviews are superbly written and well thought out, congratulations.
I think that Pulse should be a little higher, however. The card is just so versatile. It can also see use just to clear mass tokens, especially in the double Bitterblossom scenario that you evoked. Three mana to nuke near anything is just really solid.
I agree that Bloodbraid Elf is the nuts and is my first pick, too. I am excited to play with that one for sure.
EDIT: Also, the Anathemancer has the potential to be colossal in the current environment. Resolving and recurring this guy could easily be 8 or 10 damage, and I think he will be important before long especially against 5CC.
That was indeed one of the goals of Mythics, and was one of their main points to sell it to us back in the day! I think Mythics benefit us more than harm us, getting hold of Planeswalkers notwithstanding. 'Staple' rares come up more commonly than these 'flashy' ones. It makes no sense when someone complains about a bad Mythic; I mean, would you rather it was rare and Maelstrom Pulse was the Mythic? Have fun getting your playset!
I like all these, and would be happy to crack any of them. My favourite is the Defiler, but I think strongest is probably Jenara.
I can't think of too many other situations when I wouldn't be happy with anything flipped over from this. The Counterspell scenario is also pretty unlikely, and could happen for any cascade card. Bituminous Blast flipping Spell Snare also equates to 4 damage for 5 mana - not great. Those are the risks you take!
It seems to me like one of those cards everyone races to spit on at first and when someone finally puts it to good use, pretends that they liked it all along - Stillmoon Cavalier and Wall of Reverence being two good recent examples. Consider you are playing 3 for another card that costs between 1-4 mana, but also that card is a bonus card on top of the effect of the bounce. I think a lot of people are underrating it. It's obviously not as good as Bituminous Blast because for the same mana cost (5) you are getting Cascade + a 2 mana effect (Boomerang) rather than Cascade plus a 3 mana effect (Flame Javelin)*, but it is a different card. If it sucks in practice, after having been given play time and fair evaluation and after all knee-jerk reactions, I'll sure be the first to admit it.
There's a lot of other Cascade cards I wouldn't consider playing, however.
On another note, I would like to see Cascade come back on some monocoloured cards at a later point - a fair few of the Cascade cards have no business being gold at all (Bituminous Blast, Deny Reality, Demonic Dread) and Cascade doesn't have a particular allegiance to any one colour or pair. The risk would be having enough Cascade cards to make a entire deck with Cascade
Demonspine Whip: worth it?
*Which even then isn't as good as the three mana effect, because it can't target a player.
There's not a fair comparison to make with Aven Fisher. Wall of Mulch is pure woof, but Wall of Blossoms is in every Cube. Even then, having a 2/2 flying beater for 4 that immediately replaces itself - seems better to me in many decks than a 0/4 for 2 that replaces itself. Even Elvish Visionary already makes the cut in a fair few cubes as a cantripping 1/1 for 2. The Falcons is also the only one of those three that provides an offensive force.
The fact that the Messenger Falcon is in the two colours that give Blink effects (e.g. Momentary Blink and Galepowder Mage) is just delicious gravy.
I might give that a try.
I am recommending "Ach! Hans, Run!" to anyone who runs with Un cards - Sneak Attack on steroids. It's one of the best Academy Rector targets in the Cube and makes the clock very short if not dealt with.
Consider also the possibility of turning over a Damnation or Cryptic Command. Destroy all creatures and bounce a land, or bounce two permanents and draw a card. A Diabolic Servitude? Even a lowly Serum Visions, Shock, or Thoughtseize tacked to this effect is somewhat awesome.
I think that most of the cards in Cube should be good enough that you are getting a deal for anything you reveal. Unless it's a counterspell
I am definitely stoked to try Deny Reality for all its innocuity, and I think it has massive potential.
As for Sen Triplets, I think that card is immensely overrated at the moment. It is a good candidate for Cube though, for sure. Your opponent basically needs to topdeck the answer straight away.
A word for my main man Thraximundar, although he hasn't got much love on here. Against any deck other than devoted control, he is at the very least a Cruel Edict and swing for 7. He might be the perfect finisher (other than Bolas ;)) in U/B/R control, my personal most-drafted archetype. He goes nicely with any recursion spells, too. I will probably kick out Cruel Ultimatum for him, which is just too awkward to play in Cube.
I also really like Engima Sphinx and might give it a trial.
One last thing: has anyone else noticed how sick Messenger Falcons is?
Can you bring the pictures back next round? Somehow makes it easier
I plan on insuring my Cube once I have it near-finished, I'm terrified of losing it in a fire or some such.
The thing with Cascade is that it is always card advantage right? So I guess it can make an innocuous effect like Stormcaller's Boon into a good card. I would play Ardent Plea and possibly the 5-mana Boomerang with Cascade, among some others. They might turn out terrible, but I have high hopes for the bounce spell. The problem with those bounce cards is that they are inherent card disadvantage... well not any more!
Even the 5/5 for 6 mana GW guy has promise - imagine the card text printed in full, outside reminder brackets, in a set without Cascade. It would be getting plenty of attention here. The only problem is the volume of good G/W stuff, and this set brings a lot more to the table. Dauntless Escort and the Pridemage are auto-include, in my book.
Also I'd like to add that the Blodbraid Elf is one of the sickest creatures I've ever seen. And she's an elf
I must say I was surprised to see how low these guys are selling. Still it's our gain!
QFT. Well said that man.
Control is still a possible and powerful archetype, but I think the game is all the better for encouraging interactivity. Those who ever played the game when Ponza was around will probably agree!
I think Magic is in a very healthy state, personally.
Aven Mimeomancer
Wall of Denial (this is just totally evil!)
Mask of Riddles
Soul Manipulation
Bituminous Blast
Defiler of Souls
Lightning Reaver
Bloodbraid Elf
Dauntless Escort
Qasali Pridemage
Mycoid Shepherd
Necromancer's Covenant
Zealous Persecution
Spellbound Dragon
Lord of Extinction
Maelstrom Pulse
Glory of Warfare
Intimidation Bolt
Sages of the Anima
Thraximundar
Uril, the Miststalker
Slave of Bolas
Esper Stormblade
Giant Ambush Beetle
Marisi's Twinclaws
Messenger Falcons
Maybe:
Ardent Plea
Shield of the Righteous
Deny Reality
Nemesis of Reason
Demonspine Whip
Blitz Hellion
Mage Slayer
Predatory Advantage
Vithian Renegades
Spellbreaker Behemoth
Behemoth Sledge
Enlisted Wurm
Knotvine Paladin
Identity Crisis
Cerodon Yearling
Fight to the Death
Winged Coatl
Vedalken Heretic
Enigma Sphinx
Sen Triplets
Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Lavalanche
Mayael's Aria
Flurry of Wings
Maelstrom Nexus
Lots to consider!
I think that Pulse should be a little higher, however. The card is just so versatile. It can also see use just to clear mass tokens, especially in the double Bitterblossom scenario that you evoked. Three mana to nuke near anything is just really solid.
I agree that Bloodbraid Elf is the nuts and is my first pick, too. I am excited to play with that one for sure.
EDIT: Also, the Anathemancer has the potential to be colossal in the current environment. Resolving and recurring this guy could easily be 8 or 10 damage, and I think he will be important before long especially against 5CC.
I like all these, and would be happy to crack any of them. My favourite is the Defiler, but I think strongest is probably Jenara.