How far do we really have to go with that, though? Shroud isn't even a real drawback like echo or fading; it's a powerful ability with a drawback that's minor in comparison to its upside, and is often irrelevant. I understand the desire to keep players away from constantly having to navigate big, heavy drawbacks, but I don't think all-upside-all-the-time design is a good choice.
In general, I think shroud is a heck of a lot more applicable design-wise than hexproof and having the latter be the standard evergreen keyword (rather than saving it for a few unusual and unique cards) isn't really a great choice.
I agree with this choice; I think having an evergreen mechanic that interferes with your enjoyment of two whole subtypes of cards (auras and equipment), both of which appear in core sets with it, is overall unfun.
For all those complaining about Hexproof vs Shroud, you can probably count on one hand the number of currently playable creatures in any format that carry either ability. I think it goes Thrun, Ascetic, Jwar Sphinx and...?
Argothian Enchantress
Blastoderm
Calcite Snapper
Crystalline Sliver
Empyrial Archangel
Giant Solifuge
Inkwell Leviathan
Kodama of the North Tree
Morphling
Nimble Mongoose
Simic Sky Swallower
Wall of Denial
edit-ok, missed the currently. still, inkwell and enchantress.
Bad decision IMO, I loved having shroud on bigger creatures. Hexproof replacing it in that niche means they'll have to downgrade the power of some of those creatures we used to get (I doubt we'll see a Sphinx of Jwar Isle type creature with Hexproof for example).
I don't think sphinx with hexproof is that much better than normal sphinx, to be honest. The whole point of control finishers is that they end the game by themselves; you don't HAVE to buff them at all. Sure, hexproof is strictly better there, but in a mostly irrelevant fashion.
Where hexproof is good is on smaller creatures that really benefit from equipment.
jlennoxg asked: Did you just say hexproof has completely replaced shroud?
Yes, I did. It does not make sense supporting two mechanics that work that closely especially with different names. R&D spent a lot of time talking about it and decided to go with hexproof.
Note that this doesn’t mean that shroud is changing to hexproof on cards that have it. Shroud will be supported much as we support any keyword mechanic we’re not currently using (like say fear). But for the present (I won’t talk of the future because things can change), shroud is not being used on new cards.
Congrats, you just accelerated into a reanimator creature with nothing to reanimate. On turn 5 too, where you already took one or two hits of a sword wielding hawk.
well hey if you've been hit twice with a sword maybe you have something to reanimate now
Since it seems to keep being used, I just wanted to point out that the plural for pieces of art is not, as far as common English usuage is concerned, 'arts'.
We should be saying "New Phyrexian Art".
If we use 'arts', then we appear to be talking about multiple disciplines, ie. painting, carving, pottery, etc.
Awesome images though, I am really looking forward to opening some of these in my boosters.
'arts' has been common parlance on this board for quite some time. shorter than 'illustrations' or 'pictures' and you don't need a counter.
Black Sun's Zenith
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deutschland-1-Pfennig-1934-/120769563662?pt=M%C3%BCnzen_Medaillen&hash=item1c1e6d4c0e
Grimoire of the Dead
Falkenrath Marauders
Evil Twin
and a 1W double-faced card
Gideon taps...
I agree with this choice; I think having an evergreen mechanic that interferes with your enjoyment of two whole subtypes of cards (auras and equipment), both of which appear in core sets with it, is overall unfun.
Argothian Enchantress
Blastoderm
Calcite Snapper
Crystalline Sliver
Empyrial Archangel
Giant Solifuge
Inkwell Leviathan
Kodama of the North Tree
Morphling
Nimble Mongoose
Simic Sky Swallower
Wall of Denial
edit-ok, missed the currently. still, inkwell and enchantress.
I don't think sphinx with hexproof is that much better than normal sphinx, to be honest. The whole point of control finishers is that they end the game by themselves; you don't HAVE to buff them at all. Sure, hexproof is strictly better there, but in a mostly irrelevant fashion.
Where hexproof is good is on smaller creatures that really benefit from equipment.
Yes, I did. It does not make sense supporting two mechanics that work that closely especially with different names. R&D spent a lot of time talking about it and decided to go with hexproof.
Note that this doesn’t mean that shroud is changing to hexproof on cards that have it. Shroud will be supported much as we support any keyword mechanic we’re not currently using (like say fear). But for the present (I won’t talk of the future because things can change), shroud is not being used on new cards.
from http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/
well hey if you've been hit twice with a sword maybe you have something to reanimate now
'arts' has been common parlance on this board for quite some time. shorter than 'illustrations' or 'pictures' and you don't need a counter.