First off, Sealed is not Draft. You don't have control over your cards in Sealed.
Second, this set is literally DESIGNED for you to play a wedge in Limited. In this pack alone, you'll probably wheel the on-color Banner. In Temur alone, there's 6 common, 2 uncommon and 2 rare mana fixers, not even counting the fact that you could use a Jeskai or Sultai Banner for 2 of your colors. If people are having trouble playing a wedge in draft sims, they're drafting wrong.
I see no way it's not Savage Knuckleblade. The card is a house. Plus, you probably wheel one of the 3 playable Temur cards in the pack. Not to mention, it looks like Knuckleblade is the foil, and I love me some playable shinies.
This set has 21 nonbasic lands in a 249-card set. That seems WAY over the top...for comparison:
Zendikar had 20 in 229 cards - higher ratio but in a land-matters block.
Onslaught had 19 in 330.
Odyssey had 19 in 330.
Lorwyn had 16 in 281.
Tempest had 16 in 340.
Mercadian Masques had 15 in 330.
Worldwake had 14 in 145 - the highest ratio but in a land-matters block.
Champions of Kamigawa had 14 in 286.
RTR had 13 in 254.
Time Spiral had 13 in 281.
Ice Age had 13 in 358.
Invasion had 12 in 330 - in the first multicolor themed set..
Innistrad had 12 in 244.
Ravnica had 12 in 286.
Urza's Saga had 12 in 330.
Future Sight had 11 in 180.
Shadowmoor had 11 in 281.
Gatecrash had 11 in 249.
Dissension had 11 in 180.
Fallen Empires had 11 in 187.
Legends had 11 in 255.
Dragon's Maze had 11 in 156, but they all replaced the basic land slot.
Shards of Alara had 10 in 229 - in the other 3-color themed block.
Coldsnap had 8 in 150 - counting Snow lands as basic and therefore not part of set size either.
So Khans of Tarkir has the most nonbasic lands in a single set in Magic's history - more than the land-themed Zendikar, double the amount in Shards of Alara... was it really necessary to stuff a full 10-card Refuge cycle into this set? Why not just spread those out over the next 2? Are they expecting mana bases to be that strained? Is it to make up for the low number of nonbasics in Theros block (see below)?
I'm worried about opening packs in draft or sealed with 4-5 nonbasic lands in them.
Couple fun facts from this research:
1. With this set, the 3 sets with the most nonbasic lands all-time will be the sets with fetchlands. Coincidence? Hmm... (I have no idea what Odyssey is doing there)
2. The only 2 traditional sets in Magic history with zero nonbasic lands are Legions and Fifth Dawn. Legions was all creatures, and allegedly WotC wanted Fifth Dawn to be all artifacts before R&D shot that down, so that may explain why.
3. The fewest nonbasic lands in a large set starting a new block are Scars of Mirrodin (6), Theros (7), Mirage (8), and Mirrodin (9).
Goblins power is rather irrelevant with its ability. It will do one less damage to the opponent when he lets it through, big deal. Its a curve topper that makes all your other threats damnably obnoxious to deal with.
Its power may not be a deal-breaker (far from irrelevant though), but its toughness is a HUGE deal.
Got an email from my LGS today that their distribution has been halved from 10 down to 5 this year. Why would Wizards do this? I would think with the game's growing popularity they would be expanding the printing not cutting it (or at least keeping it status quo).
Either they're lying to you, or they got downgraded in their retailer status. My store is getting 30 as an Advanced Plus store. AFAIK, Advanced Plus gets 30, Advanced gets 20 and Core gets 10, so no store gets less than 10. So odds are, your store is lying and stashing half their shipment away.
Apparently not here in Belgium or Europe. Here there are core-stores who only receive 5 ftv's.
Apparently not here in Belgium or Europe. Here there are core-stores who only receive 5 ftv's.
We received word from Wizards that, as a Core store (in the US), we've been allocated 5 copies of FtV: Annihilation. We've been in business just over a year, though, so there may be differences between one store of a given level and another. We're seeking to strike a balance between needing to make money and not gouging our customers, so, at least with the first box, we're offering it as 1st prize at a standard tournament on August 30 ($10 buy-in).
They must have changed allocation numbers due to the new retailer levels. Bummer.
I can 100% guarantee it's not a certain amount per level of the store. I've heard of stores getting 2, and stores getting 40+. I can guarantee our amount we get is different each year, and we're an advanced plus store that's been around forever.
Cheers
No store will ever get 2 when they come in cases of 5, sorry. We're also an Advanced Plus store that's been around forever, and our numbers change each year too because allocations change (and AP is a brand new level), but every Advanced Plus store will be getting 30. All of the allocation information is actually IN the online contract you sign to receive these.
Premier stores used to get 40+ due to their retailer level. That rank doesn't exist anymore.
Seems like a strange choice unless they want to push Legacy again. He's fringe playable in Modern, and as has been said a bunch of times already, banned in EDH. Cool art and sure to be a popular card though, so I'm not complaining, I just don't really fully understand the choice.
The closest comparison to Rolling Earthquake is Loyal Retainers from Commander's Arsenal, which still sells for $70+.
Loyal Retainers appears to be $70 on TCGPlayer but can be found easily for under $25 on eBay.
As a retailer, I'm far more concerned about retail prices than eBay prices. I'm sure you'll be able to find this FTV for next to nothing on eBay too, but I'm equally sure I'll sell out at $80.
Actual "value" of a card is not what WotC sets, they just give out the cards and 2nd market decides the price.
I can't imagine you actually believe for a second that WotC doesn't take into consideration what the secondary market value of a card will be when deciding what to make into a judge promo.
In the end, its absolute no "real" deal for anyone, just imagine they would need to pay you even minimum wage, would just make drafts more expensive.
Some shops even charge money for the judge ; they make the event 1$ more expensive and thats the judges money. While that certainly make the judge happy, it really does not contribute to the player base.
I request a minimum of $10/hour when I judge an event. I am a full-time employee at my main store, and other stores only hire me when they need to for a larger event. Judge compensation is already factored into the cost of those.
Judges really dont need any money for what they do, its either fun or its not ; thats the deal with low level judging.
Absolutely incorrect. It takes time, work and dedication to become a judge. Anyone that would expect someone to go through that, then make sure an event runs smoothly, for nothing at all is fooling themselves. Are people going to be rich from judging? No. Should they be fairly compensated for the time involved? Absolutely.
The rest of your points are fine, but I think you're undervaluing local judges.
I'm not necessarily mad about this change. It just simply means I won't be bothering to judge GP's anymore. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I hope TO's are comfortable running their 2,000+ player events with an inexperienced local staff.
Got an email from my LGS today that their distribution has been halved from 10 down to 5 this year. Why would Wizards do this? I would think with the game's growing popularity they would be expanding the printing not cutting it (or at least keeping it status quo).
Either they're lying to you, or they got downgraded in their retailer status. My store is getting 30 as an Advanced Plus store. AFAIK, Advanced Plus gets 30, Advanced gets 20 and Core gets 10, so no store gets less than 10. So odds are, your store is lying and stashing half their shipment away.
FWIW, I'm preselling mine at $80 a piece. There's a $170 card in it, if anyone didn't notice. And before anyone claims FTV: 20 had a $700 card in it: It didn't. It had a $90 card, which "crashed" down to $80. The closest comparison to Rolling Earthquake is Loyal Retainers from Commander's Arsenal, which still sells for $70+. "But Commander's Arsenal is a much more limited product!" Then why does my store still have 2 in stock at $100?
Also, I'm still not convinced the "fake" list is right. It came up WAY too early, and the confirmed cards in it were on about 75% of speculative lists. In fact, all of the cards on that list were just safe guesses.
the wording is discribes so that if you enchant an ornithopter is will become a 5/7. if it had Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas wording that would make it a 5/5 and overwrite its own p/t if it had any
No, it would be a 5/5. It sets the base P/T to 5/5 which overrides the previous base P/T. If it gave +5/+5, it would say it gave +5/+5.
This thing is way too powerful to be uncommon. In terms of infect alone it seems really dangerous, not to mention affinity. Strap this on an etched champion...yikes. Who knows, maybe WotC is thinking about banning plating and decided to give affinity another tool.
Wouldn't be that great on Etched Champion, since it would fall off with Metalcraft.
Turn 3 using, 4 Elvish Mystic, 1 Shockland, 1 Forest(or second shock), Nykthos, 1 Garruk = 8 Total Card = Exactly what you'll have if you start.
Total forest counted at 16 + 4 shock + 4 nykthos = 24lands
Total chance ================= 9.2% ???? That doesn't make any sense How can my total result hight to the chance of picking my 4th elf when I already have the other in hand? Need to get back to school. Probability/statistic are kind of far in my head (at least 10 years far)
First, you have a 7 card opening hand, plus 3-4 draws, so your percentages are way off.
Second, that's not the way the probability works. See Anamiac's post for the math.
Third, you only need 2 mana dorks, and they can also be Sylvan Caryatid, Voyaging Satyr, Kiora's Follower, etc.
The kids always flip out over these "amazing" outcomes (which btw, this isn't even that amazing in a format with Hero's Downfall). The playability of a card will be far more impacted by its effect in a consistent manner.
Kapsho Kitefins 4UU
Creature - Fish (Uncommon)
Flying
Whenever ~ or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, tap target creature an opponent controls.
3/3
Second, this set is literally DESIGNED for you to play a wedge in Limited. In this pack alone, you'll probably wheel the on-color Banner. In Temur alone, there's 6 common, 2 uncommon and 2 rare mana fixers, not even counting the fact that you could use a Jeskai or Sultai Banner for 2 of your colors. If people are having trouble playing a wedge in draft sims, they're drafting wrong.
Zendikar had 20 in 229 cards - higher ratio but in a land-matters block.
Onslaught had 19 in 330.
Odyssey had 19 in 330.
Lorwyn had 16 in 281.
Tempest had 16 in 340.
Mercadian Masques had 15 in 330.
Worldwake had 14 in 145 - the highest ratio but in a land-matters block.
Champions of Kamigawa had 14 in 286.
RTR had 13 in 254.
Time Spiral had 13 in 281.
Ice Age had 13 in 358.
Invasion had 12 in 330 - in the first multicolor themed set..
Innistrad had 12 in 244.
Ravnica had 12 in 286.
Urza's Saga had 12 in 330.
Future Sight had 11 in 180.
Shadowmoor had 11 in 281.
Gatecrash had 11 in 249.
Dissension had 11 in 180.
Fallen Empires had 11 in 187.
Legends had 11 in 255.
Dragon's Maze had 11 in 156, but they all replaced the basic land slot.
Shards of Alara had 10 in 229 - in the other 3-color themed block.
Coldsnap had 8 in 150 - counting Snow lands as basic and therefore not part of set size either.
So Khans of Tarkir has the most nonbasic lands in a single set in Magic's history - more than the land-themed Zendikar, double the amount in Shards of Alara... was it really necessary to stuff a full 10-card Refuge cycle into this set? Why not just spread those out over the next 2? Are they expecting mana bases to be that strained? Is it to make up for the low number of nonbasics in Theros block (see below)?
I'm worried about opening packs in draft or sealed with 4-5 nonbasic lands in them.
Couple fun facts from this research:
1. With this set, the 3 sets with the most nonbasic lands all-time will be the sets with fetchlands. Coincidence? Hmm... (I have no idea what Odyssey is doing there)
2. The only 2 traditional sets in Magic history with zero nonbasic lands are Legions and Fifth Dawn. Legions was all creatures, and allegedly WotC wanted Fifth Dawn to be all artifacts before R&D shot that down, so that may explain why.
3. The fewest nonbasic lands in a large set starting a new block are Scars of Mirrodin (6), Theros (7), Mirage (8), and Mirrodin (9).
Its power may not be a deal-breaker (far from irrelevant though), but its toughness is a HUGE deal.
They must have changed allocation numbers due to the new retailer levels. Bummer.
No store will ever get 2 when they come in cases of 5, sorry. We're also an Advanced Plus store that's been around forever, and our numbers change each year too because allocations change (and AP is a brand new level), but every Advanced Plus store will be getting 30. All of the allocation information is actually IN the online contract you sign to receive these.
Premier stores used to get 40+ due to their retailer level. That rank doesn't exist anymore.
As a retailer, I'm far more concerned about retail prices than eBay prices. I'm sure you'll be able to find this FTV for next to nothing on eBay too, but I'm equally sure I'll sell out at $80.
I can't imagine you actually believe for a second that WotC doesn't take into consideration what the secondary market value of a card will be when deciding what to make into a judge promo.
I request a minimum of $10/hour when I judge an event. I am a full-time employee at my main store, and other stores only hire me when they need to for a larger event. Judge compensation is already factored into the cost of those.
Absolutely incorrect. It takes time, work and dedication to become a judge. Anyone that would expect someone to go through that, then make sure an event runs smoothly, for nothing at all is fooling themselves. Are people going to be rich from judging? No. Should they be fairly compensated for the time involved? Absolutely.
The rest of your points are fine, but I think you're undervaluing local judges.
I'm not necessarily mad about this change. It just simply means I won't be bothering to judge GP's anymore. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I hope TO's are comfortable running their 2,000+ player events with an inexperienced local staff.
Either they're lying to you, or they got downgraded in their retailer status. My store is getting 30 as an Advanced Plus store. AFAIK, Advanced Plus gets 30, Advanced gets 20 and Core gets 10, so no store gets less than 10. So odds are, your store is lying and stashing half their shipment away.
FWIW, I'm preselling mine at $80 a piece. There's a $170 card in it, if anyone didn't notice. And before anyone claims FTV: 20 had a $700 card in it: It didn't. It had a $90 card, which "crashed" down to $80. The closest comparison to Rolling Earthquake is Loyal Retainers from Commander's Arsenal, which still sells for $70+. "But Commander's Arsenal is a much more limited product!" Then why does my store still have 2 in stock at $100?
Also, I'm still not convinced the "fake" list is right. It came up WAY too early, and the confirmed cards in it were on about 75% of speculative lists. In fact, all of the cards on that list were just safe guesses.
No, it would be a 5/5. It sets the base P/T to 5/5 which overrides the previous base P/T. If it gave +5/+5, it would say it gave +5/+5.
Wouldn't be that great on Etched Champion, since it would fall off with Metalcraft.
First, you have a 7 card opening hand, plus 3-4 draws, so your percentages are way off.
Second, that's not the way the probability works. See Anamiac's post for the math.
Third, you only need 2 mana dorks, and they can also be Sylvan Caryatid, Voyaging Satyr, Kiora's Follower, etc.
The kids always flip out over these "amazing" outcomes (which btw, this isn't even that amazing in a format with Hero's Downfall). The playability of a card will be far more impacted by its effect in a consistent manner.
It does have Flying. Must have been an oversight.
Creature - Goblin Warrior (Common)
Intimidate
2/2
Kapsho Kitefins 4UU
Creature - Fish (Uncommon)
Flying
Whenever ~ or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, tap target creature an opponent controls.
3/3
And Mind Sculpt is reprinted.
Limited fodder, but new stuff nonetheless.