I don't know about overpriced, but how is 5-drop that doesn't need a combo a 'win more'-card? Stop using this term so loosely...
Because Kalonian only does anything if you already have board control. If you cast it when behind it does nothing.
As others have already pointed out, as a threat Kalonian applies pressue on its own, but it can't block profitably against commonly played 4 drops yet alone 5 drops. Combined with no type of resilance against removal (which several of the other 5 drops have), this guy just doesn't make the cut in the current meta.
To me this card seems more like an alternative to Nephalia Drownyard after rotation than any of the cards people have been comparing it to so far. If control decks get some decent cards this could be a viable finisher.
Pros:
Doesn't cost mana to mill.
Cards go to exile instead of graveyard
Second ability can net powerful creatures if the mill win condition isn't working out.
Ultimate can stall long enough to finish milling them.
Cons:
Takes up a spell slot
Easier to destroy than drownyard
2x copies of Avacyn's Collar seems ideal for this deck. Get even more tokens from your humans. Once the humans have died equip the collar to one of the spirits for a 2/1 flying, vigilance token
For the amount of 5 and 6 drops you are running 24 lands seems to low. I would go for 26. (you could get away with 25 if you had more card drawing spells).
Your current removal package (4x DoJ, 2x O-ring) seems a bit sweeper heavy for a token deck. I would changed it to a 3\3 split of DoJ and O-ring.
To make room for +2 lands I would suggest -2 stonehorn dignitary. Sure he can do some funny stuff with venser, but on his own this card is bad and you won't always have venser.
You could also consider swapping ponder for Think twice. Instant speed and card advantage from the 2nd casting can be very useful.
Snapcaster can flash in blocking a 3/3, flashback wring flesh making it 0/2 and kill it. So snapcaster flashing wring flesh can kill bigger creatures than virulent wound.
I run 1x tribute main and 1x side. It helps against hexproof, pro black (Mirrian Crusader) and the lifegain can help vs aggro. Een if you're only gaining 1-2 points, I find the +1-2 life more useful than the 1 dmg from Geth's verdict. I also find I can cast tribute more often since it doesn't need double B
Why would you want to spend 6-7 mana on a USZ when that same turn you could have safely slammed a grave titan or simply flashed back a forbidden alchemy that has already netted you some value?
Because if you tap-out for grave titan\sphinx\wurmcoil and your opponent counters or removes it you are left with nothing. It also leaves you tapped out during your opponents turn so they can drop whatever big threats they want. We don't always have the luxury of reaching 9 mana with a finisher and dissipate in hand. With USZ you can cast it during opponents end step and not leave yourself tapped out during their turn. Also USZ keeps recurring, once sphinx is dead it doesn't recurr.
As others have mentioned, in the current meta sphinx is often a 6 mana sorcery to draw 2 during your opponents next upkeep. USZ drawing 3 at instant speed and shuffling back in is much better than drawing 2 at sorcery speed with a delay.
Sphinx is a good card for a tapout style control deck. Its not great for a draw-go deck that needs to keep the number of sorcery speed spells to a minimum.
Hero of Bladehold kills in the same speed, and doesn't require 2 cards.
Err what? They are not the same speed at all. Hero is a 3 turn clock from when it hits the board (swing for 7 next turn, then swing for 11, then swing for 15) Without ramp a T4 hero would kill on T7.
Angelic Destiny is a 1 turn clock from when you drop it on Crusader. Swing for 12 this turn and again for 12 next turn. Without ramp a T4 Destiny on Crusader would kill on T5.
The only sorcery speed spells in my build are 2x Black Sun's and 2x Wurmcoil
I prefer Wurmcoil as the main deck finisher since it has the best resilance against removal (even after DoJ you get Wurm tokens), especially combined with 2x Buried Ruin. The lifelink is very relevant against fast aggro like RDW and Tempered Steel.
Because Kalonian only does anything if you already have board control. If you cast it when behind it does nothing.
As others have already pointed out, as a threat Kalonian applies pressue on its own, but it can't block profitably against commonly played 4 drops yet alone 5 drops. Combined with no type of resilance against removal (which several of the other 5 drops have), this guy just doesn't make the cut in the current meta.
Pros:
Doesn't cost mana to mill.
Cards go to exile instead of graveyard
Second ability can net powerful creatures if the mill win condition isn't working out.
Ultimate can stall long enough to finish milling them.
Cons:
Takes up a spell slot
Easier to destroy than drownyard
2x Geist of Saint Traft could also do well here
Since you are already running esper sorin seems like a no-brainer as well.
Your current removal package (4x DoJ, 2x O-ring) seems a bit sweeper heavy for a token deck. I would changed it to a 3\3 split of DoJ and O-ring.
To make room for +2 lands I would suggest -2 stonehorn dignitary. Sure he can do some funny stuff with venser, but on his own this card is bad and you won't always have venser.
You could also consider swapping ponder for Think twice. Instant speed and card advantage from the 2nd casting can be very useful.
Lost in the woods doesn't exile the creatures is just removes them from combat (they cease to be attacking and don't take any damage).
You have Green Sun's Zenith in your list with only 1x type of green creature, you might as well change GSZ for another copy of that creature.
Hyperwater made the same mistake with GSZ in his decklist as well
The paper version is selling for an average of $22.54 based on http://tcgplayer.com/ pricelists.
Is there some format where this has recently done well that isn't played much in paper or something?
SCD = Single Card Discussion
Main deck:
2x Doom Blade
2x Victim of Night
1x Dismember
1x Wring Flesh
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Tribute to Hunger
2x Disperse
Sideboard:
2x Dismember
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Tribute to Hunger
2x Steel Sabotage
Snapcaster can flash in blocking a 3/3, flashback wring flesh making it 0/2 and kill it. So snapcaster flashing wring flesh can kill bigger creatures than virulent wound.
Because if you tap-out for grave titan\sphinx\wurmcoil and your opponent counters or removes it you are left with nothing. It also leaves you tapped out during your opponents turn so they can drop whatever big threats they want. We don't always have the luxury of reaching 9 mana with a finisher and dissipate in hand. With USZ you can cast it during opponents end step and not leave yourself tapped out during their turn. Also USZ keeps recurring, once sphinx is dead it doesn't recurr.
As others have mentioned, in the current meta sphinx is often a 6 mana sorcery to draw 2 during your opponents next upkeep. USZ drawing 3 at instant speed and shuffling back in is much better than drawing 2 at sorcery speed with a delay.
Sphinx is a good card for a tapout style control deck. Its not great for a draw-go deck that needs to keep the number of sorcery speed spells to a minimum.
Err what? They are not the same speed at all. Hero is a 3 turn clock from when it hits the board (swing for 7 next turn, then swing for 11, then swing for 15) Without ramp a T4 hero would kill on T7.
Angelic Destiny is a 1 turn clock from when you drop it on Crusader. Swing for 12 this turn and again for 12 next turn. Without ramp a T4 Destiny on Crusader would kill on T5.
You might want to cut 1x Thrun for an extra GSZ so you don't end up with dead cards due to Legendary status
Ramp that fetches lands can also help you pump dungrove. A few Rampant Growth and\or Solemn Golemn could git nicely here (in place of Arrest)
4 Drowned Catacomb
11 Island
3 Qhost Quater
2 Buried Ruin
2 Swamp
4 Dissipate
4 Think Twice
4 Visions of Beyond
3 Forbidden Alchemy
2 Black Sun's Zenith
2 Doom Blade
2 Go for the Throat
2 Disperse
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Wurmcoil Engine
Changes from Flores's list:
-4 Nephalia Drownyard
-4 Gitaxian Probe
-4 Stoic Rebuttal
-1 Volition Reins
-1 Forbidden Alchamey
+3 Ghost Quarter
+2 Buried Ruin
+4 Dissipate
+1 Wurmcoil Engine
+1 Black Sun's Zenith
+2 Disperse
+1 Blue Sun't Zenith
The only sorcery speed spells in my build are 2x Black Sun's and 2x Wurmcoil
I prefer Wurmcoil as the main deck finisher since it has the best resilance against removal (even after DoJ you get Wurm tokens), especially combined with 2x Buried Ruin. The lifelink is very relevant against fast aggro like RDW and Tempered Steel.