"OK, here's why I don't like the Blue Shoal: all things being equal, it loses against the other Shoals. For example, Red Guy freecasts Shoal removing 5cc red spell. Blue Guy must remove a *7*cc spell to freecast his Shoal. Just not fair."
Uhhh, no. the spell you remove would have to be 2cc not 7cc. The CMC of the red shoal is 2 if they remove a card from the game.
This thread is to discuss what the overall theme/style of Betrayers is. (For example, Mirrodin is artifacts, 5Dawn is multicolor, etc.)
To me, it seems like Betrayers puts a lot of effort into putting high cmc cards back into decks not so much by printing cheap cards that significantly slow down the game, but rather by making cards that let you utilize high cmc cards even when you can't play them. So I guess, kind of the opposite of Scourge, in that, rather than rewarding people for playing expensive creatures and spells like Scourge did, Betrayers rewards people for putting expensive spells in their deck (the shoals cycle, slumbering tora, heed the mists, etc.)
Also, Betrayers seems to have a lot of graveyard manipulation in black and green, which is nice to see, as that has been missing lately from standard aside from Witness.
Also, Betrayers seems to push multicolor decks more than recent sets (excluding 5Dawn) with cards and tribal affects that span colors and encourage using multiple colors. For example, having samurai in 4 colors and Kentaro helping to fix mana. Also, the green baku and the return of gold cards. (ok just one but still YAY FOR GOLD CARDS!)
Finally, blue is becoming more and more of a color that utilizes creatures in ChK block. Not sure if this is the direction magic is headed or if it just part of ChK block. (I hope its just for now. I say make an all instants and sorceries block!)
I agree that disrupting shoal is underrated. While its no force of will, a free countering of an eternal witness or disciple etc. could be a great help. Especially since many T2 players aren't used to getting spells countered when their opponent is tapped out.
Ok gotcha on moving in shackles, although im thinking I might drop Jushi and Azami to movie in other cards, like maybe some mainboard affinity-hate. (especially Azami) However, on Temporal Adept I've personally found that T&N has lots of problems if you drop it on turn 3, but maybe I could go to 2 or 3 and then have some in the sideboard? Thanks for feedback though.
Uhhh, no. the spell you remove would have to be 2cc not 7cc. The CMC of the red shoal is 2 if they remove a card from the game.
To me, it seems like Betrayers puts a lot of effort into putting high cmc cards back into decks not so much by printing cheap cards that significantly slow down the game, but rather by making cards that let you utilize high cmc cards even when you can't play them. So I guess, kind of the opposite of Scourge, in that, rather than rewarding people for playing expensive creatures and spells like Scourge did, Betrayers rewards people for putting expensive spells in their deck (the shoals cycle, slumbering tora, heed the mists, etc.)
Also, Betrayers seems to have a lot of graveyard manipulation in black and green, which is nice to see, as that has been missing lately from standard aside from Witness.
Also, Betrayers seems to push multicolor decks more than recent sets (excluding 5Dawn) with cards and tribal affects that span colors and encourage using multiple colors. For example, having samurai in 4 colors and Kentaro helping to fix mana. Also, the green baku and the return of gold cards. (ok just one but still YAY FOR GOLD CARDS!)
Finally, blue is becoming more and more of a color that utilizes creatures in ChK block. Not sure if this is the direction magic is headed or if it just part of ChK block. (I hope its just for now. I say make an all instants and sorceries block!)
EDIT: holy carp, I just realized meloku tokens are awesome with ninjas.
EDIT: Spiketail hatchling would be nice too, actually daring apprentice would be pretty close to a soft lock now that i think about it.
4X Temporal Adept
2X Soratami Savant
4X Mistblade Shinobi
3X Ninja of the Deep Hours
3X Spiketail Hatchling
4X mana leak
2X disrupting shoal
4X vedalken shackles
3X Genju of the falls
3X aether vial
2X Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
1X Higure, the Still Wind
21X island
1X
SB:
4X Reduce to Dreams
4X Relic Barrier
3X March of the Machines
2X Bribery
2X Evacuation
Ok, here is mah updated build based on feedback and the fact that I forgot how awesome aether vial is!
EDIT: added in a higure because I love shinobis and deep hours with all my body, including my pee pee.