All B/R update speculation.

[Lava Snacks]

According to WotC they did excist 'back then': The Masterpiece Series that began with Zendikar Expeditions continues with Kaladesh Inventions!. The were retroactively added, so they're real alright.

WotC also stated that Masterpiece cards can be played in any Limited format they're opened in and in any Constructed format in which the card is already legal, but gives no indication a Masterpiece can result in the unban of a certain card.

Really, please stop claiming things that aren't true. Yes, a card can be unbanned, but stating a card will be unbanned based on reprint alone is just false. I will not not lower myself to your standard, but please stop try to argue based on bad information.

I'm pleased that you correctly picked up on the super serious nature of my arguments. Magic is no place for frivolity.

[Darkenslight]

In lighter news:

[Scott]

I was curious how the meta is shaking up after Aether Revolt and the release of Fatal Push & Walking Ballista, as well as the continued effect of recent cards like Leovold, Emissary of Trest.

No huge analysis, but I figured I'd post it. I don't at all invalidate smaller events and top 16/32 finishes but I was curious (partially because we already have analysis that factors in smaller events) about each deck's percentage of top 8 slots since Aether Revolt's release (3 months ago), only in 8-rounders and up, so 129 players+.

Winter Legacy 4Seasons; SCG Classic - Baltimore; Eternal Extravaganza 6; MKM Series 2017 Milan; Eternal Weekend 2017; SCG Open - Worcester; SCG Classic - Worcester = 56 slots

Miracles: 9 finishes (16.07%)
Elves: 5 finishes (8.93%)
Ad Nauseam Tendrils: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Czech Pile AKA 4-Color Control: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Death & Taxes: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Sneak & Show: 3 finishes (5.36%)
4-Color Delver: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Aggro Loam: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Eldrazi: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Grixis Delver: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Infect: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Mono-Red Sneak Attack: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Shardless BUG: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Team America: 2 finishes (3.57%)
U/G 12-Post: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Aluren: 1 finish (1.79%)
Big Eldrazi: 1 finish (1.79%)
Burn: 1 finish (1.79%)
Dark Bant: 1 finish (1.79%)
Food Chain: 1 finish (1.79%)
Goblins: 1 finish (1.79%)
OmniTell: 1 finish (1.79%)
Reanimator: 1 finish (1.79%)
The Epic Storm: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/R Control: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/R Delver: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/W Spirit Blade: 1 finish (1.79%)

56 decks, 27 different decks
67.86% with Brainstorm

No statement to make. Just sharing my time wasting.

[Ronald Deuce]

Gate to Phyrexia
Phyrexian Gremlins
Phyrexian Tribute
Timmerian Fiends
Shattered Dreams

The "color pie" is a terrible excuse for poor attempts to isolate mechanics and capabilities into certain colors for reasons. Unless they're "blue" mechanics, in which case they now belong to every color except blue because of bans and for reasons. Unless that color is white, in which case it doesn't get any of those mechanics, but it gets to stop Magic from happening.

[frogczar]

I was curious how the meta is shaking up after Aether Revolt and the release of Fatal Push & Walking Ballista, as well as the continued effect of recent cards like Leovold, Emissary of Trest.

No huge analysis, but I figured I'd post it. I don't at all invalidate smaller events and top 16/32 finishes but I was curious (partially because we already have analysis that factors in smaller events) about each deck's percentage of top 8 slots since Aether Revolt's release (3 months ago), only in 8-rounders and up, so 129 players+.

Winter Legacy 4Seasons; SCG Classic - Baltimore; Eternal Extravaganza 6; MKM Series 2017 Milan; Eternal Weekend 2017; SCG Open - Worcester; SCG Classic - Worcester = 56 slots

Miracles: 9 finishes (16.07%)
Elves: 5 finishes (8.93%)
Ad Nauseam Tendrils: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Czech Pile AKA 4-Color Control: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Death & Taxes: 3 finishes (5.36%)
Sneak & Show: 3 finishes (5.36%)
4-Color Delver: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Aggro Loam: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Eldrazi: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Grixis Delver: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Infect: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Mono-Red Sneak Attack: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Shardless BUG: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Team America: 2 finishes (3.57%)
U/G 12-Post: 2 finishes (3.57%)
Aluren: 1 finish (1.79%)
Big Eldrazi: 1 finish (1.79%)
Burn: 1 finish (1.79%)
Dark Bant: 1 finish (1.79%)
Food Chain: 1 finish (1.79%)
Goblins: 1 finish (1.79%)
OmniTell: 1 finish (1.79%)
Reanimator: 1 finish (1.79%)
The Epic Storm: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/R Control: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/R Delver: 1 finish (1.79%)
U/W Spirit Blade: 1 finish (1.79%)

56 decks, 27 different decks
67.86% with Brainstorm

No statement to make. Just sharing my time wasting.

The new Eternal Masters 2 card back:

[danyul]

^ that is fucking gold

[Crimhead]

Unless that color is white, in which case it doesn't get any of those mechanics, but it gets to stop Magic from happening.

The tired mantra of those who do not enjoying playing against prison elements.

[Lemnear]

The tired mantra of those who do not enjoying playing against prison elements or combo decks

Fixed

[Crimhead]

Well there aren't a lot of white cards seeing play in combo decks, so I'm pretty sure he was talking about lock pieces.

Combo seems to be generally less offensive than Prison. Maybe this is because Prison is harder on the fair decks; fair deck players being the biggest malcontents (and the least tolerant of powerful "unfair" strategies).

[Ronald Deuce]

I was snarking a bit, but my point was less about which colors I like and more about how the features and mechanics of colors seem to stack up these days.

The design archetypes formerly placed in blue largely have stopped seeing print at a competitive cost-benefit ratio, and where they haven't (card advantage), those features have been shifted to other colors—green, black, and red. This isn't as obvious in the eternal formats because we've got access to older cards, but if you look at Modern, Standard, or Limited, the premier "blue" effects either are stronger in the other colors or they are outclassed. For example, bounce, which often equates to hard removal in the eternal formats, is outclassed by comparably priced (or cheaper) spot removal, and the length in turns of games in newer formats makes the weakness of bounce much more apparent than it is in Legacy. Countermagic also rarely sees print at a competitive cost, the exceptions being Spell Pierce and Spell Snare. In short, green has pretty much become the "blue" of Modern; with little effective countermagic and bounce in the format, green's focus on mana acceleration and the shift in card advantage effectively make it the bang-for-your-buck color that blue is in Legacy.

White's the outlier. Even in the eternal formats, it has virtually no card advantage or mana acceleration, and in newer formats that number drops to zero. In Modern, it's the least like the other colors in its design, and the focus is pretty squarely on prison (i.e., "stop[s] Magic from happening") effects, which the other colors don't have. There's some commonality between white, green, and red in token generation, but that's about it.

[Crimhead]

I was snarking a bit...

Yeah, I thought so. That's why I added the winky-smiley.

Too many people seem to think that's a legitimate criticism of certain decks. I play prison and combo exclusively - apparently I don't play MTG!

You observations about the colour pie seem spot on.

[PirateKing]

I wish they did more Oblation effects for white control/card advantage. I remember seeing a fake Elspeth that used it as a minus ability that got me excited.

[Dice_Box]

White actually has one of the best hard card advantage engines in the format. Tax/Rack. The issue is that these two cards are not exactly wonderful on their own.

[PirateKing]

White actually has one of the best hard card advantage engines in the format. Tax/Rack. The issue is that these two cards are not exactly wonderful on their own.

The issue I think is once you start designing Land Tax/Tithe effects, the sort of "fair" effects based on your opponent's game state, you start getting dangerously close to Balance effects, right back into the stop Magic from happening camp. Sometimes they work well, Timely Reinforcements was good. They just need to find a way to fit in real cards drawn as part of the effects. Somehow.

[LOLWut]

The issue I think is once you start designing Land Tax/Tithe effects, the sort of "fair" effects based on your opponent's game state, you start getting dangerously close to Balance effects, right back into the stop Magic from happening camp. Sometimes they work well, Timely Reinforcements was good. They just need to find a way to fit in real cards drawn as part of the effects. Somehow.

But Magic happens in my pants when I stop Magic from happening.

[PirateKing]

But Magic happens in my pants when I stop Magic from happening.

I love Stax and classic prison decks as well, I wish they still had a place in current competition, I'm just saying from the no sharp corners walk don't run safety orange world of modern design, there is a place for white card advantage to be explored.

[morgan_coke]

I wish they did more Oblation effects for white control/card advantage. I remember seeing a fake Elspeth that used it as a minus ability that got me excited.

That's a blue spell now. Perilous Research

[Crimhead]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but White has solid card advantage in the form of Recruiter and SFM, and Flickerwisp gives them extra mileage.

I have nothing against D&T, but it's a pretty strong deck. Is more white value really what Legacy wants?

[Dice_Box]

Like it or not, yes. All high powered decks are built around whatever value engine they can coble together.

[Crimhead]

Like it or not, yes. All high powered decks are built around whatever value engine they can coble together.

I was referring to specifically white value cards. Also I might argue that decks like Eldrazi and D&T aren't really running an "engine".

Maybe what would be better is a boost for play styles that are less value and more synergy. Give Burn some love. Or Fish, Affinity. The last thing we need is for D&T to have a white equivalent of DRS, Leotard, or Jace. Throw a bone to something else.