I dunno, Tithe Taker hits abilities too, and it only affects your opponent. Those are both pretty big considering how many legacy decks want to play or use abilities on your turn.
This hits Fetches, Karakas, Vial, countermagic,.. lots of things.
It's not that strong, but it's ability to replace itself with a 1/1 might get it to fringe play in legacy and serious considerations in modern.
Looking at Tithe Taker, the deck it makes the most sense in is UW Stoneblade. It distracts removal from your Stoneforge Mystics and helps you resolve them. It also holds equipment and the fact that the token flies is another good target for equips. D&T already has Vial to get stuff in uncountered, so that probably isn't a good fit. If this had first strike it would have been a much different discussion; I think that would have tipped it just enough to warrant serious testing. As it stands, not sure it's good enough. I mean, it has to fight for slots with Snapcaster Mage and True Name Nemesis in UW Stoneblade, and that's probably the best shell for the ability. Maybe Legacy humans will get more prevalent?
In modern, where counterspells actually cost mana (as if), it could become quite good in the humans deck. Vial-ing it in at the right time to avoid Terminus/Supreme Verdict blowouts seems quite good. Humans is already playing Thalia to tax opponents, this would make it even steeper to interact. Much more likely to see this in Modern than legacy.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Makes sense to me (except the distract from Stone forge bit. Stone forge's biggest damage is resolving getting to then cheat the batterskull in is just extra gravy) but I think it's most comparable to Squadron Hawk, which already hasn't been good enough for this deck in forever.
Instant
Destroy target artifact, creature or planeswalker.
It's flexible, but the mana cost is kinda restrictive.
I probably wasn't very clear, but what I meant is this: if they are killing Lavinia then they are likely not killing Stoneforge, which still leaves you with a cheap way to get BSkull into play or at the very least a creature to equip. Just choosing between Lavinia or Stoneforge to kill seems to push opponents into subjectively worse decisions. I assumed the big argument would be 'dies to removal', which is why its such a downgrade from TNN as a threat. I may be overstating this, I am not incredibly familiar with Stoneblade as an archetype. I was making an assumption that UW Stoneblade (instead of Esper Blade with Lingering Souls) is more dependent on keeping SFM around to equip because it plays fewer threats.
The final result is the same: it seems worse than every other creature in that deck. It's greatest strength is a free Force Spike/Daze on your turn to resolve SFM or your other threats (Jace, TNN.) Replacing itself with an evasive token isn't small potatoes, either.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
3 for a 3/3 haste or 3 for a 4/4 that gives you and itself hexproof on your turn.
Outside of Settle the Wreckage, which is a big deal in Standard, is it ever relevant for you to have hexproof on your own turn?
EDIT: Wing Shards too I guess.
Calling a shot right now: There's going to be a 1/1 Riot for R.
There is no doubt that this card is going to make Zoo tier 1 again. A 3/3 with haste and trample for 3 is pretty good.
Are you joking? Boggart Ram-Gang isn't breaking any formats lately, as far as I know, and it's arguably better than this card.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Simic and Gruul both tend to get those.
That said, I like it. It's like a more interesting Unleash, which was already an interesting mechanic in Limited, and it overlaps nicely with Simic's apparent use of +1/+1 counters as a resource and Rakdos's desire to do damage every turn. I wouldn't expect any of the cards with guild mechanics to be playable in Legacy, so this doesn't particularly disappoint in that respect.
I think people will be trying it in Scapeshift control in modern, but I don't think that there are any legacy decks that want to ramp lands and counter spells. I also wonder if it does anything in the Fastbond/Gush vintage decks if those are still around.
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