I'm having trouble understanding the hate for Vivien Reid. It's pretty clearly a card that -could- fit in VetEx, Elves, maybe Maverick. She does things that Nissa can't do, like shooting problem permanents (some of which are creatures), digs for cards, and her ult can end the game in some cases.
Don't get me wrong, I get that Nissa is more powerful in certain contexts. But looking at a metagame filled with problem permanents (Chalice, Bridge, etc) maybe this shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.
The other problem with Nexus of Fate being legal in standard is that it should be legal in the same format as the Blue Gearhulk, which means for six mana you get a 5/6 critter AND a time walk.
Totally agree...just another example of how wizards is 'fixing' cards in the new era of Standard. Overall power level is significantly lower when you add mana to effects like this. At least with Arrest you were able to shut off activated abilities.
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
Remember Odyssey Block, when basically the entirety of the best deck - Madness - was commons?
Yeah, it's silly to claim that they make sure that "all" tournament staples are rares. That said, it does seem like they've increased the percentage of cards in competitive decks that are rares or mythics. While it is necessary for decks to have rares and mythics (gotta have those chase rares), there should be a better balance. Let's take a look at RB Aggro. The first number is maindeck, the second number is maindeck plus sideboard:
http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=19359&d=323136&f=ST
Mythic: 8 (9)
Rare: 30 (36)
Uncommon: 8 (13)
Common: 1 (3)
Basic land: 13 (14)
That's the numbers for what's the top deck in Standard (well, that or Mono-Red, which is a little better in the rarity distribution, but most of that is simply it not running dual lands).
I think a good mixture of rares and non-rares could be found in UW Delver. Let's take a look at that deck towards the end of its legality in Standard:
http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=2765&d=217890&f=ST
Mythic: 4 (5)
Rare: 20 (22)
Uncommon: 3 (12)
Common: 24 (27)
Basic land: 9 (9)
There's a good number of rares, but not so many that they outnumber the common, uncommon, and basic land cards combined. And there are mythics (Geist was a staple of the deck and it was common to play a Sword or two, either maindeck or in the sideboard), there aren't as many. I think that's the rarity mixture that's ideal for tournament decks: A good number of rares, a few mythics, but still plenty of commons and uncommons. Well, okay, the "ideal" from my perspective would be nothing but commons and uncommons but that's not tenable so I hold up the rarity distribution of UW Delver as a good middle ground.
Yeah it feels like at this point you're only going to get good removal (Push, Path, Bolt) at common or uncommon. Maybe a utility dude as well, but for the most part you just load up on rares and mythics and you'll be good
Actually, re-re-thinking about it, Gearhulk is still going to be a huge problem with Nexus because you cast Nexus during your opponents EoT, lose the counter fight over it, then gearhulk it back during your main phase. Or say you're vs. a non-blue deck and they discard it or something, boom, gearhulk EoT, get at absolute minimum two free attack phases.
Basically, there's a reason they've never printed a Time Walk at instant speed before, because its busted as fuck, and impossible to balance, because you'll never have to pay the price of burning one of your turns tapping out to cast it, so it's ALWAYS two turns in a row.
Unless I'm missing something, it still gets shuffled back when countered because its a triggered ability, not part of the resolution of the spell. Right? But, you are correct about other case though. Upon triggering when discarding, the gearhulk could be flashed in to cast it.
you both need to rtfc
a) It gets shuffled in whether it goes to the graveyard by resolving or by any other means, so you can't gearhulk it even if it gets countered or discarded
b) It's not a triggered ability, it's a replacement effect; the card never goes to the graveyard at all so there's never an opportunity to flash this back with gearhulk
edit:
So like, the same shit that's always been common/uncommon? Counterspells and removal and Llanowar Elves? Oh no there are bomb rare creatures, what's the game coming to, it's not like Shivan Dragon was printed in alpha or anything...
Final Fortune,Glorious End, and Time Stop are close.
Playing Time Stop to "End the Turn" at the EOT doesn't really accomplish much. Passing the turn with 7 mana in a draw-go strategy isn't unheard of, and if you can drop a Time Walk EOT then you can untap, tap out to play out your threats (minimum of 7-8 mana worth of castings), then pass the next turn with a bunch of open mana to protect your stuff again is pretty powerful.
If you tap out to burn 7 mana and it gets countered, no big deal, you untap and draw-go per usual.
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