War of the Spark

[morgan_coke]

Well, I'd kind of hesitate to declare him an "I win button" though, because, well, he doesn't win. He might put you in a position to possibly win, but if you drop this and I drop Jace, if you don't have a counterspell, well, that you aren't likely "winning" there. So, no, this guy is one, obviously not as good as Jace. But he does cost less mana, and hoses opposing counter-magic so that is something. Consider too, that if you put this in your deck, vs. Miracles for example, you might only have, at times, one bounce target and it might just be a Snapcaster. In that sort of case, well, it's definitely not an ideal ability. In fact, maybe even a liability.

It's not clear to me that this card is really overly powerful, even if it does seem somewhat useful perhaps.

How does any Jace control deck win vs. another control deck when it can't cast instants or counter things? Also, Teferi can target your own Snapcasters to bounce. He doesn't only hit opposing permanents.

[joven]

"Eternal Taskmaster" is a good zombie and looks strong at first glance, but 2B is a lot of mana, brings the creature only to hand, and he has to attack.
If you want the ability outside of a zombie deck you might want to look at Genesis. Not really new tech.
Poor Shambling Ghoul is outdated now.

[Smuggo]

How does any Jace control deck win vs. another control deck when it can't cast instants or counter things? Also, Teferi can target your own Snapcasters to bounce. He doesn't only hit opposing permanents.

Jace lets you brainstorm to dig for the card you need to remove Teferi.

Or bounces a creature, or fate seal. At least one of his abilities will always do something.

And his ultimate actually wins the game.

Wheras Teferi only stops instants and his + and - abilities are very situational. He is far from being an "I win" card wheras Jace is an actual win-con.

[H]

How does any Jace control deck win vs. another control deck when it can't cast instants or counter things? Also, Teferi can target your own Snapcasters to bounce. He doesn't only hit opposing permanents.

Sure, I mean, the ability has usefulness, I'm not doubting it.

How does a Jace control deck win without casting Instants as Instants? Well, I mean, it's pretty obvious that if your hand is juiced with counters and your resolve Teferi, you will likely win. But only thinking about the best possible cases won't really give you a well-rounded idea of how the card will play out. Miracles decks can do things at Sorcery speed that are fine vs. Teferi. For example, cast Council's Judgement, cast Monestary Mentor and a cantrip or two a Sorcery speed, cast Jace. Even, Sorcery-speed Snapcaster for "value" until they are ready to do something else seem like a not so "terrible" plan, because Teferi won't ever "ultimate" so there aren't many other consequences, if the deck in question isn't trying to add to it's board besides lands or Planewalkers.

I mean, if we presuppose that we always land Teferi in a situation that deads our opponent's whole hand and strategy, it mean, then yeah, it's good. But I don't think that is often what would actually happen. So, the card seems reasonable, but hardly overly powerful/a default inclusion in a UW deck.

[BenBleiweiss]

This set is rock solid.



Dreadhorde Arcanist

Trample
Whenever Dreadhorde Arcanist attacks, you may cast target instant or sorcery card with converted mana cost less than or equal to Dreadhorde Arcanist's power from your graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that card would be put into your graveyard this turn, exile it instead."

EDIT: And yes, this works with Ancestral Vision/free spells.

[Cire]

Forgetting Combo with Equipment or Pump spells, Forgetting anything regarding 0 CMC spells, he still seems pretty decent as just . . . idk copying all the burn spells in your grave?

[Megadeus]

Forgetting Combo with Equipment or Pump spells, Forgetting anything regarding 0 CMC spells, he still seems pretty decent as just . . . idk copying all the burn spells in your grave?

Yeah this card is pretty good. I'm not sure where he goes, maybe in SB for grind MUs?

[PirateKing]

Forgetting Combo with Equipment or Pump spells, Forgetting anything regarding 0 CMC spells, he still seems pretty decent as just . . . idk copying all the burn spells in your grave?

That's where my mind went to. His attacks would be 4 damage a turn which makes him worth considering.
Not having haste means it's a do-nothing turn, which is also makes him not worth it.
Interested to see what better burn players think.

[morgan_coke]

Does this replace Young Pyro in Grixis? Or does it make UWR Stoneblade viable? Or does it go in URG Cascade?

Off the top of my head:

Brainstorm
Ponder
Ancestral Visions
Lightning Bolt
Swords to Plowshares (or PtE depending)
Chain Lightning
Thoughtseize
Fatal Push

Anything big I'm missing there?

EDIT: UWR Stoneblade

4x Dreadhorde Arcanist
4x Snapcaster
4x SfM

1x Jitte
1x Sword of X/Y
1x Batterskull

4x Brainstorm
4x Bolt
4x Path/StP
4x Ponder

4x FoW

4x new Teferi

3x flex

18x lands

Is that about right?

[Megadeus]

It's nice he gets it on the attack because them you can clear the path with a bolt from the yard or something. I want to Become Immense him and cast Cruel Ultimatum personally, but I know it's bad

[Cire]

It might be hard to run him alongside Snapcaster as they both exile your cards from the grave. You might get into situations where you have nothing to target in your grave.

[Smuggo]

Might see play as an SB card in Burn but don't see why you'd play it over snapcaster when you have access to blue.

It dies to bolt and does nothing the turn it's cast. Being repeatable is nice, but the risk of it not sticking and doing nothing is high.

[H]

Might see play as an SB card in Burn but don't see why you'd play it over snapcaster when you have access to blue.

It dies to bolt and does nothing the turn it's cast. Being repeatable is nice, but the risk of it not sticking and doing nothing is high.

Right, I think if you are in Blue, you either, have maxed out on Snap-daddy, so this guy is plus, or you are looking to get something like Visions going.

If you aren't in Blue though, this is something to consider, given the sort of "poverty" that Red two-drops have, besides Young Peezy.

[Barook]

If only he was also green for GSZ purposes...

That's a draw engine with Karakas. Combine it with Vial and this becomes pretty efficient.

[Cire]

Another thought for Karn, I know it's not vintage and we still don't know about the new mulligan rule, but lets say you run serum powder's and aggresively mulligan so you can get Karn out early. You can still use the -2 to search for artifacts exiled by serum powder (assuming there are any that you want). I'm not sure what deck really want's New Karn as he takes up only 4 spaces and slots right into any deck that run's Sol Lands pretty easy. Even if you aren't using an artifact deck, if you can manage to get 4 mana turn 3 and 6 mana turn 4 with ease which most Sol decks should be able to do, I think you have to justify not running New Karn?

[Finn]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned. But karn can be used to kill off an opponents artifact each turn if I am understanding that text correctly. (The text a a bit wonky)

[H]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned. But karn can be used to kill off an opponents artifact each turn if I am understanding that text correctly. (The text a a bit wonky)

Yes, the wording posted here is off, but the ability does seem to be worded like Karn, Silver Golem. (Which means it will also do it's Equipment trick too, only at Sorcery speed, of course.)

[Barook]

(Which means it will also do it's Equipment trick too, only at Sorcery speed, of course.)

And since he's a one-sided Null Rod, it can also shut down the reequip. This can even snipe off equipment from TNN.

[Megadeus]

Another thought for Karn, I know it's not vintage and we still don't know about the new mulligan rule, but lets say you run serum powder's and aggresively mulligan so you can get Karn out early. You can still use the -2 to search for artifacts exiled by serum powder (assuming there are any that you want). I'm not sure what deck really want's New Karn as he takes up only 4 spaces and slots right into any deck that run's Sol Lands pretty easy. Even if you aren't using an artifact deck, if you can manage to get 4 mana turn 3 and 6 mana turn 4 with ease which most Sol decks should be able to do, I think you have to justify not running New Karn?

Also with Karn powder can just attack for 3 or ramp you into your lock

[H]

And since he's a one-sided Null Rod, it can also shut down the reequip. This can even snipe off equipment from TNN.

Oh, yeah, that too, forgot about his Static Ability for a moment there.

I mean, the card seems pretty decent, but I really unsure if he is better (overall) than Scion of Urza. I mean, it really depends on the deck, I think. The two might be "equally" good in completely different ways and for completely different decks.