[Question 36] Shards of Alara

[Bardo]

Now that the full Shards of Alara card list is available, I don't think we've had a focused discussion on what new cards are exceptional or serviceable (filling a role better than an existing card) for Legacy.

The full Shards of Alara spoiler can be found here:
http://mtgsalvation.com/printable-sh...a-spoiler.html

1. What SoA cards are of Legacy tournament calibre?

2. In which decks will they be played and which cards will they be replacing?

3. Are there any "Build Around Me" (ex. Survival of the Fittest) cards in Shards that might innovate a new archetype?

[Optional] On a personal level, are there are cards in Shards that made you say, "Holy shit, that is awesome." (Interpret as you will.)

[diffy]

I'll just leave the entire stuff that looks okay but will most likely not see any play out and focus on the few cards that have the greatest potential to find their way into decks.

White

Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Maybe playable in Landstill, replacing 1-2 of the other winconditions for being a more mana-efficient Decree of Justice (the other two abilities are pretty bad).

Ethersworn Canonist
'Rule of Law on legs' will probably see some play in Survival sideboards (replacing Gaddock Teeg in Landstill- and Stax-less metagames as he's better against combo and NQG due to limiting cantrip chains) and/or in a Death&Taxes variant replacing True Believer for aforementioned reasons.

Blue

Master of Etherium
Pretty obvious include in any Affinity list, probably giving way to black and red disappearing as splashes for Affinity to develop more into a Affowinity direction as you now have enough decent beaters without having to play Atog and/or Tarmogoyf.

Notable omission: Tezzeret the Seeker - doesn't fix the major problem of the current blue Stax builds, inconsistency due to manabase issues, and will therefore not improve the builds enough to make them competitive.

Black

Ad Nauseam
It won't destroy the format, but it will see some play, even after the hype has died down: it's just another broken combo tool but the fact that it doesn't fix any of the problems combo decks currently have makes it somewhat balanced. Compare it to Ill-Gotten Gains and Diminishing Returns: just another enabler, nothing that puts combo over-the-top.
Probably too weak/vulnerable as a 'build around me' card too due to being counterable and life-consuming (which is exceptionally bad in a format where you're loosing 3-5 life on average every turn after the second).

Executioner's Capsule
Another obvious tool for all those Trinket Mage decks around, especially Dreadstill will welcome this as they don't have much good removal available without splashing white which isn't that great a splash to begin with.

Green

Wild Nacatl
Would be an auto-include in Zoo, too bad Zoo isn't all that good.

Gold

Jund Charm
Handles Goblins, wins Goyf wars, stops graveyard shenanigans - it could just as well be called Mr. Versatile. The problem is that I don't really see a deck it could fit in. A more aggressive Elgin-style control deck could utilise it, if any.

Artefact

Relic of Progenitus
Against anything that's not Ichorid, this is your new and greatly improved Tormod's Crypt. It's also a much better Trinket Mage target than the Crypt as it's never fully dead. The presence of Ichorid in the format (against which it's too slow) will probably limit the amount of play it sees though.


Overall I'd say that this is a weak set for Legacy that will have much less impact on the format than, for example, Lorwyn as it mainly offers some narrow reinforcements for current tier2-3 decks... and even then 8-10 potentially playable cards aren't much either.

[Zach Tartell]

Let me freestyle quick, then I'll answer the posed questions if I haven't already:

• Battlegrace Angel
  
  • I could see this having applications in mono-white Stax. Although I'm not sure that it's gonna be any good. I'm just saying I could see it happen.
• Elspeth, Knight Errant
  
  • Again, this could be used in Stax, since it allows Smokestack to be set at 2 (or 3, with Crucible). Or in Landstill, like a "you don't have to tap out" Decree of Justice. Also, it combos well with Ajani (the real Ajani, not this W/R trash). But Decree does that better. Aydunno.
• Ethersworn Canonist
  
  • I could see this making White slightly better in Affinity. Like, UBw maybe? For actual removal?
  • Also, this could work in Survival. Like, making your opponent Burning Wish for either Shattering Spree or Pyroclasm or whatever only to knock it out of their hand with discard would be pretty sweet.
  • Totally gonna be in my EDH. Like, STAT.
• Knight of the White Orchid
  
  • If White Weenie were ever to be played again, this will be an automatic 4-of.
• Master of Etherium
  
  • Holy Affinity, Batman!
• Mindlock Orb
  
  • If that pile called Tezzeret Stax were to be played, I'd hope this would be in it.
  • Also, I'm going to try it in Type 4. Even though it probably wouldn't be played, 'cause then you couldn't search your own library.

  • Tezzeret becomes slightly less potent when you can't search your own library.

• Tezzeret the Seeker
  • People say that this could be good in vintage, but he costs five, and requires you to wait a turn before you win. In Legacy he could search out Tangle Wire or 3sphere or something, but I'm still unconvinced. If you get to 5 mana I think the game has progressed too far for him to have a grand impact (since Painter/Stone combo already has excellent builds already that don't require a 5cc planeswalker.
• Ad Nauseam
  
  • I'll let somebody who plays combo explain to you how good this is. Like it's not bah-roken broken, but it's certainly very good.
• Executioner's Capsule
  
  • Trinket Mage, ho! I can see this being a 1-of or 2-of in decks that play Trinket Mage and black cards. Other than that, it's just a Dark Banishing that you could play on turn one and activate on turn two.
• Salvage Titan
  
  • I feel like, in conjunction with Moriok Rigger, this guy could see play. If you didn't want to play green for Goyf or pay for Ravager. File him under "possible but unlikely."
• Predator Dragon
  
  • I'm going to say right now that people will suggest this for Ichorid to beat Elephant Grass or Propaganda effects or anythign that would require you to break a ground standstill. I am not saying that he's gonna be good. I'm just saying that it's a possibility.
• Skeletonize
  
  • OH GOD SKITTLES!! That's the casual format that I discussed here (if I am too lazy to go back and link you guys to it then look for the "favorite casual format" Adept question and see my answer). This is freaking amazing. In a modified-pesant casual format.
• Mycoloth
  
  • Secret Force maybe? Matt "Spatula" Elgin suggested that he could function in a Survival deck, but I feel like it's possible to get better 5cc wincons that don't open you up to 100-for-1's.
• Blightning
  
  • I would love for this to fit into Zoo. Like a RGwb Zoo. Somebody please play this card.
• Empyrial Archangel
  
  • Although the last time I looked in the Reanimator thread I think it was so bad that I got cancer, I could see this guy being in there. He's a body (1) with shroud (2) that makes 1 goyf worthless (3). That's pretty solid, in my book.
• Esper Charm
  
  • A UWb Cunning Landstill answer to Counterbalance? I'm pretty sure that Return to Dust is a better option (and that it can actually be cast through a Blood Moon effect), but I think it could possibly see play.
• Hellkite Overlord
  
  • 3-turn clock for Reanimator. That's about it. But, it's pretty solid as far as stupid fatties go.
• Jund Charm
  
  • Ruins loam and other, non-ichorid 'yard-based decks (in that Ichorid will curb stomp you before you get to RGB) (1), Pyroclasms (2), makes your Goyf better than his Goyf (3). It's a possibility for Loam-y decks to win the mirror, and is almost acceptable as far as main-deckable materiel. Somebodoy who plays those colors should get back to me on that one.
• Rafiq of the Many
  
  • Oh, if only he had an ass of 4. I suppose we could always hope, though.
• Windwright Mage
  
  • She's a freaking Cyborg! That has to be worth something.
• Quietus Spike
  
  • I want to play this in Dragon Stompy. Allowing Arc-Slogger to muderize bitches is freaking excellent. And a hard-cast Simian Spirit Guide taking down a Goyf makes me giddy.
• Lich's Mirror
  
  • Vintage or Type 4 applications. But this won't ever see play in a comptetitive format, or even Legacy (save a combo deck).
• Relic of Progenitus
  
  • If you don't play Tarmogoyf, this is better than Crypt against any deck other than Ichorid.
• Sigil of Distinction
  
  • I imagine that Eladriel will be happy to fetch this with a Trinket Mage. I'm not sure this is gonna see play in any other deck (or even Faerie Stompy), but if it does, it'll be in Faerie Stompy.

Now that the full Shards of Alara card list is available, I don't think we've had a focused discussion on what new cards are exceptional or serviceable (filling a role better than an existing card) for Legacy.

The full Shards of Alara spoiler can be found here:
http://mtgsalvation.com/printable-sh...a-spoiler.html

1. What SoA cards are of Legacy tournament calibre?

2. In which decks will they be played and which cards will they be replacing?

3. Are there any "Build Around Me" (ex. Survival of the Fittest) cards in Shards that might innovate a new archetype?

[Optional] On a personal level, are there are cards in Shards that made you say, "Holy shit, that is awesome." (Interpret as you will.)

Okay, each question was answered save possibly three (whose answer is "no).

Optional question:
As an avid type 4 player (whose explanation can be found here with my explanation of Skittles) I find this set amazing. The Ultimatums, the cycle of 8cc beaters, Lich's Mirror, Minion Reflector... it is just crazy. Although my stack is getting too large to fit into my box any more. So I'll probably start a "help me cut down my type 4 stack" thread soon and whine that you all should help me with a format that you aren't familiar with at all.

Edit: I loved you enough to link.

[freakish777]

[Optional] On a personal level, are there are cards in Shards that made you say, "Holy shit, that is awesome." (Interpret as you will.)

Executioner's Capsule. It really seems like an excellent card (along with EE, SDT, and Tormod's) to go get with Trinket Mage. The fact that it can take down a Goyf without blowing up your own Counterbalance makes me very happy.