[Question 39] Conflux - What will see play in Legacy?

[Bardo]

Now that the full Conflux spoiler is available what do you think will see play in a serious, competitive Legacy environment?

Here's what stuck out to me...

Path to Exile
W
Instant
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.

Usually a second-string StP that trades an opposing threat for opposing mana acceleration most of the time. After turn-6 or so it shouldn't matter, against a few decks (non-basic-less TA) it's better than StP, and being a significant liability against a lot of decks where StP is so much better (1st turn Lackey). Might find a home somewhere, but I'm doubtful.

Nyxathid
1BB
Creature - Elemental
As Nyxathid comes into play, choose an opponent.
Nyxathid gets -1/-1 for each card in the chosen player's hand.
7/7

In a format where Dark Ritual, Hymn to Tourach, Duress, Thoughtseize, etc are legal, this could be a beating, though it feels like its missing flying, trample, fear or haste. I imagine a lot of people will test it out, realize it's not as good as it looks on paper and put it in their trade binder. Still, a potential 6/6 or 5/5 for three mana is pretty decent. A 3/3 for 3 (4 cards in your opponents grip), less so. Tombstalker is probably just better, about as cheap (sometimes a little cheaper) and flies.

Lapse of Certainty
2W
Instant
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner's library instead of into that player's graveyard.

Is this a card MWC wants? Seems like there are more efficient answers and its not like Mana Tithe saw much play.

Sigil of the Empty Throne
3WW
Enchantment
Whenever you play an enchantment spell, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying into play.

I have zero experience playing Enchantress and I see the mana cost being excessively prohibitive, but if things go your way, this is mighty sexy; though maybe supbar compared to the far cheaper War of Words, Sacred Mesa or whatever Enchantress currently kills with these days.

Zach, Spatula? Is this any good or too expensive?

Faerie Mechanist
3U
Artifact Creature - Faerie Artificer
Flying
When Faerie Mechanist comes into play, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it in your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
2/2

Not sure how this guy stacks up vs. Trinket Mage or if he can fill a role in Faerie Stompy or replace something, but 2/2 for 4 mana is not too impressive, along with his limited searching ability. Flying is good as well as the possible CA he can generate.

Master Transmuter


OMG, that art! About the rules text, seems like she asks for a lot of work on your part, though this is true of all transmogrified blondes. Speaking of which, how do these people ... reproduce? If you looked under Master of Etherium's robe, would you see metallic filligree junk? Losing your cock to "perfect your form" or whatever, seems like an awfully high price to pay; especially on a plane where Master Transmuter struts around. ** Alternately, insert poor-taste eating disorder joke. **

Volcanic Fallout
1RR
Instant
Volcanic Fallout can't be countered.
Volcanic Fallout deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.

Hmm. On the one hand it can't be countered; on the other hand the decks that run a lot of x/1-2s (Elves, Gobs) don't run counters, so it's an expensive Pyroclasm. Against the decks that run dudes and counters (Slivers, Merfolk), 2 damage isn't going to get the job done (Lords, Muscle Slivers, etc.). So, maybe; otherwise, Pyroclasm and Firespout are superior.

Noble Hierarch
G
Creature - Human Druid
Exalted
T: Add U, W or G to your mana pool.
1/1

No comment -- I never play decks with Birds of Paradise. This also suffers the liability of not being able to tap for Thoughtseize / Cabal Therapy / Burning Wish mana, etc. However, Exalted can help TarmoWars.

Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
1UW
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue
UW, T: Put a bribery counter on target creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
Creatures with bribery counters on them can't attack or block.
2/2

This card is just fucking cool. I bet Ken Nagle designed it. Otherwise, seems slow and will struggle to find a home. I have a U/W aggro deck in my closet that I like to play on occassion, and I could see him going there only on a casual whim, then I see him getting cut. Edit - Shit, your opponent draws a card? Fuck. That.

Knight of the Reliquary
1WG
Creature - Human Knight
Knight of the Reliquary gets +1/+1 for each land card in your graveyard.
T, Sacrifice a Forest or Plains: Search your library for a land card, put it into play, then shuffle your library.
2/2

Another incredibly well-designed card that suffers from want for Trample, Flying or some other form of evasion. Hell, even first strike would be fine. In U/w/g Threshold, he'll come down on turn-3 as a 4/4 and a little bigger later on. For 1 more mana, you can have Enforcer who flies, is pro: black and hits for 6; though you're not usually casting him until turn 6+. For a mana less, you get something non-evasive, with an interesting ability in exchange for the all-important flying. For instance, you could tap a Tundra to play Ponder, then tap this guy to sac the tapped Tundra to get an untapped Trop one deploy a Goyf, Goose, etc. while getting an extra +1/+1. The romantic in me is an optimist and also hoping for some sweet art. My pragmatic side says this is junk and requires a lot of hoop-jumping for dubious profit. Regardless, the design of this card is fucking gorgeous and it thankfully doesn't cost 2WG or something awkward like WGG for a 2/3.

Lastly, the lands suck. All of them.

So, that's what stuck out to me. A couple of things were on the bubble (Sphinx Summoner, Voracious Dragon, Hellspark Elemental), but I had to go with my gut that they're not likely to see any serious play for more than a tourney or two.

Questions:

- What do you think is most likely to make an impact in the format?
- Where will those cards be played and what will they replace?
- Do you see any new archetypes on the horizon?
- What are the three best cards in this set for Legacy?

[Pinder]

Here are the cards I took note of:

Court Homunculus W
Artifact Creature - Homunculus Common
Court Homunculus gets +1/+1 as long as you control another artifact.
1/1

It doesn't seem impressive, but in some sort of AfFOWnity or Deep Blue or something with Master of Etherium, Canonist, and the new Esperzoa (which I'll get to in a moment), a 2/2 for 1 is good. It's at least as good as Arcbound worker if you're not running Ravager.

Lapse of Certainty 2W
Instant Uncommon
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner's library instead of into that player's graveyard.

I really wanted this to cost 1W, but even so, alongside Mana Tithe, another white counterspell is worth noting, at least. Not sure what would run it outside of Quinn, and even then I'm not sure it fits. Seems like something could use it, though.

Martial Coup xww
Sorcery Rare
Put X 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens into play. If X is 5 or more, destroy all other creatures.

Okay, 7 mana is way too much for WoG, even if it nets you 5 creatures. That said, I really want this to be playable for some reason.

Path to Exile W
Instant Uncommon
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.

The best card spoiled, IMO. This has been discussed to death, so I won't go into much detail here.

Sigil of the Empty Throne 3WW
Enchantment Rare
Whenever you play an enchantment spell, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying into play.

Hi, Enchantress. I heard you were looking for another wincon? One that doesn't depend entirely on your draw engine?

Controlled Instincts U
Enchantment - Aura Uncommon
Enchant red or green creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.

For mono-U maybe? It doesn't carry the cumulative upkeep that Mind Harness does, but even so it still might not be good enough.

Esperzoa 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish Uncommon
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3

Even if this guy doesn't make it into Faerie stompy, some sort of blue affinity seems bound to use him. In the same deck with Master of Etherium and Canonist, it seems like it could be strong.

Master Transmuter 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer Rare
{U}, {T}: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
Illus. Chippy
1/2

Elvish Piper for Artifacts. She's most obviously suited for doing unfair things like swapping Sundering Titans, but she might just be too slow, what with all the tapping she has to do. She better be playable, though, because I would hate for that awesome art to go to waste.

Nyxathid 1BB
Creature - Elemental Rare
As Nyxathid comes into play, choose an opponent.
Nyxathid gets -1/-1 for each card in the chosen player's hand.
7/7

Backed with discard, this thing could stay pretty huge, and unless your opponent manages to get a full grip, it's at least going to stay alive for a while. Plus, it can be ritualed (although first turn on the play might not be the best idea).

Wretched Banquet B
Sorcery Common
Destroy target creature with the least power or tied for least power.

Seems good for getting rid of the little guys for Edicts, and also for removal little utility creatures a la Bob.

Volcanic Fallout 1RR
Instant Uncommon
Volcanic Fallout can't be countered.
Volcanic Fallout deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.

It's maybe not necessary, but uncounterable Pyroclasm is at least worth looking at.

Noble Hierarch G
Creature - Human Druid Rare
Exalted
{T}: Add {G}, {W} or {U} to your mana pool.
0/1

In an on-color deck, this is a Birds that makes your Goyfs (or whatever) bigger when they swing. Doesn't fly, but whatever.

Knight of the Reliquary 1GW
Creature - Human Knight Rare
Knight of the Reliquary gets +1/+1 for each land card in your graveyard.
{T}, Sacrifice a Forest or Plains: Search your library for a land card, put it into play, then shuffle your library.

I don't know what this guy would fit in, but he just seems too beastly not to get run somewhere. Add to that the fact that he can tutor for Wasteland, Maze of Ith, Tabernacle, etc. and he's on-color for some kind of Terrageddon sort of thing...

Those are all of the cards that seemed at least worth looking at, to me. As for what I think will actually see play, that list shrinks considerably:

Path to Exile
Noble Heirarch
Knight of the Reliquary
Esperzoa
Sigil of the Empty Throne (only in Enchantress, but probably definitely in Enchantress)

And as for the three best:
Path to Exile
Knight of the Reliquary
Noble Heirarch

Lastly, the lands suck. All of them.

Agreed. To wit, who the fuck made Rupture Spire come into play tapped? I need to have a word with them. With a wrench.

[Artowis]

Agreed. To wit, who the fuck made Rupture Spire come into play tapped? I need to have a word with them. With a wrench.

I'll explain that.

Standard doesn't need an even better Vivid land when the whole cycle already wiped out (mostly) the concept of building proper mana or having a color wheel. I agree the card might've at least seen some play in older formats had it not been CIPT and perhaps it'll be given as a psuedo-reprint with that down the road when the Vivids are gone.

As for Legacy playable cards, there are barely any for 1x or Vintage, so Legacy naturally doesn't see any overlap from 'obvobv power!' stuff. That only leaves:

Path to Exile, Noble Heirarch, Esperzoa as playable variations on cards that have been proven to work in some Legacy decks.

[Tacosnape]

Before giving my entire list of relevant cards (All six of them) that deserve to see play, it's worth noting that Conflux gives this format a ton of new incredible Reanimator targets, ranging from Malfegor to Magister Sphinx to Child of Alara, all of which should be looked at by people playing those sort of decks. That said? Here's my top six.

1. Wretched Banquet
My prediction for the most format-changing card in the set. One Black. Targeted. Kills black shit. It's also worth noting that most decks that want a fantastic black removal spell to exist are either creatureless (Black-based Landstill variants), or are Suicide Blackish variants running enormous guys like Tombstalker, Tarmogoyf, and so on. It's worth noting that Survival can't run this thing easily due to it hitting Birds of Paradise, but also that Birds of Paradise help guard against it.

2. Hellspark Elemental
It's a beautiful two-shot card for Burn. Burn should run it.

3. Nyxathid
Possibly overhyped, but it's still really, really good. Testing against it will show that there are a lot of decks in this format already strong against discard that will give this guy too many troubles for him to shine outside of dedicated discard. But in dedicated discard? He's solid. He'll make discard appear in the format. How well it will do remains to be seen.

4. Knight of the Reliquary
Needs evasion, but gives Loam a reason to run White as its third color to enable STP, Engineered Explosives, and KotR.

5. Progenitus
In case you overlooked this guy as a shiny piece of scrub fodder, look again. He makes Darksteel Colossus obsolete in magic. Like, he IS the new Darksteel Colossus. Granted, Darksteel Colossus based decks aren't exactly breaking formats, but if you're running one? You should run Progenitus instead. 10/10 protection from everything means he's immune to almost literally every form of removal in Legacy including STP. (Edicts, Wraths, and things that make him unable to attack are about all you get.) He's also unblockable. Meaning once he's out? You're two swings from victory.

6. Path to Exile
This is possibly the most overhyped card I've ever seen. That said? It's still very playable in a few decks. Particularly, anything previously running both STP and Lightning Bolt. If you want STP 5-6, chances are you should be looking into the ever underrated Reprisal, slayer of Tarmogoyfs and Tombstalkers and Dreadnoughts alike without giving opponents free land drops.