Commander 2013 discussion

[phonics]

Apparently wizards saw how fun and interactive bant hexproof was in modern and decided that they wanted more of it.

[TsumiBand]

Apparently wizards saw how fun and interactive bant hexproof was in modern and decided that they wanted more of it.

It isn't even hexproof though.

Hexproof creatures can be blocked by bigger dudes, or take damage from damage-based sweepers - Volcanic Fallout, Anger of the Gods, Starstorm, Pyroclasm, Earthquake, whatever other "bad cards" exist to do this.

Pretty much every answer to this 3/1 has to be non-targeted, non-damage. Edict effects. Wrath of God and Terminus and shit. Supreme Verdict. Damnation. Infest. Mutilate. AKA things that have classically been pretty assy in Legacy. Terminus and Verdict are showing up more often now but that's only okay.

I mean basically the problem is that the best answers to this creature are bad cards in Legacy. They are too slow or too easily played around. Hell, half the WG creatures in all the formats these days are indestructible themselves, so what the fuck is a control player supposed to do besides ramp to Terminus or Hallowed Burial or Merciless Eviction or some terribad sweeper and hope for the best. Play combo and "just win"? Against Merfolk?

It's just so bloody weird. Like, again, I don't think this *breaks* anything, it's just fucking weird. And very not Blue. This shoulda been like a 2/2 Knight for 1WW.

[Zllig]

This is such a strange card to print. I don't see how this is very fun for commander players other than "el oh el you pick the opponent so it's so political!!!~", and it's obviously too powerful to print in a standard set. So that leads me to believe that Wizards thinks that Legacy needs a new sweet non-interactive card that kills you in 6 turns, but why on earth would anyone want that?

[Koby]

This is such a strange card to print. I don't see how this is very fun for commander players other than "el oh el you pick the opponent so it's so political!!!~", and it's obviously too powerful to print in a standard set. So that leads me to believe that Wizards thinks that Legacy needs a new sweet non-interactive card that kills you in 6 turns, but why on earth would anyone want that?

"Well you see, it's only 2 turns slower than Geist of Saint Traft, which everyone loves and is totes adores"

[FieryBalrog]

Kitsune Riftwalker, Runed Halo, Mistmeadow Skulk, Baneslayer Angel, Seht's Tiger and friends. Clearly this is a blue card to the core. Being Awesome^tm is just above petty color pie issues.

[Gheizen64]

I really hate this card is so stupid on so many levels. Uninteractive at best, and red decks can't even ever remove it. Fuck you wotc, and this is blue when it should've been white by the way, since when blue get strong protection critters? All the best creatures lately have been blue, this is just moronic.

[Richard Cheese]

I'm predicting Supreme Verdict, Terminus, and Wrath of God to be en vogue throughout the next year.

This. Except which decks are going to make use of them while still managing to stem the tide of blue tempo decks, which now have another great tool in their arsenal?

[FieryBalrog]

It dies to Infest or Engineered Plague since it has 1 toughness.

My ass it does. 16-lords.dec laughs at you.

[Tammit67]

What in the actual fuck, WOTC?

I can't tell if this is simply lazy design or I'm being pushed towards modern

[Norm]

That card is stupid, I want 4

[Sasan]

RUG Delver will now play nearly a full playset of REBs in their sideboards now. A good hard counter for that baddie.

[adrieng]

RUG Delver will now play nearly a full playset of REBs in their sideboards now. A good hard counter for that baddie.

Maybe it will be playing three of this card to just race, read who is the beatdown, cause RUG is most of the time the aggro deck, and this sheet kills planeswalker and players ; blocks kotr, and is not affected by graveyard hate, why not joining the cause ? Just little change on the manabase.

[FieryBalrog]

This guy is better than every white protection card ever printed. It's like printing the best counterspell ever in White thanks to stuff like Lapse of Certainty and Frontline Medic. I'm sure everyone would be thrilled about that. The most disgusting thing is, decks like D&T have been waiting for cards like this for years. You know, in the color where it makes sense.

I mean look at Paladin En-Vec, who is supposed to be "strong" for a white protection creature at 1WW. This guy is so far ahead of Paladin En-Vec he isn't in the same universe.

[Grand Superior]

That card is stupid, I want 4

That's my opinion on the matter.

I think this card is beyond stupid, but then I have the same opinion on Delver of Secrets and Deathrite Shaman. Stupid or not, it looks to be stupidly effective and I now need to preorder some of these. At least it'll be affordable while its in print thanks to it being part of a special release. I do hope it's the card that breathes some life back into Stoneblade variants because I miss that deck.

[lordofthepit]

Everyone that was involved in designing Commander 2013 and everyone that thinks this card is sensible in blue should be shot in the face with guns and cannons.

[Anusien]

It's actually not that good.

[Valtrix]

One of the best walls ever printed.

[Ellomdian]

I'm glad there is something to finally generate discussion... been a lackluster spoiler waiting for the 1-2 eternal gems.

Having said that - guys, it still costs 3 mana. You can compare it to Geist (which generally comes with a swinging 4/4), or Clique (which quietly Duress's your opponent at instant speed,) or even Delver (which has a discount and a drawback to make an evasive 3/1,) and it compares well on it's own merits, but it's still a 3CMC 3/1 Practically-Indestructible.

I for one am very, VERY happy they didn't try to 2/1 for 1U this thing... that would be terrifying.

[Tammit67]

It's actually not that good.

I'll agree with you, but the design is horrendous

[Barook]

What in the actual fuck, WOTC?

I can't tell if this is simply lazy design or I'm being pushed towards modern

Commander isn't Modern-legal, so they don't give a fuck.

I'm interested to see whether or not Maro answers my question how this ended up blue instead of white, given that protection is white's domain and blue is the color with the least protection creatures (yes, even red has one more, I counted).

Seriously, that thing is a major "Fuck you!" to the color pie, but I guess it's okay because it's blue.

Edit: Or they want to make Mono- Devotion a thing.

I'm glad there is something to finally generate discussion... been a lackluster spoiler waiting for the 1-2 eternal gems.

Having said that - guys, it still costs 3 mana. You can compare it to Geist (which generally comes with a swinging 4/4), or Clique (which quietly Duress's your opponent at instant speed,) or even Delver (which has a discount and a drawback to make an evasive 3/1,) and it compares well on it's own merits, but it's still a 3CMC 3/1 Practically-Indestructible.

I for one am very, VERY happy they didn't try to 2/1 for 1U this thing... that would be terrifying.

It isn't just about offense - this thing can also act like a superwall, kinda like Tarmogoyf, except better.