Magic: The Gathering Thread XXV: 3 Vorthoses barely clinging to sanity and 45 Spikes

[Emmerlaus]

My main language is French. Even a table have a gender in that language. Im glad to have took an history lesson here though. Even if in French, that would have being translated into a gender in any case, ESPECIALLY if there is two words for it. So this change for me felt very woke attempt... and even with the history lesson, it still feels like that.

But blame my main language, French. I want to be respectful but for us, we have specific rules about genders to follow and its getting difficult with all the change. I'll call her the The Wanderer new planeswalker simply because its getting confusing for me.

Back to MTG news, Lizard Blade is awesome. Kodama of the West Tree is awesome but I was too late to buy some of the cards that woud be awesome with it in my LGS online store. Runaway Trash-Bot is awesome too, I might put it in my self-mill Ghen deck

[LaZodiac]

My main language is French. Even a table have a gender in that language. Im glad to have took an history lesson here though. Even if in French, that would have being translated into a gender in any case, ESPECIALLY if there is two words for it. So this change for me felt very woke attempt... and even with the history lesson, it still feels like that.

But blame my main language, French. I want to be respectful but for us, we have specific rules about genders to follow and its getting difficult with all the change. I'll call her the The Wanderer new planeswalker simply because its getting confusing for me.

Back to MTG news, Lizard Blade is awesome. Kodama of the West Tree is awesome but I was too late to buy some of the cards that woud be awesome with it in my LGS online store. Runaway Trash-Bot is awesome too, I might put it in my self-mill Ghen deck

Something that might be good to internalize is that something being more open, like using nongendered terms and allow for trans people to be who they are and allowing nonbinary folk like Niko to be allowed their identity... it's all unambiguously good. Consider how silly your native language IS for having EVERY thing have a gender. What is female about a table? It's nonsense. So even if it feels "woke" you need to understand that that's a good thing. That's not a bad thing, and people telling you being inclusive is bad are trying to hurt you.

While I understand it might be hard to wrap your head around Emperor being non-gendered a term because you're French and that's how French language rules work... we are speaking in English. It's not that hard, especially if you do know english well enough to type it (which you clearly are). And when the Wandering Emperor gets the french translation posted I'll post it and we'll see if it's gendered or not.

Speaking of other cards; they have a tanuuki and it's properly creature type Dog and that owns! We also have a Nue, and Kappa, and other yokai and that rules!

[Emmerlaus]

Mtg French translation are historically bad and hilarious. It’s like in the Pokémon games, where Grimer became the French word for booger lol I’m not trusting it simply because the person doing the translations is using a flawed program like Google translate.

French is a beautiful, rich and complex. It’s hard for those who didn’t learn it young to learn it. English is much more simple in comparison even if it’s more complicated then people think. Please don’t insult it. It’s flawed just like every language but we should respect it.

BACK TO MTG: Lizard Blades is the better Fireshriker !! And Lion Sash is so going in my bant +1/+1counter deck… and replace Honored Heirloom in a few of my decks if they have white lol

[Spore]

I do enjoy NEO's basic concept, but my frustration with the monetization of MTGA amounts in me uninstalling it. Alchemy is a mistake and an affront in an already very predatory monetization. I stopped playing Standard 2 years ago, and with the focus on what I hated about Hearthstone (the on the fly card adjustments ruining your decks every month) I will just stop altogether.

[Amidus Drexel]

So, Lion Sash is a wild card. It's not exactly scavenging ooze, but "permanent" is a lot easier to hit than "creature" (hits fetchlands, for example). It being an equipment means it will be tutorable in any stoneforge mystic deck, too.

I don't know if I'll need/want a full playset for my modern decks (D&T and Hammer), but I'll definitely try to sneak it into the maindeck for both. I can see this being a nice utility card in singleton formats too.

[Techwarrior]

So, Lion Sash is a wild card. It's not exactly scavenging ooze, but "permanent" is a lot easier to hit than "creature" (hits fetchlands, for example). It being an equipment means it will be tutorable in any stoneforge mystic deck, too.

I don't know if I'll need/want a full playset for my modern decks (D&T and Hammer), but I'll definitely try to sneak it into the maindeck for both. I can see this being a nice utility card in singleton formats too.

Lion Sash 100% goes in most white commander decks. I'd be willing to hazard a guess that it's probably pushing the upper 90+ percentile of decks that have white and aren't hyper dedicated to a particular card type (i.e. enchantress) that Lion Sash isn't. Being an equipment, artifact, and a creature means that it's tutorable by basically any of the good white tutors, and it will trigger most of the things white cares about doing while being solid yard hate and a decent threat.

I'm totally prepared to be wrong, but this card should absolutely be a slam dunk for commander. I'm going to have to check the pre-order prices, but I'm going to pick up at least a playset of these.

[Amidus Drexel]

Lion Sash 100% goes in most white commander decks. I'd be willing to hazard a guess that it's probably pushing the upper 90+ percentile of decks that have white and aren't hyper dedicated to a particular card type (i.e. enchantress) that Lion Sash isn't. Being an equipment, artifact, and a creature means that it's tutorable by basically any of the good white tutors, and it will trigger most of the things white cares about doing while being solid yard hate and a decent threat.

I'm totally prepared to be wrong, but this card should absolutely be a slam dunk for commander. I'm going to have to check the pre-order prices, but I'm going to pick up at least a playset of these.

Yeah, it's definitely not going to get played in my stony silence + solemnity enchantress deck or my jeskai spellslinger pile (being a creature is pretty inconvenient in that deck, even if it would otherwise be upside most of the time). If I ever put that equipment deck back together, though, this will be the perfect piece of graveyard hate.

Pre-sale looks to be $4-5 right now, which is not bad.

[Amechra]

As a side note (and the only interesting part of a rant about how dumb English is about gendering titles, even if they aren't gendered in the first place¹):

If Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip were Polish, it's entirely possible that they would have been King Elizabeth II and Queen Philip. And that would have made way more sense than the backflip-y garbage of "Queen regnant" and "Prince consort".

¹ I'm sorry, Zodi, but English has a pretty solid track record of referring to female tenno using the word "Empress". I agree with WotC's decision to refer to The Wanderer as Emperor, but that is 100% not the norm in English.

[LaZodiac]

As a side note (and the only interesting part of a rant about how dumb English is about gendering titles, even if they aren't gendered in the first place¹):

If Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip were Polish, it's entirely possible that they would have been King Elizabeth II and Queen Philip. And that would have made way more sense than the backflip-y garbage of "Queen regnant" and "Prince consort".

¹ I'm sorry, Zodi, but English has a pretty solid track record of referring to female tenno using the word "Empress". I agree with WotC's decision to refer to The Wanderer as Emperor, but that is 100% not the norm in English.

Yeah, that's a way better way to go about it.

English having a track record of being dumb doesn't mean it's right, just that they're consistent about it. =). Glad we agree that WOTC is doing right in bucking that trend though.

[Emmerlaus]

Well I’m glad that this consistency (and my birth language) explain why my brain is having so much trouble adjusting. Thanks for the explanation Amechra!!

Now only the Commander decks remain unspoiled. Can’t wait !!! Favorite new card so far remain Lion Sash, simply because of how versatile it is and because I was really hoping this set would help me boost the power of my Bant good stuff deck. Wasn’t disappointed with this card lol

[Dienekes]

Well I’m glad that this consistency (and my birth language) explain why my brain is having so much trouble adjusting. Thanks for the explanation Amechra!!

Now only the Commander decks remain unspoiled. Can’t wait !!! Favorite new card so far remain Lion Sash, simply because of how versatile it is and because I was really hoping this set would help me boost the power of my Bant good stuff deck. Wasn’t disappointed with this card lol

I have not seen all the cards, not even close really. But so far the equipment seems interesting. Lion Sash and Eater of Virtue are going straight into my Bruenor Battlehammer deck.

[Zhentarim]

Could you build a competitive deck in modern that is at least 70% creatures and all the creatures are flying?

[enderlord99]

Since we've had two Praetors in a row, three no longer sounds unlikely. The set after New Capenna is back in time, to (if I understand correctly) an era where Black-aligned Phyrexians were in the early stages of becoming a legitimate threat. Of the two remaining Praetors, the only one who we're likely to meet before the actual return to New Phyrexia is Black-aligned and good at infiltration of other Black factions (she has swampwalk, even!) and the plane the set will take place on is one of only two where time-travel is already known to be strongly plot-relevant (the other being Tarkir)

Does anyone else think it's probable that Sheoldred is going back in time to infiltrate Old Phyrexia and steal the lost technologies to bring to New Phyrexia, like merge-gates and whatnot?

[Mystic Muse]

Could you build a competitive deck in modern that is at least 70% creatures and all the creatures are flying?

Absolutely not.

Since we've had two Praetors in a row, three no longer sounds unlikely. The set after New Capenna is back in time, to (if I understand correctly) an era where Black-aligned Phyrexians were in the early stages of becoming a legitimate threat. Of the two remaining Praetors, the only one who we're likely to meet before the actual return to New Phyrexia is Black-aligned and good at infiltration of other Black factions (she has swampwalk, even!) and the plane the set will take place on is one of only two where time-travel is already known to be strongly plot-relevant (the other being Tarkir)

Does anyone else think it's probable that Sheoldred is going back in time to infiltrate Old Phyrexia and steal the lost technologies to bring to New Phyrexia, like merge-gates and whatnot?

I think Gix finally getting printed is more likely, personally.

[enderlord99]

I think Gix finally getting printed is more likely, personally.

...Can't it be both?

[Mystic Muse]

...Can't it be both?

Only if there's actual time travel..if the set is just back in time, then no.

[enderlord99]

Only if there's actual time travel..if the set is just back in time, then no.

Right, that's what I was wondering about. How likely do you think it is there will be actual time travel? Personally, I'd say a bit under 50% as things stand.

[Amidus Drexel]

Could you build a competitive deck in modern that is at least 70% creatures and all the creatures are flying?

Probably not? 70% creatures means you only have 18 remaining cards for lands+spells, which is really low for an aggressive deck with no cantrips. Bant spirits was once a competitive deck in modern (though it really isn't anymore), and while they played lots of creatures and mostly fliers (noble hierarch and occasionally thalia notwithstanding), they usually played closer to 20 lands and had Aether Vials and Collected Companies bringing the noncreature spell count up.

Hell, even 5c Humans played more than 18 lands, and they were famous for playing basically 0 noncreature spells except for vial.

[LaZodiac]

Since we've had two Praetors in a row, three no longer sounds unlikely. The set after New Capenna is back in time, to (if I understand correctly) an era where Black-aligned Phyrexians were in the early stages of becoming a legitimate threat. Of the two remaining Praetors, the only one who we're likely to meet before the actual return to New Phyrexia is Black-aligned and good at infiltration of other Black factions (she has swampwalk, even!) and the plane the set will take place on is one of only two where time-travel is already known to be strongly plot-relevant (the other being Tarkir)

Does anyone else think it's probable that Sheoldred is going back in time to infiltrate Old Phyrexia and steal the lost technologies to bring to New Phyrexia, like merge-gates and whatnot?

The next set is actually be Dominaria United, which is a return to Dominaria focused on Zhalfir and stuff. THEN we have the Brother War, which is NOT going to be part of the main story! It is JUST a retelling of The Brother War in modern time with modern cards and stuff.

So, despite all reasoning to the contrary for this entire conversation; you're somehow correct in that we're likely to get Sheoldred AND Gix, both of them. Sheoldred in United, and then Gix since he's a major player in The Brother War.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Could you build a competitive deck in modern that is at least 70% creatures and all the creatures are flying?

Define "competitive". You can definitely build a deck that's around tier 2 - good enough to have game against the top decks, but it won't be top tier.

This is about as close as you'll get, I think.

[enderlord99]

Any parrticular reason for this apparent 180 in moral outlook?

I know it's a bit late to point this out, but neither "Dimir to Bant" nor "Dimir to Selesnya" is a 180. Likewise when starting from Esper.

If he were mono-black to begin with, Selesnya would be a 180, but he never claimed to be monocolor and I have no reason to believe he was.

[Jurai]

I know it's a bit late to point this out, but neither "Dimir to Bant" nor "Dimir to Selesnya" is a 180.

One of them is a 78 and the other is a 104.

Then what WOULD be a 180? Dimir to Naya?

[enderlord99]

Then what WOULD be a 180? Dimir to Naya?

Yes. Going 180 from Dimir results in either Naya, Mono-Green, or Boros.

[Mystic Muse]

Black is an enemy color of white, blue is an enemy color of green, and they hopped from Neutral Evil to Neutral Good. While you're correct on Bant, my logic for the rest of it is sound.

[enderlord99]

Since a prison deck is one that stops its opponent from doing anything, would a deck that lets its opponent do things, but avoids letting one of those things be "actually win" be a parole deck?

[Mystic Muse]

Since a prison deck is one that stops its opponent from doing anything, would a deck that lets its opponent do things, but avoids letting one of those things be "actually win" be a parole deck?

I don't know, but I find the logic/idea very amusing.

[enderlord99]

I don't know, but I find the logic/idea very amusing.

Good to hear! It's the reasoning for my recent name-change on my main Historic deck. I called it "Professor Google" but now it's Professor Parole!

The archetype it most strongly falls into is toolbox, but it has a very weird toolbox.

[Amidus Drexel]

Since a prison deck is one that stops its opponent from doing anything, would a deck that lets its opponent do things, but avoids letting one of those things be "actually win" be a parole deck?

I think the usual term for that playstyle is "control", but "parole" rhymes with it and makes me laugh, so let's go with that.

The archetype it most strongly falls into is toolbox, but it has a very weird toolbox.

Prison(/Parole) can have toolboxes! (see: several legacy decks, including D&T, Maverick, sometimes stoneblade, many control decks, and some variations on lands; as well any GW hatebears pile and most Karn the Great Creator decks in other formats).

The main difference is that sort of tools you end up having in your toolbox are mostly cards that say "no" or "not usually" or "not right now".

[enderlord99]

Prison(/Parole) can have toolboxes! (see: several legacy decks, including D&T, Maverick, sometimes stoneblade, many control decks, and some variations on lands; as well any GW hatebears pile and most Karn the Great Creator decks in other formats).

The main difference is that sort of tools you end up having in your toolbox are mostly cards that say "no" or "not usually" or "not right now".

When I say "my deck is a toolbox deck" I don't just mean "my deck has a toolbox"

I mean that it focuses heavily on the breadth of its toolbox over basically anything else, to the point that it is a toolbox deck.

[Dienekes]

New set out, I’ll admit that kind of came up as a surprise for me. Anyone have any opinions on it? I’ll admit from my limited look I’m not really getting any broad strategy/deck coherence other than a general 2 color set.

Also, apparently this multicolor mob world is the home of the most mono white knightly character now that Gids is gone (and well, honestly none of the knights from the knight set left much of an impression). Didn’t see that coming.