[Article] Absolut Vintage: Distilling Darksteel For Type I

[TheFram]

Absolut Vintage: Distilling Darksteel For Type I

The Darksteel release is upon us. For a Type 1 player it is important to realize that most new sets have little to no impact on Vintage play. In fact, with respect to Type 1, about 85-90% of a new set is entirely irrelevant. While the percentage of Type 1 relevant cards has been, and will likely continue to be, much higher for Mirrodin Block due to the artifact focus, there is still a large amount of chaff in each set. Darksteel is no exception in that respect. Today I present to you the condensed Darksteel spoiler, distilled to perfection, listing only the finest and most interesting cards in the set.

[jpmeyer]

Lord of Tresserhorn is probably better than Eater of Days since that extra point of power lets it kill a whole turn faster, although I guess it can be blocked more easily than Eater of Days.

[TheFram]

True, but with Greaves in the current lists (board or main depending on list) hard-casting Eater of Days becomes a real option, while hard-casting Lord of Tresserhorn will never be so.

-TheFram

[kakeboy07]

Thanks for the article... i enjoyed the read, as i havent taken the time to yet fully aquaint myself with darksteel...

thanks again.

[Dr. Sylvan]

Quick, no one respond to the restriction demands!

Nice article, Avi.

[Jhaggs]

Avi,

   Great read as always.  You and Dr. Slyvan are emerging as two new great T1 writters.  Congrats on the featured writer status!  As for the article, I agree with you in regards to eater of days in mask.  Since Lord dosen't have tramble, eater's evasion makes it a prefered choice.  Plus, most players ding themselves a couple of points with fetches anyways so Lord isn't always a faster kill.

  By the way, how dissappointing is the art on juggy.  Good god, I was expecting something better.

[TheFram]

I believe the "Restrict Workshop, Trinisphere is BROKEN" comments go in the trinisphere thread. I also believe that I answered this question in my article.

Say you are the MUD player. Which would you rather draw in multiples: Sphere of Resistance, or Trinisphere? Unless you like losing, the answer is Sphere of Resistance, since it actually does something in multiples. Since Trinisphere does nothing in multiples, running 4 becomes suspect, and getting it first turn is less likely. Additionally, since it seems foolish to run the full complement of Trinispheres, and having Sphere of Resistance and Trinisphere on the table at the same time does nothing too amazing (read: they do not interact), I see no reason for MUD to play Trinisphere at all.

Also, in the mid-game, Trinisphere does not inhibit an opponent nearly as much as Sphere of Resistance, since the three lands will already be down, and the higher cc spells will not be effected.

I'm much more hopeful about Trinisphere's inclusion in Slax, Stacker3, Void, and Suicide.

-Thefram

[SpencerForHire]

Yea, but back to the main article not sphere.  I believe the ratings are also relative based on decks that come out in the future.  Remember useless cards (LED) become 5 stars over night when a new mechanic is contructed.  Or when a new deck is made and certain cards must be used to hose them.

Cards rated as poor could be used by every deck in years to come.  So no matter how good or bad a card is, you should keep them in mind for each deck, you never no what might be useful.
A good example:
Lord of Tresserhorn vs. Eater of Days

Here are two questions to understand what I mean.
In Mask which one would you run if you had to run one?
In Stax which one would you run if you had to run one?

Ratings are entirely relative based on the metagame and the deck you yourself run.

Otherwise a very nice article, I agree with almost all the ratings in there entirty.. PS: Jugg should have gotten better art!

[TheFram]

Gimbles, that made no sense. Could you please elaborate?

I understand your point about Lord of Tresserhorn's anticipated value at it's release being lower than its real value now, but how in the hell am I supposed to give ratings based on the possibility of errata?

Additionally, your comparison seems to have no connection to the rest of what you said.

-TheFram

[skecreatoR]

It is great to have all these different articles giving different insights to the cards of Darksteel. Lovely, keep em coming!

[Renato]

God job TheFarm. I think that you only miss the "Echoing" serie, it will see play in some sideboards, especially Echoing Truth.

[SpencerForHire]

Lemme try again, sometimes the workings from my mind differentiate from the workings of my fingers.
Basically I'm saying a card rated poorly might not necessarily be a poor card.  Meditate is the example I shall use.
Now who in there right mind would play meditate?
In aggro, oh its like saying, "I choose to forfeit the game so I can draw 4"
But in a deck built with its intention in mind it is golden, such kind of a deck may be prison.  Prison uses this card very well.  Meditate could be considered a poor card.. like eater of days or other cards.. but in the future with a specific type of deck it may be the largest piece of gold ever found for said deck.

[TheFram]

Meditate is a poor example, because it was evident from its release that it was a combo card. What decks would forfeit a turn? the ones that were going to win on this one. Though the Stax usage was not predicted, that was because the majority of the Stax cards had not yet been printed.

I still don't see how my rating should be able to compensate for future printings and errata. If that is not what you are insinuating, then I am still comfused as to the point of your post.

[MuzzonoAmi]

Great article, Avi. I just wish you had waited another few days to send it in, so I wouldn't have to compete against you for the $50. I agree about the Eater in Stax. It's too conditional, and doesn't get anything but a body.