Making the a Good Basic Set: Card Choices

[amuraivel]

Hello Mana Drainers,

I am taking the Beta basic set and revising all the cards.
I have been scouring the net for good, but simple cards to put into the a basic set.

I have replaced clearly sub optimal cards:

Wall of Wood --> Tinder Wall
Flight --> Shimmering Wings, etc.

EDIT:

{I need to clarify, which I didn't do enough of (and violation of forum rules). Set is not for newbies per se, rather it is revising and bringing the classic Beta set up to speed by making all the cards at least playable in but in the same vein.


So pick the card which one you would rather see in a booster.}

I am at the point I need to make choices; hopefully you can give me your feedback.


First Roud 1 --- FIGHT!:

Wild Growth vs. Fertile Ground
Traveler's Cloak vs. Cloak of Mists
Animate Dead vs. Dance of the Dead

[Nazdakka]

Hello Mana Drainers,

I am taking the Beta basic set and revising all the cards.
I have been scouring the net for good, but simple cards to put into the a basic set.

I have replaced clearly sub optimal cards:

Wall of Wood --> Tinder Wall
Flight --> Shimmering Wings, etc.


I am at the point I need to make choices; hopefully you can give me your feedback.



First Roud --- FIGHT!:

Wild Growth vs. Fertile Ground

Fertile Ground if you only have Llanowar Elves in there, Wild Growth if you only have BoPs in there, Fertile Ground if you have neither. If you've got both then I don't think either card is necessary.

Traveler's Cloak vs. Cloak of Mists

Traveler's Cloak, with reminder text.

Animate Dead vs. Dance of the Dead

Zombify. Both of those two cards are too complex.

[amuraivel]

@Nazzdakka:
Complexity is not really an issue, I am merely trying to replicate the same feeling of the original set with some stronger cards.


I will have the Lawn Mower Elves in the set.

[amuraivel]

Round Two  -- FIGHT!


Consevator vs. Shield of the Ages OR Pentagram of the Ages OR Panacea

[Ephraim]

@Nazzdakka:
Complexity is not really an issue, I am merely trying to replicate the same feeling of the original set with some stronger cards.

I have been scouring the net for good, but simple cards to put into the a basic set.

Is complexity not an issue or are you looking for good but simple cards? I'd say that if you're trying to compare the set to a core set, then complexity most certainly is an issue.

That said, I approve of Shimmering Wings in place of Flight. I would also endorse Phantom Wings (although they just reprinted that in Betrayers) or Illuminated Wings, since I like the cards that cantrip-from-play.

As far as Fertile Ground vs. Wild Growth, I agree with Nazdakka that it should be inverse to the Llanowar Elves vs. Birds of Paradise selection.

I definitely choose Pentagram of the Ages over the other options. It's one of my favourite old cards. It isn't particularly great, but I love its flavour text.

[amuraivel]

Round 3 -- FIGHT!

Nantuko Shade vs. Looming Shade

[Nazdakka]

Round Two  -- FIGHT!


Consevator vs. Shield of the Ages OR Pentagram of the Ages OR Panacea

A process of elimination leads me to agree with Ephraim - Shield of the Ages has potential to be VERY annoying for newbies, XX in Panacea's cost = trouble, and Conservator just doesn't do very much. I'd vote for Panacea if we're allowing XX mana costs in though.

Round 3 -- FIGHT!

Nantuko Shade vs. Looming Shade

2/1 for BB vs 1/1 for 2B, both with black-intensive abilities means that Nantuko is obviously a better card, but it is so good that it's some distance outside the regular power curve. I think newbies would be very disappointed to go over to non-core sets and see nothing even vaguely close to Nantuko shade's power level, and so I vote for Looming Shade.

[amuraivel]

I need to clarify, which I didn't do enough of (and violation of forum rules). Set is not for newbies per se, rather it is revising and bringing the classic Beta set up to speed by making all the cards at least playable in but in the same vein.


So cards which one you think is better.

Round 4-- FIGHT!
Lich vs. Nefarious Lich
Maddening Imp vs. Nettling Imp
Ancient Silverback vs. Yavimaya Wurm

[Nefarias]

Round 4-- FIGHT!
Lich vs. Nefarious Lich

def. Nefarious Lich--though both are awful 

Ancient Silverback vs. Yavimaya Wurm

replacing Craw Wurm? I'd say probably the Silverback.

[Nazdakka]

I need to clarify, which I didn't do enough of (and violation of forum rules). Set is not for newbies per se, rather it is revising and bringing the classic Beta set up to speed by making all the cards at least playable in but in the same vein.

Ok, not designing for newbies then . In terms of power level and coolness:

1) See previous answer.
2) Traveller's Cloak
3) Animate Dead (Dance's oracle text is just too messy)
When Dance of the Dead comes into play, if it's in play, it becomes an enchant creature. Put target creature card from a graveyard into play tapped under your control enchanted by Dance of the Dead.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, that player may pay 1B. If he or she does, untap that creature.
When Dance of the Dead leaves play, destroy enchanted creature. It can't be regenerated.

Dance is cluttered where Animate Dead is... a little less cluttered. I'd still rather see a simple effect like Zombify in that slot, but if you insist then I choose the lesser of two evils in the form of Animate Dead

4) Shield of the Ages is IMO the most abusable card there - it could be used in a big-mana deck in a similar way to W/R Astral Slide (In that deck the presence of a Slide on the board forced aggro players to overcommit to the table if they wanted to deal any damage. That left them open to Slide's many Wrath effects.)
5) Nantuko Shade is a ridiculous creature where Looming Shade is mediocre. The deck that likes these guys will be mono-black anyway, so there seems no reason want Looming Shade's less B-intensive mana cost.
6) Nefarious Lich seems a little less bad.
7) Again, I don't like either card. I guess Maddening Imp given there are no other options.
8) Silverback - it's miles stronger for constructed IMO.

[amuraivel]

Round 5 -- FIGHT !
Crusade vs. Divine Sacrament OR Jihad (al-hamdu-li-llaah!) OR Glorious Anthem
Stream of Life vs. Nourish
Wanderlust vs. Maddening Wind
Lure vs. Seton's Desire
Scathe Zombie vs. Organ Grinder OR Lim-Dûl's Cohort OR Bogg Raiders OR Bone Dancer