TIMESPIRAL in TYPE 4

[Mr. Type 4]

Welcome to spoiler season!  It's that time again where we get to start looking at what might need added to our Type 4 stacks.  Coldsnap was ok, even if there wasnt much for Vintage players inthere, there was still some decent Type 4 goodies, but Timespiral seems to have a lot of potential.  Of course I'm excited about Lotus Bloom and new Storm cards for Vintage, but the Type 4 stuff could be really crazy.  Lets look at something that I saw yesterday and have been thinking about a lot:

Krosan Grip -
Instant (Uncommon)
Split Second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

That is freakin' insane.  At first glace it looks like a glorified version of "uncounterable".  Of course this card can't be stopped by cards that CAN counter uncounterable spells, like Ertai's Meddling or Time Stop.  This also can't be Misdirected.  But that's not the big deal.  Let's say someone plays Mindslaver.  Now, normally, pointing targeted removal at Mindslaver is a good way to have someone else play your next turn, but Krosan Grip will send that Mindslaver to the yard no problem.  There's a lot of potential in the Split Second mechanic, so hopefully we'll get a bunch of cool stuff with that on it.

Coral Trickster -
Creature - Merfolk Rogue (Common)
Morph
When Coral Trickster is turned face up, you may tap or untap target permanent.
2/1

Strangling Soot -
Instant (Common)
Destroy target creature with toughness 3 or less.
Flashback

Neither of these cards is very exciting, but Morph and Flashback are some of the best mechanics in Type 4, so I hope we get some cool new ones.

Scion of the Ur-Dragon -
Legendary Creature - Dragon Avatar (Rare)
Flying
: Search your library for a Dragon card and put it into your graveyard. If you do, Scion of the Ur-Dragon becomes a copy of that card until end of turn. Then shuffle your library.
4/4

I don't really have a lot of dragons in my deck anymore (maybe 5 or 6) but this guy still looks pretty fun.  Combos nicely with Eternal Dragon, Vampiric Dragon and obviuosly Nicol Bolas.

The scans of these cards can be found here:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=1350755#post1350755

[RaZe]

Looks like a very promising block since Mirrodin.

[RaZe]

2UUU
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir

Flash (You may play this spell any time you could play an instant)
Creature cards you own that  aren't in play have flash

Each opponent could play spells only any time he or she could play a sorcery
3/4

SIIICK!!!! @.@!!!

Timespiral is really comming out to be a very nice block for T4.

[Godder]

Evangelize
Sorcery
4W
Buyback 2WW
Gain control of target creature of an opponent's choice that he or she controls.

In a format with unlimited mana, this looks pretty good, especially with Vedalken Orrery in play.

[Mr. Type 4]

Dont forget this one!

Wipe Away   1
Instant 
Split Second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.)
Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
A moment later, nothing remained of the woodbeast but the streaming air of it's displacement.
#94?/301

You'll feel pretty comfortable holding this card, knowing that it will be hard for people to play anything that messes with you.  I hope we get a split-second creature kill spell out of black, but a split second Duress would be better in real magic (wouldn't it be nice to Duress and not have them respond with Brainstorm?)

Teferi is really insane, a card that turns off the rest of the world and give you Veldelken Orrery for your creatures... that can be played as a n instant!  Sign me up, that guy is easy first-pick material.  I like that Flash mechanic, such prefect mechanics for Type 4, it's almost like R&D made these cards specifically for us. 

[RaZe]

Evangelize is pretty broken. 2 Creatures in one turn is pretty sick.

Wipe Away is damn good too. No more saccing Dragon Spirit Tokens to Greater Good to save Tatsumasa. Fun times.

I think for a split-secon creature kill, white will have to get it. Since green got the disenchant already. Another remove from the game target attacking creature as usual.

[Harlequin]

I'm not a huge fan of Terifi.... I love the character, but the card would nearly shut-off the Critical Mass Stack -  Big Sad face....

[Glix]

Phthisis seems pretty damn good... in many cases a game winner, but balanced @ sorcery speed (For those who don't know,
Phthisis 
Sorcery
Suspend 5: 
Destroy target creature. The controller of that creature loses life equal to the total of that creature's power and toughness.)

On that note, how will you deal with suspend.  Right now, I'm thinking that if you suspend it, when it resolves it doesn't count as your spell per turn.

Also, the following seem quite strong:
Bogardan Hellkite   
Creature- Dragon
Flash
Flying
When Bogardan Hellkite comes into play, it deals 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or players.
5/5

Instant speed removal with an essentially hasted 5/5 flyer attached.  Seems incredibly solid to me.

Thelonite Hermit 
Creature- Elf Shamman
All Sapprolings get +1/+1.
Morph- 
When Thelonite Hermit is turned face up, put four 1/1 green Saproling tokens into play.
1/1

Better than the original, in addition to becoming stronger via morph and its abilitiy to pose as a voidmage thing, with 9 power attached.

Urza's Factory
Land- Urza's
 : Add  to your mana pool.
 , : Put a 2/2 Assembly-Worker artifact creature token into play.

Free tokens each turn.  Strong due to its freeness and its staying power.

[Godder]

On that note, how will you deal with suspend.  Right now, I'm thinking that if you suspend it, when it resolves it doesn't count as your spell per turn.

That works well for Alternate Casting Costs, so I think that would be very reasonable, particularly since most of the cards are likely to be relatively weak compared to what's available when you have infinite mana.

[Mr. Type 4]

I like that idea for Suspend cards.  They basically become free plays if you choose to wait a few turns... sounds pretty good to me.  Now, we just have to see if they print cards with Suspend that are good enough to make the stack.  Phthisis seems ok, but does the potential to deal a bunch of damage a good enough reason to play Sorcery speed targeted creature removal? Maybe the suspend function will actually help this make the cut.  We'll have to see what the Suspend Ancestral Recall does, that might be good.

I hadn't thought about Urza's Factory, but yeah, that would actually be pretty good.  The Bogarden Hellkite is pretty sweet, an instant 5 damage that is also a creature is pretty damn good.  I'm sure there are a number of good combos with that guy. 

The Hermit isn't too bad either.  We've been wanting new morph cards for a long time, to the point where we were making up our own.  Orb of insight indicates 18 instances of Morph (and I think they way they're templated, the word appears twice on each card) so I think that means 9 cards.  We've seen 2, so we'll have to see what the other 7 are.

[RaZe]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/mc55



Is it just me or can she be a good addition with all the Recover/EternalDragon/Genesis cards running around. Plus it kills most pesky utility creatures and can so suicide when really desperate.

[Mr. Type 4]

I'm not sure about Jaya, her abilities are decent, but I don't know if they're good enough for a creature that's going to have summoning sickness.  If someone has an important blue perm out, or if infernoing matters, I bet she'll be dead before you get to use her 90% of the time. 

She is pretty sweet if you have something like Glory, though 

Now these new cards are amazing, the first one is a contender with Tereri for best in set so far:

Word of Seizing   3
Instant 
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities)
Untap target permanent and gain control of it until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn.

The key word here is permanent.  Lots of cards let you steal creatures, but this lets you take whatever you want.  The split second makes it so good because you can take things that need sacrificed and then use them for yourself.  AND it untaps the card, which might not seem too important, but will be pretty sick when an opponent plays out  Door to Nothingness. 

"I'll make Greater Moprhling Protection from Red" "In response, steal it, kill it." Pretty damn good. 

Then there's this new Mystic Snake:

Draining Whelk 4
Creature - Illusion 
Flash
Flying
When Draining Whelk comes into play, counter target spell and put X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is that spell's converted mana cost. 1/1

So if he finds Gleemax you get to counter it and get a million/million dude.  Not too shabby.  This guy is also flying, so it shouldn't be too hard to catch a good countering opportunity and make a really big guy.  But let's face it, any counterspell is good, this one is just that much better.

[RaZe]

The Bogarden Hellkite is pretty sweet, an instant 5 damage that is also a creature is pretty damn good.  I'm sure there are a number of good combos with that guy

Bogardan Hellkite + Kiki
Bogardan Hellkite + Flickerform
Bogardan Hellkite + Gravepact [shoot himself...everyone sacs a creature]
Bogardan Hellkite + Followed Footsteps

@ Draining Whelk

Best part is you can insta tutor it with Chord and Citanul.

[Mr. Type 4]

Bogarden Hellkite +....

           Chainer
           Corpse Dance
           Cauldron Dance
           Twilight's Call
           Genesis
           
         
Being a creature has a lot of benefits.

[Mr. Type 4]

Lots of new relevant previews.  I'm pretty sure this will be the best Type 4 set printed to date.

So, according to the Timespiral Rules Primer, you can still flip your Morphs when a Split Second card is on the stack.  That means that Voidmage apprentice can counter these cards, and Willbender can re-target them.  Unfortunalty, Voidmage Prodigy won't work. Sorry Kai.

Sudden Death   1
Instant 
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.)
Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.

This could have been a savage Morph killer, but the rules say otherwise.  Still, I think this might be pretty good with all of the solid utility creatures in the format.  Masticore, Withered Wretch, Chainer, Ertai, Flowstone Overseer, Azorius Guildmage, Smokespew Invoker, 8.5 Tails, Armored Guardian, Crowd Favorites, Arcanis.  LOTS of things to kill with this such as....

Kaervek of Bogardan   5
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard 
Whenever an opponent plays a spell, Kaervek deals damage equal to the converted mana cost of that spell to its controller.
5/4

Karavek probably won't last on the table for more than five seconds without SOMETHING to support him.  Still, if you manage to keep this guy out there, your opponents will quickly run out of options.

Vesuvan Shapeshifter   3
Creature - Shapeshifter 
As Vesuvan Shapeshifter comes into play or is turned face up, you may choose another creature in play. If you do, until Vesuvan Shapeshifter is turned face down, it becomes a copy of that creature and gains "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may turn this creature face down."
Morph  1
0/0

Now that is a good Morph creature.  Does anyone know if I copy a creature with a Morph trigger, do I get the trigger?  I want to say probably not, but I'm not 100% sure.


This card almost confirms that they are making cards with type 4 in mind:

Trickbind   1
Instant 
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.)
Counter target activated or triggered ability.
Activated or triggered abilities cannot be played by that card until end of turn.

That ought to shut up Azorius Guildmage for a while... among other things.  This is a card I've been wanting to see made for a long time.

Reiterate  1
Instant 
Change the target of target spell with a single target.
Buyback  1

Obviously Buyback is amazing in type 4.  Shattering Pulse is one of my favorite cards, and Forbid can really lock up the game.  And Capsize is really annoying.  Reiterate will easily join the ranks of its buyback buddies as an awesome way to tangle up counterspells and make players apprenhensive about using direct damage and targeted card drawing... and Time Stretch. 

It's hard to talk about lesser cards when the other ones are so exciting, still these might be worthy additions:

Cancel  1
Instant 
Counter target spell.
Illus. Mark Poole

Very vanilla counterspell.  With the volume of cards that Time Spiral adds to Type 4, it will be important to add a few counters to keep the ratio of cards to counters consistent.


Snapback  1
Instant 
You may remove a blue card in your hand from the game rather than pay Snapback's mana cost.
Return target creature to it owners hand.

Good enough if you play with Alternate casting costs?  The ability is kind of limited in that it only hits creatures, still, it could get you out of a serious bind.  Good vs. Dark Depths.

That's all I got for now.

[DeadHead]

So, according to the Timespiral Rules Primer, you can still flip your Morphs when a Split Second card is on the stack.  That means that Voidmage apprentice can counter these cards, and Willbender can re-target them.  Unfortunalty, Voidmage Prodigy won't work.

I dont think thats true. While flipping the morphs face up doesn't use the stack, the ability of either Willbender or Voidmage Apprentice do use the stack. But since the whole Split Second thing is in effect, this cannot be done.
But then again, I'm no rules expert neither

More interesting cards:

Lim-Dul, the Necromancer  5BB
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard 
Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may pay 1B , if you do, return that creature to play under your control. It is a Zombie in addition to its creature types.
1B: Regenerate target Zombie.

4/4

Seems very strong to me. Makes Adarkar Valkyrie rather useless.

Sengir Nosferatu  3BB
Creature - Vampire 
Flying
1B , Remove Sengir Nosferatu from the game: Put a 1/2 black Bat creature token with flying into play. It has 1B", Sacrifice this creature: Return to play under its owner's control a card named Sengir Nosferatu that's removed from the game."
Illus. Scott M. Fischer
4/4


Looks like a mix between Mist Dragon and Tatsuma's Equipment to me. Decent, but not great.

Fortune Thief 
Creature - ? 
Damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead.
Morph  RR
0/1


Not great, but good for some giggles.

I cant wait to be honest

[Mr. Type 4]

From the Time Spiral Rules Primer:

-Split second doesn't prevent triggered abilities from triggering. If one does, its controller puts it on the stack and, if applicable, chooses targets for it. Those abilities will resolve as normal.

-Split second doesn't prevent players from performing special actions. Most notably, players may turn face-down creatures face up while a spell with split second is on the stack.

So there IS a way to beat those split second cards, which is cool.  I like how there's always SOMETHING that gets around seemingly unstoppable abilities.

Fortune Theif might be decent, and just as another Moprh he's not bad.  I forgot to post that one.

Lim-Dul might be strong, except he's not a Zombie himself, making him an easy target, especially for Masticores and mass removal.  Still, he'll be good in a stack featuring a lot of creatures. 

The problem with Sengir Nosferatu is that he doesn't dodge mass removal. One way or the other, he's going to be in play when the Wrath hits. I think that Mist Dragon and Tatsumasa are both MUCH better because when someone Obliterates (or whatever) they're still there.  That reminds me: Sudden Death kills Mist Dragon.  I think that shores it up in my mind, Sudden Death is pretty good.

[freakish777]

Voidmage Prodigy can't stop a split second spell, because his ability is activated.  Misdirecting a split second spell by flipping up a Willbender is completely legit though since it's triggered.  Same with Counterbalance revealing a card with the same CMC (although you can't do anything to re-arrange your library like Top, Brainstorm, or Scroll Rack since those are all activated).

I think the most awesome thing ever though about Sudden Death is that it kills Mist Dragon.

[Harlequin]

As Vesuvan Shapeshifter comes into play or is turned face up, you may choose another creature in play. If you do, until Vesuvan Shapeshifter is turned face down, it becomes a copy of that creature and gains "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may turn this creature face down."

Now that is a good Morph creature.  Does anyone know if I copy a creature with a Morph trigger, do I get the trigger?  I want to say probably not, but I'm not 100% sure.

I think the answer is actually yes.  Its vauge with the wording though. 

"As ~this~ comes into play, it becomes a copy of ~that~"

Wording like this is actually considered like a replacement effect for "Comeing into play"  So if you use Sculpting Steal on say.. a Pithing needle, you get to name something new.  Because it is still in the process of "coming into play" when it becomes a copy of pithing needle.  Similarly, if you Sculpting Steel a Pentavus you get seven +1/+1 counters, however if you Duplicant a Pentavus you a 0/0 with no counters.  (Psudo-Replacemnt vrs Triggered).  Based on this, I would say a similar rule can be applied to this creature flipping face up.  It is still in the process of flipping while it changes into ~that~  So it will be as if ~that~ was flipped face up.  Any triggers would trigger when the gamestate is check next (which would be dirrectly after you flip, which is after you decided to make ~this~ into ~that~).  So if you have a face up Will Bender, and someone cast oppertunity, you can flip up your Vesuvan Shapeshifter, and while doing so, you turn Vesuvan Shapeshifter into a Willbender.  Now the game sees: Oh that "Willbender" (the one printed on a Shapeshifter) just turned face up... Therefore its time for a Triggered ability!

Again, we'll probably have to wait until they explain the wording on this ability.  I'm sure it will be in a Saturday School randition in the near future.

[Mr. Type 4]

I think you're right, Harlequin.  That would make the Shapeshifter really, really good.  If you have Shapeshifter and Voidmage apprentice (or SOMEONE has voidmage apprentice), then you can have a flip counter every round of play.  Or Root Elemental, Skin Thinner, even Bane of the Living(if it doesn't kill itself like it usually does). Hot.  This card was pretty good when it was just a moprh creature copy card.

Here's a good new one:

Mystical Teachings  3
Instant 
Search your library for an instant card or a card with Flash, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Flashback:  5

Needless to say, since the bulk of cards in the typical type 4 stack are instants, this one is a no-brainer.  Oh, and here's a combo for you: This + Teferi = you can tutor for any creature in your deck.  Nice.

This card makes me particularly interested in errata.  While it seems obvious that Mystic Snake will get errated to have Flash, it's not so obvious what will happen to Vedelken Orrery.  Mark Gottlieb mentions that the Orrery will receive Flash update errata, but he doesn't say how.  If the Orrery works like Teferi...


On a side note: Does anyone know if the reprint "Timeshifted" cards will be comming in foil?  I'd like a foil Nicol Bolas, Grinning Totem, etc.

[Mr. Nightmare]

Someone in my area opened a few packs and said they DO in fact, come in foil.

THIS MEANS FOIL TORMOD'S CRYPTS.

[Mr. Type 4]

And Gemstone Mines, and Psyblast!


Still, I'm more excited about the cards for my Type 4: Nicol Bolas, Wispers of the Muse and Grinning Totem.

This is pretty exciting news.

[Mr. Type 4]

Angel's Grace 
Instant 
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't play spells or activated abilities that aren't mana abilities.)
This turn, you can't lose the game, your opponents can't win the game, and damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead.

Good??  Seems like the applications of this will be limited, but it could just save your ass.

Stonewood Invocation   3
Instant 
Split Second
Target creature gets +5/+5 until end of turn and can't be the target of spells or abilities this turn.

I think this might actually be pretty decent.  It could be creature pump, OR it could save your guy from getting killed.  The best applications for this are against something like Crowd Favorites/Azorius Guildmage that's keeping it tapped down. 

Stuffy Doll   5
Artifact Creature - Construct 
As Stuffy Doll comes into play, choose a player.
Whenever damage is dealt to Stuffy Doll, it deals that much damage to the chosen player.
Stuffy Doll is indestructible.
T: Stuffy Doll deals 1 damage to itself.
Illus. Dave Alsop
0/1

This has been previewed for a while, but it just dawned on me this morning how much it's like Glarecaster.  Sure it won't prevent damage done to YOU, and SURE it only sends the damage to one person, BUT it still kills that person if you have Masticore, and it's Indestructable.  Very good. 

Voidmage Husher 3
Creature - Human Wizard 
Flash
When Voidmage Husher comes into play, counter target activated ability.
Whenever you play a spell, you may return Voidmage Husher to its owners hand.
2/2

Counter an activated ability... get it back to your hand to do it again.  Not too shabby.  The problem with this is that many of the good activated abilities can be actived infinitely.  I've had Bind sit in my hand for long periods of time, and often just cast it to draw a card, but this still has some potential since it's reuseable. 

Here's my list for the weekend:

* = might not be good, but worth a try.

*Angel's Grace
*Evangelize

Cancel
*Magus of the Jar (Good in Type 4? Do I want one anyway... yes)
Mystical Teachings
Snapback
Teferi
Trickbind
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Voidmage Husher
Wipe Away
Draining Whelp
Spell Burst

Sudden Death
*Lim-Dal
*Phthistis

Bogarden Hellkite
*Fortune Theif
Reiterate
Word of Seizing

Krosan Grip
Molder
*Stonewood Invocation

Karavek the Merciless
Scion of Ur-Dragon

Stuffy Doll

Urza's Factory
*Academy Ruins

[WhiteWolf]

Time Spiral is the best Type 4 set ever. I have some suspicions that Paul Mastriano's alter ego Chuck Norris forced Wizards to design this set. Better not talk too much about this and avoid the kicking.

this is my wishlist:

* Evangelize
* Magus of the Disk
* Draining Whelk
* Magus of the Jar
* Mystical Teachings
* Slipstream Serpent
* Spell Burst
* Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
* Trickbind
* Vesuvan Shapeshifter
* Voidmage Husher
* Walk the Aeons
* Wipe Away
* Demonic Collusion
* Haunting Hymn
* Lim-Dul, the Necromancer
* Magus of the Mirror
* Phthisis
* Strangling Soot
* Stronghold Overseer
* Sudden Death
* Tendrils of Corruption
* Ancient Grudge
* Bogardan Hellkite
* Fortune Thief
* Ghitu Firebreathing
* Greater Gargadon (free 9/7 if you suspend and sac 10 lands)
* Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
* Reiterate
* Word of Seizing
* Havenwood Wurm
* Krosan Grip
* Thelonite Hermit
* Wurmcalling
* Dralnu, Lich Lord (if you can sac lands)
* Kaervek the Merciless
* Scion of the Ur-Dragon
* Stuffy Doll
* Weatherseed Totem
* Academy Ruins
* Urza's Factory

That's 41 cards!

[Mr. Type 4]

It's been brought to my attention that I somehow missed Spell Burst: which is probably in the top 5 cards of the set, if not number 1 (although it has some stiff competition with Teferi and Word of Seizing).  I'd swear it wasn't on the spoiler this morning!

Spell Burst  
Instant 
Counter target spell with converted mana cost X.
Buyback  3

Ummmm, yeah, that's good.

I also retract my previous position on Lim-Dal, as I have realized that it works on your opponent's creatures, too, making it pretty decent.  I've also decided to add Phthisis and Academy Ruins to my list because, well they aren't too shabby.  Ancient Grudge is definitly good, too... I'll have to see if I need more removal.

Demonic Collusion   3
Sorcery 
Search your library for a card and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.
Buyback - Discard 2 cards

This is probably pretty good, too.  Gives you something good to do on your turn.

God, White Wolf's list is pretty serious.  I bet his stack is pretty interesting to play on since it seems that his house rules allow you to have infinite basic land for sacrificing and such(Walk the Aeons!!), and his stack allows for firebreating creatures. Sounds pretty awesome. 

[RaZe]

We all know Timespiral is like tailored for T4 as any set can be. And the entire block just might blow the entire format into a whole new level. And so I have a bit of a dillema now as I've frozen my stack to 300 cards with barely any room to spare. I was wondering how you guys would deal with this.

Edit: Spell Burst is insane!!!

[Mr. Type 4]

Raze, you might have to let it grow a bit bigger.   I'm pretty sure 300 is small by normal standards.  I think mine clocks in at the low 300 (like 330 maybe? )  Still, I'm with you that I'm going to need to look at my cards carefully and I might have to cut somethings that people like, but aren't that awesome. 

Still, I'm pretty sure that Wizards said they will be extending the new mechanics into the other sets for the block, so I imagine that at minimum we'll be including more split second/Flash cards to the stack for the next two sets.  It's going to take some serious evaluation. 

I like to take note of what cards go last pick when drafting.  This often paints a picture of what's cuttable. 

By yourself, I think a good method is to deal out piles of ten cards and see what the weakest card is and set it aside into a "bad card" pile.  Then shuffle up all the good cards and do it a second time.  In your stack you'll have identified 57 of the weakest cards.  You can then look over those for what to cut.  I used to do this all the time when I was bored.

Of course the modern method is to try to look at ratios.  Once you have a good mix of counters, removal, offense creatures, utility creatures, sorceries, land artifacts and enchantments, it makes sense to cut the worst card of one type when adding a new card of the same.   I used to have a good notion of what percent of my deck was of each type, but I'm pretty free-form any more and just randomly add stuff.  This will be the first time in a while that I'm going to make some serious cuts.


Managing Split Second
Split Second cards are going to tricky in actual play because of the chaotic nature of Type 4.  I've been telling people to say something like, "I have a response" before they play their split second card so that there is no question that they have priority.  If you just thow a split second card out there, it could get ugly, and this has worked out pretty well so far.

[WhiteWolf]

RaZe: my stack is currently 455 cards and I trimmed it recently. I do that often but I have a feeling I'll never get it under 400 or so cards. The stack is already pretty insane but if Time Spiral sets the trend for the whole block, my (trimmed) stack promises to become a real atom bomb within the next year. I'm afraid I'm reaching a sort of 'critical mass' of powerful spells.

WhiteWolf

[darkmindtone]

Due to this set having an absolutely ridiculous amount of playables, I'm in the process of trimming my stack (hovers between 400-450 cards), and I'd like to hear a few opinions on some of the cards that are possibly about to be sidelined:

-Living Hive/Penumbra Wurm/Gigapede/Sekki, Season's Guide/Bringer Of The Green Dawn/Krosan Colossus (these green beaters are usually lacking in solid evasion or relevent abilities, though I can see reasons for inclusion)
-Thran Tome/Phyrexian Grimore (unlike the draw 4 Tower, all the cards drawn by these can actually be put to use since it's a more moderate amount more suited for the Type 4 rules.  It's not very fun to play against these either w/o an answer)
-Meddling Kids/Etched Oracle (solid utility guys that just seemed to not do enough)
-Dreams Of The Dead/Future Sight/Yet Another Aether Vortex/Ach, Hans Run (really fun enchantments that are very reliant on other conditions to be relevent)

These just seemed the weaker cards in my very removal heavy stack (I play pretty much every disechant/wrath/good targeted removal).  I could be and probably am wrong on a few of these, but they seem to be some of the last picked (there are additional cards I'm cutting like the UWR Beacons, but I'm pretty sure they're simply not powerful enough for this format). 

And regarding Spell Burst, it's probably the best counterspell for type 4 ever, and probably too powerful for my stack.  I play every hard counter in existance that I know of at the moment (from Withering Boon to Mystic Denial to an errated Spell Counter), but that card even outclasses the mighty Forbid. 

BTW, What's people's thoughts on Ixidron from TS?  I can't tell if he's gonna be solid enough for play or not, but his ability is indeed interesting. 

[Summit]

This card looks insane:

Reiterate
R
Instant     
Buyback 3
Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.

This one is going in my stack for sure.