2007 - 2010 Rumors/Previews/mtg.com articles

[Troy_Costisick]

Non-artifact means it doesn't hit artifact mana, so while it's certainly a positive ability, I don't think it's as good as it looks at first glance, either.

I disagree: this likely takes *fish* out of the meta.  Obv, it helps Oath (since stax now reliably runs out a creature turn 1) and barely effects Tez.

For sure.  This is a problem for Null Rod and Ritual decks.  Not so much for Mana Drain and Bazaar decks- especially Dredge decks that run Bloodghast.

[Diakonov]

Ricochet Trap   

Instant - Trap    Uncommon

If an opponent cast a Blue spell this turn, you may pay rather than pay Ricochet Trap’s mana cost.
Change the target of target spell with a single target.


Comparable to REB, but mostly worse I think.  Definitely worth knowing about, at least.  Misdirecting Ancestral for is pretty hot.

[TopSecret]

Non-artifact means it doesn't hit artifact mana, so while it's certainly a positive ability, I don't think it's as good as it looks at first glance, either.

I disagree: this likely takes *fish* out of the meta.  Obv, it helps Oath (since stax now reliably runs out a creature turn 1) and barely effects Tez.

Fish decks always have to adjust when a metagame shifts due to new card introductions. Unless this card makes it impossible to run the proper amount of disruption to answer it and everything else needed, I doubt that fish will be kicked out of the metagame. Specifically, this card can be dealt with between artifact, creature kill, and any dude with 3+ power, so there shouldn't be a problem.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

Ricochet Trap   

Instant - Trap    Uncommon

If an opponent cast a Blue spell this turn, you may pay rather than pay Ricochet Trap’s mana cost.
Change the target of target spell with a single target.


Comparable to REB, but mostly worse I think.  Definitely worth knowing about, at least.  Misdirecting Ancestral for is pretty hot.

This thing looks interesting. In a counter war, this thing is as good, if not better than REB. Not sure if anyone mentioned, but it dodges chalice. That could be useful when playing a deck like chalice oath.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Abyssal Persecutor
2
Mythic
Creature - Demon
6/6
Flying, Trample

You can't win the game and your opponents can't lose the game.
His slaves Crave Death more than they desire freedom. He denies them both.

From Maro's twitter.

Looks busted with Evil Presents.   Of course, Gifts Given would also rip our format in half...

[Yare]

P/T of Abyssal Persecutor is 6/6.

[Troy_Costisick]

Abyssal Persecutor
2
Mythic
Creature - Demon
6/6
Flying, Trample

You can't win the game and your opponents can't lose the game.
His slaves Crave Death more than they desire freedom. He denies them both.

From Maro's twitter.

Looks busted with Evil Presents.   Of course, Gifts Given would also rip our format in half...

If his power was 7 instead of 6, he might be useable.  But there's no real incentive to find a use for this guy in Vintage.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Not true.  He's just like Dark Depths: an Evil Presents-style enabler turns him into a $25 card.

[Killane]

even then, he dies to any removal. If you wanted this effect, why not just go with Platz and save the need for a two card combo and giving your opponent a fat flyer. Trash and always will be. It seems highly playable in standard though, where you should have no issue killing it once your opponent is out of life and it owns baneslayer.

[Yare]

even then, he dies to any removal. If you wanted this effect, why not just go with Platz and save the need for a two card combo and giving your opponent a fat flyer. Trash and always will be. It seems highly playable in standard though, where you should have no issue killing it once your opponent is out of life and it owns baneslayer.

It doesn't own Baneslayer because Baneslayer has protection from Demons, flying, and lifelink. At worst it's a stalemate for the guy with Baneslayer.

[Diakonov]

I had never seen Evil Presents before.  The rules account for creatures attacking their controller?  Does that mean that attacking yourself is an option in general, or is it only allowed in the case of Evil Presents?

[Gandalf_The_White_1]

I had never seen Evil Presents before.  The rules account for creatures attacking their controller?  Does that mean that attacking yourself is an option in general, or is it only allowed in the case of Evil Presents?

Evil Presents isn't tournament legal.  The comp rules don't allow you to attack yourself.

[Diakonov]

Okay, that seems a lot more reasonable to me.  I thought I was missing something huge.  So why are we even talking about this combo?

[Killane]

even then, he dies to any removal. If you wanted this effect, why not just go with Platz and save the need for a two card combo and giving your opponent a fat flyer. Trash and always will be. It seems highly playable in standard though, where you should have no issue killing it once your opponent is out of life and it owns baneslayer.

It doesn't own Baneslayer because Baneslayer has protection from Demons, flying, and lifelink. At worst it's a stalemate for the guy with Baneslayer.

yeah, I forgot about the protection from Demons. Card = Bad oh well.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Okay, that seems a lot more reasonable to me.  I thought I was missing something huge.  So why are we even talking about this combo?

Because it's intelligent to pick up a playset of the card before they print an enabler and it hits $25.  I keep comparing this card to Dark Depths because it's purest trash now with unique rules text that *might* become useful later.

If you Donate/Evil Presents/new enabler/etc this to your opponent THEY CANNOT WIN.

[Yare]

If you Donate/Evil Presents/new enabler/etc this to your opponent THEY CANNOT WIN.

Unless they're running bounce, which is most blue Vintage decks nowadays.

[Ged]

Death's Shadow
b
Creature - Avatar    Rare
Death's Shadow gets -X/-X where X is your life total.
13/13

Don't know what to think.

[AmbivalentDuck]

If you Donate/Evil Presents/new enabler/etc this to your opponent THEY CANNOT WIN.

Unless they're running bounce, which is most blue Vintage decks nowadays.

That also applies to Dark Depths.  It doesn't change the $25 price tag on the previously 20 cent junk rare.

[TopSecret]

Okay, that seems a lot more reasonable to me.  I thought I was missing something huge.  So why are we even talking about this combo?

Because it's intelligent to pick up a playset of the card before they print an enabler and it hits $25.  I keep comparing this card to Dark Depths because it's purest trash now with unique rules text that *might* become useful later.

If you Donate/Evil Presents/new enabler/etc this to your opponent THEY CANNOT WIN.

This is exactly why I own four of every card that's ever been printed that isn't strictly worse than another card. It's just smart, economical thinking.

Death's Shadow
b
Creature - Avatar    Rare
Death's Shadow gets -X/-X where X is your life total.
13/13

Don't know what to think.

This is either super fun in casual and trash in tournaments, or super fun in casual and awesome in tournaments.

Either way, I might pick some of this guy up if he is printed as listed here, because "killing myself = winning"  is the best mechanic ever!

If you're at 3, he's a two turn clock for one mana with no evasion. I like those odds.

Also, you never know when some enabler will be printed that makes this guy utterly broken. Better pick up a couple playsets early, just in case!

[Yare]

If you Donate/Evil Presents/new enabler/etc this to your opponent THEY CANNOT WIN.

Unless they're running bounce, which is most blue Vintage decks nowadays.

That also applies to Dark Depths.  It doesn't change the $25 price tag on the previously 20 cent junk rare.

Sure, but I didn't say anything about the price tag; I was disputing the idea that "THEY CANNOT WIN" which is probably better characterized as "it will be difficult for them to win."

Regarding buying cards ahead of time in hopes of some future print and profiting, I've done this numerous times over the years and it has paid off maybe once. I've bought more "cheap" playsets that have never seen the light of day than I care to remember. I guess if you're particularly astute, go for it, but all it's gotten me is a little less space in my card boxes and a little lighter wallet.

[LotusHead]

I like that it's uncommon, so I can aquire them on the cheap, and THEN decide if they are good.

[Yare]

Regarding the Chalice, right now you can get Gilded Lotus for 5 mana and get 3 colored mana every turn, and that sees little play right now. Sisay's Ring does the same as this for 4 and it sees no play. Thran Dynamo gives you 3 mana per turn for 4 up front and it sees no play (to my knowledge). Mind Stone will give you 1 mana for 2 up front (and has a cantrip ability) and sees little to no play. Putting them all together won't make it playable, so I'm going to have to say this is unplayable in Vintage. Obviously, mileage may vary for other formats.

[LotusHead]

Interesting. Boseiju, and other CIP tapped lands come to mind. oh, and Time Vault.

On Chalice: Yeah, it sucks, but I like Wizards making 0mana artifact accellerators!
Someday charge counter decks might happen.

[Troy_Costisick]

Interesting. Boseiju, and other CIP tapped lands come to mind. oh, and Time Vault.

On Chalice: Yeah, it sucks, but I like Wizards making 0mana artifact accellerators!
Someday charge counter decks might happen.

Off the top of my head, it turns Mirage Fetchlands into regular Fetchlands, the Tri-lands from Shards are useable, Svyelunite Temple comes into play untapped, Hideaway Lands come into play untapped, and the Remote Farm line of lands can give you two colored mana right away.  Of course there's Time Vault and Worn Powerstone, but none of this is really broken.  It will be interesting in other formats, though.  I do like the art.

Peace,

-Troy

[Troy_Costisick]

New Card Spoiled:

Bojuka Pit
Land (Common)
Bojuka Pit enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
When Bojuka Pit enters the battlefield, exile all cards in target player's graveyard.

Stunning, if true, is it not?

Peace,

-Troy

[Matt]

New Card Spoiled:

Bojuka Pit
Land (Common)
Bojuka Pit enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
When Bojuka Pit enters the battlefield, exile all cards in target player's graveyard.

Stunning, if true, is it not?

Peace,

-Troy

Well goddamn son. Common, too!

[TopSecret]

Now all they have to do is print a green land that kills an artifact when it comes into play, and we'll be all set.

[CorwinB]

Death's Shadow
b
Creature - Avatar    Rare
Death's Shadow gets -X/-X where X is your life total.
13/13

Don't know what to think.

I could see that one working well in Standard with Ranger of Eos...

[LotusHead]

I'd play with this in 5c Shops. Maybe even with fetchlands!


<==== Changing shorts.
EDIT: Re-read. Now it reads dig until you get a spell. my bad. Still. Sick combo with Sensei's Divining Top.

[The Atog Lord]

I actually like both of those cards a lot. Explore may or may not be Vintage viable, but it's a card that I've been hoping they'd print since Mirage. And it _may_ see play. Treasure Hunt is neat, though I suspect it would be much better in a world with Brainstorm. That said, given that my favorite Legacy decks run plenty of Tops and Brainstorms, I'm excited to try it in that format.