2007 - 2010 Rumors/Previews/mtg.com articles

[Nehptis]

If Tyrant Oath can find a spot this looks promising.  Untapping is not critical if you get to Oath again.  Plus you don't need to untap to cast Gush or Moxen.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69398&d=1207952531

[Harlequin]

I highly doubt they will ever print any untappers without other costs associated to them... especially with fussilade combos so fresh in mind... imagine if they printed this:

Sins of the Vault
Artifact creature
Haste
{untap}: skip a turn.
0/1

[ReAnimator]

these two guy's seem like they have potential in T1.

Heap Doll
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow   Uncommon
Sacrifice Heap Doll: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.
"I know one night it won't come back. Then I'll know it's truly done its job." - Breanna, cobblesmith
Illus. John Avon   #253/301   
1/1

This seems like a pretty potent 1 drop for any colour of fish deck. It's castable off wastelands, goes in any colour of deck, and can really hose dredge by removing bridges and anything else.



This guy also seems like it will be quite insane in the meta.

Faerie Macabre 
Creature - Faerie Rogue   Common
Flying
Discard Faerie Macabre: Remove up to two target cards in graveyards from the game.
#66/301   
2/2

So this has "Channel" with no cost. This just seems sooooo insane vs Flash. I guess flash will need to run more thoughtseizes or stifles or abeyance's to stop this guy cause otherwise this thing is a wrecking machine.
Now granted there is nothing stopping them from just beating down you down with a 6/6 and a 2/2, but if you have a way to deal that will make their life very difficult.
This seems like it will have the biggest impact on Vintage, he just gets around so many things.

[Norm4eva]

That time of year again...

Unmake (WB)(WB)(WB)
Instant
Common (!)

Remove target creature from the game.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=74036&d=1214366901

First O-ring, now this?  White (sort-of) removal actually kinda looks good again  :D  If I cared about Standard that is :P
But as a fifth StP, is it... well, is it?  Or isn't it?  I can't imagine it being a bad thing, having another Instant speed, virtually condition-less removal spell to answer Goyfs or um... other Goyfs...

[LordHomerCat]

That time of year again...

Unmake (WB)(WB)(WB)
Instant
Common (!)

Remove target creature from the game.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=74036&d=1214366901

First O-ring, now this?  White (sort-of) removal actually kinda looks good again    If I cared about Standard that is
But as a fifth StP, is it... well, is it?  Or isn't it?  I can't imagine it being a bad thing, having another Instant speed, virtually condition-less removal spell to answer Goyfs or um... other Goyfs...

It costs 3 colored mana.  I'd rather have Condemn and that card is pretty awful.

[Norm4eva]

I guess in Vintage it looks pretty ass, but Legacy has W/B Deadguy, but I guess they just play Vindicate so maybe nevermind?  mutter mutter mutter...
I think mostly it's the cheap-ass in me looking at the fact that it's Instant, a COMMON, it STPs things without that 'annoying' lifegain... it's definitely a Card for The People, I guess.  I'll probably get a playset for when I get a burr up my ass to play Type 2 White Weenie.

[Yare]

Thunder Dragon to be reprinted:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/feature/469b

Some of you may recall that the Vintage community tried to get Thunder Dragon reprinted in 10th in order to show our willingness to have starter cards reprinted. This isn't exactly the way we wanted it, but I suppose it is a good sign.

[Nefarias]

It'll be an even better sign if Zodiac Dragon finds his way into that thing.

[The Atog Lord]

Those pictures are pretty awesome. I have two Thunder Dragons and this might let me get a full set. My concern is that all of the cards are foil. I really hope that their new Foil process fixes the way that the current process ruins cards. If they have finally fixed the foil process, this could be a really awesome collection.

[KnowmaD]

My concern is most of the stuff on the list is recycled garbage. I agree with wanting a better selection like Zodiac Dragon (ya right), just something.  This obviously should be for collectors, give them a bone at least.  Ok I guess the alt art on the dragon elder is something.  Still, 75 dragons to chose from an this is it.  Hopefully this is no indication of the entire box (ya right).  I do know I wont be burned by Marketing an distribution this time. 

[Ged]

Shards of Alara:

Courier's Capsule   1u
Artifact   Common
1{U}, , Sacrifice Courier's Capsule: Draw two cards.

Playable in Vintage?

[The Atog Lord]

Playable in Vintage?

I'm pretty sure not. It's either a worse Divining Top or a worse Deep Analysis.

[Norm4eva]

Convocation of Minds   4

Sorcery

Reveal the top 3 cards of your library. Target opponent may choose to let you put those cards into your hand. If he or she doesn't put those 3 cards in your graveyard and draw 5 cards.

It's a pretty hefty cost, but draw 5 cards?  It's yet another fixed FoF, but especially in a slower format I think I like it.


Woolly Thoctar 

Creature - Beast

5/4

I don't generally think of 4/4s as 'vanilla', much less 5/4s for 3.  The color requirement sort of fucking sucks, but wouldn't 3c Zoo decks aspire to this on turn 3 anyway?  There's 8 spirit guides now, so fuck it.  This guy makes my inner beatdown player very happy.  And he's uncommon, so he makes my inner pennypincher rejoice.  You have to admit, the curve is pretty sweet for 3c Zoo when it can play a 2/3 on turn 1, a 3/3 on turn 2 and a 5/4 on turn 3.

[The Atog Lord]

We've had a draw-3 for 4U for a million years and it never saw plays. This Convocation is strictly worse than drawing 3 cards.

[Matt]

Thoctar might see Legacy play. 5 power for 3 mana is enough to be playable (Doran crops up from time to time). The question is, in what deck?

I have some ideas but they're long shots. Still, very tempting.

[Matt]

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/3

You know what? Exalted is a GREAT mechanic. White has historically gotten first strike, which is really a crappy thing to give a color that's trying to be "white weenie", because First Strike is SOOO much better on defense than offense (because of gang-blocking). White has, for a long time, needed a mechanic which lets its team be strong on offense; banding wasn't a bad try but got bogged down in byzantine rules, and was therefore unacceptable.

[Norm4eva]

I was just about to post on the subject of Exalted.

I have really mixed feelings about this mechanic.  For those who don't want to click a link, it's basically like this;

Exalted (Whenever a creature attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)

Notice it says *a* creature, not *this* creature.  So you control a handful of first strikers on the ground, each with one instance of Exalted, and then you swing with your giant Angel with Lifelink, which also has Exalted.  They all trigger, Angel gets +lots/+lots and you maintain a decent defense on the ground with your first strikey guys.
I like the idea, because this to me always seemed to be the way White Weenie was 'meant' to be played.  Your ground men make a land assault virtually impossible, whether through first strike or protection from bad-guys, and then you send in Serra/Exalted/insert other messenger of God to seal the deal.  This to me represents tactical superiority in more ways than any of the older attempts at bolstering White Weenie ever did.
However, I doubt that this particular execution of White Weenie is going to work in any of the faster formats, because let's face it; playing a bunch of men so that they can *not* swing while you wait to draw a giant flying win condition is at best a stall tactic.  Unless it's backed up by some phenomenal support spells I don't think it's going to be a worthwhile mechanic in a non-block format.
Even in Type 2, where Mirrorweave Kithkin is actually a very good deck, the idea is still to swing with the team and then use Mirrorweave to turn them all into giants.  This is one instance where the Crusade effect actually matters, because there's like 8 - 10 guys in the deck that have it in some way shape or form, and to turn your whole team into one of those guys means lots of very large, angry Kithkin.
Basically there are two very different White Weenie decks being suggested upon Shards' release and I don't think they complement each other, so the white man's cardpool is at odds with itself.

[Norm4eva]

Ok it's a double post, but WHAT THE FUCK

Wild Nacatl  G

Creature - Cat Warrior

-this- gets +1/+1 as long as you control a Plains.
-this- gets +1/+1 as long as you control a Mountain.

1/1

I know Kird Ape.  Kird Ape is a friend of mine.  You sir, are no Kird Ape.  In a format with duals and fetches, you're probably better than a Kird Ape.

[Matt]

Ok it's a double post, but WHAT THE FUCK

Wild Nacatl  G

Creature - Cat Warrior

-this- gets +1/+1 as long as you control a Plains.
-this- gets +1/+1 as long as you control a Mountain.

1/1

I know Kird Ape.  Kird Ape is a friend of mine.  You sir, are no Kird Ape.  In a format with duals and fetches, you're probably better than a Kird Ape.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be real. Survival is going to rock if this is real.

Werebear : Tarmogoyf :: Nimble Mongoose : this

Well that's a bit of an exaggeration, since shroud can actually be very important, but w/e, close enough! Not having to get threshold to Get Large, Son is suuuuch an upgrade.

[KrauserKrauser]

Some more updates, looks like the pace is picking up as we are getting closer to the prereleases.

A few reprints: Cancel, Oblivion Ring, Infest, Naturalize, Goblin Mountaineer

A broken draw engine:

Ad Nauseum   3BB
Rare
Instant 
Reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its converted mana cost. You may repeat this process any number of times.

A crappy Mind's Desire for 2-3:

Brilliant Ultimatum   WWUUUBB
Rare
Sorcery 
Remove the top five cards of your library from the game. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Until end of turn, you may play cards in one pile as if they were in your hand without paying their mana cost.

An auto include in Type 4 stacks:

Cruel Ultimatum   UUBBBRR
Rare
Sorcery 
Target opponent sacrifices a creature, discards three cards, and loses 5 life. Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Draw three cards. You gain 5 life.

A possible SSS replacement in Oath decks:

Empyrial Archangel    4GWWU
Mythic Rare
Creature - Angel 
Flying, shroud
All damage that would be dealt to you is dealt to Empyrial Archangel instead.
5/8

Instant Card Advantage with added utility:

Esper Charm   WUB
Uncommon
Instant 
Choose one - Destroy target enchantment; or target player draws two cards; or target player discards two cards.

Vindicate x3:

Violent Ultimatum   BBRRRGG
Rare
Sorcery 
Destroy three target permanents

And a new Stax component:

Mindlock Orb   4
Rare
Artifact 
Players can't search libraries.

Initial word on the street is that Ad Naseum is broken, but only time and testing will tell.

[Norm4eva]

Ad Nauseum is ridonkulous.  It actually says draw your deck.  I forget, does 45land.dec play Black?
The Ultimatums are sort of trash.  "So, wait, I can pay WWUUUBB to cast whatever spells my opponent lets me have?"  Are there enough good spells in awkward colors to even want to play this card?
Mindlock Orb is sort of a neat soft lock-ish thing.
I like the Angel, actually I really like most of the GWU cards in this set.  I don't know that it'll replace any Oath creatures, least of all Simic Sky Swallower, since with fetchlands and Thoughtseize and others in the format SSS can be a turn faster.  I don't play much Oath, how often do you want a defensive creature?

EDIT: Oh yeah and um, @ White Weenie

Knight of the (Holy Lotus? some jank)  WW
Creature - Knight

First strike
When -this- CIP, if you control less lands than your opponent, search your library for a Plains card and put it into play.  Then shuffle your library.
2/2

Sigh, another first strikey bear, but this one's interesting in that it sort of supports a higher threat density in the deck versus a high land count.  Either way this just confirms my suspicions, there's going to be two very different White Weenie builds in Standard battling for attention.  That Gild-Leaf Liege will probably see play in both, but that's where real similarity will end.
Stupid pet deck not living up to my expectations *kicks over a garbage can* Go Cubs

[LotusHead]

Just tons of fun stuff in this set! Maybe enough awesome blue artifacts will get me to throw Force of Will into shops, eh?

[Norm4eva]

I've sort of changed my mind about Exalted, it looks like it'll be really cool.  Especially considering the Orb says there are twelve instances of Exalted and the four creatures spoiled so far are all pretty playable - mandatory 1/1 for W with ability, Sigiled Paladin, big Angel and a 3/4 Knight for 1GUW with Exalted that gives creatures that attack alone double strike.  It looks like the deck can play a lot like Kithkin does now; there's a good chance you swing for 3 on turn 1, and each guy you drop strengthens both offense and defense.  Yeah, forget Mirrorweave for now, I like Bant.
But I sort of like these guys too...

Etherium Sculptor  1u

Artifact Creature - Vedalken Artificer  Common

Artifact spells you play cost 1 less to play.

1/2

In Affinity this guy is basically like playing two artifacts with one spell.  He also makes himself cheaper, and while Affinity doesn't really like paying colored mana for anything that isn't a Shrapnel Blast or a Thoughtcast, an early Sculptor seems like the makings for Shenanigans.  Being a blue artifact doesn't hurt either; it makes it easier for mono-brown to run FoW.

Skill Borrower  2u

Artifact Creature - Human Wizard   Rare

Play with the top card of your library revealed.

As long as the top card of your library is an artifact or creature card, Skill Borrower has all abilities of that card.

1/3

There's this deck, English Breakfast...

Manaplasm   1g

Creature - Ooze   Rare

Whenever you play a spell, Manaplasm gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.

1/1

Sort of a goofy Dryad, has the capacity to both suck more and be more awesome at the same time.  The little kid in me wants to see this guy in 10 Land Stompy, where one plays Invigorate and Bounty of the Hunt and Berserk to make this guy +re/+tarded until EOT.  Really what this does is makes people play before their second main phase (so does Exalted) which is usually wrong, but meh.

Bant Charm   gwu

Instant   Uncommon

Choose one - Destroy target artifact; or put target creature on the bottom of its owner's library; or counter target instant spell.

If the mana fixing is good enough, this will be a great card for Bant.dec in Standard.  It gives relevant abilities to an already inherently defensive beatdown deck; creature removal, counterspell and who can whine about artifact removal in a format with colored artifacts?  Good shit.
Oh wait it says "counter target INSTANT spell" - motherFUCK nevermind I hate this card.  :( :( :(

Vectis Silencers*   wb

Artifact Creature - Human Wizard?   ?

When Vectis Silencers comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand and you choose a nonland card from it. Remove that card from the game.

When Vectis Silencers leaves play, return the removed card to its owner's hand.

2/2

Returning the card sort of sucks, but it's pretty much the coolest Faceless Butcher evar.  I dunno, Deadguy might like it :P  Obviously great against a deck which doesn't like disruption and doesn't have too many ways to deal with guys in play.

Lich's Mirror  5

Artifact   Mythic Rare

If you would lose the game, instead shuffle your hand, your graveyard and all permanents you own into your library, then draw seven cards and your life total becomes 20.

This card's been up for a while and I'm surprised it hasn't been discussed.  I'm not the guy to break this card, but I'm thinking there potential here with some kind of deck where you pay life to draw cards while building a Storm count, then hitting reset and drawing seven might not be such a bad thing.  Actually, beyond storm count there are many effects that would remain in play once this triggers; any UEOT (like Ad Nauseum) or High Tide or YawgWin would still apply.  I can't think of a great way to abuse this card but there's surely some application out there, it's a big cardpool...

[Nefarias]

Manaplasm   1g

Creature - Ooze   Rare

Whenever you play a spell, Manaplasm gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.

1/1

It was mis-spoiled and actually costs  , if that changes your opinions of it.

Lich's Mirror  5

Artifact   Mythic Rare
If you would lose the game, instead shuffle your hand, your graveyard and all permanents you own into your library, then draw seven cards and your life total becomes 20.

This card's been up for a while and I'm surprised it hasn't been discussed. 

There's like 2 or 3 threads about it in Vintage Open/Improvement.

[Ephraim]

Vectis Silencers*   wb

Artifact Creature - Human Wizard?   ?

When Vectis Silencers comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand and you choose a nonland card from it. Remove that card from the game.

When Vectis Silencers leaves play, return the removed card to its owner's hand.

2/2

Returning the card sort of sucks, but it's pretty much the coolest Faceless Butcher evar.  I dunno, Deadguy might like it   Obviously great against a deck which doesn't like disruption and doesn't have too many ways to deal with guys in play.

Honestly, I would call it the second-coolest Mesmeric Fiend evar.

[Norm4eva]

Oh crap I forgot about Mesmeric Fiend.  My bad!  I won't say it's strictly better than Mesmeric, but I don't have to sell the merit of a bear over a 1/1; in the right deck it most certainly has more appeal than Mesmeric Fiend.

@ Manaplasm - at 2G it does change my opinion, yes it does.  Not so awesome anymore.

[LotusHead]

Salvage Titan    4bb
Artifact Creature - Golem 
You may sacrifice three artifacts rather than pay Salvage Titan's mana cost.
Remove three artifact cards in your graveyard from the game: Return Salvage Titan from your graveyard to hand.
  6/4
Well, a 6/4 for "free" is good for shops with reduntant lock peices cluttering up the field, yes? no? maybe?

[vartemis]

Salvage Titan    4bb
Artifact Creature - Golem 
You may sacrifice three artifacts rather than pay Salvage Titan's mana cost.
Remove three artifact cards in your graveyard from the game: Return Salvage Titan from your graveyard to hand.
  6/4
Well, a 6/4 for "free" is good for shops with reduntant lock peices cluttering up the field, yes? no? maybe?

With all the really cheap artifacts out there, a first turn 6/4 can be pretty daunting.  He's like an uber-jugg.

Imagine dropping a couple of chromatic stars and a mox, then dropping this guy for free and drawing 2 cards.  Pretty sweet.

j

[andrewpate]

Salvage Titan    4bb
Artifact Creature - Golem 
You may sacrifice three artifacts rather than pay Salvage Titan's mana cost.
Remove three artifact cards in your graveyard from the game: Return Salvage Titan from your graveyard to hand.
  6/4
Well, a 6/4 for "free" is good for shops with reduntant lock peices cluttering up the field, yes? no? maybe?

With all the really cheap artifacts out there, a first turn 6/4 can be pretty daunting.  He's like an uber-jugg.

Imagine dropping a couple of chromatic stars and a mox, then dropping this guy for free and drawing 2 cards.  Pretty sweet.

j

Yeah, but if you don't have two Stars, it'd be more like you dropping two Moxes and a Star, leading your opponent to gleefully Force of Will this guy for a quick 3-for-1.  It'd be almost as good as Misdirectioning a turn 1 Ancestral.  This versus turn 1 Juggernaut off Workshop and a mox, which has virtually no risk, plus trample, in exchange for just an extra p/t (which might not even decrease the number of hits to go lethal), the reanimation ability, and the occasional opportunity to cast two spells on the first turn by tapping down and then sacking out.  I'm not impressed.

[LotusHead]

Shop decks aren't afraid of Force of Will plus blue card in opening hand.

We're afraind of 2 FOW and 2 BLue Cards, 1 Island/fetch and Brainstorm/more broken card opening hands.

Plus, late game "freeness" might make it easier to play stuff through multiple locks that might be inadvertantly holding us back (like Chalice for 1 with Welder Ancestral in hand)