2007 - 2010 Rumors/Previews/mtg.com articles

[TopSecret]

This Art is absolutely amazing:

http://www.wizards.com/mtg/images/tcg/products/conflux/g9cqfmrv5_EN.jpg

I almost want to make a fun deck just for this creature.

This art reminds me of 20th Century Space Odyssey.

[Norm4eva]

Full spoiler's been up for a few days now.

I am the saddest little kid in Standard right now, because with the exception of Noble Hierarch, all the Exalted cards in Conflux are bads.

I know the tech isn't in the Exalted guys when you're playing Bant (unless it's Rafiq FTW) but I'm not convinced this last round of guys didn't fall victim to the same fate of the old White Weenie stumbling block - make 'em good but not too good.

[LotusHead]

Even with Flash restricted, this would be fun to flash into play!

[Ulthrion]

From a Vintage standpoint, a set is a success if it gives even 1 card that gets vintage play.

I don't know the most about Vintage, but the only set I don't remember contributing anything was Prophecy, and possible Eventide (but at least people were/are experimenting with Ward of Bones, Cold-Eyed Selkie and Nettle Sentinel). Not every card is equally format defining though, but I think that every other set has contributed to Vintage as a format.

Back to the subject of rumours, domain will probably be pretty popular as a casual theme. With the decent density of domain cards, I can even imagine seeing a Meastrom Archangel or Dramatic Entrance based domain (or 5C control) deck that powers out Progenitus, Nicol Bolas or Conflux. Although the presence of Celestial Purge alone might keep the archetype down. At least there is enough high-powered cards in Conflux that have ridiculous casting costs to inspire deckbuilding for the casual crowd.

[chrissss]

This is pretty good

4/4 for 4U, an ability which is goodin blue, and if you play UBW, it can kill a creature a turn.

( again, I don't have vintage in mind)

[Matt]

I don't know the most about Vintage, but the only set I don't remember contributing anything was Prophecy, and possible Eventide (but at least people were/are experimenting with Ward of Bones, Cold-Eyed Selkie and Nettle Sentinel). Not every card is equally format defining though, but I think that every other set has contributed to Vintage as a format.

Prophecy had Spiketail Hatchling, which saw play in early Fish builds, though it's been eclipsed since.

Eventide...well this might be a bust. Nettle Sentinel is at least key to he elf deck - if the elf deck is any good (probably not?). I don't suppose anyone's doing anything with Figure of Destiny either, huh? Pity.

[Ulthrion]

From a Vintage standpoint, a set is a success if it gives even 1 card that gets vintage play.

I don't know the most about Vintage, but the only set I don't remember contributing anything was Prophecy, and possible Eventide (but at least people were/are experimenting with Ward of Bones, Cold-Eyed Selkie and Nettle Sentinel). Not every card is equally format defining though, but I think that every other set has contributed to Vintage as a format.

Prophecy had Spiketail Hatchling, which saw play in early Fish builds, though it's been eclipsed since.

Eventide...well this might be a bust. Nettle Sentinel is at least key to he elf deck - if the elf deck is any good (probably not?). I don't suppose anyone's doing anything with Figure of Destiny either, huh? Pity.

Conjecture: From a vintage standpoint, every set is succesful.

As for Ethersworn Adjudicator, I really have a love-hate relationship with this card. I really like the card in what it does, and how it's designed. On the other end, it annoys me that Air Elemental is in 10th edition, and planar chaos already saw a strictly better version at a higher rarity. This is another (strictly-)better variant and again it's a much higher rarity. I don't like the connection between rarity and power level in this case. Not that I think that Air Elemental should set the standard, but I just don't like the power level based on rarity idea.

Another card I hope to get in the prerelease is Celestial Purge, since I think it's going to be one of the best removal cards in the block for limited/standard.

Celestial Purge 
Instant
Remove target red or black permanent from the game.
Uncommon

With so many multicolor cards and mana fixing, this should be very playable against 99% of the decks.

[bluemage55]

I don't like the connection between rarity and power level in this case. Not that I think that Air Elemental should set the standard, but I just don't like the power level based on rarity idea.

Why not?  Would it not make sense for WotC to want to sell more packs this way?  Would you rather that Magic be played primarily with commons, thus taking away the necessary funds that keeps WotC making new cards?

[Norm4eva]

I really despise the power level : rarity relation as well, but formats like Sealed and drafting sort of demand that cards are generally more bombish the further up you go.

[Troy_Costisick]

I really despise the power level : rarity relation as well, but formats like Sealed and drafting sort of demand that cards are generally more bombish the further up you go.

I'm going to agree with you guys on this sentiment.  Just because a card is powerful doesn't mean it needs to be rare (/points at Thoughtseize).  But I'm also going to say that Air Elemental is a woefully underpowered cards.  I don't have a problem printing Sera Sphinx.  I also don't have a problem printing cards like Bramblewood Paragon or Wild Mongrel instead of Grizzlybears.  Upgrades are just fine with me.

Peace,

-Troy

[Ulthrion]

I don't like the connection between rarity and power level in this case. Not that I think that Air Elemental should set the standard, but I just don't like the power level based on rarity idea.

Why not?  Would it not make sense for WotC to want to sell more packs this way?  Would you rather that Magic be played primarily with commons, thus taking away the necessary funds that keeps WotC making new cards?

With the risk of going off-topic here, I didn't say that I like to play with all commons, but against making strictly better cards. I know that in bigger formats, making strictly better/worse cards is inevitable, but at the least in standard (i.e. boosters that are readily available) it seems odd to give out the impression that rarity is power level. I understand that Wizards wants to sell packs, but if you look at Garruk and Oblivion Ring from Lorwyn, you see that powerful cards can be in all rarities without making more common variants obsolete. In this case, Ethersworn Adjudicator makes Air Elemental immediately obsolete, just as Serra Sphinx did before it. I do think that there should be good and powerful rares/mythics, but just making superior versions of currently available cards in a lower commonality just seems so wrong. If they would have made a card with similar power level (something like a 3/4 unblockable) that did not have so much in common with an already existing and readily available card (4/4 blue flyer for 5 mana), I would not have any problems with it.

I really despise the power level : rarity relation as well, but formats like Sealed and drafting sort of demand that cards are generally more bombish the further up you go.

I never did a lot of drafting and I do sealed during the prereleases. I understand that the more bombish cards should move up in rarity, however, this only goes for the cards that are bombs in limited. Air Elemental is too powerful as a common in drafts and is justly placed at uncommon (Same reason as Thoughtseize could have been at any rarity without upsetting limited, but that's a different discussion).

That said, I understand that they want to make most of the rares so that they are interesting for at least one type of player (while the common/uncommon slots can be used to fill up the cards that are needed to make limited interesting), which means that the density of playable cards in the rare/mythic slots is naturally increased. I am fine with all that. That still doesn't mean that rare/mythic cards should make common/uncommon cards obsolete in a single standard environment.

This is all I want to say about it in this thread, so I won't further respond unless in a different thread or through PM. My apologies for going off topic.

[Norm4eva]

FWIW Edjuicator doesn't just obsolete Air Elemental/Serra Sphinx... you can't Oxidize an Air Elemental.  Generally speaking they do a better job of not printing 'strictly better' stuff these days, although there's always going to be a Wild Mongrel for every Grizzly Bear.

Yeah without straying, let me just say I don't really enjoy Limited formats so when I say that it's not because I like things that way.  I'm of the opinion that things like rarity and the secondary market really preclude a game like Magic from becoming a more accessible, truly great game, like any other widely played card game such as bridge or poker (or pitch for the Midwesterners).

Anyway, on-topic is cool.  Is it just me or is Conflux largely the "Bitterblossom sideboard" set?  Seriously, they printed a would-be answer to the Faerie horde in every color.

[LotusHead]

Sick! Art not impressive (none of the myr really were), but sweet nonetheless!

Looks like I gotta get my ass kicked drafting this month!

[Ulthrion]

I actually really like the art on this one. The background looks too plain for a conventional card, but as a foil, I think it will work quite nicely. The Myr itself looks cool enough for me.
Too bad I never have time for FNM, so another nice goody to pass me by.

[PhilipJFry]

Today's Arcana shows that one of the cards with new art in the Divine vs. Demonic Duel Decks package is Demonic Tutor.

Seeing as how I hate foils, I am glad to be able to get a black-bordered, new card face Demonic Tutor for my deck.

The art is kind of questionable, though.  I suppose it is a Demon cursing Liliana, but it looks like he is planning on getting a little too "close", if you know what I mean. 

Link or it didn't happen:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/arcana/140

[chrissss]

Art is indeed ok, but it will be BB which is always a plus. How much do these dual decks cost?

[Matt]

Art is indeed ok, but it will be BB which is always a plus. How much do these dual decks cost?

Red vs blue goes for $25-30.

[wiley]

Art is indeed ok, but it will be BB which is always a plus. How much do these dual decks cost?

http://sales.starcitygames.com/carddisplay.php?product=55416

[LotusHead]

[AmbivalentDuck]

-Mana burn is being removed from the rules of the game. Mana pools will still act as normal, (this is assumed but...there is no reason for this to not happen) just without the damage penalization.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=150809

ZMG...Drain just got infi better.

[Troy_Costisick]

-Mana burn is being removed from the rules of the game. Mana pools will still act as normal, (this is assumed but...there is no reason for this to not happen) just without the damage penalization.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=150809

ZMG...Drain just got infi better.

I think you're overstating the effect it will have on Mana Drain.  Infinitely better?  Really?

[AmbivalentDuck]

You've never Drained something huge, only to take 5+ damage and lose the game as a result?

Drain supposedly just lost its *only* drawback.  You no longer need a colorless outlet in hand to Drain a Commandeer with impunity.

[Wagner]

You've never Drained something huge, only to take 5+ damage and lose the game as a result?

Drain supposedly just lost its *only* drawback.  You no longer need a colorless outlet in hand to Drain a Commandeer with impunity.

I very very rarely burn with Drain mana. And I don't recall losing a game due to burn.

To me it only seems important to bad players who forget their mana half the time. Although I don't see this change (if it is true) influence that much the game (well, Mana Vault, Dark Ritual, Lotus, and, most importantly Spectral Searchlight). I can understand them wanting to simplify it.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Braid of Fire may be the card that gains the most power from the change.

[InfectedMushroom]

If they went through with those changes I'd quit again and sell off my cards. Mana burn is an integral part of the game, and we don't need yu gi oh sounding "zones" Stuff is in play, there's a graveyard and a RFG pile...keep it simple

[bluemage55]

I read one of the funniest quotes I've seen in a while on that thread:

Drain was used mostly in Stax-type decks because it could take advantage of the colorless mana without risking burn. With that restriction removed, Drain can now be added to other decks that don't have access to an instant mana-sink, as it is a Counterspell with a potentially huge added effect and NO DRAWBACK.

[Implacable]

I read one of the funniest quotes I've seen in a while on that thread:

Drain was used mostly in Stax-type decks because it could take advantage of the colorless mana without risking burn. With that restriction removed, Drain can now be added to other decks that don't have access to an instant mana-sink, as it is a Counterspell with a potentially huge added effect and NO DRAWBACK.

This makes me smile.

[InfectedMushroom]

I read that too and burst out laughing in my chair. I can't believe those people are allowed to post.

[bluemage55]

Unfortunately, WotC reads those forums (and others) for policymaking input.  So people like that actually have a say on what happens to Vintage.   

Maybe that's how we get things like "let's restrict a whole bunch of blue cards to boost diversity!"?

[AmbivalentDuck]

Although I don't see this change (if it is true) influence that much the game (well, Mana Vault, Dark Ritual, Lotus, and, most importantly Spectral Searchlight). I can understand them wanting to simplify it.

Two immediately relevant changes that I see:
Dragon.  You no longer outright lose from having your Oona/Laquatus/Witness Extirpated after generating infi mana.  Sure, the game is still over...but the loss isn't immediate.

Stax.  It also means that you should *always* float mana into your draw step when under a Tangle Wire or Smokestack.