[Type 4] Alara Reborn

[Farandar]

It begins !

The Alara block definitely seems made for T4 stacks with its stupidly, heavily colored spells, and big big growling monsters

Here is the brand new thing every T4 player might want to include in his stack :

Spellbreaker Behemoth - 1RGG
Creature - Beast (Rare)
Spellbreaker Behemoth can't be countered.
Creature spells you control with power 5 or greater can't be countered.
5/5
Illus. Jason Chan
#60/145

For you, who already included Vexing shusher in your stack, behold !

[oneofchaos]

This is just a worst shusher tho.  With shusher you can make your opponents spells uncounterable and really piss people off.  This thing is like rawr, any creatures you probably didn't counter before you can't counter now.  All the awesome utility creatures have a power of 4 or lower for the most part, exceptions do occur.  This just seems fairly awful.

[Farandar]

Excuse my english, as I'm french, but I'm having a hard time to tell if you think it nice or not

[oneofchaos]

I do not think it's all that nice.  Vexing shusher is way way way better.  I just would never want to see it in a type 4 stack.

[Mr. Type 4]

So far most of the cards aren't that good, but there's only 10 up there.  I actually expect this set to have a TON of Type 4 goodies. 

Spellbreaker is ok, but you probably cant get much use out of it for a full turn, which sucks.  Something like Shusher is far better because you can start using it right away, and its good on any spell.  i guess at least this is a big beater in addition to doing something semi-useful.  Also, being uncounterable itself is a nice touch.  I'm not going to count this one out just yet - I dont think its good enough for my stack, but should fit into a lot of stacks just fine.

The Broodmother Dragon is also not terrible, but once again misses the cut in most stacks.

The most exctiting thing I see so far is the keyword ability Double Cast: (When you play this spell, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card with lesser converted mana cost than this spell. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. Then put all revealed cards still in your library on the bottom of your library at random order.)

This ability is perfect for Type 4, so I hope they put it on some really amazing HIGH casting cost cards.  The fact that you get the ability just for playing the spell is also awesome (hope the spoiler is right on that part!)


 

[Wagner]

A couple more posted, still nothing great.

Soulquake*
   3uubb
Sorcery   Rare
Return all creatures in play and all creatures from all graveyards to their owners' hands.

A type 4 effect for sure, but the caster will usually get screwed have have to discard first. Still worth a try, nice "card drawer" when you are getting behind.

Bituminous Blast
   3br
Instant   Uncommon
Double cast (When you play this spell, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card with lesser converted mana cost. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. Put the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
Bituminous Blast deals 4 damage to target creature.

I am also wondering what the exact wording will be and how it will work. It this dealt 5 damage or targeted players, it would be auto-include. as it stands, if will probably flip a counter half the time, so it must be cast accordingly, but having a creature in play to be able to cats it is too restrictive.

Spellbound Dragon*
   3ur
Creature - Dragon   Rare
Flying.
Whenever Spellbound Dragon attacks, draw a card, then discard a card. Spellbound Dragon gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the converted mana cost of the discarded card.
      3/5

Not ridiculous but certainly interesting. A flyer with anywhere between 8-12 power combined with a small card filter. Extra points for another combo with Gleemax. Sucks at blocking though.

[Mr. Type 4]

I read that Soulquake a week or so ago and I just dont think it's too great.  As an instant it would very good. Here's the big issue, though - I feel like most of the time this card will sit in your hand and never do anything.  If it's going to be very good for you, it's probably getting countered, like if you use it in some sick combo with something like Sneak Attack or Illusionary Mask.  And that's the best scenario.  You probably have to weigh in your mind your need to clear the board vs giving back some good creatures from the grave to an opponent.  I think most of the time you could cast this, you are not going to be the one that gets the best deal - so the result i that you decide not to cast it.   

Maybe I'm wrong, but probably not.  As Wagner pointed out, having to be the first to discard after playing it is certainly a downer, too.  If you want to add more chaotic cards to your stack I'm sure this one is fun, but it will only be good if you purposely don't play with better board-wipers.

Spellbound Dragon could potentially be huge and I like that you get the card just for declatring it as an attacker.  That said, it's pretty slow.  Haste would have been a HUGE imporvement on this guy, and even with Haste I think it misses the cut.  The last few sets delivered us some amazing beaters, and this guy is garbage in comparison. 

Not sure about bituminous Blast.  I'm hoping for a lot of good Doublecast cards to pick from, and I'm hoping that the others are even better than this.  I really enjoy cards that make casting cost a relevant part of the draft (like transmute) and double cast could really facilitate some good strategies.  If they print ones with a low enough CMC you can really try to control the low cards in your draft so you know what you're likely getting.
I would also love to see a doublecast card with a variable casting cost (something with an X).  that would just be awesome.

[Lysyc12]

Here's a new one that hasn't made it to the spoiler quite yet:

Sphinx of the Steel Wind
 
Artifact Creature - Sphinx
Flying, First Strike, Vigilance, Lifelink, Protection from Red and from Green
6/6

Seems pretty sexy, although lack of trample and haste does hurt it.

[Farandar]

I would gladfully trade the pros red and green for a shroud, since there are good removals in every color (but blue ?) in T4.

Good, but I'm less enthousiast about this big beater than about the spellbreaker behemot.

[Mr. Type 4]

Steel Wind is an artifact, too, which means even more cards can kill it.  Dismantling blow onthat guy is a blow-out.  Haste would have made it a lot better, but as is probably not god enough. 

This one is much better:

That guy is going to start making everyone sac creatures right away, which I like.  It's only a 5/5, and is likely to get quickly killed, but people that dont have creatures on the board may support you in having this. 

[VikingMetal4L]

Defiler of Souls is such a badass.  I'm not sure whether he's really that good, but he's so cool I have to try him out.

How bad is Broodmother Dragon really?  It looks pretty comparable to Verdant Force, and I might venture to suggest it's better thanks to the flying (and a little more flexibility granted by devour).  Anyway, I'm going to pick one up.

Q

[Farandar]

Nice but not over the edge, this new guy might get in a new stak waiting for something better :

Blitz Hellion - 3RG
Creature - Hellion (Rare)
Trample, haste
At end of turn, Blitz Hellion's owner shuffles it into his or her owner's library.
7/7
Illus. Anthony S. Waters
#49/145

7/7 trample haste is definetely nice, but its reshuffle me ability lowers its interest, imo.

[Wagner]

Nice but not over the edge, this new guy might get in a new stak waiting for something better :

Blitz Hellion - 3RG
Creature - Hellion (Rare)
Trample, haste
At end of turn, Blitz Hellion's owner shuffles it into his or her owner's library.
7/7
Illus. Anthony S. Waters
#49/145

7/7 trample haste is definetely nice, but its reshuffle me ability lowers its interest, imo.

Crap to me, it's barely better than a Ball Lightning, and you don't even get to reanimate it.

I'd pick the 7/2 haste persist anyday over this. (Thunder something, can't remember).

[Lysyc12]

Looks rather badass:

Thraximundar     
Legendary Creature - Zombie Assassin 
Haste
Whenever Thraximundar attacks, defending player sacrifices a creature.
Whenever a player sacrifices a creature, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Thraximundar.
6/6

It even has haste!

[Mr. Type 4]

This guy is ok.  Finally something that affects the board the turn it's played!  He's pretty fragile but he's really not bad in that at worst he's Diabolic Edict on someone.  This is much better than most of the stuff we've seen.     

[VikingMetal4L]

Nice with Pentavus.

[Mr. Type 4]

This is a tough one:

Sen Triplets     
Legendary Artifact Creature - Human Wizard 
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose target opponent. This turn, that player can't play spells or activated abilities and plays with his or her hand revealed. You can play cards from that player' hand this turn.
They are the masters of your mind.
3/3

SO I say alllll the time on here that I want creatures that can affect the board the turn they are played OR at least be able to regenerate or something so that they dont just die right away.  This creature does neither.  It's not big and it's an artifact which is a big negative in Type 4, as it opens it up to even more removal.  That said, I think the ability is awesome and I really want to try this card even if it'll rarely actually work. 

[Lysyc12]

A few more that I think might be good in lower powered stacks:

Lord of Extinction    
Creature - Elemental  
Lord of Extinction's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in all graveyards.
*/*

Nothing more than a big man, but it is a really big man.  Might replace Cognivore, if anone still plays that.

Maelstrom Pulse    
Sorcery  
Destroy target nonland permanent and each permanent that shares a name with that permanent.

So-so.  If anyone still plays Desert Twister, this could relace it.  It's excellent at removing token hordes though.

[oneofchaos]

This is a tough one:

Sen Triplets     
Legendary Artifact Creature - Human Wizard 
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose target opponent. This turn, that player can't play spells or activated abilities and plays with his or her hand revealed. You can play cards from that player' hand this turn.
They are the masters of your mind.
3/3

SO I say alllll the time on here that I want creatures that can affect the board the turn they are played OR at least be able to regenerate or something so that they dont just die right away.  This creature does neither.  It's not big and it's an artifact which is a big negative in Type 4, as it opens it up to even more removal.  That said, I think the ability is awesome and I really want to try this card even if it'll rarely actually work. 

I think it's just too awesome not too play.  I mean if you untap...one opponent is going to be furious as you cast their bomb.  Sadly it counts as a spell per turn since you do have to play mana costs

[Harlequin]

Yeah it seems crappy because there's really no way around having it count as your spell for turn.  Maybe you could errata it so it uses THIER spell for turn (so you essentially get 2)... but outside of that is seems like the last card you would play out of your hand.

[Wagner]

Yeah it seems crappy because there's really no way around having it count as your spell for turn.  Maybe you could errata it so it uses THIER spell for turn (so you essentially get 2)... but outside of that is seems like the last card you would play out of your hand.

Well, see, I think it can safely compary to Mindleech Mass. It has to wait a turn to be active and it scares the hell out of opponents that don't want to lose their best card. The difference is, Mindleech Mass very rarely connects as the attacked player will kill it to protect his cards.

This creature, however, allows you to just choose a player at your upkeep and that player is out of the turn completely, he will not be able to screw with the triplets. So basically, it will be a big target during all the other turns but yours, which at least gives you a chance to protect it or to cast other instants while others kill it.

To be tried certainly and will probably replace the Mindleech is some stacks as it's more fun and political.


Another card to consider:

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=88160&d=1239941129

Enigma Sphinx
   4wub
Artifact Creature - Sphinx   Rare
Flying
When Enigma Sphinx is put into your graveyard from play, put it into your library third from the top.
Cascade (When you play this spell, remove cards from the top of your library from the game until your reveal a nonland card that costs less. You may play it without paying its mana cost. Put the removed cards on the bottom in a random order.)
Illus. Chris Rahn   #106/145   5/4

You get a decent flyer (with some semi useful recurring ability) that will give you another big card. Obviously sub-par if your drafted only counterspells, but it is still a nice card advantage/beater.

[Lysyc12]

Because we can always use more counterspells:

Soul Manipulation   
Instant
Choose one or both — Counter target creature spell; and/or return target creature card in your graveyard to your hand.

Edit:
Maelstrom Nexus   
Enchantment
The first spell you play each turn has Cascade.

Wow.  Just uh, wow.

[Mr. Type 4]

Soul Manipulation looks awesome.  I was told rumors about a couple good counterspells in thuis set, and now that this one is real I have a feeling the other ones might be, too.  Remove Soul + Raise Dead seems freakin' awesome. 

Malestrom Nexus is pretty impressive.  You might even be allowed to resolve that thing since it seems so random. 

Re: comparing Sex Triplets to Mindleech Mass -  I mostly agree.  Mindleech is a bit less vulnerable because its not an artifact, but triplets is much more likely to actually resolve the effect.  Also note that Mindleech will get online faster if given Haste, but that's also marginal.  I havent had Mindleech Mass in my stack for years. 

[Farandar]

Another chord of calling at sorcery speed but with wider span :

Wargate* - XGWU
Sorcery (Rare)
Search your library for a permanent card with converted mana cost X or less and put it into play. Shuffle your library.

Anyone seen this blast ?

Breath of Malfegor - 4BR
Sorcery (Common)
Breath of Malfegor deals 5 damage to each opponent.
#35/145

Seems a perfect thing to be the hated one around the table

Don't remember anyone commenting this one, although it's very nice :

Lightning Reaver - 3BR
Creature - Zombie Beast (Rare)
Fear, haste
Whenever Lightning Reaver deals combat damage to a player, put a charge counter on it.
At the end of your turn, Lightning Reaver deals damage equal to the number of charge counters on it to each opponent.
3/3
Illus. Cyril Van Der Haegen

Haste, a nice evasion ability, a 3/3 that deals damage to everybody EOT... Not that big, but could become quite dangerous.

If anyone has heavy recursion spells in one's stack, this might be interesting :

Necromancer's Covenant - 3WBB
Enchantment (Rare)
When Necromancer's Covenant comes into play, remove all creature cards in target player's graveyard from the game, then put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token into play for each card removed this way.
Zombies you control have lifelink.

I don't know about your games, but as our stack packs a lot of wrath like and removals, we don't have that much creatures on board at a time. The following, in this context, sounds nice :

Finest Hour - 2GWU
Enchantment (Rare)
Exalted
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, if its the first combat phase of the turn, untap that creature. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase.
Illus. Michael Komarck
#126/145

Another stupid extension for T4. The main problem is, as the cards can be played in current T2 (!!!), they may be hard to find for a while

[Wagner]

Will definitely add Finest hour, enchantments are hard to remove, even though you need a creature, all your creatures are not almost deadly.

Breath of Malfegor sounds nice too if you play with 4-5 people, yeah it's sorcery, but it's 15-20 damage!

Lightning Reaver seems too slow and small.

Necromancer's Covenant is ok, will usually give you 4-5 tokens in late game, so a big potential damage and lifegain, but meh, really late game card.


New ones:

Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
   4brg
Legendary Creature - Dragon   Mythic Rare
Flying, haste
When Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund comes into play, gain control of all Dragon creatures in play and untap them.
Dragon creatures you control have haste.
      7/7

A fatty haste flyer! Sign me up, and I don't know about you, but there are several dragons in the stacks I play in, so the second ability will be relevant at some points.

Double Cancel*
   uur
Instant   Uncommon
Counter up to two target spells.

Auto-in in ALL stacks.

A lot of good cards until now. Although, I'm not too excited about Soul Manipulation, even if it's a 2 in one, it's still a bad Counter and a bad reanimation.

[Farandar]

LIghtning reaver is a little annoying thing. Might resolve and gnaw at lifepoints before being dealt with. Anyway, seems fine for lower power stacks.

Karrthus is AWESOME, even if you don't play dragons. But there are so many good dragons anyone should have some
Double cancel might will replace my current counterbore

[Mr. Type 4]

Alright! I think you guys identified everything I heard of that I thought might be good so it looks like it's safe to start making lists =)  If we find out about new catrds we can always add on...

Right now I think Soul Manipulation is the best.  It's a really strong 2 for 1, and realy the only downside is that it can only counter creatures. 

1. Soul manipulation
2. Double Negative
A Double counter seems prettty good.  Nicely worded to still work in situations where you only need one, so that's good, too.  I feel like this is a little lesser to Soul Manipulation because typically you don't actually need to counter two spells.  Most stacks can go one of two ways just by stopping one card, and this is still technically one spell, so it can be countered just as easily.  Still, the situations where this card shines are going to make it AMAZING everytime it gets used to full potential.  Like when someone responds to a strong threat with an Instant-speed bomb - BAM! Double wammy.

3. Malestrom Nexus
Not sure about this yet, but it seems like it has potential to be awesome.  Enchants are harder to remove, so this could easily turn into a huge advantage for whoever has it.

4. Breath of Malgefor
This is a great card but hitting everyone for 5 is not going to be very well received.  I dont think the people i play with would want to draft something like this, but now that it's an instant, it becomes a lot more appealing.


5. Wargate
Sorcery speed sucks, but this lets you Chord of Calling for any perm in your deck.  That's pretty awesome. Your opponent's might not know what you're planning so you might be able to sneak one in under the radar.  Bonus points for comboing well with Boseiju. 

6. Sen Triplets
I think these guys may turn out to be weak, but the ability is awesome so I'm giving them a chance...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stuff I probably wont include but wopuld like to try:

7. Enigma Sphinx
Maybe Cascade on a 6CMC card is better than I think it will be? This seems like the best of the Cascaders in the form of a recurring creature.  5/4 flying isn't getting me too excited, tho.  I hope the free card I'd get off this would be better.

8. Thraximundar
Strong beater.  Kills people's guys.  Not terrible.

9. Finest Hour
I just dont think it would be too popular in my stack.  i can think of lots of other people that will love this, tho.

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Other people might like this stuff:

10. Lightning reever
It's got Haste!  It clocks everyone for one if it gets through!  This probably dies soooo fast.  if you think it would survive in your stack long enough to even deal two to each player, I'd try it.

11. Tyrant of Jund
Definitly try this if Dragons are good in your stack.  Seems really fun/flavorful. 


EDIT: corrected for Breath of Malgefor being an instant.  That makes it worth a try. 
 

[VikingMetal4L]

Moar instants plz?

The best turns are those when everyone does something, or even multiple things, so I think the best thing Shards of Alara had to offer was not its big flashy rares and mythics ala Cruel Ultimatum and Godsire, but rather its 3-color charms and the "resounding" cyclers.  (That said, we're still waiting for 3/5 of Alara Reborn's Sojourners, but judging by the small effects on Bant and Naya Sojourners, we may be disappointed--still, we can hope for some kind of bounce on Esper Sojourner, right?)

One thing that amuses me about Double Cancel, or whatever it's going to get called, is that it's red.  Sunforger.dec has been a popular mini-strategy at my stack (have others tried running this card btw?) thanks to Urza's Rage (!!) and a number of white-tinged counterspells in Absorb, Dromar's, etc.  Actually, Sunforger is the only reason I kept Suffocating Blast as long as I did.

Q

[Farandar]

I will think about include sunforger. Should have one somewhere, have to check for potential target in my stack.

Anyway, here's the spell you would have wanted to be an instant :

Vengeful Rebirth 4rg
Sorcery
Return a card from your graveyard to hand. If it is a nonland card, ~ deals damage equal to that card's converted card mana cost to target creature or player.
Remove ~ from the game.

[VikingMetal4L]

Instant speed Vengeful Rebirth would have been SAVAGE, probably the best type 4 card in the set.  But Wizards doesn't usually print regrowth effects at instant speed, Naya Charm being the only counterexample I can think of.  I was thinking more along the lines of instant speed Deny Reality.  A couple of new cards I can give my endorsements to are:

Grixis Sojourner - upgrade from Cremate.

Predatory Advantage - This will make so many effing tokens over the course of the game, and as noted, enchantments tend to have a pretty good life span, so this card presents a long term threat.  It's similar to Urza's Factory and Sprout Swarm, which are definitely cards I like to have in my deck (as a dedicated grind-out-a-painful-victory control player).