Thespian's Stage

[Bill Copes]

Finally, an interesting card in this set.

I'm feeling this one is going to be a very versatile tool for workshop decks, potentially utilizing expedition map to find this badboy.

Saucy Copy Targets:

• Mishra's Workshop
• Mishra's Factory / Mutavault
• Your Opponent's Tolarian Academy
• Strip Mine
• Wasteland

The only problem is with the card is an activation cost of  , which might be a touch high to make this card über-awesome.  I'm definitely  going to test this thing.

[bactgudz]

Definitely interesting; I predict that it can make the cut in some builds.  Even with the 2 activation cost, it still enters untapped and taps for 1. The flexibility of being a mid-game wasteland, factory or shop (and to even be able to switch between functionalities) seems powerful.

[Stormanimagus]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't thing just become a TAPPED version of the copied card? Isn't that basically useless?

-Storm

[Killane]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't thing just become a TAPPED version of the copied card? Isn't that basically useless?

-Storm

The effect does not end at EOT.

[gkraigher]

FINALLY!  and it a MUD CARD!

Really good in the mirror match where wasteland has taken out your workshop but not your opponents. 

[Bill Copes]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't thing just become a TAPPED version of the copied card? Isn't that basically useless?

-Storm

The effect does not end at EOT.

Also, I would mostly be activating this during my opponents end step, unless I'm trying to snipe an academy.

[Blue Lotus]

I feel like if you are playing shop you would rather play more threats than take an early turn to make more shops. If it's a later turn, you probably don't need mana. Seems like a cool card but just not very powerful.

Of course I haven't play with it yet, this is just my first judgement.

[AmbivalentDuck]

I'm not convinced that this compares favorably to Vesuva. Since it has to tap to copy, it essentially trades the ability to produce colorless the first turn it's in play for requiring an activation cost to copy.

In Commander, this seems superior, but in Vintage?

[Bill Copes]

I feel like if you are playing shop you would rather play more threats than take an early turn to make more shops. If it's a later turn, you probably don't need mana. Seems like a cool card but just not very powerful.

I'm not convinced that this compares favorably to Vesuva. Since it has to tap to copy, it essentially trades the ability to produce colorless the first turn it's in play for requiring an activation cost to copy.

In Commander, this seems superior, but in Vintage?

Too early to really tell, I feel.  The card is definitely not a bomb, but does have some applications.  It's worth looking in to.

[psyburat]

Vesuva without tempo loss the turn you play it, ability to be relevant on a landless field, as well as getting to change what you copy may make this much more relevant than its predecessor.  LoA superiority in blue mirrors, or just matching your opponent's, seems strategically relevant.

[credmond]

Seems really good, but definitely not for every deck. The card can change flexibly with the game state. Being able to copy Forbidden Orchard is really good anti-oath technique side benefit for decks that want this main deck. This will see play in Landstill and MUD variants as at least a one-of for sure. Cloning your own or copying opponent LOA is LOL awesome for Landstill.

[Blue Lotus]

I'm not convinced that this compares favorably to Vesuva. Since it has to tap to copy, it essentially trades the ability to produce colorless the first turn it's in play for requiring an activation cost to copy.

In Commander, this seems superior, but in Vintage?

I think its better than vesuva for sure. You can play this t1, for example, and copy a land that is played later. Another common play may be Shop t1, this t2 -> golem, where vesuva t2 doesn't do much for you. Of course, vesuva is not very good. Being better than vesuva isn't saying very much.

[heiner]

Not good enough. To copy a mana accelerant like Workshop its too slow, and for example to copy a shop you already need 6 mana in play which is enough in most cases. What remains is its versatily to either copy Waste/Strip or Mishra. While the 2 mana might be acceptible in the late game, I probably just play another Mishra instead. Also, there will be cases where its pretty much a dead draw because there are no copy targets in play.
Why not just play expedition map, it has the same mana cost, costs you a land drop, however, map copies/searches a card in your library (Strip Mine) while Stage only copies a land in play.

[policehq]

It is funny against Standstill.

[brokenbacon]

I am not looking forward to seeing this card in Shops decks. It's insane.

[LethalVapors]

I might get a nosebleed posting up here (normally stay in the art thread) but I just wanted to post this so you can see who the Thespians are;

[Saya]

Is copy target land worthy of 3 mana?

[nineisnoone]

Would be shocked if this didn't at least become a 1 of copy in Workshop decks. 4 of? That remains to be seen, but the upside potential compared to the marginal loss, seems very high.

[boggyb]

Hm, I'm missing it. Who, err, are those thespians? (I'm guessing they're famous MTG characters but I can't recognize em.)

[AmbivalentDuck]

Why not just play expedition map, it has the same mana cost, costs you a land drop, however, map copies/searches a card in your library (Strip Mine) while Stage only copies a land in play.

Tapping for colorless is relevant. This is fair point of comparison, though.

[Bill Copes]

Hm, I'm missing it. Who, err, are those thespians? (I'm guessing they're famous MTG characters but I can't recognize em.)

My guess:  Urza and Mishra

[quicksilvervii]

Hm, I'm missing it. Who, err, are those thespians? (I'm guessing they're famous MTG characters but I can't recognize em.)

My guess:  Urza and Mishra

[rmn]

Sorry for the unproductive post, but I just have to say thank you for pointing that out, it's very cool!

[heiner]

Why not just play expedition map, it has the same mana cost, costs you a land drop, however, map copies/searches a card in your library (Strip Mine) while Stage only copies a land in play.

Tapping for colorless is relevant. This is fair point of comparison, though.

In play, Ancient Tomb, Strip Mine or Wasteland, no land played for the turn.
1. Play Thespians's Stage, tap Tomb, tap Thespians Stage to make Thespian's Stage a tapped Strip Mine (Untapped lands in play: Strip Mine)
2. Tap Ancient Tomb, play Expedition Map, tap Wasteland, sac Map for Strip Mine, play Strip Mine (Untapped lands in Play: Strip Mine)

The result is pretty much the same with some added benefits of Map over Stage:
- You can search in your library instead of copy a target in play
- You can divide the 3 mana over 2 turns
- You can pay one of Map's mana with Workshop
- With 3 mana and Map you can search for Workshop giving you 6 mana the next turn. With Stage you need to have 3 mana + Workshop in play already, much weaker play.

Sure, if you are very low on mana and need to be aggressive its nice to tap Stage for one mana instead of doing something fancy, but still as soon as you have some mana left Map turns itslef into a Workshop for 0 mana which will help you in the following turns.

[LethalVapors]

50 TMD points to Quicksilverii!

[Stormanimagus]

Why not just play expedition map, it has the same mana cost, costs you a land drop, however, map copies/searches a card in your library (Strip Mine) while Stage only copies a land in play.

Tapping for colorless is relevant. This is fair point of comparison, though.

In play, Ancient Tomb, Strip Mine or Wasteland, no land played for the turn.
1. Play Thespians's Stage, tap Tomb, tap Thespians Stage to make Thespian's Stage a tapped Strip Mine (Untapped lands in play: Strip Mine)
2. Tap Ancient Tomb, play Expedition Map, tap Wasteland, sac Map for Strip Mine, play Strip Mine (Untapped lands in Play: Strip Mine)

The result is pretty much the same with some added benefits of Map over Stage:
- You can search in your library instead of copy a target in play
- You can divide the 3 mana over 2 turns
- You can pay one of Map's mana with Workshop
- With 3 mana and Map you can search for Workshop giving you 6 mana the next turn. With Stage you need to have 3 mana + Workshop in play already, much weaker play.

Sure, if you are very low on mana and need to be aggressive its nice to tap Stage for one mana instead of doing something fancy, but still as soon as you have some mana left Map turns itslef into a Workshop for 0 mana which will help you in the following turns.

Ummmm. . . map isn't a spell and therefore can't be countered. Also you don't have to invest mana on your turn. you can wait til the right moment to do it EOT.

-Storm

[credmond]

Why not just play expedition map, it has the same mana cost, costs you a land drop, however, map copies/searches a card in your library (Strip Mine) while Stage only copies a land in play.

Tapping for colorless is relevant. This is fair point of comparison, though.

In play, Ancient Tomb, Strip Mine or Wasteland, no land played for the turn.
1. Play Thespians's Stage, tap Tomb, tap Thespians Stage to make Thespian's Stage a tapped Strip Mine (Untapped lands in play: Strip Mine)
2. Tap Ancient Tomb, play Expedition Map, tap Wasteland, sac Map for Strip Mine, play Strip Mine (Untapped lands in Play: Strip Mine)

The result is pretty much the same with some added benefits of Map over Stage:
- You can search in your library instead of copy a target in play
- You can divide the 3 mana over 2 turns
- You can pay one of Map's mana with Workshop
- With 3 mana and Map you can search for Workshop giving you 6 mana the next turn. With Stage you need to have 3 mana + Workshop in play already, much weaker play.

Sure, if you are very low on mana and need to be aggressive its nice to tap Stage for one mana instead of doing something fancy, but still as soon as you have some mana left Map turns itslef into a Workshop for 0 mana which will help you in the following turns.

I am not sold on its general usefulness in MUD. It could be really good in some very specific MUD variants, like Terra Nova with lots of lands that do things. It should be pointed out that when this card is compared to map, it is uncounterable, dodges mental misstep, and dodges null rod effects. In game 1, expedition maps are going to be drawing all the mental missteps in the opposing players hand since they are otherwise dead cards for them.

The key to this card is that it can do lots of neat and useful tricks and not be a spell and therefore not trigger standstill, making it quite the potential tool for Landstill.

[madmanmike25]

And here I thought the guy on the right was Sisqo...

Nice utility land, but it's in competition with cards like Ghost Quarter, Rishadan Port, and Buried Ruin to name a few.  I don't know about other shop players, but I'm already out of room when it comes to my mana base.  But sure, it's worth testing out.

[Bill Copes]

And here I thought the guy on the right was Sisqo...

Nice utility land, but it's in competition with cards like Ghost Quarter, Rishadan Port, and Buried Ruin to name a few.  I don't know about other shop players, but I'm already out of room when it comes to my mana base.  But sure, it's worth testing out.

I'm going to try it as a 1 of in a Map-Centric deck -- the best of both 3cc, land-fetching/altering worlds.

[Meddling Mike]

I had the same thoughts when I first saw this card spoiled, but this seems like to much work to be viable at first glance. You can turn it into a workshop, but you have to have a workshop in play and enough other mana sources to cover the  and then you still don't get to use it that turn. If you have that much mana already you probably don't need another workshop. You can use it to copy strip mine/wasteland and then you can use it next turn, but it just feels like too much work. I'm trying to imagine game states where I'm going to be happy tapping 3 mana ( plus the stage itself) to get a strip effect next turn and I already have one of my wastes/strip in play and I just can't imagine that many where I'm not already dominating the game anyways. At some point you might even be better off with something like a Dust Bowl instead. There's also already a ton of competition with stuff like Ghost Quarter, Mishra's Factory, Buried Ruin, Mutavault, etc. that I just don't see much of a place for this card.