Sigiled Starfish

[serracollector]

Can block most creatures used in Vintage, is blue so pitches to FOW/MisD, works great with a ton of obvious cards so not going to list them.
May not be entirely viable but I for one am going to try it and find out.

I personally like it with Kiora's Follower, and Noble Hierarchs, maybe some new Simic decktype could use it well.

[gkraigher]

By most creatures in vintage, I am sure you are referring to:

griselbrand
blightsteel colossus
delver of secrets
tarmogoyf
lodestone golem
slash panther
vendilion clique
aven mindscensor
true-name nemesis
steel hellkite
ichorid
spirit of the labrynth
notion thief

.....

this card is really good in limited.  

[MTGFan]

This card is bad even by Constructed Standard criteria.

To make a thread about a new card in this forum, it should probably at least have *some* vintage applicability.

The Checklist for Vintage creatures:

- Disruptive ability (think: Thalia, Cursecatcher, Vendilion Clique, Ingot Chewer)
- Ability to generate real card advantage (think: Dark Confidant, Trinket Mage, Young Pyromancer)
- Extremely efficient (99th percentile) power/toughness to cost ratio: (think: Tarmogoyf, Delver of Secrets)
- Part of a game-winning combo: (think: Auriok Salvagers)

Before evaluating ANY creature for Vintage, you have to ask yourself if the creature checks at least *one* of those boxes. A 0/3 that merely scrys (that is not card advantage in any way), is simply not even worth cluttering the forums with discussion of its merits.

[ELD]

Just a Starfish Lord away from the next big Tribal Deck.

[MaximumCDawg]

Wow, is this really only the second Starfish in Magic?  Amazing!

Anyway, yeah, since Theros it seems like people are making posts about any ol' spoiler.  Is there value to discussing cards that are almost obviously not Vintage calibur?  Maybe?  I mean, we get to discuss exactly why they are bad, so that's something.

If we went more quality control, it might be a good idea to have a primer or something on How To Make A Thread About Spoiled Cards or something.  I feel like anyone posting about a spoiled card should have some reasonable argument about why the card does something unique, powerful, or relevant for Vintage to at least start the conversation.  This thread might be an example of how NOT to do it:

- Pitches to Force and Misdirection (i.e. is blue)
- Works great with "a ton of cards" that we're not going to mention (??)
- Blocks most creatures used in Vintage (um, huh?)

Here, let me give a shot at trying to make an argument for the Starfish.  This is totally Devil's advocate stuff here, I actually think it's a terrible card that would have to scry multiple times or cost 0 to be interesting, but anyway, lemme roll up my sleeves here.  Ahem!

"Remember a few years ago, before M13, Kevin and Steve remarked on how there was a dearth of good cheap blue creatures that drew cards in Vintage?  It was on one of their podcasts, I forget.  Anyway, right after they pointed that out Wizards printed Azure Mage, the first time we really had a cheap utility dork for blue like that.  Since then, we've had very little competition in this area: cheap blue dorks that can be a source of card advantage. 

"JOU changes that with two new blue weenies that affect the topdeck.  Dakra Mystic is probably the more powerful of the two, since it gives you an actual draw and lets you mess with the opponent.  But, Dakra gives away information to your opponent, too.

"Enter Sigiled Starfish.  Unlike all of the blue creatures before it, this guy does not require any mana to use his ability.  It does not give away information to your opponent.  On top of all of that, while Starfish does not stop the real beaters of Vintage, it does have a big enough butt to save you from the incidental damage that you otherwise take from unanswered Bobs or Snapcasters.  That might save you 4 to 6 life over the course of a game.

"The ability does not draw you a card, but it is the cheapest we have yet seen repeated scrying.  Previously we had Thassa and an enchantment from Odyssey or something, both of which Scry during your upkeep and both of which cost 4.  Being able to scry every turn at 2 mana is not something we've seen before.

"Ultimately, Starfish might be a good choice for a control deck who is looking to play the long game.  It stops the incidental hits on your life total early on, but it's not doing enough each turn for your opponent to care about it.  As the game drags on, though, the effect of scrying every turn will add up. A++ would eat again."

I think that's the best I can do for this thing.