New Concepts in Scars of Mirrodin:
Tier 3: New, but does not change the game we know and love
- Battle Cry
- Living Weapon
- Metalcraft
- Proliferate
Tier 2: Changes we the way we play, but not dramatically
- Over a 50% Artifact block - This is important, since some decks are fueled by this concept, such as a Tempered Steel deck. This makes cards such as Go for the Throat situational, when it otherwise would be strictly better than Doom Blade.
- Poison/Infect - The concept is that infect creatures have double the power then normal creatures, and that you will die twice as fast. This is only half true. Most infect creatures have been neutered to where the mana cost is actually a fair price for the power increase these creatures have. Also, they die exactly the same as other creatures. Add to this the fact that very few of these creatures have evasion or shroud effects, leaving them easy targets. The one advantage this concept does flesh out on is ‘pump’ effects. A Giant Growth is truly extra effective on one of these creatures. It is for that effect alone that Infect actually made an impact.
Tier 1: Completely changes the game
- Phyrexian mana - This breaks a LOT of rules. First, it shatters the color pie. I understand that was the whole point, however, Dismember is unfair. Any color can give a creature -5/-5? Black should be the only color with this effect. Also, it allows some spells to be cast for no mana. Things like Gut Shot are not going to break this, and Noxious Revival seems to be fair enough, but Mental Misstep was so broken that it ruined Legacy. (Which in turn allowed Modern to take off. Interesting how it’s banned in Modern….) This is not to say I dislike Phyrexian Mana, I actually like the concept. However, too few cards were well designed like Gitaxian Probe, and they either ended up being limited fodder like Slash Panther or way too good like Dismember.
New Concepts in the Zendikar Block:
Tier 3
- Landfall
- Allies
- Traps
- Multikicker
- Level up
- Rebound
- Annihilator
- Totem Armor
Tier 2
- Man-Lands, Fetchlands, the overall land theme
Tier 1
- Not really a concept, but Jace was a problem that changed the way we played.
Overall, Scars of Mirrodin was much more innovative, however I thought Zendikar was designed better. But what if we take a solid, well designed block that sticks to it’s Magic roots (like Zendikar) and throws some crazy game changing innovation (Scars) in there?
Enter Innistrad.
First, let’s check out the checklist. This is a card that will be available in many Innistrad booster packs. They can be used to represent a transform card by putting this card into your deck (with the correct card checked off in one of the boxes below). However, in this blog, I’m going to use it for something very different. This could very well be all of the transform cards in this set, so let’s look at it and do some speculation.
What’s in a name?
What can we tell about a card we haven’t seen but know the name?
Cards like Fireball and Counterspell are pretty straightforward, but what about cards like Tuk-Tuk the Explorer? Well some of these cards have been spoiled and some not. And we only have one name for one face of the card so its very hard to speculate. However, I’ll go out on a limb and try to outline some of the features of these transforming cards.
WARNING: Pure speculation below. Indulge at your own risk.
Cloistered Youth 1W
A cheap, weak card. Few if any abilities besides the transform clause. Transforms into a demon/horror creature?
Thraben Sentry 3W
No clue on this one, but I’ll take a stab. Defensive knight, transforms into a Vampire?
Civilized Scholar 2U
Something to do with drawing cards? Weak power and toughness. Transforms into a zombie that makes opponent discard?
Delver of Secrets U
Digs through your deck for something? Ends up digging to deep and gets cursed? Transforms into a ghoul or something of the like by the curse?
Ludevic’s Test Subject 1U
Weak creature that does little? Ends up turning into a huge monstrosity after a lot of effort (or luck)
Bloodline Keeper 2BB
This is a tricky one. Pretty sure it’s a vamp but I have no idea what it would turn into? Maybe its pretty powerful and the transform trigger makes it weaker?
Screeching Bat 2B
The opposite. A weak bat that turns into a powerful vampire.
Hanweir Watchkeep 2R
Hard to call if it’s a werewolf or a vampire. I’m gonna have to say vampire.
Instigator Gang 3R
Gonna have to call werewolf on this one. Maybe it’s a pack of humans that help each other out then transforms into werewolfs that continue to boost each other as well.
Kruin Outlaw 1RR
Gonna say human/werewolf. Maybe unblock able or first strike? Turns into a powerful wolf that doesn’t care about evasion.
Reckless Waif R
Quick/fast human/werewolf. Cannot block?
Tormented Pariah 3R
Starts weak, gets some major power after transform - maybe? Werewolf I’m pretty sure of.
Village Ironsmith 1R
Weak human/werewolf. First strike seems like a good fit. Maybe trample?
Daybreak Ranger 2G
Tap to deal damage to flyers. Turns into a werewolf and taps to deal damage to non flyers?
Garruk Relentless 3G
Ah, garruk. Well I’ve seen the pictures but no clue how it will be done. “Good” Garruk probably makes tokens and helps with mana. “Bad” Garruk might drain life and do a twisted version of overrun.
Gatstaf Shepherd 1G
Werewolf. Weak and timid then huge and unstoppable.
Grizzled Outcasts 4G
Werewolf. No clue.
Mayor of Avabruck 1G
Werewolf. Lord type creature. Pumps allies?
Ulvenwald Mystics 2GG
Powerful Werewolf. Heals life or regenerates.
Villagers of Estwald 2G
Basic Werewolf. Gets more powerful and gains trample.
Again, these are only speculations based on mana costs and card names. Several of these have been spoiled.
EDIT: I have actually seen the spoiled ones as of today and I actually got a few right! To be fair, I was pretty vague, but still pretty cool. Still about half of them have not been spoiled so we can see if I continue the pattern.
Well, I have a ton more to share with you, including:
- How good are transform cards? (With new spoilers!)
- How to use transform cards in casual play and tournaments
- How will transform change the game we know and love?
- What transform cards will see constructed play? Which ones are limited bombs?
- And tons more!
This will all be in my next blog which should hit sometime this weekend. Thanks again for reading and feel free to share your comments below for discussion.
I really enjoyed the breakdown of the concepts from the sets. Didnt even realize how many failed mechanics came out of Zendikar. Pretty good guessing on the transform cards, hit a good majority of them on the head. Really wish the piece was longer but im sure prt 2 will be. I want to see some real in depth breakdown on the transform mechanic. Been reading around but nothing really compels me to read it. Also id like to hear your opinion on the the Planeswalker Point system
ReplyDeleteJonathan
I dont think I'll make a blog about the Planeswalker Points system as that pertains to a different side of Magic. However, I'll give a quick summary here.
ReplyDeleteI love it and I hate. Good things about it are giving people like us a chance at the PTs, however there are gonna be a LOT more people doing this and even if we go to every single FNM at our local card shop (heh) what if everyone else does as well? Then it breaks down to what PTQ's you attended and Opens and etc. So in other words I think it will end be being the exact same, but it makes us FNM players have a glimmer of hope.
Seeing as we no longer have a trusted card shop in our location, we probably will not have to worry about this Planeswalkers Points mess anyways.
Now back to the points system, let's break down the formula they use.
Win = 3 points
Draw = 1 point
Loss = Zero points
Before it was on a weighted scaling program that you would gain points depending on who you beat. Say my score was 1700 and I beat you, and you have 1950. I'd gain like 11-14 points and you would lose that much. If you had beat me, you would have gained 3-4 points. Now lets look at the local card shop scenario. Bob is this bad ass at the shop. He wins all the time and has all the best cards to make the best netdecks. Poor little jimmy who has played forever just doesnt have much money and hardly wins period. Somehow, one day, Jimmy squeaks a win over Bob. Do you think Jimmy deserves some extra credit? Or do you think it should be weighted as just another win?
Like grades in school, did you want to know if you passed or failed - or if you got a D or an A?
Personally, I think weight is important. It gives others a sense of encouragement when they down the boss. If the bosses in dungeons just gave the same crappy green gear then why would we even fight them? They are tougher and deserve more rewards.
At the same time, I do enjoy the fact that if I am having a bad week, I dont lose any points. It will be like I never showed up, instead of going into the hole. Now why can we not merge the two concepts? No loss of points, but weigh the points for matches. It could even be a bracket clause: The point system would remain the same unless I faced an opponent with a 50% or better score than myself. Just a thought.
In closing, the Planeswalker points system is a way to make us think that lower end Magic players have a shot to make it into the big tournaments. That is false. Nothing will change. Top dogs will be top dogs.
So everything i do is in vain, gotcha. But no that was a very direct and accurate breakdown. Whenever i come across confusion in the forums i skim I'll link them here.
ReplyDeleteJonathan
Well, I think one positive thing came out of this, and thats the fact that you dont lose points anymore. So I will admit this is a step in the right direction. But it is hardly a fix.
ReplyDeleteI'd be cool with you linking stuff here I'd be happy to check it out and do my best to make sense of it.