Editor’s Note: New column (like always). Sometimes when WotC does some that confuses or upsets a group of people with the choices that they’ve made, I’ll step in and defend WotC’s actions. Now, I don’t agree with all of their choices either, but I will defend the ones I think are right.
Yeah, I was disappointed too.
I mean, Wizards has so many dual lands to choose from to make this cycle of cards better. They could’ve at least printed the Ravnica Duals, which would be awesome with the Zendikar Fetchlands. Or maybe create even new dual lands that we would have more incentive to buy this Core Set.
But this? We’ve seen this cycle three times now. I’ve got playsets of each and when I open my M12 boosters I really don’t want to be staring down at these guys again. The lands are not all that great for Commander, but it’s not even that. You have to keep surprising players or they get restless. We’ve seen this, time to move on.
Let me come to the M10 Duals’ defense: They had to be reprinted.
I am a huge fan of the new Commander products (Obviously, since I run a Commander/EDH blog, you know). I love what they’ve done with the decks and they look very fun and interesting to play make it a huge bonus.
Everyone loves the new cards; well everyone but Legacy players. This is a huge experiment for Wizards to print new non-booster cards, one that I think is turning out well. But I wanted to take a look at the cards and their design. There are some that are a complete hit with design that could only be published in a set like this. As for others, this might not be the only time we’ll see them printed.
Here are my top 10 new cards in terms of design, not play ability. I leaned a little bit harder on cards that fit better in the Commander format than one on one play. You’ll also get the chances of the card getting reprinted again in a different set (Like a Core Set or even an expansion). While there was a ton of new and interesting design concepts (Skullbriar is awesome), I’m just looking at the best of the best.
Honorable Mentions:
Archangel of Strife Deck: Heavenly Inferno Chance of Reprint: Only in similar style sets
One of the “Fab Five” cards (the first previewed of this set), this gave players an idea of what Wizards was trying to do with this set. I love the War/Peace set up (only can be done in a set like this), and how it plays on White’s combat mentality; can be the great warrior (White Weenie style), or the great protector (Stall for as long as possible). This is multi-player greatness and only missed out on the top 10.
Nin, the Pain Artist Deck: Political Puppets Chance of Reprint: Mid to High
Blue/Red cards are loved by a certain population of players (MaRo for one) but are so hard to design. There is some, but not much, crossover between the colors and usually the colors have to resort in the Chinese Menu design (take aspect from one color and another aspect from the other). Nin does just that, but does it in an elegant way that can open up deck design for the varied of Izzet players.
Death by Dragons Decks: Heavenly Inferno, Mirror Mastery, Political Puppets Chance of Reprint: Only in similar style sets
This is an Oprah card. “You get a dragon! You get a dragon! Everyone gets a dragon! Well, except you, jerk.” It’s like the Doomsday Machine in Dr. Strangelove, it works best when everyone knows you have it. But this is completely Red: ignoring the future and trying to kill a single player now. Who cares if another opponent now has a Dragon 3 turns in the future? Go after that player right away.
I was at FNM a while ago and I was talking to my friend Bill. We love to talk about Magic design (he also entered into the GDS2) and he always brings up engaging topics for us to discuss. While I was in the middle of a Commander game (which was called for time due to the store needing the space for FNM), Bill asked a question:
How do I feel about Red “looting?”
During the GDS2, many people had suggested that the looting ability move from Blue to Red. Looting, if you didn’t know, was coined after the card to the right. Basically it’s a draw and discard effect, also called “filtering”, especially if used in spells.
Is that ability Red and if it is, how will it see print?
A new core set, a new batch of changes. Nothing here that really shakes anything up too much besides just two new terms for things we already talk about. One of them looks really, really weird.
Hexproof (This creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
This isn’t the one that looks really, really weird. What was lovingly referred to as “Trollshroud” has now been templated to read Hexproof. Hex, which means “to put a spell on” makes sense for the keyword.
MTG Color Pie 