Magic the Gathering XXII: Where Puns Go to Die

[Bucky]

I'm not super enthusiastic about non-Islands with Engulf the Shores. I can see it being useful, though.

Mage-Ring Network synergizes with every other aspect of your game plan:
*It lets you hold up Negate or Clash and put the mana to good use if they play around the counter, or conceal/bluff one.
*Similarly, it lets you hold up Confirm Suspicions mana without completely telegraphing it.
*It keeps Clash relevant once the opponent floods out.
*It lets you cast Sphinx or flip Gargoyle with counter backup before turn 8.
*It lets you store mana pre-Sphinx for more card draw the turn after Sphinx
*It lets you cast Engulf without bouncing your Thing if you really want to keep your progress towards flipping it.

[Dhavaer]

Mage-Ring Network synergizes with every other aspect of your game plan:
*It lets you hold up Negate or Clash and put the mana to good use if they play around the counter, or conceal/bluff one.
*Similarly, it lets you hold up Confirm Suspicions mana without completely telegraphing it.
*It keeps Clash relevant once the opponent floods out.
*It lets you cast Sphinx or flip Gargoyle with counter backup before turn 8.
*It lets you store mana pre-Sphinx for more card draw the turn after Sphinx
*It lets you cast Engulf without bouncing your Thing if you really want to keep your progress towards flipping it.

Having thought about it, I've put in three. That seems a good number to reliably have one without getting multiples too often.

[Some Android]

What is this card? I have no idea and it's not in English so I don't even know how to look it up. Hopefully someone here can tell me.

Spoiler

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[Turalisj]

That, might friend, is the mighty phelddagrif.

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Ca...verseid=159097

[Mystic Muse]

Actually, it's Questing Pheldagrif. http://magiccards.info/ptc/en/13.html

[Ebon_Drake]

What is this card? I have no idea and it's not in English so I don't even know how to look it up. Hopefully someone here can tell me.

Spoiler

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I think that's the pre-release promo version of Questing Phelddagrif in your picture. IIRC WOTC went through a phase of printing those in unusual languages that they don't normally print Magic in - things like Hebrew and Greek.

I've never found a use for Questing Phelddagrif, but it's super cool. It makes Hippo tokens! Phelddagrifs are also named after Richard Garfield himself: the name is an anagram of Garfield, PHD. And that's all you need to know about Phelddagrifs!

[ChaosOS]

*Drumroll Please* And the villain for Eldritch Moon (EMN) is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TN0b8ik0B8

Spoiler

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http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles...ses-2016-06-20

Emrakul

13

Legendary Creature - Eldrazi
Emrakul,the Promised End costs 1 less to cast for each card type among cards in your graveyard.

When you cast Emrakul, you gain control of target opponent during that player's next turn. After that turn, that player takes an extra turn.

Flying, trample, protection from instants.

An enigma as vexing as life itself.

13/13

[Binks]

Spoiler: Eldrich Moon Reveal

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Well, meh. I guess it was as good a version of the reveal as any (decent story), but all the interesting possibilities of what it could be are gone, it's just Emrakul. And now the Eldrazi are so boring and human that they can talk to Jace. Yay.

Best part of the entire thing was Tamiyo just casually resisting Emrakul, without even appearing to really try. Fingers crossed for more cards about her, that's about all that looks interesting to me in this set. Just so disappointed that Wizards went the easy way on this one. Who knows, maybe some of the more interesting cards will draw me in.

As for the card itself, it's alright I suppose. Colorless mana costs went away pretty fast didn't it? Possibly cast-able at 6 (or 5 with Tribal cards) and obviously strong, but the 'steal their turn then give it back' mechanic seems oddly nerfed. This one just confirms, to me at least, that Eldrazi are meant to be cards for the 'stop having fun guys' players. First they had annihilator, then we had a breather with the mill 20 guy, then we got counterspell master and queen steal your turn. Aside from hungry ulamog they manage to all say to the opponent 'you stop having fun with this game right now!' (though a 10/10 indestructable is kind of unfun to fight, exile effects for creatures are common enough).

I'm not going to go on any ridiculous 'going to quit magic!' rant or anything, but this is such a disappointing reveal. I was rooting for the underdog theories, for it to be Marit Lage, or a new enemy, or Garruk, somehow, and getting this is just really...meh.

[Snowbluff]

I invented a new lock out combo.

Spoiler: Eldritch Moon

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New Emrakul, Ugin's Nexus, and Erratic Portal/Obelisk of Undoing/Blood Clock.

Cast Emrakul, the Promised End.
Gain Control of opponent's turn.
Skip their extra turn.
Bounce and recast Emrakul on your turn.

Spoiler: The truth about eldritch mooon

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Marit would have been bad writing. Marit would not have fit with the themes of the block. Marit would not have been poetic justice in Nahiri's eyes. Marit would have left the trio incomplete. Say no to nonsensical theories.

[ryuplaneswalker]

@Blinks you are vastly overrating that card.

Spoiler

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That Casting Cost won't go below 10 very often, and for that you can get Ulamog who, even if they have an answer in hand you immediately exile their two best cards upon casting, Ula is also completely immune to destruction, so the only card that Won't hit Ulamog that will hit Emrakul in terms of kill spells is Anguished Unmaking.

Sure you -can- build around Emerakul 2 but..there won't be a really great structure to the deck.

Also HAHAHA They Either have to Kill the third Titan, thus making the entire thing with the Eldrazi ENTIRELY POINTLESS..or Innistrad is screwed. Good Job screwing yourself royally WOTC

[Androgeus]

Spoiler: Eldritch Egg

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They really hyped up the mystery of this set and, to me at least, the reveal was really unsatisfactory. Maybe it's because the mystery is badly built with Emerakul being the only real culprit and they never cast any doubt on it. It was basically like a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces laid out in the correct places and we just needed to move them closer.
Building a mystery around basically the villains of the previous story certainly doesn't help matters. They should have waited a set or 2 just so that the Eldrazi were a bit further from our thoughts. Or told Shadow's story before Battle's.

Spoiler: On the card that was revealed

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I like to think of the difference between the two Emerakul's abilities as "You are getting an extra turn, but whose board do you want to control? yours or theirs?

[Blackhawk748]

I was all ready to want to Lynch that card, but its actually nowhere near as bad as the previous Emrakul (thank all the gods).

[ChaosOS]

First off: How long are we going to wait on keeping Eldritch Moon discussion in the spoilers? A few days?

@Blinks you are vastly overrating that card.

Spoiler

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That Casting Cost won't go below 10 very often, and for that you can get Ulamog who, even if they have an answer in hand you immediately exile their two best cards upon casting, Ula is also completely immune to destruction, so the only card that Won't hit Ulamog that will hit Emrakul in terms of kill spells is Anguished Unmaking.

Sure you -can- build around Emerakul 2 but..there won't be a really great structure to the deck.

Also HAHAHA They Either have to Kill the third Titan, thus making the entire thing with the Eldrazi ENTIRELY POINTLESS..or Innistrad is screwed. Good Job screwing yourself royally WOTC

Spoiler

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I think Emrakul is pretty comparable to Ulamog.
Emmy will usually cost 9-10, so casting is the same to start.
Body-wise, 13/13 flying trample is pretty comparable to 10/10 mill 20 as far as 2-turn clocks are concerned. If you only get one swing I'd generally prefer Emrakul because it will be normal damage.
Protection wise Standard: Emmy is significantly more vulnerable (aside from Anguished Unmaking) due to Clip Wings being a thing. However, she does dodge Anguished Unmaking, as noted. Most sorcery speed destruction can generally be handled by her Mindslaver trigger.
Protection wise non-rotating formats: Emmy is harder to kill due to Path/STP immunity. She does die to Maelstrom Pulse, but that card is usually at most a 1x in BGx decks, which makes it exceedingly unlikely to be topdecked by your opponent when they do get their turn.
Cast trigger: This is the point of contention. Newlamog is for sure better when your opponent has 1-2 cards in hand and a few threats like Manlands. Newrakul is a lot better vs. decks that have more cards in hand (Things to turn horribly wrong) and have more activated abilities/other ways to just explode their own board. I'm actually going to give the edge to Emrakul here, as her ability to pull you from a game you're behind in (Likely if you're ramping) is a lot better than Ulamog

[ryuplaneswalker]

First off: How long are we going to wait on keeping Eldritch Moon discussion in the spoilers? A few days?

Spoiler

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I think Emrakul is pretty comparable to Ulamog.
Emmy will usually cost 9-10, so casting is the same to start.
Body-wise, 13/13 flying trample is pretty comparable to 10/10 mill 20 as far as 2-turn clocks are concerned. If you only get one swing I'd generally prefer Emrakul because it will be normal damage.
Protection wise Standard: Emmy is significantly more vulnerable (aside from Anguished Unmaking) due to Clip Wings being a thing. However, she does dodge Anguished Unmaking, as noted. Most sorcery speed destruction can generally be handled by her Mindslaver trigger.
Protection wise non-rotating formats: Emmy is harder to kill due to Path/STP immunity. She does die to Maelstrom Pulse, but that card is usually at most a 1x in BGx decks, which makes it exceedingly unlikely to be topdecked by your opponent when they do get their turn.
Cast trigger: This is the point of contention. Newlamog is for sure better when your opponent has 1-2 cards in hand and a few threats like Manlands. Newrakul is a lot better vs. decks that have more cards in hand (Things to turn horribly wrong) and have more activated abilities/other ways to just explode their own board. I'm actually going to give the edge to Emrakul here, as her ability to pull you from a game you're behind in (Likely if you're ramping) is a lot better than Ulamog

Spoiler

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And Much like Kozilek, none of that really matters. Ulamog's power doesn't come from being a 10/10 indestructable. It comes from being a 10/10 Indestructable with Two Unmakes attached to it

and Emmy Will only cost 8 or 9 if you build around her, the deck that can use her best is Ramp, and she will probably cost the same as Ulamog who is an outright better play at ten mana because he 100% of the time immediately affects the board state, Emrakul -does not-. yes you might screw up any retaliation they have with the on cast ability, however you -will- get a 3 for one Trade if they have an answer for Ulamog.

[Ionbound]

Spoiler

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Have you ever seen someone Mindslavered? Even though they get an extra turn after, you can easily waste someone after. Blow their removal on their own creatures, make them attack into poor trades...I can easily see a 3-for-1 happening with Emrakul, if not more. Just more variance as it depends on what your opponent has in hand.

[ChaosOS]

Spoiler

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While I agree that two Scour from Oblivion's are pretty good, I'm still contesting that Emrakul's trigger is equally as powerful. Focusing on Modern, Emrakul's ability to be 10 mana: On cast, win target combo matchup is pretty damn good in my book, as if you're against scapeshift/storm/ad naus you just win off of the cast trigger alone. With regards to the rest of the format: UWR I want Emrakul. Dodging path is a big one, as I don't want a 3 for 1, I want to win the game, which Emmy does. VS. Jund, I agree Ulamog is better, but OTOH tron is a heavy favorite in this matchup anyways and Emmy isn't that much worse here, as she's better vs. Liliana (3x in the deck) but worse vs. a topdecked Maelstrom pulse (1x in the deck) and Manlands. VS. Company, Ulamog is hands down better, although Mindslavering a Redcap combo would be a lot of fun. Regardless, Company is a free win for Tron. Now for the aggro 3 (Burn/Infect/Affinity), you rarely get to cast either, but for Burn/Affinity I'd prefer Emrakul, while for Infect I'd prefer Ulamog. Burn, you get to sideboard peek for Deflecting Palms (This is big for your Wurmcoils), empty whatever hand they have left at their own face, and kill off anything annoying like an Eidolon (After hopefully getting a bunch of triggers pointed at their own face). Affinity, well if they have a Ravager on board or in hand they're screwed. If they're smart, they'll sac ravager before you get to control their turn, but even with that you just suicide whatever got the counters into Emrakul.

Finally, a reminder that Mindslaver effects allow you to peek at sideboards, which is a VERY powerful effect g1. Having better knowledge of their possible g2/g3 strategies will get you wins you otherwise wouldn't have because you know what random tech to look out for.

[Kumori]

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for advice on modifying a kitchen-table casual life deck so that it fits the Modern format and is somewhat competitive. I'm not planning to win any big events, but I'd like to be able to put up a bit of a fight.

Spoiler: The Deck

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As it is right now:

4x Ajani's Pridemate
1x Archangel of Thune
4x Essence Warden
4x Rhox Faithmender
4x Soul Warden
4x Soul's Attendant
1x Spincrusher

2x Revoke Existance

3x Boon Reflection
2x Symbiotic Deployment
1x Unspeakable Symbol

2x Elixir of Immortality
3x Nuisance Engine
2x Vorrac Battlehorns
2x Well of Lost Dreams

3x Golgari Guildgate
4x Graypelt Refuge
3x Orzhov Guildgate
3x Selesnya Guildgate
1x Forest
5x Plains
2x Swamp

Spoiler: My thoughts

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The deck is almost entirely white, but has a splash of green and black. The black is obviously getting cut since the only black card isn't in Modern, and I expect to cut Symbiotic Deployment anyway so that loss is no big deal.

I feel like Boon Reflection and Rhox Faithmender are too expensive to include without having Unspeakable Symbol as a kill card. I'd probably cut or reduce both.

I'm also thinking that Raise the Alarm and Cenn's Enlistment would probably be a good idea. Inexpensive and more than one creature entering play at once means more life, added early agro, and expendable blockers if I need them.

I'm hoping to improve this deck without too much cost. Maybe putting $20-30 into it would be a good aim. Thoughts?

[Snowbluff]

Spoiler: Eldritch Egg

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They really hyped up the mystery of this set and, to me at least, the reveal was really unsatisfactory. Maybe it's because the mystery is badly built with Emerakul being the only real culprit and they never cast any doubt on it. It was basically like a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces laid out in the correct places and we just needed to move them closer.
Building a mystery around basically the villains of the previous story certainly doesn't help matters. They should have waited a set or 2 just so that the Eldrazi were a bit further from our thoughts. Or told Shadow's story before Battle's.

Spoiler: About that...

Show

Jace is the problem, again. The mystery would be unneeded if he wasn't around, since it's only a contrivance to give him something to do this block.

Without him the story is "Nahiri messes with Sorin by bringing the Emmy, Avacyn goes bonkers, and Sorin is forced to choose between Avacyn or Emmy destroying Innistrad.

Spoiler: On the card that was revealed

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I like to think of the difference between the two Emerakul's abilities as "You are getting an extra turn, but whose board do you want to control? yours or theirs?

A new combo. This is the one of the most excruciating mills ever.

Spoiler: HAHHAHAHA >:D more EDH

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I will happily take theirs.

Okay, so this is version 2 of the Ugin's Nexus combo.

Now, instead of preventing their turn, you take it.

Unwinding Clock, Vedalken Ornery, Erratic Portal, mana rocks and cost reduction to taste.

It's complex, btu this lets you return Emmy to hand and recast her on each of your opponent's turns in order to take the xtra turn for them. You get infinite turns to defeat other players, or to excruciatingly draw each of their cards until they run out.

Spoiler: Another good card

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Strionic Resonator will let you 'Slaver 2 guys per cast in a multiway.

[Dhavaer]

I make deck again: Horrors of the Wastes. Basically colourless-only Eldrazi ramp. Not super consistent but it can swing with two Banes of Bala Ged on turn 5, which is a true thing of beauty.

[Sith_Happens]

So I'm the only one who actually likes this (total non-)reveal?

Spoiler: WHAT A TWIST

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Mainly for the puns, I'll admit.

Seriously though, everyone loves them a good Elder God cult, the whole Emrakul-as-Cthulhu thing fits Innistrad's own themes pretty well, and the 'rakul puns really sell the whole thing.

[Snowbluff]

I make deck again: Horrors of the Wastes. Basically colourless-only Eldrazi ramp. Not super consistent but it can swing with two Banes of Bala Ged on turn 5, which is a true thing of beauty.

I have an Nulamog EDH that is bacisally this. :P

So I'm the only one who actually likes this (total non-)reveal?

Spoiler: WHAT A TWIST

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Mainly for the puns, I'll admit.

Seriously though, everyone loves them a good Elder God cult, the whole Emrakul-as-Cthulhu thing fits Innistrad's own themes pretty well, and the 'rakul puns really sell the whole thing.

Spoiler: I like it (For serious though read this for character insight)

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It's straight up poetic justice for Sorin, according to Nahiri. She is enjoying herself.

I also like that Tamyo is like "I wonder what it called itself."
Jace: "Yanoo, I never thought about it. Let me ask."
Emmy: "Hi, I am Emrakul and I am here to make Innistrad edible."
Jace: "Nopenopeneopneopneo["

It's like Emmy learned to communicate to with mortals to make her instinctual desire more easily achieved. Unlike the other two titans, which were a bit meh this past block even though I love them and their card, Emmy seems to be really ****ing **** up.



I mean, look at that? The merfolk of Zendikar thought she was an angel, and that her mountain/disk/face thing was her wings. So what does she do? She makes an angel in of the image people had of her. She is easily the best cult monster. She cares so much about what others think!

We'mrakul!

[Kumori]

Looking for advice:
Does anyone here play modern? I posted a deck above that I'm wanting to modify into an entry level Modern Format deck. I think I have a pretty good idea what I want it to look like, but I'd still appreciate some feedback or advice since I'm new to the format and not too sure how high the bar is going to be. The deck and description of how it should play out is spoilered below:

Spoiler: Modern Deck idea

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Land
12x Plains
8x Island

Creatures
4x Ajani's Pridemate
4x Mentor of the Meek
4x Soul Warden
4x Soul's Attendant
4x Suture Priest
4x Whitemane Lion

Other
4x Loxodon Warhammer
4x Zur's Weirding
4x Cancel
4x Hindering Light

How it is intended to play:
The plan is to gain as much life as I can in the early game until I can drop Zur's Weirding. With that in play, my life gain turns into I-control-what-you-draw. Sure, you can affect my drawing too, but unless you've got mass life gain going on it should be less impactful. With that giving me the upper hand, Ajani's Pridemate and Loxodon Warhammer can bring home the win.

[Bucky]

Looking for advice:
Does anyone here play modern? I posted a deck above that I'm wanting to modify into an entry level Modern Format deck. I think I have a pretty good idea what I want it to look like, but I'd still appreciate some feedback or advice since I'm new to the format and not too sure how high the bar is going to be. The deck and description of how it should play out is spoilered below:

Spoiler: Modern Deck idea

Show

Land
12x Plains
8x Island

Creatures
4x Ajani's Pridemate
4x Mentor of the Meek
4x Soul Warden
4x Soul's Attendant
4x Suture Priest
4x Whitemane Lion

Other
4x Loxodon Warhammer
4x Zur's Weirding
4x Cancel
4x Hindering Light

How it is intended to play:
The plan is to gain as much life as I can in the early game until I can drop Zur's Weirding. With that in play, my life gain turns into I-control-what-you-draw. Sure, you can affect my drawing too, but unless you've got mass life gain going on it should be less impactful. With that giving me the upper hand, Ajani's Pridemate and Loxodon Warhammer can bring home the win.

First - you need dual lands in your manabase. Playing Cancel off 8 Islands won't work very well, you'd want at least 14 blue sources. But you also want a couple more lands to cast Zur's Weirding on time, so you don't need to accomplish this by swapping 6 Plains for duals.

Second, you'll need plans against some common strategies:
Affinity decks dropping several artifact creatures on turn 1, followed by Cranial Plating on turn 2.
Infect decks using pump spells to make an attacker that kills you in one hit regardless.
Collected Company/Eternal Witness/Tasigur the Golden Fang value engines that work despite a Weirding.
Planeswalkers with any sort of defense in front of them. (Lox Hammer on a Pridemate is a good start here, but hard to get online)

[Shadow of the Sun]

Looking for advice:
Does anyone here play modern? I posted a deck above that I'm wanting to modify into an entry level Modern Format deck. I think I have a pretty good idea what I want it to look like, but I'd still appreciate some feedback or advice since I'm new to the format and not too sure how high the bar is going to be. The deck and description of how it should play out is spoilered below:

Spoiler: Modern Deck idea

Show

Land
12x Plains
8x Island

Creatures
4x Ajani's Pridemate
4x Mentor of the Meek
4x Soul Warden
4x Soul's Attendant
4x Suture Priest
4x Whitemane Lion

Other
4x Loxodon Warhammer
4x Zur's Weirding
4x Cancel
4x Hindering Light

How it is intended to play:
The plan is to gain as much life as I can in the early game until I can drop Zur's Weirding. With that in play, my life gain turns into I-control-what-you-draw. Sure, you can affect my drawing too, but unless you've got mass life gain going on it should be less impactful. With that giving me the upper hand, Ajani's Pridemate and Loxodon Warhammer can bring home the win.

Sadly, "control" in Modern doesn't really work too well. Modern is a format in which being proactive is significantly better than being reactive, simply because the wide variety of threats means that there are no universal answers.

Cancel is a bad card in Modern; sad, but true. It involved holding open 3 mana, and most Modern decks will either be playing things that are at or above mana parity (not good) or uncounterable or have other effects that make Cancel bad anyway. Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger is a good example; they still get to double vindicate you, and that's usually enough.

You don't have any removal. This means that you have problems with your opponent going T1: Thoughtsieze, taking your Pridemate, turn 2, Tarmogoyf, turn 3 Liliana to get rid of any Pridemates you might draw. They can just keep swinging in until you have no blockers left and win the attrition game.

Zur's Weirding is a fun card to build around, but really isn't something that's viable in Modern. There are so many ways of getting cards that don't involve actually drawing them (Collected Company for example, or Dark Confidant...) A general rule is that something that costs 4 mana or can only be cast on turn 4 and has no impact on the board state has to more or less win you the game or make it very difficult for your opponent to win or it's too slow. Zur's Weirding, while a fun card, doesn't fit that category.

There are decks that involve life gain and policing your opponent's draws - Soul Sisters and Lantern Control, respectively - but they do so by more or less focusing on those strategies. Modern is difficult to mix and match.

Modern, sadly (and Magic in General) is a pretty expensive hobby. Making an 'established' tier deck in Modern will usually cost you around $1000. You can make decks that are cool to play with your friends or at FNM that are a fair bit cheaper, but if you're looking to be winning FNMs or going to GPs, you've gotta have a lot of money to spare.

[Bobb]

More eldrazi. Yay.

[Snowbluff]

More eldrazi. Yay.

I hope that isn't sarcasm. I love Eldrazi. They're my favorite tribal.

[Mystic Muse]

I hope that isn't sarcasm. I love Eldrazi. They're my favorite tribal.

The least of gods shall tower over the mightiest of mortals, and Death will reign over all.

[Blackhawk748]

I hope that isn't sarcasm. I love Eldrazi. They're my favorite tribal.

I was ok with Ulamog and Kozilek, Emrakul (the original) was just stupid. When modern devolved into "everyone is running a deck where the only creature is Emrakul, and hes out on turn 3" I lost all interest in playing Modern.

Personally i want Slivers to have a comeback.

[ChaosOS]

When did modern ever degenerate to turn 3 Emrakuls?

[Ninjaman]

Personally i want Slivers to have a comeback.

They already had their comeback, as the predator.