Happy Friday MTG peeps,
If you are he
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Today's previews includes the rare land cycle which we are taking quite a liking to and a trio of interesting Rares - strap in and let's go . . .
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Land, Rare
Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
Darkslick Shores
Land, Rare
Darkslick Shores enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
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Land, Rare
Blackcleave Cliffs enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
Copperline Gorge
Land, Rare
Copperline Gorge enters the battlefield tapped unless you
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Razorverge Thicket
Land, Rare
Razorverge Thicket enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
These are a great addition to the M11 lands but we can see that this would certainly suck somewhat if it was found in your opening hand with only one other land - just mulligan. Edit - Clarification - We do like these but we think the M11 lands are superior.
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Creature - Zombie, Rare
Infect
Other creatures you control with infect get +1/+1.
Whenever you cast a creature spell with infect, target player gets a poison counter.
3/2
This is a decent lord for your infect critters and then it offers up a potentially bombtastic ability to chuck poison counters at your opponent. If you are thinking about an poison / infect 'n' proliferate build, this guy is pretty much an auto-include.
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Creature - Elemental, Rare
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under an opponent’s control, if that player had another land enter the battlefield under his or her control this turn, Tunnel Ignus deals 3 damage to that player.
2/1
This is certainly a kick in the tenders for those pulling Zendikar landfall shenanigans but we're thinking that this card will be situationally effective and only live in sideboards. This rare will be trading and selling at Uncommon prices.
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Artifact, Rare
You have no maximum hand size.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 1 life for each card in your hand.
We liked Spellbook (M10) and Reliquary Tower (Conflux) - but since these will be rotating out, things are looking dismal for a good replacement. This card really does not impress - Just how many cards does a player hope to have in their hand by turn 4 or 5 for the life-gain ability ?
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Just a remi
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5 comments:
I don't see the problem with drawing the fastlands (to guess at a moniker) early. They're only playable untapped when you control two or fewer lands, so your opening hand is when you want 'em. Ideally, you'd want to draw two, I guess, and maybe that's what you meant?
The problem with Tunnel Ignus is that the opponent can just play a fetchland on their own turn, and pop it during your turn. Yeah, if they really, really need the mana right away they'll have to take 3, but if they need it that bad, then 3 damage probably isn't as good as whatever it is they cast.
Venser's Journal is CRAP. However, I can see it in a casual build with Howling Mine and Font of Mythos. Maybe. Probably not.
Hand of the Praetors is AWESOME. This is exactly the card they needed to enable a decent Poison deck. I don't see this guy dominating FNM's anytime soon, but he will be a motherlover at the kitchen table.
Also, I think you may have misread the Duals. They come into play UNTAPPED on turn 1! as long as you have two or FEWER lands, they come in untapped. That said, you should be mulliganing two-landers anyway, most of the time.
Are you thinking the new duals are only good for turn 1 or 2? You could play it up to turn 3. Its "unless you control two or fewer other lands." So Turn 3, two lands in play, you can drop the dual untapped.
Depends on the deck, really. A Red/Black aggro deck full of 1, 2 and 3 drops would VASTLY rather have these new lands over the M10 duals. Being able to cast Goblin Guide or Duress of the same land on turn 1? Yeah, way better.
But a slower deck that doesn't rely quite so heavily on 1 or 2 drops will likely get better use out of the M10 duals, because they have time to drop a basic first.
Looked at Venser's Journal and instantly reminded of Ivory Tower and Spellbook. I play a casual Necropotence build and Venser's Journal wouldn't be a terrible inclusion, I just don't think it should be rare.
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