With yesterday marking the official release of the second Theros block, it's high time we talk about my favorite highlights and question marks of my BotG pre-order.
5. Courser of Kruphix
It might just be me, but it seems like the only god worthy of playable disciples is Kruphix. His prophet is powerful, and so is this guy.
I'm not going to dwell on GG's assessment, because I think this card is one of the better cards in the set for all the game play knowledge Grandpa dropped in the review.
Still, this guy is a Centaur. And a moderately cool-looking one at that. Two things that Magic has been real antsy about making interesting in its illustrious history.
On the flip side, his enchantment typing is bittersweet. I love the border, hate the "this dies to Naturalize" that comes with it.
Kudos to Eric Deschamps, who rarely disappoints and often gets his work on the money cards. May the odds be ever in his favor?
I'm not going to dwell on GG's assessment, because I think this card is one of the better cards in the set for all the game play knowledge Grandpa dropped in the review.
Still, this guy is a Centaur. And a moderately cool-looking one at that. Two things that Magic has been real antsy about making interesting in its illustrious history.
On the flip side, his enchantment typing is bittersweet. I love the border, hate the "this dies to Naturalize" that comes with it.
Kudos to Eric Deschamps, who rarely disappoints and often gets his work on the money cards. May the odds be ever in his favor?
4. Champion of Stray Souls
Champion of Stray Souls is the best spelling and redux of an already existing card named "Conjurer's Closet."
Welcome to ETB abuse 2.0, which comes in the form of creature, kills things in the name of awesome, and doesn't have to die if you don't want it to.
Welcome to ETB abuse 2.0, which comes in the form of creature, kills things in the name of awesome, and doesn't have to die if you don't want it to.
This obviously goes without saying, but I think these are all successful ways to define a card that calls itself a Champion.
Like Courser, I'm a fan of this card design top-down. Sweet art, name, affordable cost, ripe for abuse, and ripe for re-abuse, if the price is right.
There are always a few cards in each set that have a solid feel and design to them. They are the kinds of creatures and spells that have flavor, power, and bring exciting elements to the game that push the multiple axes by which we can interact. These are the cards I most enjoy, and I'm hoping this will be one of them.
3. Unravel the AEther
My first response when this was spoiled was an emphatic fist pump followed by a "Hell Yes!"
The Theros release party was actually more of a coming out party for Deglamer, as reasonable Commander players everywhere where running on the bank to get ways to deal with the Gods.
So I thank the Gods (Well, let's call them the "R&Dieties") we got a functional reprint of Deglamer. I look forward to beating face on all future Swords, Gods, and other pesky noncreature nonsense.
So I thank the Gods (Well, let's call them the "R&Dieties") we got a functional reprint of Deglamer. I look forward to beating face on all future Swords, Gods, and other pesky noncreature nonsense.
Get your playset. It's worth the $.40 you spend on it.
2. Archetype of Imagination
So far, I've written pretty glowing reviews about my favorite Top 5 BotG cards.
But none should glow as brightly as this one. The blue archetype is my favorite card in Born of the Gods.
But none should glow as brightly as this one. The blue archetype is my favorite card in Born of the Gods.
Per the typical blue-leaning we see in R&D, this card is significantly better than its fellow cycle-mates.
Why? Because it makes your creatures unblockable. All of them.
Yeah, I know there's a card that already does this in blue. His name is Sun Quan, and he lords over all the Wu's.
In Animar, he also used to lord over all the "Woo's!" as well. Now, there's another sheriff in town. A prettier, skinnier one that I think is just as useful, and certainly a little more exciting for me. I love this card, and I hope I can find a way to make it playable in a couple other decks too. I can hear the voices of three Aggro-Wizard Tribal players cheering and dancing like Darth Vader just died.
Why? Because it makes your creatures unblockable. All of them.
Yeah, I know there's a card that already does this in blue. His name is Sun Quan, and he lords over all the Wu's.
In Animar, he also used to lord over all the "Woo's!" as well. Now, there's another sheriff in town. A prettier, skinnier one that I think is just as useful, and certainly a little more exciting for me. I love this card, and I hope I can find a way to make it playable in a couple other decks too. I can hear the voices of three Aggro-Wizard Tribal players cheering and dancing like Darth Vader just died.
1. Perplexing Chimera
So people who haven't read my article yet are already coming up to me on the streets which I haven't been out on yet, and they're asking me, "Yo Landdrops- how can Archetype be your favorite if it's not Number 1 on your list?"
Well, the answer is simple, anonymous mob that doesn't exist anywhere outside the hypothetical situation we now mutually share. It's perplexing.
Specifically, a most Perplexing Chimera, and the one I'm most interested and excited to play. PC has the most upside to any prospect in the set, and its mystery brings both fun and intrigue to the game.
I have a feeling he could very well be the life of the party in some games. Back in Ravnica, we had a junk rare named Conjured Currency that was just so close to being fun that it hurt.
Perplexing Chimera really succeeds in all the facets where Conjured Currency failed. Where Currency had an upkeep trigger and the feeling like everyone was going to get screwed over (the world's most disappointing-yet-accurate flavor), Chimera has that free-market spirit we all know and love. The option to trade your silly 3/3 with something better on the stack is, to quote nefarious Gotham Crime Boss Carmine Falcone, "Power you can't buy." Most game states are going to stay disrupted for a very lengthy period of time if this thing gets passed around, and I predict it will agitate people.
Just be prepared to break a mental sweat.
Just be prepared to break a mental sweat.
Well, that's all I got for today. GG's currently off the grid, so I'll be coming at you live tomorrow where I'll either be berating Duel Commander as a format or giving you a new episode of Command Zone OG's.
Until next time, don't forget to take out your Sylvan Primordials. Cause that shit is banned.
Until next time, don't forget to take out your Sylvan Primordials. Cause that shit is banned.
-UL
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