It's been a while since we did one of these, with our staff all moving in different directions since the beginning of the year.
However, we've got quorum this week to talk our favorite mana rocks, so let's get it going.
THIS IS THE STACK!
GRANDPA GROWTH'S PICK
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
This is a toss up between Mana Vault and Grim. Jumping straight to a fatty is a good start to any game. These don't have the constant benefit that Sol Ring does, but they provide a larger jump which can have some surprise value. Grim is awesome because it lets you move straight from two to six mana so you can begin deploying the beef while your friends are stuck banging rocks together. The untap abilities aren't even always relevant, but once you use the mana to further accelerate yourself it is easy to then make a second jump to an ungodly number like 11. Once you have played with/against these cards, it seems difficult to justify not playing them in every deck.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
When I'm building my mana base for a deck i do at least 2 checks: 1. am i running green? if not 2, let's find mana rocks and Grim Monolith is an amazing choice. Lets look at its main (Affordable) competitors, Basalt Monolith and Mana vault. Basalt is at least turn 3, untap for three and makes three, but Mana vault is a possible turn one but comes at a cost and can only be untapped during your upkeep. While these two are good in their own right, Grim has a unique middle ground between the two and the price differential shows.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Tempo is the word I use to describe the investments these types of cards get. Kind of like a sturdier Dark Ritual that goes into any deck. One of the best ways to abuse these cards I've seen was in Daxos, where I turned their colorless mana into whatever I needed to cast bigger stuff. Most of my copies of these cards reside in mono-red decks right now, where they are really powered up by the color's need for top-heavy aggressiveness. Being on the draw a lot, I find these cards helpful as well. If you are second or worse in multiplayer matchups, it's hard to get out of the hole when everyone is Rampant Growth-ing and Cultivating.
JOHNNY CONFIDANT'S PICK
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
I have underestimated this card in the past, but now I have the inner-workings of the relic down and I am impressed. This artifact is a little bit of mana fixing mixed in with mana acceleration. I have even seen this do some damage with effects that increase counters or multiply counters put on permanents. Proliferate anyone?
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
This is a powerful card I find I don't use nearly enough. Just recently put it back in a deck, because I was going through my "sideboard," which is an expansive collection of just cards I pulled to put into decks, and almost hit myself when I saw I wasn't playing my copy.
Grandpa Growth -
This card is excellent. A staple of the format. That is beyond argument. But here is a good debate for you: Is Darksteel Ingot overpowered? It is Indestructible at Common, which is basically unheard of. It has since seen a reprinting at Uncommon and an eerily similar spiritual successor in Manalith at Common. Coalition is obviously the Rare in this progression and it is a home run hit. My question is: Would this be broken if it were Indestructible, given that there is something of a precedent at LOWER rarities.
UNCLE LANDDROPS' PICK
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
I played the Chalice before I found the sexier FNM version, but this has really become a nice underrated card that supports design in decks needing rocks to keep up with green decks. While it may never outshine something like Mind Stone, which draws a card, it surely outclasses Sisay's Ring and Ur-Golem's Eye at the 4-for-2 spot, and has the potential to be bigger or smaller, depending on how much of a down payment you want to make. I've also cast this unkicked to sac it to Kuldotha Forgemaster, and to up a Storm count.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
I have come to appreciate this card in my Newest EDH deck that is mono red. Often i find myself wanting more mana and there is only so many artifact ramps that I'd want to run. This has gave me both something to accelerate with and even swap with my new favorite card Goblin Welder.
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
I have definitely brewed lists that want this. Arcum, for example. Any four mana Commander is greatly enhanced by having a critical mass of two mana acceleration. Putting something like an Oracle of Mul Daya or a Braids (either flavor) into play a turn early is a big game.
Ironically, I have cast this on zero more often than I have at four or more. This is most likely a sign that I am too often trying to do something broken in Cube.
Be sure to share your favorite rocks with us in the comments below!
Pass the Turn.
-UL/GG/JC
This is a toss up between Mana Vault and Grim. Jumping straight to a fatty is a good start to any game. These don't have the constant benefit that Sol Ring does, but they provide a larger jump which can have some surprise value. Grim is awesome because it lets you move straight from two to six mana so you can begin deploying the beef while your friends are stuck banging rocks together. The untap abilities aren't even always relevant, but once you use the mana to further accelerate yourself it is easy to then make a second jump to an ungodly number like 11. Once you have played with/against these cards, it seems difficult to justify not playing them in every deck.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
When I'm building my mana base for a deck i do at least 2 checks: 1. am i running green? if not 2, let's find mana rocks and Grim Monolith is an amazing choice. Lets look at its main (Affordable) competitors, Basalt Monolith and Mana vault. Basalt is at least turn 3, untap for three and makes three, but Mana vault is a possible turn one but comes at a cost and can only be untapped during your upkeep. While these two are good in their own right, Grim has a unique middle ground between the two and the price differential shows.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Tempo is the word I use to describe the investments these types of cards get. Kind of like a sturdier Dark Ritual that goes into any deck. One of the best ways to abuse these cards I've seen was in Daxos, where I turned their colorless mana into whatever I needed to cast bigger stuff. Most of my copies of these cards reside in mono-red decks right now, where they are really powered up by the color's need for top-heavy aggressiveness. Being on the draw a lot, I find these cards helpful as well. If you are second or worse in multiplayer matchups, it's hard to get out of the hole when everyone is Rampant Growth-ing and Cultivating.
JOHNNY CONFIDANT'S PICK
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
I have underestimated this card in the past, but now I have the inner-workings of the relic down and I am impressed. This artifact is a little bit of mana fixing mixed in with mana acceleration. I have even seen this do some damage with effects that increase counters or multiply counters put on permanents. Proliferate anyone?
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
This is a powerful card I find I don't use nearly enough. Just recently put it back in a deck, because I was going through my "sideboard," which is an expansive collection of just cards I pulled to put into decks, and almost hit myself when I saw I wasn't playing my copy.
Grandpa Growth -
This card is excellent. A staple of the format. That is beyond argument. But here is a good debate for you: Is Darksteel Ingot overpowered? It is Indestructible at Common, which is basically unheard of. It has since seen a reprinting at Uncommon and an eerily similar spiritual successor in Manalith at Common. Coalition is obviously the Rare in this progression and it is a home run hit. My question is: Would this be broken if it were Indestructible, given that there is something of a precedent at LOWER rarities.
UNCLE LANDDROPS' PICK
I played the Chalice before I found the sexier FNM version, but this has really become a nice underrated card that supports design in decks needing rocks to keep up with green decks. While it may never outshine something like Mind Stone, which draws a card, it surely outclasses Sisay's Ring and Ur-Golem's Eye at the 4-for-2 spot, and has the potential to be bigger or smaller, depending on how much of a down payment you want to make. I've also cast this unkicked to sac it to Kuldotha Forgemaster, and to up a Storm count.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
I have come to appreciate this card in my Newest EDH deck that is mono red. Often i find myself wanting more mana and there is only so many artifact ramps that I'd want to run. This has gave me both something to accelerate with and even swap with my new favorite card Goblin Welder.
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
I have definitely brewed lists that want this. Arcum, for example. Any four mana Commander is greatly enhanced by having a critical mass of two mana acceleration. Putting something like an Oracle of Mul Daya or a Braids (either flavor) into play a turn early is a big game.
Ironically, I have cast this on zero more often than I have at four or more. This is most likely a sign that I am too often trying to do something broken in Cube.
Be sure to share your favorite rocks with us in the comments below!
Pass the Turn.
-UL/GG/JC
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