[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Samwise the Stouthearted

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Serenade
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Post by Serenade » 4 years ago

I got out of MTG right before this came out, and when I got back in, I couldn't understand why it was good. I get it now, but I still don't have one!

I wonder if they would ever create a functional reprint.
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Post by Sinis » 4 years ago

3drinks wrote:
4 years ago
While I don't have one, I'm sure some of the people here have their wife/girlfriend/or even mistress to at least a nonzero degree. Or husband/boyfriend/sugar daddy for our female users.
Personally, divorced and dating.

But, my experience with M:TG players is that they're usually painfully single.

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Post by 3drinks » 4 years ago

Serenade wrote:
4 years ago
I got out of MTG right before this came out, and when I got back in, I couldn't understand why it was good. I get it now, but I still don't have one!

I wonder if they would ever create a functional reprint.
Firemaw Kavu. At the lower end, Fire Imp - which is actually quite strong, though is commonly looked past because it's not a bomb.
Sinis wrote:
4 years ago
3drinks wrote:
4 years ago
While I don't have one, I'm sure some of the people here have their wife/girlfriend/or even mistress to at least a nonzero degree. Or husband/boyfriend/sugar daddy for our female users.
Personally, divorced and dating.

But, my experience with M:TG players is that they're usually painfully single.
I prefer the term "classically single"™️. 🤔

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Post by Mookie » 4 years ago

Bypassing everything valentines-related....

Flametongue Kavu is a classic 2-for-1 - you get both a creature and a removal spell. It's fine if you have creature synergies, such as ways to flicker or recur it. That said, I'm not a huge fan of damage-based removal in EDH - while it may be capable of killing a large percentage of creatures played in the format, it also misses the big beaters that I would most want do remove. (in other words, its ability to kill a target is inversely proportional to how much I want to said target) Still, four damage does cover a pretty large percentage of things.

On the other hand, while a 4/2 body is better than nothing, it's also not that exciting. You're paying three mana for it over Flame Slash - that's fine if you have creature synergies, but otherwise I'd go with the cheaper option.

I'm actually trying to think what decks I'm running Nekrataal effects in. I have Phyrexian Ingester and Duplicant in a few decks, plus Fiend Hunter, Angel of Serenity, and Luminate Primordial. But all these creatures are either in decks with limited access to removal, or synergy with the creatures themselves in the form of reanimation / flickering. I don't think I play any Nekrataals without the intent to recur them repeatedly, and red isn't really known for its flickering or recursion. I suppose it may be worth consideration if you're running Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, or a bunch of damage doublers like Gisela, Blade of Goldnight.

Sidenote: don't play it when the board is clear - the trigger is mandatory, and can target itself.

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Post by schweinefett » 4 years ago

I don't think I run Kavu in any of my decks. It's good and all, but none fit in the kinda decks I happen to run.

In fact, it gets hosed by my tresserhorn deck (torpor orb/leaves the battlefield theme) deck.

Just curious though, aside from blinking/regrowth sorta things, are there other ways to really make the most of kavu?

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Post by 3drinks » 4 years ago

Saturday, February 15th, 2020; Goblin Electromancer



So...how reliable is our lil buddy here, and is it better or worse than Nightscape Familiar? Why/why not?

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Post by cryogen » 4 years ago

Friendly reminder to keep this thread on-topic.
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Post by MeowZeDung » 4 years ago

The thing about URx spellslinger builds is you want a low creature count, and you want to use those precious few creature slots for high impact stuff like one of the niv-mizzets, consecrated sphinx, etc., plus much stronger cost reducers exist in baral, chief of compliance, jace's sanctum, primal amulet, and mizzix of the izmagnus. Goblin electromancer doesn't make the cut for me that often as a result, except for where the wizard type is relevant like in Adeliz, the cinder wind.
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Post by hyalopterouslemur » 4 years ago

This is another one of those "It's not bad, but you probably have better" cards. Baral, Chief of Compliance is the obvious comparison here, adding looting (after each counter) and dropping the red requirement. It still costs 2 mana, so that's usually neither here nor there.

Now, if you're playing with Winter Orb, each reduction is better. But for basic spellslinger (which feels more aggro than control) it's not necessary.
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Post by Mookie » 4 years ago

I've contemplated Goblin Electromancer for my Mizzix of the Izmagnus deck, but it hasn't quite made the cut. Cost reductions are certainly great for that deck though, and I would appreciate more mana acceleration. Hmmm... On the other hand, slots for non-instant, non-sorcery slots are really tight in that deck. Cost reductions are, as a general rule, best when they're being applied many times per turn, hence why both tend to show up in storm-ish decks. If you're only casting one or two spells per turn most of the time, a mana rock will usually do better, hence why I wouldn't consider it for my Kess, Dissident Mage deck. Cost reductions also not as useful for spells like Counterspell that have no colorless costs to reduce.

Anyway, I do think it's outclassed by Baral, Chief of Compliance - easier mana cost, more toughness (if you're attacking with these creatures, something has gone wrong), and bonus looting. Jace's Sanctum and Primal Amulet are more expensive options that are also a bit less vulnerable to removal. And obviously Mizzix is the turbocharged version of this effect. Depending on the breakdown of your deck, Sapphire Medallion (or Ruby Medallion) may also be better.

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Post by MeowZeDung » 4 years ago

Mookie wrote:
4 years ago
(if you're attacking with these creatures, something has gone wrong)
Oh, I've seen some beefy electromancers in Adeliz, the Cinder Wind!

Also, I've gotta shout out my main bird and say that instead of running electromancer, you should just go jeskai and run Kykar, Wind's Fury, who is essentially a Cloud Key on legs (ahem, wings) for all non-creature spells after the first. :cool:
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Post by 3drinks » 4 years ago

Sunday, February 16th, 2020; Dream Pillager



Hmmm. I wonder. 🤔

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Post by MeowZeDung » 4 years ago

It's awful expensive. I prefer the "until the end of your next turn" impulse draws, like ignite the future, tectonic giant, and light up the stage, but he would do for a mono red creature heavy or dragon build I suppose.
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Post by TheAmericanSpirit » 4 years ago

For the same mana, you can slam a Knollspine Dragon and play cards whenever you feel. The poor, stupid thing doesn't even have trample.

I rate it 1.65/4.39.
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Post by tstorm823 » 4 years ago

I have wanted to play this for a while... but it's always either not made the cut or not gotten cast anyway.
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Post by Toshi » 4 years ago

3drinks wrote:
4 years ago
I've seen this put in some work in a Zirilan of the Claw deck.
And it can propably do some interesting things in Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund, Scion of the Ur-Dragon and especially Atarka, World Render with double triggers.

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Post by hyalopterouslemur » 4 years ago

This is the kind of thing that might be good in rg just for all the required mana. But you will be losing those lands. But if you're playing gur, you'll drop it for Intet, the Dreamer every time. For the same mana, though, you get Knollspine Dragon, which is ideal for a lot of cards if you're also playing blue, such as The Locust God and Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind. Obligatory mention of Alhammarret's Archive as well. But most importantly, you can play cards whenever you damn well please, and keep your lands. The 7/5 body is also better.
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Post by Mookie » 4 years ago

Dream Pillager is interesting, at least - potentially generates a pile of cards to play, assuming you can connect with it. The main issue is the mana cost - a 4/4 flier for 7 is pretty below the curve. And of course, it isn't actually card draw - just impulsive draw, which carries some significant limitations. Interesting to compare to Dragon Mage, but I'd usually go for Knollspine Dragon. Monored also has enough options these days to not need this sort of expensive card advantage.

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Post by Krishnath » 4 years ago

Honestly would prefer to play Etali, Primal Storm over Dream Pillager if I am going for impulse draw. It's cheaper to cast, has a bigger body (although no evasion), and triggers on attack rather than damage. And as a bonus, it nicks your opponents top cards as well.
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Post by toctheyounger » 4 years ago

It's cute, but competes for design space with Etali, Primal Storm and Ilharg, the Raze-Boar, both of which come out better off to my mind, even despite neither one having evasion and Pillager having said evasion.

They're both better bodies for the cost, and the real advantage of playing cards like this is the gas they draw you into. This is easier to obtain with both over Pillager. Impulse draw is cool and all, but 'without paying their mana costs' is no freaking joke and neither is 'you may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield tapped and attacking'. Pillager does still give you the potential of advantage. but you pay full cost and have one shot before those cards are gone forever. It's just too risky for my liking.
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Post by 3drinks » 4 years ago

Monday, February 17th, 2020; Marauding Raptor


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Post by Toshi » 4 years ago

3drinks wrote:
4 years ago
Combos with Polyraptor(/Sprouting Phytohydra) and Purphoros, God of the Forge/Goblin Bombardment/Altar of Dementia/...

Its an obvious champ in Dinosaur decks with Enrage triggers.

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Post by MeowZeDung » 4 years ago

Great for my son's Gishath, Sun's Avatar deck. Not many other great homes for it that I'm aware of. Edit: oh snap, i forgot about polyraptor. That's spicy.

I've been brainstorming a damage themed deck with creatures like Boros Reckoner, Spitemare, stuffy doll, truefire captain, swans of bryn argolletc., and it seems great there. I could potentially add silverclad ferocidons and sun-crowned hunters for some added synergy.
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Post by folding_music » 4 years ago

imagining Cinder Giant staring on jealously at this thing :)) That's a really linear card, though, not my scene at all.

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Post by onering » 4 years ago

Besides the obvious applications that turn it's second ability into a plus, it's also really solid in any fatty deck with red. Dragon tribal likes it as a cheap cost reducer that can attack for early damage, and it generally ignores the second ability.

It's also synergistic with Vigor, which should be in dino tribal anyway.

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