New card alert: Serra's Emissary

[Maluko]

I've seen this card played twice now in Cockatrice. Fortunately, both times the card was quickly removed because players immediately realized how dangerous it is. However, this quick-thinking also foretells a possible ubiquity and brokenness of the card.

Both times the owner chose creatures, and I assume this will be the most common option in games. There is a reason for this: by choosing creatures, you're pretty much saying that all combat damage dealt to you and creatures you control is prevented, and your creatures become unblockable. At just seven mana, Serra's Emissary completely overshadows Blazing Archon and protects itself better than Platinum Emperion. It is for sure not an Iona, Shield of Emeria, since players can continue to cast spells and interact with the table in other ways. However, its floor is very high and its ceiling is over the roof if you have plenty of creatures on the field (Craterhoof Behemoth style). Clones are particularly obnoxious with it because you can keep choosing other card types and reduce interaction even further.

All in all, not ban-worthy in my opinion, but definitively a card to keep an eye on at your commander games. What does everyone else think?

[TheAmericanSpirit]

I think it's decent, but it's nothing next to razadad, hulk, hoof, etc (not a bad thing necessarily). The offense/defense dynamic of choosing creature is neat, but other than than that, it's just another big dumb animal. Seems like a slam dunk for Mayael decks though, the few that remain.

[Sanity_Eclipse]

The most common choices would seem to be creature, instant, sorcery.

They choose creature, you use an instant or sorcery to kill it.

They choose instant or sorcery, you use a creature or the other type of spell to kill it.

Planeswalker, Enchantment, Artifact, Land would seem to be rarer choices. Off the top of my head, PWs kill things by targeting either the creature or the player (to sac it), so that would be a no-go, but at the same time for all of these, why would they choose it in most cases? Artifacts could be somewhat common, Breya is a thing and with infi mana and blink/reanim can kill by herself. Enchants like Attrition etc would be blocked, but not global ones like say Grave Pact.

Which brings us to another weakness of Emissary (I was going to combine both words in the card name and thought better of it), global effects. Global bounce (as long as it doesn't target the player), GPact, -X/-X effects get around protection since they don't target or deal damage.

Although it is finally a fAiR cOuNtEr to the bRoKeNnEsS tHaT iS Sorrow's Path.dec
/s

~~~~~

Regardless of where you stand on it, 7 mana seems to be the cost where potentially game-ending effects start getting printed. To be fair, if it's happening on like T3 or T4 that's an issue. Games do have to end at some point, though. Seems like it comes down to reaching an agreement with your playgroup, if applicable, or just packing a few answers / being willing to leave games potentially if playing in the metaphorical outlands, the first of which we should be doing anyway.

Initial $0.02 at first release of card, maybe it becomes egregious later on, maybe not.

[JovialJovian]

The fact that it was immediately removed is indicative of its power, but also indicative of it's weakness. Choosing creatures protects you from combat, and makes your board unblockable, but does almost nothing to protect Serra's Emissary from removal. Choosing instants shields it and your board from most spot removal, but leaves it wide open to combat and damage-based boardwipes like Blasphemous Act, as well as the occasional sorcery-speed removal like Vindicate. It reminds me of Avacyn, Angel of Hope in terms of its power and impact on the board, but trades reliability for flexibility.

It's definitely a presence on the battlefield, and needs to be answered, but the answers definitely exist and I don't expect it to become oppressive overall.

[pokken]

It's not legendary so I look forward to phantasmal image on instant. :p

Card is very very powerful. But also 7 Mana. someone heard me about white needing bombs

[Dunharrow]

I suspect the play will be to try to make additional copies and then get wrecked by a wrath effect.
Iona stopped people from playing the game.
Every other huge hate bear is fine but not game-ending. Platinum Angel/Emperion, Avacyn, etc. They are good but really you can deal with them.
This is still more fair than Gaddock Teeg.

[Mookie]

Serra's Emissary is solid - it's sort of a mix of Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite (makes your creatures better, makes your opponents' creatures worse) and Avacyn, Angel of Hope (protects your board). Certainly a reasonable choice for a topend creature, particularly if you can take advantage of it not being legendary using clone effects. That said, it's also definitely possible to work around. I suspect the best decks for it are the ones that can take advantage of its ability to make your team unblockable, which enables some potent alpha striking. Giving yourself protection from creatures also means you're somewhat insulated from counterattacks. Can definitely backfire if it gets removed though.

[toctheyounger]

I like it, will use it, and expect good results. I don't personally think it's anything we need to be too concerned with, there's plenty of other existent stuff that's more oppressive for locking folk out of the game; Iona, Shield of Emeria comes to mind, Gaddock Teeg and such. I think the CMC goes a long way to making it a reasonable card too , both in CMC and colour density.

I think it'll be a finisher in the right place, but I think it's well designed too. Choosing more than one type of spell would mean the capability of locking your opponents out of beating you, but choosing one means there's still scope to work around it. I guess that's where Rite of Replication comes in

[NZB2323]

I'm going to pick it up for Kaalia of the Vast and plan on naming instant 99% of the time. The deck has plenty of life gain and flying creatures so I'm not really worried about creatures too much and Avacyn, Angel of Hope protects the deck against sorcery speed board wipes.

[pokken]

I think naming anything other than instant as a first choice is usually going to end in tears heh.

That is unless you are a blink spell deck in which case blinking it is sick.

[toctheyounger]

I think naming anything other than instant as a first choice is usually going to end in tears heh.

I mean I think it depends. I'll be cramming it in Bruna, which due to being mono white has combat as a win con, so there's a big upside to naming creatures there.

Otherwise if I'm not poised to win I'd generally agree that instants is a good choice.

[pokken]

Yeah sometimes you're gonna be in a spot you have to name creatures defensively.

But naming creatures offensively when you need to break a board stall is a very risky proposition. You risk a pretty nasty blowout if they have an answer.

It's not like a universal rule but I suspect people will be getting blown out a lot at first by being too aggressive.

[Hermes_]

I think living the dream would be a kicked Rite of Replication

[pokken]

Then losing to wog like it's 2011

[PrimevalCommander]

I was sleeping on this card, but now I think I will need to get one. Good top end card for two color or monowhite decks. Protection from instants or creatures is nice, and can be a useful option on either side depending on your position in the game. I built my brother a Dragonlord Ojutai deck that might very much like protection from Instants or creatures. It also plays a couple clones for added luls. No Rite of Replication though.

Could be good in a reanimator shell for protection, or when you are ready to punch through for some damage. Or a X deck for the same reason.

[pokken]

And now it's a bulk mythic (though the foil is still costly cos there isn't an old frame of it, just an art card) So great time to pick one up.

[umtiger]

Seems like a waste to name anything other than creature.

If you're naming instant, why not play something else that has shroud/indestructible that can protect itself? Protecting yourself from instants is also too low impact.

Also, if you're going to get blown out by wog anyways, why not name creature to at least get some board benefit while you have it?

You're playing this to get through or make combat unappealing for attackers. If you're hoping to protect it, using the typical tools (greaves, etc.) are better.

[Ruiner]

The power play is to name Tribal and make people worry what possible strategy you might have in mind.


I'm definitely looking forward to playing this in my Bruna deck, and possibly trying it in Nahiri also.

[Hermes_]

The power play is to name Tribal and make people worry what possible strategy you might have in mind.

Name Interrupt to confuse them youngsters

[NZB2323]

Seems like a waste to name anything other than creature.

If you're naming instant, why not play something else that has shroud/indestructible that can protect itself? Protecting yourself from instants is also too low impact.

Also, if you're going to get blown out by wog anyways, why not name creature to at least get some board benefit while you have it?

You're playing this to get through or make combat unappealing for attackers. If you're hoping to protect it, using the typical tools (greaves, etc.) are better.

It already has flying for evasion, and it not only protects itself from instants but all your other creatures. In my Kaalia deck it protects these creatures from instants:

• Kaalia of the vast
• Avacyn, Angel of hope
• Platinum Angel
• Aurelia the warleader
• Opposition agent
• Gisela, Blade of goldnight
• Gisela, the broken blade
• Bruna, the fading light
• Angel of serenity

[toctheyounger]

Then losing to wog like it's 2011

Even naming sorceries wouldn't help here though, it doesn't target so pro doesn't help anyway. I guess naming instants protects you from Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, Assassin's Trophy et al, but I don't know that it's really worth it all that often. Even as player protection, choosing instant or sorcery doesn't stop Exsanguinate, Cyclonic Rift or any of the other big game enders.

[pokken]

Even naming sorceries wouldn't help here though, it doesn't target so pro doesn't help anyway. I guess naming instants protects you from Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, Assassin's Trophy et al, but I don't know that it's really worth it all that often. Even as player protection, choosing instant or sorcery doesn't stop Exsanguinate, Cyclonic Rift or any of the other big game enders.

Yeah I was not suggesting naming sorceries was good, just that those types of "unassailable board state" scenarios almost always end in tragedy I've seen people pass the turn with Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Archetype of Endurance and get blown out by Merciless Eviction so many dang times

[toctheyounger]

Even naming sorceries wouldn't help here though, it doesn't target so pro doesn't help anyway. I guess naming instants protects you from Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, Assassin's Trophy et al, but I don't know that it's really worth it all that often. Even as player protection, choosing instant or sorcery doesn't stop Exsanguinate, Cyclonic Rift or any of the other big game enders.

Yeah I was not suggesting naming sorceries was good, just that those types of "unassailable board state" scenarios almost always end in tragedy I've seen people pass the turn with Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Archetype of Endurance and get blown out by Merciless Eviction so many dang times

Man, my 1yo has been teaching me about this. You build a fort, it's natural for people to wanna pull it down.