[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Journeyer's Kite

[ironic gesture]

Sudden Substitution is a bit of a pet card of mine. The MV and its narrowness stop it from being too great but it always makes me happy when I cast it.

Also want to point out that you don't have to control the creature or spell so it can also be a political card.

[hyalopterouslemur]

Definitely one of the weirder cards, and can be cool if you can set it up right, but it also costs four mana, so don't expect to be doing it quickly.

[Igzex]

A really funny card for only gimmicky and non-serious games but those are the best games anyway.

[3drinks]

Tuesday, December 21st, 2021; Brown Ouphe|ice

I've played this before. Good at what it does, fetchable off Ranger of Eos even.

[BeneTleilax]

When someone tries to Aetherflux Reservoir but forgets this is in play.

[Dunharrow]

Not sure this is better than Caustic Caterpillar in most cases.

[Hawk]

It made me smile to see this reprinted in Mirrodin, and it's a classic! Sadly, seems way too niche and narrow for my tastes. Looking at the top 50 non-mana artifacts of the last 2 years, it's easier to count the stuff this is a house against than it is to count all the stuff it is wildly ineffective at stopping. This thing absolutely bodies Door to Nothingness, Sunforger, and Time Sieve? You are also generally coming out ahead against a Whip of Erebos, Isochron Scepter, Mimic Vat, Strionic Resonator, or Birthing Pod, and more than breaking even versus a Wayfarer's Bauble or Expedition Map if you catch it. And it is okay at maybe holding off crazy costly equip costs for a while, like for Blackblade Reforged, Helm of the Host, and Loxodon Warhammer.

That's 13 artifacts which is about 25% of the top-played utility artifacts, but that's a rosy outlook too. That means there's 35 more artifacts this fizzles out against either because they have passive or triggered abilities that can't be touched (The Great Henge, Bolas's Citadel, Aetherflux Reservoir) or because they are easily just activated again in response (sac outlets like Altar of Dementia and cheaper equip cards like Lightning Greaves and Skullclamp). And that's not even noting that most of the top artifacts in the format are mana rocks.

You know what else is fetchable by Ranger and GSZ? Caustic Caterpillar. And that hungry little caterpillar can permanently answer any artifact, immediately if need be without needing to wait to kick the summoning sickness.

-

[3drinks]

It made me smile to see this reprinted in Mirrodin, and it's a classic! Sadly, seems way too niche and narrow for my tastes. Looking at the top 50 non-mana artifacts of the last 2 years, it's easier to count the stuff this is a house against than it is to count all the stuff it is wildly ineffective at stopping. This thing absolutely bodies Door to Nothingness, Sunforger, and Time Sieve? You are also generally coming out ahead against a Whip of Erebos, Isochron Scepter, Mimic Vat, Strionic Resonator, or Birthing Pod, and more than breaking even versus a Wayfarer's Bauble or Expedition Map if you catch it. And it is okay at maybe holding off crazy costly equip costs for a while, like for Blackblade Reforged, Helm of the Host, and Loxodon Warhammer.

That's 13 artifacts which is about 25% of the top-played utility artifacts, but that's a rosy outlook too. That means there's 35 more artifacts this fizzles out against either because they have passive or triggered abilities that can't be touched (The Great Henge, Bolas's Citadel, Aetherflux Reservoir) or because they are easily just activated again in response (sac outlets like Altar of Dementia and cheaper equip cards like Lightning Greaves and Skullclamp). And that's not even noting that most of the top artifacts in the format are mana rocks.

You know what else is fetchable by Ranger and GSZ? Caustic Caterpillar. And that hungry little caterpillar can permanently answer any artifact, immediately if need be without needing to wait to kick the summoning sickness.

-

Worth noting in the case of altars, is the sacrifice is a cost so they're still out the body. Though in the case of these altars, I'd argue stopping them permanently is better than the one turn because of their prominence.

[Hawk]

It made me smile to see this reprinted in Mirrodin, and it's a classic! Sadly, seems way too niche and narrow for my tastes. Looking at the top 50 non-mana artifacts of the last 2 years, it's easier to count the stuff this is a house against than it is to count all the stuff it is wildly ineffective at stopping. This thing absolutely bodies Door to Nothingness, Sunforger, and Time Sieve? You are also generally coming out ahead against a Whip of Erebos, Isochron Scepter, Mimic Vat, Strionic Resonator, or Birthing Pod, and more than breaking even versus a Wayfarer's Bauble or Expedition Map if you catch it. And it is okay at maybe holding off crazy costly equip costs for a while, like for Blackblade Reforged, Helm of the Host, and Loxodon Warhammer.

That's 13 artifacts which is about 25% of the top-played utility artifacts, but that's a rosy outlook too. That means there's 35 more artifacts this fizzles out against either because they have passive or triggered abilities that can't be touched (The Great Henge, Bolas's Citadel, Aetherflux Reservoir) or because they are easily just activated again in response (sac outlets like Altar of Dementia and cheaper equip cards like Lightning Greaves and Skullclamp). And that's not even noting that most of the top artifacts in the format are mana rocks.

You know what else is fetchable by Ranger and GSZ? Caustic Caterpillar. And that hungry little caterpillar can permanently answer any artifact, immediately if need be without needing to wait to kick the summoning sickness.

-

Worth noting in the case of altars, is the sacrifice is a cost so they're still out the body. Though in the case of these altars, I'd argue stopping them permanently is better than the one turn because of their prominence.

True, but also worth noting that Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar, and honorary altar Krark-Clan Ironworks are all mana abilities so Brown Ouphe can't punk them anyways.

[hyalopterouslemur]

Plus all of them are also sac outlets. If you're using a sac outlet as just a sac outlet, the ouphe can't stop it.

If you're in white or black, bug is better just because things like Sun Titan, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, and Karador, Ghost Chieftain are available, and even if not, it hits a ton more, though this guy is okay as a rattlesnake.

[3drinks]

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021; Apex of Power

I always want this to be good, but ..............

[materpillar]

I've only ever seen this cast once. He also copied it and had 20something mana floating already. I just scooped to save myself 30minutes of my life.

The 10mana only being one color is pretty brutal. If you want to draw 7 there's way easier ways to do it.

[Jemolk]

Honestly, as someone with a Bolas deck, and who really enjoys the flavor of the card, I kinda hate that it's tied to such a narrow and boring card. It's a bad, expensive draw 7 that only works in a fair deck if you're spamming threats -- probably the least Bolas way to win a game. It's hot garbage in a draw-go control deck, meanwhile, despite that possibly being the most Bolas way to win a game -- sit back, manipulate things from behind your defenses, and swoop in to seize victory after everyone's already so outmaneuvered that the win is assured. You could use it as part of a combo, of course -- it's not limited to fair decks only -- but it's horribly inefficient there too. Just all around, one of the worst possible ways to design a Magic card IMHO, and emblematic of the worst era of Magic design. The other members of its mini-cycle -- Fraying Omnipotence and Patient Rebuilding -- are also somewhat disappointing, but nothing like the abject failure to match mechanics to flavor that is Apex of Power. Thanks, I hate it.

[hyalopterouslemur]

It's essentially a way for aggro and midrange decks to win long after they're dead. Like, you could play Plague Wind, Searing Wind, or Vitalizing Wind a turn earlier and walk away with the game nine times out of ten, and against Rule of Law/Arcane Laboratory and friends (something the decks that do last to turn 10 actually find a use for) they actually do something, and you know why you so rarely see those cards? Because they cost nine mana.

[Mookie]

I've considered Apex of Power for my Mizzix of the Izmagnus deck, but.... ten mana is a lot. It is potentially interesting as a ritual - if you reduce its cost, you can turn RRR into ten mana - but that's very much a win-more situation. Also, unlike an actual ritual, it requires casting from hand... so no cheating it off Mizzix's Mastery or Epic Experiment.... and since you only get access to the exiled cards until end of turn, you really need that mana, since you're unlikely to have much else available.

Certainly an interesting card, but hard to find space for. I think big X spells are going to be superior a majority of the time.

[lyonhaert]

And here I am wondering if it would work in Lathliss because people like to blow up the dragons, so explosively rebuilding seems the way.

[Sinis]

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021; Apex of Power

I think this card is tremendously underrated for proactive decks. It's basically a free Draw 7 at a threshold 10 mana, which is equivalent-ish to USZ, Stroke, Pull, etc. Yeah, it's sorcery, and yeah, the cards aren't really in your hand, but it's free at the 10 mana threshold.

I've previously played this in Neheb, the Eternal where having 10 mana up is not only likely, but also the deck's main gameplan, and a free draw 7 is a big deal when you're trying to combo out.

I would consider this in any deck that might get to 10 mana (like, huge ramp decks) and had the inkling to combo out.

[3drinks]

Thursday, December 23rd, 2021; Planewide Celebration

The base cost for Proliferate is 4 based on what we're told, which inclines me to believe this card is worth it. But idk, it's a bit fuzzy at the seven.

[pokken]

Four proliferates for 7 is a pretty sick rate, but the rest of these are kinda meh. I guess looping it with Eternal Witness is a thing maybe?

Probably pretty easy to set up some combos with it and Sage of Hours but overall it's just a weird 7 mana bomb.

[Hawk]

I've tried this in a few spots, and it's been pretty underwhelming. Seven mana is a ton, and while in theory "Return 4 target permanent cards" and "Proliferate 4 times" is worth seven mana (and that's before we toss in the mix-and-match applications and ability to fail rate into some life or dorks), in practice this just feels clunky and low-impact. Green is the color of Craterhoof Behemoth, Regal Force, Wildest Dreams, and Hornet Queen - more focused, powerful cards that execute a specific strategy. This jack-of-all-trades, master of none approach just makes this card feel not good enough.

[BeneTleilax]

Proliferate is primarily useful for Superfriends decks trying to rush ultimates, and things like Deepglow Skate and Doubling Season are just better suited to that end, as well as cheaper.

[3drinks]

Proliferate is primarily useful for Superfriends decks trying to rush ultimates, and things like Deepglow Skate and Doubling Season are just better suited to that end, as well as cheaper.

Man, I remember when the 'skate was a $20 chase card. My, how the mighty have fallen.

[pokken]

Proliferate is primarily useful for Superfriends decks trying to rush ultimates, and things like Deepglow Skate and Doubling Season are just better suited to that end, as well as cheaper.

Honestly I could see "ultimate all your walkers" being a pretty big upgrade over "play this, then ultimate walkers you play after" or "ultimate exactly one walker" in many circumstances.

I tried this card out in my Atraxa counterlands deck and it was quite absurd to cast it and have it be extremely mana positive with stuff like Crystalline Crawler and Dreadship Reef and Coalition Relic etc. Really bonkers with Astral Cornucopia and Everflowing Chalice.

long story short I am not sure this is worset han Deepglow Skate or Doubling Season for a dedicated walkers deck, especially when its failure mode is "get back 4 planeswalkers"

[BeneTleilax]

or "ultimate exactly one walker" in many circumstances.

"any number of target permanents". If you're a dedicated proliferate deck, like that Atraxa build you mentioned, then yeah it's solid, albeit doing basically the same thing as your general. In the general Superfriends archetype, though, there are better ways to rush ults. There are also more interesting things to do than rush ults, which I and many find rather boring to play as or against.

[pokken]

or "ultimate exactly one walker" in many circumstances.

"any number of target permanents". If you're a dedicated proliferate deck, like that Atraxa build you mentioned, then yeah it's solid, albeit doing basically the same thing as your general. In the general Superfriends archetype, though, there are better ways to rush ults. There are also more interesting things to do than rush ults, which I and many find rather boring to play as or against.

lol, how the hell did I misread that card for years

"doubling" is still often worse than "+4 counters" but good point.