[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Conjurer's Mantle

[3drinks]

You only have one archmage emeritus though. I think there's room for both, at least until we get seven more copies inevitably power creeping it.

[DirkGently]

I don't really think any deck goes deep enough for this guy anymore. Adding 1 to your spells is a significant cost, and there aren't many commanders that incentivize running instants without sorceries. And with any deck that wants to focus on spellslinging, I think you really need to restrict your non-spell slots. Archmage emeritus is better on 3 different axes: it triggers on sorceries, it triggers on copying, and it draws for free. Saying lunar mystic is a backup archmage is like saying that Mana Prism is a backup Sol Ring.

[Sinis]

You only have one archmage emeritus though. I think there's room for both, at least until we get seven more copies inevitably power creeping it.

Serum Sovereign exists. I'd rather pay one into that. MOM Jin Gitaxias is going to draw with noncreatures more than 2 for free.

And then there are the cards that make skullclampable tokens. Like, Whispering Wizard, Murmuring Mystic, etc.

This card is old and bad, IMO, and there are better paths to card advantage.

[Treamayne]

While I agree with most of the above I would like to note (exerpt):

The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If multiple cost reductions apply, the player may apply them in any order.

So decks running cost reducers may consider this. For example a Sapphire Medallion offsets the trigger cost of Lunar Mystic. Buyback decks running Memory Crystal, Rebound decks, etc.

So, there may be decks that will consider it if the synergy is right.

[Wallycaine]

While I agree with most of the above I would like to note (exerpt):

The total cost is the mana cost or alternative cost (as determined in rule 601.2b), plus all additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If multiple cost reductions apply, the player may apply them in any order.

So decks running cost reducers may consider this. For example a Sapphire Medallion offsets the trigger cost of Lunar Mystic. Buyback decks running Memory Crystal, Rebound decks, etc.

So, there may be decks that will consider it if the synergy is right.

Just to be clear, Lunar Mystic has a trigger, not an additional cost. If you're casting a spell that doesn't normally benefit from the cost reduction, Sapphire Medallion won't do anything to Lunar Mystic's trigger. I think you understand that interaction, and are just saying that the cost reduction makes it easier to pay the 1, but the juxaposition with the rule felt like it might imply something that wasn't accurate.

[Treamayne]

Just to be clear, Lunar Mystic has a trigger, not an additional cost. If you're casting a spell that doesn't normally benefit from the cost reduction, Sapphire Medallion won't do anything to Lunar Mystic's trigger. I think you understand that interaction, and are just saying that the cost reduction makes it easier to pay the , but the juxaposition with the rule felt like it might imply something that wasn't accurate.

Better said. Yeah, my point was that since you pay less on cast, paying the one on trigger means the same cost overall for a cantrip version. If the trigger was "as an additional cost to cast" then you could reduce that cost as well (but not the case here).

Danke mucho

[3drinks]

Sunday, April 2nd, 2023; Harmonious Archon

[TheAmericanSpirit]

It's weird, 10 power for 6 is a good deal but nerfing any other big dudes you might have and potentially buffing enemy weenies are big drawbacks.

[Sinis]

I love this archon. Eldraine had so many hits for me, power creep notwithstanding. Just an awesome card for decks using tokens. Maybe it should be in my Preston deck...

[pokken]

Yeah this archon is great. Turns a bunch of 0/1 1/1 tokens into monstrous beats. You gotta be extra careful about removal but that's a lot of text on a card, and if you save a blink to defend it it can be a reverse blowout

It's figured prominently in my various mental attempts to actually close an Azorius game with combat damage.

Also kinda thinking of trying it in Breena, the Demagogue since it is basically a +2/+2 anthem in that deck while simultaneously nerfing enemies.

[3drinks]

Monday, April 3rd, 2023; Shriveling Rot

[PrimevalCommander]

Friday, March 31st, 2023; Liquimetal Torque

Great rock. Love these kinds of multi-faceted rocks that have a lot of ancillary purposes baked in that aren't immediately visible to others especially inexperienced players.

Did some Shenanigans with this card to kill a Greater Good in Mono red this weekend. Felt good.

Archon looks good, but overall unless I am going heavy on specifically 1/1 tokens, I don't particularly like this card. Going for anything other than a table kill ensures all of your Non-archon non-evasive creatures get blocked and killed. And swinging only with tokens at 3/3 takes a lot to kill a player. Give me Mirror Entity and a Recruiter of the Guard as a backup copy for mono-white overrun effects. I would play it in Darien, King of Kjeldor for sure though as it makes tons of 1/1's and I would probably go pretty deep in pump effects when making that many creatures.

[Hawk]

Was Shriveling Rot ever good? Seems like a ton of work to turn combats into boardwipes and then turn those boardwipes into draws. It seems to me this is pure overcosted jank, but I seem to recall Stalking Vengeance was once a format staple so - maybe this was also similarly fearsome once?

It sit sat 1300 decks on EDHREC, so it's not like totally unplayed. Seems like it is maybe worth a shot in goad.decs like Kardur, Doomscourge, "boardwipe in the command zone" decks like Massacre Girl, and of course since it's an instant that says "destroy" in its textbox Toshiro Umezawa has to at least consider it. Red has Arcbond and Repercussion which seem better, but this as far as I know is as good as it gets in black?

[Sinis]

I think Shriveling Rot was especially good as an extra punish when someone was wrathing a third party's board. I think it's also playable in go-wide decks if you can manage the cost; if you're attacking with something like Toski, Bearer of Secrets and a bunch of tokens, you can leverage this post-block when someone (very understandably) denies you your draw.

[onering]

Its a nasty card in sacrifice decks when you can sac a bunch of tokens while you have grave pact or Dictate of Erebos. Having this dome all your opponents for around 20 while you take like 6 shouldn't be that hard, but the question is how much is that worth? Generally such decks are going to have ways to leverage all those deaths into a win already (we aren't short on blood artist effects), and it seems like win more when your talking about leveraging a grave pact that's already wiping the board, but this can seal the deal immediately and without needing to go infinite. Back in the days of Hamletback Goliath being playable, I'd imagine this could have been HILARIOUS. Seven is a lot to entwine, but firing this thing off entwined when someone swings at you with their 47/47 beater just seems like a %$#%$#% riot.

[3drinks]

Tuesday, April 4th, 2023; Mikaeus, the Unhallowed|uma

[Ruiner]

I've run Shriveling Rot at various times in my Chromium deck and it has generally been fairly useful. I don't think I've ever entwined it, just using it for the life loss when creatures die portion of the card. Using this in conjunction with someone else's board wipe, or a combat step with massive losses, can do some fun things. It can be disruptive to certain sacrifice loops your opponents may try. It's not super unreasonable to combo with a board wipe of your own if you are in control colors either.

It isn't a top tier amazing card, but it is definitely playable.

[Dunadain]

Tuesday, April 4th, 2023; Mikaeus, the Unhallowed|uma

usually just a combo card, but now that I'm thinking about it, you could probably do something fun with him as a commander

[RedCheese]

I like Mike as the top end of my zombie token deck

[Dunharrow]

Combos very easily, but very good card even if not comboing.
The funniest thing is that people forget the static buff.

[materpillar]

I've never seen this card do anything that wasn't degenerate. The last non-infinite combo I saw with him was using him with Henzie "Toolbox" Torre. Just a solid "can't let opponent untap with this or they probably win". Kinda boring because it has such dumb combos that you can't do silly kinda bad combos with it since it eats so much hate.

[Igzex]

Yep, one of those cards that cause an immediate "Oh no..."

[3drinks]

Wednesday, April 5th, 2023; Marauding Raptor

[Treamayne]

And the crowd goes wild! silent?

Generic Enrage Enabler for Dinos. Might be more relevant if that ability spreads or we get more Stuffy Doll/Shaman en-Kor type critters.

[Serenade]

I wanted to make Garna, the Bloodflame and include this thing and Heartless Summoning. Then I realized that deck probably would be repetitive and not fun.