[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Rishkar, Peema Renegade

[Sinis]

Mark "I Have No Idea What I'm Doing" Rosewater

In Mark Rosewater's defense, here, it doesn't appear he was the lead designer for Mirage (though he was part of the design team). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage_(M ... Gathering)

[TheGildedGoose]

Mark "I Have No Idea What I'm Doing" Rosewater

In Mark Rosewater's defense, here, it doesn't appear he was the lead designer for Mirage (though he was part of the design team). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage_(M ... Gathering)

Huh, I always thought it was his first set as lead. Something about the Love Song of Night and Day.

[Treamayne]

Huh, I always thought it was his first set as lead. Something about the Love Song of Night and Day.

MaRo: First Set - Alliances; First Lead - Tempest.

[Guardman]

Say what you will about Mirage block, it still has some of the best and most beautiful art in any set (It still has my favorite plains). It was also one of the only mainstream examples of African inspired fantasy at the time (and sadly still one of the only examples I can think of). And when they were hinting that Zhalfir was coming back, it was probably some of the most excited I had been for the reveal in a while (despite the story itself being a let down). And I would love to see another set back on Zhalfir (especially if they get some art like from the original Mirage).

Yeah, the cards weren't exactly knocking it out of the park. But it was what it was for the time. Cards were mostly between bad and busted in the early years of MtG, which only a bit in between.

As for Jabari's Influence. Is it great. No. But it is an unique and potentially powerful effect in White, a color that hasn't got a Mind Control card in decade. So despite it being bad, I could see myself running it in the right deck and/or meta.

[3drinks]

Tuesday, October 24th, 2023; Mystic Remora|ice

[3drinks]

And when they were hinting that Zhalfir was coming back, it was probably some of the most excited I had been for the reveal in a while (despite the story itself being a let down). And I would love to see another set back on Zhalfir (especially if they get some art like from the original Mirage).

Still waiting for a return to Ulgrotha, damn it. Talk about your rich story, give us something beyond the Homelands memes to remember this place by.

As for Jabari's Influence. Is it great. No. But it is an unique and potentially powerful effect in White, a color that hasn't got a Mind Control card in decade. So despite it being bad, I could see myself running it in the right deck and/or meta.

It's at least, I'd argue, better than Evangelize in modern times.

[Serenade]

They need to stop some reprints. Was not expecting this art.

[Sinis]

Tuesday, October 24th, 2023; Mystic Remora|ice

Seems fishy to me, I wouldn't play it.

[PrimevalCommander]

I have not had the burning desire to acquire a mystic remora. But I may be more stubborn than anything because even in casual tables this probably draws a few cards for very low investment. My thoughts are that we play creature heavy decks and I wouldn't expect 2 cards per turn cycle out of it. That is probably the wrong attitude since we still play plenty of non-creature spells, artifact ramp, and permission that would trigger this. Getting 2-3 cards over 2 turn cycles for a split payment of 3 mana is an acceptable rate. The floor is drawing 0 cards, but I struggle to think that would happen that often.

[yeti1069]

I have not had the burning desire to acquire a mystic remora. But I may be more stubborn than anything because even in casual tables this probably draws a few cards for very low investment. My thoughts are that we play creature heavy decks and I wouldn't expect 2 cards per turn cycle out of it. That is probably the wrong attitude since we still play plenty of non-creature spells, artifact ramp, and permission that would trigger this. Getting 2-3 cards over 2 turn cycles for a split payment of 3 mana is an acceptable rate. The floor is drawing 0 cards, but I struggle to think that would happen that often.

I've dropped this in casual games and had it draw 0 cards over 3 turns.

[Lifeless]

%$#%$#% this art is awesome. Remora is great because the upkeep means it's only going to be a couple turns of asking everyone if they pay an extra 4.

[PrimevalCommander]

I've dropped this in casual games and had it draw 0 cards over 3 turns.

Well perhaps my fears are not irrational after all. Thank you for that feedback. On average I suspect it will do better than that, but high variance cards are only something I want if they are splashy and fun, not tax-draw.

[Mookie]

I have not had the burning desire to acquire a mystic remora. But I may be more stubborn than anything because even in casual tables this probably draws a few cards for very low investment. My thoughts are that we play creature heavy decks and I wouldn't expect 2 cards per turn cycle out of it. That is probably the wrong attitude since we still play plenty of non-creature spells, artifact ramp, and permission that would trigger this. Getting 2-3 cards over 2 turn cycles for a split payment of 3 mana is an acceptable rate. The floor is drawing 0 cards, but I struggle to think that would happen that often.

I've dropped this in casual games and had it draw 0 cards over 3 turns.

I play Mystic Remora in a few decks (also in a somewhat casual meta), and it's usually a reasonable balance in cost-to-value. It usually draws at least a few cards, but it rarely draws degenerate amounts of cards. Rhystic Study is generally stronger, but it is a bit of a meta call - the more noncreature spells your opponents are playing, the better it will be. Beyond that, I'll note its synergy with stuff like Brago, King Eternal and Chisei, Heart of Oceans / other counter-manipulating decks.

[Hermes_]

"do you pay"

[Moxnix]

I hate this card so much. Been playing against it since I started playing commander in like 2007 the first playgroup I had included a vintage storm player and he showed us remora game 1. Hated it ever since some people pay for study no one pays for the fish. I will say its better in paper as you can table talk to slow people down on mtgo where mana crypt is like 6$ and every deck has one its like the best card in the format as people feed it 5+ cards a rotation turns 1-5.

[benjameenbear]

Can confirm that Mystic Remora is secretly one of the most powerful cards in an optimized or cEDH setting. Few people can AFFORD to feed the fish, so it often nets at least 4-5 cards. Sometimes it happens in just ONE turn cycle, depending on how greedy players are. It's astounding how much people will disrespect the card and then wonder how they got out-valued. Absolutely insane card the more optimized your playgroup gets.

[Dunadain]

Can confirm that Mystic Remora is secretly one of the most powerful cards in an optimized or cEDH setting. Few people can AFFORD to feed the fish, so it often nets at least 4-5 cards. Sometimes it happens in just ONE turn cycle, depending on how greedy players are. It's astounding how much people will disrespect the card and then wonder how they got out-valued. Absolutely insane card the more optimized your playgroup gets.

Huh, I've always used the term "feed the fish" to mean NOT paying the tax (giving the fish what it wants). But putting it the other way around also makes sense.

Idk, "don't feed the fish" has a better ring to it than "feed the fish"

[3drinks]

Wednesday, October 25th, 2023; Whirlpool Drake

[Treamayne]

Wednesday, October 25th, 2023; Whirlpool Drake

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I've liked this in both Flying Matters themes and Drake Tribal where, sometimes, the hand gets land clogged (drew them faster than you can play them) and I use this and Trade Routes as ways to manipulate that situation.

Not great, but better than the stats would suggest - in the right deck and right situations.

[benjameenbear]

Can confirm that Mystic Remora is secretly one of the most powerful cards in an optimized or cEDH setting. Few people can afford NOT to feed the fish, so it often nets at least 4-5 cards. Sometimes it happens in just ONE turn cycle, depending on how greedy players are. It's astounding how much people will disrespect the card and then wonder how they got out-valued. Absolutely insane card the more optimized your playgroup gets.

Huh, I've always used the term "feed the fish" to mean NOT paying the tax (giving the fish what it wants). But putting it the other way around also makes sense.

Idk, "don't feed the fish" has a better ring to it than "feed the fish"

Nope, I missed a word in my OG post. I'll edit it shortly, because DON'T feed the fish is the phrase everyone uses.

[Dunadain]

There's got to be some cool reanimate loop engine where this, but the color doesn't help it in that regard.

[Lifeless]

As a general rule I don't think any of the whirlpool cards are playable other than Whirlpool Warrior since he comes with some added value. Of course he's also UR color identity so that makes him a bit less flexible, but why are you playing wheels but not playing at least UR already?

[Sinis]

These are okay makeshift wheels in decks like Nekusar. I can't see myself playing them, but I don't think they're atrocious garbage if you're trying to make when-draw triggers happen.

[3drinks]

Thursday, October 26th, 2023; Blessed Sanctuary

[Mookie]

I once played Blessed Sanctuary against a Syr Konrad, the Grim deck. That game pretty much earned it a deck slot in perpetuity.

Anyway, I think Blessed Sanctuary is quite good - I'm currently playing it in two decks (Teysa and Brago). Most of the time, it's just used for the token generation - getting a free 2/2 with every creature you play can generate an army pretty quickly. I've played a number of similar cards in the past, such as Spirit Bonds, Oketra's Monument, and Open the Graves... but I find that Blessed Sanctuary's tokens being both free and an ETB effect generally makes it easier to use than the alternatives. In particular, I've found that frontloaded token generation is preferable to backloaded generation (death / LTB triggers) because a lot of my value engines are creatures... which means that even if a board wipe leaves me with a token army afterwards, I won't have any surviving value engines to take advantage of it.

The damage prevention clause is usually flavor text... but every once in a while it will fizzle a Blasphemous Act or other board wipe (or Syr Konrad), at which point it feels awesome.