[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - North Star
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A personal favorite of mine in any deck running a Loam engine, particularly Titana where saccing the land often has added value. I agree that it's a wild blowout in many casual environments and next to worthless at higher power tables, but when it's good it's really comically good.
The other day someone tried to turn my Gaea's Cradle into an artifact so they could exile it with an exile spell. I sacrificed it to buyback Constant Mists and then annihilated them when I untapped and loamed back cradle, tapped cradle for a crapload, and went off.
Card is really flexible.
Card is really flexible.
- toctheyounger
- Posts: 4011
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Yeah, if there's a card that'll make someone claw their hair out in frustration it's this one. Card has no business being this versatile. I've won games just off the back of this keeping me in the game longer than I should've been. Average at best in higher power, but great otherwise.
It's definitely a good card, and IMHO aggro decks should have a way to still get damage through, be it Purphoros, God of the Forge, Goblin Bombardment, Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Sanctum Seeker, Blood Artist, Mishra, Claimed by Gix, Skemfar Shadowsage, Éomer, King of Rohan, Dragonlord Dromoka, Questing Beast, Myrel, Shield of Argive, Grand Abolisher, Dosan the Falling Leaf, or just Counterspell.
Current Decks
Morophon, the infinite Kavu Eowyn, human tribal Legolas, voltron control Tymna/Ravos cleric tribal Neheb, Chicago Bulls tribal Edric pauper
Retired Decks
Edgar Markov Kaalia, angel board wipes Ghen, prison Captain Sisay Nymris, draw go Sarulf, voltron control Niv-Mizzet, combo Winota Sidisi, Zombie Tribal
Morophon, the infinite Kavu Eowyn, human tribal Legolas, voltron control Tymna/Ravos cleric tribal Neheb, Chicago Bulls tribal Edric pauper
Retired Decks
Edgar Markov Kaalia, angel board wipes Ghen, prison Captain Sisay Nymris, draw go Sarulf, voltron control Niv-Mizzet, combo Winota Sidisi, Zombie Tribal
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 5001
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
Kaalia HQ
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/1-smile-fb.png)
Kaalia HQ
Looks decent for a draw-go control deck, but is going to stop most attempts at comboing. Almost certainly needs Arcane Laboratory, etc... alongside it to ensure everyone else is similarly restricted. Rule of Law tribal?
Sefris, Varina, Korvold Lands Ho!, Queen Marchesa, Aikido/Goad, Kadena, Tuvasa, Tymna & Tevesh Cleric Tribal, Ghired,
Prosper, Captain N'ghatrod, Sméagol, Frodo & Sam, Henzie, Sauron, the Dark Lord, Eowyn, Shieldmaiden, Galadriel of Lothlorien
Prosper, Captain N'ghatrod, Sméagol, Frodo & Sam, Henzie, Sauron, the Dark Lord, Eowyn, Shieldmaiden, Galadriel of Lothlorien
Moderation is an interesting draw engine. You can certainly draw a lot of cards off it, particularly if you have a lot of stuff to cast on opponents' turns... but the downside of being limited to a single spell per turn is otherwise pretty harsh. What's the point of drawing a bunch of cards if you can't actually play any of them? Seems alright if you can make it symmetric or have some other way to mitigate the downside, but otherwise I would have tempo concerns.
- PrimevalCommander
- Posts: 948
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
Never saw this card before. Looks interesting on paper. Probably too limiting on the restriction. Control players never want to limit the number of spells they can cast per turn, it gives other players easy openings to sneak in removal on you in response to draw spells.
Decklists
God-Eternal Oketra
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Karador, Ghost Chieftan
Kalamax, the Stormsire
Rocco WILD PAIR
Sefris of the Hidden Ways *Budget*(Page 4)
Zurzoth, Chaos RiderKalamax, the Stormsire
Rocco WILD PAIR
Sefris of the Hidden Ways *Budget*(Page 4)
God-Eternal Oketra
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Probably at its best in a deck that loads up on activated abilities and stuff to allow other angles of attack (e.g. Maze of Ith, Voidmage Prodigy etc)Mookie wrote: ↑10 months agoModeration is an interesting draw engine. You can certainly draw a lot of cards off it, particularly if you have a lot of stuff to cast on opponents' turns... but the downside of being limited to a single spell per turn is otherwise pretty harsh. What's the point of drawing a bunch of cards if you can't actually play any of them? Seems alright if you can make it symmetric or have some other way to mitigate the downside, but otherwise I would have tempo concerns.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 5001
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
Kaalia HQ
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/1-smile-fb.png)
Kaalia HQ
Of course this is super niche, but i did have Traxos, Scourge of Kroog smack stuff with Triangle of War so many times and it will never get old.
Opponents usually expect you to need a lot more mana for Spine of Ish Sah/Meteor Golem/... and the likes, while this is very efficient with a beefy commander. It's one of my favorite interactions in the deck aside from countering stuff with Not of This World or Warping Wail.
FWIW, it appears it has been errata'd to be a fight effect.
Anyway, Triangle of War looks niche, but solid. Black decks have access to Executioner's Capsule, while red and green decks have normal fight spells, so I would probably only consider it for blue or white decks... although I think they also usually have better removal options. There are a few cards that would make me consider running it (Salvaging Station and Glissa, the Traitor most obviously), but I think three mana for a fight effect is usually a bit too much.
However, this seems solid in colorless decks, which generally lack access to efficient removal but have lots of Eldrazi / other fatties. It's also interesting if you're running Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator or some other card interested in fighting in non-Gruul colors.
3drinks wrote: ↑10 months agoTuesday, August 1st, 2023; Triangle of War
Tell me to fight, without saying the word fight.
It's not even the first - IIRC that distinction belongs to Arena (of the Harper Prism "collection"). Fight mechanics were around for a long time before it ever got a key word.
Of note, I used to love using this (and Arena - which I actually got by clipping the stupid coupon from my book) to let my Sengir Vampire eat prey in 60-card casual back in college when Visions was new. Sadly it didn't make the cut in my Garza Zol, Plague Queen Bloodsucker deck which prefers effects that damage one-way (Dizzying Gaze, Blazing Sunsteel, Soul's Fire, Chandra's Ignition, etc.)
It was also great as a "coup de grâce" with Seraph to finish off and steal a blocker (back in the day). I would think there have to be some good W, U, WU damage/death triggers this could synergize with now. . .
V/R
Treamayne
Treamayne
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 5001
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023; Perish / Nature's Ruin
Given the prevalence and relative commonality of , you'd imagine more people play these. I know they've been very strong for myself, anyway.
Given the prevalence and relative commonality of , you'd imagine more people play these. I know they've been very strong for myself, anyway.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
Kaalia HQ
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/1-smile-fb.png)
Kaalia HQ
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TheAmericanSpirit Supreme Dumb Guy
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- Location: IGMCULSL Papal Palace
I think these and Virtue's Ruin, etc. are very good. Green and white are usually creature-oriented, and being able to wipe out an entire army and kill some multicolor commanders as a bonus can be totally devastating.
Granted, color hate is always a meta call, but in the right meta these kind of cards are very efficient at what they do.
Granted, color hate is always a meta call, but in the right meta these kind of cards are very efficient at what they do.
There's no biscuits and gravy in New Zealand.
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
My hunch of Perish is 'probably better than it looks'. In theory, a board wipe that hits only one color would only affect 20% of creatures, which is pretty mediocre. In practice, a large percentage of creatures that see play are green, plus there are numerous multicolor green commanders. I don't think I would play it without a good idea of what my meta looks like, but it does seem worth consideration, particularly if your meta is heavy on Craterhoof Behemoth decks.
...that said, I recently played a game in which I had Reap stuck in hand against a nonblack table, so I'm a bit dubious of color hate cards in general.
...that said, I recently played a game in which I had Reap stuck in hand against a nonblack table, so I'm a bit dubious of color hate cards in general.
- PrimevalCommander
- Posts: 948
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Cards relying on particular colors never made it into my decks. I like my removal to be consistent, so while 90% of games I play will probably include someone playing green, and would be a great asymmetrical removal piece. The 10% that there are no green decks at the table would leave me cursing this card and probably wishing it was something with a lower ceiling, but higher floor. Not sure those would ever get the nod over something like Black Sun's Zenith that can wipe a weenie army quite effectively whether it be a Zombie, Plant, Soldier, or Goblin army.
I never warmed up to Carpet of Flowers either, and I can agree that it is a good card. I just never wanted to put it in any decks.
I never warmed up to Carpet of Flowers either, and I can agree that it is a good card. I just never wanted to put it in any decks.
Decklists
God-Eternal Oketra
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Karador, Ghost Chieftan
Kalamax, the Stormsire
Rocco WILD PAIR
Sefris of the Hidden Ways *Budget*(Page 4)
Zurzoth, Chaos RiderKalamax, the Stormsire
Rocco WILD PAIR
Sefris of the Hidden Ways *Budget*(Page 4)
God-Eternal Oketra
Titania, Protector of Argoth
- BeneTleilax
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
These also tend to create "targets of convenience" where if, say, the blue player is ahead of the table, but someone in Gx has a decent board, the player who draws this tends to fire it off anyways for card advantage. So while they can be good, I find them irksome.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 5001
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
Kaalia HQ
I collect Kaalia of the Vast normal-size cards. Do you have any extra taking up space in your binder? Help me grow my collection!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/1-smile-fb.png)
Kaalia HQ
I almost don't play targeted destroy creature spells anymore. The number random blowouts from triggering death effects/revivify effects/indestructible/etc. is just too high.
I'll run Generous Gift since it's flexible, but I won't run Hero's Downfall very often. I'd just rather do something furthering my gameplan than play a card that is gonna get me got. I know that's silly, but man have I been burned by Fateful Absence so many frigging times that it got cut.
I don't really play mono black, but if I did I'd tend to play more -x/-x stuff I think. Toxic Deluge and Mutilate and Black Sun's Zenith stuff usually do the trick for me.
I'll run Generous Gift since it's flexible, but I won't run Hero's Downfall very often. I'd just rather do something furthering my gameplan than play a card that is gonna get me got. I know that's silly, but man have I been burned by Fateful Absence so many frigging times that it got cut.
I don't really play mono black, but if I did I'd tend to play more -x/-x stuff I think. Toxic Deluge and Mutilate and Black Sun's Zenith stuff usually do the trick for me.
Last edited by pokken 10 months ago, edited 1 time in total.