[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Xander's Pact
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TheGildedGoose HONK HONK
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Arena damn near wrecked me, too.
- hyalopterouslemur
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Thanks to Feyd_Ruin for the avatar!
- PrimevalCommander
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I picked up one of these in case I built mono-white to pair with the big colorless planeswalkers. But now I'm building mono-white and have little desire to play the big over costed walkers. So it is sitting in the binder. I just tore down mono-red artifacts which housed my Ugin and Karn, so now that they are free they may go in cube and this can slide in as well. If white had some better utility walkers like green and black this would see a bit more play I expect. Having this in a Nicol Bolas tribal deck would be extremely useful. I would use it to tutor Liliana, Dreadhorde General , but I can't think of any white planeswalkers that interest me beyond perhaps Elspeth, Sun's Champion [/card] or maybe one of the Teferi's.
I bought this strictly because every planeswalker that gets printed makes this card more powerful. Same as Academy Rector, Imperial Recruiter, Recruiter of the Guard, and darn near every other narrow tutor that is worth playing.
I bought this strictly because every planeswalker that gets printed makes this card more powerful. Same as Academy Rector, Imperial Recruiter, Recruiter of the Guard, and darn near every other narrow tutor that is worth playing.
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
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TheAmericanSpirit Supreme Dumb Guy
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Planeswalkers ain't my bag, really.
There's no biscuits and gravy in New Zealand.
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
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- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
This is why it isn't available to Grixis, ironically enough.PrimevalCommander wrote: ↑1 year agoI picked up one of these in case I built mono-white to pair with the big colorless planeswalkers. But now I'm building mono-white and have little desire to play the big over costed walkers. So it is sitting in the binder. I just tore down mono-red artifacts which housed my Ugin and Karn, so now that they are free they may go in cube and this can slide in as well. If white had some better utility walkers like green and black this would see a bit more play I expect. Having this in a Nicol Bolas tribal deck would be extremely useful.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
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- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
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TheAmericanSpirit Supreme Dumb Guy
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The juice is not worth the squeeze here. I think Vedalken Orrery is better and I don't even think that card is all that good anymore.
There's no biscuits and gravy in New Zealand.
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
I'm a fan of Quicksilver Amulet, but I don't think Thran Temporal Gateway is doing much that Amulet isn't doing. You get the ability to cheat out artifacts, sagas, and legendary enchantments / planeswalkers / lands, but you lose the ability to cheat out nonlegendary creatures. Cheating out lands and planeswalkers at instant speed is sort of pointless, and there aren't many legendary enchantments, so the main draw is cheating out big noncreature artifacts, IMO. At that point in time, you run into the issue of most decks not having that many expensive artifacts... and paying for just one usually isn't going to be worth it.
...anyway, not a card I would throw in most decks, but I could see it in a deck like Muzzio, Visionary Architect that specifically cares about expensive artifacts. Maybe Sisay, Weatherlight Captain or another deck with a really high density of legendary cards? I'll call out that Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain, Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle, and Traxos, Scourge of Kroog specifically care about casting historic cards, so they're a bit of a non-bo with Thran Temporal Gateway.
...anyway, not a card I would throw in most decks, but I could see it in a deck like Muzzio, Visionary Architect that specifically cares about expensive artifacts. Maybe Sisay, Weatherlight Captain or another deck with a really high density of legendary cards? I'll call out that Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain, Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle, and Traxos, Scourge of Kroog specifically care about casting historic cards, so they're a bit of a non-bo with Thran Temporal Gateway.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
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3drinks™ Hot Take: Orrery has never been good. It's merely over-utilized by Command Zone to appear good and make their sheep fanbase buy more copies of it.TheAmericanSpirit wrote: ↑1 year agoThe juice is not worth the squeeze here. I think Vedalken Orrery is better and I don't even think that card is all that good anymore.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
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materpillar the caterpillar
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I disagree with this take. Vedalken Orrery is solid in extremely wrath heavy battlecruiser meta games where you can slap big dumb stuff EOT and avoid removal. Having the option to advance your board if needed or use removal on a super threat is game winning.3drinks wrote: ↑1 year ago3drinks™ Hot Take: Orrery has never been good. It's merely over-utilized by Command Zone to appear good and make their sheep fanbase buy more copies of it.TheAmericanSpirit wrote: ↑1 year agoThe juice is not worth the squeeze here. I think Vedalken Orrery is better and I don't even think that card is all that good anymore.
That being said extremely wrath heavy top end bomb slog fest is aggressively opposed to 3drinks™ "someone hit 5 mana time for Armageddon deck choices"
- hyalopterouslemur
- Posts: 3218
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Orrery has a few Stax uses, mostly breaking the symmetry of Rule of Law.
This? Not so useful. It still breaks the symmetry of Rule of Law and synergizes with Seedborn Muse, but mostly I might see this in an artifact deck. Which is pretty much how most of use use "historic matters" cards anyway.
This? Not so useful. It still breaks the symmetry of Rule of Law and synergizes with Seedborn Muse, but mostly I might see this in an artifact deck. Which is pretty much how most of use use "historic matters" cards anyway.
Thanks to Feyd_Ruin for the avatar!
My opinion of Vedalken Orrery is the same as my opinion of Reliquary Tower and Hedron Archive - they're not amazing cards, and I don't think you should put them in every deck... but there are definitely decks out there that want them. I don't think that any cards should be automatically thrown into a deck "because it's a good card" (hence why I don't put Swords to Plowshares / Sol Ring / Cyclonic Rift in every deck that can play them)... but neither should you ignore something entirely "because it's a bad card". Keep an open mind and do some analysis.
...looping back to Thran Temporal Gateway, I did look at my artifact-heavy decks when it was printed (Sharuum the Hegemon and Thada Adel, Acquisitor), and concluded that it didn't make sense for those decks - I'm not running a lot of 6+ mana artifacts, so it doesn't provide a meaningful discount, and any ramp it provides is better accomplished by running a mana rock like Hedron Archive. Additionally, I'll call out that one of the main strengths of Quicksilver Amulet and other ways to flash out creatures is to dodge sorcery-speed board wipes, but sorcery-speed artifact board wipes aren't nearly as common... and given that they would also kill Thran Temporal Gateway (and thus prevent you from flashing anything out), it doesn't even accomplish the goal of dodging board wipes in the first place.
...looping back to Thran Temporal Gateway, I did look at my artifact-heavy decks when it was printed (Sharuum the Hegemon and Thada Adel, Acquisitor), and concluded that it didn't make sense for those decks - I'm not running a lot of 6+ mana artifacts, so it doesn't provide a meaningful discount, and any ramp it provides is better accomplished by running a mana rock like Hedron Archive. Additionally, I'll call out that one of the main strengths of Quicksilver Amulet and other ways to flash out creatures is to dodge sorcery-speed board wipes, but sorcery-speed artifact board wipes aren't nearly as common... and given that they would also kill Thran Temporal Gateway (and thus prevent you from flashing anything out), it doesn't even accomplish the goal of dodging board wipes in the first place.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
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Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
- OneAndOnly
- Posts: 2356
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It's Land Tax: The Spell! Even better, it's an instant, so you can play it at your opponent's EOT, net two Plains ... and then discard them both to Land's Edge for ze massive damage.
Tithe is my favourite. Instant lets you do it on end steps, manipulate the outcomes with your own fetchland activation on the stack, and on the worst day of it's life, you could still replace a plains in your deck with it.
Sad that it's reserved list and expensive, though. I have one copy, and that's all I'll have for the foreseeable future.
Sad that it's reserved list and expensive, though. I have one copy, and that's all I'll have for the foreseeable future.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
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You can also grab white duals.....
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
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TheAmericanSpirit Supreme Dumb Guy
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I've always thought this was overrated, but I haven't owned one since 2012 either.
The art is nice though, like most of mirage block.
The art is nice though, like most of mirage block.
There's no biscuits and gravy in New Zealand.
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
(Except when DirkGently makes them!)
- hyalopterouslemur
- Posts: 3218
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It's okay. Land tax as an instant, not as much synergy with things like Scroll Rack but sometimes you just want lands. The plus side is that it grabs any plains. Obvious synergy with Idyllic Grange is obvious, but I also like the cycling lands (which do work like a bad Scroll Rack here) and Mistveil Plains (if you have some tutors to work with). Shocks and OG duals are options of course, as are "two or more basics".TheAmericanSpirit wrote: ↑1 year agoI've always thought this was overrated, but I haven't owned one since 2012 either.
The art is nice though, like most of mirage block.
Thanks to Feyd_Ruin for the avatar!
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DirkGently My wins are unconditional
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Sunforgers favourite way to recur spells (via Mistveil Plains )
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan
Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan
Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
I won't ever completely disregard cheap card advantage - two cards for a single mana makes Tithe pretty solid, even if they are lands. Tithe has also gone up in value over time as we've gotten more nonbasic plains - grabbing a triome or cycling land can turn it into more traditional card advantage, and while Idyllic Grange isn't really playable, I would be excited to fetch something on the power level of its sibling Mystic Sanctuary. WoTC has been ramping up the frequency of nonbasics with basic land types recently, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some more good fetchables in the future.
...more broadly, it competes with the similar (and arguably more powerful) Land Tax. It also suffers a bit from the fact that it puts the lands into hand, and not into play. Still good (particularly if you're going to be missing a land drop anyway), but I'm not entirely convinced I would want it over Archaeomancer's Map or another ramp effect. Depends on the deck, I suppose. Also, being an instant means you can cast it in response to temporarily going down a land with a fetchland, which is nice.
Also: obligatory Sunforger + Mistveil Plains callout (although it does feel glacially slow these days). Also, obligatory 'reserved list boo hiss'.
...more broadly, it competes with the similar (and arguably more powerful) Land Tax. It also suffers a bit from the fact that it puts the lands into hand, and not into play. Still good (particularly if you're going to be missing a land drop anyway), but I'm not entirely convinced I would want it over Archaeomancer's Map or another ramp effect. Depends on the deck, I suppose. Also, being an instant means you can cast it in response to temporarily going down a land with a fetchland, which is nice.
Also: obligatory Sunforger + Mistveil Plains callout (although it does feel glacially slow these days). Also, obligatory 'reserved list boo hiss'.
- capitacommunist
- Posts: 89
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: Unlisted
In my area I barely see it played (partially due to not knowing about it), and I think people in general underestimate it. I think it has a place in almost every white deck, whether mono or with other colors; fetching duals and non basics makes it much more widely applicable than Land Tax.
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3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 4865
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
-
3drinks Kaalia's Personal Liaison
- Posts: 4865
- Joined: 4 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: Ruined City of Drannith, Ikoria
Unrelated, but just the user I was looking for. I've been looking for this midrange Kaalia you put together for Duel-Commander, and I just cannot find it anywhere. I'd like to reference it in this primer rewrite. Can you provide the link for me?capitacommunist wrote: ↑1 year agoIn my area I barely see it played (partially due to not knowing about it), and I think people in general underestimate it. I think it has a place in almost every white deck, whether mono or with other colors; fetching duals and non basics makes it much more widely applicable than Land Tax.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Modern
87guide Burn
87guide Burn
Commander
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ
Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon (local secret santa gift)
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell (Red Deck Wins)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (Slivers)
Kaalia HQ