[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Samwise the Stouthearted

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Post by RedCheese » 1 year ago

I rather use Kenrith as a Mardu reanimator commander.

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Post by 3drinks » 1 year ago

Tuesday, January 24th, 2023; Jaya, Fiery Negotiator


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Post by Lifeless » 1 year ago

It's interesting, I don't think I hate planeswalkers but then I read one like this and my eyes gloss over half way through. Then I realize I tend to make excuses to not include them in my decks for various reasons so like I guess I do hate planeswalkers? I think it's my general disdain for incremental value.

At any rate Jaya seems fine. The conditions around her card advantage and creature removal are kind of off-putting though so I'm not sure she would make the cut.

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Post by Avacyn Believer » 1 year ago

Lifeless wrote:
1 year ago
It's interesting, I don't think I hate planeswalkers but then I read one like this and my eyes gloss over half way through. Then I realize I tend to make excuses to not include them in my decks for various reasons so like I guess I do hate planeswalkers? I think it's my general disdain for incremental value.
I know the feeling. I have a small binder full of planeswalkers and I rarely include any of them in my decks.
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Post by folding_music » 1 year ago

planeswalkers also puzzle the heck out of me. I guess my fave non-WAR planeswalkers are Vraska, Golgari Queen and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar, cos I can keep their abilities in my head all at once. seven lines of text with reasonably sized typeface! this Jaya would be on the lower end of interest, four abilities, presented fairly unreadably, including one with a lot of hoops to jump through. AND it activates my "complain about modern M:TG syntax" powers, which no-one needs

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Post by NZB2323 » 1 year ago

folding_music wrote:
1 year ago
planeswalkers also puzzle the heck out of me. I guess my fave non-WAR planeswalkers are Vraska, Golgari Queen and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar, cos I can keep their abilities in my head all at once. seven lines of text with reasonably sized typeface! this Jaya would be on the lower end of interest, four abilities, presented fairly unreadably, including one with a lot of hoops to jump through. AND it activates my "complain about modern M:TG syntax" powers, which no-one needs
Sorin Markov should be your favorite. He only has 4 lines of text.
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Post by DirkGently » 1 year ago

Personally, while I don't like planeswalker decks, I do like running individual planeswalkers. The minigame of trying to keep one alive to ult is fun imo, and incremental value is also fun. Big explosive wincons are easy mode. Having your wincon on-board for ten turns, and within your opponents' capacity to destroy...that's the chad way to win.

I also think planeswalkers have pretty high skill caps compared to other card types, depending on the context (i.e. in the context of not doubling season).

Limited is a different story, but bomb rares are gonna bomb rare. Just how it goes, planeswalker or not.

As far as Jaya, I like that her ult puts her into a non-planeswalker deck, since few superfriends decks are going to get much value from it, and while potentially very powerful it doesn't feel like an instant I-win button. Her +1 and -1 are both nice, use the +1 when you're out of mana doing other things, do the -1 when you're low on cards. The -2 is the odd-man-out - requires a fair amount of setup, can be blown out by removal, requires attacking rather than defending your planeswalker, and the payoff is not that exciting considering the work involved. Still, it's a fourth ability so I can't really complain.

Overall, I'd say sh'e's only niche playable, but I think her design is where I like to see planeswalkers for commander.

Absolute beating in limited, though, hoo boy.
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Post by PrimevalCommander » 1 year ago

4 abilities is good, but I think the real power is in having 2 options for adding loyalty, or one that cost 0. The other Chandra, who I can't find on the auto-fill is a good example. Though 4 abilities is tempting due to shear flexibility of options here. Token production, Removal, Card Advantage, all valuable abilities for red. Decent walker if you can keep it alive.

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Post by onering » 1 year ago

4 mana, starts at 4 loyalty, needs 8 to ult. Ok starting point.

+1, it's always nice when a pw can add loyalty while protecting itself. The token she makes is meh at protecting her (just a chump blocker), but otherwise pretty solid. These prowess monks can get big out of nowhere in the right decks, and jive well with her other abilities, but most of there power will be on offense.

-1, pretty solid CA. It's impulse draw but better, since you get to choose from two cards so your less likely to whiff (plus it's card selection). Only being -1 is nice because you can fire it off 3 times before having to plus her, or 4 times of you just let her die (assuming your able to protect her that long), or you can alternate her plus and this. Some synergy with her plus ability if you run a lot of noncreature spells, as you can spit out a couple monks then follow up with this letting you cast a noncreature off your library, but it's a small payoff.

-2, despite being removal, it sucks at protecting her most of the time since you need to send potential blockers on the attack to fuel it. Still, there's going to be times when you send a few creatures at someone so she can pop the flier that you wouldn't be able to block anyway, so there's some corner case defensive utility there. This ability is really for going on offense, letting you remove a blocker to help your dudes get through. Through that lens, it's fairly useful and can be a bargain at only -2 loyalty. And her monks help boost it.

-8, solid payoff that has synergy with the prowess monks. This really wraps up her whole package. She wants to go in aggressive decks that run q good amotof instants and sorceries, and she'll help build a prowess army, help keep the spells flowing, help your army get through by removing a blocker, and finally make your instants and sorceries hit a lot harder while they're boosting her monks.

Near design that packs a lot of value for a narrow sort of deck. Useful enough in a few other archetypes for her token making and impulse draw. B in terms of power, A in terms of flavor, B in terms of fun, about where PWs should be aimed.

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Post by 3drinks » 1 year ago

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023; Enduring Renewal|tsb


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Post by 3drinks » 1 year ago

PrimevalCommander wrote:
1 year ago
4 abilities is good, but I think the real power is in having 2 options for adding loyalty, or one that cost 0. The other Chandra, who I can't find on the auto-fill is a good example. Though 4 abilities is tempting due to shear flexibility of options here. Token production, Removal, Card Advantage, all valuable abilities for red. Decent walker if you can keep it alive.
chandra, torch of defiance.

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Post by Dunharrow » 1 year ago

I really like the card but refuse to play with anything done by this artist.
I am hoping to one day get an alt done. My idea is to put Gandalf the White when he reveals himself to Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli in Fangorn.
My only issue is that I also have a foil Darkness and I can't get someone who can do foil art. I really wanted Mordor's landscape with red lightning bolts in that reflective foil effect.
But everyone I have spoken to either cannot do it or doesn't have time to do alts anymore.
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Post by PrimevalCommander » 1 year ago

3drinks wrote:
1 year ago
PrimevalCommander wrote:
1 year ago
4 abilities is good, but I think the real power is in having 2 options for adding loyalty, or one that cost 0. The other Chandra, who I can't find on the auto-fill is a good example. Though 4 abilities is tempting due to shear flexibility of options here. Token production, Removal, Card Advantage, all valuable abilities for red. Decent walker if you can keep it alive.
chandra, torch of defiance.
Thanks. I have one of those, but couldn't remember the name. Like here for the two very relevant +1's and decent removal on the -2. Though the Impulse draw REALLY neeeded to be able to play lands off it. My only complaint. This Jaya comes close except being almost all minus abilities means gives a little less flexibility. Though it does help balance the amount of options she has.


Today's card... I've never used it. Something something combo, right?

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Post by Dunharrow » 1 year ago

PrimevalCommander wrote:
1 year ago
Today's card... I've never used it. Something something combo, right?
I am sure there are many combos (Deathrender comes to mind), but I think it is fine as a recursion piece for a deck like Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim or Ratadrabik of Urborg.
I guess Liesa, Forgotten Archangel is probably a more balanced version of this.
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Post by 3drinks » 1 year ago

Dunharrow wrote:
1 year ago
I really like the card but refuse to play with anything done by this artist.
I am hoping to one day get an alt done. My idea is to put Gandalf the White when he reveals himself to Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli in Fangorn.
My only issue is that I also have a foil Darkness and I can't get someone who can do foil art. I really wanted Mordor's landscape with red lightning bolts in that reflective foil effect.
But everyone I have spoken to either cannot do it or doesn't have time to do alts anymore.
I didn't even notice tbh.........just like, tape a sticky note over the picture if it's an issue? Sharpie over the copyright? I don't really pay attention. Awful people aren't connected to good cards, I won't let them influence deckbuilding. Just like I won't buy a more expensive Entomb, just because the new art on the cheaper one is drawn by a %$#%$#.

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Post by Jemolk » 1 year ago

My general feeling on artists who are bad people illustrating cards is that I'm not actually supporting them in any meaningful sense, and they had to work within the constraints of MTG art, so that severely limits their ability to incorporate their awful ideas into the art. I certainly don't want someone like Harold McNeill getting any more commissions from anyone, but I also don't think there's anything inherently wrong with playing cards that have art by him.

Other than that... Enduring Renewal seems like a cool card, but in practice it has such harsh restrictions on it that it's only useful to combo with. Real shame, if you ask me. Not a fan of combo in EDH, myself. In anything shy of cEDH, my experience is that it has this really annoying tendency to just come out of nowhere and win in a way that's completely disconnected from everything that came before, effectively invalidating the rest of the game. And I don't care for cEDH because I don't like the pressure.
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Post by Serenade » 1 year ago

Whoops, posted to wrong topic!
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Post by RedCheese » 1 year ago

Know nothing about the artist. For the card, is really weird and no idea about tis combos. Yeah thats it :\

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Post by Dunharrow » 1 year ago

@Jemolk and @3drinks The man is a neo-nazi. As a jewish person, I refuse to display his art anywhere. It's just personal preference. I don't think the art is bad in these cases. It's not Invoke Prejudice.
I just refuse to play a card that shows his art. It makes me sick.
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Post by 3drinks » 1 year ago

Yeah, invoke prejudice is all sorts of messed up. Like man. How is that even okay. The 90's were wild I guess?

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Post by Treamayne » 1 year ago

Jemolk wrote:
1 year ago
Other than that... Enduring Renewal seems like a cool card, but in practice it has such harsh restrictions on it that it's only useful to combo with. Real shame, if you ask me. Not a fan of combo in EDH, myself. In anything shy of cEDH, my experience is that it has this really annoying tendency to just come out of nowhere and win in a way that's completely disconnected from everything that came before, effectively invalidating the rest of the game. And I don't care for cEDH because I don't like the pressure.
I've had a few decks over the years use Enduring Renewal, and it does not have to be combo. In fact, I think it shines better with just good synergy - such as Mono also running Emeria, the Sky Ruin and other resurrection effects (as opposed to Flickering Karmic Guide combo). My favorite was a battlecruiser using Cream of the Crop with Lurking Predators/Call of the Wild to play the creatures from the library instead of Renewal sending hem to the bin.
Dunharrow wrote:
1 year ago
I just refuse to play a card that shows his art. It makes me sick.
I would love a reprint with RKF art. I know you mentioned problems getting the Foil Darkness alter, are you specifically waiting to be able to get them both at the same time? If a friend has the time and inclination to just do a LotR Enduring Renewal Alter, should I have him contact you?
Alternately, have you considered "covering" the art by turning this into one of those 3D Card projects. Maybe find a bin common with art you like and build up 5-7 layers, then put this over the top with the art missing.
Blammo-custom art.
3drinks wrote:
1 year ago
Yeah, invoke prejudice is all sorts of messed up. Like man. How is that even okay. The 90's were wild I guess?
To be fair, it wasn't just a sign of the times. The card was meant to reinforce that Prejudice was Bad. The art was accepted because the imagery was vaguely reminiscent of an obvious link to prejudice in the social consciousness. And these were the days when WotC was using things like Ali Baba and Frankenstein's Monster - because as a fledgling company they really needed recognizable tropes to draw players.

I'm not saying the card and art aren't bad. They are.
I'm just saying the reason for the design was not malicious. And since they had no such things as style guides or art direction back then, that may have been why they accepted the artwork that they did (with a healthy dose of "deadlines" and "no time to change it").
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Post by toctheyounger » 1 year ago

Yeah the guy is super problematic. Even a quick glance at his portfolio tells you he's a neo Nazi nut. I totally respect anyone who decides to avoid anything with his name attached.

As for the card itself I know it's a linchpin in making Ao, the Dawn Sky a genuinely competitive build. So that's something. It's kind of a neat build.
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Post by Dunharrow » 1 year ago

Treamayne wrote:
1 year ago
I've had a few decks over the years use Enduring Renewal, and it does not have to be combo. In fact, I think it shines better with just good synergy - such as Mono also running Emeria, the Sky Ruin and other resurrection effects (as opposed to Flickering Karmic Guide combo). My favorite was a battlecruiser using Cream of the Crop with Lurking Predators/Call of the Wild to play the creatures from the library instead of Renewal sending hem to the bin.
Dunharrow wrote:
1 year ago
I just refuse to play a card that shows his art. It makes me sick.
I would love a reprint with RKF art. I know you mentioned problems getting the Foil Darkness alter, are you specifically waiting to be able to get them both at the same time? If a friend has the time and inclination to just do a LotR Enduring Renewal Alter, should I have him contact you?
Alternately, have you considered "covering" the art by turning this into one of those 3D Card projects. Maybe find a bin common with art you like and build up 5-7 layers, then put this over the top with the art missing.
Blammo-custom art.
I want to get 3 cards done (the third is a copy of Fog by the same artist). The fog would be a throw in because I am already doing the other two. I could just as easily destroy it.
But Darkness and Enduring Renewal are cards I want to play if I can get them altered.
I Would like them both done. I found someone near me who can do the ER but not Darkness. I really want them both done.
At this time, I play so little magic I don't really care about waiting. I just want to find the right person.

Though I keep spamming Maro's blog asking if they can reprint Darkness and Enduring Renewal with new art. Maybe my LOTR-themed Darkness will show up in the LOTR set!

I was not familiar with the 3D card projects. I am going to say that this is more effort than I can commit to with kid #2 coming along.
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Post by Sinis » 1 year ago

3drinks wrote:
1 year ago
Yeah, invoke prejudice is all sorts of messed up. Like man. How is that even okay. The 90's were wild I guess?
They were. I remember in the 80s and 90s, people still pretty freely used racial/sexuality slurs, some of which I was on the receiving end of (even in Canada). I think we've made a lot of progress; no one has called me a slur offline in (it's gotta be) 15ish years.

The Artist makes me sad; I really like that style of art, and stuff like this and Nether Void and Wall of Opposition really appeal to me.

Functionally, I love Enduring Renewal but I think it's terrible by today's standards. It holds a place in my heart as part of the first infinite combo I learned about/played (Enduring Renewal, Ashnod's Altar, and Ornithopter/Brass Man). It like that it dovetails somewhat okay-ly with Cauldron of Eternity as a way to continue to 'draw' guys, though playing Cauldron with ER out is probably too tall an order.

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