 | Date Posted: 9/23/2010
Posted By: Josh Hendricks
Member Since: 8/7/2008
Number of Replies: 11
Last Post: 10/9/2010 |
| | Top 10 | First off, after a hard look at the set and the mechanics, interactions, and themes within, I’m really enjoying the flavor of Scars. The impact is going to be substantial and the Standard format, I believe, will continue to be varied. Analyzing the set to choose which cards will have the most impact is difficult because Standard will change so much in the next few months. With a total of four sets leaving the environment and the death of many proven decks (e.g. Jund, Mythic, Pyromancer’s Ascension to an extent, Conscription, and so on), the format is pretty wide open. The only decks hanging around will be Titan Ramp, Valakut Ramp, and (with modifications) RDW and U/W Control. So understand that this Top 10 was done in a virtual vacuum without knowing how Standard will look in the future. That being said, here is my Top 10 Scars cards that will impact Standard.
10) Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
This is the only infect creature to make my top 10 and for good reason. With the exception of Putrefax (see honorable mention), Skithiryx is the only “undercosted” creature with infect. He puts your opponent on a three-turn clock, has evasion in flying, can regenerate in a new Standard where it will matter, and has the option of attacking the turn he hits the battlefield. In addition to being an excellent finisher, the Blight Dragon is an amazing defender as well. Attacking into a 4/4 with wither and regenerate is always a losing proposition, with the exception of our favorite Angel. This might be the finisher Grixis has been looking for!
9) True Conviction
Yep, True Conviction. I know, I know, it’s a 6 mana enchantment that seems like a win more card and three of its casting cost is white. Don’t care. With Sovereigns of Lost Alara rotating out of Standard and out of reach for the Mythic player, True Conviction is primed to take its place. With the amount of mana acceleration still in the format in the form of BOP and Lotus Cobra, the mana cost means nothing. The upside of this enchantment; however, is utterly game breaking. You heard it here first…True Conviction is going to played at the highest level.
8) Mox Opal
Barring Legendary status Mox Opal would have been completely broken. The two things this Mox has going for it now is that it counts itself towards metalcraft and can be searched out with Trinket Mage. The impact on Standard will be less than the impact on other formats, but important nonetheless.
7) Venser, the Sojourner
It’s tempting to rate this planeswalker lower on the list as I think people are going to have difficulty fitting this guy into a 75 card list in the deck where it seems most appropriate: U/W Control. Five mana for a planeswalker is tough to justify for many deck builders and this guy, despite his power, may not see as much play as his hype (see Gideon). I have an easier time believing that this planeswalker will spawn a new kind of U/W build that can really capitalize on his abilities. It could be a U/W agro-ish deck that uses Venser as a way to push through the last bits of damage using his second ability, or it could be more of a U/W Tap Out deck that makes use of his first ability with cards like Frost Titan and other Planeswalkers. It remains to be seen exactly what function Venser will have in the new Standard, but I’m sure he will find a home.
6) Molten-Tail Masticore
If this was a top 10 “my favorite cards list” than this Masticore would be rated much higher. Nevertheless, the impact of a colorless, regenerating, Vengevine enabling, direct damage dealing beastie is going to impact Standard! Molten-Tail gives several decks exactly what they were looking for, a colorless source of damage. I can easily see this guy making the cut in a RDW, a Dredgevine build, and even many mid-range agro decks. Combined with Fauna Shaman you can be certain that the graveyard is filled with creatures to feed him.
5) Arc Trail
With the popularity of Forked Bolt, it’s not hard to see why a card like this will make a large impact on Standard. People will still be playing Birds and Cobras which is fine for Forked Bolt, but forked bolt can’t kill both a Cobra and a Fauna Shaman…Arc Trail can. Depending on the popularity of green, this card could see play in the mainboards of red decks.
4) Trinket Mage
Another pretty obvious choice as we already know the power of this creature. In addition to searching out silver bullets and utility cards like Mox Opal, Brittle Effigy, Chimeric Mass, Memnite, Basilisk Collar and more, Trinket Mage is also a fine Vengevine enabler. With the passing of Ranger of Eos and Bloodbraid Elf (the 2 most common ways to reanimate the 4/3 Plant), Trinket Mage will fill this role nicely.
3) Koth of the Hammer
I actually wanted to make Koth the number one most impactful card in Standard, but alas, his implications are somewhat narrow. Although one of the most powerful planeswalkers we’ve seen to date, his real home is probably regulated to mono red decks. Although, Koth could branch into two color decks that run red as a base color with an off-color splash. Every ability on the card is amazing. His first ability essentially makes him a 4 mana 4/4 with haste, which is critical against opposing planeswalkers. His second ability can ramp you to 10 mana on turn 5. His third ability is pretty much game over. There’s nothing else to say – this guy is tits.
2) Leonin Arbiter
This is a bit of a stretch as it’s difficult to say how the format is going to shape up, but I believe this guy is going to wreak havoc on the Standard meta. A turn 2 Leonin Arbiter could potentially lock your opponent out of the game if they kept a fetch land-heavy hand. Can single handedly cripple a ramp deck and be a serious stumbling block for cards like Stoneforge Mystic, Trinket Mage, Fauna Shaman and even Primeval Titan. The only ramp deck that really can ignore this guy is Valakut ramp as they generally run a full set of Lightning Bolts and sometimes Burst Lightning.
1) Wurmcoil Engine
I, for one, am glad this guy is the pre-release foil because otherwise he would be ungodly expensive ala Mythic planeswalkers. Wurmcoil Engine is basically a Titan that you can play in any deck. Unlike the Titans you don’t get an immediate effect, but the upside of the destroyed effect more than compensates. He generates card advantage, is aggressively costed and has two amazing abilities. Because he is 1) amazing and 2) colorless, I can’t imagine another card having more iompact on Standard.
Honorable Mentions
Elspeth Tirel
Almost made the list, but not quite. She is amazing, and will have an impact, but I just don’t see her being good enough to define the format. The hype is not real and the value will go down.
Riddlesmith
Easily the best of the “Smiths,” the blue artificer is an amazing card filter for artifact heavy decks and potentially a flagship card for some artifact combo or aggro deck.
Grasp of Darkness
I really like this card but in a Standard filled with Titans, Wurmcoil Engines and Angels I don’t see enough impact to really be a staple. Doom Blade may just be better.
Kuldotha Phoenix
Maybe my favorite card in the set, look for this guy to hit graveyards in decks that don’t even use red mana!
Etched Champion
Creatures with ability to gain protection from all colors are not to be overlooked. With an aggressive casting cost and the ability to be equipped for added value, look for this artifact creature to be a role-player in artifact aggro decks.
Mindslaver
Yeah, yeah, Prototype Portal. Without easy ways to recur this artifact I don’t see it being all that game breaking.
Nihil Spellbomb
With the rotation of Relic, Nihil Spellbomb is the obvious replacement. Vengevine is still real and players still need a way to clear graveyards.
Memoricide
Since Thought Hemorrhage is gone, Memoricide will be taking its place in sideboard everywhere. Only this time, you don’t need to splash red to play it. I would name Vengevine if I were you.
Necrotic Ooze
This guy is a potential flagship card for a rogue deck. I’m personally going to be rocking Gigantomancer with him!!!
Assault Strobe
I can see it now. Play Putrefax, swing, Assault Strobe, I win.
Galvanic Blast
I hate cards like this, but it will see play.
Tunnel Ignus
Again, with ramp decks losing next to nothing and a plethora of fetch lands out there, RDW may have a place in its sideboard for this guy.
Putrefax
This will be the cornerstone of any winning Poison deck that runs green.
Viridian Revival
Another excellent sideboard card against any artifact-heavy deck.
Indominable Archangel
I can honestly see some kind of mono-white metalcraft deck that includes this angel.
Memnite
A zero casting cost 1/1 is going to see play.
Volition Reins
Honorable mention because this is the first time in Standard that mages have a way of stealing other people’s planeswalkers.
"I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." Barack Obama |
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 | Date Posted: 9/27/2010
Posted By: Zack Strait
Member Since: 4/9/2008
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| I disagree.
"The shit look like ya hand when you be doin a shadow puppet for a duck n shit nahmean. Shit be lookin like it jus caught a pop fly in center field n whatever whatever nahmean." re: Ghostface Killa on lil' kim's vagina. |
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 | Date Posted: 9/27/2010
Posted By: Martin Stanley
Member Since: 2/29/2008
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| Disagree with which part? All of it? I agree on most of the list but I don't know about the True Conviction card.
Terry Hoitz: I'm like a peacock, you gotta let me fly! |
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| Date Posted: 9/27/2010
Posted By: Zack Strait
Member Since: 4/9/2008
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| I feel the arbiter, venser and true conviction are wrong. Myrsmith should be there as it an amazing metalcraft/weenie enabler. I also think that Argentum armor isn't to be ignored with Quest for the Holy Relic.
"The shit look like ya hand when you be doin a shadow puppet for a duck n shit nahmean. Shit be lookin like it jus caught a pop fly in center field n whatever whatever nahmean." re: Ghostface Killa on lil' kim's vagina. |
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| I already feel I would make a few alterations to my top 10. I would rate Leonin Arbiter lower, and maybe drop Skithiryx to add Necrotic Ooze. Myrsmith can be added to the honorable mention. I'm sticking by True Conviction.
"I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." Barack Obama |
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| Date Posted: 9/27/2010
Posted By: Martin Stanley
Member Since: 2/29/2008
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| Several people online have been talking about Necrotic Ooze being a underrated card that may make some Standard deck or two.
Terry Hoitz: I'm like a peacock, you gotta let me fly! |
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| Date Posted: 9/27/2010
Posted By: Zack Strait
Member Since: 4/9/2008
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| Go look at what LSV thinks of True Conviction :)
"The shit look like ya hand when you be doin a shadow puppet for a duck n shit nahmean. Shit be lookin like it jus caught a pop fly in center field n whatever whatever nahmean." re: Ghostface Killa on lil' kim's vagina. |
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| Date Posted: 9/29/2010
Posted By: The Mike Dale
Member Since: 5/31/2009
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| Wow, I wonder what the poor color black did to piss off wizards?! I mean, really, is there a single good black card in scars? The blight dragon is ok, but you are never going to play him as a 5 drop unless you are desperate. Memoricide is ok, but kind of narrow without a strong combo deck in standard, so I dont see it getting much play. Grasp of darkness is good for limited, but is it really better than doomblade or smother? Probably not. Skinrender is decent, but so was nekratal, and I dont remember nekratal seeing much play as a reprint. I think that I need to mug wizards to make them print good black cards agian.
" We are 5 days away from fundamentaly transforming the united states of america " - Barrack Obama |
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| Date Posted: 9/29/2010
Posted By: The Mike Dale
Member Since: 5/31/2009
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| And I kind of agree with you, josh, about true conviction. I think that conviction gives you an amazing reward for playing it. The only problem that I see with it is that if you put conviction into a deck, you are probably playing white weenie or green/white beats. Either way, six mana is a long time to wait for this card. If you are playing vs. control, you are going to just get wrathed away before you play the conviction. I would hate to have this vs. aggro and wait all day to play it ( because how many times when you are running an aggro deck do you hit all of your first 6 landdrops? ) just for my opponent to naturalize it end turn and proceed to bash my face. However, if conviction does stick, you will not lose vs aggro.
" We are 5 days away from fundamentaly transforming the united states of america " - Barrack Obama |
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| Date Posted: 9/29/2010
Posted By: The Mike Dale
Member Since: 5/31/2009
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| And lastly, I am suprised that you didnt mention grand architect in your top 10 or honorable mentions. I think that card is going to be amazing. Nothing like playing a 3rd turn wormcoil engine, mindslaver, or steel hellkite! All is possible with this guy. Or you could go with a standard merfolk deck, as this guy makes an excellent lord. The uses that the archetect will have are endless and I guarentee that there will be an architect deck in standard that is amazing.
" We are 5 days away from fundamentaly transforming the united states of america " - Barrack Obama |
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| Date Posted: 9/29/2010
Posted By: Zack Strait
Member Since: 4/9/2008
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| You need a 1 and 2 drop creature, + the architect and a 6 drop artifact. They need one mana leak + a board sweeper and then you lose. Grand architect is good, but he isn't really good enough to star in his own deck, at least in standard. I'll go ahead and counter guarantee that an architect deck will never be one of the top decks in standard.
"The shit look like ya hand when you be doin a shadow puppet for a duck n shit nahmean. Shit be lookin like it jus caught a pop fly in center field n whatever whatever nahmean." re: Ghostface Killa on lil' kim's vagina. |
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| Date Posted: 10/9/2010
Posted By: The Mike Dale
Member Since: 5/31/2009
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| You are right about the architect needing GOOD help in the 1 and 2 drop slots. Coralhelm commander is about the only blue 1 or 2 drop that I actually would want to put into a deck. Right now, I probably have to give it to you as far as architect goes, but I think that he ( architect ) can only get better the further along that this block gets. Right now he probably doesnt have the tools to be tier 1, but never count out a creature that can create boatloads of mana for free. And his 3 toughness isnt irreleveant right now either. Puts him 1 above pyroclasum.
" We are 5 days away from fundamentaly transforming the united states of america " - Barrack Obama |
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