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anyone with a brain was sure that M14 and Theros was going to be close to mono focused with how 3-6 color RTR was.

Original Ravnica block was followed by Time Spiral block, which didn't have any themes that were colour related. In fact, it had a set of allied-colour dual lands. I don't know why RTR would imply a mono colour focused set to follow.

I wanted a set that encouraged mono-colour, not just a "not gold" set, and it looks like it's leaning that way.

If they push mono-color too much, standard will become disjointed, with a lack of synergy between the two blocks. I think the reworked Chroma encourages mono-color as much as they can with this block. It's next block that I'd want more mono-color play to get pushed.

i dont think the next standard is going to be THAT mono focused. dont forget how well devotion synergizes with the hydrid mana cards from RTR block. if all the colors have playable cards with devotion then i think 2 color decks are going to be the most common. obviously there will be some really strong mono decks. i am really optimistic about the new standard season and i can see a lot more variety in decks and archetypes.

So, how do hybrid mana costs work with Devotion/Chroma? Does a Simic mana symbol count as both a blue mana symbol and a green mana symbol, or is it neither?

AdmiralMemo wrote:So, how do hybrid mana costs work with Devotion/Chroma? Does a Simic mana symbol count as both a blue mana symbol and a green mana symbol, or is it neither?

Devotion is essentially Chroma re-tweeked and with chroma hybrid cards counted for each color. so a Boros Reckoner, on top of being a bomb already, will count 3 devotion for white and 3 for red.

So there's a rumor that the lands in Theros are going to be the Nimbus Maze cycle. Thoughts?

Well that certainly would be some high profile fixing. Would combo well with the Shock Lands.

that would be seriously good fixing.

It's not really all that good. In my opinion, the M10 lands would be/are strictly better in the current environment. The M10 lands can produce either source of mana no matter what. They run the risk of coming into play tapped, yes. But with shocks, that's much harder to have happen.

Even if it does, you're still getting your colored mana. You're just going a bit slower. If the same thing happens with the Nimbus Maze cards, you'd only get colorless mana. Which means you'll unlikely be able to cast any spells.

The problem is that, unless you have both types, it basically serves as a basic land. Mind you, it'll serve as the basic land type you didn't have available, which is good. but it also means you're SOL if you need a double mana cost. And with things like Reckoner, Kalonian Hydra, Archangel of Thune, etc being used, that can lead to issues.

Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad. They're just a step down in my opinion from what we currently have.

I'd still LOVE to see them show up in the block, I think. I think that cycle would be a lot of fun to play.

I think they're interesting myself. I'm just not sure how -good- they'll be.

If it does turn out to be this style of land, I can certainly agree with them being less powerful than the M12/Innistrad lands, but I'm kind of happy about that as I'd like to see triple colour decks go down in power a bit so we can have the mono and dual colour decks make a bit of a comeback

thoughtseize reprint anyone ????

Yep, they sure are re-printing Thoughtsieze. That's going in the 'ol Monoblack.

Also, DAT BOW.

All my attacking creatures have deathtouch? Now just build a team of first/double strikers.

Hell, imagine that thing on the board against a Sliver deck with a Thorncaster Sliver on the board!

I honestly think the bow is only good. A lot of people are making it out to be this huge card that does so much. But... I don't think it does.

Deathtouch is the main attraction for me. And I've always felt that it's an ability that is only really good when it's on something that you're holding back with. When you attack, you're giving your opponent the choice on what lives and what dies. So yea, you're 1/1 will trade with a 9999999/99999999, but your opponent would more likely just let it through. I just don't see many situations where you'll come out that far ahead. FS and DS are the two clear best to combo with deathtouch in this case. You can't give it to a pinger, attack, and ping without giving said pinger Vigilance and likely losing it in the process. I personally think it works best with Frontline Medic. Swing in, making it so none of your creatures can be destroyed, and your opponent always loses their blockers unless they're indestructible or regen. But even that requires three creatures on the board.

The abilities aren't bad, especially since there's such variety. But I also think none of the abilities are worth the activation cost. The best is the damage to a flier. But that depends on your opponent having a flier with toughness two or less. The +1/+1 counter isn't bad... but I also don't think it's good. Two mana for one counter doesn't seem like a good use of resources. The lifegain is nice, but again, you're using a decent chunk of mana every turn to do it. And the four cards thing is... interesting. I'm not sure how much mill there's going to be, but I could see this ability becoming the most useful. If only because it allows you to return destroyed things to your deck for a chance to replay them.

The problem overall is, I just don't know when you'd want to use the abilities. Two mana isn't a lot. But You put this down on turn three. Turn four, you'd likely rather play a four-drop if you have one. Turn five, if you've got nothing in your hand, you could start playing lower cost stuff and activating it. But it seems like you'd rather keep to your curve. This seems like a card that'll only be useful if you're flooded out. And it's not going to do a lot for you at that point, since you can only dump two mana into it a turn.

It's a good card. And it's versatility makes it interesting. I just don't think it's as good as a lot of people seem to think it is. At least not in standard. That thing is going right into my Ghave EDH deck though.

Hooray, maybe I'll be able to afford some Thoughtseizes now.

Kapol wrote: FS and DS are the two clear best to combo with deathtouch in this case. You can't give it to a pinger, attack, and ping without giving said pinger Vigilance and likely losing it in the process.

in terms of pingers there is one it combos with. Bomber Corps. there are other uses for the card i can think of but time will tell if they are relevant.

2 more spoilers and these from an actual wizards dude. Reverent Hunter is only ok. a 3 mana bear that can also be really big drawn late game in mono green decks.
Gift of Immortality is really interesting. its like the creature has repeatable undying without the counter.
prob better in limited as the likes of scavenging ooze can exile the creature in response to the trigger.
could be a good sideboard option to bring in once you know what the opponent is running. it does combo really well with Voice and any sac outlet to keep churning out bigger and bigger tokens.

Lemegeton wrote:in terms of pingers there is one it combos with. Bomber Corps. there are other uses for the card i can think of but time will tell if they are relevant.

Right, but you're still likely going to lose the pinger. And swinging for battalion still requires 3+ creatures which you want to swing with. But yea, he's the best pinger to go with the ability.

I think there are uses for the card. I think it'll go good with Kalonia Hydra for one. I just disagree with the many people I've seen who act like this is going to be a huge card. I don't think it will be.

Kapol wrote:
I think there are uses for the card. I think it'll go good with Kalonia Hydra for one. I just disagree with the many people I've seen who act like this is going to be a huge card. I don't think it will be.

yeah i agree with you there. i was also thinking of the hydra and if Exava sees play after rotation, which it might in jund, it combos with her to give all subsequent dudes haste.

I'm still trying to figure out the connection between the star-bordered cards. Currently, it's Celestial Archon, Bident of Thassa, and Bow of Nylea.

They're not all Legendaries, nor are they all artifacts. They are all enchantments, but there are other enchantments without them.

My theory is that it's all Enchantment Xs, meaning Enchantment Creatures, Enchantment Artifacts, maybe Enchantment Lands...

If Thassa comes out with a star border, that semi-confirms my theory.

AdmiralMemo wrote:I'm still trying to figure out the connection between the star-bordered cards. Currently, it's Celestial Archon, Bident of Thassa, and Bow of Nylea.

They're not all Legendaries, nor are they all artifacts. They are all enchantments, but there are other enchantments without them.

My theory is that it's all Enchantment Xs, meaning Enchantment Creatures, Enchantment Artifacts, maybe Enchantment Lands...

If Thassa comes out with a star border, that semi-confirms my theory.

Mark Rosewater confirmed that the border is for enchantments that are also another card type.

the two artifact enchantments together present a sadistic choice "I attack with my dudes. You can either trade your dudes cuz they have deathtouch, or I get bunches of cards"

This whole "enchantment as well as X" thing is going to make my Sphere of Safety deck very happy

yeah sphere of safety is about to see a ton of play