the best standard fit I can see, as we were talking about in scumchat the other night, is in a UR delver build. The burn miracle spell would be pretty tech with ponder and delver.
I'm wondering how much design space they really need. They already have all the mechanics they need to make fun sets. The problem is that they're trying to force new mechanics in every set to improve sales, and the result is stuff like Miracle. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if people tried to build around the Miracle Time Walk, but I don't foresee that ever becoming tier 1.
I think they'd have a lot better success with fun, balanced sets, if they'd chose a theme, and use existing mechanics to build to it, rather than trying to invent new stuff every set.
One time, back in 'nam, Sudo was set upon by an entire squadron of charlies. He challenged them all to a game of Pictionary, which he won resoundingly. The charlies were forced to not only surrender the skirmish, but also their world-famous chili recipe, which Sudo sold to Texas for a hefty profit. Sudo is a master of diplomacy.
I don't disagree that control decks need a boost, though. Creature power creep has gotten really bad in recent sets, while traditional control power has been standing still, and the result is that aggro is just more playable. I haven't actually played since the last block, so my conception may be off, though. The real problem is, I don't see how you could bring control back to standard without really overpowering it again, and then you're just dealing with overall power creep.
If it were me, I'd go back to the Ravnica/TSP power level. That was a really good balance, but maybe a bit control/combo skewed.
One time, back in 'nam, Sudo was set upon by an entire squadron of charlies. He challenged them all to a game of Pictionary, which he won resoundingly. The charlies were forced to not only surrender the skirmish, but also their world-famous chili recipe, which Sudo sold to Texas for a hefty profit. Sudo is a master of diplomacy.
@Glork: Then no dice. There'll be about 2 relevant ones this season, I wouldn't bet on basic Islands making it into either of those decks. And neither would you. Affinity didn't bother to win its own PT, IN MIRRODIN BLOCK CONSTRUCTED.
Sure, but it also ran skullclamp. And skullclamp, my friend? It covers a glorious multitude of sins.
I'll wait for the rest of the miracle cards to be spoiled, but right now I'd almost be willing to skew Snapcaster to include them, and that's without seeing more than 3.
The major problem I have is that right now Delver is just so insane, and it's so hard to challenge. Although delver will almost certainly use the time walk one.
Miracles seems like fun in casual where you just do really weird stuff.
At least it's not Annihilator.
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In post 191, GreyICE wrote:Sure, but it also ran skullclamp. And skullclamp, my friend? It covers a glorious multitude of sins.
I'll wait for the rest of the miracle cards to be spoiled, but right now I'd almost be willing to skew Snapcaster to include them, and that's without seeing more than 3.
The major problem I have is that right now Delver is just so insane, and it's so hard to challenge. Although delver will almost certainly use the time walk one.
Skullclamp was in everything, though. Hell, TOOTH AND NAIL was playing skullclamp.
It was a worse format in my opinion than Alara shit with Jund, and that was in my opinion the least unfun format we have had (I am biased in that I like control, so when Caw blade dominated, I found that atleast more engaging then who gets luckier on cascade). So ya, I did not like Miroden-Kami standard. I personally loved Kami-Rav, but I only played like 2 months of it due to not finishing my deck until like July with the sets rotating in october.
The best times for magic is when all three parts of the triumvirate are viable. The problem with a lot of recent standards, is that the power creep has blown one part of the aggro-control-combo triangle out of proportion with the other two. Magic is always most fun when it's a game of outplanning your opponents in deckbuild, and outthinking and outplaying them over the table. When it's just "Play Jund or lose", or "Play Faeries or lose", it becomes less about who's got the most skill, and more about who's got the most money to spend for the top cards, and the luck to draw well in games.
One time, back in 'nam, Sudo was set upon by an entire squadron of charlies. He challenged them all to a game of Pictionary, which he won resoundingly. The charlies were forced to not only surrender the skirmish, but also their world-famous chili recipe, which Sudo sold to Texas for a hefty profit. Sudo is a master of diplomacy.
I don't think Miracle will amp up the luck factor that much. The game is already inundated with chance and luck, and it's about managing your probabilities best. It's just another possibility to manage along with what if my deck doesn't draw enough lands, what if I draw Card A and Card B together, what if I don't draw Card A and Card B together, what if I don't draw turn one Goblin Guide, what if I do.
Cascade was mostly a problem because Jund was overpowered, and overcentralization means you have to run the best deck, and you have to run hate for the best deck, so when both you and your opponent know to do that nothing is left but the coin flips. If cascade were part of a balanced format it'd be fine.
That said, if I were going to make a new mechanic, it wouldn't be Miracle (it might be soulbound though, I think that's cool).
I don't think Miracle decks will benefit from instant speed draw, it becomes worse with Miracle, not better. You have to have 4 mana up every time you cast Think Twice, or you risk drawing a totally dead card. In a Miracle deck, you want to have sufficient open mana every time you "draw a first card in a turn". I expect a sorcery speed deck to get the most out of Miracle, Faithless Looting + Noxious Revival seems promising, or just a ramp or control deck that is prepared to hardcast Miracle cards.
"Let us say that you are right and there are two worlds. How much, then, is this 'other world' worth to you? What do you have there that you do not have here? Money? Power? Something worth causing the prince so much pain for?'"
"Well, I..."
"What? Nothing? You would make the prince suffer over... nothing?"
Miracle cards are going to appear in at least the top 2 spots of major events.
Time Walk + Planeswalkers is so stupid-good that it'd be ridiculous not to do that. TIME WALK. As in Time Walk, of the Power 9. As long as you can cast it during your opponent's turns, it'll be too stupid-good not to do.
Time Walk is a powerful card.
Auto-mull to 6 is a terrible side-effect.
The very top players tend to go out of the way to minimize luck and increase consistency. Having cards that go from very strong to completely dead is in direct contrast with that.
(11:04:10 PM) senspizzaline: That's actually my bold prediction for the year
(11:04:19 PM) senspizzaline: Miami finishes 2nd in the AFCE.
(11:05:35 PM) jhawk01b: my bold prediction for the year is that whoever wins the NFC West will have a winning record
First, it's not a mull to 6. It's a dead card. Very many decks have very many of those. Kibler's WRR has 4 Slagstorms and a Whipflare. You think those aren't dead against UB Planeswalkers?
It pitches to Vess, Faithless Looting, and any more looter effects they print. And, at the end of the day, it cycles for 0. Yes, it requires 7 lands, but it lets you do doubletime on all your walkers, your little vampire generation factory, or just get another swing in.
Also it synergizes VERY nicely with looter effects in two different ways.
