First Impressions: Part of Tarkir Dragonstorm for Cube
First, some Odds//Ends:
I really missed the mark on Stock Up, eh? I’m pretty sure I’d rate that a 5 on the power scale now. It’s something I’ve learned is a hole in my evaluation - is when I think something isn’t “needed,” resulting in misses like that and the surveil lands.
When I wrote my post-mortem on Duskmourn for cube and the state of cube reviews article, I expected view count to be pretty low since my MKM one was one of my least-viewed posts. Not only is it the most-liked post here, but, the only posts that have more views are:
- and I did.
Which was really nice and unexpected. I’m unsure if I’ve got the juice to do another any time soon, but it’s nice that it was well-received.
I’m thinking of the term “vibes” to cover things covered by the “fun scale.” It covers the non-power things, but I’ll see how it plays out.
As of 3/24, here’s what’s been previewed from the sets and some quick thoughts/first impressions:
Clarion Dragon: I know I just talked about how I shouldn’t dismiss things because “I don’t know if I need yet another one of these…” but, I currently like what my other more immediate 3-mana white cards do more. Doesn’t do much if it dies but one hell of a hate bear against artifacts if needed.
Sunpearl Kirin: I’m pretty sure that the right play is to just run this out quickly instead of trying to be tricky with it. Unsure how often the token thing will matter but it’s nice that it lets you at least trade something junky for a card.
Descendent of Storms: Years ago, this kind of thing would be considered “cube card of the set” but that ain’t the case now. Pretty sure that this is better than Usher of the Fallen since it lets you make the creature bigger and I usually just saw Usher used in combat/as soon as the second main phase happened, but it does mess with combat tricks, but unsure how much that matters.
Elspeth, Storm Slayer: I’ve always been meh on token payoffs in a lot of cubes since it seemed like a bunch of spinning your wheels to dome someone with Purphoros instead of just winning with better cards. But I like that this has the payoff built in and can just end games and even has a bad ability to kill a creature if need be. Excited to try it.
Voice of Victory: I’m slightly less excited about this than many, but I do like how it attacks well into small boards and has a useful ability against EOT decks. I think this should be solid.
Spectral Denial: Slightly optimistic that it’ll get there from these kinds of effects having a fine floor. Unsure how often the discount get triggered in cube decks playing islands but the blowout potential is really nice.
Taigam, Master Opportunist: Back in the day, Ancestral Vision gave a payoff for going late and surviving since it’d let you draw 3 and likely win the game. Things are faster now and you don’t see many Ancestral Visions in cubes these days and it’s why I’m not that high on this card since there’s some great payoff with it if you’re able to chain together a couple of spells, but suspend 4 is just so long. Ugh. (I’ll still try it out and get disappointed though.)
Winternight Stories: Kinda a Compulsive Research but it may be where the Harmonize makes it worth it. “Flashing this back” for 2-3 mana seems absurd and may just be enough to get there. I wish that passive creatures like the Aetherdrift Hazoret were better to enable these in cube. :(
Unending Whisper: It’s a cantrip that flashes back. It ain’t cheap to flash back and it’s a sorcery but intrigued by it being a 2-for-1. I think 3 mana is about where I start to feel good harmonizing this back.
Will of the Abzan: Maybe this gets there as a Zombify that has some upside? Zombify is about the rate where it feels “fair” and being a bad edict is something for when you just need to survive, but that rate is rough. I dunno.
Scavenger Regent: It’s going to be difficult for me to realize that these are split cards, not adventures, since these only have the flexibility, but not the built-in card advantage of adventures. This is the one that, at least so far, I like the most since the wrath side is *fine* for the cost… I guess? Probably not.
Avenger of the Fallen: With this being the offensive yin to Preacher of the Schism’s yang, I’m thinking that having 2 creatures to mobilize is where this really gets good. I don’t think that’s realistic on turn 3, but maybe 5? A 2/4 deathtouch does attack super well, though.
Rot-Curse Rakshasa: I… have no idea what to think of this. Like a slow Ball Lightning that represents 5 damage? One thing that I didn’t think of is that it does make blocking really annoying for the opponent, since you can just turn a bunch of blockers into decayed things that can’t block. Doing so requires an attack, so it can’t just be a Falter unless you get it into the grave somehow. But I think it’s got potential.
Cori-Steel Cutter: The funny thing is, I never could find a good analog for Mabel, Heir of Cragflame’s equipment and this is about as close as it gets, minus vigilance. Holding back a spell should probably be enough for the the price of admission with a 2/2 trample haste with prowess, but those kinds of cards usually have played a lot worse than they look. Being a wonky equipment seems like a fine fail case though.
Channeled Dragonfire: This seems like it was playing Firebolt way too safe, since the Harmonize cost is so high and mostly is a Firebolt, but worse (sorcery, expensive flash back.) Getting it back for 2RR is *fine* if discounted by 3 mana but I’m not too excited for this.
Tersa Lightshatter: Laelia in the discount aisle but that’s fine, since the rummaging ability’s so good and could potentially be somewhat like an easier-to-enable Dreadhorde Arcanist. I’ll try it.
Magmatic Hellkite: I keep seeing these flying non-basic land hate cards and this is about as playable as it gets due to at least locking down a land for a turn, and having a large toughness. Still unsure if it gets there on power level but it’s certainly annoying.
Bloomvine Regent: Kinda meh on this as a standalone spell that just gets basic forests with a middling body but I feel like I’m going to be wrong on this.
Songcrafter Mage: Much harder to just run this out and play on the splash, but I’m imagining this getting back a Stock Up and being a pretty brutal tempo play, since the mage can harmonize the spell. Likely biased from it having flash, though.
Skirmish Rhino: A fine card, although it may just be too small when compared to other things tri-color or greedy decks are doing, since this isn’t a great reason to splash.
Glacierwood Siege: Mill’s annoying and people like Loam effects, so it’ll likely have some fans out there, and may just be good enough on the back of the mill side. I’ll let others try it out though.
Frostcliff Siege: This, on the other hand, I’m very excited for. The anthem mode giving haste and an actual power boost seems very good for the rate, and trample’s a nice little bonus too. The bad Coastal Piracy mode may get used a few times but I feel like it’ll be 10-20% of the time. Nice card though.
Rediscover the Way: I think of this like a Narset, Parter of Veils that trades card draw hosing and the ability to hang around as a walker for being an unconditional dig for 3 (as opposed to non-creature/non-land for 4, which may be a wash) + burst damage. I’m going to try it out.
Ugin, Eye of the Storms: Karn Liberated for the new age, and may just be good enough as an artifact payoff (although it doesn’t work with tokens.) I can see some midrange battles getting soloed by its plus.