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Title: Born of the Gods
Date Posted: Mon Jan/13/14 at 12:04pm

dracojai6C4mtg
Posts: 22
Joined: 17-Dec-13

So anyone else interested in the newest set? I heard it releases on feb. 2...
Date Posted: Mon Jan/13/14 at 3:36pm

Chewy
Posts: 841
Joined: 18-Jan-13

Yes. The prerelease dates are the 1st and 2nd. And at this point, I think blue green is a really good way to go. It seems like it'll be a really nice set. What do you think?

[Edited by Chewy on 13/Jan/14 at 3:37PM]
Date Posted: Mon Jan/13/14 at 3:40pm

The following users like this post:
Chewy

gericault5
Posts: 2788
Joined: 13-Oct-09

i have always been a fan of myths so to have a block inspired by it gets me all giddy

as for the set i am really looking forward to tribute. i love punisher effects, so to have it as a mechanic adds a warm fuzziness to my giddiness
Date Posted: Mon Jan/13/14 at 8:27pm

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Chewy

Pal-of-Lim-Dul
Posts: 1148
Joined: 24-May-10

I'm kinda digging the dual devotion thing on the multicolored gods...
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 1:35am

Kefka
Posts: 535
Joined: 30-Oct-12

I appreciate that M:TG is an evolving game, but enough is enough. Seriously. Now planeswalkers can summon gods? Doesn't that seem a little backwards to any of you? A god being bent to the will of an otherwise "mortal" creature? I get it. Planeswalkers are immortalish, but having the power to subdue a god? Not hardly. Not a fan of the idea at all. Skipping this set.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 9:02am

Pal-of-Lim-Dul
Posts: 1148
Joined: 24-May-10

Mortals summoning gods happens all the time in the world of fantasy...
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 11:06am

Kefka
Posts: 535
Joined: 30-Oct-12

Summoning is vastly different that controlling. Planeswalkers control without question the things they summon. I don't give any sort of credit to any planeswalker being able to control with any effect divine energy, with the exception MAYBE Jace's way. If Nico Bolas was genuinely scared of Jace, there is reasoning behind it.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 11:51am

dracojai6C4mtg
Posts: 22
Joined: 17-Dec-13

I obviously don't know the story behind most of magic then.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 11:52am

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Does anyone else have a problem with Kiora's Follower and Illusionist's Bracers being standard? That's turn 4 infinite mana at its very least. Couldn't it have waited?
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 1:57pm

Kefka
Posts: 535
Joined: 30-Oct-12

There is a deep story behind M:TG. Rather, there used to be. The story really started with Urza and Mishra and the Brother's War. Urza was a chronomancer. He caused the temporal rift that created the Time Spiral block. Both of them were masterful artificers, Mishra more so than Urza. Urza focused on his magic more than creating artifacts. Urza did eventually win the war though. The next real installment to the story was Ice Age with Lim-Dul and Leshrac. Leshrac was a terrifyingly powerful necromancer. After that came Mirage and Gerrard. Then came the more famous planeswalkers. With the first real playable planeswalkers came in the Shadowmoore set. From there, the story really develops. Nico Bolas is the single oldest planeswalker, his first introduction coming from 1994 in the Legends set, where he was a 7/7 Elder Dragon Legend that would force your opponent to discard their hand when he hit. Just too bad the other Elder Dragons didn't see planeswalker status. Always wondered what Chromium would be like or Arcades Sabat.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 4:42pm

GoodGuyTyler
Posts: 202
Joined: 14-Mar-12

I agree, flavoue-wise it is kind of weird that they can summon the gods of a plane and make them beat up people they don't like; but gameplay wise I'm glad as hell that me and my good friend Emrakul can mash face together. It always kind of bothered me in the Kamigawa block that they didn't have a creature card for O-Kagachi, but otherwise they've always let players have the "god" cards of each plane (Eldrazi, Progenitus, etc.) it's just that they've never explicitly used the creature type of "god" before. But it doesn't really bother me at all. It's just a game, and I barely follow the storylines anyways since you have to read the novels to get the full picture. Plus this set looks too sick to pass up for me.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 4:49pm

Narcinek War-Rider
Posts: 1283
Joined: 16-Jun-11

A boardwipe that Scries. That's just awesome.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/14/14 at 9:27pm

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

I feel like flavorwise the Gods are just like Planeswalkers, especially since they work around devotion. If they have enough devotion (loyalty counters anyone?) they will fight for your side. If it gets too much sass, it tells the player to bugger off.
Date Posted: Wed Jan/15/14 at 9:42am

GoodGuyTyler
Posts: 202
Joined: 14-Mar-12

Oh, also Kiora's follower says "another" permanent, so it can't utap itself lol. So no standard infinite mana combo as of yet thankfully.
Date Posted: Wed Jan/15/14 at 9:52am

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Oh thank goodness. I thought they got on the same ridiculousness that they were on when they made Tempest and Urza Block. And Progenitus.
Date Posted: Thu Jan/16/14 at 2:28pm

Chewy
Posts: 841
Joined: 18-Jan-13

If you get two out it is lol. And really liking the devotion counterspell
Date Posted: Fri Jan/17/14 at 9:37am

terakhan
Posts: 636
Joined: 24-Mar-13

I am not impressed with the dual color gods at all. Bigger bodies, needing more devotion, with lackluster abilities stapled on.

The inspired creatures however are looking fun. I am going to take a second look at the preview and see if there is a blue one that will fit my Sandy Beach deck.
Date Posted: Fri Jan/17/14 at 10:48am

Chewy
Posts: 841
Joined: 18-Jan-13

For the most part, I'm in agreement. However, Xenagos seems like it can be easily broken with cards like craterhoof behemoth and the card that is 8 green mana to cast it and costs one less for each creature you control. I think they'll spoil dimir colors next, on a different note. What do you all think?
Date Posted: Fri Jan/17/14 at 12:11pm

dracojai6C4mtg
Posts: 22
Joined: 17-Dec-13

The new gods mostly suck. The green white seems best though. Really expensive to use, really crappy abilities, over all, eh.
Date Posted: Fri Jan/17/14 at 9:43pm

gericault5
Posts: 2788
Joined: 13-Oct-09

Frankly I like what they did with these gods as its right on flavor with the myths they were inspired by.
The 5 theros gods were the equilavent of the Greek Big 3-zeus, hades, posiden. while these new gods are the lesser gods-they shouldn't be as good as the 1st group, but at the same time they are closer to the common people making the devotion to them more reasonable.
Yes they cost more devotion but with the multiple colors devotion is a lot easier to reach. Take for instance the UW god Ephara
t1-soldier of the pantheon (1 devotion)
t2-battlewise hoplite (2 more dev)
t3-ephara's enlightment (2 more dev)
t4-ephara (2 more dev for 7 total)

with Ravinca's hybrid cards its even easier to reach, take nightveil specter it adds 6 devotion for the dimir god by itself

as for the gods themselves-mogis has a place reserved in my standard deck
Date Posted: Sat Jan/18/14 at 12:23am

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

For Horde I'm looking at Archetype of Courage.

For Reanimator I'm obviously looking at Arbiter of the Ideal, but also looking at Archetype of Endurance and Tromokratis. While it's no Stormtide Leviathan, I'm wondering if it is better or worse than Tidal Kraken (unblockable 6/6).
Also, lets say we have two players with the same Archetype of _____ in the graveyard and Exhume is played. The creatures come in simultaneously. Which creatures (if any) would have the ability and which would be nullified? I'm thinking all would be nullified, right?
Date Posted: Sat Jan/18/14 at 12:30am

terakhan
Posts: 636
Joined: 24-Mar-13

The rule of thumb is that can't trumps can. If something prevents something from happening, nothing can make it happen. So with two of those creatures opposing, they shut each others beneficial ability down.

As another thought, my Sands of Time / Strionic Resonator combo, I think, is the definitive way to break the inspired creatures. Infinite untaps and taps on your upkeep pretty much means infinite mana as well, so the costs to the triggers are paid for as well as meeting the untapping requirement.

[Edited by terakhan on 18/Jan/14 at 9:28AM]
Date Posted: Sat Jan/18/14 at 9:38am

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Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Yea, I really have to say I'm not quite sure what they were thinking with Arbiter of the Ideal. It kinda beats out (out of the 53 cards spoiled so far) all the mythics we've seen for the set.
Oh Sands of Time, how cruel a card you are.
Date Posted: Sat Jan/18/14 at 1:09pm

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

@gericault "with Ravinca's hybrid cards its even easier to reach, take nightveil specter it adds 6 devotion for the dimir god by itself"

Unfortunately, it does not. It will only add three. Quoted from Melissa DeTora - "One thing to remember about Gods is that each hybrid mana symbol - such as the mana symbols in Judge's Familiar and Boros Reckoner - only counts as one towards your devotion. That means Judge's Familiar does not add two devotion for your Ephara, God of the Polis, and Boros Reckoner won't add six towards a RW God."
Date Posted: Sat Jan/18/14 at 8:46pm

gericault5
Posts: 2788
Joined: 13-Oct-09

@scotty-I found Wizards article which supports what you said. I stand correct Nightveil will only give 3 devotion

[Edited by gericault5 on 18/Jan/14 at 9:28PM]
Date Posted: Tue Jan/21/14 at 12:03pm

dracojai6C4mtg
Posts: 22
Joined: 17-Dec-13

I just looked at the previuos comments and the gods again. They are ok, besides the blue/black god, who is overpowered if you can make a bunch of creatures.
Date Posted: Tue Jan/21/14 at 3:53pm

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Phenax with Tree of Redemption... or Serra Avatar.

Would work great in a Szazdek Commander deck.

[Edited by Boyachi on 21/Jan/14 at 3:53PM]
Date Posted: Wed Jan/22/14 at 4:40pm

GoodGuyTyler
Posts: 202
Joined: 14-Mar-12

I don't mind the new gods. People complain that Karametra is too slow at 5CMC, but I think we're just spoiled lol. To me, she's like a toned-down Primeval Titan. Her ability will happen around turn 6, and she can fetch non-basic forests and plains. Same with Xenagos. To me, he's like Sarkhan Vol's first ability on steroids. You can even use his ability the turn he comes in. Mogis is... Really really good for obvious reasons. Ephara is ok if you're playing flash, or anything that generates tokens on your opponent's turn (Thraben Doomsayer). Phenax is cool. If you're into mill, he'd be neat with any Defender deck with that RTR Doorkeeper guy and Lazav. All in all, I think they're just trying to slow down the game since we're getting accustomed to OP 5 drops like Thundermaw and Kalonian Hydra.
Date Posted: Wed Jan/22/14 at 9:06pm

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

I'm extremely sad that they didn't make any Golgari and, to a lesser extent, Izzet "gods" and Scry lands. I really wanted to make an even better Golgari deck. :( *sigh* Oh well. I'll have to wait until Journey Into Nyx, I guess...
Date Posted: Fri Jan/24/14 at 3:49pm

Heheheee
Posts: 93
Joined: 24-Jan-14

For the record the Izzet god will be called Keranos and the Golagari god will be called Pharika and both will probably be released in JIN.

[Edited by Heheheee on 24/Jan/14 at 4:08PM]
Date Posted: Sat Jan/25/14 at 7:17pm

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Welcome, new blood!

If I make it to a prerelease, I'll be playing blue. I haven't looked further to see the color combinations, but their commons are rather strong.
Archetype of Imagination is a game ending uncommon. We haven't been blessed (or is it cursed?) with this type of permanent mass-combat-evasion since the days of Shifting Sliver. Green with its reach creatures is the only possible foil to this card combatwise.
Date Posted: Sat Feb/01/14 at 11:29am

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

So I went to a midnight prerelease for BotG.
I picked blue and decided to go UB, as I had rather good removal, including Gild, which also serves as mana acceleration, which of late has been something that black has been lacking.
The optimal color seemed to be white, due to its early game, but the winning blow almost always came from a flier. So the first note is: if you have no fliers, you are down and out.
I pulled an Archetype of trample as well as hexproof, but my red was shoddy and hexproof cost 8. Someone sitting beside me was able to get it out in both of his matches and it really changed the round.
Enchantment destruction was to be main deck, as so many permanents were also enchantments.
If you aren't playing either of Boro's colors, expect your mana curve to be ridiculous on the high end. My deck only started to be useful on the fourth turn. Most everything is more expensive than it has been in the past, until you get to rare territory. Perfect example: Weight of the Underworld. It is cmc 4 for an extra -1/-0 in comparison to Dead weight (cmc 1, aura, enchanted creature gets -2/-2). To put it mildly, Innistrad would hand Theros its own butt.
I am still under the impression that the heroic mechanic should read: "whenever this creature is targeted" as supposed to the current "whenever you target this creature".
Make sure you do your card challenge, you get a cool button out of it, and most of them are really easy to do (plus you only have to do one or the other).
If running inspired, keep these things in mind: some inspired effects are not a choice; use untap effects (like the blue common that gives a creature protection from opponent's creatures and untaps) to your advantedge; the typical way to make sure that you untap is to attack, but if that is too risky you can use auras that grant tap effects instead. Your dead creatures are seldom inspiring.

The best game I had running UB was against a UR. We had seven lands out each and only a single damage had been dealt because we were literally sabotaging each other with removal.

How did everyone else do?
Date Posted: Sat Feb/01/14 at 8:28pm

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Heheheee

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

I went 3-1 today!

I picked green. I got some pretty decent stuff out of my packs including a Polukranos, Mistcutter Hydra, and Nessian Wilds Ravager (the promo). Two colors just didn't cut it so I went Naya.

My first two games were relatively easy. First one was a WU weenie type of deck. Opponent got a Spear of Heliod which gave me some trouble until I was able to destroy it with Destructive Revelry. My creatures were just too big and I had removal, so it was basically game over. Went 2-1.

Second was a UB control-ish deck. Had Eater of Hope, Herald of Torment, and some Asphyxiates. These games were a lot of fun and one of them came pretty darn close, but I was able to turn some tricks and swing for exactzies on the last game. Went 2-1.

Third game was UB again, but this time it was some MAJOR milling. The first round was tough as my opponent almost milled me to death. They also had the new god on the table which allowed them to mill me even more. There was a misunderstanding about auras staying on gods after they go back to being enchantments. We both thought that the aura stayed, but I guess it doesn't. So, I would have won the second round if I'd known that. Oh well. For the third round my opponent didn't draw the best hand, so I was able to swing in fast and hard. Went 2-1.

Fourth and final was just terrible. First of all, my opponent picks green, in their packs they get the WG god, Elspeth, the promo, and a foil Arbor Colossus. Needless to say, they pulled the best cards of anyone there. The first round had an assload of tokens on the field that I just could not deal with. I also didn't pull a Plains that I really needed. Lost that one. Second round was even worse. I had to mull down to 5 and was still mana screwed. Lost in like 5 turns. :( Went 0-2.

Even though the last game didn't go so well, I still had a lot of fun. I've never placed second in any Magic draft, tournament, etc. ever. I'm really happy that I did so well. It's also given me a little bit of a confidence boost. Makes me feel like I'm actually becoming a better player.

Here was my deck list (no lands):

Mistcutter Hydra x1
Polukranos x1
Nessian Wilds Ravager x1
Scourage of Skola Vale x1
Nemesis of Mortals x1
Defend the Hearth x1
Hunt the Hunter x1
Voyaging Satyr x1
Peregrination x1
Graverobber Spider x1 (I originally was going to do Jund, but switched. Forgot to take this out.)
Mortal's Resolve x2 (These came in VERY handy)
Satyr Wayfinder x2
Satyr Hedonist x1
Setessan Oathsworn x2
Reckless Reveler x1
Messenger's Speed x1
Bolt of Keranos x1
Nyxborn Rollicker x1
Rise to the Challenge x1
Rage of Purphoros x1
Ill-Tempered Cyclops x2 (This guy actually won me some games lol)
Magma Jet x1
Satyr Rambler x1
Spearpoint Oread x1
Destructive Revelry x2
Traveler's Amulet x1
Fleetdeather Sandals x1
Sunbound x1
Setessan Griffin x1
Observant Alseid x1
Ephara's Radiance x1 (This actually kept me alive in a couple games. I had this with Sunbound on the Ill-Tempered Cyclops. :D)
Ray of Dissolution x1
Archetype of Courage x1 (This was pretty neat and deadly.)
Akroan Skyguard x2 (Was surprisingly easy to pump and start hitting hard.)



[Edited by scottymandingo on 1/Feb/14 at 8:36PM]
Date Posted: Mon Feb/03/14 at 10:49am

Twogunkid
Posts: 2609
Joined: 22-Jan-10

Not bad. My friends and I have gone off the deepend. We preordered a booster box.
Date Posted: Mon Feb/03/14 at 11:20am

Chewy
Posts: 841
Joined: 18-Jan-13

I didn't get the chance to go. Was looking forward to it, too. I would've played blue for the pick, and UW or UG if I could've pulled it off. When this set comes out, I'm getting a box if I can, though, and I'll draft with a few friends just to see how it would've gone
Date Posted: Mon Feb/03/14 at 3:27pm

Heheheee
Posts: 93
Joined: 24-Jan-14

Got an Elspeth and a Mogis :D, only played the Elspeth though.
Date Posted: Tue Feb/04/14 at 5:50pm

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

I want to take some time out to talk about Arbiter of the Ideal.

AotI is the reason that I picked the blue pack and to be honest I played it incorrectly at first.
When its inspired ability triggered, if you have a non-planeswalker/non-enchantment on top of your library you may put it on the battlefield with enchantment being an addition to it's types. THEN you get to draw your card for the turn.
I get why people didn't care in draft. It skips over bestow creatures and gods. BotG is also heavy in enchantment removal. In modern and legacy, however, this is a better+personal Omen Machine with a free 4/5 flier.

I put this card in my reanimator in place of my Reya Dawnbringer (I still have the Sheoldred in there for creature style creature revival) and I'm not regretting it.
Date Posted: Tue Feb/04/14 at 6:04pm

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

On the flip side, I believe the R&D for Tromokratis went something like this:
"When is the last time we made a card more annoying than Taunting Elf?"
"I don't think we can make a card as annoying as Taunting Elf."
"First off, make it blue, the color of Jace."
"Oh oh, next make it hexproof! Opponents HATE hexproof!"
"Make it unblockable and hexproof, like Invisible Stalker (also blue)."
"Wait, why would we make Taunting Elf unblockable?"
"Release the KRAKEN!!!!"
"Man, shut up! That quote is so old and dead tired. Read a book or something."
"...Guys...I got it, what if we made it big and unblockable UNLESS the opponent blocks with all of his or her creatures. All of them. Including tapped or pacified creatures."
"That is absolutely dickish..."
"I know right!?"
"How big should we make it?"
"Nothing can be more annoying than an eight year old, so I suggest we make it an 8/8"
"Release the KRAKEN!!!"
"DUDE, Repress your YAPPING."
"Oh, and make it cost a CMC of seven, one less than its P/T. Opponents hate bargain creatures."
"Should make it rare, but not mythic, that will make it cool. Make it legendary, that is annoying to the users because they can't use multiple at the same time."
"Release the KRAKEN!!!"
"You are so F-wait, make it a kraken. Just because he is so annoying."

And thus Tromokratis was born.
Date Posted: Tue Feb/04/14 at 11:12pm

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

Sounds legit.
Date Posted: Sun Feb/09/14 at 4:43am

Heheheee
Posts: 93
Joined: 24-Jan-14

Got a booster box with Brimaz, Karamtera, Mogis and Ephara inside! :D



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