The Command Tower (EDH Hangout)

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

Now that Shadows has been out for a week, how is everything turning out for everyone? What cards have you seen pop up in your playgroups? Anything you didn't expect?

[Trebuchet MS]

So far, the only frequent things I've seen are the new Zombies lurking around in the local Grimgrin deck, and Odric pairing up with Kalemne.

 

That last one is scary to see, when an army suddenly gains double strike vigilance.

[Flame Dragon]

Haven't really had any commander games since the set came out and its unlikely my friends will make any majors for a while. Though I do know my friend that plays Karlov wants Bygone Bishop, Pious Evangel, and Anguish Unmaking. Of those Unmaking seems likely to see a TON of play and Bishop seems really good in the right deck.

 

Personally the card I'm expecting to make a pretty big impact is Traverse. It needs a little set up, but even when its just fixing mana its not terrible in 3 color deck.

 

Anyway, changes I'm planning on making to my various commander decks.

Animar: None

Karador: Traverse, Anguish, Mindrack

Sedris: Mindrack

Gahiji: Avacyn, Traverse, Arlinn

Sharuum: None

Freyalise: Seasons Past, Traverse

Hanna: None

Grenzo: Epitaph Golem

Iroas: None

Sliver Overlord: Cryptolith Rite, Traverse

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

Last night I explained to a stranger how the inclusion of cards like Sol Ring was one of the reasons (non French) EDH shouldn't be treated as a competitive format, and his response was that "it adds variance". While he is technically correct, I don't believe this form of variance is good, as games are often dictated by hands containing power cards like Sol Ring. Don't get me wrong, I love playing with it, this format is fun because of how it is unbalanced, but I don't think that sort of degree of variance is healthy for a format treated competitively.

 

What are everyone else's thoughts on the matter?

[Flame Dragon]

Assuming your talking about the standard 4 man free for all style commander games? Yea, I don't really get why Sol Ring is legal. Selective human memory and all that, but I feel like my friends have turn 1 Sol Ring WAY more than you'd expect. Every time they do its REALLY stupid because they are so far ahead in what they are doing vs. the rest of the table.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

I mean, I love having it in the format, it allows awesome plays. I just don't believe it should be considered competitive, due to Sol Ring and other vintage strength cards being legal.

[Flame Dragon]

Commander is an inherently busted format. The number of stupid things you can do pretty easily in it is kind of insane and the amount of banning they would need to do to keep that from being the case is also kind of insane.

[bury the year]

Last night I explained to a stranger how the inclusion of cards like Sol Ring was one of the reasons (non French) EDH shouldn't be treated as a competitive format, and his response was that "it adds variance". While he is technically correct, I don't believe this form of variance is good, as games are often dictated by hands containing power cards like Sol Ring. Don't get me wrong, I love playing with it, this format is fun because of how it is unbalanced, but I don't think that sort of degree of variance is healthy for a format treated competitively.

 

What are everyone else's thoughts on the matter?

 

I wouldn't be opposed to Sol Ring seeing a ban. It's why I consider EDH decks to be 99 cards instead of 100: there's literally no reason you shouldn't run it that outweighs the possibility of a T1 Ring play. (Like what was PoK in GUx builds.) The acceleration it provides in the early game often is very difficult for other players to catch up with. Cutting it forces people to be a bit more creative with their ramping. And while I understand the argument that "variance = good," T1 Sol Ring just doesn't feel good for anyone else. It's like you get notched towards easy mode for the rest of the game.

 

However, if you ban Sol Ring, make sure to hit Mana Crypt in the same breath. ;)

 

EDIT: Okay, I did think of one deck that doesn't want Sol Ring - Seton, Krosan Protector - but that's only because he so strongly benefits off of having mana dorks.

[Sixty]

creature only animar doesn't run sol ring either

 

and neither do i, i kinda got sick of seeing it. regardless of its raw efficiency, i opted to take it out of all my decks.

[Flame Dragon]

creature only animar doesn't run sol ring either

 

and neither do i, i kinda got sick of seeing it. regardless of its raw efficiency, i opted to take it out of all my decks.

I actually still run Sol Ring in my 50 odd creature Animar deck. I didn't for the longest time, but Animar dies and with so many expensive creatures having the extra mana has proven to be super helpful.

[Trebuchet MS]

Having access to every card interaction in the game barring Unhinged ones makes the format incredibly difficult to balance with a banlist. My playgroup usually goes on "no proxies unless you actually have everything on order and are waiting for the cards to arrive" so that your own wallet also becomes a limiting factor. But it all works out fine in a multiplayer group because the ones with a more invested decks usually become threats earlier and draw attention away from the less-invested ones. Otherwise the environment would be exactly what you'd see online, with everyone using every good card they cannot afford or find.

[Sixty]

yo wake up nerds we got four colors on their way

 

let's speculate the design space of a five color card that just excludes one of its colors. will they be two color with a different two color activation cost in their text box, or tricolor with a fourth color activation, or just all four colors in the casting cost? what effects could they come up with that would include all their respective slices of the color pie (which, in this case, is basically the entire pie sans a slice)?

[Poc]

I forgot where I read but one of the developers was talking about designing the Nephilim in Ravnica. He said the best way to make a 4 color card is to focus on the color that its not instead of its actual colors. Just exclude abilities that would be part of that color and then the design space is much easier to sort out.

[bury the year]

I forgot where I read but one of the developers was talking about designing the Nephilim in Ravnica. He said the best way to make a 4 color card is to focus on the color that its not instead of its actual colors. Just exclude abilities that would be part of that color and then the design space is much easier to sort out.

Since fixing in the shard and wedge precons was abysmal, and still has to be due to price concerns, I'd be surprised if we get a card that's gold in all four colors. My bet's on ally-colored mana cost, with two activated abilities, each of which has a cost of one of that pair's allied colors. The common enemy of the cost pair is ignored.

 

Ex: Creature costs WU, has activated abilities costing B and G, ignores R.

[Trebuchet MS]

The alternative is a new series of nephilim-lands - ones that tap for 4 colours but with a downside.

 

...Or, you know, more Command Towers.

[~Faytl~]

 

Since fixing in the shard and wedge precons was abysmal, and still has to be due to price concerns, I'd be surprised if we get a card that's gold in all four colors. My bet's on ally-colored mana cost, with two activated abilities, each of which has a cost of one of that pair's allied colors. The common enemy of the cost pair is ignored.Ex: Creature costs WU, has activated abilities costing B and G, ignores R.

Sounds like a decent idea, but it still only partially corrects the mana issue since I assume you want to take advantage of all the cards you have the potential to use in the 99. Mana fixing is gonna be a jabroni regardless, though the fact that four of the decks are going to have acess to green is a BIG help. Sad to say my favorite combination of four colors loses that, so I will likely be a bit sad this set, since I lose out on stuff like Somberwald Sage and Bird of Paradise. Chromatic Lantern is gonna see ANOTHER price jump, mark my words.

[Rodrigo]

Part of me wishes to believe the Commanders will have all four colors in their casting costs because that's slightly more in line with how all the commanders have been. But the other part thinks it's a bad idea, and that 4-color legends are brand new, so the pattern doesn't have to be followed. They could cost 3 colors and have a fourth as an activated ability, or 2 colors with 2 others as activated abilities, who knows.

 

All I know is that I'm hype as funk.

[Flame Dragon]

I wonder if they'll bring back 2brid mana. It would help make the commanders easier to cast.

[Sixty]

about time i got around to posting my pet deck here. almost foiled out sek'kuar

[bury the year]

about time i got around to posting my pet deck here. almost foiled out sek'kuar

Looks nice. Those expeditions and the Papyrus alter are dope a f.

 

I’d need to hear more about your wincon plans before critiquing more. However, off the cuff, my biggest concern is you may need more spot removal for enchantments. Look into Caustic Caterpillar or Viridian Zealot: they do double duty as sac triggers and removal.

[(GigaDrillBreaker)]

about time i got around to posting my pet deck here. almost foiled out sek'kuar

funking glorious

[Sixty]

Looks nice. Those expeditions and the Papyrus alter are dope a f.

 

I’d need to hear more about your wincon plans before critiquing more. However, off the cuff, my biggest concern is you may need more spot removal for enchantments. Look into Caustic Caterpillar or Viridian Zealot: they do double duty as sac triggers and removal.

 

 

thanks dude

 

the wincon is basically swinging with a multitude of dudes, or throwing them all through bombardment and reanimating them all to redo the cycle with living death, or both. it's probably most comparable to the recent rally deck in standard. 

[Rodrigo]

I think I'll settle for 10 decks for the time being =D

 

[bury the year]

I think I'll settle for 10 decks for the time being =D

 

How many duplicates of lands and sheet do you have? That's the major obstacle for me making more than 2-3 decks (that and crippling indecision.)

[Rodrigo]

Actually, for rare two-color lands, I only have one duplicate: Ancient Amphiteather. All the others (Fetches, Shocks, Filters, Checks, Temples, Pains, etc) I only have 1 of each. Yes, this means my decks' mana bases aren't all that good, but I tried my best at distributing my good lands across the decks.

 

The only decks that have perfect mana bases here are Wanderer, Rhys, Oloro and Aurelia.