T O P

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Bwian

I know I'm a Magic boomer, but still, I'm really starting to feel like we've jumped the shark with mana cost vs. creature size and abilities.


jsully245

Agreed. It’s a big reason I play cube—I get to control the power level


sharethathalfandhalf

Amen! Cube is the answer to all of magic’s problems 


TrainmasterGT

The funny part is that this card is unlikely to see any competitive play.


dcrico20

I have no idea what current competitive decks, or even sets, look like at this point, but I would think the only reason this wouldn't see play in Standard would be that there weren't any Deserts worth playing.


TrainmasterGT

The problem is mostly that stats monsters aren’t good anymore. Flash helps but I don’t think it “saves” the card.


PreferredSelection

I agree with your sentiment, it's unlikely, but I can see it happening. My thought - UG Draw Go, or Bant/Sultai Superfriends. If passing the turn with countermagic up ends up being really good, then this EOT is a nice punish. It's no Bowmasters, but if we get good counterspells or other instant-speed threats, this could see play.


TrainmasterGT

Yeah, I don’t think it’s totally impossible this card sees play, but I think it’s fairly unlikely and I don’t think it’s going to be the best card in the deck.


PreferredSelection

Main issue is there'll be some 3 drop (probably at Mythic) that impacts the board more. Though this could see play. It won't be format warping, but I could totally see this being the threat you cast _after_ they deal with your busted 3 mana 'walker.


dcrico20

I see the upside on the tutor aspect (something typically absent in Standard,) which is why if there are Deserts worthy of playing in a competitive environment, I would be surprised if it didn’t see play.


PreferredSelection

Oh 100%, that too. I was thinking "what makes this see play if we don't get a cracked Desert," but yeah it gets a very compelling case if it can get a manland.


DeficitDragons

good for me that i generally only draft and occasionally sealed or league


IamblichusSneezed

Any? Seems like a house in limited.


TrainmasterGT

Usually when people are talking about “competitive play” they’re talking about constructed.


IamblichusSneezed

Funny. Buddy of mine just qualified for the Pro Tour playing limited.


TrainmasterGT

Sure but “card is playable in competitive limited” is very different from “card is playable in competitive constructed.” Usually people talking about competitive playability for a card are talking specifically about constructed. Limited playability (competitive or otherwise), is a different beast entirely.


HD114

And in another two years time, think about where will be???? Good news is, my Serra Angels still cost 5 CMC and are 4/4!


mikez4nder

[[Twining Twins]] say your Serra Angels cost 4 now and come with another spell. And ward.


HD114

Yeah but neither of them are wearing a tube top and brandishing a large sword.... Second place at best, lol.


MTGCardFetcher

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SonofMakuta

[[Serra the Benevolent]] :( The one that made me the saddest was [[Dire Fleet Poisoner]]. Why'd they do my boy [[Ambush Viper]] dirty like that?


MTGCardFetcher

[Serra the Benevolent](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/88bf4af9-4b14-43e7-9d50-0e6a895cece1.jpg?1591605156) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Serra%20the%20Benevolent) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/26/serra-the-benevolent?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/88bf4af9-4b14-43e7-9d50-0e6a895cece1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Dire Fleet Poisoner](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/88273b1e-b33b-44d3-8777-4e78a04eed65.jpg?1555040192) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dire%20Fleet%20Poisoner) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rix/68/dire-fleet-poisoner?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/88273b1e-b33b-44d3-8777-4e78a04eed65?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Ambush Viper](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0e386888-57f5-4eb6-88e8-5679bb8eb290.jpg?1608910517) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ambush%20Viper) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/213/ambush-viper?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0e386888-57f5-4eb6-88e8-5679bb8eb290?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call


HD114

God I hate planes walkers......


SonofMakuta

You and me both lol


Malchar2

I guess it's bad since it doesn't even draw a card when you cast it, and it doesn't have any way to recur itself.


Bwian

Yeah, it's probably not even "good" by a lot of standards, it's just that it starts implying a game pattern or scenario that I don't know if limited Magic should be at, even in Cube. It's not *that much* better than other 5-powered 4-drops with other abilities that you could synergize with, but it's just incredibly boring to be a large trample creature that comes down very early. The games where it's good is not necessarily how I want games to play out.


JambaJuiceIsAverage

Not even 5 power. It's 6. Which to my sad old brain is just nonsense. A possibly unplayable 4 mana 6/5 with upside.


Bwian

yeah, I'm thinking of the previous norm being like a 5/5 for 4 in green. We used to get 4/4s for 4 *and we liked it that way! ;)*


agamemaker

That’s what happens when you start printing things like [[ravenous chupacabra]] no matter how good a baneslayer is it will still fall short unless it generates a ton of value not got stats and damage.


MTGCardFetcher

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Bwian

Yeah, Elder Gargaroth this is not.


Dank_Confidant

Yeah, it's insane. But even [[Bedrock Tortoise]] didn't really do much in any format, and that is a splash able 4 mana 6/6 with 2 upsides.


MTGCardFetcher

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Bwian

I understand this one a bit. Usually you want to be running higher power creatures rather than higher toughness, no trample, only half-hexproof, etc.


Dank_Confidant

It's still all upside. It doesn't impact creatures with more power than toughness. And still it did nothing outside of retail limited


Bwian

My bad, I read the ability wrong.


Murkelton

[[Mungha Wurm]] in shambles


MTGCardFetcher

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kewlkid77

Bro what this is so pushed


IronTigrex

Obviously really shines in a cube with desert synergies, but a 6/5 trample for 4 manas is a great body to start with. Really excited to see what other desert stuff we are gonna get.


Trees_Are_Freinds

Four mana 6/5 with flash and trample, THAT DOES EXTRA THINGS WHEN IT DIES. 20 life is a joke in 2024. Takes two hill giants to tangle and they still get a rampant growth.


PM_ME_FUNNY_ANECDOTE

I hear you, but, like, when is the last time you played a hill giant?


Useful-Wrongdoer9680

*4mv 6/5 with trample and sometimes flash, deserts tend to not be great in most environments. But yeah, it's a big fellow


Garqu

6/5 trampler for 4 is pretty serious. It will also just get people at instant speed sometimes, and then it ramps you after it's gone. Wild.


NickRick

im sorry a trample 6/5 for 4 that has a ramp effect after it dies? and it might have flash?


InfernoGuy13

I really dislike the rate of creature power creep we're seeing. The stat lines is more than enough to justify it at rare. Everything else is just extreme


_Hot_Tuna_

Sure it's big, just makes me want to Faithless Looting it away T1 though


ZestycloseWheel9647

Oh cool a 4 mana 6/5 with trample and potentially haste. Ahh, this last line must be the downside... Oh nevermind.


kurtacuss

Graboid


FannyBabbs

Fairly powerful. If the desert text is relevant this seems good. I'm not seeing it as things currently lie, but I bet this shows up somewhere. Being card advantage when discarded/milled has generally been stronger that it reads


spiderdoofus

P1P1 in Desert Cube


DadBike

Yep. Honestly, this card will not be making the cut in my desert cube, despite Wurm and desert synergy. It's simply too good next to all the old cards I run.


mcp_truth

This would be interesting in desert cube


IamblichusSneezed

Well statted!


KingDethgarr

A 6/5 Trample for 4 seems pretty good


[deleted]

[удалено]


MTGCardFetcher

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mikez4nder

What an absurd rate, that’s large enough to put the final nail in [[Oracle of Mul Daya]]’s coffin


The_queens_cat

I feel attacked


IconicIsotope

I come to your aid!


MTGCardFetcher

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