C
Crackdown
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I'll take a somewhat different view.
WotC intended for the Donate/Delusions of Mediocrity to become a T2 combination. That is the reason for essentially reprinting Illusions of Grandeur and toning it down to 1/2 the life amount. Note that in printing it, they didn't make any other changes of substance from the original.
So, WotC likes the combination, but they don't like fast combo-kill decks. Necro clearly is a problem in this situation, but they don't want to kill Necropotence either. So, they go after the mana acceleration. Time will tell whether in doing so they stabilize the situation and let other deck types have a competitive chance.
Personally, I would prefer that they unban most of the cards and print a combination busting/strategic card that everyone will put into their deck regardless of the color:
Thieving Wizard 1WW
Legendary Rogue 0/1
You may play Thieving Wizard as an instant.
If an opponent controls a source of black or blue mana, you may play this card without paying its mana cost.
When this card comes into play, name an enchantment, instant or sorcery. Remove all copies of the named card in play from the game. Each player then searches the other player's hand, library and graveyard and removes all copies of the named card from play. All players then shuffle their graveyard into their library.
A player may bring into play only one Thieving Wizard per game. Thieving Wizard may not be the target of spells or abilities.
1WW, {tap}, Remove target enchantment or artifact from game, then remove this card from game.
I can envision a number of purposes for this card as well as several disparate strategies involved (do you wait for your opponent to play it, keeping a massacre in hand and then play your own knowing exactly what cards he or she has or do you use it as an instant on the first or second turn as soon as you can discern a combo (such as necro-donate), or to recur your graveyard into your library at a crucial stage in the game.
The real purpose of the card is to slow down the environment, prevent turn 2 or turn 3 combo kills and put a card into play whose use changes with each decklist (either inclusive or against it) and each game as it progresses. Many more tactical and strategic decisions.
OK, so WotC will never print such a card. That's a shame. They could bring back a lot of cards that have been banned while leveling the playing field and injecting numerous tactical and strategic options.
IMHO, of course (as a casual player only).
WotC intended for the Donate/Delusions of Mediocrity to become a T2 combination. That is the reason for essentially reprinting Illusions of Grandeur and toning it down to 1/2 the life amount. Note that in printing it, they didn't make any other changes of substance from the original.
So, WotC likes the combination, but they don't like fast combo-kill decks. Necro clearly is a problem in this situation, but they don't want to kill Necropotence either. So, they go after the mana acceleration. Time will tell whether in doing so they stabilize the situation and let other deck types have a competitive chance.
Personally, I would prefer that they unban most of the cards and print a combination busting/strategic card that everyone will put into their deck regardless of the color:
Thieving Wizard 1WW
Legendary Rogue 0/1
You may play Thieving Wizard as an instant.
If an opponent controls a source of black or blue mana, you may play this card without paying its mana cost.
When this card comes into play, name an enchantment, instant or sorcery. Remove all copies of the named card in play from the game. Each player then searches the other player's hand, library and graveyard and removes all copies of the named card from play. All players then shuffle their graveyard into their library.
A player may bring into play only one Thieving Wizard per game. Thieving Wizard may not be the target of spells or abilities.
1WW, {tap}, Remove target enchantment or artifact from game, then remove this card from game.
I can envision a number of purposes for this card as well as several disparate strategies involved (do you wait for your opponent to play it, keeping a massacre in hand and then play your own knowing exactly what cards he or she has or do you use it as an instant on the first or second turn as soon as you can discern a combo (such as necro-donate), or to recur your graveyard into your library at a crucial stage in the game.
The real purpose of the card is to slow down the environment, prevent turn 2 or turn 3 combo kills and put a card into play whose use changes with each decklist (either inclusive or against it) and each game as it progresses. Many more tactical and strategic decisions.
OK, so WotC will never print such a card. That's a shame. They could bring back a lot of cards that have been banned while leveling the playing field and injecting numerous tactical and strategic options.
IMHO, of course (as a casual player only).
