Nominations for Alliances Casual Card
- Thread starter Oversoul
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I was going back and forth on my nomination. At first I thought "Arcane Denial", no contest. Then I thought "Storm Cauldron is so confusing, it HAS to be casual!" And then I thought "Phelddagrif was named after Garfield himself! That and it's a frickin' flying hippo!!!!!!!"
After debating with myself, I shall stick with my original thought process and nominate Arcane Denial. Not many counterspells can claim to be casual, but this card tells your opponent "Hey now! I don't like that card! Let's draw some cards instead!" it's game friendly, doesn't completely screw your opponent, AND it's splashable.
Ransac, cpa trash man
After debating with myself, I shall stick with my original thought process and nominate Arcane Denial. Not many counterspells can claim to be casual, but this card tells your opponent "Hey now! I don't like that card! Let's draw some cards instead!" it's game friendly, doesn't completely screw your opponent, AND it's splashable.
Ransac, cpa trash man
G
Gizmo
Guest
Krovikan Horror
Perhaps my favourite creature - sacrifice and recursion effects all in one tidy little package that's far from overpowered but usually something you're glad to see.
Perhaps my favourite creature - sacrifice and recursion effects all in one tidy little package that's far from overpowered but usually something you're glad to see.
Oversoul
The Tentacled One
This is a tough one. Alliances is easily one of my favorite sets and it full of powerful (but not broken) utility. I was tempted to nominate Krovikan Horror myself. And then the set also contains Lim-Dul's Vault, my favorite pseudotutor.
One of my favorites for casual games was Varchild's War-Riders. There's something special about a card that gives your opponents tokens and does so very effectively. I've seen it used with Lure and other creature enchantments, and (my favorite) with Peacekeeper, Congregate, and Brand. Fun stuff. And that's what a casual card should probably be all about: the fun stuff. So I nominate Varchild's War-Riders.
One of my favorites for casual games was Varchild's War-Riders. There's something special about a card that gives your opponents tokens and does so very effectively. I've seen it used with Lure and other creature enchantments, and (my favorite) with Peacekeeper, Congregate, and Brand. Fun stuff. And that's what a casual card should probably be all about: the fun stuff. So I nominate Varchild's War-Riders.
O
orgg
Guest
War Riders is a great nomination.
I'd love to go with Phrexian Portal, but I have had fun with Browse, Soldevi Digger, and Phantasmal Sphere, too.
However, I would be remiss if I didn't nominate Rogue Skycaptain.
I'd love to go with Phrexian Portal, but I have had fun with Browse, Soldevi Digger, and Phantasmal Sphere, too.
However, I would be remiss if I didn't nominate Rogue Skycaptain.
D
DarthFerret
Guest
So far the nominations look pretty good. However, we are looking for a Casual Hall of Fame canidate. Therefore, I took the liberty of loading the whole set into the gatherer, and started "Browse"ing (pun intended!). After many different cards that I looked at and discarded, one jumped out at me.
Ok, here it is, [url="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/alliances/helm_of_obedience.jpg]Helm of Obedience[/URL]!!!
The amount of wording on the card itself is almost enough to get the nomination.
Put the top card of target opponent’s library into his or her graveyard. Repeat this process an additional X times or until you put a creature card into that graveyard, whichever comes first. If the last card put into that graveyard this way is a creature card, sacrifice Helm of Obedience and put that card into play under your control.
However, the game mechanic itself is enough to scream out casual. Again I will call upon the powers that be (the committee I guess) to see the logic behind this. This card will NEVER see a tournament. It is never suggested as a "power card". In fact, it is almost as detrimental to the user as to the opponent.
Ok, here it is, [url="http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/alliances/helm_of_obedience.jpg]Helm of Obedience[/URL]!!!
The amount of wording on the card itself is almost enough to get the nomination.
Put the top card of target opponent’s library into his or her graveyard. Repeat this process an additional X times or until you put a creature card into that graveyard, whichever comes first. If the last card put into that graveyard this way is a creature card, sacrifice Helm of Obedience and put that card into play under your control.
However, the game mechanic itself is enough to scream out casual. Again I will call upon the powers that be (the committee I guess) to see the logic behind this. This card will NEVER see a tournament. It is never suggested as a "power card". In fact, it is almost as detrimental to the user as to the opponent.
Oversoul
The Tentacled One
It's funny. Now that I think about it, the same guy who built the Varchild's War-Riders deck I remember so fondly also showed me the power behind Krovikan Horror (which I've used since, but back then I'd never seen it before) and built a deck that made good use of Helm of Obedience (among other cards). He was a great player and always made the craziest decks (like a 200 card green deck that was actually good or a strangely resilient deck based entirely around Snake Basket). I'm not sure what happened to him. Maybe he broke Rogue Skycaptain too and I missed it...
Phelddagrif...I gotta go with the purple hippo...I mean, c'mon! What says casual more than a flying purple hippo? 
Mooseman
Isengar Tussle
Artifact
Aesthir Glider
Ashnod's Cylix
Astrolabe
Floodwater Dam
Gustha's Scepter
Helm of Obedience
Lodestone Bauble
Mishra's Groundbreaker
Mystic Compass
Phyrexian Devourer
Phyrexian Portal
Phyrexian War Beast
Scarab of the Unseen
Shield Sphere
Sol Grail
Soldevi Digger
Soldevi Sentry
Soldevi Steam Beast
Storm Cauldron
Urza's Engine
Whirling Catapult
Black
Balduvian Dead
Casting of Bones
Contagion
Diseased Vermin
Dystopia
Fatal Lore
Feast or Famine
Fevered Strength
Insidious Bookworms
Keeper of Tresserhorn
Krovikan Horror
Krovikan Plague
Lim-Dul's High Guard
Misinformation
Phantasmal Fiend
Phyrexian Boon
Ritual of the Machine
Soldevi Adnate
Stench of Decay
Stromgald Spy
Swamp Mosquito
Green
Bounty of the Hunt
Deadly Insect
Elvish Bard
Elvish Ranger
Elvish Spirit Guide
Fyndhorn Druid
Gargantuan Gorilla
Gift of the Woods
Gorilla Berserkers
Gorilla Chieftain
Hail Storm
Kaysa
Nature's Chosen
Nature's Wrath
Splintering Wind
Taste of Paradise
Tornado
Undergrowth
Whip Vine
Yavimaya Ancients
Yavimaya Ants
Gold
Energy Arc
Lim-Dul's Paladin
Lim-Dul's Vault
Lord of Tresserhorn
Misfortune
Nature's Blessing
Phelddagrif
Surge of Strength
Wandering Mage
Winter's Night
Balduvian Trading Post
Heart of Yavimaya
Kjeldoran Outpost
Lake of the Dead
School of the Unseen
Sheltered Valley
Soldevi Excavations
Thawing Glaciers
Red
Agent of Stromgald
Balduvian Horde
Balduvian War-Makers
Bestial Fury
Burnout
Chaos Harlequin
Death Spark
Enslaved Scout
Gorilla Shaman
Gorilla War Cry
Guerrilla Tactics
Omen of Fire
Pillage
Primitive Justice
Pyrokinesis
Rogue Skycaptain
Soldier of Fortune
Storm Shaman
Varchild's Crusader
Varchild's War-Riders
Veteran's Voice
Blue
Arcane Denial
Awesome Presence
Benthic Explorers
Browse
Diminishing Returns
False Demise
Force of Will
Foresight
Lat-Nam's Legacy
Library of Lat-Nam
Phantasmal Sphere
Soldevi Heretic
Soldevi Sage
Spiny Starfish
Storm Crow
Storm Elemental
Suffocation
Thought Lash
Tidal Control
Viscerid Armor
Viscerid Drone
White
Carrier Pigeons
Errand of Duty
Exile
Inheritance
Ivory Gargoyle
Juniper Order Advocate
Kjeldoran Escort
Kjeldoran Home Guard
Kjeldoran Pride
Martyrdom
Noble Steeds
Reinforcements
Reprisal
Royal Decree
Royal Herbalist
Scars of the Veteran
Seasoned Tactician
Sustaining Spirit
Sworn Defender
Unlikely Alliance
Wild Aesthir
Aesthir Glider
Ashnod's Cylix
Astrolabe
Floodwater Dam
Gustha's Scepter
Helm of Obedience
Lodestone Bauble
Mishra's Groundbreaker
Mystic Compass
Phyrexian Devourer
Phyrexian Portal
Phyrexian War Beast
Scarab of the Unseen
Shield Sphere
Sol Grail
Soldevi Digger
Soldevi Sentry
Soldevi Steam Beast
Storm Cauldron
Urza's Engine
Whirling Catapult
Black
Balduvian Dead
Casting of Bones
Contagion
Diseased Vermin
Dystopia
Fatal Lore
Feast or Famine
Fevered Strength
Insidious Bookworms
Keeper of Tresserhorn
Krovikan Horror
Krovikan Plague
Lim-Dul's High Guard
Misinformation
Phantasmal Fiend
Phyrexian Boon
Ritual of the Machine
Soldevi Adnate
Stench of Decay
Stromgald Spy
Swamp Mosquito
Green
Bounty of the Hunt
Deadly Insect
Elvish Bard
Elvish Ranger
Elvish Spirit Guide
Fyndhorn Druid
Gargantuan Gorilla
Gift of the Woods
Gorilla Berserkers
Gorilla Chieftain
Hail Storm
Kaysa
Nature's Chosen
Nature's Wrath
Splintering Wind
Taste of Paradise
Tornado
Undergrowth
Whip Vine
Yavimaya Ancients
Yavimaya Ants
Gold
Energy Arc
Lim-Dul's Paladin
Lim-Dul's Vault
Lord of Tresserhorn
Misfortune
Nature's Blessing
Phelddagrif
Surge of Strength
Wandering Mage
Winter's Night
Balduvian Trading Post
Heart of Yavimaya
Kjeldoran Outpost
Lake of the Dead
School of the Unseen
Sheltered Valley
Soldevi Excavations
Thawing Glaciers
Red
Agent of Stromgald
Balduvian Horde
Balduvian War-Makers
Bestial Fury
Burnout
Chaos Harlequin
Death Spark
Enslaved Scout
Gorilla Shaman
Gorilla War Cry
Guerrilla Tactics
Omen of Fire
Pillage
Primitive Justice
Pyrokinesis
Rogue Skycaptain
Soldier of Fortune
Storm Shaman
Varchild's Crusader
Varchild's War-Riders
Veteran's Voice
Blue
Arcane Denial
Awesome Presence
Benthic Explorers
Browse
Diminishing Returns
False Demise
Force of Will
Foresight
Lat-Nam's Legacy
Library of Lat-Nam
Phantasmal Sphere
Soldevi Heretic
Soldevi Sage
Spiny Starfish
Storm Crow
Storm Elemental
Suffocation
Thought Lash
Tidal Control
Viscerid Armor
Viscerid Drone
White
Carrier Pigeons
Errand of Duty
Exile
Inheritance
Ivory Gargoyle
Juniper Order Advocate
Kjeldoran Escort
Kjeldoran Home Guard
Kjeldoran Pride
Martyrdom
Noble Steeds
Reinforcements
Reprisal
Royal Decree
Royal Herbalist
Scars of the Veteran
Seasoned Tactician
Sustaining Spirit
Sworn Defender
Unlikely Alliance
Wild Aesthir
G
Gizmo
Guest
Are you saying Krovikan Horror or Varchilds War Riders arent casual?DarthFerret said:
And Helm Of Obediance was a staple in UW Millstone decks during IA/Alliances period Type-II. It's abiltity to rapidly mill out an opponent or give you one of their creatures as another win condition made it a valuable competitve card. Certainly more competitive than either the Riders or Krov.
War Riders is another great nomination BTW. Pheldagriff is maybe a bit too obvious?
O
orgg
Guest
Helm of Obediance was quite the foil for creatureless decks in the tournament scene.
The tournament scene was quite different back then, too. My first game loss due to rules infraction was not drawing a card from a slow cantrip during my opponent's turn.
The tournament scene was quite different back then, too. My first game loss due to rules infraction was not drawing a card from a slow cantrip during my opponent's turn.
R
Reverend Love
Guest
Can I get two nominations?
D
DarthFerret
Guest
Hey there Rev, welcome back. You could nominate one and suggesst another, maybe someone else will nominate it.
R
Reverend Love
Guest
I suggest this fatty of destruction and pain.
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R
Reverend Love
Guest
I agree. The more exposure to good sets I have, the more I look back at Alliances and marvel at how amazingly innovative, balanced and fun the cards were. It's really a testament to that design team's skill and foresight.Oversoul said:
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