Cards that Retroactively Became More Powerful
General forum
Posted on June 5, 2019, 5:55 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
In this game, the power level of cards is variable; some cards remain either powerful or weak, but others may change, depending upon other cards that are printed in the future.
Therefore, this thread is for discussing cards that retroactively became more powerful.
The first two cards that I shall mention are Doubling Season and Pithing Needle , which both became much more powerful after planeswalkers became a card type, since they had significant interactions with those cards. Phyrexian Revoker , however, was printed after planeswalkers had become a card type, so it does not qualify for this thread.
The next card that I shall mention is Captain Sisay , who became more powerful after all planeswalkers were changed to be legendary, since she could now search for a planeswalker. The new version of her, Sisay, Weatherlight Captain , does not qualify, since she was printed after planeswalkers had become a creature type.
After planeswalkers became a card type, AEther Snap became more powerful, because it can eliminate them instantly.
When Vampire Hexmage was printed, Dark Depths became more powerful, because the hexmage could immediately removes its counters and summon marit Lage.
What does everyone else say about this? What are some cards that retroactively became more powerful?
Last_Laugh says... #4
Eternal Scourge lets you do the same without adding another color.
June 5, 2019 9:18 p.m.
Sarkhan420X says... #5
Through the Breach became much more powerful after Emrakul, the Aeons Torn was printed
June 6, 2019 12:58 a.m.
Carpet of Flowers and Mystic Remora became oracled more powerful, and in most cases provide a ton of raw power for competitive commander. remora and other cumulative upkeep cards became more powerful when the rules changes made their downside a good side and when amonkhet got printed.
June 6, 2019 1:28 a.m.
Sarkhan420X says... #7
Demarge: what rules change are you referring to? how can paying mana every turn be a good thing? what did amonkhet bring to cumulative upkeep costs?
June 6, 2019 2:29 a.m.
Sarkhan420X says... #8
Demarge: i dont believe there was any rules change. according to the mtg wiki, the decision to track cumulative upkeep using counters was made when the sixth edition rules were released, "which may appear to some players as a rule change". the part in quotes would directly imply there was no actual rule change.
June 6, 2019 2:34 a.m.
Sarkhan420X I mean rules changes that made the downside of cumulative upkeep upsides, like Braid of Fire (not all cumulative upkeep costs were paid with mana). Solemnity also greatly made cumulative upkeep spells better.
June 6, 2019 3:59 a.m.
The massive changes to burn spells allowing them to hit "any target" or "target planeswalker" improved a whole host of cards, as the burn spells could hit a planeswalker even if their controller had player-based hexproof .
A whole host of cards were also made better by the removal of mana burn, notably Braid of Fire .
TypicalTimmy - That Food Chain combo is a staple of competitive EDH. The battleplan is to generate infinite mana first, then infinitely sacrifice a commander with an ETB ability that fetches you the cards you need to win on the spot. Originally the commander of choice was General Tazri , as she could fetch allies that won with the infinite combo. Niv-Mizzet Reborn was dominant for a brief period of time, but it is looking like The First Sliver will be the Food Chain commander of choice once Modern Horizons is released, since you can use its own cascade ability to cast your entire deck.
June 6, 2019 10:32 a.m.
Braid of Fire is by far my favorite example of this. It went from being a game-ending downside, to being nothing but free mana (albeit not in a Main Phase, but still, very cool).
June 6, 2019 1:14 p.m.
Sarkhan420X says... #12
Demarge but what rules change specifically are you actually talking about?
June 6, 2019 9:16 p.m.
Last_Laugh says... #13
Methinks Demarge is confused. Braid of Fire he's talking mana burn going the way of the Dodo... cumulative upkeep doesn't use counters though so Solemnity doesn't do anything there.
June 6, 2019 9:34 p.m.
Sarkhan420X says... #14
Last_Laugh actually, cumulative upkeep does use "age counters". it even says so in the reminder text of the Braid of Fire you linked.
June 6, 2019 9:39 p.m.
cdkime Prossh, Skyraider of Kher originally abused Food Chain as mana dorks ramp you into foodchain and then chain up to recasting prossh for infinite mana/etbs. But recently cedh seems to be mostly pushing 5c and partners.
Devoted Druid used to be a ok card until Vizier of Remedies pushed it into a ~ $6 common until the reprint!
June 6, 2019 9:42 p.m.
Last_Laugh says... #16
And that's why I don't like it when people put words in my mouth... it's clearly where my foot goes lol.
I stand corrected.
Last_Laugh says... #2
Reconnaissance went from 'avoid bad blockers' to bonkers by abusing the fact that creatures are now considered 'attacking' creatures until the end of combat step actually ends (after combat damage is already dealt).
June 5, 2019 6:06 p.m.