The Potential of Commander/Planechase cards if they were legal in modern
Modern forum
Posted on Nov. 19, 2014, 7:04 p.m. by MollyMab
So, there have been a lot of cool cards released in products that aren't legal in modern, but what if they were. Here is my take on it and I would like to hear yours.
Please note, I'm only gonna talk about the ones that might impact the format.
Anyway, lets start with Planechase:
Shardless Agent - Shardless Agent is a cascade spell and as we all know, Cascade spells are inherently broken. However, I think Shardless couid work in modern and be fair. For one, it opens up new options for a deck, such as RUG or BUG, which is exactly what modern needs. And then while you could potentially get something awesome, you are only getting a 2/2 on top, as opposed to a 3/2 with haste which is a huge difference. While it would be very unlikely, Shardless in modern would open up options and I think it could be put into the format. Perhaps a deck similar to Zendikar-era Bluemajin with Shardless as a 2 for 1. Worth adding and keeping an eye on.
Baleful Strix - Baleful Strix is a straight 2 for 1, or 1 for 0. It replaces itself and kills anything that it blocks pretty much. Now, most of the control is WUR Flavoured, using snapcaster, bolt, and the like to win. Baleful Strix offers options to alternative control decks, such as a tezzeretor, grixis or esper control, or provide some variation to affinity decks. It is a powerful card but wouldn't be overpowering to the format. A safe add IMO.
Sakashima's Student - This is an odd one. However, a fairly popular budget deck is Ninjabeardelver or Ninja Faeries and Sakashima's student provides the deck with a psudo Phantasmal Image which rebuys SSS and the like, as well as pitching to counter Cryptic Command, Birthing Pod, Scapeshift etc. While it would probably not be a major thing, it is worth looking at. A safe add.
Commander - The other card I would want has already been put into the format.
Chaos Warp - This is a card that has seen pretty much no legacy play. However, in modern it is flexible removal for troublesome permanents, and it messes with things like scry. I can see it being played as a 1 of in certain decks as a catch all bit of removal. A safe add.
Flusterstorm - So it is a counter for storm but can be so much more. I would run it myself in Scapeshift and in control as a way to answer storm and combo decks, or just have a 1 mana counter to win counter wars. Defiantly playable but not overly powerful
Commander 2013
True-Name Nemesis - Legacy has so many ways to go over, under and around a card, so True-Name is very good but not overpowering. Modern...doesn't quite have that. True Name would invalidate so many other creature based decks that it would be a terrible idea to put it into the format. Keep out of modern.
Angel of Finality - While it lacks flash, 4 mana feels a good place for this card. A 3/4 flying for 4 is fine, and it has a great ability. I could see it being run in the sideboard of pod as a way to shut off graveyard based decks without messing with your own. A safe add IMO.
Ophiomancer - So this card comes down and starts making attacking into you a bad idea. It hasn't seen much legacy play outside some very fringe nic-fit lists for obvious reasons but I think it could be good in modern in rock variants or pod as a way to trade up easily or something similar at least. It comes down and starts trading with creatures every turn till you get rid of her. A fairly safe add.
Commander 2014
Malicious Affliction - Doom Blade generally isn't good enough for this format, but what about double doom blade? With a fairly easy to fulfill condition this can easily generate 2 for ones. It has the potential to be a bit too powerful and make it harder for creature based decks to exist. Probably safe though.
Flesh Carver - This is a bit of an odd one. For 3 mana you get a slightly bigger doomed traveler with evasion, which isn't too bad. But once you start saccing it gets a lot better. Potentially a WB token or humans based deck could get a lot of millage out of him, for his 2 bodies and ability to grow but unlikely. Still add him and see what he brings to the format.
Spoils of Blood - Just after a board wipe this could be fantastic. In a deck that wants to sac a lot, this could be fantastic. Could be, though because it is highly conditional. Still I could see it having a place in some decks and think it would be a safe add.
Containment Priest - This hoses so many modern decks. Griselbanned. Pod. Reanimator. Living End. Summoning Trap. Polymorph. etc. It is easily splashable, easy to play and should not be allowed in the current format. Do not add.
Hallowed Spiritkeeper - I like this for weenie decks. It is a 3/2 vigilance creature which is fine but not good. Then it dies and all the creatures you've let die or traded off come back with a vengeance. Potentially usable in a W/B Humans deck with lots of saccing but the 3 drop slot is pretty loaded. Still, I think a safe and intresting add.
Nahiri, the Lithomancer - For 5 mana she does some stuff but none of it very well. She protects herself with 1/1s who get bigger if you have an equipment out, but Elspeth can make 1/1s and doesn't need equipment because she can make them bigger herself without minusing. While she is visually interesting and interesting lore wise, she doesn't really add much. Add her to modern and watch someone play her in their Kor tribal deck.
Masterwork of Ingenuity - This card just isn't great. Sure, who doesn't want another sword! But you need someone with an equipment worth copying out. Add it and watch people play it in affinity in an attempt to make it good as cranial platting 5-8.
Dualcaster Mage - This card is interesting and powerful and fun, but not good. In Modern he will often be a 3 mana 2/2 with When this comes into play, bolt something. Occasionally this might get lucky and snipe a Cryptic Command but rarely. Add it and it will do very little besides make me happy.
Scrap Mastery - Scrap Mastery reminds me of Goblins. They would play bidding so they had the option of a combo kill with their sharpshooters. If it wasn't the fact this was 5 mana Affinity might of been able to use it in a Disciple of the Vaults style build, or just as a way to do a big final push. Not gonna see play so might as well add it.
Song of the Dryads - A 3 mana answer anything enchantment. Nice planeswalker, shame they are now a tree. Nice enchantment, have a tree. Tree. Tree. TREEEEEEEEEEEEE. Probably just worst than O-Ring but add it because it gives green more options. Maybe removal for boggles?
Conspiracy
council's judgement - So this gives white decks a way to get rid of troublesome hexproof or protected permanents, such as Thrun, the Last Troll and Etched Champion. At 3 mana, this doesn't feel too strong, nor does it feel underpowered. I think this is a safe add and an interesting sideboard card.
So what do you think? Any cards to suggest or opinions to share?
...so Sol Ring, Thran Dynamo, Brainstorm, Mother of Runes and Propaganda wont impact the format then? huh.....
November 19, 2014 8:21 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #4
S lot of those things you just listed had actually been printed long before the commander products therefore don't apply top ops criteria anyways.
November 19, 2014 8:30 p.m.
JexInfinite says... #6
Baleful Strix would be an awesome addition to BUG. Then BUG Delver could be a thing, or BUG Rock with Strix instead of Bob.
Council's Judgment is probably a bit too powerful for modern, though.
November 20, 2014 1:43 a.m.
So, Judgement. It is a 3 mana sorcery. Double white. It would be fine. It gives white a way to kill some narrow targets. It isn't an automatic 4 of in every deck. It is at best a sideboard card or 1-2 in the mainboard to be dig targets.
November 20, 2014 5:01 a.m.
t1 Birds of Paradise t2 Shardless Agent -> Tarmogoyf 2 stronk ban pls
VampireArmy says... #2
Interesting. Give me modern kaalia so i can play it no matter how underpowered it is...let's be honest, in non commander she isn't that good due to dying to anything non doomblade/abrupt decay. Midrange sneak attack would be fun though
November 19, 2014 7:39 p.m.