Morph in Khans of Tarkir
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on July 31, 2014, 10:17 p.m. by aeonstoremyliver
So a spoiler site has stated that each wedge will contain it's own mechanic and Morph. I don't know how I feel about that. Morph is an interesting mechanic, but one that I'm not particularly fond of in a competitive, constructed setting.
My thoughts and opinions aside, what are those of the T/O community?
lemmingllama says... #3
The reason why you should be excited about morph is because it messes with control players. Do you really want to counter that creature, even if you don't know what it is? Should I bounce it now when I can, or wait until it is flipped and becomes a threat?
Morph was mainly just for scare tactics and a way to get out creatures earlier. Still, some have flip effects that are quite potent, and hopefully that trend continues in Khans.
July 31, 2014 10:48 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #4
I kinda like it, because I wasn't playing the last time it was in the game, but I kinda hate it because I play to ride my Codex Shredder -turned Grindclock control deck as far as I can. So morph kinda screws me.
July 31, 2014 11:59 p.m.
The first time I played Magic was with an intro pack of Scourge. Specifically the one with Morph as the main mechanic. Stuff like Mischievous Quanar was in the deck. Although if Scornful Egotist gets reprinted I don't know what I might do.
August 1, 2014 12:08 a.m.
I think the problem with Morph is that there have to be a lot of different Morph creatures worth playing in the format for each color, or else someone sneakily plays a Morphed creature when both players know exactly what it is.
August 1, 2014 1:12 a.m.
I feel like morph is going to need a huge push to be viable. Right now anything face down will die to Drown in Sorrow
August 1, 2014 1:21 a.m.
The Doctor says... #8
MrLizard Sure, if you run black. Also if you run that card.
That argument makes just as much sense as the "Why play it when it dies to Doomblade" arguement.
August 1, 2014 1:41 a.m.
Welllllll it makes a bit more sense than the Doom Blade argument, especially when there are a ton of "Doom Blades" and a ton of creatures that die to them in the same format.
And the problem is that if Morph sees big play, so will all the "Doom Blades". Except these "Doom Blades" are worse because they can get 2+ for 1.
August 1, 2014 2:03 a.m.
if the whole dies to Doom Blade argument was valid then that would mean any non-black creature that doesn't have protection from black would be completely unplayable. Obviously that's not true because there isn't a single format that consist of only black decks and decks that contain pro black creatures, so the whole dies to Doom Blade argument is invalid.
Saying morph will suck because they all die to Drown in Sorrow is just as ridiculous as the Doom Blade argument. Just like the Doom Blade argument, if that were true, then that would mean all creatures with a 2 toughness or less would be unplayable because it dies to Drown in Sorrow . Obviously that's not true because Drown in Sorrow is currently standard legal but plenty of creatures with a toughness of 2 or less see plenty of standard play. Check out the Boss Sligh deck if you need proof of that.
August 1, 2014 3:27 a.m.
sigh
If Morph becomes hugely popular, people will play more Drown.
That was my point.
It's a valid point, too. I'm not saying it will make Morph unplayable, but it's going to be a factor.
August 1, 2014 3:37 a.m.
Bile Blight would kill all face down morph creatures. Face down morph creatures are 2/2.
August 1, 2014 5:43 a.m.
biggestmtgnerd says... #14
Then if all face down morph creatures have the same name, does that mean that maybe Nevermore will be reprinted to make all of the control players happy?
August 1, 2014 5:55 a.m.
biggestmtgnerd says... #15
How do you name the name? Do you just say nothing, and then no morph creature can be cast face down, since face down morph creatures have no name?
August 1, 2014 5:59 a.m.
ItchiUchiha117 says... #16
Yeah, Bile Blight does a whole lotta nothing against Morph. They don't have a name, creature type, mana cost, color, or anything. At least, I don't think it does anything other than killing that creature. But I feel you could probably just use Drown and avoid the confusion entirely.
Long story short, use Drown so you don't piss off a judge.
August 1, 2014 6:14 a.m.
It's annoying for aggro as well though because it essentially gives all midrange decks a ton of 3 drop 2/2s to use. If aggro doesn't win swiftly then they'll reach a point where the midrange player has 5 drops that'll dominate the late game and the morph cards that can at least be chump blockers in the early-mid game. That's a bit ridiculous. It gives those guys a way to hold off until they can play their main wincons - which is often what midrange needs.
Equally against control it's a pain too.
And lastly zandl is correct. The Doom Blade argument is only relevant in cases with massive mana discrepancy (my 2 drop killspell kills your 8 drop creature - I basically cast Time Walk ), or when your Doom Blade kills like 2 or 3 or more things; thats a massive case of card advantage. The problem with arguing about it from the present perspective is that aggro decks and x/2 creatures aren't that prevalent. Sure they're found - but theyre not everywhere. If they are in the FUTURE, the story will change. Although it is worth realising that at the current point in time top decks run hexproof or equivalent creatures (AEtherling ) or black creatures (all of MBD).
August 1, 2014 8:57 a.m.
Ughhh I never really liked Morph-ALL HAIL THE GREAT LORD EGOTIST
August 2, 2014 7:23 a.m.
I never actually understood that card. What's the point? It looks utterly useless? Is that the joke? Is it the Chimney Imp of its generation?
August 2, 2014 7:28 a.m.
@ChiefBell, I'm assuming your talking about Scornful Egotist . I asked those same questions on here before when I first saw that card. What I was told then is that there were cards that cared about the CMC of permanents you control. I don't specifically remember what the cards were, but Scornful Egotist was a way of getting something with a very high CMC in the battlefield for cheap.
August 2, 2014 8:45 a.m.
Scornful Egotist meet Rush of Knowledge :-)
When the Egotist was printed I remember laughing. One of the most flavourful cards of the set.
As for Morph, unless they make a lot of them playable, you usually have a good idea what is being played. Back when it first came out, there were just a few, but you knew what they were depending on their colours. A morph critter while you have 2 plays and a mountain in play? Hmmmm, wonder if that's a Exalted Angel . As a control player, morph is not a big deal, as the whole idea of morph slows down the game. Turn three, you play a colorless 2/2 for 3. Then you spend your 4th turn playing the morph cost before it hits me on the attack. Regardless if I can instant kill it or bounce it or not, you still spent 7 mana and two turns for one dude. There is a lot of investment in morph.
That's why the aforementioned Exalted Angel was so good in Astral Slide decks. You usually didn't spend any more than 3 mana to get a 4/5 Flying lifelink beauty. Man on man I miss my slide deck.
August 2, 2014 4:11 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #26
I'm also wondering if they might put morph on NON-creature permanents.
August 2, 2014 6:01 p.m.
If you blink a morph creature it comes back right way up (unmorphed) you see it all the time in modern with Akroma, Angel of Fury
August 2, 2014 6:04 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #28
I have a feeling that if any of those morph cards are GOOD, then we will be seeing them in modern with Cloudshift , Restoration Angel , Flickerwisp , Galepowder Mage , Ghostly Flicker , Momentary Blink and the likes. The colours look like Junk midrange, white weenie, and maybe WUx control.
August 2, 2014 6:17 p.m.
junglistninja says... #30
Morph and now megamorph (what?) severely suck monkeyballs, thats it. It can pbe killed while its a 2/2 and its too mana intensive.I only play EDH, the only real and fun format, where you can do awesome moves, and these morph mechanics are too much of a hassle to use in your deck.
Ex. of cool move: Niv Mizzet and Cosecrated sphinx is out, cast rite of replication with kicker and pass the turn. You dead!
March 7, 2015 7:03 a.m.
aeonstoremyliver says... #31
Bit of a necro, but relative with Megamorph being a thing now, I suppose. Really stupid name for a mechanic, btw.
In EDH, Morph is extremely useful with Animar, Soul of Elements. I can see redonculous things happening with Cloudstone Curio, Glimpse of Nature, Soul of the Harvest, etc.
March 7, 2015 9:29 p.m.
aeonstoremyliver says... #33
Yep! I was going to mention that... Animar can get nuts there.
March 7, 2015 9:38 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #34
@junglistninja Morphs can be useful, even in EDH. For example, you try that scenario that you mentioned when there is a morph out. They flip it, revealing their Willbender. Move the target onto Niv Mizzet, and you sacrifice all 5 tokens. Not quite so useless now?
As for morph in tiny leaders, there might be some use for Den Protector from DTK. Most of the morphs were pretty lackluster for any format outside of standard, although I still think that Stratus Dancer might see some fringe play.
themindbullet says... #2
Matt Trabak has said that they are doing some things to make morph more "fun" but the rules of morph aren't changing.
I'm looking forward to it as I was not playing the last time morph was around.
July 31, 2014 10:20 p.m.