Are we seeing a shift in green?

General forum

Posted on Aug. 17, 2021, 6:36 p.m. by TypicalTimmy

Ellywick Tumblestrum is mono-green and her emblem grants haste, which is not unheard of but it also isn't common. Normally you have Gruul if something in green globally grants haste, such as Rhythm of the Wild and Fires of Yavimaya, or Domri, City Smasher, as just a few examples.

But Elly is mono-green. Not Gruul.

And now the spoiled / released Wrenn and Eight gives an emblem that has no maximum hand size. And she, this time, is also mono-green.

Are we on the cusp of seeing green step out of its sphere? Are there other examples of this trend happening recently?

I honestly think Planeswalker emblems are one of the least indicative sources of paradigmatic shift there are.

That said, I agree green definitely shouldn't have haste--but considering how many colorless sources of no maximum hand size there are (as well as Praetor's Counsel, Wrenn's seems fine.

August 17, 2021 8:58 p.m.

DarkMagician says... #3

Green has world haste in Concordant Crossroads so this isn't really out of its will house.

August 17, 2021 9:25 p.m.

RNR_Gaming says... #4

Green can do anything just at an increased mana cost. It's been that way for awhile. DnD definitely created some interesting design space with dungeons and I can see them becoming more problematic as time goes on.

August 17, 2021 9:27 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #5

RNR_Gaming, assuming WOTC doesn't just abandon this mechanic like everything else lately.

That's why I prefer 3-set or 2-set blocks. We get more cards to explore the mechanics with. Yeah sure it makes Standard stale and you don't get new stuff to play with, but let's be realistic, most new mechanics do not see play because there aren't enough synergy to hold.

I think we need to go back to 2-set blocks. 3, I admit, is a bit pushed. I think 2 is a good compromise.

And the 1-set blocks are the ones that get Commander Precons to explore their new mechanics more in depth. Then everyone is happy.

August 17, 2021 9:46 p.m.

RNR_Gaming says... #6

I actually feel we're getting too many cards lol. As a brewer I feel fatigued. Between covid and the constant bombardment of new sets it becomes harder to brew relevant things by the time I've put finishing touches on a brew there's more spoilers and product shoved in my face. On one hand it's awesome that the game is expanding but its really hard to keep up with especially if you indulge in other hobbies - but that's a tangent for another time.

I think the current sets have been really spot on and have given player what they want. Cards have both been flavorful and functional while maintaining a fairly balanced power level and appeal across formats.

August 17, 2021 10:33 p.m.

plakjekaas says... #7

Old Gnawbone is weird for green too. Treasure is the anti-green ramp.

Or how about Honor Troll as a lifegain payoff for green. That's kinda new.

Toski, Bearer of Secrets is a green Coastal Piracy.

We're not on the cusp of anything, green has been evolving and adapting the strengths of other colors for quite a while now.

August 18, 2021 3:51 a.m.

TriusMalarky says... #8

Green regularly provides haste, specifically in the context of "chonky monster or turning lands into creatures". Elly isn't all the way "chonky" but giving up to +6/+6 to your board seems pretty chonky to me.

See, typically green provides haste to specific large creatures, such as Craterhoof Behemoth(and newer variants) where it makes sense for it to have haste for the card's intended purpose. It also gets haste in cases like Nissa, Who Shakes the World(and a variety of other Nissas), mostly because Wizards didn't want to add the layer of "now you need to track which basic forest entered play this turn".

Here, it's the "trample and haste combo" which is often used by green as a "by the way, you're dead" effect, specifically in conjunction with some p/t buff, which we see here.

I guess the "you have no maximum hand size" thing is a bit odd, but then again it's not color tied -- it's mostly slapped onto things that draw a crap ton of cards in a way that makes all that card draw pointless if you just had to discard them all, so it's often seen in blue. Well, I guess it's excluded from black card draw, which makes sense as black often wants stuff in the grave anyways and its draw is so good even with the life cost that it needs that drawback.

August 18, 2021 9:05 a.m.

passimo says... #9

Well, what is there that green can't do? I think we aren't at the cusp, green has being stealing for some time now, and it will keep on doing so. I'm waiting for green counterspells.

I find it a shame, because I like the whole color pie thing.

August 19, 2021 4:14 a.m.

passimo says... #10

Oh, and I agree with TypicalTimmy. I liked multy-sets blocks (2,3 doesn't matter to me, probably 2 is better), they expanded the lore and the gameplay.

August 19, 2021 4:18 a.m.

plakjekaas says... #11

Green counterspells? Like Bind or Lifeforce? Maybe Veil of Summer? Guttural Response? Green dabbles in countermagic about as much as it does haste, meaning sporadically, but ever since the very early years of magic.

August 19, 2021 6:30 a.m.

Skagra42 says... #12

plakjekaas Guttural Response and Lifeforce are color pie breaks. Veil of Summer isn't a counterspell.

October 15, 2021 3:27 p.m.

plakjekaas says... #13

Skagra42 thank you for revisiting the thread two months after it died out. If you care that much, I'll respond:

Veil of Summer acts like a shortened Cryptic Command in every situation it's relevant. I know it doesn't say "counter target spell" but it cancels out a spell of your opponent and you draw a card, which is exactly how Cryptic Command ends up impacting the game 90% of the time. The reason the card was banned in modern is because was to cheap of a cost for something you usually pay for.

On top of that, it's all beside the point. The question was what green can't do. Countering spells is not an answer to that, green can do that. Color pie break or no, the cards exist, there is no going back.

October 15, 2021 6:59 p.m.

RyuSama420 says... #14

plakjekaas it was banned in pioneer, not modern.

October 15, 2021 7:28 p.m.

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