Wilds of Eldraine
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on July 30, 2023, 5:31 p.m. by Coward_Token
Moonshaker Cavalry: White Craterhoof Behemoth. No haste tho.
Cruel Somnophage: less toughness, but Lhurgoyf has nonetheless come a long way.
Ashiok: K'rrik would do well to grasp an oracle
Also I dunno if I've said it before but this is totally the Kenrith siblings' biological mom:
FormOverFunction says... #3
I do love the mirrored-collar art there. SUPER sweet.
July 31, 2023 12:29 p.m.
Moonshaker looks good. I don't think I like it quite as much as Craterhoof (mostly just cause it lacks haste), but still a solid card and will really help white token decks that don't have green finish the job.
Ashiok looks interesting and part of me wants to build a Talion deck with Mirror Gallery effects and just try to get 10 copies of him.
Honestly really just looking forward to an actual Magic set and having a break from Phyrexians is pretty nice too.
August 1, 2023 1:11 a.m.
Pioneer gets its 3rd 1 mana cantrip in the form of Sleight of Hand. The effects will be felt for sure just from this one card.
Different art as well and also the bonus of being able to get a foil black border Sleight is sweet as well.
August 1, 2023 8:11 a.m.
how many times are they going to reprint Smothering Tithe in 2 years??
August 1, 2023 1:08 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #7
August 1, 2023 4:17 p.m.
Yeah, I have no idea what that variant of the art is trying to show. At least the other one made sesne as a fairy tale type thing.
August 1, 2023 4:58 p.m.
Not that I dislike the anime/manga art style, but why is that the special aesthetic of choice now? Not complaining, just curious, and wondering if other art styles are going to appear, too.
August 1, 2023 5:50 p.m.
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #11
There are three things I'm heavily hoping for:
A fine card for Syr Ginger. We already know we'll get her, but I hope the card won't disappoint.
More giants, and especially giant tribal. It's not that my Giant tribal deck needs more power, but some new lords would be quite nice.
A legendary gargoyle. I don't think that will happen, but where if not on Eldraine.
August 2, 2023 3:51 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #12
So yeah turns out the Evil Queen character was an auntie instead of a mommy, my bad
August 15, 2023 11:11 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #13
Kellan: Ano'thr, Equipment Commander. Anyway, still pretty neat; leans into stuff like Anduril, Flame of the West and Cathar's Call
Agatha: AFAIK she gives a discount on her own ability.
Stroke of Midnight: surprised they're going on with Generous Gift variants but I'm all for it. (I don't really get Ash's flavor tho.)
Rowan/Will: Both are neat, although I think Rowan goes into much more interesting design space, even if she has a serious case of PTSD.
Ruby: So uh she never actually used a crossbow in the story right? Just threw stuff and eventually got an ice sword?
Troyan: The most chill vedalken since Putrid Leech's buddies?
Hylda/Sharae: feels kinda weird to have these two in the same set
Greta: does making Food:s into Clues really require you to lose life?
Johann: compare the cost of Melek, Izzet Paragon. Not bad for an uncommon commander
Goose Mother: feels kinda weird that it wants you to eat its eggs
Syr Ginger: meh, kinda underwhelming? At least the anti-planeswalker ability is funny. Could have granted indestructible.
Alela: meh, goading at most one creature per opponent (well, two with double strike) is kinda underwhelming.
Cursed Courtier: you know, Splendor Mare wasn't that long ago? Oh well, enchantments/auras matters I guess. I actually hope this kind of designed gets used more, if with a bit better base P/T for the cost.
August 15, 2023 5:58 p.m.
I'm curious about the Role tokens. More utility for Simic Guildmage or Kitsune Mystic Flip effects?
August 15, 2023 8:04 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #15
Necropotence yourself to near-death, tap Rowan, Exsanguinate
We did it Patrick, we broke Necropotence!
August 15, 2023 8:07 p.m.
Crow_Umbra says... #16
I kinda figured the teased "Human Warlock Bard" would be the Pied Piper. I was expecting a bit more than the signpost uncommon legend we got. Oh well.
August 15, 2023 8:16 p.m.
WotC: "Why isn't anyone playing Standard anymore?"
Also WotC:
Okay but memes aside, this set really seems pushed. Did we really need strictly better Quirion Dryad? Was Druid of the Cowl just not good enough anymore? What even is this set lol? Warehouse Tabby already seems broken and I haven't even started to try and figure out why. I'm pretty sure it does something stupid with Rancor.
August 16, 2023 2:56 p.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #18
Welcome to the eternal formats Beseech the Mirror.
Eriette is pretty damn cool. Definitely considering building that one. It's a shame that you can't run Smoke Spirits' Aid with her.
Rowan has some interesting synergies.
Lich-Knight's Conquest looks pretty solid
Insert "this will go in Prosper, Tome-Bound" comment for Decadent Dragon
Syr Ginger has amazing flavor design, especially when you consider the old Eldrain trailer.
Ashiok's showcase(?), borderless(?) art is a thing of beauty.
August 16, 2023 10:02 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #19
Kellan: kinda problematic that he's a cheap tutor in the command zone? Could get repetetive.
Lord Skitter & Lord Skitter's Butcher: Feels like there's a lot of overlap with Bloomburrow here.
August 17, 2023 11:24 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #20
So Hylda and Intruder Alarm is a thing. You just need either Opposition or Junk Winder, a mana dork, and a way to set off the combo and it's infinite elemental tokens.
Also we just got a strictly better Lazav, the Multifarious in Likeness Looter.
August 18, 2023 1:07 a.m.
Question: are these new adventure cards that span more than one color considered multicolored? Not asking about commander identity just looking to see if I can Glittering Wish an adventure spell. Unknown yet maybe.
August 18, 2023 9:56 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #22
itsbuzzi: I think it's mono:
"715.4. In every zone except the stack, and while on the stack not as an Adventure, an adventurer card has only its normal characteristics."
Also from the Wilds Mechanics Article:
"While a permanent with an Adventure is on the battlefield, ignore the Adventure and all its text. This is also true while the card is anywhere else, except while on the stack after being cast as an Adventure. This is especially important for cards with Adventures of a different color, like Decadent Dragon. While on the battlefield, Decadent Dragon is a red creature with mana value 4. It's a red creature card in your hand, library, and graveyard. If you cast Expensive Taste, the spell is a black instant spell with mana value 3."
You could ask it on "Rules Q&A" tho, would get more attention.
August 18, 2023 1:52 p.m.
@Coward_Token: I'm pretty sure you're right. AFAIK it's also left R&D space to make adventure cards with the same name, but not count as your 4x copies, but could also be stopped by things like Meddling Mage. The Petty Theft part of Brazen Borrower could be printed on another card, for example, but you could still have 4x copies of Brazen Borrower and 4x copies of the new card.
They haven't done this yet, but if I remember right, they talked about it when the first Eldraine set was released. It's one of the differences between adventures and split cards (like Fire / Ice).
August 18, 2023 3:51 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #24
Oh? Funny you mentioned that split card in particular, with Star // Fire in mind
August 18, 2023 4:49 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #25
Throne of Eldraine: I appreciate the thought of giving mono-colored commanders some love, but four mana for five that you can't spend on activated abilities or artifacts feels a little excessive? The drawing ability is pretty nice, but mind you you're spending 5 + 3 mana for the first two cards, and you're probably casting the throne kinda late. I'd like it more if it cost but gave three mana instead.
Courts: I like that they're doing more cards that reward you for holding onto the monarch. Wish they'd specifically make more mono-white cards like this. (Also, is it just me or is the art for the red court the only one that doesn't use negative space?)
Brenard: Basically bant Hofri Ghostforge. Golems get another tribal commander, although you could have just partnered Ich-Tekik, Salvage Splicer with Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker I guess
August 23, 2023 11:53 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #26
Good lord, the Commander Masters precons look even more abysmal when compared to these Eldraine precons. These precons are straight fire and have the same-if-not-better quality, yet are still reasonably costed.
I hadn't thought about this until Saffron Olive talked about it on the mtggoldfish podcast, but The Irencrag is the first 2 cmc mana rock printed into Standard in over a decade. Interesting to see how it fares.
Does 'Quick Study' not just become an auto include in most blue commander decks? Divination doesn't see much play but adding instant speed makes it much more powerful.
Court of Ardenvale might just make it into my Polukranos, Engine of Ruin Flip deck as Lifeline #3.
Coward_Token, my guess is they were trying to be very careful with Throne of Eldraine. What you suggested would be a significantly powercrept Thran Dynamo or Gilded Lotus. I feel like they were conscientious of that exact problem when designing it. This card honestly strikes me as a Chromatic Orrery-light for mono-colored decks.
August 24, 2023 10:18 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #27
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor: yep that's probably accurate, but within EDH I feel like powercreeping for the sole benefit of mono-colored decks would be appropriate (colorless people have chosen their own hell)
Any notable reprints in the precons compared to Commander Masters? I'm seeing Retether (last seen in Planar Chaos) if nothing else
August 24, 2023 4:29 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #28
Oh and Graceful Takedown really should only count your Auras, it makes Asinine Antics strangely backfire (compare e.g. Archon of the Wild Rose from the same set)
August 24, 2023 4:34 p.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #29
Coward_Token - As far as the reprints go, nothing on the level of The Chain Veil in Commander Masters, though if this set came out before Commander Masters, Kindred Dominance would've been up there, but there are some solid ones:
Umbra Mystic (first reprint besides the list), Utopia Sprawl, Bear Umbra, Mantle of the Ancients, and Hall of Heliod's Generosity headline the enchantment deck.
Kindred Dominance, Glen Elendra Archmage, Brazen Borrower, and Scion of Oona headline the faerie deck.
Nothing spectacular, but a decent bunch of reprints none-the-less.
August 24, 2023 5:46 p.m.
Coward_Token says... #30
The Apprentice's Folly: maybe obvious but you can Bargain it away after chapter two with no consequences
Spiteful Hexmage & Cursed Courtier also provide good Bargain fodder
August 25, 2023 11:22 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #31
Oh and Spiteful Hexmage can basically give Stonecoil Serpent and the like +1/+1
August 25, 2023 11:25 a.m.
Coward_Token says... #32
Moonshaker Cavalry getting full-art seems like kind of a poor decision for a new card.
August 26, 2023 2:20 a.m.
Overall I think I'm pretty happy with the set. I think the mechanics are interesting (I think the role token enchantments is an interesting idea to explore) and I'm enjoying the flavor a lot more than March of the Machines/All Will Be One. And they managed to fit some good reprints of some key cards like they did with Strixhaven. Good job Wizards. More of this please.
Coward_Token says... #2
With the orzhov tap land, dimir adventure/creature combo, and prominent dimir faerie legend, I'm kinda worried they're skipping Throne of Eldraine's mono-color matters theme in favor of yet another Ravnica lookalike
At least the goose hydra is cute
July 31, 2023 11:01 a.m.