I have replaced Villainous Wealth with Kotis, the Fangkeeper, which increased the average converted mana cost of this deck from 3.56 to 3.58, but that is acceptable, as I would need to spend at least 4 mana on the sorcery to obtain any value from it, and Kotis better fits the theme of this deck, as I can reanimate him with The Mimeoplasm.

capwner, your comment did not seem to be snide, at all, and I have no problem with every player preferring to employ their own strategies, since that is what makes the game so great, and I have no problem with some level of control decks, provided that they are not too controlling, although I do understand that that is highly subjective.

I have reinstated Commander's Sphere in this deck, replacing Mind Stone, which slightly increased the average converted mana cost of this deck from 4.02 to 4.03, but that is still lower than what it previously was.

I have reinstated Commander's Sphere in this deck, replacing Mind Stone, which slightly increased the average converted mana cost of this deck from 3.56 to 3.58, but that is still lower than what it previously was.

I have replaced Aura ShardsGC and Commander's Sphere with Hopeful Initiate and Kami of Whispered Hopes, which reduced the average converted mana cost of this deck from 3.60 to 3.56, since the enchantment was simply too oppressive, and the newer cards work well with this deck's theme of +1/+1 counters.

I have replaced Aura ShardsGC and Commander's Sphere with Hopeful Initiate and Kami of Whispered Hopes, which reduced the average converted mana cost of this deck from 4.05 to 4.02, since the enchantment was simply too oppressive, and the newer cards work with this deck's theme of +1/+1 counters.

capwner, I agree, with that, which is why I do not use that card.

capwner, that is a very nice phrase, but how is it relevant to this discussion?

theNeroTurtle, I appreciate that offer, but I do not wish to deny my opponents the fun of playing the game, so I have no problem with cards such as Rhystic StudyGC or Smothering TitheGC, but I will never use card such as Winter Orb or Static Orb, because I severely dislike those cards.

I have replaced Hinterland Harbor with Sodden Verdure, since Wood Elves can find the newer land.

theNeroTurtle, thank you, for that advice, so I certainly shall consider replacing Aura ShardsGC with that creature!

Would the new Glen Elendra guardian be good in this deck, since the creature could take advantage of this deck's focus on +1/+1 counters to repeatedly use its activated ability?

theNeroTurtle, I am very glad to hear your thoughts, on that matter, so I thank you, very much, and what do you think about replacing Aura ShardsGC with either Hopeful Initiate or Steelbane Hydra, since several of my EDh decks have a strong focus on +1/+1 counters?

theNeroTurtle, I admit that I do tend to favor certain decks of mine over others, but I do make an effort to use each deck at least on occasion.

When Oko first appeared in Throne of Eldraine, his home plane was not revealed, likely because the writers had not yet determined from what plane he originated, but the story of Lorwyn Eclipsed revealed that Lorwyn/Shadowmoor is his home plane, so I wonder how far in advance the writers planned that twist.

If the writers had planned that from his introduction, they likely would have mentioned that, but, since there was no indication that he was from Lorwyn, prior to this set, so I shall presume that the writers decided that plot point at some time between Oko's introduction and now.

What does everyone else say, about this? How far in advance did the writers plan this twist? I am interested to hear your thoughts, on this matter.

theNeroTurtle, I have a copy of Aura ShardsGC in six EDH decks, because it is such an excellent card, but I am considering removing it from two of those decks, since I believe that there are other cards that would be better suited for them, instead.

Please forgive the double post, but I meant to say that "I do not wish for my decks to be too similar to each other" in my previous post!

theNeroTurtle, I definitely do not wish for my decks to bee too similar to each other, and I do have Mayael's Aria in my Marath deck, because it is such an awesome alternate win condition.

This year is the 25th anniversary of Toxicity, the second studio album by American alternative metal band System of a Down.

Although SoaD's eponymous debut album was unquestionably a spectacular album, it was their second album that truly elevated them to superstar status and made them a household name. Not since Cowboys from Hell by Pantera, released 11 years earlier, did an album have such an immediate and profound impact upon the world of heavy metal, and music, overall, in terms of how it introduced new ideas and influenced the direction in which music, and the music scene, was evolving. SoaD's distinctive and inimitable style is immediately apparent from the beginning of the album, containing numerous shifts in tempo and pitch, bizarre instrumentation, and lyrics that range from blatantly critical of society to obscure and open to interpretation.

Toxicity opens with Prison Song, a powerful and forceful song whose percussive and pounding beats punctuate and emphasize its commentary about the prison system of the United States and how the system is fueled by drug money and feeds on impoverished people. The next song is Needles, which speaks about the severity of substance abuse and addiction, and how they can control one's life. Other significant songs are Forest and ATWA, which speak of the importance of protecting the environment from destructive practices; Shimmy comments on the state of education and how some schools force students to conform, while Science speaks of how science can be used for good, but is too often being misused for evil; Chop Suey and the title track are two of SoaD's best-known songs, and the album ends with Aerials, a song with a mystical and ethereal atmosphere whose lyrics have been the subject of much debate among fans since the album was released.

Toxicity was massively successful, both critically and commercially, and it firmly established SoaD as one of the foremost heavy metal bands of the alternative metal movement in the new millennium, ushering in a new era for metal and music overall. The album was released only one week before the September 11 terrorist attacks, so the songs on that album coincidentally and unintentionally served as an unofficial soundtrack for the social and political tension that the United States (and, to a lesser extent, the majority of the western world) was feeling, at that time.

I was in my freshman year of high school when SoaD released Toxicity, so this album shall forever hold a special place in my heart, as the songs that it contains served as a guiding presence for me during those crucial years, helping me to focus my feelings and find a path when I was feeling anxious and uncertain about myself and the direction that I wished to take in life.

I hope that the band shall do something to commemorate this most monumental milestone, because an album of this magnitude deserves to be honored; what does everyone else say, about this? How do you feel about this year being the 25th anniversary of Toxicity? I certainly am eager to hear your thoughts, on this matter!

I have a copy of Aura ShardsGC in several of my decks, because it is a very powerful card, but I understand that it is a very obnoxious and oppressive card, so I am contemplating if I should keep it in those decks.

My Chulane, Teller of Tales EDH deck focuses on repeatedly using EtB abilities, my Teneb, the Harvester EDH deck focuses on reanimating creatures, and my Sigarda, Host of Herons and Ghired, Conclave Exile EDH decks both typically generate plenty of tokens, so I believe that I can keep Aura ShardsGC in those decks, but my Jenara, Ashura of war EDH deck and Marath, Will of the Wild *f-etch* EDH deck do not typically have creatures entering the battlefield frequently, so I believe that I could replace that card in those decks, perhaps with a creature that has synergy with +1/+1 counters, since both of those decks have a strong focus on +1/+1 counters, and either Hopeful Initiate or Steelbane Hydra seem to be excellent choices for those decks, although there could be other very nice cards, as well.

What does everyone else say, about this? Should I replace Aura ShardsGC in my decks, and, if so, with what card should I replace it? I certainly am eager to hear your advice, on this matter!