First Impressions: Zendikar - Lands and Artifacts. - by Streetz

[Streetz]

This thread is reserved for the dicussion of the following article:

http://www.magicdeckvortex.com/mdvarticle0535.htm

Please read it, enjoy it and discuss it here.

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Thanks!

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[cuddly_cultist]

Great Article!!

One card that really bugs me is Magosi, the Waterveil, it kills my Johnniness on the inside, you always need a counter on a permanent to get another one(neglecting +1/+1, -1/-1, and charge), so you cant get one on without skipping a turn, and since you have to return it to your hand you cant load it up with counters to get multiple turns

[seandp]

Honestly, this is the best set of lands in magic history. I mean ravnica lands were great, but I still gotta go with Zendikar on this one.

[Streetz]

I would argue that Urza's Saga had the best lands in Magic's history.

[Drathro]

Aw, Streetz, no deck lists in this one? I guess building a deck around a fetch land isn't exactly inspiring...

Carnage Altar is not meant to be a combo piece, it's obviously a defensive card advantage engine that just happens to have a little bit of combo potential. Imagine how good this would have been under pre-M10 combat rules: running out a lethal trade in combat, but before "damage on the stack" resolved, you could have paid three mana to cash in your doomed creature for a card. Under the new rules, Carnage Altar isn't nearly as good, but at least it can offset opposing spot removal spells like Doom Blade.

I'm looking forward to attaching an Explorer's Scope to Sapling of Colfenor in my EDH deck!

When I think "splash," I usually think about it in terms of adding an extra color to a deck. Obviously, you mean something different by "splash," since Emeria and Valakut would be useless to throw in as a secondary or tertiary color.

[Streetz]

I was a little disappointed at myself too about not including a decklist. I promise to include one next time.

Carnage Altar has the word Altar in it. Combined with the fact that its an artifact ... it just screams combo to me given many of the altars are combo pieces... and well known combo pieces. I can't argue your other points.

Which effect goes on the stack first with the Colfenor-Scope combination?

I suppose "splash" was the wrong word choice, but I use it to mean "put 1 or 2 of a card into a deck". It's completely independent of colors although typically each legendary land I would splash has a colored activation that demands that color mana in the deck.

Thanks for the comments!

[Drathro]

Originally Posted by Streetz

Which effect goes on the stack first with the Colfenor-Scope combination?

That's the beauty of it - you get to choose! Both abilities trigger on the same event and go on the stack at the same time, so their controller chooses the order. If you know there is a land or a creature on top, then order accordingly to maximize the chances for two successful triggers! Sensei's Divining Top is particularly sneaky here...

[Old Fogey]

I agree with you on the rare land cycle. They should all be legendary lands. Name a non-land card with a proper name, representing one entity, that isn't legendary. (Are there any?)
I also don't like Wizards flavor explanation for using singular places as non-legendary lands.

[Messbu]

Kuddos on the altar of dementia, it's by far one of my favorite mtg card out there.

Oran-Rief, the Vastwood made it in my jund themed mycoloth deck

Grappling Hook is a huge deception and it should have at least had reach, with the castingcost and equiping cost it have. Also reach seems like a flavor this card should grant.

Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle of course made it in my burn deck.

Excellent review.

[Streetz]

Thanks for clarifying Drathro -- this pair could end up on the combo page... whenever I get to finally putting it together.

Yeah, Old Fogey agrees with me! What was Wizard's explanation for the non-legendary legendary-esque land?

Thanks for the comments, Messbu! I agree 100% with you on the reach aspect of the card.

[Old Fogey]

Originally Posted by Streetz

Yeah, Old Fogey agrees with me! What was Wizard's explanation for the non-legendary legendary-esque land?

Look at that, I remembered something from 2003! It must have had a taumatic effect on me back then:

'One recent development in this area [mana's flavor relationship with the game] has to do with legendary lands. It used to be that any unique place would be considered legendary for card purposes, whether it was a single structure or an entire city. We decided recently that unique places should be able to accommodate more than one mage's bond. Theoretically that means you could start seeing more unique places on nonlegendary land cards. This doesn't mean we won't print legendary lands anymore; such lands will simply be concepted as places that can support a bond with only one mage.'"

My new proposed rules text for Stone Rain: Destroy target mage's mana bond to target land. Remove that land from game. (You aren't actually removing the land from the game, as any number of players in the game may also have said land in play, and those aren't getting destroyed. Simply state "I am severing my bond from this land." Then make a spooky noise depicting this bond severage, while actually putting the land card in your graveyard, while winking.

[loco-b]

Great! I just spent like $120 on original Fetch Lands for my Cthino's Wizard deck.....

Little did I know Zendikar and WOTC would ever reproduce such anomolies.

Well, anyone looking for Flooded Strand's or Polluted Delta's?

[Streetz]

Keep them, loco. They will only go up in price. They are the next best thing to the original dual lands. Sort of.

[Serra Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Streetz

Keep them, loco. They will only go up in price. They are the next best thing to the original dual lands. Sort of.

Not to mention they search for the best things.

[Drathro]

I noticed that the cycle of Rare "location lands" (Valakut, Oran-Rief, etc) has become quite popular in the tournament world! The only one that's still struggling to make a proper appearance is Magosi, the Waterveil. Anybody out here in casual land really loving Magosi? I've tried it a few times, but so far, no joy. It "fits" in the decks, but it doesn't really help the decks.