Dark Ascension Spoilers. Undying = Reverse Persist!? I like it.

New Mechanics:

Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Fateful hour -- As long as you have 5 or less life, some bonus

New Spoilers:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/darkascension/cig#

Gravecrawler seems like it can be abused with Phyrexian Altar. And Faithless Looting is soo good.

There better be some bomb white exile removal spells to combat this undying nonsense. Swords please.

Get your melerias now!

Ran wrote:

There better be some bomb white exile removal spells to combat this undying nonsense. Swords please.

I agree. We'll need something. Having to kill creatures twice in limited is going to be difficult, and harder than it was with persist. Maybe a more expensive version of swords to plowshares, but with flashback; a sever the bloodline for only one dude. Also, the blue mill card is a limited bomb, too.

Knepps wrote:

Get your melerias now!

Melira doesn't exactly effect any synergies. (And if there are any grammar-lovers out there, I did mean effect with an "e")

New cards look like a lot of fun. Looks like there are a couple new cards for a token strategy. These already make Mikaeus, Honor of the Pure, Intangible Virtue, and Parallel Lives look better. I love the idea of creatures that transform into non-creature spells. Gravecrawler is exactly what a tribal zombie deck needed in standard. I'm interested to see how it compares to Bloodghast in terms of power level. Fateful Hour seems like a turdy mechanic, but I guess I can't accurately judge it until I see how it plays.


Also, the checklist card at least reveals some more card names:



Any speculation? Elbrus, the Binding Blade looks pretty interesting considering its colorless and a flip card.

I'm bothered that the only gold flip card is GR... my most hated color combo atm.

I'm guessing since it has blade in its name, the artifact will be a transforming equipment. I have no idea what the conditions of transformation will be though. Perhaps dealing combat damage to a player, or having the equipped creature die? I like the name, but better be really good for 7 mana. Equip 1 or 0?

I feel gravecrawler isn't comparable to bloodghast, sadly. Bloodghast was play a land get four dudes when I had zero. Gravecrawler is BBBB get four dudes, and have to have one already, which is by no means bad. but having to have a zombie is pretty lame. Gravecrawler does really shine in decks that want to return him more than twice (fetchlands and bloodghast) per turn. One interaction that cannot be ignored is how crazy good he would be in a zombie deck with Grimgrin. You could pump Grimgrin like 5-6 times per turn.

I really like the new cards. Hopefully Sorin is the B/W I have speculated him to be so I can make a B/W Human Demon deck. With the new cards that make human tokens, Reaper from the Abyss, and the new Ravenous Demon/Archdemon of Greed seem really good. Combo with Ravenous Demon/Archdemon of Greed and Reaper from the Abyss, morbid is usually always on=Fun for U.

I am totally making a self mill deck for standard. Ghoultree is ridiculous along side Splinterfright. The ability to play a 10/10 for G seems borken to me. For those of you who haven't seen Ghoultree yet, here is a link for you:

http://sales.starcitygames.com/carddisplay.php?product=382656

Edit: Ahh, there is so much potential for so many different decks to come alive, pun intended, after the new set is out.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127108&d=1326207416

I may play this when sphinx goes away.

Ran wrote:

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127108&d=1326207416

I may play this when sphinx goes away.

Buck was talking about the interesting interaction between this card and pristine talisman. Pretty impressive.

Edit: Also stupid with sword of war and peace.

There are so many decks I want to try out with these new cards. I dont think the metagame will have ever been more diverse as it will be when the set is released.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127359&d=1326776672

Holy shit... you can tutor up this annoyance.

Ran wrote:

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127359&d=1326776672

Holy shit... you can tutor up this annoyance.

Yeah, Buck and I talked about this last night. He claimed it to be a $5 card, and I definitely agree. This is going to be in every sideboard. I feel it takes away from the skill of the game. Unlike Tormod's Crypt effects, this one doesn't need to be "timed" and is just made into "just get it into play." I don't like it, but I guess it's extra lame for me, playing dredge in legacy and all. Not sure how I'm supposed to beat it. Grudge from the board hardly works since I can't flash it back. I guess Chain of Vapor and Nature's Claim are my only outs.

I think it sucks, didn't need to be printed, my poor snapcasters.

Thoughts on the set?

Is it weird that the card I'm most excited about is huntmaster of the fells?

I really like this set. All the flavor, and how awesome some of these cards are. I am probably most excited about Havengul Lich.

This set is pretty cool except one major design flaw... where in the holy hell is my white instant exile. Wizards... you expect me to play Dispatch? Fine, but you're now on my shit list.

Ran wrote:

This set is pretty cool except one major design flaw... where in the holy hell is my white instant exile. Wizards... you expect me to play Dispatch? Fine, but you're now on my shit list.

Celestial Purge gets it done in 2/5 colors!