Does anyone else think most sets in standard kinda suck? RTR is the best, but I see no eternal format cards in GTC or DGM besides {Voice of Resurgence}. M14 has {Scavenging Ooze} and then there is new Brimaz.... Past that... It just feels lack luster. I look at Innistrad and see {Geist of Saint Traft}, {Delver of Secrets}, {Snapcaster Mage} etc. like.... In retrospect we have nothing to compare to those everlasting cards.
I don't see Journey to Nyx having great cards either.... I think until the new set 'Huey' we are kinda durdling in this format.
Opinions?
Creatures keep getting better, while spells get worse. In scars block, there were some very good creatures, but not that many because swords and other things could make them better. Also, creatures were not the key to winning for every deck. A crucial part for some decks? Absolutely. But not so much that the spells didn't play as big of a role as the creatures themselves. Counterspells are getting worse, and in their place we get removal spells (I guess) and creatures (didn't see that one coming).
In short, I think that magic is getting less dynamic (more simple) because of its emphasis on creatures doing almost all of the heavy lifting in nearly every deck.
Quote from: Coffee Vampire on February 20, 2014, 12:06:04 AM
Creatures keep getting better, while spells get worse. In scars block, there were some very good creatures, but not that many because swords and other things could make them better. Also, creatures were not the key to winning for every deck. A crucial part for some decks? Absolutely. But not so much that the spells didn't play as big of a role as the creatures themselves. Counterspells are getting worse, and in their place we get removal spells (I guess) and creatures (didn't see that one coming).
In short, I think that magic is getting less dynamic (more simple) because of its emphasis on creatures doing almost all of the heavy lifting in nearly every deck.
I couldn't agree more. Every spell but {Sphinx's Revelation} in standard and maybe {Supreme Verdict} has been poo. Even when they DO print good spells, it's just a re print (I'm looking at you {Thoughtseize})
Creatures need to back off for a bit I think. But with all this Devotion junk, which is possibly the worst mechanic ever made, I don't see it happening.
Edit: {Domri Rade} has seen modern play I've heard in Zoo, so that's a single rare in GTC
Disagree
Players are used to making safe choices (aka net decking)
Took 3rd again with my possibility storm jund deck.
A card essentially worthless to most has been AMAZING to me. I play an elvish mystic, get mogis, oh I have 4 mana still open, spike jester , I get a. DDemon!
It's hilarious!
The current blocks in standard are fine, we are just in between blocks in the sense of : RTR had a lot of stuff geared towards past sets (ash zealot)
Now after RTR rotates and depending on what m15 gives us; we may get a very slow standard now that there may be no potential mana dork turn 1.
Brimaz seems scary and then a black player puts out {illness in the ranks}
Brimaz no long is a pimp and now enchantment removal is required for a deck with him. That's an extra slot to worry about.
Anywho: if TL;DR : it's fine as it is. Just stop net decking and it won't be so boring
Not every card can make an impact on eternal formats, WoTC is trying to curb power creep by slowly backing down the power levels. As for the creatures, yes they are very prevalent, but there are decks that run very few of them. For example, Azorius and Esper control only run one or two creatures ({Aetherling} and some are now running {Archangel of Thune}). Overall, I agree with you guys, but I think you are being a bit too cynical.