'Article': Sleepers That Never Woke Up

[izik99]

I'm not allowed to post in the articles section, but I just wanted to make this.

So have you ever heard of a 'sleeper' in a set? A card that has amazing potential, yet nobody really notices since the top tier decks don't play it?
Today I have 2 cards, both from the Return to Ravnica set, that I could see playing in top tier Standard constructed decks once people start noticing.

Card #1: {Sphere of Safety}

To start off, lets weigh out the pros and cons.

Pros- Opponents have to pay for EACH attacking creature, works better if you have enchantments. Opponents have to choose between casting and attacking.

Cons- High mana cost, bad against low/no creature control.

All in all, this card is great against tokens and aggro, and is a perfect fit into heavy enchantment control/midrange or Bantchantments.

Card #2: {Wild Beastmaster}

My favorite card in standard right now, here are the goods and the bads.

Pros- Pumps all your creatures, cheap cost.

Cons- Small body when played.

Bantchantments has a new playset coming up. The Beastmaster is so good in synergy with things like {Invisible Stalker} and {Geist of Saint Traft}. Here's why- instead of pumping one creature with a {Rancor} or something similar, put it on {Wild Beastmaster}. Then all of your 'Hextroops' get +3/+3! This card allows for super pumping, so yeah. Another deck it works great for is GW Aggro.

Turn 1- Forest, {Avacyn's Pilgrim}.
Turn 2- Plains, {Wild Beastmaster}.
Turn 3- Forest, {Silverblade Paladin}, pair it with the Beastmaster, {Rancor} on the Beastmaster.
Turn 4- Play whatever you want, but you get to swing in for 20. Game.

Thanks for reading my article, and I hope you enjoyed it!
-Isaac

[MisterJH]

I agree with {sphere of safety}, its a cool card if you have enough enchantments..
Major con however is that most enchantments are negative card advantage, allowing removal of 2 cards (creature+enchantment) for the price of 1 (removal spell).

On a hexproof heavy deck, this presents little to no problem, but without the benefit of protection from opponents spells, this strategy could easily collapse. Also easily susceptable to boardwipes. If done right, however, i could see people yankin their hair out over one of these on the field.

[Vyse]

And beast master becomes seriously powerfull when you get two on the field boosted up, the first powering the second is incredible

[InfinitiveDivinity]

GTC has a really nice sleeper I've been collecting, I'm gonna wait to see what happens with it before I let people in on the card, it has a year and a half to find a home. I can agree on your sleepers though

[MisterJH]

Wow infinitive you just sold yourself out dont worry ill still get it to ya though

[Quackmaster5]

I love sphere of safety. I think that even though the mana cost is high, an azorius or bant control deck needs this card. Hopefully by the time you play it, you have a couple of cheap enchantments out. Also, I used this in the RTR prerelease. Pissed off so many people when I dropped the second sphere the next turn. My opponent had to pay 8 per creature to attack.

[MisterJH]

So BASICALLY your opponent didnt attack lol

[toastani]

Just curious: why can't you post in the article section?

[Coffee Vampire]

Users are not permitted to post articles in that section until they post a trial article in general discussion, and it gets approved by the community. Amiright?

[Kaleo42]

This is true. My uncertainty is how mods do it. It seems an extra step is added where we post or at least discuss posting it amongst ourselves before it makes it to general. Personally I like that because it insures sufficiant content and apporpiate subject matter.

[Dudecore]

To be able to create new threads in this section, one must post their first article in Magic -> General Discussion with "Article: " as a prefix. The article posted in such way shall be moved here if deemed worthy.

Writers are exempt from this rule.

Your article must be free from spelling and grammar issues. All cards should be linked.

I do not read General nor Articles sections very often. Once your article received good feedback, send me PM with a link to it.

No one is really allowed to post in Articles until theyre an approved "Sage". Including moderators.

As far as this article is concerned, I like the premise. I'd just suggest adding more content and taking it to the next level. Certainly Bant Aura decks are sideboarding {Sphere of Safety} vs. Aggro, but that archtype is quickly dying as more players are sideboarding {Paraselene}, and the obvious threat of {Glaring Spotlight}.

[Birdbrain]

In moderne, {sphere of safety} could be insane with {ghostly prison}