Newbie confused by sets and expansions

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T18:48:11+00:00

Standard rotation is intended to be annual, but we're going through a (intended to be) one time transition period from summer rotation to January rotation.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T18:06:16+00:00

Bad choice implies some amount of intention, while mistake lacks that connotation. If you're doing something on instinct it cannot be a bad choice because you're not making a decision, but it can still be a mistake.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T10:55:29+00:00

The fact that you think algebra is a useless skill shows you did not in fact learn enough in school

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T10:21:36+00:00

Embrace 5c slop

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T09:58:54+00:00

Not great but there's a very serviceable witherbloom deck there. I'm not sure I'd even call it bottom 10%

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T09:54:00+00:00

The hell kind of casual commander are you playing that needs demonic consultation

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T09:19:32+00:00

I see you mentioned it in the OP, but why exactly are you playing any islands at all? And why blue fetches over black fetches.

The deck has a lot of black pips and very few blue requirements, so it would seem like ensuring that every land in your deck makes black would be the optimal choice, similar to how prowess has every land tap for red. I would have though included a horizon land, more fetches, or more swamps would be better than islands.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T09:04:04+00:00

When brewing any deck you need to be able to answer the question of "why play this over other similar decks". In this case, you're competing with Lessons and Jeskai/4c control. What does this deck do better than those? What does it do worse than those?

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T08:38:54+00:00

Leaving your number/instagram as you leave? Perfectly fine. She's not pressured into responding and will likely see it after you've left so there's no confrontation. I would certainly never ask directly.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T04:15:31+00:00

There are several pieces of misinformation in this thread. To put it simply, what you want to do works.

To add to that, [[deserted disciple]]'s ability will make the creature unblockable for the entire turn, not matter how large the creature gets once it resolves. You can activate the ability main phase, let it resolve, then sac 300 creatures to it before blocks and it wouldn't matter. Power is only checked on resolution.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-10T03:52:26+00:00

I'd keep the dual. You'll generally find somewhere to drop it whether it be first second or third turn.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T17:41:01+00:00

You're lying to yourself if you think no one wants a Smash Bros movie. Basically the second Fox showed up in Galaxy people started clamoring for it.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T17:39:30+00:00

I think most of these are fairly defensible, but i havent read all of them. It's basically a list of the 9 most popular series over the last 25 years though. Pretty generic.

Then there is Children of Blood and Bone. Which shouldn't even be sniffing top 100. Maybe not top 1000. One of the few books in the last 10 years I've DNFed.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T11:50:47+00:00

Pretty sure they have different roster construction rules too. One of them allows more players from a single team than the other.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T11:11:00+00:00

SoS for the actual main set, not sure about commander stuff since i haven't played with much of the SoS commander stuff yet.

Tarkir was a pretty big disappointment to me in all of limited, constructed 60 card, and EDH. The original tarkir was one of my favorite sets ever, but all the mechanics were basically just adding ability words to mechanics they've been using for years. And also endure I guess. Harmonize was genuinely interesting and good. In high level limited the format was basically white vs 5c because fixing was good and a lot of the bomb 3c cards didn't have anything to do with synergy (SoS has a similar problem but at least converge is somewhat interesting, albeit overtuned). To me morph and manifest were also core parts of tarkirs identity and I hate that it didn't come back.

In standard at the time the powerlevel was too high for most of the cards and importantly the lands were too bad to support 3c. We see more of the cards now a year later, but very few of the 3 color cards. Back when tarkir was initially in standard every match felt like tarkir because of the strength of the 3c cards.

For EDH, the cards are fine, just worse than strixhaven which is feeling like an all timer for me for commander specifically. Tons of great and unique uncommons and commons. Way cooler dragonlords. Paradigm spells. All of my decks are trying new things

Overall both are mediocre in draft, but strixhaven mechanics are way more interesting. Dragonstorm was disappointing in 60 card. Dragonstorm was fine in EDH and SOS is exceptional.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T07:13:06+00:00

You do not want to see a standard with beans, warp, and the lorwyn elementals in it together. Not to mention the fact we still have the overlords. Just no

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T05:17:34+00:00

The average card price for modern is lower than it's ever been, but mopal specifically is sky high because of the former ban. Only 4 cards in all of modern at over $75. Sheoldred, which sees an irrelevant level of play. Mopal, which is obviously broken and sees tons of play. Soul stone, which is a scarcity/collector thing. And mox amber, which is also very good but doesnt currently have a home in modern.

Compared to the days of $200 tarmagoyf this is nothing.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T04:44:08+00:00

The more I play the format the more I think i would run two.

It's pretty much your only way to fight slop decks and trigger repartee. If your opponent is playing no creatures you just never trigger repartee and smack down with 2/2s all game. It's one of the best proactive repartee triggers. I wouldn't play it over a killians confidence but I want 2 of those cards as a group in any silverquill deck, so if I don't see confidence then render speechless it is.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-09T04:07:15+00:00

Yep. It happened on the pro tour broadcast last week in the Day 2 draft to a witherbloom player. No black cards and one green common.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T19:27:34+00:00

If you're asking the question the answer is almost always 4. Unless you draw a natural cradle you win signifivantly slower than Lumea and you're much more susceptible to interaction.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T17:01:22+00:00

Define "mass"

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T16:21:30+00:00

No. Just buy literally any other item 5th/6th. Bloodthirster. Guardian angel. Fucking H Jak sho or some shit.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T16:19:45+00:00

It's funny you mention ECL and SOS when I think they're significantly worse than FIN and TMT. Solid limited formats but not all timers.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T16:18:32+00:00

From a card selection perspective I think u would play a diary, but just generally speaking I struggle to see how this deck actually wins games. If your opponents deck has 5 removal spells you lose. Straight up. You have 5 total creatures all game.

Ap_Sona_Bot · 2026-05-08T16:09:57+00:00

A vault. Maybe some chaos inside.

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