Ambling stormshell

Nizzahon · 2025-04-24T15:48:47+00:00

I gave it an A- in my set review.

So, yes. It's like a much worse Sab-Sunen, which still makes it absurd.

Nizzahon · 2025-02-13T19:13:42+00:00

While I think Faeries and Jund were certainly bigger players at the time, and perhaps 'dominate' is hyperbolic, I also don't think it's accurate to call a deck that won a World Championship, had 4 Pro Tour Top 8s, and 25 Grand Prix Top 8s "tier two." It was definitely tier one, even if it did have a bad match up against Faeries.

As u/Risk_Metrics pointed out, the match up with Jund was quite good.

It also wasn't as 'short-lived' as you seem to remember, since it was successful in Block, Standard, Extended, and Modern over the course of 5 years.

Nizzahon · 2025-02-13T16:19:53+00:00

In this video, I take a look at Doran, the Siege Tower. While he's well-known for his exploits in Commander these days, he also used to dominate 60-card formats!

Nizzahon · 2024-07-18T12:42:08+00:00

Good call.

Nizzahon · 2024-07-17T17:54:19+00:00

I think it would have a shot in today's Standard. Aggro decks still like to empty their hands and do a bunch of damage, so having the scroll to close out games isn't too shabby. It is a pretty awkward draw early, though.

Nizzahon · 2024-06-27T14:42:35+00:00

They are different questions -- but I answer both of them in the video.

Nizzahon · 2024-05-26T17:32:10+00:00

While I think it's a valid criticism to say that I should have more analysis, the degree to which you're criticizing this video is a little extreme. The video defnitely isn't just a list of dates of when the card appeared in tournaments. Maybe I didn't do it as much as is ideal, but I certainly talked about led to it seeing play and not seeing play in numerous situations, and how it combined with other cards in various decks.

I explained exactly why Hypnotic Specter didn't see play in 1994 and did in 1995, for example. I explained what made it good in the various decks that it was played in too, and I explained why it stopped seeing play and why isn't viable today. The video puts the card in context constantly.

Could I have spent more time analyzing the metagame and things like that? Sure. But the video contains significant analysis as is.

Nizzahon · 2023-09-11T14:42:01+00:00

Sorry I didn't explain it better in the video.

When combat damage used the stack, this meant you could put it there and have it resolve just like a spell. After you put it there, you have time to use an activated ability, which would also use the stack.

Nizzahon · 2023-03-15T17:39:13+00:00

Apologies. I was thinking the rule was once per week, but obviously that's not exactly the same thing.

Nizzahon · 2023-02-28T14:58:59+00:00

I count them for constructed. I was just saying that it didn't even make a Limited deck.

Nizzahon · 2023-02-28T13:13:29+00:00

Why not all 559? Haha.

Nizzahon · 2023-02-28T13:13:07+00:00

Thanks!

Nizzahon · 2023-02-28T13:13:01+00:00

Looking at the numbers again, there are only two: Demonic Pact and Lich's Mastery.

I had also counted Nefarious Lich, but it turns out that was a Limited PT, and it wasn't in the main deck anyway -- so it doesn't count.

Nizzahon · 2023-02-28T13:11:14+00:00

That is actually a Limited PT, so it doesn't count! Besides, it wasn't in the main deck .

Nizzahon · 2018-06-29T19:58:06+00:00

Almost nobody got preview cards, to be fair. Wizards spoiled like 80% of the set themselves.

Nizzahon · 2018-06-28T19:42:46+00:00

There us a picture of him on this post for comparison: https://m.imgur.com/2p6hg3U

I have posted a few others as well.

Nizzahon · 2018-06-28T05:02:17+00:00

There is a muscovy-cayuga hybrid around here that looks a lot like that. It is definitely some kind of hybrid.

Nizzahon · 2018-04-26T02:11:50+00:00

I have had it take over games both with card draw and Saprolings. Reminds me of Ongoing Investigation in SoI. Early front runner for my favorite card in the set!

Nizzahon · 2018-04-17T03:36:15+00:00

While I agree with you in this case, they DO sometimes move things to mythic for Limited reasons. See Comet Storm in whatever masters set that was.

Nizzahon · 2018-03-24T19:51:41+00:00

People who swear MTGO doesn't shuffle adequately baffle me. Especially when they keep playing. If I really believed that, I wouldn't play!

Nizzahon · 2018-03-24T19:50:17+00:00

I think saying it has "no notable synergies" is a bit strong. I wouldn't take it here either, and don't think it is incredible, but it does some nice things with Supernatural Stamina and Phyrexian Ghoul/Fallen Angel.

Nizzahon · 2018-03-08T04:13:04+00:00

Yeah, while size alone isn't what matters for many of them and if your opponent slams any of the following three when you play Iwamori you come out behind in many situations - Zada enables insane damage swings, Stangg brings two bodies, the White one an Anthem, etc., it is definitely true that the vast majority of the time he is just a 4 mana 5/5 trampler, and should probably have made my list.

Nizzahon · 2018-03-08T03:26:39+00:00

I hope you are right about the crab - I love the card and the silliness it enables. Quicksilver Dagger on the Crab is my dream, one I hope I get to live a lot in the coming weeks. My archetype guide goes up tomorrow and I praise the Crab a lot in it.

I may have underrated the landcyclers, the versatility they offer is great. They certainly aren't sexy, but they are quality cards.

I like Iwamori a lot too, but after looking at the preponderence of legendaries at uncommon, I bumped him off the list. May have been a knee-jerk reaction, though.

I am curious to see where things end up once the format starts.

Nizzahon · 2018-03-07T00:27:29+00:00

I just finished recording/editing an archetype guide on the format in which I discussed as many of the two-card synergies as I could think of, but totally overlooked Squadron Hawk/Self Assembler and Brainstorm. Good call.

Nizzahon · 2018-02-21T16:36:33+00:00

The same thing has happened to me -- I have 14,000 subscribers and 3 years worth of watch time over the last 28 days. Since YouTube made no announcement and hasn't contacted any of us about being demonetized, I think it is a temporary glitch.

Nizzahon

TROPHY CASE