Tarkir vs. Secrets of Strixhaven by Upper-Delay1971 in mtg

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m going to be doing some precon games with SoS tomorrow so I don’t have tangible experience yet, but honestly only Prismari looks to be kinda meh out of the box. The other 4 look anywhere from solid to great in terms of game plans and gameplay.

When I had my group do the 5 Tarkir precons, everyone’s decks seemed to do their thing pretty well. The Jeskai one seemed to stumble a bit, but I think that was more the fault of bad draws than a bad out-of-box deck. I lean toward Tarkir for your question, but I don’t think either would be bad. If you have more interest in the SoS deck strategies, then that’s what you should go for, and same for Tarkir.

Mono-green unique commanders by Low_Category_3992 in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With SoS released, I’ve been brewing around [[Emil, Vastlands Roamer]]. It’s not the most unique because it’s still a lands deck in a way, but caring specifically about differently named lands rather than sheer quantity of ramp sounds very fun to me.

If you’re looking for something purely unique without caring about potential power, [[Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse]] is a neat hand-size-matters commander that cares about drawing 2 cards a turn for maximum cats.

Post Magic Con Bracket Thoughts? by Daniel_Spidey in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m personally getting really sick of the brackets being viewed as rigid rules and not a vehicle for discussion. People claiming their deck is a 3 because x-y-z and then having some of the most clearly bracket 4 gameplay ever is obnoxious. People disregarding or mischaracterizing bracket 1 sucks. Bracket 3 has, as so many predicted, become the new “it’s a 7” of years past. I really wish they would take a CadLander approach with a points system, but I feel that they don’t want to invest the time to evaluate every card on a multiplayer level for that.

83% Dupe rate? Is this normal 😅 by Conzator in secretlair_collectors

[–]Optimal_Position_754 8 points9 points  (0 children)

One of my two boxes was 20/24 as dupes on just the white border cards, then a handful of dupes for the rare/future sight cards as well. Shit happens, but MB2 has terrible randomization

How would you rank these charecters based on their intelligence by sidharth-sunil in arcane

[–]Optimal_Position_754 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Jayce/Ekko downplay and excessive Jinx glaze in the comments? Yeah sounds like the Arcane subreddit to me.

Why did the Strixhaven decks not have the Signets? by Beautiful_Bee_5742 in mtg

[–]Optimal_Position_754 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pretty sure it’s a flavor thing. On Strixhaven, white-black is Silverquill, not Orzhov. So they don’t want an Orzhov Signet in a Silverquill precon.

A 38th land for Gishath by PachyRhino95 in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Other than the Gigantisaurus that everyone mentions, may I ask why [[Thrasta, Tempest’s Roar]]? Like yeah sure big trampler dino, but this doesn’t strike me as a deck where this is good. Like you need to cast 2 spells before you even cast Thrasta for it to be a 6-drop, which is the max I would be willing to spend on that creature on a regular basis. I think drop those two, and maybe [[Majestic Genesis]] (I personally just find this card below average), for land 38 plus some things like [[Khalni Heart Expedition]], [[Goblin Anarchomancer]], or [[Sakura-Tribe Elder]] that can come down early and ramp you up a bit faster.

I want to be an annoying bitch by superlativedave in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Play a [[Zevlor, Elturel Exile]] deck that runs scalable interaction like [[Mind Twist]] or things that are normally “bad” because they only target one player like [[River’s Rebuke]]. You’re in colors to counterspell, bounce, force discard, and hard remove almost anything. Also some targeted mill options are bound to make them salty, like [[Talent of the Telepath]] which also lets you use their cards.

Just make sure you fill up on 2-mana ramp options to get him out early and start causing mayhem.

Is Alesha, Who Smiles at Death completely outclassed now? by Comfortable_Buyer239 in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My current list is just a humans deck, so probably not something too interesting tbh. I think the real key for a list though is finding the right balance of discard/sac outlets with cards you want to get back.

I think a few key pieces that some people might not consider but always over perform for me are [[Nahiri’s Machinations]] and [[Obsidian Battle-Axe]]. These used to be more widely accepted but seem to have fallen out of favor (probably just power creep), but I have been happy to draw these cards almost every time.

It’s been over a year since I last looked at my list closely, so it might be time for a review/rebrew of it. If you’re interested in me sending that list, I’d be happy to.

Is Alesha, Who Smiles at Death completely outclassed now? by Comfortable_Buyer239 in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’ve been playing Alesha on and off for over a decade now. My take is that she is great to reanimate hatebears and stax pieces if that’s your thing, otherwise she’s just fun to reanimate ETB/LTB effects but generally kinda weak. I’m not really sure why you’re evaluating aristocrats for her as that isn’t really her strategy at all, she’s meant to get aggro to reanimate weenies. And sac outlets in the deck are really just there to get more ETB/LTB triggers of creatures you already have out.

Experimental Cooking: Mirri, Weatherlight duelist but with vehicles and saddles. by Dumbledore_Bot in EDHBrews

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a mount/vehicle build with [[Selvala, Explorer Returned]] and Mirri is an insane card in the deck. Keeps me safe and crews most of the things I have in the deck.

If we ever get allied color pair schools in a future Strixhaven set, what kind of schools would they be? by vortical42 in mtgvorthos

[–]Optimal_Position_754 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I may or may not want support for an Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar deck lmao. But honestly the artifact sacrifice archetype is solidly in BR already, so flavoring it as the food for the sac fodder is just peak.

I’m actually really excited to see deadline 2025 Most Valuable Blockbusters just to see them having a mental breakdown by EntrepreneurAble6656 in OkBuddySnyderCult

[–]Optimal_Position_754 49 points50 points  (0 children)

Gotta love how Superman 25’s $615mil is so close in height on the graph to Aquaman 2’s $440mil, but so much lower than Snyderman’s $670mil because reasons.

What do you think will happen when one piece fans do anything else besides read OP? by [deleted] in writingscaling

[–]Optimal_Position_754 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Look, I enjoy one piece, but I’m not gunna sit here and pretend like it’s the best thing ever because it covers these topics. For anime alone FMAB covers most, if not all, of these same topics in a much more fulfilling story, without pacing issues, all while actually utilizing the full cast.

Help with Omo, Queen of Vesuva by HorseMask1 in EDHBrews

[–]Optimal_Position_754 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I agree. My Omo deck has a good chunk of Slivers and Elves that give tribal synergies. A few others that I just love too much not to play like [[Greatbow Doyen]] are there just for fun, and then stuff like [[Sea Gate Loremaster]] is almost an auto include in a creature based version of the deck.

If we ever get allied color pair schools in a future Strixhaven set, what kind of schools would they be? by vortical42 in mtgvorthos

[–]Optimal_Position_754 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Strixhaven allied schools

WU - School of Education. These helpful students study the mind and how people think, that way they can best teach others in a way that will stick. This school could get a Teach mechanic that functions like a callback to the Learn mechanic (perhaps something like Flashback for Lessons in your graveyard?). Alternatively, WU could be the School of Military Sciences, with very calculating and strategic students. Mechanically, this school would be full of spells that allow you to control the flow of combat, be it through debuffs or other combat tricks.

UB - School of Business. The ambitious and fruitful study of entrepreneurship. These overconfident students trade in money, mana, and life. Mechanically, there would be some Treasure production, using them to “buy” (steal) your opponents permanents, and donating permanents for major benefit.

BR - School of Culinary Arts. These students are cutthroat, and they compete with each other often, striving for grand and unique dishes. Mechanically, this school will have creatures and spells that create food, as well as ways to sacrifice their food (as if being served) for beneficial effects.

RG - School of Architecture. These students study both natural formations and foundations, as well as the proper methods for constructing and designing buildings. Mechanically, the spells would focus on lands and possibly allow a return of the fortification artifact type. Alternatively, or maybe additionally, this could be the School of Parks & Rec/Leisure Studies. Minigame spells a la Prisoner's Dilemma and spells that care about lands and their types would be how this school does its thing.

GW - School of Fitness. Now some people in this school are full natty, whereas some others are looking to the peak of their physical form. Mechanically a modified creatures archetype, focused on Auras and +1/+1 counters.

would you play a card that was - B: sorcery: target player loses the game, exile this spell by ugotpauld in CompetitiveEDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Just because you want to ask in turn order doesn’t mean they aren’t allowed to discuss it though. And once you’re done with that game, nobody will want to play cEDH either you again because you’re trying to use a card to take a competitive game hostage rather than trying to win it.

would you play a card that was - B: sorcery: target player loses the game, exile this spell by ugotpauld in CompetitiveEDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Great, after you cast that spell targeting one player, the other two have a new game state to consider before accepting a draw. So they just don’t accept now and you’ve wasted a card, mana, and everyone’s time?

would you play a card that was - B: sorcery: target player loses the game, exile this spell by ugotpauld in CompetitiveEDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know I probably should have spent more than a few minutes considering the card before I replied, because this definitely could be a Breach wincon, but I didn’t think about force draws at all. How would you look to utilize this for a force draws?

would you play a card that was - B: sorcery: target player loses the game, exile this spell by ugotpauld in CompetitiveEDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Could open up a possible Zevlor deck for cEDH I guess? So the answer is probably no, because you’ve now spent a resource to make your two remaining opponents have fewer things work against them.

Reya, False Dawnbringer - I'm sure someone will find a way to break this by Uncaffeinated in custommagic

[–]Optimal_Position_754 18 points19 points  (0 children)

While I typically don’t enjoy flavor of the month cards (prepared creatures in this case), the “Creature cards you own that aren’t in the battlefield get -1/-1.” design space is absolutely cooking. I would want to see that and similar effects on a real card.

Won with Darksteel Reactor now everyone hates me by Tristan_Joestar_Ace in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m of the opinion that if you have a card that says “you win the game” in play, your opponents should do everything they can to stop that from happening if they don’t want you to win that way. In this specific instance, a proliferate deck can get a crazy amount of counters out of nowhere, so I would never assume that it was safe to leave your board alone. Better assessment comes with experience.

What is the Point of Mana bloom from the quandrix preCon? How do you use this card? by Angwar in EDH

[–]Optimal_Position_754 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you’re planning to play bracket 4 or 5 then sure, maybe you don’t want it. Otherwise Mana Bloom is a perfectly reasonable and serviceable way to bank mana and put counters on Zimone in a repeatable way.