April 2016: Shadows over Innistrad
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Oct. 31, 2015, 6:42 p.m. by JWiley129
Announced during GP Indy, the Spring 2016 set is Shadows over Innistrad!
Edits for FAQ:
- Here is Mark Rosewater on why we're getting two returns in a row.
DemonDragonJ says... #2
That new Avacyn is very nice, but her red half is rather lackluster, since it's ability triggers only once, and she is merely a 6/5 creature with flying, after that. She could at least have had first strike, since her weapon is a spear.
I myself was hoping that there would be a black/white Avacyn, so is there now any hope at all for a black/white angel to appear in this block?
Avacyn, the Purifier is now the second mono-red angel in this game, after Akroma, Angel of Fury, and both are similar in that they have names that begin with the letter "A," are alternate versions of mono-white angels, and were created by powerful magic-users.
On that subject, I really hope that Avacyn does not die, since she is an interesting character who I believe has much more potential for future stories and sets.
Also, is not reaper of flight moonsilver merely a worse version of Fallen Angel, since her ability cannot be used except under certain conditions?
March 7, 2016 10:33 p.m.
Not only is fallen angel just a better version, but she's also black instead of white. And let me remind you that during those times black creatures rarely had flying, and when they did, they were tiny (there's a few exceptions no need to point them out)
Also, back in those days stuff like Terror and Doom Blade was running around
March 7, 2016 10:47 p.m.
Btw we have dates for when Arlinn and a new Sorin will be spoiled by CFB and LSV on the Mothership.
March 7, 2016 11:19 p.m.
Play New Avacyn and Relentless Dead in a B/W zombie/angel deck and run Eldrazi Displacer so you can re-use her ability.
Boom.
March 8, 2016 12:34 a.m.
Ok guys, I have my next incarnation. I present to you:
Standard Jund Midrange Show
This one could be a real thing. Also, before you ask, Seed Guardian is that truth. Now that the insane stats of KTK block are gone, he should be insanity. I suggest buying up on them. I just bought 27 of them and 11 foils for 5$... seems like a good investment to me.
This list and all my other lists can be found on the Spreadsheet that me and TheFoilAjani have been working on. A viewing link can be found on page 19 of this thread, somewhere around the middle tho closer to the top then the bottom.
March 8, 2016 12:40 a.m.
I want Thing In Ice in Modern. It even survives Bolt. Here's a suggestion- U/R prowess with:
4 Thing In Ice
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Delver interchangeable with Stormchaser
2 Erayo?
Notice how two of those are going to be in standard with a few cheap spells.
Sadly, it doesn't work with Vampire Hexmage or Fate Transfer unless you then cast an instant or a sorcery.
Storywise, I am hoping for a titanic battle between Emrakul and Marit Lage.
March 8, 2016 7:08 a.m.
In EDH, Vampire Hexmage and Fate Transfer are still effective with reducing the countdown quicker than normal. Though it sucks to see they do not rush it into a direct flip...
March 8, 2016 7:28 a.m.
TheInsanelyMadWizard says... #10
Can't wait to make a R/B midrange with Avacyn!
March 8, 2016 7:31 a.m.
JohnnyBaggins says... #11
TheInsanelyMadWizard: If you intend to play R/B Midrange, how do you cast Avacyn?
March 8, 2016 7:32 a.m.
EverythingIsK says... #12
Just wanted to get this record straight that Liliana WAS affiliated with Bolas, but since the Tezzeret incident, she's been off his radar was trying to be in cahoots with Jace. Jace still doesn't trust her obviously.
March 8, 2016 8:03 a.m.
TheInsanelyMadWizard says... #14
God damn! I keep forgetting she's still a white creature. Sorry bout that. lol
Seems like my R/B midrange will have to go on without her. Well I can still use her in W/R but I really want to use Relentless Dead and Heir of Falkenwrath.
March 8, 2016 8:14 a.m.
JohnnyBaggins says... #15
Ashockfan: It seems reasonable enough. With Murderous Cut rotating, we have yet to see which cards will be there to form a really reliable removal suite. My guess that Wizards will finish the Tango-Cycle still stands, so the mana base, while significantly worse than the version that had Fetches, should work. I'm overall 99% confident that Mindwrack Demon is the brutally superior choice for the 4-slot. Also, not knowing whether or whether not the new Planeswalker is actually Gruul Coloured (and, as such, would work in your deck), leaves another very powerful option open. In short:
Assuming the Mana base works, it looks good. You ignore extremely powerful options in Thunderbreak Regent and Mindwrack Demon, both of which I'm fairly convinced are better choices than Seed Guardian. Whether and if so which planeswalkers you might have access to is also unclear.The deck looks good from the viewpoint of what we know now, but we don't know enough to make an actual statement just yet.
March 8, 2016 8:28 a.m.
I don't want to make an insane comparison, but Seed Guardian IS like voice in the sense that it replaces itself, and a lot of times the replacement is a bigger creature. Thunderbreak and mind break are good, but I think Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet will actually be the consensus best 4 drop, which Seed Guardian blocks nicely. Seed Guardian also can block Thunderbreak and demon and then get finished off post combat, which Kalitas can't do. I'm also not sure everyone will get on the mindbreak demon hype train, so yay. Seed guardian also will murder the million heir of falkenwraths running around
March 8, 2016 8:58 a.m.
So here's a random speculation: now that we have a werewolf planeswalker, does that mean we may see werewolves on other planes? If Sorin could spread vampirism throughout the multiverse, why couldn't Arlinn spread lycanthropy?
March 8, 2016 9:58 a.m.
Wizno It's a logical possibility but not one I think is totally believable. Arlin seems to have more self control then Sorin does over creating progeny and it looks like the moon on innistrad has something to do with lycanthropes transformations.
March 8, 2016 10:21 a.m.
Stormcaller says... #19
CheeseBro: If those cryptoliths were for channeling mana, to lure emrakul to this plane, wouldn't she be more interested in Jace's homeplane since the Mage-Ring Network already being in place?
SMITE THE EMRACULT
March 8, 2016 10:26 a.m.
Stormcaller says... #20
So here is my theory:
If these cryptoliths are channeling mana, Nahiri isn't using it to lure something to Innistrad. She is focussing all that mana and will use it to cast a spell. To blow up the moon!
In this process she will either set free what is trapped within the moon, or will change the tides an thus wake whatever lies slumbering in the depts of the sea (or both).
And whatever this entity may be is already feeling somthing is afoot and is subliminaly causing all the madness happening on Innistrad.
March 8, 2016 10:42 a.m.
I think Stormcaller is right not the money. - Maybe not 'blow up the moon', but certainly summon/free an entity already trapped on and/or linked to Innistrad.
Great and powerful Horrors and Demons are prevalent in Innistrads past. Sorin would have know of these, and would have likely mentioned them to Nahiri and Ugin during the time it took to create the Hedron Matrix used to trap the Eldrazi.
With Sorin's apparent lack of interest in assisting Nahiri when the Eldrazi began to awaken, it would be quite feasible that Nahiri would seek to also 'awaken' the Horrors which slumber on Innistrad.
I don't think Nahiri would try to use the Eldrazi for this... It would be one of those "I wouldn't with this on my greatest enemy" type of events in her life.
March 8, 2016 10:59 a.m.
Stormcaller says... #22
Rayenous I agree, blowing up the moon may be a bit drastic. But she may tinker with it, thus explaining the name of the upcoming "Eldritch Moon" set and Tamiyos involvement (since she's moonfolk).
God i hope it's not Eldrazi, i hope it's a hole new treat/villain. And can we refer to followers of the "Eldrazi on Innstrad" theory as "Emracultists" from now on? :D
March 8, 2016 11:21 a.m.
AgentGreen says... #23
One thing I'm struggling on is how to protect my Thing in Ice.
Sure it's a 2 drop, but you might as well throw up a "hit me with removal" sign on it.
Do I wait till T3 if I have a dispel to protect it or play and pray?
March 8, 2016 12:30 p.m.
AgentGreen. Thats ok since you dont need to invest more mana after the 2 you spend to cast it (unlike Ludevic's Test Subject).
March 8, 2016 12:41 p.m.
You know, maybe Nahiri is just annoying at Sorin for spreading vampirism to Zendikar (which he didn't).
What good removal spells will be in Standard after rotation?
March 8, 2016 12:41 p.m.
No new spoilers yet today. Isnt the spoiler season officially started? Or was this some kind of weekend thing?
March 8, 2016 12:42 p.m.
Stasis Snare, Grasp of Darkness, Immolating Glare, Ruinous Path, Fiery Impulse and Draconic Roar are the ones that come to mind.
March 8, 2016 12:45 p.m.
Isn't that always the case for powerful cards? - "Remove me or die!"
As far as answering your question... that depends on the format you are playing it in.
In Standard, you aren't likely planning on flipping it right away, so playing it later is a good option. However, what removal are you trying to avoid? Roast and Grasp of Darkness are the only thing I can think of that may kill this early (of course, spoilers still to come), and trading it 1-for-1 isn't horrible if you're getting rid of removal. Just play your next threat (this is Standard, you aren't going to rely on just this) and keep the pressure on.
In Modern, it depends on how your deck is built. Assuming you are running it along side Delver, I feel you want to get aggressive as soon as possible. If you dropped a T1 Delver, and it flipped on T2 reveal, you have an aggressive board... depending on what you are playing against, you may want to apply more pressure, or hold back to protect Delver. - Also remembering that many spells that are going to kill 'Thing in the Ice' as a 0/4 will still kill it as a 7/8, with a few exceptions like Dismember. So, there's really little reason to wait. - If you wait a turn for Dispell mana now, you'll need to wait until you have Dispell mana later as well... otherwise, if you tap out when you cast your 4th spell to flip it, they will kill it in response.
Side note 'Thing in the Ice' seems a bit long, and doesn't roll off the tongue... I want to shorten it, but I'm not sure calling it 'Titi' is right... "Titty"?
Maybe just 'Thing'?
March 8, 2016 12:58 p.m.
I think with Khans' multicolored creatures leaving Ultimate Price will probably one of the best removal spells. Immolating Glare is probably the best.
March 8, 2016 12:58 p.m.
Keranos-zap-yo-face says... #31
Does anyone know if there's another jace or not
March 8, 2016 12:59 p.m.
Stormcaller says... #32
Exquisite Firecraft may also do well with all the graveyard manipulation going on.
March 8, 2016 1:01 p.m.
In addition to Malvion's list, Gideon's Reproach, Isolation Zone, Quarantine Field, Oblivion Strike, Devour in Flames, Plummet, Reclaiming Vines, and Natural State offer removal.
March 8, 2016 1:08 p.m.
March 8, 2016 1:15 p.m.
Where are people coming up with these removal for 'Thing'?
We're looking for things that can hit a T2 'Thing in the Ice' before you get a chance to untap and use counters to protect it, like Dispel (as opposed to waiting until T3).
Immolating Glare/Gideon's Reproach? - When are you going to attack with the 0/4? And why would you even block with this win-con this early in the game while tapped out?
Draconic Roar and Fiery Impulse each only deal 3 damage to a 0/4.
Plummet / Reclaiming Vines? Really? They can't even hit it at all...
March 8, 2016 1:18 p.m.
No I think they were just talking about generically good removal spells.
March 8, 2016 1:21 p.m.
elpokitolama says... #37
What's good with Titi (definitively better name indeed) is that a draw-go control deck can just play it on turn 4 to prevent damages coming from creatures that passed through counterspells/removals and flip in its opponent's face 4 turns later.:>
March 8, 2016 1:24 p.m.
Perhaps I was following the conversation a bit closer than others then.
...Even then...
Reclaiming Vines...?
Quarantine Field...?
Natural State...?
March 8, 2016 1:24 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #40
titi is spanish (either Puerto Rican or Dominican i really have no idea) for aunt lol.
March 8, 2016 1:31 p.m.
Sorin is in SOI. Source: this page or the last in this thread. Jace is obviously in unless Tamiyo is in (please be Tamiyo).
I abbreviate Thing In The Ice NML- that is, Not Marit Lage.
March 8, 2016 1:42 p.m.
Rayenous, we were just talking about removal spells that will still be in standard post rotation. Reclaiming Vines and Natural State remove artifacts and enchantments, so they are removal (it was never specified to be creature removal). Quarantine Field can remove anything that isn't a land, and has the ability to remove multiple permanents if played late enough.
March 8, 2016 1:44 p.m.
'Removal Spells' refers to things that remove creatures.
And Chief stated that people are mentioning 'good' removal spells. - Quarantine Field does not make the cut.
March 8, 2016 1:51 p.m.
I always love it when people start talking about removal for 1 and 2 drops. If it's eating removal, it's doing its job.
March 8, 2016 1:53 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #49
Thoughtseize & Surgical Extraction in one card. Seems pretty good
March 8, 2016 4:01 p.m.
Conditional Thoughtseize and Surgical Extraction in one card... with no ability to pay life instead of mana, and you won't be able to cast it until after the best targets have been cast.
May be good for Standard sideboard, where the good targets may still be in hand after turn 3.
Not likely to get anything but the card in hand in Limited.
All other formats, this fails hard.
Grantley91 says... #1
I wonder how possible it is that it was actually both Emrakul and Marit Lage... Nahiri summoned Emrakul and somehow managed to wake up/free Lage? This will be an interesting block, for sure.
March 7, 2016 10:20 p.m.