MM2 Speculation based on drafting

Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum

Posted on Dec. 8, 2014, 7:41 a.m. by ChiefBell

So we know that MM2 is going to include both Etched Champion and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.

We also know that MM2 is a set that's going to be heavily drafted.

Therefore we can assume that the draft environment has to support both those cards - Emrakul should be castable (or cheatable), and the Champion has to have artifact support. They wouldn't put cards in the set that can't actually be cast or played, or do anything.

Based on these factors does that mean we'll see Arcbound Ravager, Mox Opal and others to support Etched Champion? Do you think we'll see the Urza lands or Goryo's Vengeance to support Emrakul?

JexInfinite says... #2

I think we'll see Into the Breach rather than Goryo's Vengeance, as it's playable in the draft scene. We will likely have a fair few artifact creatures and random stuff, like the Doom Blade on a stick from Shards.

December 8, 2014 8:09 a.m.

JexInfinite says... #3

December 8, 2014 8:10 a.m.

JWiley129 says... #4

I'm curious to see if there are any reprints from MM2013 in MM2015, like Cryptic Command or Vendilion Clique, but your assessment is probably correct. There is likely going to be a decent amount of artifact support so Etched Champion has a specific archetype for it to fit into while a heavy ramp/cheat into play.

December 8, 2014 8:11 a.m.

capriom85 says... #5

I just hope we see Serum Visions, maybe Spell Snare. I need a few little hard to find things for Delver that I just can't track down.

December 8, 2014 8:41 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #6

Yeh, but this thread is about speculating based on the information we have, not about speculating based on what we want.

December 8, 2014 8:48 a.m.

kintighd says... #7

Depending on how much annihilator they use, they would have to put something in to counteract it. For example totem armor.

December 8, 2014 9:16 a.m.

lemmingllama says... #8

We'll probably see Through the Breach or Quicksilver Amulet for the support on Emrakul, or some non-rares that let you ramp like Search for Tomorrow.

As for artifacts, I can see Affinity being a somewhat draftable archetype. Most of the relevant cards are common and uncommon.

December 8, 2014 9:31 a.m.

sergiodelrio says... #9

Maybe Tajuru Preserver to prevent Annihilator?

December 8, 2014 9:33 a.m.

kintighd says... #10

I'm also wondering how much of the affinity deck they will give us. Too much and it.will be too easily drafted and warp the format.

December 8, 2014 9:49 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #11

I'm thinking that Voidslime could be a fun include.

December 8, 2014 10:18 a.m.

JexInfinite says... #12

What would be the replacement for Mulldrifter? That was such an amazing card in draft, and MM2 will definitely need a card of that nature which is 1st pickable.

December 8, 2014 10:34 a.m.

the3rdH0kage says... #13

I'm currently making a speculation cube to try and make MM2. I made White a few minutes ago and plan on adding onto it and finishing it this week.

December 8, 2014 10:38 a.m.

Hjaltrohir says... #14

Maybe they will reprint something like Porcelain Legionnaire @JexInfinite as that is a fairly insane common.

December 8, 2014 11:48 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #15

They could combine some support with Emrakul with support for Scapeshift. Both strategies complement each other in some ways. I mean to get Emrakul you have to ramp A LOT, but it is possible.

December 8, 2014 12:37 p.m.

Rayenous says... #16

Polymorph into an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn... ?

If they have Infect, then I could see them doing both Blinkmoth Nexus and Inkmoth Nexus. Supporting both the Affinity and Infect concepts.

Splinter Twin could see another print... needing of course, Deceiver Exarch or it's ilk. Since it creates tokens it could be supported by cards normally in a B/W tokens concept. - I could also see them reprinting Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.

or Esper control may be an theme. Celestial Colonnade, Wrath of God or preferably Damnation (Sadly, not Supreme Verdict as it's too recent.), some good counter spells like Mana Leak and Spell Pierce... etc

Lots of possible options... without knowing what synergies they are using, there's just too many possible cards to get a good guess. I think most of the statements on this thread are more 'wishes' than 'guesses'.

The interview I saw did mention that they are focusing on 2 color themes and synergies between those themes (like they did in MM). - To me this suggests that things like Goblin Guide may not be as likely as it's typically seen in mono-red... though it could still play well into or Zoo.

December 8, 2014 1:24 p.m.

Rayenous says... #17

Sorry.... I meant - "I think most of the statements on other threads are more 'wishes' than 'guesses'."

December 8, 2014 1:26 p.m.

jkirby8808 says... #18

What about Noble Hierarch? Its decently played in modern and would be a great support for multicolored in draft.

December 11, 2014 12:35 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #19

Haha. Polymorph into emrakul may be too strong. Depends on the non creature support in the set.

December 11, 2014 5:41 a.m.

Rayenous says... #20

@jkirby8808.

I'm certainly hoping for Noble Hierarch, bur for some reason I'm expecting Birds of Paradise (also good)... perhaps it could be both.

December 11, 2014 7:48 a.m.

jr92_2000 says... #21

Noble Hierarch really needs to be reprinted here. Birds of Paradise should just be put in M16.

December 11, 2014 8:39 a.m.
December 12, 2014 7:08 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #23

Decent ramp and fixing would be really important and support emrakul.

Not sure abiut vines of vast wood. It doesn't protect against annihilator because that doesn't specifically target. It could be in but it would be a bit of a guess.

December 12, 2014 7:31 a.m.

BlackyMTG says... #24

If Noble Hierarch is not reprinted I'll never be able to afford my Infect deck! -.-

December 13, 2014 11:17 p.m.

Hider1120 says... #25

Based on just drafting: how good is Tarmogoyf in limited? In my mind, on turn 2 it's a 0/1 or 1/2 on turn 2, which is almost unplayable. Unless it's paired with IoK, it's really hard to get a larger Goyf on turn 2. However, later in the game it is a huge tempo swing as it can be a 3/4 or 4/5 for 2 mana. I don't think it would be super terrible for limited if Tarmogoyf was an uncommon. Maybe I'm just completely wrong as I never played Goyf in limited.

As far as other limited concerns, Robots will probably be an archetype. Emrakul might not mean anything. It's a $50 card which needs to be reprinted. This is also true of Noble Hierarch. Both are wayyyyy to expensive and need to be reprinted. I expect Serum Visions as well to be reprinted. I hope this set will be like VMA with very powerful decks that have coherent plans.

December 14, 2014 11:37 a.m.

jpgcoleman says... #26

December 15, 2014 10:22 a.m.

BlackyMTG says... #27

They'll probably reprint Noble Hierarch and/or Serum Visions in a upcoming set; Dragons of Tarkir - Fate Reforged - M16. NOTE: Hierarch won't be printed in the other tarkir sets, as it's mana symbols to tap for don't support it.

December 15, 2014 10:33 a.m.

Hider1120 says... #28

@jpgcoleman: I think they WOTC said they were focusing on blocks up to New Phyrexia. This means they will be leaving out cards such as Snapcaster Mage because it's from a newer set. Definitely agree with your other picks. Remand is $15 for an uncommon, which is ridiculous.

@Kiora_Fan-01: Noble Hierarch will not be reprinted in Khans, not because of mana symbols, we don't know what happening in the rest of the block (I'm harboring a suspicion there will be some Shard action in Dragons). It won't be reprinted because of the key-word Exalted. There needs to be a set which exalted is supported and we already had M13. Same thing with Serum Visions. It missed its chance to be reprinted in Thereos. There needs to be another set which supports Scry, which is unlikely as well.

December 15, 2014 12:27 p.m.

jpgcoleman says... #29

hinder1120 crap thats right. That means no Liliana of the Veil or Delver. That's is a shame.

December 15, 2014 12:36 p.m.

KrosanTusker says... #30

Basically, I'm expecting virtually every modern staple that wasn't in MMA, and hoping for a bunch of ones that were.

Remand seems obvious, since the only reprint ever was in a duel deck. Path was in a duel deck but still released soon after in MMA. I think Spell Snare is possible too, but we have to remember that the current metagame did not exist when the set was being designed and developed, although they may have had a good guess of what Treasure Cruise would do.

Serum Visions seems odd to miss out in Theros block, so we can say with a decent amount of certainty that it'll be in MM2. Similarly, Damnation was not in the recent FTV and is unlikely to be reprinted in a standard with of 5-mana wraths, so I expect that too.

December 16, 2014 7:28 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #31

Yeh, but this has turned from making guesses based on the content and drafting environment to just writing what we hope is in which is less useful.

December 16, 2014 7:41 a.m.

KrosanTusker says... #32

Yeah, I wasn't really talking about drafting anymore, but this is not just baseless hope. These are reasonable explanations.

I can see infect being a draft archetype, maybe / or /, or perhaps with a bit in most colours? Since SOM block is one of the new additions since MMA, it would make sense for a high enough proportion of the cards to be from that block.

December 16, 2014 8:47 a.m.

Hjaltrohir says... #33

Maybe to counteract annihilator Leyline of Sanctity wil; be thrown in?

December 17, 2014 3:39 a.m.

ChiefBell says... #34

Maybe. I think they're also going to put in a few fast archetypes so the draft format might end up a bit like rise of the eldrazi. Aggro versus ramp/control. It seems reasonable to suggest that a legitimate tactic against ramp decks is to just close the game before they can do anything. Could we see a goblin guide reprint? Seems likely. It'll keep the draft format in check and it does need a reprint.

December 17, 2014 3:59 a.m.

KrosanTusker says... #35

Goblin Guide is phenomenally expensive at the minute. Repriiint!!

I'm not sure about leylines; Void and Sanctity (and to a lesser extent, Punishment) are sometimes used, but they're sort of just wasted slots in a draft format. Not that some limited-unplayable/sideboard-only rares can't be in the set, but I dunno.

December 17, 2014 10:16 a.m.

@Hider1120The reason Tarmogoyf cant be an uncommon is because even if wizards wants to reduce prices they dont want to royally screw collectors and drop goyf to be a $15 uncommon.

December 20, 2014 3:57 p.m.

ExpectDragons says... #38

seems everyone's focusing on how eldrazi can be cheated in rather than the practicalities of hard casting them, as such i'd expect to see reprints of the urza lands giving them the updated border which would be nice. not every reprint needs to be or will be a money card, especially when talking about making it a good draft format.

January 1, 2015 1:01 p.m.

ChiefBell says... #39

I agree with the Urza lands. Good call.

January 1, 2015 1:03 p.m.

This discussion has been closed