Oracle of Bones
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Jan. 22, 2014, 12:35 a.m. by jchudz
Oracle of Bones
Cost: 2RR
Minotaur Shaman
3/1
Haste
Tribute 2
When Oracle of Bones enters the battlefield, if tribute wasn't paid, you may cast an instant or sorcery card from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Maybe the one of the only cards that will actually get its tribute paid?
My issue with tribute is that it's an entire mechanic that dies to Doom Blade
January 22, 2014 12:40 a.m.
Ultimaodin says... #4
I am so over dies to Doom Blade comments. Does nobody know how to run protection or something? >_>
January 22, 2014 12:53 a.m.
Ok, but that's like saying trample dies to Doom Blade . Or first strike dies to Doom Blade . I mean pretty much every ability besides hexproof and protection dies to Doom Blade .
January 22, 2014 12:54 a.m.
Haha for sure. I have actually had people comment on combo decks with "yeah, that combo's really cool, but it dies to Cancel ." Some people... haha
January 22, 2014 1:02 a.m.
Although I do feel like against control that will happen a lot. Pay it then wrath/kill/whatever.
January 22, 2014 1:04 a.m.
Oh yeah it definitely will. I currently run esper control so I've been watching the spoilers, and so far it still looks like control will still be very strong.
January 22, 2014 1:08 a.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #11
He is the titties.
Sadly, "good" decks won't have terribly great ways to abuse him because their spells won't be cheaty enough. Sure, a free Lightning Strike or Read the Bones or whatever is nice, but if that's the best you can do your opponent is probably better off not paying the tribute.
"Bad" (i.e. fun) decks, on the other hand, will try to build decks that cheat big spells into play for entertainment value. Once an opponent figures out the game plan, though, they'll always pay the tribute, and all you'll have is a (big) creature.
Still the titties, but not as much as I'd like to hope he could be.
January 22, 2014 2:20 a.m.
ChrisHansonBiomancin says... #12
It's basically a 5/3 with Haste for 4 the way I see it, unless it's the last card to come out from your hand.
In all seriousness, I'm not a huge fan of Tribute since the power is in your opponent's hands, which means that if the ability is ever useful, you'll just end up with a little bit bigger creature. Makes it a tough mechanic to build with, unless of course you're running Corpsejack Menace .
January 22, 2014 2:45 a.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #13
Absolutely. Tribute is a terrible mechanic. But it's fun as hell.
Just because you know taking 4 damage to remove a Vexing Devil
is the right play at the time doesn't mean that you'll like doing it. That tiny cringe your soul does as you pick the "right" choice makes you hate your opponent just a little bit more than you did before he cast the spell.
I want to be that opponent. :)
January 22, 2014 2:51 a.m.
I think NobodyPicksBulbasaur hit it on the head. Its terrible, but fun. Will it find it's way into PTQ or GP play? Absolutely not. Will it still be fun to play around the kitchen table and piss off all your friends? You better believe it.
January 22, 2014 2:54 a.m.
Hell yeah. I'm already planning the combo with this and Stolen Identity . Why only get one shot at not paying the Tribute?
January 22, 2014 3:11 a.m.
RussischerZar says... #16
Haha I can see him in a UB Guttersnipe / Young Pyromancer deck with stuff like Stolen Identity , Opportunity and lots of burn.
January 22, 2014 5:34 a.m.
Quadsimotto says... #17
This is a cool card. A playset used in a mono red or any red X combo deck could prove to be one of the next big things. It allows you to take cards that you normally would have passed up and give them a shot at being used. Chances are they will pay tribute..but how many times will they pay tribute is the question. R/U finally get out that Enter the Infinite or use Firemind's Foresight to dig for what you want. R/W cards you normally would have passed up as viable usable removal cards like Angelic Edict or Vanquish the Foul due to their CMC might see some play. R/B Morgue Burst or Destroy the Evidence come to mind. Mono Red- large direct damage spells you might not play like Lava Axe or Explosive Impact could be slipped easily into decks now. But here is what i like. Not even a gruul player but this combo may be fun. Use him to get a freeEnlarge or better yet play a Howl of the Night Pack (which combos fantastically with the new Raised by Wolves aura.
January 22, 2014 7:15 a.m.
Opponent casts "Oracle of Bones"...
Response... I play Silence ... "No thanks! tribute not paid!"
January 22, 2014 7:59 a.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #19
That's almost as good as Silence in response to Savage Summoning . Because we are jackasses.
January 22, 2014 10:02 a.m.
This card feels like it has great abuse potential. Enter the Infinite comes to mind, so does Possibility Storm (not because it combos directly, but it abuses the mechanic the same way).
Looking at 5+ CMC sorceries/instants, here's what's jumps out at me as possible to abuse (ignoring cards already mentioned):
Structural Collapse
Skull Rend
Corrupt
Blast of Genius
Sea God's Revenge
Breaking / Entering
Devout Invocation
(I like this one for a Boros build)
Rise of the Dark Realms
(ok, this is nasty)
Seems like there are several B/R cards here... radkos midrange with discard/burn leading to a possible Rise of the Dark Realms ??? With other staples like Hero's Downfall , Dreadbore , Chandra, Pyromaster , and Lightning Strike , this could be a dangerous and chaotic build. Tier 1 competitive? Probably not, but fun as hell and perhaps disruptive enough to steal enough games to be built around.
January 23, 2014 8:40 a.m.
not mechanic... (need my coffee)... it abuses by getting high CMC spells cast for free...
January 23, 2014 8:41 a.m.
mymanpotsandpans says... #22
So you can have Satyr Firedancer out and at some point play Oracle of Bones with a Pinnacle of Rage in your hand. Then have a Felhide Spiritbinder to chuck more Kamikaze Oracle of Bones at people at people. Does this sound reasonable? All I know is I am going to pay that tribute unless my opponents hand is empty.
January 23, 2014 10:57 a.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #23
I have a hard time seeing this be played. Tribute is not all that bad, most cards with are but some are really good. Flame-Wreathed Phoenix and Fanatic of Xenagos are the best of them and will see play. I have been testing them out pretty heavily and most times neither option is appealing for the opponent.
Ex: G/R Monsters vs MBD. I cast Fanatic of Xenagos T2 with an Elvish Mystic . Opponent has a Pack Rat on the board, Bile Blight and Hero's Downfall in hand. What does my opponent do? Take 4 damage on T2 and then kill it with Bile Blight ? Pay the tribute and Hero's Downfall it next turn? Either option works for me as if the Fanatic eats the Downfall then my PWs, Polukranos, World Eater , or Stormbreath Dragon are in the clear most likely. If he doesn't tribute then I get 4 damage in early and put him in range of a one swing kill.
This minotaur does not pose that lose-lose option in standard. Minotaur tribal runs few spells. Fanatic of Mogis is the better card for 4mana. Where does he fit in? I think it is a card to hold onto a playset of and see if he gets anything solid to cast off him during his time in standard.
January 23, 2014 11 a.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #24
@mymanpotsandpans no that isn't reasonable. Maybe if you were playing solitaire magic. Running Pinnacle of Rage in standard just to cast off Oracle of the Bones is a bad idea.
In limited I'm sure someone somewhere out there will do it, but that should never be your strategy.
January 23, 2014 11:18 a.m.
mymanpotsandpans says... #25
Rasta_Viking29- Okay, I was thinking Limited. I know you cant rely on over the top plans, players just don't let you walk over them.
January 23, 2014 11:25 a.m.
Bobgalarneau says... #26
I see it with Armed / Dangerous . The damn thing have haste.....
While not being as impressive as Enter the Infinite , it's still playable (and good) without the tribute ability.
Also the RG shell seems pretty good right now
EvenDryke says... #2
I would always pay the tribute out of fear
January 22, 2014 12:37 a.m.