Reality Shift
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Jan. 7, 2015, 3:08 a.m. by bijschjdbcd
Is this card worse than I think it is?
CommanderOfBolas says... #2
I love this card. Takes care of Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker and gives U/Wcontrol a spot removal spell for Stormbreath Dragon as well. Super playable in standard, and I expect control to become more popular because of it. That being said, I think it is technically in blue's section of the pie. It is polymorphing. Perhaps it is too efficient with the exile clause, but a sorcery would be unplayable, and extra mana would make it probably significantly less playable as well. I think they should have made it cost 
to make it a bit more balanced
January 7, 2015 11:24 a.m.
CanadianShinobi says... #4
I really want to see this in Modern. This card looks so ridiculously good.
January 7, 2015 11:44 a.m.
asasinater13 says... #5
it's flavorful in blue, but then hornets are flavorful in green. it's giving blue something blue shouldn't mechanically be doing, efficiently removing a threat that's already stuck.
January 7, 2015 noon
slovakattack says... #6
The problem, subrosian, is that while blue is the least played color in Standard, it can be extremely oppressive in... well, literally every other format. Blue is freaking bonkers.
People here are more upset about the precedence this card sets, more than the actual card itself I think. (although, I don't like it. I will also be getting a foil set.)
They'd be just as upset if there was a card that said:
1W: Deal 4 damage to target creature or player. That player manifests the top card of their library.
Or
1B: Counter target spell, it's controller etc. etc. etc.
January 7, 2015 12:07 p.m.
slovakattack says... #7
Wait, even better:
1B Counter target spell; you lose 2 life.
Hire me, WotC!
January 7, 2015 12:22 p.m.
TurboFagoot says... #8
Anybody remotely displeased with this card's existence on a color pie level knows nothing about the color pie. This card is just as in-pie for blue as countering a spell.
Whereas white dealing damage (to non-attacking creatures) or black countering spells are color pie violations, polymorphing is something blue could always do.
January 7, 2015 12:41 p.m.
Dalektable says... #9
I'm a big fan of this card...don't hate me, lol. But I'm already brewing U/x control in standard.
January 7, 2015 1:16 p.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #10
@Dalektable: I built a u/w shell for this standard (is it wrong for me to advocate for a non-Grixis deck?). Here it is if you want to look:
Siegeing the Day Playtest
Standard*
SCORE: 0 | 0 COMMENTS | 53 VIEWSJanuary 7, 2015 1:20 p.m.
julianjmoss says... #11
This card is definitely not in pie. Anyone who reads Maro's tumblr knows how much he dislikes Pongify and Rapid Hybridization for the exact same reasons as this card. Using those two cards as examples of the color pie doesn't work since they also break it. The card is great, it's just weird that they make this considering how good is already is
January 7, 2015 1:21 p.m.
julianjmoss says... #12
Also can we talk about how good it is in vintage vs Blightsteel Colossus
January 7, 2015 1:25 p.m.
If there are examples in the colour pie, you can't argue that it doesn't match the colour pie. Whether or not Maro likes it is completely different to whether or not the effect exists in the colour. It does exist. It happens. It's in the colour pie. Also worth noting that Maro isn't chiefly responsible for ALL design decisions. He's one fallible man.
There's also Curse of the Swine too.
Given that one seems to be added in every recent block this seems pretty established by this point.
January 7, 2015 1:26 p.m.
Changing one creature to another creature is something blue has been able to do for a while.
Curse of the Swine, Hour of Need, Polymorph (First printed in Mirage in 1996 - 19 years ago), Pongify, Rapid Hybridization.
Blue has been turning creatures into others creatures since before some of you were even born.
January 7, 2015 1:33 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #15
I think the complaint ChiefBell is that it's exile not sac or destroy.
It's also 2 mana.
January 7, 2015 1:42 p.m.
Pongify and rapid cost less.
Destroy wouldn't work thematically because then the creature could be reanimating. Having a board that consists of the ape the creature turned into and the creature itself is just weird. Whilst valid mechanistic criticisms, they don't hold up when you think about what the card is trying to imagine if the game were real - flavour wise.
January 7, 2015 1:45 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #17
No I get you, I'm simply telling you what others are actually complaining about without flavor entering it. It's 2 mana exile with a downside that can be an upside if you are playing it well.
Pongnify and Rapid are both destroy effects, so it's an apples/oranges comparison. The truth of it is, until recently, U hasn't had the ability to exile at a reasonable cost. Destroy? Yes. Exile? No.
After THS U now has the ability to exile at a decent cost but with the drawback that U's hard removal has had all along. Hour of Need and Curse of the Swine are the only two.
Now I get what you are saying flavor wise and I agree but mechanically speaking U has never had the ability to just exile things.
January 7, 2015 1:56 p.m.
I understand. I think this is a better thematic change. Exile is rarely better except when considering persist creatures. Interesting considerations.
January 7, 2015 2:10 p.m.
KindredDiscovery says... #19
Totally with you ChiefBell.
I don't see why everybody has shit a collective brick. So we're totally cool with red getting a more generous slice of the pie (woot woot Act on Impulse!), but not blue? Is this just leftover hate from when blue used to be the best color in the game? Because, as has been pointed out in this thread, it's definitely not the best color anymore (in Standard at least).
R&D is going to explore new space. It's the nature of the game. Over time, this kind of effect will become part of blue's slice of the pie and nobody will question it. I don't think there's nearly as strong a taboo against blue exiling as there is against, say, green flying.
I will note, though, that I think this was costed too aggressively. Blue really shouldn't have better removal than black.
January 7, 2015 5:27 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #20
I'm not a fan of blue being able to polymorph something into a 2/2, especially not with exile. Manifest letting it give some kind of better creature is not too much of a downside, because it can easily be played around. Polymorph being a flavorful way around blue not getting creature removal is like hornets being a flavorful way around green getting fliers, it's still unacceptable. In alpha green had Cockatrice, Scryb Sprites for fliers, that doesn't make it mechanically acceptable to keep them there, same with polymorph being old and in the game. Blue isn't supposed to have efficient ways to remove creatures, and being flavorfully in the game for a while doesn't give an excuse for undoing one of the colors weaknesses.
January 7, 2015 5:32 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #21
and I would definitely agree this being better removal than black has right now is part of my dislike for it, if it were less aggressively costed I wouldn't be nearly as unhappy with it.
January 7, 2015 5:34 p.m.
bijschjdbcd says... #22
I'm assuming your on UWR? For Modern I want to test it, for standard, the play set is already in there, Stormbreath Dragon is a pain to deal with. Any creature that can applya tonne of pressure on its own without them having to commit anything else to the board is a pain.
January 7, 2015 6:30 p.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #23
i keep seeing the "efficient removal" argument, but i would hardly call it efficient. it is not a 1-for-1, it leaves a 2/2 behind, a 2/2 that could be something bigger. the only thing efficient about it is the fact that it is 2 mana, but black has Murderous Cut that has potential to be a 1 mana removal spell, and they have Hero's Downfall, which kills creatures and walkers for the low cost of 3 mana. don't get me wrong, i think this spell is really strong, i just don't see a reason to complain about it
January 7, 2015 7:50 p.m.
bijschjdbcd says... #24
I think the complaints are more focused on the colour pie than playability.
January 7, 2015 7:56 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #25
yeah, I'm unhappy with its place on the color pie. efficient that it takes care of whatever problem is going on for blue. Blue's weak spot as a color is supposed to be creatures that are on the field, and this takes a big part of that away. yes, it replaces with a 2/2 with the potential to be more, but against many decks it'll just stick down a 2/2, which blue can get around. even if the manifested card is a creature, a lot of creatures are played for their ETB abilities, which this stops you from using.
I'm not worried about whether it's playeble, more that it gives blue something blue shouldn't be able to do. being better than a lot of what other colors can do removal-wise in this standard just makes it even more annoying
January 7, 2015 8:21 p.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #26
I think we have already covered the fact that it is perfectly within blue's slice of the pie. it is not a good argument. Blue is allowed to replace creatures on the field with other creatures, it is called polymorphing and is something that MaRo recognizes as a blue ability, although he dislikes it. The same conversation took place with Rapid Hybridization when mono blue devotion was a thing. He said on his blog that he did not like the cheap cost, but it was definitely okay because polymorphing is a blue ability. That being said, I respectfully ask that you find another argument
January 7, 2015 8:51 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #27
CommanderOfBolas I think what wasn't articulated in asasinater13's argument is that the exile effect isn't in blue's list of tricks until recently.
Polymorph and it's brood destroy or sacrifice.
Pongify/ Rapid Hybridization are a destroy effects.
Reality Shift, Hour of Need, and Curse of the Swine are the ONLY blue exile effects. Yes they "polymorph" but that isn't what most people are salty about here in my opinion.
Yes, polymorphing is in U's color pie but exile is not. (Putting aside flavor and lore that was discussed with ChiefBell.)
January 7, 2015 9:01 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #28
yeah, exile is a bit much for blue. I should have said that better. It makes it more flavorful but, well, more powerful. The mechanics of the game should come before the flavor, and blue's creature removal getting better isn't really what is needed. This is, also, another pushed at power level polymorph, this time with a downside that has the potential to be either better or worse than just giving a 3/3 (removing an important spell someone could draw being better for the caster, removing a creature that doesn't value on ETB being worse for the caster). Blue doesn't need and shouldn't be getting low-cost ways to deal with creatures, even at polymorph (I'm personally against "It polymorphs" justifying blue removing a creature at all, but at the very least let's make it destroy and less pushed power-wise)
January 7, 2015 9:18 p.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #29
I understand what you mean now, but I still think it is fine. Mechanically it matches the flavor, but it is probably not something blue should get to do often. I think exile makes more sense with polymorphing in general, and I'm surprised that they didn't do this earlier.
January 7, 2015 11:28 p.m.
bijschjdbcd says... #30
I feel like printing "mediocre" blue exile effects at an earlier time would do nothing except change the time in which the flavour complaints occur.
January 8, 2015 12:02 a.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #31
This isn't really a flavor complaint, though. Flavor wise, this makes sense, it is the exiling aspect of the card that people are upset with from a mechanical point of view
January 8, 2015 12:49 a.m.
@CommanderOfBolas Completely agree with you here. I don't see the problem. While it is efficiently costed and a useful piece to Blue's arsenal, it's not better removal than what Black or White is getting. Leaving behind a 2/2 that has the potential to flip into something scarier is a real cost (especially if you're playing this in a control shell).
The exile effect, rather than destroy, makes more flavor sense, since the creature is essentially being replaced with this 2/2 Manifest Creature.
January 8, 2015 8:48 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #33
See jr92_2000 I thought the same as you at first but then I realized something.
Courser of Kruphix Sees play in almost all formats.
Jace, the Mind Sculptor Sees play in all formats he's legal in.
Both of these guys let you see the top card of your opponent's library. With this information the risk is almost nonexistent since you can simply time it so you get rid of some noncreature card.
As an example, in legacy, Jace > Fateseal 1 oh? Force of Will on your topdeck? > Reality Shift your dude and manifest your FoW face down.
Exiled their creature and essentially exiled their FoW for all intents and purposes.
January 8, 2015 9:01 a.m.
I think that was an oversight on wizard's part though. They might have not realised how good this removal can be?
I mean also, remember that GBW is only like 10% of the modern meta at the moment - far more decks don't play with the top card revealed.
January 8, 2015 9:39 a.m.
@Ohthenoises It's definitely a great card against Courser of Kruphix decks in Standard. It adds a nice tool to combat the Green Midrange decks that are running rampant right now. Courser is one of the format defining creatures. Taking advantage of the one real downside (free information) is fair game.
I'm skeptical it'll have much impact on eternal formats. Creatures are generally low to the ground and are taken care of by single mana removal: Swords to Plowshares, Lightning Bolt. The only deck that really runs Jace, the Mind Sculptor is Miracles, and I don't see any reason to cut something for this.
I could see this finding a place in Modern. Decks are a bit slower and less powerful; creatures are more prevalent. I don't think it would warp things though - just another useful tool in the arsenal.
January 8, 2015 9:59 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #36
JtMS is also in stoneblade lots of times.
Courser sees tons of play in modern.
January 8, 2015 10:05 a.m.
Courser is pretty prevalent in GBW in modern but as I said: it's like 10% of the meta.
January 8, 2015 10:15 a.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #38
Personally, id play Swords to Plowshares over Reality shift in legacy. It is just better. less mana, no creature left behind. Also, if you are ticking jace up, im sure you are going to win before that force of will matters. if you cant, then you should be putting it on bottom anyways. Quite frankly, it is stupid to use reality shift to get rid of a non creature spell when you could just put it on bottom and work your way to a jace ultimate.
As far as courser goes: if you are giving your opponent information, they have a right to use it to their advantage. If they can time reality shift so that it has minimal downside, good for them. there is nothing wrong with that.
January 8, 2015 11:57 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #39
CommanderOfBolas I was only using FoW as an example. In legacy, yes, Swords to Plowshares is better. But it requires a color splash, reality shift doesn't.
I never said there was anything WRONG with good timing, I'm just saying that reality shift has extraordinary 2:1 potential. It's very powerful.
I want my playset. I want to use them.
January 8, 2015 12:02 p.m.
By it's very nature, it's a 1 for 2. You're expending a card on one of theirs, and putting one random card on the top of their library onto the battlefield. Now this is probably still advantageous given the high impact of what you're likely removing and the low impact of a 2/2, but it's card disadvantage.
January 8, 2015 12:36 p.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #41
It doesn't require a color splash. Miracles is named as such because of Terminus and Entreat the Angels, which already require you to play white. some decks even play Supreme Verdict and Baneslayer Angel. Even stoneblade decks are still running white for their namesake cards. Also, I would never consider it a 2:1. assuming you get rid of an important spell, it is still only a 2:2 at best. it is still going to be great in standard, it will probably be tested in modern, and that will likely be the extent of it
January 8, 2015 12:42 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #42
I'm just going to let this drop with a simple "agree to disagree".
January 8, 2015 12:49 p.m.
JakeHarlow says... #43
Well, there's Curse of the Swine...so blue has rarely been able to exile creatures. As far as removal it's kind of similar to Pongify or Rapid Hybridization...
But I'm inclined to agree. This is dumb. Blue should not have targeted exile effects. It's a 2-drop perma-kill anything at instant speed. Even with the downside, I think we might reasonably find it the best 2-drop removal spell in the format.
January 8, 2015 1:50 p.m.
Oh no... has it's own playable removal???
You no longer have to play it with 
or 
to make it worth while... We may even see 
decks begin to to be considered!!
/end sarcasm.
Personally, I think should have something similar for Enchantments... 
, Target player Manifests a card at random from their graveyard. If they do, exile target Enchantment controlled by that player. (Worded that way so that if you exile the graveyard in response to casting, the Enchantment doesn't get exiled.)
January 8, 2015 2:03 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #45
blue isn't supposed to get playable removal. Blue is mechanically supposed to be weak to threats on the field, the colors are distinct because they each have weaknesses and advantages.
Yes this is perfectly flavorful, but turning their creature face down is just as flavorful without exile. Using some way to force the creature you're targetting to be manifested is also flavorful. polymorphing with an enchantment is also flavorful. I personally think blue should be using an enchantment to polymorph, leaving it as magic that can be undone, making blue's creature removal worse (as it should be). something like a blue oblivion ring that adds a creature, or a Darksteel Mutation style card.
I do understand the "blue should have polymorph" argument, but destroy is just a better mechanical fit for blue (not flavor, but this is a game before it's a story, mechanics should be more important). Curse of the Swine is newer, not something out of magic's past, and hopefully won't be setting a precedent. it also doesn't see competitive level play, which blue removal really shouldn't. we haven't seen whether this card will be played, but it seems good (at least in standard) and I think it's a mistake to give mono blue good/playable solutions to threats.
January 8, 2015 8:23 p.m.
bijschjdbcd says... #46
The quality of the 1:1 or 2:1 completely depends on the quality of the card, For instance in standard, I could be playing against Mardu, My opponent is beating me down with a Goblin Rabblemaster and I was on the draw, This scenario comes up a lot when im playing UW Control, If I don't have a Last Breath a 5 mana Wrath just isn't fast enough and by the time I kill the Goblins they can come over the top with a Stormbreath Dragon or Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker, So the Rabblemaster is a high quality three drop, And then I could mill said Sarkhan or Thoughtsieze etc.
In Modern, Lets say I'm playing Pod, My opponent plays a Voice of Resurgence on my Turn I could Reality Shift it, I can't think of a card in they're deck that I wouldn't want to mill, Any Rhinos, Finks and Pods are now a Bear.
This carr can be either a 2-1 or a 1-2 but the variance in its overall effectiveness and playability in the two formats will be decided once everyone starts playing with it.
January 8, 2015 8:45 p.m.
BlastercoolWeird says... #47
Yeah I agree that it should have been "Turn target creature face-down. it is now a 2/2 manifest creature" or however that works with the rules
Blue's removal is countermagic, and while it can functionally destroy a creature or spell or other permanent before they even get to do anything it only works within the narrow window of being on the stack, after than Blue should have a hard time dealing with something permanently.
Yeah Curse of the Swine, whatever, what's worth pointing out is that Reality Shift is an uncommon and a whole mana less on top of hosing noncreatures and etb triggers.
ChiefBell says... #1
Rayenous - giving tron a basic land is usually ok. They don't run many basic lands and basic lands don't help them much anyway. But I agree with you on the whole. There are definitely some matchups where the opponent wants a basic land more than a 2/2
January 7, 2015 11:14 a.m.