Sage of Hours
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on April 9, 2014, 9:49 a.m. by flyguy
If you haven't seen it yet:
Azorius heroes might like this, but I'm thinking of breaking it in a simic evolve/ Bioshift deck, or probably B/U/G (Corpsejack Menace , Slitherhead , Vorel of the Hull Clade , Kalonian Hydra ). Maybe even Illusionist's Bracers for more turns!
Thoughts?
AnythingGoes says... #3
I really like his combo with the newly-revealed Ajani; with 2x Forced Adaptation , you can hit infinite turns. Just insane.
April 9, 2014 9:53 a.m.
Master Biomancer ? I had the same idea when I saw the card.
April 9, 2014 9:55 a.m.
I like the concept, and I hope it becomes something...
I just have a hard time imagining myself turning a 6/6 creature into a 1/1 unless the unlimited turn combo is in place. - This just makes the whole concept fall a little short for me. - But I'll be keeping my eyes on it.
April 9, 2014 10:02 a.m.
golffore297 says... #7
Experiment Kraj , Heroes' Bane, and this guys equals infinite turns
April 9, 2014 10:08 a.m.
InconspicuousPotato says... #8
Forced Adaptation , Kalonian Hydra , maybe Corpsejack Menace , the new Ajani, and Chromanticore because we're already 4 colors.
April 9, 2014 10:10 a.m.
Ohthenoises says... #9
Elite Arcanist + Triton Tactics + 5 mana (lands/dorks)
April 9, 2014 10:21 a.m.
Took a look at how to possibly make a deck around it.
Went Bant, with Vorel of the Hull Clade and, of all things, Azors elecutors for a win-con.
Elecutors can possibly win without the unlimited turns, via doubling the counters.
Testing with Elspeth as well as Kiora for the sake of seeing what works.
Elocutors?.... Really?!? Playtest
Standard*
SCORE: 0 | 0 COMMENTS | 5 VIEWSApril 9, 2014 10:29 a.m.
I feel the same way abou this card. I just want to build around it, even though it may not be too viable.
April 9, 2014 11:06 a.m.
If you have a Master Biomancer out, it's too easy.
Give / Take to make your Biomancer have 5 power.
Summon Sage of Hours and remove the five counters he enters the battlefield with (probably the same turn as the Give).
Bounce with Simic Charm ; Repeat summon. Get another turn. Do other things.
If you're really (i.e. REALLY) lucky, and have two of them in hand, Voidwalk something. GG.
April 9, 2014 12:12 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #13
Out of all of these combos and ideas Arcanist + Tactics seems the easiest to me. All you need is 5 mana and both pieces. Also, the whole combo is mono U so you can have Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx powering it.
April 9, 2014 12:20 p.m.
trentfaris242 says... #14
I feel like someone should remind everyone that Heroic only triggers on cast spells (instants, sorceries, auras). NOT on abilities,equips or planeswalkers.
Feel free to correct me if this rule was recently changed.
April 9, 2014 12:32 p.m.
I think most of the people posting here understand that... I'm not sure who's post you're referencing.
And your link doesn't seem to be working.
April 9, 2014 12:37 p.m.
....never mind my "link not working" part... you already caught that. :)
April 9, 2014 12:38 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #19
trentfaris242 I think the people referencing Ajani is because he can put 3 counters on it not via heroic. Illusionist's Bracers can copy the activated ability giving you two turns for each 5 counters. (Unless I'm reading this wrong.) Was that what you were talking about?
April 9, 2014 12:38 p.m.
trentfaris242 says... #20
@Rayenous Ya I got the link fixed. That would mean that many, if not all, of the "infinite combos" don't work because they are speaking under the assumption that a creature's ability (Triton Tactics or Kalonian Hydra ) would trigger Sage of Hours. If I understand Heroic correctly, they wouldn't.
April 9, 2014 12:39 p.m.
trentfaris242 says... #21
@Ohthenoises AH! I see what you're saying. Thanks for the clarification.
April 9, 2014 12:41 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #22
Triton Tactics with Elite Arcanist does work since the arcanist specifically says "cast".
Pay 1 tap Arcanist, cast Tactics targeting Arcanist and Sage, puts a counter on the sage and untaps the Arcanist. Rinse and repeat until 5 counters are on the Sage. Remove the counters for another turn, untap and do it again.
April 9, 2014 12:46 p.m.
I see where you are getting confused.
1) The Sage of Hours has 2 separate abilities. a) A triggered Heroic ability, which adds +1/+1 counters, and b) An activated ability with a cost of "remove all +1/+1 counters", and an effect of "gain turns". - You do not have to trigger heroic to remove the counters, and the counters did not have to come from the Heroic ability.
2) Triton Tactics is a spell, and it does target the Sage of Hours. - When a player uses Elite Arcanist , it makes a copy of the spell it exiled. - Then you cast that spell. because it specifically states that you cast the spell, Heroic will trigger.
3) Kalonian Hydra is not really an unlimited turn combo by itself... it just helps in that when it attacks, it can double the counters on the Sage. - It is possible that the posts above missed the fact that ALL counters have to be removed when activating the Sage... but the Hydra does make it so that you only need to get 3 counters onto the sage, which can then be doubled...
April 9, 2014 12:49 p.m.
Didn't read the whole thread, so idk if someone already thought of this, but I made an infinite combo with him.
April 9, 2014 12:52 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #25
With that many walkers and counters Vorel looks like he could be a good way to not have to rely on the combat step Jp3ngu1nb0y.
April 9, 2014 12:57 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #27
Doh, I need to RTFC. Thought he included walkers too.
Make a modern version with Gilder Bairn ! lmao.
April 9, 2014 1:02 p.m.
Ultimaodin says... #28
Here's me thinking I was the only one who mocked up an infinite combo deck with the new mythic. Such a cool card.
April 9, 2014 1:03 p.m.
I'm starting to like the Ivy Lane Denizen + Ivy Lane Denizen + Ooze Flux option more and more... (even though it needs 10 mana to be useable every turn.)
It works well with just Ivy Lane Denizen + Ooze Flux as a creature producer by itself, even if the Sage isn't there.
It then jumps in power with a Master Biomancer , or instead of the Master Biomancer , you can go with the Sage and an extra Ivy Lane Denizen for the turns.
In the same colours, you have Prophet of Kruphix , Elite Arcanist + Triton Tactics , and counter spells.
All of this can be done without relying on the heroic triggers.
April 9, 2014 1:08 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #30
I plan on plugging him in my Zhur-Taa Druid combo deck. Either taking the place of Triton Fortune Hunter or Young Pyromancer .
April 9, 2014 1:18 p.m.
I'd about the Sages use in Standard, but he's going to be another win con I'm my Vorel of the Hull Clade commander deck. He can get disgustingly huge in that deck...I can't wait.
April 9, 2014 2:13 p.m.
Here's another one for you all:
sage of hours + Burst of Strength + Elite Arcanist + the new ajani.
April 9, 2014 6:18 p.m.
If I'm reading the prospective combos correctly, it does work.
Elite Arcanist copies spells (like Triton Tactics ) and then casts them. So with heroic it would be targeted with the copy and heroic triggers right?
With the Kalonian Hydra + Illusionist's Bracers it would double the double so if the sage of hours had at least 2 counters on it already it would be insta take another turn and then repeat for at least three turns in a row (the original and then two ability extras)
April 9, 2014 6:47 p.m.
trentfaris242 says... #35
The fastest way to pull this off is in a Simic deck.
T1: Elvish Mystic
+ land
T2: Sage of Hours + land
T3: Elite Arcanist
+ exile Triton Tactics
+ land
T4: Infinite turns
April 9, 2014 10:08 p.m.
trentfaris242 ~ you just made my johnny bone tingle. Lol
April 9, 2014 10:56 p.m.
This card WILL be banned from standard at some point. Until then my goal is to exploit it to its fullest.
April 14, 2014 11:52 a.m.
InconspicuousPotato says... #38
@Caerid there is no way this card will be banned. It's good, yes, but It's not format warping good. It's not at all near the power level that it would need to be at to be banned. Cards have to be Jace, the Mind Sculptor , Stoneforge Mystic , Skullclamp and artifact lands powerful to be banned.
April 14, 2014 12:30 p.m.
Was Deathrite Shaman really a format warping card? I didn't think so, it was nice, it was powerful, and I hated to see it come out against me, but not many people I played around used it. I think it will be abused to no end. I KNOW it will be by me. I'm a combo player at heart, and I am certain there are too many ways to exploit this to ignore. But, it's all speculation until then. First things first . . . lets see the rest of the set.
April 14, 2014 1:10 p.m.
InconspicuousPotato says... #40
Deathrite Shaman was very much a format warping card. It made B/G/x midrange decks very powerful, it basically made anyone playing B/G play it, and it stopped decks like Living End and Storm from being as viable as without him. He stopped most graveyard strategies dead. And Sage of Hours is nowhere near the power level of Deathrite Shaman . My point is, cards have to be REALLY good to be banned in standard.
April 14, 2014 1:15 p.m.
It's also worth noting that this card doesn't combo out until at least turn 4, doesn't shut down deck archetypes on its own, and has no protection from removal. If they ban this, I'll eat my shoes.
April 14, 2014 1:21 p.m.
InconspicuousPotato says... #42
raithe000 If you eat your shoes, can you post a video or at least take a few pictures? Also tell me what they tasted like in case I ever need to eat my shoes.
April 14, 2014 1:25 p.m.
@InconspicuousPotato Well, there new and the box said real leather, so I'm hoping jerky, but since I got them at Walmart, I'm thinking plastic.
April 14, 2014 1:30 p.m.
InconspicuousPotato says... #44
Since you got them at walmart, I'm thinking cardboard.
April 14, 2014 1:36 p.m.
Nigeltastic says... #45
The Elite Arcanist and Triton Tactics combo does work because as the ability you are casting the spell for no cost. You pay 1 and then cast Triton Tactics for free targetting both of them and tada, you are on your way to an extra turn each turn starting at turn 5.
Ohthenoises says... #2
It's times like this that I miss Increasing Savagery . :(
April 9, 2014 9:52 a.m.