Elite Arcanist, standard viable?
Standard forum
Posted on Aug. 19, 2013, 11:40 a.m. by Apoptosis
What are your thoughts on Elite Arcanist
? In my heart nothing can replace Snapcaster Mage
, but this guy might have potential to be the ugly cousin. He's super vulnerable to removal, but could be sick if you can protect him long enough to get him out there.
I can see uses for him in U/W (e.g. Silence
), U/R (direct damage), or U/G (e.g. Fog
), in three colors, or just as a counterspell.
Standard viable or a "great in theory, poor in practice" card?
TurboFagoot says... #3
Not viable at all lol
I mean, you can play it, just enjoy getting two for one'd.
August 19, 2013 11:52 a.m.
Not standard viable. Way too expensive for such a fragile body. He has no built in protection and dies to almost every removal spell in standard.
If he were a 2 CMC for a 2/2, like Fauna Shaman , or something like a 1/4 or 1/3 for his price, then he might have a place in control decks. But as is he's too slow and too easily removed.
August 19, 2013 12:01 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #5
the speed is probably the bigger downside than the "dies to removal" argument. If it was a red creature that they could give haste...it would probably be feasible...but to sit there looking stupid for a turn kind of hurts his chances.
August 19, 2013 12:03 p.m.
Izanagi_Deus says... #6
I want him to be good. He just isn't, for all of the reasons mentioned above. It's got 2-for-1 written all over it, and well, I prefer not to throw away my Instants.
August 19, 2013 12:20 p.m.
well i have tried it and couldnt make t work it was to slow as stated in the comments above.
but i never tried it in 3 color. Lightning Mauler +Elite Arcanist into Silence still very expensive and hard to setup but it still sounds like a fun thing to acomplish
August 19, 2013 12:49 p.m.
Except that in standard, four mana should get you something that's very powerful or very durable. Arcanist has a strong effect, but his fragile body really does hurt him, especially when he's a built in 2-for-1.
MindAblaze says... #2
Isochron Scepter on a creature?
Fauna Shaman was playable, but a 2/2 for 2 is a lot more valuable than a 1/1 for 4.
It seems dangerous, but the Isochron Scepter /Silence lock is a classic. It may be worth trying.
August 19, 2013 11:48 a.m.