Icefall Regent in Standard
Standard forum
Posted on Sept. 9, 2015, 9:06 p.m. by capriom85
I have been running 3 copies of Icefall Regent in my UB control build and they have been easily the most underwhelming cards included in the build. I find myself keeping them in the build simply to provide a greater consistency in making my Silumgar's Scorn into a Counterspell.
What is everyone else's experience with them in the current standard meta?
I am on the edge of seriously revamping my list with a different counter than Scorn and replace the dragons with something else as well.
Havok.Bane, that's part of the problem. I run Ultimate Price, Murderous Cut, Hero's Downfall, Languish, and Crux of Fate in varying quantities. I rarely have a target for the Regent. Every time he hits the board I wish he was Dragonlord Ojutai and I was splashing white. In place of the regents, I have plenty of room and can keep my Silumgar's Scorn since it's really an all-star for me.
September 9, 2015 10:04 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #4
I love when it taps down my Stormbreath and then I get to Draconic Roar it.
I'm not a fan because it's too fragile. Early game removal spells that are typically weak against control find a nice target, happy to pay the tax.
September 9, 2015 10:13 p.m.
I've tried it in U/B when it got popular back then and disliked the card. Then Jeff Hoogland came up with a cool build ''U/R'' dragons and I liked it a bit more but the deck kind of disapeared and I did not play it for too long. Recently I decided to brew a jeskai dragons and be really all in on the dragon theme with Orator of Ojutai, Silumgar's Scorn and Draconic Roar, I ran 2x Icefall 2x Stormbreath and 3x Dragonlord Ojutai. The deck was fun to play and it certainly wasn't tier 1, however it really helped me seal the deal on where Icefall really fits best. If you're playing Icefall in control you're doing it wrong, Icefall shines if you're racing your opponent by providing you with a tempo play, you play icefall which ''fogs'' their biggest creature, if they want to kill it they're spending a lot of mana and maybe their whole turn, in which you follow up with another aggressive tempo play like Stormbreath Dragon or Mantis Rider. Draconic Roar really helps bring down opponent's life to the point where racing is a viable option once you unleash the dragons. Playing dragons on defense is never a good and fun thing to do :)
September 9, 2015 10:58 p.m.
EssTea, seems like you have it right. Tempo play when the traditional "removal" is not an option.
BrandonJamesCAC, that's simply not true. This card does not suck, it just doesn't have a control home (regardless of how many top 8 lists it saw play in for control decks). Your comment seems to stem from either "I can't beat it (so it sucks)", or "If you don't play my way then "card x" sucks (because I don't use it)."Usually expect some backup for "card sucks".
September 10, 2015 7:04 a.m.
UpperDeckerTaco says... #8
I like the card more so for post rotation. Where big Eldrazi creatures will be nice targets for it. And it loses some competition at the 5 spot in terms of Dragon themed decks.
September 10, 2015 11:01 a.m.
BrandonJamesCAC says... #9
Haha - I know. It's fine for Standard I guess.
It's a creature with 3 toughness for 5 mana. That sucks
September 10, 2015 2:31 p.m.
BrandonJamesCAC says... #10
I play Modern but it's one of the worst dragons.
Silumgar the Drifting Death on the other hand....
September 10, 2015 2:33 p.m.
BrandonJamesCAC, modern wise the Regent is just awful. I completely agree with that. There is a reason it's < $1. It's niche and a coaster after it rotates.Why does everyone have such a jones on over Silumgar, the Drifting Death? He is good but so much love? I run it SB.
UpperDeckerTaco, I agree. Post rotation may see more of these guys. Probably still not in control, though.
September 10, 2015 3:08 p.m.
BrandonJamesCAC says... #12
Hexproof
Doesn't have to get through to do work.
Destroys tokens
Esper/Grixis can use it.
Havok.Bane says... #2
I'm running regent in a temur dragons deck and he is always a bomb when I get him out. It might be since my deck isn't really a control deck that my opponent typically has something for me to keep tapped down...
September 9, 2015 9:30 p.m.