Ranting about DTK's Mythic Rares
Standard forum
Posted on April 2, 2015, 10:10 p.m. by 6tennis
Hello all.
I'd like to take a moment to complain about DTK. Specifically, the mythic rares. Each one has something wrong with it. Time to point them out.
*Note: some of these complaints aren't necessarily about the card itself, possibly just the flavor.*
We'll start with the Dragonlords.
Dragonlord Dromoka: I see no +1/+1 counters and/or bolster.
Dragonlord Ojutai: It's an amazing control finisher, but it has nothing to do with noncreature spells and/or rebound.
Dragonlord Silumgar: (probably) Worse than Silumgar, the Drifting Death.
Dragonlord Kolaghan: Most of the time, actually has NEGATIVE synergy with dash.
Dragonlord Atarka: Sure, it triggers formidable on its own, but why would it need to? No non-creature spells have a formidable clause.
Now, onto the vanilla.
Ojutai's Exemplars + Clone Legion + Dragon Whisperer: Actually fine.
Shorecrasher Elemental: Not a SINGLE instance, or at least hint of concealment magic in the art.
Risen Executioner: It's literally Gravecrawler, just bad. And since when was Zombie tribal on Tarkir a thing?
Descent of the Dragons: Vorthos-wise, it doesn't make sense. If the Dragons are descending onto your opponent, then why does the opponent get the Dragons?
Deathmist Raptor: It's literally Vengevine, just bad. Also, is this a Dinosaur? I can't tell.
Shaman of Forgotten Ways: What did we forget? The clans? Because this is not a Temur mythic. It's an Atarka mythic. With Biorhythm.
And the planeswalkers are fine.
Thoughts?
In this instance I don't think that Dragonlords needed to play nicely with their clan's mechanic. I could see why you would want that, but I'm fine with them being independently powerful cards. Shorecrasher Elemental can just turn into water, that's kindof concealment. Also plenty of the Morph cards didn't have the morph ball in the art, so there's that. I like the Risen Executioner / Merciless Executioner parallels that they pulled off, but the zombie tribal does seem a bit odd. However he does synergize with Empty the Pits, Corpseweft, and Sidisi, Brood Tyrant. Descent of the Dragons works because whoever controls the creature the dragon is eating gets the dragon. It's perfect flavor, in more than one way.
April 2, 2015 10:16 p.m.
I would also like to point out that Deathmist and Vengevine are totally different cards.
April 2, 2015 10:18 p.m.
Jay I'm not necessarily upset, just suggesting ways to improve.
JWiley129 All good points. I see what you mean with the Dragonlords. As for Shorecrasher Elemental, turning into water isn't Ugin's morph magic. It started off as manifest, then in KTK turned to morph, and in DTK turned to Megamorph. Turning into water isn't Megamorph. But good point on the "not every card has the morph ball in its art" statement. Just noticed it's not present on Deathmist Raptor either, and a host of other cards. The Zombie tribal thing still seems REALLY weird, especially in DTK, where everything is Dragons. Speaking of, I still don't get the Descent of the Dragons. If you are sending Dragons to eat your opponents, then shouldn't the Dragons come back to you? (I say Dragons, and not dragons, because Dragons is a creature type.) Either way, thanks for your insight.
April 2, 2015 10:22 p.m.
Think of Descent of the Dragons this way. You cast a spell that summons a bunch of young dragons (Young on Tarkir being 4/4's). They each go and eat one thing in play. Then they stay where they ate the thing because "I got food here, I might get more food!" Is that better flavor?
April 2, 2015 10:25 p.m.
I get the "I got food here, I might get more food!" part now. Also because they just ate they're feeling pretty lazy, maybe. :)
Jay, They're not the same card, but they are similar, as in they have similar effects. Both return to the battlefield. However, Deathmist is more situational, less powerful without its megamorph ability, more mana intensive with its megamorph ability, and not hasty. All things that Vengevine are.
April 2, 2015 10:28 p.m.
Right, which is why they don't go in the same deck. Vengevine decks' sole goal is to power out multiple venges as fast as possible by dredging and reanimating smaller value creatures. Deathmist goes into a Midrange deck that utilizes Morph and Manifest to frequently recur medium-bodied deathtouchers.
Basically, Vengevine exists to be reanimated. Deathmist just has really strong recursion value.
April 2, 2015 10:31 p.m.
Decent of dragons doesn't have to destroy your opponents creatures. Say it eats yours and you have Dragon Tempest in play, lots of dragons with haste, and lots of direct damage.
April 2, 2015 10:37 p.m.
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #10
Alright, let's look at all of those...
Dragonlord Dromoka I love because he's basically a giant middle finger to blue. That can't be countered.
Dragonlord Ojutai I agree with what you said.
Dragonlord Silumgar I don't. I really don't. In a control shell, there's plenty of counterspells to protect him, and I love to steal my opponent's finisher. Not to mention that he goes great with the treasure/loot theme his clan has going on.
Dragonlord Kolaghan is meh. I agree with the dash thing though, they really should have thought that over.
Dragonlord Atarka is trample, flying, and burn all attached to an 8/8 body. That is literally the definition of Gruul. And Temur. What can you possibly argue about with this guy?
Dragon Whisperer and Shorecrasher Elemental are really pretty close. Shorecrasher Elemental is just a cheap AEtherling, so of course he's mythic.
Risen Executioner fits a sub-zombie theme that runs in the Silumgar clan. New Sidisi says hi.
Descent of the Dragons is bs, I completely agree with you.
Deathmist Raptor ditto.
Shaman of Forgotten Ways is meh. Maaaaybe a rare, but something in between would have been a better fit.
April 2, 2015 10:44 p.m.
Shaman of Forgotten Ways is mythic because it's a beast in limited and it's going to be a powerhouse in EDH. Also, Biorhythm is way too good of a card to be printed at anything besides mythic, even if it's conditional and costs 11.
April 2, 2015 11:27 p.m.
alexthegreat38 says... #12
It seems pretty obvious to me that Shorecrasher Elemental conceals itself just by looking like a wave instead of a creature.
April 3, 2015 12:37 a.m.
jandrobard says... #13
The dragonlords are less attached to their clans, representing the tension between the dragons and nondragons that exists to this day. Plus, does every in-lore group's mythic have to be a paragon of their mechanics? It doesn't make sense for that to be true all of the time.
April 3, 2015 4:24 p.m.
TheGrayMerchant says... #14
Put Descent of the Dragons into a token build, then use it on your creatures.
April 3, 2015 4:36 p.m.
ChrisHansonBiomancin says... #15
You are absolutely insane if you think Deathmist Raptor is bad. It cost 1 mana less than Vengevine, has Deathtouch, and only requires 1 card to return to play instead of 2.
April 4, 2015 12:01 a.m.
ChrisHansonBiomancin says... #16
On other accounts, this just comes off as nitpicking tbh.
April 4, 2015 12:02 a.m.
CastleSiege says... #17
Descent of Dragons is actually really funny when played on your own creatures after playing a bunch of Dragon Fodders.
April 4, 2015 2:28 a.m.
MaksWell42 says... #18
I swear, Decent of dragons and Dragon Fodder is the very best way to use either card.
April 5, 2015 3:32 a.m.
BlastercoolWeird says... #20
The Dragonlords don't work with their mechanics because they're aloof and terrible leaders in lore, so it makes sense that they're generally poor exemplars of the clans they stole from the Khans. Note how the KTK khans all work with their respective clan's mechanics
Shorecrasher Elemental: The Majority of morph/megamorph creatures in this block don't ACTUALLY have anything to suggest morph-magic on them
Risen Executioner: Bad Gravecrawler isn't a bad thing. Maybe not mythic, sure. Also above it's pointed out zombie tribal. ALSO Ugin's Nexus demonstrates that mythics don't have to have anything to do with the mechanicak themes of the block
Descent of the Dragons: sure it makes sense, the dragons eat creatures and stick around because they don't necessarily have any allegiance to /you/. Same with Beast Within. ALSO mechanically if Descent of the Dragons gave you the dragons always it would basically read "You Win the Game" because you'd just wrath the board and get a million 4/4 fliers. Your opponent has to have a boardwipe in hand or they lose on the spot. That would be TERRIBLE game design
Deathmist Raptor: Only Vengevine in the sense that it recurs from the graveyard. Actually pretty good. Yes it's a dinosaur how is that hard to tell, it's got the word Raptor in the name.
Shaman of Forgotten Ways: Yes we forgot the clans, namely the Temur rattleclaw shamans. The card is Atarka aligned because in the world of Dragons of Tarkir saying you're a Temur-aligned mage is the fast-track to getting roasted alive.
April 5, 2015 2:39 p.m.
LordOfDispair says... #21
About the dragonlords: They aren't supposed to have synergy with their clans, they're supposed to be cool, good mythic dragons that make people say "wow", which all of them except silumgar do.
Shorecrasher element's art is quite decent IMO, who the hell cares about art vs abilities that much anyway? You're just looking for more reasons to bash the set.
Risen executioner is not gravecrawler, it's a fun tribal zombie card which is bigger to the point where it matters, provides buffs to other zombies, and has a more interesting reanimation clause. It's fun and unique.
Descent of dragons: you have a point there
Deathmist raptor is fairly different from vengevine in mechanics, but also, vengevine is a good card. Did you compain about how Pain Seer was a worse Dark Confidant, or how Anticipate is a worse Impulse? No, you don't. Also quite misusing literally, it makes you sound like a 7 year old.
Shaman of the Forgotten Ways: I don't even understand your gripe with this. Yes it's atarka not temur... what does that have to do with anything?
This set has had some of the best mythics in awhile, and you're trying way too hard to find downsides about them.
April 5, 2015 3:22 p.m.
Caveman1990 says... #22
I don't think you're understanding Descent of The Dragons. It has a big possibility of destroying your opponent. It has many combos. Play Impact Tremors, Dragon Tempest, then, use Descent on yourself. You just did a huge amount of damage to your opponent without attacking! Even better if you play Secure the Wastes. I have all of those cards in my standard deck. Including Dragonlord Ojutai. Keep him alive by playing brave the sands. This way he never taps. It is a fun combo to work and pisses off who you're playing, cus you don't even have to attack them to kill them.
Jay says... #2
Why are you upset about such trivial things? The cards are all fairly flavorful, though admittedly underpowered.
April 2, 2015 10:13 p.m.