Wow. I think that's the most closely related mechanic to its old guild mechanic yet.
It definitely is nice. Things will get very interesting if we get a one drop evolver.
Dontrike/Shadow Priest/Black Cell Faction Friend Code - 5172-0967-3866
If there are enough creatures with evolve, this might just be one of the mechanics that is easiest to build around. As dontrike said, if there's like a 1/1 with evolve, this could easily turn into a very swift aggro or tempo deck. Let's wait and see. Also, it's easy to imagine shenanigans with a cheap evolver, an ETB creature with higher p or t and angel of restoration.
I approve of this mechanic!
Gatecrash previews have unofficially officially begun. (They don't start until next week, but Wizards is starting early for Holidays and such.)
This may not be constructed worthy, but draft and sealed this is quite the power house. I know I don't mind getting a bonus for playing bigger creatures only for my reward to be bigger creatures to draw more.
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Dontrike/Shadow Priest/Black Cell Faction Friend Code - 5172-0967-3866
Could there be a UG tempo deck in the making with the cycle of "ring of <name>" from m13 ?
EDIT: Nevermind, looked at the cmc wrong >_< too expensive...
Today's card is interesting, only because it is still unsure if Bloodlust is what is on this card. I bet it is "mana, discard: effect".
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Boros today. The guild mechanic is pretty cool and everything with it is Ordric. Helix Angel is pretty amazing and I bet will find a home somewhere. The fact that Lightning Mauler exists (and Fervor) means that you can easily make her have haste and killing something and possibly surviving the next turn.
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As long as you can get three of Helix Angel out then yeah, but I can not imagine all Battalion creatures having Lightning Helix.
Don't forget Aurelia, the Boros guild leader.
---------- Post added 2012-12-27 at 12:14 AM ----------
Hey looks Orzhov's mechanic. Definitely has the potential to be scary, but the creature could easily have costed 5.
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Doesn't seem very constructed playable, although it depends on the removal in GTC. Right now, there's not much that kills a 4/4 multicolored creature, so if that doesn't change, we might see this one pop up in standard.
I really like extort, though. Fun and flavorful mechanic. You can only use it once, but if you have multiple extort cards, it could quickly get out of hand. I would LOVE to see a creature like this:
Extort mana Thrull (B/W)
Extort.
T:Add Colorless to your mana pool.
0/1
or
Extortion Ring (B/W)(B)(W)
Extort
ETB: exile target nonland permanent.
LTB: return the permanent to play.
Might both be rather powerful though
Monk, I need a monk!!!
Just hoping we'll see some/a lot of cards triggering on lifegain/lifeloss(not damage) to make extort more interesting. At the moment it's very shallow.
Something like this perhaps:
Obzelat 2BBWW
Whenever you gain life, you gain twice that amount.
Whenever an opponent looses life, he or she looses twice that amount. (Something prohibting combat damage here maybe?)
5/5
Vizkopa Guildmage BW
1BW: target creature gains deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn
2BW: Target player looses 1 life and you gain 1 life
2/2
Random Orzhov Guard 1BW
Extort, extort
2/2
Just of the top of my head
God damnit >_< where's the dimir one... They had to leave that one for last, the sneaky <insert foul language here>...
Cipher looks pretty sick, by far the most powerful keyword of the 5.
Also, a new windfall? I'll take it!
Monk, I need a monk!!!