Pre-release anticipation

By Jim Marlow

Hey everyone,

I really hope that very few of you are faced with the cool hard fate that is not being able to participate in a pre-release this morning, because they really are something to look forward to. The great thing about pre-releases is that its ridiculously relaxed, and everyone, from pro-tour participants to totally new gamers are there for the same reason, with the same motivation.

Luckily for me, however, i get to judge the aforementioned experiance, and fingers crossed will be able to play in York on Sunday, for d....d...double excitement, squelch!!?!. Anyway, for those keen chaps who like me have definately woken up because they literally couldnt bear the excitement any longer, i have had a good gander at the spoilers and made a couple of lists of cards i will be looking to get my filthy mits on at some point over the weekend, and others i will be glad to see the back of.....only for the price to rocket, no doubt!


Me Likey

1 - Jace, the mind sculpter

lots of people, mostly correctly, assume the price of a magic card is relative to its quality as a card. The plainswalkers and then mythic rares really messed this system up, and this is awesome. Jace has already been valued at the top end price of mythic rares, but no-one really seems to know whether this relates to him being any good or huge hype paid for by an orange symbol. Personally, i think he is really awesome. Obviously he doesnt fall directly into any of the tier 1 decks right now, but i really hope there is a deck that can abuse him, because he has 3 very useful and powerful abilities, and if the ultimate goes off who the hell knows what will happen, im fairly sure few will find out.

2 - explore

I love this card, it lets me do lots of things that i want to do when playing magic, and it lets me do them for 2 mana and a card. Sign me up for 4 please.

3 - Halimar Depths

This is 100% my favourite card in worldwake, and probably my favourite land ever. Ridiculous.

4 - Terastodon

Please can i cast this once in my life. Terastodon is massive and blows up 3 lands, all for a healthy 8 mana...thats like turn 3 right? imagine how much people would hate me if i resolved this guy against them, and that sir, is why i play the game.

5 - Scrib Nibblers

To be honest, im not all that excited about anything else, obviously the man lands are cool but this guy has a hilarious name, and thats all i ask of a good card really.


I have no idea why i forgot this guy, but obviously abyssal persecutor is the absolute nonsence as well, have fun losing to this guy for the next 12 months. Also, kor firewalker, standard playable if stupid WW shows its hideously ugly face again, but really is it worth talking about, its a bear.


Me no Likey


1 - mysteries of the deep

This card does not excite me. I know i havent played standard in a while but what is this? I dont think you can count on this being 3 cards, and so its just not there is it? This card should go in a toilet/bin/skip (circle as appropriate)


2 - Amulet of vigor

I dont even know why i mention this card, to be honest the cards i dont like could probably be summed up by 'the rest of worldwake', but having just watched this weeks magic show it had to get a mention. Im used to Even Irwin going nuts over every card in a set and saying how it will be the best card ever yeah with some lolcat backgroud, but this time, he went too far! If i ever find myself playing extended, then play a karoo land with 3 amulets of vigor on the pitch - there will be only 1 trigger im afraid - that of the gun pointed directly at the side of my temple.

3 - treasure hunt

I actually like this card, its clearly pretty good. I just dont like how wet certain people have been getting over it. Its clearly 1.75 times better than i give a shit about, but it didnt take a moron to see that this was a good card right? I just hope someone finds a way to combo with this card or draw their entire deck or something. I want to get excited about the possibilities of this card, not at the captain obvious comments about it being a spell that draws cards.

4 - Spell contortion

When you were spoiled, you were playable, shame on you.

5 - khalni garden

this card does not get me excited. Again, its clearly pretty good, but some people are going mad for this, and im just not really.


O well, i really need to be getting ready now or Rob will be angry at me being late. I hope everyone has a nice pre-release if you are going to one, maybe i will see you tomorrow in York. Apologies for this coffee fueled rant, but so many pros have done similar articles saying more acurately and for better reasons why cards are good or bad, that i just thought i would be hugely opinionated and generally a bit of a cock, i hope this came through, if not let me know.


See you all soon.


Until then,


Jim


As always, feel free to post comments underneath. If you would like to contribute anything to the blog, email anything you want published to ss07jm@leeds.ac.uk (for severe editing!)