Card Talk 14

Arni Metalbrow card art

Today is the fourteenth post in my Card Talk series.

Reminder how Card Talk works:

• I go to Scryfall and select 'Random Card'
• I present and blog about the card. I could discuss any aspect: the art, abilities, cost, set, impact on the game, and so on. Stream of consciousness.

Card Talk is a fun, uncurated way to look at Magic's cards, mechanics, history, art, sets, and so on. And of course it exposes some of my own preferences, biases, and memories of the game. 

Today's card is . . .

Immersturm Predator

Hmmmm . . . Immersturm Predator. A rare multi-color creature from Kaldheim.

Immersturm Predator has two creature types: Vampire and Dragon. That can make it handy in both kinds of tribal/typal/kindred decks. And both are popular; There have been 403 Vampire creatures and 343 Dragon creatures printed to date, many of them in black and/or red. Options abound for these creature types.

Immersturm Predator's ability is intriguing. It can tap two ways: by attacking or sacrificing another creature. Either way, when that happens, two abilities trigger: exile a card from a graveyard and put a +1/+1 counter on it. Both are nice abilities. And when the sacrifice route is chosen, it gains indestructible to boot. That is a powerful ability—one I found difficult to play against. This guy is hard to take out.

Note the card frame: this is an extended art card. These started in 2018, with Ultimate Masters, and have been a staple in releases ever since. On the one hand, I enjoy that the art it more prominent (and you see more of it; see the standard frame below and note the differences). On the other hand, it makes collecting that much harder/more annoying. So many versions of the same card are now released in the same set. Through in different kinds of foils, and things are getting insane.

Kaldheim was released in February 2021. I had high hopes for the set based on its theme (Nordic mythology). It brought back snow lands. I was mostly pleased, but thought it didn't capitalize on the snow concept enough (46 cards in the set mention it, but 17 of those are lands, and there were almost no 'anti-snow' cards). I share more thoughts on the set here. The one thing I did love was its Angels; they continue to be staples in my decks so themed.

Immersturm means "always stormy" in German. I had to chuckle at that. There are often Easter eggs hidden in Magic cards, but rarely based on language.

Card Talk 13

Arni Metalbrow card art

Happy October! Today is the thirteenth post in my Card Talk series.

Reminder how Card Talk works:

• I go to Scryfall and select 'Random Card'
• I present and blog about the card. I could discuss any aspect: the art, abilities, cost, set, impact on the game, and so on. Stream of consciousness.

Card Talk is a fun, uncurated way to look at Magic's cards, mechanics, history, art, sets, and so on. And of course it exposes some of my own preferences, biases, and memories of the game. 

Today's card is . . .

Deal Gone Bad

Hmmmm . . . Deal Gone Bad. A common black instant from Ravnica: Clue Edition.

Deal Gone Bad has two abilities. 

- The first can destroy a creature (if the -3/-3 can get its toughness to 0); that can be a powerful removal technique that can even take out indestructible creatures (I discuss removal in more detail here).

- The second forces a player (you or an opponent) to mill three cards. This can help you (if you are running a self-mill deck) and/or annoy your opponent (if they are not).

Instants are powerful, being (obviously) playable at instant speed. Having one like this with two abilities (with independent targets) makes it especially powerful. The cost is a little high, but at a common rarity, it seems like a good card overall.

Ravnica: Clue Edition is a mash-up of Magic and the popular board game, Clue. This makes for a one-off variant Magic multiplayer experience; a new format, of sorts, but one that (likely) won't see more releases. I have not played it myself, but heard (based on web articles and dropping prices) that this didn't do very well. I'd love to try, though!

Foundations

It's been a slow few weeks here, with my attention focused elsewhere . . . but I do have an upcoming set on my mind. Foundations is due out in mid-November. It will be the first core set since Magic 2021 (released in 2020), and it will be standard-legal for five years (vs. the normal 2-3). Accompany the typical set releases (booster boxes and bundles), we'll see Jumpstart packs (which have been really fun in the past), and two new concepts:

- a beginner box (with 10 predetermined jumpstart packs designed for beginners)

- a starter collection (with 350 cards, 3 boosters, basic lands, tokens, and more)

The official announcement, with more information, is here. We've seen 37 card previews to date; this will be a great set for new players or people, like me, who prefer simplicity.

I've blogged before about core sets, highlighting my enjoyment of them, trends in them, and doing some analysis on reprints. One thing I enjoy is their comparative simplicity. This hit home recently during a few games with my children. 

Playing with Commander preconstructed decks with my boys, I enjoyed them (the decks) well enough, but was surprised by how complex they were. A number of cards had a lot of abilities on them, which enabled cool combos and 'chain reactions,' but also led to long and confusing turns where I had to explain the (say) three things that triggered by playing one card. Ultimately, I felt it diminished the experience. (I sold 8 precons later that week in response.)

With 20,000+ unique cards, Magic already has plenty of complexity due to the unique interactions of cards that may arise in a given game. And that can be with relatively simple cards! Add complex individual cards to the mix, and things can get crazy.

I'm looking forward to Foundations. Cards like Helpful Hunter, below, promise to be useful but simple. It should be a good time to get new players into the game, or just enjoy Magic at its core. Going back to the basics is generally a good idea, in life or in Magic.

The Decks of Bloomburrow

Hop to It card art

Concluding Bloomburrow theme month, today I present a handful of decks, legal in Standard, that are built primarily (or entirely) out of cards from this set. The last post looked at the ten principal creature types of the set and highlighted their basic abilities; I won't repeat that here. I'll simply list the decks I 'brewed' with a sentence on the observed power level of each. Note: I have decks for 7/10 creature types; I have yet to build ones for mice, rats, and raccoons. Oh, and enjoy the deck names.

Birdbrain (white/blue birds)

Power level: medium-low. 

9 Plains (BLB) 370

10 Island (BLB) 372

4 Dazzling Denial (BLB) 45

4 Mockingbird (BLB) 61

2 Shrike Force (BLB) 31

3 Jackdaw Savior (BLB) 18

3 Aven Interrupter (OTJ) 4

2 Salvation Swan (BLB) 28

2 Kastral, the Windcrested (BLB) 221

4 Plumecreed Escort (BLB) 65

3 Elspeth's Smite (MOM) 13

2 Miner's Guidewing (LCI) 24

4 Harrier Strix (OTJ) 52

4 Lonely Arroyo (OTJ) 260

4 Into the Flood Maw (BLB) 52

Batty (white/black bats)

Power level: medium-high.

4 Essence Channeler (BLB) 12

7 Plains (BLB) 370

4 Lifecreed Duo (BLB) 20

2 Fell (BLB) 95

4 Starscape Cleric (BLB) 116

8 Swamp (BLB) 374

3 Darkstar Augur (BLB) 90

4 Moonstone Harbinger (BLB) 101

4 Moonrise Cleric (BLB) 226

4 Zoraline, Cosmos Caller (BLB) 242

2 Starseer Mentor (BLB) 233

4 Scoured Barrens (MOM) 272

2 Cut Down (DMU) 89

2 Concealed Courtyard (OTJ) 268

1 Caves of Koilos (DMU) 244

1 Forlorn Flats (OTJ) 258

4 Deep-Cavern Bat (LCI) 102

Wascally Wabbits (white/green rabbits)

Power level: high.

2 Warren Warleader (BLB) 38

7 Plains (BLB) 370

2 Valley Questcaller (BLB) 36

4 Finneas, Ace Archer (BLB) 212

2 Head of the Homestead (BLB) 216

2 Elspeth's Smite (MOM) 13

5 Forest (BLB) 378

4 Radiant Grove (DMU) 253

4 Carrot Cake (BLB) 7

2 Holy Cow (OTJ) 16

3 Caretaker's Talent (BLB) 6

2 Repel Calamity (BLB) 27

3 Intrepid Rabbit (BLB) 17

2 Rabbit Response (BLB) 26

4 Pawpatch Recruit (BLB) 187

2 Regal Bunnicorn (WOE) 25

4 Blossoming Sands (MOM) 268

2 Pawpatch Formation (BLB) 186

1 Valley Mightcaller (BLB) 202

1 Brushland (BRO) 259

2 Three Tree City (BLB) 260

An Otter Failure? (blue/red otters)

Power level: medium.

2 Kitsa, Otterball Elite (BLB) 54

7 Island (BLB) 372

1 Valley Floodcaller (BLB) 79

2 Coruscation Mage (BLB) 131

7 Mountain (BLB) 376

2 Thieving Otter (BLB) 390

4 Frolicking Familiar (WOE) 226

1 Thundertrap Trainer (BLB) 78

2 Kindlespark Duo (BLB) 142

1 Bria, Riptide Rogue (BLB) 379

1 Alania's Pathmaker (BLB) 123

4 Stormcatch Mentor (BLB) 234

2 Tempest Angler (BLB) 235

2 Slick Sequence (OTJ) 233

1 Into the Flood Maw (BLB) 52

1 Shore Up (BLB) 69

1 Three Steps Ahead (OTJ) 75

1 Long River's Pull (BLB) 58

1 Shock (MKM) 144

1 Monstrous Rage (WOE) 142

1 Otterball Antics (BLB) 63

4 Pearl of Wisdom (BLB) 64

1 Playful Shove (BLB) 145

2 Scalding Viper (WOE) 235

4 Swiftwater Cliffs (BLB) 397

4 Molten Tributary (DMU) 251

Don't Croak (blue/green frogs)

Power level: medium-high.

1 Mistbreath Elder (BLB) 184

7 Island (BLB) 372

4 Pond Prophet (BLB) 229

3 Clement, the Worrywort (BLB) 209

8 Forest (BLB) 378

4 Polliwallop (BLB) 189

2 Stickytongue Sentinel (BLB) 193

4 Clifftop Lookout (BLB) 168

1 Three Tree Scribe (BLB) 199

1 Valley Mightcaller (BLB) 202

4 Sunshower Druid (BLB) 195

3 Splash Portal (BLB) 74

2 Bellowing Crier (BLB) 42

2 Dour Port-Mage (BLB) 47

2 Long River Lurker (BLB) 57

1 Dreamdew Entrancer (BLB) 211

1 Lilysplash Mentor (BLB) 222

1 Into the Flood Maw (BLB) 52

1 Mind Spiral (BLB) 59

1 Botanical Sanctum (OTJ) 267

4 Thornwood Falls (MOM) 274

2 Yavimaya Coast (DMU) 261

1 Hedge Maze (MKM) 262

Lizards (red/black lizards)

Power level: high.

3 Gev, Scaled Scorch (BLB) 214

6 Swamp (BLB) 374

8 Mountain (BLB) 376

2 Cindering Cutthroat (BLB) 208

4 Fireglass Mentor (BLB) 213

1 Flamecache Gecko (BLB) 135

2 Fell (BLB) 95

4 Iridescent Vinelasher (BLB) 99

2 Agate-Blade Assassin (BLB) 82

3 Hired Claw (BLB) 140

4 Steampath Charger (BLB) 153

1 Hearthborn Battler (BLB) 139

2 Kindlespark Duo (BLB) 142

2 Frilled Sparkshooter (BLB) 136

2 Savor (BLB) 109

2 Diresight (BLB) 91

2 Playful Shove (BLB) 145

4 Jagged Barrens (OTJ) 259

2 Sulfurous Springs (DMU) 256

2 Bloodfell Caves (MOM) 267

2 Blackcleave Cliffs (ONE) 248

Squirrel! (black/green squirrels)

Power level: medium-high.

3 Camellia, the Seedmiser (BLB) 207

7 Forest (BLB) 378

7 Swamp (BLB) 374

4 Vinereap Mentor (BLB) 238

4 Bonecache Overseer (BLB) 85

3 Feed the Cycle (BLB) 94

2 Daggerfang Duo (BLB) 89

1 Valley Rotcaller (BLB) 119

3 Savor (BLB) 109

2 Bushy Bodyguard (BLB) 166

4 Cache Grab (BLB) 167

2 Thornvault Forager (BLB) 197

4 Heaped Harvest (BLB) 175

1 Curious Forager (BLB) 169

1 Honored Dreyleader (BLB) 178

4 Treetop Sentries (BLB) 201

2 Blooming Marsh (OTJ) 266

3 Llanowar Wastes (BRO) 264

3 Festering Gulch (OTJ) 257

The Critters of Bloomburrow

Continuing Bloomburrow theme month, today I look at the creatures.

Bloomburrow features creatures of the woodland realm. This is a 'kindred' set (Magic used to call it 'tribal'), where creature type matters on many card abilities. Today, I'll look at the ten main creature types, their primary colors, and their kindred strategies.

Rabbits

Primary colors: white, green

There are 15 rabbits in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy is 'go wide' (produce many small creatures and attack with an army). Note that Valley Questcaller pairs well in a rabbit, bat, bird, or mouse deck.

Mice

Primary colors: white, red

There are 15 mice in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy is leveraging abilities that trigger when you play a card that targets them (generally enchantments or instants).

Bats

Primary colors: white, black

There are 12 bats in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy is to 'ping' opponents and gain life every time they drain it from others.

Birds

Primary colors: white, blue

There are 15 birds in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy is to help creatures without flying (by giving them flying or buffing them (putting a +1/+1 counter on them).

Otters

Primary colors: blue, red

There are 13 otters in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy involves noncreature spells. Note that Valley Floodcaller can pair well with otters, birds, frogs, and rats.

Frogs

Primary colors: blue, green

There are 19 frogs in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy involves 'blinking': exiling a creature, then returning it to the battlefield. Note that Valley Mightcaller can pair well frog, rabbit, raccoon, and squirrels.

Rats

Primary colors: blue, black

There are 14 rats in Bloomburrow. Their general strategy is to get cards into your graveyard.

Lizards

Primary colors: black, red

There are 16 lizards in Bloomburrow. They are all about 'pinging' (doing damage through playing lands), 'pumping' (doing extra damage), and 'buffing' (adding +1/+1 counters). Note that Valley Flamecaller can pair well with lizards, otters, mice, or raccoons.

Squirrels

Primary colors: black, green

There are 14 squirrels in Bloomburrow. They like 'foraging' (which involves sacrificing a food or exiling cards from your graveyard. Note that Valley Rotcaller can pair well with squirrels, bats, lizards, and rats.

Raccoons

Primary colors: red, green

Finally, there are 14 raccoons in Bloomburrow. They like 'expending' (spending [x] or more mana during a turn).

Concluding Thoughts

Note that the ten major creature types are aligned to the ten unique color pairs. Each pair as a mentor card, and the aforementioned five Valley ____caller cards can provide powerful effects across creature types. Bloomburrow is a fun set indeed for those who enjoy kindred decks.

The Mechanics of Bloomburrow

Continuing Bloomburrow theme month, today I look at its new mechanics. But first, a wording change.

Veteran Magic players will notice that "enters the battlefield" text on cards has been shortened to "enters." 

Magic terminology evolves often. Wording changes like this are retroactively applied to previously-printed cards. Oracle, the official card database, will always provide the most updated text for a given card.

Most of the time, wording changes don't confuse people. But here, 'enters' does imply 'the battlefield,' per Mark Rosewater (head Magic designer).

On to the mechanics of Bloomburrow. There are five plus _, per the official site, and I'll cover them in the same order (but succinctly; see the official link for more details).

Offspring

Family matters! Offspring appears on many creature cards in this set. It is effectively a 'kicker' cost that creates a copy of the creature, but with base power/toughness 1/1. In Bloomburrow, it is on 17 cards across all colors.

Gift

Gifting something to an opponent (generally a card or token) makes your spell's effect more powerful, at the cost of giving your opponent something. In Bloomburrow, it is on 23 cards across all colors.

Forage

Foraging means to exile three cards from your graveyard or sacrifice a food. It is often part of a cost you pay for some effect. In Bloomburrow, it is on seven cards, all green/black and generally squirrel-themed. 

Valiant

Valiant is an ability word that has various effects, but it always triggers when a creature with this ability becomes the target of a spell or ability you control. In Bloomburrow, it is on nine cards, all white/red mice.

Expend

Expend is a triggered ability. Expend [x] means to spend [x] total mana or more during a turn. In Bloomburrow, it is on ten cards, all red/green and related to raccoons. 

Pawprints

Pawprints are a way to cost different modes on spells with choices. In the example above, the spell grants the caster up to five pawprints worth of modes. There are three modes to choose from, all with different costs. So here, you could create five rabbit tokens, three rabbits and exile target nonland permanent, or choose some other combination. In Bloomburrow, this is on five cards, one for each color.

Final Thoughts

I've enjoyed the mechanics of this set so far, with the caveat that the offspring mechanic can get complicated to track if you don't have the token(s). They've made the tokens—an astonishing 30 for this set—but getting only one token per pack (and that not a guarantee) means you'd have to collect an awful lot to get those.