Powerful, but not Broken? - Modern Horizons 3 Roundup

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#mtg #commander #modernhorizons3

[@iamnill_real]

it's funny that the title "powerful, but not broken" was so much more interesting to me than a "wow these are so broken" title.

[@bluecadet3able]

That's what everyone does

[@japplek]

It's so true. I am sick of cards that are power level 9,000 in commander. Must answer threats with protection up the backside or infinite ham sandwiches make the game-space smaller, not bigger.

[@boringmonkey6958]

I agree, "powerful, but not broken" is far more interesting than just straight up broko. However, I think it's still a little too early to make any judgements like this. Remember everyone thought Fury was the weakest elemental from MH2 lol

[@androkguz]

I hope this catches on. Perhaps at one point our collective reject for power creep will hurt wotc's sales enough that they counter player's personal desire for power

[@marcoottina654]

​@@androkguzsadly nope, because too many people just want to stamp over everybody and/or have the maximum power available, therefore they will chase for those broken cards, buying boxes, boosters or singles from others who seek to sell stuff toward the former type of people. "Demand and offer", as always. Nothing more, just dry marketing. (A dry and sandy c**k up the "balanced and fun game" 's ass)

[@RotatingMagnetGuy]

Funny you should imagine brainsurge being multiple brainstorms stapled together, because that's exactly what it is. Casting two brainstorms back to back. First you draw three put two back, then you draw another three but the first two are the ones you already know about, so effectively that's a draw four

[@anthonydelfino6171]

warren soultender + blood artist + gravecrawler GG

[@crackysr2961]

one thing about brainsurge is that rhino's can play it since they dont want to play anything 1-2cmc and they can put their drawn rhino's back on top

[@PleasantKenobi]

That's pretty gas actually

[@VBane]

My top Possible BBB Black Trenchcoats.... 1. Bloodier Pets - 3/3 that sacs for BBB 2. Sarxophages - 6/6 that deals 3 to you when becomes tapped. 3. Festering Throng - 3/3 that on death distributes 3 -1/-1 counters. 4. Miserly Misers - 3/3 that reduces opponents max hand size by 3.

[@DE3rules]

Six is actually probably after it was attached to Wrenn, as it was told that she separated from Six to let Six live out its remaining days as a mighty yet ordinary oak, but Six would probably not have been named Six until Wrenn melded with it.

[@robinigney6354]

vince and math: a dangerous duo

[@danielgraves13]

"What's a 1 mana 1/1 in black?" Festering goblin

[@Lycandros]

Could go old school with Carnophage? Not a 1/1 but definitely fits the flavor.

[@greenthunder8633]

its actually 19 power, koz is a 9/9 and each manifested creature is a 5/4

[@thatguyintherain3168]

I was about to correct you but I realized I'm just bad at math

[@caseyaldrich6864]

Kozielek isn't a may ability which is a big thing. If you can its decent to pick yourself and a control player because they probably don't have creatures in their hand, making it a 9/9, 2 5/4s, draw 4 and op discards 2 and gets 2 2/2s

[@thatguyintherain3168]

I personally love the new Koz and feel so many people sleep on the fact that his ability can basically rip 2 cards out of hand. Even if the opponent manifests 2 creatures, they still have to pay to flip them, and you can always just kill them before they flip.

[@alchadylan4592]

Kozilek isn't optional. You can force someone to Manifest

[@TheGoodColonel]

An often missed fact about it. Came here to say that.

[@edpaolosalting9116]

Personally, I like it. Also a question, since its Mana base says Colorless, can I still slot it in to any deck? I have a whisperwood elemental and want to try some synergy.

[@alchadylan4592]

@@edpaolosalting9116 yes

[@toaster4598]

@@edpaolosalting9116the only time colored mana can’t pay for colorless spells is for the colorless diamond symbol, ex on thought knot seer or warping wail. All eldrazi titans are playable in any deck and can be paid with 10 colored mana

[@giantdad5934]

21:48 Warren Soultrader is the easiest "infinite" with Gravecrawler I've ever seen.

[@Abby_Affchen]

Also chatterfang

[@marcoottina654]

You need to gain a life back (Which is easy in green or white, therefore Orzgov, Golgari or Abzan)

[@MusicoftheDamned]

​​@@marcoottina654A good point. I thought there was a mono-black Zombie that could gain life repeatedly and with ease (read: without needing a sacrifice) at this point between all the power creep and literally thousands of cards each year, but apparently not still. It seems easiest to go Orzhov then since Wayward Servant is a 2-drop that both gains *and* drains life, so you kill them literally twice as fast while not losing any life. EDIT: I'm being dumb my fatigue and restricting myself to Tribal for some reason. In mono-Black you can literally just play Blood Artist for the same effect, if a bit squishier.

[@Medicinalmagic911]

Flare of CULTIVATION with Veteran Explorer 🎉🎉❤❤ 0:33

[@Medicinalmagic911]

Legacy NIC FIT lives!!!

[@kylejohnson4662]

I literally cracked open a Dr. Pepper as I clicked on the video

[@michaeltate6367]

It is so wild to me that we just got the first ever actual instant speed Divination (a 3 mana unconditional draw 2) not that long ago with Quick Study, and now we're talking about if Brainsurge will see play anywhere when it is WAAAAAY more powerful

[@SilverAlex92]

Ikr?

[@alexanderficken9354]

yeah brainsurge is a card im picking up a few copies of for that reason, basically good everywhere

[@ethanhopper2467]

yeah I think people are way too dismissive of that card, gonna be good somewhere

[@marcoottina654]

​@@alexanderficken9354unless against Sheoldred or Orchish Bowmaster

[@alexanderficken9354]

@@marcoottina654 so is ancestral recall a bad card because sheoldred exists? lol

[@apeofjustice7109]

I love the idea of using Argent Dias on my own creature in response to an opponents removal spell, get myself some gas after my opponents has spent a card and mana

[@mikeowens40]

Flare of duplication is slamming into my rocco sunforger deck. Another tastey "me too" ramp/removal, or a counter counter 🤤

[@majestyzx9081]

Wumpus aberration is one of my favorites in Modern Horizons 3 so far. It's going in so many of my commander decks. Just allowing someone else at the table to play any creature from their hand sounds like it's a strong parity play for only 4 Mana. Not to mention it saving you from being targeted by allowing someone else to drop a real threat as early as turn 3-4.

[@theguywiththetail]

26:23 The art on this is pretty cool. It looks like he's coming back through Beble's Portal that he previously had to escape through back in Nemesis.

[@dylannicholas1914]

Black is just getting sooo many goodies in this set. Just saw the black connive land that is going in so many of my decks.

[@radicard5193]

42:40 Because this is a land, I actually think this is fine enough in Commander. At 5 mana you'd probably be using this to stabilize your life total, so giving your biggest guy lifelink and flying is pretty solid in my book.

[@cameronmoerer6244]

White Orchid Phantom is supposed to just be the opposite of Knight of the White Orchid. Instead of ramping you for them having more, it's destroying theirs. That being said, I've already put together a Mono White D&T list with it. I've kept it mono white because i'll be running Winter Moon in the SB, and running too many basics in a two color might make the white orchid phantom a little too hard to cast when dealing with Winter Moon. But I mean, it's called Winter Moon right? What makes you think of mono white more than winter?

[@Trefalgr]

Glasswing Grace is playable in Eriette, the Beguiler. There is only a short list of 5 mana enchants that do something other than steal a creature which kinda make the commander's ability redundant. So I'm happy to see it as a tool for that deck.

[@gildarmesh3809]

flare of fortitude looks good for commander... until you realize it does not stop commander damage kill. it is essentially a free tefari's protection so it will be crazy expensive though.

[@t0lar]

Free spells always make me apprehensive, especially if it’s some kind of interaction, the problem comes down to the fact that it promotes what use to be considered risky plays, where you tap out and curve out for the turn, it use to be you need hold mana for a counter spell or removal, or in MH3 case board protection which forces players to weigh up the risk and rewards of going full steam. Nowadays you can just play everything out without thinking about it and not get punished because you have a piece of interaction in your hand that you can pretty much throw out anytime.

[@jackpabich763]

I could see the Phoenix going into the Colossification aura/reanimator deck

[@nicholasjohnston9737]

Crazy how many people look at flare of duplication and don't know where it fits in a storm deck.. sacrifice your red mana bear when you cast your storm spell, and hello, you only need half as much storm count. It also works as an emergency counter to an incoming counter spell from opponent. Copy their flusterstorm sounds pretty good imo. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[@LakeVermilionDreams]

Storm triggers on cast. Not copy.

[@alistairetheblu]

0:38 Not "may". Nice for Aether Flash or other ways at dealing 2 to them, force them to manifest 2 (assuming no mana open to flip), they die on etb, effectively discarding 2, you draw 2.

[@51gunner]

Pearl-Ear seems funny if you play removal auras like Buried in the Garden or Ossification - If you're willing to take the risk of double-enchanting a single land and hoping your opponent doesn't destroy the land, they'll be removal spells that cantrip and make other enchantments cheaper. It's going to be utterly disgusting in a Light-Paws Commander deck though and offsets one of the weaknesses that deck has (removing Light-Paws, ideally in response to an aura on the stack). This is a backup commander from the 99 that acts as card draw.

[@LilFlame2001]

Really excited to upgrade my elves deck in modern, hope more goodies are on the way.

[@kwagmeijer26]

Evolution Witness is nuts in Tayam EDH decks.

[@beerman2000]

Notably Koz doesn't say "may manifest" "What's that Bob?". "You've got 2 cards in hand?"

[@FluxChanneler]

Wrath of the Skies at X=0 with Enchanted Evening/Mycosynth Lattice is a two-mana Armageddon, lol. This will fit nicely into my land destruction deck that already runs both permanents.

[@davidsnedden4796]

Glad the flares are at least not mythic this time... god damn free spells at mythic is such a massive mistake when it comes to market prices.

[@gingermlg]

I love the idea that you think using Kozilek as a "politic tool" in Commander, when in reality in most commander games it basically says "each opponent discards 2 cards from their hand, manifest 2 big dumb idiots from your hand, draw 8" Edit: I missed the "up to 2 target players" turns out reading the card helps.

[@51gunner]

This Kozilek is "up to 2 target players". So I'm not sure exactly how you're targeting each opponent and yourself.

[@gingermlg]

Okay I did miss that. My bad

[@PleasantKenobi]

I love that you missed that. 🤣

[@ernie.zer0]

Thinking about Kozilek in my Kadena Morph deck. That Ulamog artwork is gorgeous!

[@Aigis31]

I love the new Titans so much. Kozilek manifesting creatures makes me so happy as someone who loves both Eldrazi and face-down creature mechanics in general. All of them feel super cool, unique, and powerful without being broken! Fantastic designs.

[@51gunner]

Thraben Charm sounds like Pauper tech to me, but I admittedly don't know much about Pauper. Looking at MTGdecks for "Pauper White Removal Cards" I see: Dawnbringer Cleric, a 1W 1/3 creature with the modes of destroying an enchantment, exiling one card from a graveyard, or gaining 2 life. Give up the body for instant speed, or hitting a creature if you have creatures? Seems worthy of consideration. Or Destroy Evil, which destroys 4+ toughness or enchantments; Thraben Charm has the graveyard hate as another relevant mode & with a couple creatures it could do the same creature removal. Again might be worth thinking about.

[@MusicoftheDamned]

Yeah, I imagine Thraben Charm will have a significant impact on Pauper since mono-White's remaining weakness in the sideboard after Generous Gift got downshifted was being unable to do much of anything to an opponent's graveyard en masse without using Artifacts. Hell, White in Pauper barely had even much single-target graveyard interaction for some reason given that WotC never even downshifted Purify the Grave. So it was only like...Beckon Apparition at Instant speed, which not even the fringe BW deck based around Edge of the Divinity and that *really* wants to cast BW spells every turn uses.

[@Croockers47]

Instantly comes to mind for me with Flare of Duplication is it basically doubles dual-caster mage.

[@ToastydragoN0514]

30:30 Love this design, its a great enabler for anyone trying to do the Gitrog+Dakmor Salvage combo in edh. Since you just dont need dakmor salvage to set it off then. I play a sultai deck that uses this combo as an infinite mill source and a card selection engine, but I may try to build a abzan version to give this commander a shot

[@rendevoir4736]

I'll be most certainly testing White Orchid Phantom in Historic in Soulherder. That's gonna be wild

[@MichaelMUTHECAPPMHBCEGA]

I do like the cut of your Jib and your opinion is always on point!

[@PleasantKenobi]

JOIN US ON PATREON/DISCORD. JOOOOOOOIN US.

[@UnreasonableOpinions]

I did not expect an Oblation Dispenser

[@davidhower7095]

Drowner of Truth is gonna see play just because it’s a land that pitches to Labyrinth

[@donladplaysgames4036]

Ulamog the Defiler in a Tron/Hardened scales mash up could be a fun experiment

[@clock7795]

I am unbelievably excited for modern horizons 3. It seems like a set that will change modern but it won’t warp itself around it

[@theabrandt6177]

I think flare of cultivation is maybe useful in amulet titan? It can replace a second grazer in one of the 2 turn kills, and it can technically replace a grazer or explore in the other version as long as you have a dryad or out. Also if somehow you end up with no amulet in opening hand but you have a grazer, it means 3 lands on turn one with a fourth fetched, albeit all basics Also in a format with grief etc, emperor of bones seems relevant to grab your opponents pitched evokes. Your solitude is now my solitude, and I get to swing with it or whatever

[@Snake_salad]

The new ulamog also has a crazy interaction with ugins labyrinth bc it can count the imprinted cards mana value for its etb ability

[@camdenallen4844]

I was hoping for some more elf support 😅 but I can't complain too much

[@thealanwrencher]

I truly loved this

[@PleasantKenobi]

The video format?

[@thealanwrencher]

The video format for sure. I enjoyed the balanced appraisal of the cards coupled with the vibe. Really captured the essence of going through spoilers with a buddy. Plus I just find you generally funny, so that helps. Thanks for the enjoyable video!

[@TiredMages]

Feels like Brainsurge may be a spicy option in dredge? Dredge a bunch, and put two of your dredge targets back on top of your library to get dredged again?

[@teunfish9189]

three shadows in a trenchcoat {B}{B}{B} ~ gets -X/-X, where X is three times your life total 39/39

[@SIRLagalot007]

Ulamog is insane, imprint immediately lets you secure a massive ulamog, imprint with new ugins maze a big 10 cmc card, tron out ulamog then get the imprinted card back

[@kwagmeijer26]

have they always had text referring to legendary creatures/planeswalkers use his/hers instead of its? If so, I only just now noticed it on the flip planeswalkers

[@projectrings7066]

I think you are underestimating Flare of Duplication. Sacrifice Ragavan or Rograkh or Dockside to copy a counterspell targeting the counterspell makes this insanely strong.

[@Rizso1]

flare of fortitude + ad nause

[@SilverAlex92]

I think that Pearl Earl Imperial Advisor has a chance with Eldrazi Conscription, because if it resolves, you get to cast the Eldrazi Aura for freeish before the advisor can be Solituded. Because after the fox resolves, your stack is empty, and you have priority, so you can cast your aura before anyone takes action.

[@smartkaboose3806]

You need 6-8 auras plus more than 3 mana (or 3 counters on an Aether vial or similar) in order to do that. Seems like overkill if you've already got a creature suited up with 6-8 auras.

[@LakeVermilionDreams]

"PEARL EARL" New nickname unlocked!

[@styfen]

Why would a White Orchid Knight spirit from Alara reference a Ravnica\Innistrad land? It's not a Ghost Quarter on a creature, it's a Field of Ruin\Demolition Field (which are themselves echoes of Dust Bowl from Masques) on a creature.

[@riotron1026]

Silly rabbit, worrying about flavor staying consistent is a fools errand.

[@SardonicVida]

Headcanon: it died on orzhov soil during the phyrexian invasion and it came back as a spirit

[@christiansykes6337]

Nerd!

[@Son_of_Pandora]

whats up with the flavor text on flare of malice? lose as i have lost? Did they misspell loose?

[@faerie7dragon]

The aura land for Selesnya looks crazy to me, I will put it on Bant Shanna right away. Nomad Stadium more available for King Darien EDH, woohoo!

[@marcoottina654]

Any enchantress deck would need it: it's a massive pump on late game and a color fixing in the First turns. It's perfect. It's mana cost could also be reduced since it's both an enchantment and an Aura

[@wyattcalcote5867]

30:05 does the new batterskull equip to the germ or whatever it was attached to?? weird ruling

[@MageMinionsOP]

Not sure if missed it but kenibi didn't mention the 2 cards you manifest come in as 5/4 due to kozilek buff.

[@nickjoseph77]

Warren Soultrader looks very strong. I never play aristocrats but it seems like 0 mana, sac a token to make a mana over and over on a big turn.

[@OofOuchOwie]

Making me feel better about this set

[@LyleH-13]

I havent watched many spoilers but I hope you're implying they toned down the power creep a bit

[@medoh368]

Ahh yes commander horizons

[@monosophy691]

Surely its true this time.

[@MagicTheChattering]

With all the mdfc creatures I wonder if we’ll see a flickerwhisp and ephemerate deck that just plays all of them? That would be fun to play at very least, play a flickerwhisp, flip that green one, sac whisp draw 3 gain 3 sounds like a blast! 😂

[@umbertoandre7335]

I wonder if it will be possible to create a balustrade spy modern deck with the new modal land that bolt you

[@dracish123456789]

for the black flare you cast grief with the evoke trigger on the stack, you sac it to flare

[@51gunner]

Oh good, more combos with Grief.

[@Nazgul1393]

brilliant, who needs mana anyways

[@zramirez5471]

Disciple of Freyalise should definitely see play in mono green

[@jarzz3601]

just to clarify cause I don't understand cast triggers ulamog doesn't gain +1/1 counters for the cards it exiles from it's own cast trigger on it's etb right?

[@Rikka_Igana]

Cast trigger resolves first while ulamog is on the stack. Then upon resolution ulamog enters the battlefield then gets counters.

[@three-card-dead]

so many fucking hot takes bro holy shit

[@PleasantKenobi]

Thanks.

[@rocker1296]

I don't play Modern, but I could see Flare of Duplication being kinda nuts in any mono red aggro deck that uses lightning bolt or anything like that. Go to attack for turn, then lightning bolt and FoD sacing one of your super cheap creatures, to extend your reach from 3 to 6.

[@henrye3935]

I want Bant Eldrazi to be a thing again so bad. Exile the dual land to play the sol land. T2 Thoughtknot. Hell yeah.

[@zztzgza]

I think the flares will be broken. Having the ability to be cast for free is inherently broken. I don't know why wotc even bothers to print free spells with stipulations as if that stipulation somehow balances the fact that it's a free spell.

[@memedeli]

Have we talked about how ugins labyrith is going to be insane? Possible turn 2 one ring is wild for modern

[@joefekete4384]

I think the flare of duplication might see play in red deck wins to copy burn spells to finish off games. ONLY to finish off games, as you obviously don't want to sac creatures till you don't need them anymore.

[@TubbyBubbleLove42]

Three Blood Pets or three Festering Goblins

[@spacelizbian]

warren soultrader feels like it'll be another pitiless plunderer in my meren deck. just another thing that goes infinite with things like gravecrawler

[@RedCometNurse]

Brainsurge is objectively the best blue 3-mana Draw spell. It is Quick Study but better.

[@danieledwards4310]

As a commander player I don't find this set very exciting and I'm glad, because this is a modern set and not every set should be aimed at the commander format

[@markcarr154]

I hope they staple three gnat misers together as the black member of the cycle.

[@aR0ttenBANANA]

Evolution witness in Tayam is nasty.

[@marcoottina654]

8:15 you could sacrifice an Atraxa, easily allowing you to cast a second copy of Atraxa 28:55 add a Gaga's Blessing to re-shuffle back your graveyard into your library! Wait .. how many mythics are there? Even more than rare cards? What js this, a reversed pyramid, where there are less commons diversity thant mythics?

[@Lleldorellin]

Did they make three putrid goblin in a trenchcoat yet ? I could really see that one.

[@Rizso1]

ulamog unlike others is a reasonable reanimation target.

[@infernalryo2740]

If we get the black 3 mana of 3 old school one drops I think it’ll be blood pets or putrid flock of imps lol

[@dragade101]

I love the Power - Top combo lol but people will be pissed at you for topping so much

[@31codyskater]

For what its worth it says up to 2 players on kozalik but the manifest for the chosen player it not a may so if you choose them they have to manifest 2. In most cases its about as good as discard 2 for 2 opponents cause like swan song giving 2/2 is worthless while the cards they place can be needed land drops, some kind of noncreature that they can never flip or an etb creature they will never get the etb on.

[@Abby_Affchen]

Warren soultrader also combos with chatter fang so

[@Illeprih]

Emperor of Bones could be cool if you Cauldron a Lion Sash. Giving your entire graveyard unearth for 1 white.

[@nickjoseph77]

I really hope the energy deck is fun but not bananas. XWW for gain x energy then pay any amount to wipe permanents seems fantastic if you're already making energy the whole game passively.

[@kieranheaton4951]

Was the card in question for the flare of malice by chance stitchers supplier?

[@PleasantKenobi]

YES!

[@kieranheaton4951]

@@PleasantKenobi Glad I could help!

[@robmarney]

Cephalid Coliseum is a big deal. It's an untapped blue land that's also a combo piece. Waterlogged Teachings wishes it could be this efficient.

[@wyattcalcote5867]

24:15 3 deaths shadows 😏😏

[@epochsgaming]

Bro, this is fantastic, but also, do you actually expect mtg players to do 39 - 3x life total? We can barely read

[@Mulletdog1]

This is my favorite set in the last 3 years. If you’re a universes beyond fan, more power to you, this set is what magic 30th anniversary should’ve been

[@Frogleeoh]

I do like Dominaria Remastered as a 30th anniversary product tho

[@Mulletdog1]

@@Frogleeoh I’m referencing those 1000 dollar box of proxies 😪

[@WitherFang]

Kozilek: NEIN NEIN NEIN! :3

[@metalplaysgames]

flare of fortitude, youre life total cant change, but you're not indestructible or have protection, do you still take commander damage w/o your life total changing?

[@mikemanard3847]

I feel like Brainsurge should've maybe been draw 5, put 3 back.

[@ana-alyciajuarez5958]

Why isn’t the emperor of bones legendary?! Why won’t they give us the skeleton matters skeleton commander we crave?! Also, the new Eriette loves Dog Umbra, sure there targets are less targets, but you get the creature you enchant online and if your opponent gets the creature back with the enchantment still on it, it turns back off!

[@Billchu13]

Not dead after all my grief and sacrifice it to new free spell before bringing it back and getting 2 triggers. Add it to existing scam combo