In my opinion Consecrated Sphinx and Keiga, the Tide Star are the best blue six drops. After those two opinions differ.
Some like Morphling, others -including me- prefer Sphinx of Jwar Isle.
Frost Titan is the weakest Titan for cube, but he has a strong ability like Tamiyo, the Moon Sage which can be used as "removal" or mana denial. His color specific ability protects him somehow (better in combination with counter spells like Mana Leak or Miscalculation) but for me it should have been 3 or 4 mana.
Nevertheless I liked this card in standard and asked myself if it could find a niche in cube?
Frost Titan was too easy to deal with for a creature that cost 6 mana. And after it dies, there's nothing left. Keiga gets me a threat after it's dealt with. It also has evasion and a better casting cost. I prefer Keiga to Frosty.
Keiga is a solid, evasive beater for an easily splashable cost whose death trigger is ridiculous. More than once its held back an enemy's Akroma, Baneslayer, etc.
Frost Titan's built in "protection" just isn't that good in Cube where you have so many cheap removal effects but the Icy effect is nice. Doesn't compare to Keiga at all though.
Nothing in this game is degenerate or completely dominant. They haven't banned anything in standard in a long, long time. Hell they should have banned affinity right away, but they didn't until boxed sales collapsed too. Hasbro had to come in and fire people.
I'll enjoy watching all the whiners eat crow monday.
Keiga is a solid, evasive beater for an easily splashable cost whose death trigger is ridiculous. More than once its held back an enemy's Akroma, Baneslayer, etc.
Frost Titan's built in "protection" just isn't that good in Cube where you have so many cheap removal effects but the Icy effect is nice. Doesn't compare to Keiga at all though.
How did it hold back a baneslayer??
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Keiga is a solid, evasive beater for an easily splashable cost whose death trigger is ridiculous. More than once its held back an enemy's Akroma, Baneslayer, etc.
Frost Titan's built in "protection" just isn't that good in Cube where you have so many cheap removal effects but the Icy effect is nice. Doesn't compare to Keiga at all though.
Frost Titan also holds back Akroma and Baneslayer, while still being able to attack (thanks to the tap ability). Not to say Keiga isn't good, I used to run both in my cube, just that the "holding back a scarier fatty" isn't the best argument for Titan v. Keiga. The only argument I have in Frost Titan's favor is that it's good in a more creature heavy cube or a cube with lots of blink effects/ mana denial. Keiga is better in a cube where you don't need to attack to win and could leave her back to block/ steal a blocker until you find your win-con, I think..
You know, I'll be totally honest and say that I don't think anyone has ever brought up the protection from dragon clause which makes me feel quite silly. I guess was so used to the other shenanigans on that card and the pro dragon never came up.
Regardless though, I still think Keiga is a better creature. Evasion, solid body, splashable casting cost and a huge tempo swing upon death vs slightly bigger body, built in icy effect. Not the worth the tradeoff, imo. I mean Keiga just gets silly with Recurring Nightmare.
Nothing in this game is degenerate or completely dominant. They haven't banned anything in standard in a long, long time. Hell they should have banned affinity right away, but they didn't until boxed sales collapsed too. Hasbro had to come in and fire people.
I'll enjoy watching all the whiners eat crow monday.
You know, I'll be totally honest and say that I don't think anyone has ever brought up the protection from dragon clause which makes me feel quite silly. I guess was so used to the other shenanigans on that card and the pro dragon never came up.
Regardless though, I still think Keiga is a better creature. Evasion, solid body, splashable casting cost and a huge tempo swing upon death vs slightly bigger body, built in icy effect. Not the worth the tradeoff, imo. I mean Keiga just gets silly with Recurring Nightmare.
Titan beats Baneslayer /discussion.
But in all seriousness, I don't think the splashability of Keiga is a real argument because the only decks I'd want it in would be a super blue-heavy control deck. I think it depends on you or your cube group's play style because Keiga is a very reactive card and Titan is a proactive one.
I'm a pretty big proponent of Frosty here. I was hesitant to include him at first, but he's pretty much always solid. He does die to removal, but you, being the blue player, have a little control over that as well. Don't drop your Titan on the table when your hand's empty and your opponent has multiple black, white, or red sources up. I've seen Frosty finish off several games pretty quick, that Keiga would have just been racing (vs big green monsters).
The fact is, I've seen both creatures be awesome and I've seen both creatures be mediocre. Keiga forces my opponent to hold back on attacking and using removal spells. She also sometimes forces them to use a removal spell on their own threat (after they've killed Keiga and I've taken it). And she screws up combat like a champion. But she gets hit by removal or dies in combat and Control Magic's either nothing or something virtually useless. Then she's just a 5/5 dragon for six mana. On the same note Frost Titan can have similar results. It's not uncommon to not have a counter or some sort when they pay the extra two to kill it. And sometimes tapping down a threat just isn't enough. But sometimes it is. Sometimes keeping a specific threat tapped down is what gets you the W. Also, keep in mind that in actual game play your opponent isn't always holding the removal spell. Sometimes they are, yes, but not always and, in my experience, not often.
I think Consecrated Sphinx is my favorite of the big blue finishers. Followed by Keiga and then Frost Titan and Sphinx of Jwar Isle tied in third depending on preference.
But in all seriousness, I don't think the splashability of Keiga is a real argument because the only decks I'd want it in would be a super blue-heavy control deck.
I love the fact that Keiga is splashable. Because it has a cost of 5U, you can put it into more than just super blue-heavy control decks. You can splash it into mid-range decks as a curve-topper or into control decks that are only splashing for blue. The Wildfire deck, for one example, loves to have this card, and I can use it off of a very small blue splash. That casting cost has been relevant in a ton of deckbuilding decisions. It's a sick combo creature in Recurring Nightmare builds too, and the casting cost is important in that deck as well, particularly if you're playing BG/u (which we often do for reanimator).
I like Frost Titan a lot, and I think he's better than Sun Titan in cube. Locking down your opponent's big threats is cool but locking down lands, that is backbreaking and extremely underrated. If they missed a land drop or somehow got a land destroyed or lost one, he can take over the game so easily. He's a really good card.
I play keiga because he is splashable, but that is about it. I think Frost Titan in general is a better card.
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I also like Frost Titan more than Keiga.
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Frost Titan is a valid replacement [for Keiga].
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I'm very happy with [Frost Titan] in my cube.
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I'm a pretty big proponent of Frosty here.
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I like Frost Titan a lot, and I think he's better than Sun Titan in cube.
I can't in good conscience continue to ignore all the support for Frost Titan. I've played him in other cubes, but never in my own ...and I think he deserves a trial run. I know how good Keiga is; I've played her for years. I'm going to send her to the bench for the while and give Frosty a shot. If it turns out to be an amazing card, then cool. I've found an amazing card. If not, I can always bring Keiga back because I know she'll be a solid performer like she always has been. I'll probably make this swap later in the week.
I can't in good conscience continue to ignore all the support for Frost Titan. I've played him in other cubes, but never in my own ...and I think he deserves a trial run. I know how good Keiga is; I've played her for years. I'm going to send her to the bench for the while and give Frosty a shot. If it turns out to be an amazing card, then cool. I've found an amazing card. If not, I can always bring Keiga back because I know she'll be a solid performer like she always has been. I'll probably make this swap later in the week.
I have been thinking nearly the same thing. What's been stopping me is not actually owning a Frost Titan. I've noticed the prices on the titans are dropping like mad though, so I should be able to pick one up soon.
I have been thinking nearly the same thing. What's been stopping me is not actually owning a Frost Titan. I've noticed the prices on the titans are dropping like mad though, so I should be able to pick one up soon.
Cheers,
rant
Yeah, I've seen them for a couple of bucks on sites and definitely think it'd be good to get one to try. I gave it a shot about a year ago and have been very impressed with it since.
He Control Magic'd my Sphinx. So I played Keiga and the board was at a stalemate for 5 turns until I drew the Treachery to pull ahead.
There are tons of situations like this where I'd much rather have Keiga than Frost Titan, and very few where I'd rather have the Titan. Ever since people have been upping Frost Titan I've been comparing him to Keiga in situations and while he is better some of the time, it's not the majority.
Giving Frost Titan a try has definitely opened my eyes to how powerful a finsher it is. Sadly though, it hasn't leapfrogged any of the other finishers I run in place of it though. I will miss it though, especially in my UG ramp decks.
There are tons of situations like this where I'd much rather have Keiga than Frost Titan, and very few where I'd rather have the Titan. Ever since people have been upping Frost Titan I've been comparing him to Keiga in situations and while he is better some of the time, it's not the majority.
Same here. Keiga, the Tide Star is still better than Frost Titan, though actual play proved it to be much closer than I initially thought.
In my opinion Consecrated Sphinx and Keiga, the Tide Star are the best blue six drops. After those two opinions differ.
Some like Morphling, others -including me- prefer Sphinx of Jwar Isle.
Frost Titan is the weakest Titan for cube, but he has a strong ability like Tamiyo, the Moon Sage which can be used as "removal" or mana denial. His color specific ability protects him somehow (better in combination with counter spells like Mana Leak or Miscalculation) but for me it should have been 3 or 4 mana.
Nevertheless I liked this card in standard and asked myself if it could find a niche in cube?
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Frost Titan's built in "protection" just isn't that good in Cube where you have so many cheap removal effects but the Icy effect is nice. Doesn't compare to Keiga at all though.
Who's eating crow?
How did it hold back a baneslayer??
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Frost Titan also holds back Akroma and Baneslayer, while still being able to attack (thanks to the tap ability). Not to say Keiga isn't good, I used to run both in my cube, just that the "holding back a scarier fatty" isn't the best argument for Titan v. Keiga. The only argument I have in Frost Titan's favor is that it's good in a more creature heavy cube or a cube with lots of blink effects/ mana denial. Keiga is better in a cube where you don't need to attack to win and could leave her back to block/ steal a blocker until you find your win-con, I think..
They don't want to give their Baneslayer to you.
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Baneslayer has protection from dragons
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You can steal Akroma with Keiga.
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No you can't ;P.
At least not, the red one. Though why is the red one being played I have no idea.
Regardless though, I still think Keiga is a better creature. Evasion, solid body, splashable casting cost and a huge tempo swing upon death vs slightly bigger body, built in icy effect. Not the worth the tradeoff, imo. I mean Keiga just gets silly with Recurring Nightmare.
Who's eating crow?
Titan beats Baneslayer /discussion.
But in all seriousness, I don't think the splashability of Keiga is a real argument because the only decks I'd want it in would be a super blue-heavy control deck. I think it depends on you or your cube group's play style because Keiga is a very reactive card and Titan is a proactive one.
The fact is, I've seen both creatures be awesome and I've seen both creatures be mediocre. Keiga forces my opponent to hold back on attacking and using removal spells. She also sometimes forces them to use a removal spell on their own threat (after they've killed Keiga and I've taken it). And she screws up combat like a champion. But she gets hit by removal or dies in combat and Control Magic's either nothing or something virtually useless. Then she's just a 5/5 dragon for six mana. On the same note Frost Titan can have similar results. It's not uncommon to not have a counter or some sort when they pay the extra two to kill it. And sometimes tapping down a threat just isn't enough. But sometimes it is. Sometimes keeping a specific threat tapped down is what gets you the W. Also, keep in mind that in actual game play your opponent isn't always holding the removal spell. Sometimes they are, yes, but not always and, in my experience, not often.
I think Consecrated Sphinx is my favorite of the big blue finishers. Followed by Keiga and then Frost Titan and Sphinx of Jwar Isle tied in third depending on preference.
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I love the fact that Keiga is splashable. Because it has a cost of 5U, you can put it into more than just super blue-heavy control decks. You can splash it into mid-range decks as a curve-topper or into control decks that are only splashing for blue. The Wildfire deck, for one example, loves to have this card, and I can use it off of a very small blue splash. That casting cost has been relevant in a ton of deckbuilding decisions. It's a sick combo creature in Recurring Nightmare builds too, and the casting cost is important in that deck as well, particularly if you're playing BG/u (which we often do for reanimator).
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I can't in good conscience continue to ignore all the support for Frost Titan. I've played him in other cubes, but never in my own ...and I think he deserves a trial run. I know how good Keiga is; I've played her for years. I'm going to send her to the bench for the while and give Frosty a shot. If it turns out to be an amazing card, then cool. I've found an amazing card. If not, I can always bring Keiga back because I know she'll be a solid performer like she always has been. I'll probably make this swap later in the week.
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I have been thinking nearly the same thing. What's been stopping me is not actually owning a Frost Titan. I've noticed the prices on the titans are dropping like mad though, so I should be able to pick one up soon.
Cheers,
rant
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Yeah, I've seen them for a couple of bucks on sites and definitely think it'd be good to get one to try. I gave it a shot about a year ago and have been very impressed with it since.
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I also like Keiga, the Tide Star a good bit more. In a draft last night, I had a Sphinx of the Steel Wind that I tinkered up in response to my opponent reanimating a Simic Sky Swallower.
He Control Magic'd my Sphinx. So I played Keiga and the board was at a stalemate for 5 turns until I drew the Treachery to pull ahead.
There are tons of situations like this where I'd much rather have Keiga than Frost Titan, and very few where I'd rather have the Titan. Ever since people have been upping Frost Titan I've been comparing him to Keiga in situations and while he is better some of the time, it's not the majority.
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Same here. Keiga, the Tide Star is still better than Frost Titan, though actual play proved it to be much closer than I initially thought.
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