Ah, we haven't really talked about this card in quite some time, and a conversation I had earlier today about glaciers made me think to bring it up.
Thawing Glaciers is a card that seems to largely just be unique to my list nowadays. I've been running it since close to my list's first incarnation, and despite the small power buff it receives from the special circumstances of my cube, I think it is more than playable without such a power level increase.
This card is everything a control deck wants. It wins the mana war, provides a repeatable source of card advantage, and fixes for splashes. Oh, did I mention that it triggers landfall every turn?
In a blue control deck, this is a cheap draw engine that lets you keep mana-light hands without missing land drops.
It also should really just slot into any deck trying to go for the long game.
So my question is, why are so few people running it? If you used to run it and cut it, what precipitated that? If you have never tried it, is there a reason that you've never taken it for a spin?
It's an extremely high pick in my group, so I'm rather curious at the apparent difference in appraisal.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
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ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
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ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
I'm still running it in my list. It's not an extremely high pick, as with your group, but control decks that run more than one colour are likely to run it. It's a nice way gain incremental advantage in the late game, by making sure you're always pumping out lands, and thinning your deck.
We played it for quite a long time. It was picked pretty low though. It was main decked regularly, but the faster our cube was becoming, the more it was put in the sideboard. Control decks became less passive (less controlly if you ask me), and made it harder for Glaciers to shine.
Maybe now we are trying to push Pox/Smokestack a bit harder, it is worth reconsidering.
I have been meaning to trade for one of these to try it out, as my playgroup is fond of evolving wilds and terramorphic expanse. I think those of us without the expensive fetches would get mroe use out of it. That being said I think it is too slow to make my 360 and will more likely hang around for the day I eventaully slide up to 500.
It very slowly fixes your mana, thins your deck, ramps you, and gives you a repeatable shuffle effect. We personally still run it and like it at 500, but I can where some do not care for the card anymore.
I like the card in larger cubes. It's good in the control mirror, and I'm not opposed to including some control vs. control cards - they make control weaker against aggro which I always support, especially at larger sizes.
The card is very slow, and I've opted for faster fixing lands. People would always play it, but be surprised at how awful it is to count it as a land in your opening hand. Definitely not for fast cubes.
It's a good land. It grinds out wins in the control mirror like nobody's business. But in your other matchups, it's likely too slow. I mean, I don't think I've ever been able to effectively use this card in my vs aggro matchups with control. It's just so slow and grindy. It also thins your deck and gives you repeatable shuffle effects and landfall triggers.
It's one of my favorite "on deck" lands, and it will likely make a future appearance. And the promo foil is beautiful.
It is such a good land. If I went over 500 cards, I would have to include it. Right now, the cube might be too fast for it. Perhaps I will find room. It really is a great card, and I love it in Grixis and 5C control.
I really like it. It was recently cut though because the decks that would theoretically want it (3+ color control) had so many duals that there wasn't enough basics for it to make the cut to main deck a few times. We have been steadily increasing NonBasic land counts though (around 17% now), so it was good for us previously when we had less fixing.
It very slowly fixes your mana, thins your deck, ramps you, and gives you a repeatable shuffle effect. We personally still run it and like it at 500, but I can where some do not care for the card anymore.
How does it ramp you?
(all the other points are valid, and shouldn't be overlooked with cards like Sensei's Divining Top and Brainstorm)
(all the other points are valid, and shouldn't be overlooked with cards like Sensei's Divining Top and Brainstorm)
-AA
It can't on its own under the current oracle. It can under the rules set and un-errata's state of my cube, but that's neither here nor there.
The way that it can ramp in the modern era is by pairing it with bouncelands. Glaciers is balanced by its bounce effect. That is its drawback. By playing a bounceland after you thaw, you consolidate two drawbacks into one by bouncing glaciers, effectively negating one of them. Under these conditions you are effectively ramped one land drop ahead of curve.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
The ramp part of the card is that you get to play a land every turn, so at some point of the game you get to put additional mana sources on the table compared to a draw with with regular lands, although you will never have more than #turns mana producing lands on the table, like with a real ramp card.
That's not ramping. Ramping is getting ahead of the turn count on mana.
The bounceland trick is ramping. Back in the day, we used to Political Trickery them away in order to ramp!
Ah, we haven't really talked about this card in quite some time, and a conversation I had earlier today about glaciers made me think to bring it up.
Thawing Glaciers is a card that seems to largely just be unique to my list nowadays. I've been running it since close to my list's first incarnation, and despite the small power buff it receives from the special circumstances of my cube, I think it is more than playable without such a power level increase.
This card is everything a control deck wants. It wins the mana war, provides a repeatable source of card advantage, and fixes for splashes. Oh, did I mention that it triggers landfall every turn?
In a blue control deck, this is a cheap draw engine that lets you keep mana-light hands without missing land drops.
In black-based control, this brings back bloodghast every turn for braids or smokestack.
It also should really just slot into any deck trying to go for the long game.
So my question is, why are so few people running it? If you used to run it and cut it, what precipitated that? If you have never tried it, is there a reason that you've never taken it for a spin?
It's an extremely high pick in my group, so I'm rather curious at the apparent difference in appraisal.
Body Count: GRRRUUUUUUUUUUU
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Maybe now we are trying to push Pox/Smokestack a bit harder, it is worth reconsidering.
I feel compelled to repeat everything I hear
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http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=385729
How does it ramp you?
(all the other points are valid, and shouldn't be overlooked with cards like Sensei's Divining Top and Brainstorm)
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
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It can't on its own under the current oracle. It can under the rules set and un-errata's state of my cube, but that's neither here nor there.
The way that it can ramp in the modern era is by pairing it with bouncelands. Glaciers is balanced by its bounce effect. That is its drawback. By playing a bounceland after you thaw, you consolidate two drawbacks into one by bouncing glaciers, effectively negating one of them. Under these conditions you are effectively ramped one land drop ahead of curve.
Body Count: GRRRUUUUUUUUUUU
إن سرقت إسرق جمل
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That's not ramping. Ramping is getting ahead of the turn count on mana.
The bounceland trick is ramping. Back in the day, we used to Political Trickery them away in order to ramp!
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
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Fair enough. It (eventually) gives you more mana than you would have had otherwise.
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.