[LOR] Moonglove Extract... and more

[charlequin]

Three more cards for all you lovely people before I go to bed (after much too long a day. Whew!)

First up is a rather interesting common artifact....

Spoiler:

Moonglove Extract

Artifact
Sacrifice Moonglove Extract : Moonglove Extract deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Common.

Wow! This card isn't going to set the competitive world on fire, but I'm excited to see it nonetheless. This card is going to see a lot of use at draft tables as people snap it up to fill a vital creature destruction role in colors that otherwise don't handle it well.

(This is a great place to point out how Wizards is remedying the Onslaught block limited problem -- where red and black were the best colors because only they had good creature removal -- by giving clever extra ways to deal with creatures to every color. Great job, guys!)

Next up is our second revealed Changeling!

Spoiler:

Changeling Hero

Creature type - Shapeshifter
Changeling
Champion a Creature
Lifelink
4/4
Uncommon

Interesting. Just as I hoped, Lifelink (along with deathtouch and other new FS keywords) has been getting a lot more use now that it's a single, easy to remember word.

I think this guy has a lot of potential, but it'll be interesting to see how it gets used. Championing any creature is a lot more flexible than the tribe-linked ones we've seen so far.

This guy will definitely fit in great with the giant tribe.

And finally, a faerie instant....

Spoiler:

Peppersmoke

Tribal Instant – Faerie
Target Creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
If you control a Faerie, draw a card.
Common

These tribal-cantrips are great. In general, if you're playing this, you should definitely control at least one faerie. Because this one is creature destruction, you can easily enable 2-for-1s for the low, low price of ! I think this one has by far the most constructed potential of this batch; especially if there are some good one-drop faeries, you can take out an opponent's utility one-drop (Birds, etc.) with this and get a fantastic tempo boost early on.

Once again, hope you enjoy.

[Polyjak]

In Pauper (especially Standard), that artifact burn spell will be useful.

The Faerie instant is cool, too.

[Asuryan]

Good to see more Goats getting printed for the 'Napper to pinch.

The Extract seems decent for Limited. Peppersmoke's cute.

[Wildfire393]

Aeolopile finally sees the light of day again. It's a 3-mana seal of fire. Sure, it's not going to break constructed, but it's definitely good in limited.

The changeling is so/so, it has to absorb another creature in order to become a 4/4 lifelink. That's very strong in limited, but constructed it just doesn't seem to cut the mustard.

The faerie instant however, is HOT. It's Afflict for a third of the mana, assuming you have even one faerie. Definitely very playable. Good in Goyf-on-Goyf duals, if, say, some black faeries work their way into BG goyf-rack.

[Zombiemachine]

These are all fine limited cards. I'm really positively surprised at the playability and quality of commons and uncommons in this set.

[Shion]

Hrmm, Moonglove Extract doesn't seem that good. Its basically a Aeolipile with all mana costs paid up front. Still nice to see more of the set though!

EDIT: Sarnathed!

[Utopianlaw]

I wish the Changling cost a little cheaper, but it's still nice, and spashable. Peppersmoke is awesome, continuing with Black's theme of -1/-1 yet, going on with Blue's draw a card. Very nice cantrip. And the Extract is a nice common, finally removal for all, yet it seems like all colors are getting a done of removal in this set. Thumbs up.

[myrmyrmyr]

The faerie instant seems to be constructed worthy if ever faeries would be one

Nice artifact for limited

[Finrod]

Yes, these cards (execept. maybe, the faerie instant) scream limited, but limited is gonna be very interesting with high-power-level commons. The artifact burn is a solid pick in limited, especially if you aren't in red. It's something I'd gladly pick when I know "I have too less removal right now".

I like the idea of Changelings as "jokers" in limited to make drafting a tribe a bit easier. However, your opponent might also get an advantage out of their creature types.

[FirstType]

Rather than the mechanics of it, just think about the flavor of this Changeling Hero championing (standing up for and defending) a Goat. Hilarious!

I suppose if a casual Legacy/Vintage fish deck uses enough faeries (there will probably be some strong faeries from Lorwyn to add to the mix of efficient weenies in Magic) that it might use Peppersmoke as a sideboad card in place of Darkblast.

[charlequin]

Originally Posted by Zombiemachine

These are all fine limited cards. I'm really positively surprised at the playability and quality of commons and uncommons in this set.

Yeah! I'm getting really excited to draft the set -- I'm hoping it'll have all the strategic depth that makes drafting so much fun, without the eye-glazing effect of T/P/F.

Originally Posted by Shion

Hrmm, Moonglove Extract doesn't seem that good. Its basically a Aeolipile with all mana costs paid up front.

That makes all the difference, though. If you drop this card, you don't have to reserve the mana needed to pop it like you would with Aeliopile.

[Aggro_zombies]

My blue Stax deck is happy to have an Aeolipile it can drop under Chalice at two and then kill a guy with or point at the opponent's head, then recur via Academy Ruins. Cute.

[Enslaught]

I'm confused about these "If you control a X, draw a card" spells... Don't you already control a faerie (the spell itself) when you play the spell? Is it checking if you "control a faerie" as the spell is resolving (and has left the stack)?

From the comp rules (in the glossary section
A spell or activated ability on the stack is controlled by whoever played it.

-E

[Singer of White Line]

Definitely going to my Limited deck ^^

Now Faeries got removal... Only mass removal and card draw left to make Faeries "The Dralnu tribe"!

[charlequin]

Originally Posted by Enslaught

I'm confused about these "If you control a X, draw a card" spells... Don't you already control a faerie (the spell itself) when you play the spell? Is it checking if you "control a faerie" as the spell is resolving (and has left the stack)?

Though you "control" spells that you have on the stack (in the sense of, "you are the controller of that spell if any other spell or effect asks about that"), the phrase "if you control X" is shorthand for "If you have in play a permanent with quality X." I can try to figure out where it says this formally in the rules later if you want.