Monday, May 31, 2010

M11 possible reprints and omissions (Black)

Here's my take on Black:

Acolyte of Xathrid - Black is focused on the opponent losing life. Acolyte of Xathrid is a semi-usable card in Limited yet brings about what black is. This card should be back.

Assassinate - a needed spell in Black. Even though that it's a reprint from past sets, it can't be compared to any other recent card. This should also be back.

Black Knight - if I say that White Knight won't be back, then there's a chance that Black Knight wouln't be also. These 2 cards are brothers.

Bog Wraith - a usable utility creature that showcases the Swampwalk ability. It should be a candidate for a non-return. The landwalk ability seems to be clunky in my opinion. Besides, Wizards can always create a new card out of a reprint just like Bog Wraith.

Cemetery Reaper, Child of Night - Cemetery Reaper showcases the Zombies while Child of Night is a Vampire. Both are new cards. Cemetery Reaper, for one, is the new lord for the Zombies. Child of Night is a harmless new card that should also return.

Consume Spirit - if Wizards would want to get away from encouraging mono colored decks, then omitting Consume Spirit is the way to go. But then, reprinting this card wouldn't hurt much. It has seen some use in Black decks. This should be back.

Deathmark - just like Celestial Purge and Flashfreeze. I expect this card to be back.

Diabolic Tutor - I think it's high time for Wizards to introduce a new tutor spell for black. As much as I would want to say that this card should not be back considering that it's not that used, I still think that it is designed just right. So, I'll opt for saying good bye to Diabolic Tutor. Wizards, please give us a new tutor spell!

Disentomb, Doom Blade, Dread Warlock - 3 new cards that should be back. Specific explanation for each card: Disentomb showcases black's ability to return creatures from the graveyard. At the common slot, Disentomb returns the card to hand and not into the battlefield. Doom Blade is a functional reprint of Terror and seems to be the token creature removal spell at 1B. Dread Warlock showcases black's evasion ability. Of the 3, I would speculate that Dread Warlock would not return if Wizards will push with the Intidimated ability. Given that Intimidate appears only in Black and Red, it's not an ability that should be given a keyword.

Drudge Skeletons - won't be back. I'm cheating a bit here since I saw the previewed skeleton at the same casting cost.

Duress - a useful black card that should return without any problems.

Gravedigger - same as Diabolic Tutor. I'll go out on a limb to say that this card will not be reprinted.

Haunting Echoes - it got printed in a Core Set for the first time. It's got a great ability for a rare card. It shouldn't hurt for the card to be back.

Howling Banshee - same as Haunting Echoes. It should be back.

Hypnotic Specter - I remember how players reacted to its return in 9th Ed. But then, without Dark Ritual, it seems too overmatched by other cards for Black. I believe a new card is in order.

Kelinore Bat - should be back simply because it's a new card.

Liliana Vess - There are only 2 black planeswalkers ever printed. Vess is one while Sorin Markov appeared in Zendikar. This is an easy argument considering Markov will still be legal after M11 is released. Vess will be back.

Looming Shade - I would like to dare Wizards to print a new Shade-type creature that is worthwhile. Looming Shade is not that worthwhile anymore, in my opinion. Candidate for non return.

Megrim - Wizards needs to show an interaction between discarding cards and getting damage from it. Megrim will be back.

Mind Rot - yet another utility discard spell for black. This should be back.

Mind Shatter - ditto on Mind Shatter. With Mind Spring possibly coming back, Mind Shatter is the perfect complement.

Nightmare - never used in Constructed. Time to ditch this card.

Relentless Rats - after 10th Ed and M10, I still haven't collected as much Relentless Rats as I would have wanted. It used to intriguing but now I just find it plain annoying. Time to ditch this card.

Rise From the Grave - a better Zombify-type spell. Plus, it's got a really cool card name. I'd say it will be back.

Royal Assassin - never hurts for this card to be back although I'd say that it's not that used anymore. Still, it seems to be the requisite rare creature kill in a Core Set.

Sanguine Bond - a sort of a useless spell except that it got featured in the Open the Vaults combo deck. I find it annoying that it had to be in the rare slot. Still, if Wizards needs to put an annoying rare for each color, this is it for black.

Sign in Blood - new card, great design, nice ability. Ingredients for it to be back. See, black can draw cards (just like blue) but it has to have a drawback. This is it for black.

Soul Bleed - whoever designs this type of cards is an annoying person. I'd say that it's a candidate not to be back but since it's a new card, I'd count it in.

Tendrils of Corruption - I was surprised to see this card get reprinted considering Consume Spirit was also reprinted. In any case, this shows an interaction between having a lot of Swamps and killing creatures. I say it will be back.

Underworld Dreams - used to be a useful card but time has come for it to be replaced by a newer and possibly spiffier spell.

Unholy Strength - possibly one of the better Auras in the set. It's a utility spell so I say it's coming back.

Vampire Aristocrat - a functional reprint of an old card. I'll say that it will be back.

Vampire Nocturnus - still continuing with the Vampire theme in the Core Set. This should be back.

Wall of Bone - I will speculate that M11 will get rid of the clunky regenerate ability. Thus, a new wall will be printed for black. One that should have a cool ability.

Warpath Ghoul - boring new Zombie filler. It will be back.

Weakness - I'll speculate that Disfigure will be printed instead of Weakness. That's just me.

Xathrid Demon, Zombie Goliath - new cards that should be back.

On my count, 11 cards that are not coming back. Nice number once more.

I don't have any idea if certain cards for black will be reprinted from previous expansions.

No comments: