Essentials

[kerbythepurplecow]

Because I feel like it at the moment, I'm going through the RotE spoiler. Here's the link.

Rise of the Eldrazi Visual Spoiler : Wizards of the Coast

I'm going to list my pics. If it's not on the list, there's probably better stuff already in the deck. I may post thoughts on some other cards along the way.

Colorless:
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

The deck is going to play at least one of the Eldrazi, that's a given. This is the one I vote for. This is the only Eldrazi that can dodge counter magic. With the mana investment on these guys, counter dodge is quite useful. Next, extra turn. Lastly, he may not be indestructible but he has protection from colored spells. How many non-colored removal spells are there? Exactly. (Thanks for the fix Jason)

The other eldrazi are all nice, but they fail in the various ways listed above. The only other one that could be considered on sheer awesome is It That Betrays.

I just don't think it's good enough though.

White:
Deathless Angel

Decent body, flies, great ability. Not an auto-include, but there may be a spot for it.

Linvala, Keeper of Silence

For the cost, this is amazing. 3/4 flier for 2ww is pretty decent. The ability could be amazing.

Wall of Omens

Wall of Blossoms rocks. Wall of Blossoms in white? Still rocks.

[kerbythepurplecow]

Blue:
Recurring Insight

Initial cast will almost always be 5+ cards. With the second cast, you're getting some heavy card advantage.

Sphinx of Magosi

2U: draw a card at instant speed is pretty slick. 2U: draw a card and make this already beefy flier even bigger? Pretty awesome. The 3UUU casting cost might be a bit heavy, but the card may be worth it.

Black:

Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief

That's a pretty slick ability that will kill anything provided you have enough mana. Pumping her is icing. Using that during combat is boss.

Suffer the Past

Damn cool trick. Probably best in the wish board.

Red:

Surreal Memoir

It's worth debating whether or not this effect would be worth inclusion.

Green:

Realms Uncharted

Gifts Ungiven for lands? Okay.

[kerbythepurplecow]

Other:

Sphinx-Bone Wand

Could be cool, don't know if it's worth 7 mana.

Evolving Wilds

Works for me.

That's it, every card I think is good enough for consideration. Note, I did say consideration, not inclusion.

Also, Jason thanks for pointing out that the Eldrazi are not artifacts and I can't Tinker them. I deleted your post just to keep everything together. I'm working on figuring out how to up the image per post count.

[jrr]

I'm thinking the Spawnsire of Ulamog is the only Eldrazi I will be including in my deck. The 20 mana cost isn't that hard to make, plus it helps its self ramp up by creating 2 spawn for 4 mana. Then, I will have the other Eldrazi in the Wish board and drop them all into play. Note: this means I can put It that Betrays and All is Dust in the wishboard along with Emrikul. Forcing everyone to sac all of their colored permanents, gain control of them, time walk, and eat the world alive. Of course, I will prolly include All is Dust in the main deck, but you get the idea...

[kerbythepurplecow]

I don't know, sure it's great if it works, but that's a 30+ mana investment. Who would possibly wait around for that? That guy is easy to remove as well.

Also, can you see the imgs? I just read tag link /tag. It's weird.

[jrr]

No images for me...

Anyway, I said I am going to put him in my deck (roughly double the size of the essentials). I don't really think he is effective for the essentials.

Really I only think All is Dust is the only Eldrazi card that the essentials can effectively support. Kozilek is the next closest, being 10 mana, Draw 4 and get a giant beater with Annihilator... seems reasonable.

I love Emrakul, but 15 mana is pushing it with no easy way to really cheat him into play in the essentials.

[kerbythepurplecow]

I don't think that the Essentials should bother with All is Dust. I don't think the deck can generate enough advantage to make it better that Akroma's Vengeance or most other super wraths.

The Essentials can reliably cast DSC, I'm sure it could get down Emrakul. It won't be every game, but if he comes down, he's winningest awesome doom monster.

[jrr]

Something to note... All Is Dust can (mostly) clear the board even if someone managed to get Elspeth's ultimate. It is a sacrifice effect.

So, I still think it is worth consideration.

[TheAbe]

Ulamog is better in every way than Darksteel Colossus except he's not an artifact which is both good and bad, and yet he's not in consideration?

Same casting cost. Both are indestructible. Ulamog is only a 10/10 and doesn;t have trample, oh noes! But that Annihilator four plus Vindicate means he can kill the creatures anyway, just by attacking. I don't see why Ulamog, who can deal a lot more damage to someone's board position, is not in the running for a spot.

[TheAbe]

I don't think that the Essentials should bother with All is Dust. I don't think the deck can generate enough advantage to make it better that Akroma's Vengeance or most other super wraths.

The Essentials can reliably cast DSC, I'm sure it could get down Emrakul. It won't be every game, but if he comes down, he's winningest awesome doom monster.

Here is why I like All is Dust:

1). You are adding 50 cards, thus reducing the % of your deck that are sweepers, so adding once seems like a good idea.
2). This fucker is a sacrifice that kills thinks with indestrucitbale, already mentioned.
3). No matter what your color mana base looks like, this thing can be cast.
4). It's a sweeper that offs Planeswalkers instead of artifacts, and makes that swap basically. No other sweeper takes out Planeswalkers
5). You can plan around it by dropping a bunch of artifacts. You cannot do that with Akroma's Vengeace except by playing Planeswalkers - not much of a follow through. It can clear the path for things like Darksteel, Eldrazi, etc. Even crap like Etched Oracle and Solemn Simulcrum can start the beating.