Quote Originally Posted by jrr View Post
Magmaw saw nonland permanent... ooo nice... I did not notice that before.

As far as Acidic Slime and Moldshambler go, I actually run both. I generally prefer hitting Planeswalkers over artifact creatures, because most artifact creatures aren't really that scary, but having a plansewalker behind a good defense really is.

I understand the point about card advantage when you are talking about slime/shambler/pridemage, but this deck still needs to have some semblance of a curve and the 2 mana creature slot is pretty weak. Its painfully clear that CA is good, but at the cost of 3 or 4 mana? Really? I still disagree with the assessment of pridemage. He is one of the best 2 mana creatures printed to date and deserves a spot in the essentials. If you want to talk pure CA, Cruel Ultimatum is great in the CA department, but it isn't even considered for the deck. Or I could say well Ulamog is better than Moldshamber and Acidic slime because hes almost a darksteel and hes colorless, so he must be better (of course he costs 11, but if we just want CA and a body he does the trick).

Card advantage is good, but sometimes a great card is good too. Pridemage is one of those cards.

Mother of Runes is one of the best one drops ever printed, its never had a spot in the essentials. Neither has Soul Warden. Neither has Kird Ape or Skyshroud Elite. At the two spot, there has never been an argument for Tarmogoyf nor was their ever one for Watchwolf. I agree that Pridemage rocks, and I play them in some of my decks. I just don;t think it makes the curve here.

Obviously all of us will differ. I prefer some cards, like Avatar of Fury, which can attack for 8-10 damage in the air and costs two to play, and Aaron questions it. You like Pridemage more than I do, and I question it, etc. That's just the way it is, and that's okay.

Personally, I'd rather play good defense early in multiplayer than good offense. You are going to attakc one player, and no one else even gets touched, but you can defend afgainst everybody. I'd rather have Wall fo Blossoms or Omens rather than Watchwolf, and I'd rather have Fog Bank than Kird Ape - etc. That's why Taco was great, 1/3. blocks early drops, can kill small stuff, great life bump, but I agree its time to retire it from the essentials.