You Make the Masters Set

[Thomas David Baker]

I loved Innistrad.  I believed Maro when he said New World Order made things better for experienced players too and used Innistrad as an example.

Then Modern Masters came out and despite having to include a bunch of rares and only being allowed cards from Mirrodin to Shards it was way better than anything we've seen since Innistrad, and most of what came before, too.

It will be minimum one year until the next Modern Masters.

So, my idea is, let's make our own Modern Masters.

Random ideas that are very much half formed:

* 6 of each of 60 commons, 3 of each of 60 uncommons, 2 of each of 50 rares, 1 of each of 10 mythics is 650 cards.

* Use old cards, pre-Mirrodin, for spell-based funtimes and novelty even for players that have been playing for a while.

* Invent cards where necessary to fill holes.

* Some possible seeded archetypes: free spell necro, ug madness, gro, draw-go, astral slide, reanimator, artifact control, mill, auras, tokens, birthing pod, pox, sacrifice, prison, wizard tribal.

* Possibly include a lot of Legacy playables and call it "Legacy Masters".  What wizards would print if they said fuck it to the secondary market and the reserve list and tried to support legacy via a "Masters" release.

What do you think?  Interested in being on the development team?  Could make for some cheap Tuesday nights during the long reign of M14* ...

* = Bit of a cheap shot.  I've actually really enjoyed 3 of the last 4 core set drafts.

[Kieran Symington]

I think cycling should be given a chance in R/W. There are some relatively big cycling guys (landcyclers, Gempalms, big beasts) all at common plus Stoic Champion. Could still have a minor Soldier theme since quite a few cyclers are also Soldiers.

[Thomas David Baker]

WR Soldiers possibly works in R with Shock Troops and Fault Riders at Common with Goblin Legionnaire and one of Whip Riders or Veteran Brawlers at Uncommon.  Brawlers was a Rare and I'm afraid I am unable to evaluate it with the current rules.  It's a 4/4 for 1R that can always block but they can make it unable to attack.  I guess it is bad as it gives them choices over when to allow him to attack or not.  This might be the definition of forcing an archetype that doesn't exist rather than cherry picking cards for sweet decks a la MMA.  Open to suggestions for the base WR archetype.

Soldiers was UW in Onslaught block as Paul points out. http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/print.php?Article=5391

[Thomas David Baker]

I think that deck is going to be a "sideways" draft strategy.  Either you get the uncommons that make it work and hoover up a bunch of (even off color) cycling cards or you don't.  So I don't think it can be the base theme for WR.  Other rewards for doing a lot of cycling are: drawing a bunch of cards (!), Stoic Champion (WW) getting pumped and getting Threshold.  Not sure that's enough to make it a main theme or not.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

We could move Stoic Champion down to common to help push WR cycling?

[James Mills]

Also obv include lightning rift at uncommon

[Thomas David Baker]

Stoic Champion at Common and the fact that the cycling cards are going to be perfectly playable anyway might give you enough reason to go WR cycling without the uncommon enchantments.  Or be a reasonable plan when your enchantments are not on the field.  And it reduces the number of tribal themes by one.  Worth trying.

[Thomas David Baker]

List of cube-able cards from our pool for interest's sake.  Courtesy of the MTGSalvation Cube Comparison Thread ( http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=271371 ).

Cube-able Cards from Our Pool
=============================

[W]

50%+
U Mother of Runes
R Soltari Champion
C Disenchant
U Soltari Monk
U Soltari Priest
R Exalted Angel
C Soltari Trooper
R Catastrophe
R Karmic Guide
C Seal of Cleansing
R Parallax Wave

10%+
R Eternal Dragon
R Weathered Wayfarer
R Decree of Justice
R Rout
R Cataclysm
R Paladin en-Vec
R Akroma, Angel of Wrath

1%+
R Academy Rector
R Pianna, Nomad Captain
U Arrest
C Dismantling Blow
U Silver Knight
U Miraculous Recovery
R Winds of Rath
R Mystic Crusader
R Intrepid Hero
U Whipcorder
C Pacifism
C Benevolent Bodyguard

[U]

50%+
R Upheaval
U Fact or Fiction
C Counterspell
C Brainstorm
C Man-o'-War
U Forbid
R Treachery
C Miscalculation
R Bribery
C Impulse
C Deep Analysis
C Waterfront Bouncer
C Capsize
R Time Spiral
C Daze
R Opposition
R Gilded Drake

10%+
U Standstill
C Frantic Search
R Show and Tell
U Willbender
U Dismiss
C Exclude
C Merfolk Looter
R Morphling
R Future Sight
R Desertion
R Palinchron
C Repulse
R Stifle

1%+
U Complicate
C Power Sink
R Parallax Tide
R Tradewind Rider
U Propaganda
R Intuition
U Wall of Tears
R Stroke of Genius
C Syncopate
U Opportunity
R Evacuation
R Collective Restraint
C Probe
U Brain Freeze
U Legacy's Allure
U Evasive Action
R Voidmage Prodigy
C Seal of Removal

[B]

50%+
R Recurring Nightmare
R Phyrexian Arena
R Braids, Cabal Minion
U Reanimate
U Bone Shredder
C Carnophage
C Duress
U Nekrataal
U Necromancy
C Dark Ritual
C Diabolic Edict
C Snuff Out
U Chainer's Edict
R Sarcomancy
C Dauthi Horror
R Entomb
C Exhume
R Living Death

10%+
R Nantuko Shade
R Bane of the Living
C Innocent Blood
C Dauthi Marauder
C Carrion Feeder
U Diabolic Servitude
C Putrid Imp
C Phyrexian Rager
R Contamination
R Decree of Pain
U Buried Alive

1%+
R Undead Gladiator
C Dauthi Slayer
U Cabal Therapy
R Attrition
R Nether Spirit
C Wretched Anurid
U Smother
C Unearth
R Thrashing Wumpus
R Phyrexian Plaguelord
U Tendrils of Agony
R Grave Pact
C Faceless Butcher
R Stronghold Assassin
R Corpse Dance
U Infest
U Dauthi Mercenary
U Zombie Infestation
C Nightscape Familiar
R Oversold Cemetery
U Wall of Souls
C Mesmeric Fiend
C Shepherd of Rot
U Withered Wretch

[R]

50%+
U Flametongue Kavu
R Sulfuric Vortex
R Grim Lavamancer
U Avalanche Riders
U Jackal Pup
C Fireblast
R Siege-Gang Commander
R Squee, Goblin Nabob
R Wildfire
C Firebolt
C Arc Lightning
C Keldon Vandals
C Mogg Fanatic
R Blistering Firecat
R Sneak Attack

10%+
C Reckless Charge
C Fireslinger
R Goblin Welder
U Keldon Champion
C Ghitu Slinger
C Stone Rain
C Goblin Patrol

1%+
C Aftershock
R Goblin Sharpshooter
U Goblin Bombardment
R Form of the Dragon
R Ravenous Baboons
C Lava Dart
R Starstorm
R Obliterate
R Shivan Hellkite
R Keldon Firebombers
U Acidic Soil
R Seismic Assault
U Rack and Ruin
R Rivalry
R Burning Wish
C Fling
C Goblin Cadets

[G]

50%+
R Deranged Hermit
C Rancor
R Plow Under
C Yavimaya Elder
C Wild Mongrel
R Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
R Genesis
U Uktabi Orangutan
R Natural Order
R Call of the Herd
U Wall of Blossoms
C River Boa
U Phantom Centaur
C Krosan Tusker

10%+
C Nantuko Vigilante
C Blastoderm
C Basking Rootwalla
C Naturalize
C Rampant Growth
C Wild Dogs
C Pouncing Jaguar

1%+
U Creeping Mold
R Saproling Burst
R Pattern of Rebirth
C Wood Elves
C Werebear
C Priest of Titania
R Mirri's Guile
U Overrun
R Greater Good
R Ravenous Baloth
R Might of Oaks
R Defense of the Heart
R Caller of the Claw
U Thornscape Battlemage
U Squirrel Nest
U Albino Troll
R Nostalgic Dreams
U Constant Mists
R Kavu Titan
C Fertile Ground
C Quirion Ranger
R Sylvan Safekeeper
U Wirewood Symbiote
C Crop Rotation

[Multicolor]

50%+
R Shadowmage Infiltrator
U Psychatog
R Vindicate
U Fire // Ice
R Prophetic Bolt
R Pernicious Deed
R Mystic Snake

10%+
R Absorb
C Terminate
R Mirari's Wake
U Gerrard's Verdict
R Desolation Angel
U Life // Death

1%+
R Undermine
C Recoil
R Void
U Fires of Yavimaya
R Eldamari's Call
C Jilt
R Spiritmonger
C Orim's Thunder
C Temporal Spring

[Artifact]

50%+
R Mox Diamond
R Smokestack
R Cursed Scroll
R Tangle Wire
R Grim Monolith
R Scroll Rack
R Masticore
R Erratic Portal

10%+
U Worn Powerstone
R Ring of Gix
U Thran Dynamo
R Powder Keg
R Karn, Silver Golem

1%+
R Metalworker
C Lotus Petal
R Phyrexian Processor
U Bottle Gnomes
R Static Orb
R Sphere of Resistance
R Grindstone

[Lands]

50%+
R Wooded Foothills
R Flooded Strand
R Bloodstained Mire
R Polluted Delta
R Windswept Heath
U Wasteland
R City of Brass
R Volrath's Stronghold
U Treetop Village
R Rishadan Port
U Ancient Tomb
R Grand Coliseum
U Faerie Conclave
R Reflecting Pool
R Battelfield Forge
R Llanowar Wastes

10%+
R Caves of Koilos
R Dust Bowl
R Gaea's Cradle
U Ghitu Encampment
R Sulfurous Springs
R Shivan Reef
U Barbarian Ring
R Karplusan Forest
R Kor Haven
R Adarkar Wastes
R Underground River
R Undiscovered Paradise
R Brushland

1%+
R Riptide Laboratory
C Tranquil Thicket
R City of Traitors
R Phyrexian Tower
R Yavimaya Hollow

[James Mills]

what guys do you have for reanimate/defense/natural order? Can I suggest Verdant Force, Phantom Nishoba, Vasara, Symbiotic wurm, Hypnox etc

[Thomas David Baker]

Not sure the power level is going to be high enough to allow reanimation to be a strategy.  This is Modern Masters with punier creatures and better spells.  It's an option, though.  Defense of the Heart, Entomb, Reanimate, Exhume and Buried Alive are all in the pool.  Natural Order is Mirage block so just misses out.

We currently have Unearth at common but that's more a Ravenous Rats you-sac to Carrion Feeder-Unearth Ravenous Rats-sac to Carrion Feeder-attack for 3 kind of a thing.  Worth cogitating on.

[Thomas David Baker]

Here are the latest commons and some vague thinking about uncommons.

I've tried to up the number of ETB effects (MMA has a notably high number) and add some bounce to go with that.  I've also slightly lowered the number of synergistic cards so that no archetype bar cycling has more than 9 cards at common (MMA caps at 8 for Faeries).  We'll may need to reduce the amount of cycling to prevent Astral Slide/Lightning Rift dominating, possibly radically.

I'm thinking about Shadow as one of our forms of evasion.  I've given G the "can block creatures with shadow" card and U already had Thalakos Scout for Madness.  R has no shadow but that's just like R has very little flying but burn to deal with small fliers.  So I think it might work.

UW and RG are the color pairings with the least identity currently.  UW is a vague "control" archetype at this point, Birds and Soldiers having repeatedly come up short (the birds aren't good enough, all the reasons to be soldiers are mono-W).  RG is a slightly rampy big-creatures plan with Krosan Tusker, Elvish Aberration, Macetail Hystrodon, Fertile Ground, Werebear and Overgrowth.

Other archetypes are WB Clerics, WR Cycling, WG Enchantments, UB Storm, UR Wizard-Burn, UG Madness, BR Goblins, BG Graveyard.

CW01 - Soul Warden W - creature, small, lifegain (clerics)
CW02 - Soltari Trooper 1W - creature, small, evasion (soldiers)
CW03 - Master Decoy 1W - creature, small, tapper
CW04 - Stoic Champion WW - creature, small (cycling)
CW05 - Soltari Lancer 2W - creature, small, first strike, evasion
CW06 - Monk Idealist 2W - creature, small (clerics, enchantments)
CW07 - Gustcloak Harrier 1WW - creature, small, flying (birds/soldiers)
CW08 - Teroh's Faithful 3W - creature, medium (clerics)
CW09 - Angel of Mercy 4W - creature, medium, life gain, flying
CW10 - Noble Templar 5W - creature, medium, vigilance (clerics, cycling)
CW11 - Opal Carayatid W - enchantment (enchantments, soliders)
CW12 - Seal of Cleansing 1W - enchantment, artifact/enchantment removal (enchantments)
CW13 - Pacifism 1W - enchantment, removal (enchantments)
CW14 - Opal Champion 2W - enchantment (enchantments)
CW15 - Radiant's Judgment 2W - instant, removal (cycling)
CW16 - Akroma's Blessing 2W - instant, combat trick (cycling)
CW17 - Kor Chant 2W - instant, combat trick
CW18 - Second Thoughts 4W - instant, removal

Possible Uncommons: Silver Knight, Starlight Invoker, Soltari Priest, Soltari Monk, Doubtless One, Knight of Dawn, Ballista Squad, Valor, Astral Slide, Improvised Armor, Battle Screech.

Possible Rares: Mother of Runes, Glory

CU01 - Hapless Researcher U - creature, small (wizards, madness)
CU02 - Cloud of Faeries 1U - creature, small, flying (storm, cycling)
CU03 - Merfolk Looter 1U - creature, small (madness)
CU04 - Thalakos Scout 2U - creature, small, evasion (madness)
CU05 - Merchant of Secrets 2U - creature, small, cantrip (wizards)
CU06 - Mistform Wall 2U - creature, medium (birds, wizards)
CU07 - Scrivener 4U - creature, small (wizards)
CU08 - Peregrine Drake 4U - creature, medium (storm)
CU09 - Shoreline Ranger 5U - creature, medium, flying, islandcycling (birds)
CU10 - Brainstorm U - draw (storm)
CU11 - Careful Study U - sorcery, card selection (storm, madness)
CU12 - Snap 1U - instant, bounce (storm)
CU13 - Miscalculation 1U - instant, counterspell (cycling)
CU14 - Accumulated Knowledge 1U - instant, draw
CU15 - Rush of Knowledge 4U - sorcery, draw
CU16 - Choking Tethers 3U - instant, tap (cycling)
CU17 - Deep Analysis 3U - sorcery, draw (madness)
CU18 - Temporal Fissure 4U - sorcery, bounce (storm)

Possible Uncommons: Circular Logic, Wonder, Fact or Fiction, Daze, Repulse, Brain Freeze

Possible Rares: Time Spiral, Future Sight, Cunning Wish

CB01 - Festering Goblin B - creature, small (goblins, sacrifice)
CB02 - Carrion Feeder B - creature, small (sacrifice)
CB03 - Ravenous Rats 1B - creature, small (sacrifice)
CB04 - Dauthi Horror 1B - creature, small, evasion
CB05 - Priest of Gix 2B - creature, small (clerics, storm)
CB06 - Phyrexian Rager 2B - creature, small
CB07 - Gravedigger 3B - creature, small, raise dead
CB08 - Disease Carriers 2BB - creature, small (sacrifice)
CB09 - Vile Deacon 2BB - creature, small-medium (clerics)
CB10 - Twisted Abomination 5B - creature, medium, swampcycling
CB11 - Innocent Blood B - sorcery, removal (sacrifice)
CB12 - Unearth B - sorcery, reanimation (cycling)
CB13 - Ghastly Demise B - instant, removal (graveyard/threshold)
CB13 - Culling the Weak B - instant, mana acceleration (sacrifice, storm)
CB14 - Cabal Ritual 1B - instant, mana acceleration (threshold, storm)
CB15 - Swat 1BB - instant, removal (cycling)
CB16 - Profane Prayers 2BB - sorcery, removal (clerics)
CB17 - Patriarch's Desire 3B - removal (threshold)

I also really want to find room for Mesmeric Fiend in here.  Goblin Turncoat finally got cut because he just doesn't do anything despite the damage to the two color nature of Goblins.

Possibly Uncommons: Cabal Archon, Rotlung Reanimator, Tendrils of Agony, Cabal Therapy, Bone Shredder, Nekrataal, Faceless Butcher, Gloomdrifter, Withered Wretch.

Possible Rares: Entomb, Grave Pact.

CR01 - Goblin Patrol R - creature, small (goblins)
CR02 - Mogg Fanatic R - creature, small, direct damage (goblins)
CR03 - Fireslinger 1R - creature, small, direct damage (wizards)
CR04 - Goblin Lookout 1R - creature, small (goblins)
CR05 - War Buggy 1R - creature, small, haste (goblins)
CR06 - Anarchist 4R - creature, small (wizards)
CR07 - Mogg Flunkies 1R - creature, medium (goblins)
CR08 - Rock Jockey 2R - creature, medium (goblins)
CR09 - Chartooth Cougar 5R - creature, medium, mountaincycling (cycling)
CR10 - Macetail Hystrodon 6R - creature, medium (cycling)
CR11 - Firebolt R - sorcery, direct damage
CR12 - Threaten 2R - sorcery, threaten
CR13 - Lavamancer's Skill 1R - aura, direct damage (wizards)
CR14 - Solar Blast 3R - instant, direct damage (cycling)
CR15 - Scrap 2R - artifact removal (cycling)
CR16 - Strafe R - sorcery, creature damage
CR17 - Wave of Indifference XR - sorcery, falter
CR18 - Heat Ray XR - instant, creature damage

Possible Uncommons: Slice and Dice, Flametongue Kavu, Lightning Rift, Goblin Bombardment, Anger, Goblin Matron, Goblin Warchief.

Possible Rares: Siege-Gang Commander, Goblin Lackey, Burning Wish.

CG01 - Basking Rootwalla G - creature, small (madness)
CG02 - Wild Mongrel 1G - creature, small (madness)
CG03 - Werebear 1G - creature, small, ramp (threshold)
CG04 - Heartwood Dryad 1G - creature, small, anti-shadow
CG05 - Yavimaya Elder 1GG - creature, small, ramp
CG06 - Spike Worker 2G - creature, small
CG07 - Symbiotic Elf 3G - creature, small (sacrifice)
CG08 - Trained Armodon 2G - creature, medium
CG09 - Springing Tiger 3G - creature, medium (threshold)
CG10 - Spike Colony 4G - creature, medium
CG11 - Giant Warthog 5G - creature, large, trample
CG12 - Wirewood Guardian 5GG - creature, large, landcycling (cycling)
CG13 - Krosan Tusker 5GG - creature, large, landcycling (cycling)
CG14 - Seal of Strength G - pump (enchantments)
CG15 - Fertile Ground 1G - enchantment, ramp (enchantments)
CG16 - Overgrowth 2G - enchantment, ramp (enchantments)
CG17 - Ancestral Mask 2G - aura, pump (enchantments)
CG18 - Break Asunder 2GG - artifact/enchantment destruction (cycling)

Possible Uncommons: Arrogant Wurm, Roar of the Wurm, Yavimaya Enchantress, Still Life, Blastoderm, Brawn, Invigorating Boon.

Possible Rares: Argothian Enchantress, Enchantress's Presence, Genesis, Fecundity.

CA01 - Lotus Petal

CL01 - Barren Moor
CL02 - Forgotten Cave
CL03 - Lonely Sandbar
CL04 - Secluded Steppe
CL05 - Tranquil Thicket

Possible other lands at Uncommon or above: Painlands, Fetchlands, Invasion Duals, Odyssey Threshold Lands (although probably not the W one and maybe not the G one?)

Possible Rares: Mox Diamond, Smokestack, Tangle Wire, Cursed Scroll, Grim Monolith, Metalworker, Erratic Portal.

Vague plans for some multicolored cards maybe 5 at each rarity or something: Sawtooth Loon, Fires of Yavimaya, Phantatog, Sterling Grove, Psychatog, Vindicate, Fire // Ice, Mystic Snake, Prophetic Bolt, Terminate

Thoughts?

[Philip Dickinson]

i think its worth having a think over the Onslaught cycling lands versus the Saga ones - affects "splashability" of off-colour cycling cards etc in an interesting way. depends on how good cycling is supposed to be, i guess.

i'd have a think about Akroma's Blessing at common too; i think that card would get quite obnoxious.

[Thomas David Baker]

Just drafted this on Cube Tutor.

We almost certainly need to reduce the number of cards with cycling!  Once you have three Stoic Champions every card with cycling seems pretty nuts.  Giant Growth, draw a card.

Deck ended up as:

1 Master Decoy
3 Soltari Trooper
3 Stoic Champion
2 Fireslinger
1 Rock Jockey
1 Gustcloak Harrier
1 Firebolt
1 Strafe
1 Akroma's Blessing
1 Kor Chant
1 Radiant's Judgment
1 Scrap
1 Threaten
2 Solar Blast
1 Secluded Steppe
2 Forgotten Cave
8 Plains
6 Mountain

Had the same MMA feel of rolling in playables.  No idea if I should be playing any of my sb Lotus Petals to live the dream of t1 Stoic Champion.

Edit: You can draft 3 x each currently proposed Common at http://cubetutor.com/draft/1389