IvoryTower
@1vorytower.bsky.social
EDH enthusiast and recovering PhD. Decks: https://www.moxfield.com/users/IvoryTower
I have been Varchild-curious for so long, but can never bring myself embrace the boring things the deck would have to do for the desired effect. As a result, she’s become the 101st card in a half dozen shells since. To the point that my current concept for Azula might ALSO be a Varchild deck, sigh.
November 5, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I have been Varchild-curious for so long, but can never bring myself embrace the boring things the deck would have to do for the desired effect. As a result, she’s become the 101st card in a half dozen shells since. To the point that my current concept for Azula might ALSO be a Varchild deck, sigh.
Here’s the 1926 film The Black Pirate, Peter Pan, and Pirates of the Caribbean, all prominent touchstones of the genre in their own moments. None share this composition, which would suggest that the treatment is in fact pretty varied, but I’m sure you can find your own examples.
November 3, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Here’s the 1926 film The Black Pirate, Peter Pan, and Pirates of the Caribbean, all prominent touchstones of the genre in their own moments. None share this composition, which would suggest that the treatment is in fact pretty varied, but I’m sure you can find your own examples.
Black has such a range of bonkers enchantments that I’m actually building Orzhov Daxos to answer this same question. My current answer is to pair Endless Whispers with Last Laugh, with a life total high enough that I survive the carnage. Other fun includes Tombstone Stairwell and almost anything.
October 27, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Black has such a range of bonkers enchantments that I’m actually building Orzhov Daxos to answer this same question. My current answer is to pair Endless Whispers with Last Laugh, with a life total high enough that I survive the carnage. Other fun includes Tombstone Stairwell and almost anything.
This discussion is a great example of why the new narrative system is needed beyond just the deck building limitations. It’s useful to look at both columns together. Winota’s entire concept creates a “strong synergy” that is far from “low pressure.”
October 24, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This discussion is a great example of why the new narrative system is needed beyond just the deck building limitations. It’s useful to look at both columns together. Winota’s entire concept creates a “strong synergy” that is far from “low pressure.”
Why settle for one creature when it can be all of them? (Yes, this is cheating on multiple axes.)
October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Why settle for one creature when it can be all of them? (Yes, this is cheating on multiple axes.)
Speaking of degenerate: I once thought about brewing Cadric with the limitation that the legends would exclusively be spirits. Which sounds cute. But you make it like two legends into the depth chart and you come back with Yosei, which is, uh, less cute.
October 13, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Speaking of degenerate: I once thought about brewing Cadric with the limitation that the legends would exclusively be spirits. Which sounds cute. But you make it like two legends into the depth chart and you come back with Yosei, which is, uh, less cute.
Can’t overstate the value of Glimpse the Impossible as generic card advantage in Gev. 1) Your Eldrazi probably enter as 3/4s, which is sick. 2) They’re weird little guys, and thus thematically appropriate.
September 20, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Can’t overstate the value of Glimpse the Impossible as generic card advantage in Gev. 1) Your Eldrazi probably enter as 3/4s, which is sick. 2) They’re weird little guys, and thus thematically appropriate.
Was the Ninth Doctor perhaps concerned about the… “upkeep” on the property?
September 8, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Was the Ninth Doctor perhaps concerned about the… “upkeep” on the property?
That said, the Bugle equating Spider-Man as a constant suspect in things that his villains have actually done is pervasive enough (see below) that I wouldn’t be totally surprised if, knowing Spider-Man was coming, they didn’t work backwards when inventing the mechanic for MKM.
September 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
That said, the Bugle equating Spider-Man as a constant suspect in things that his villains have actually done is pervasive enough (see below) that I wouldn’t be totally surprised if, knowing Spider-Man was coming, they didn’t work backwards when inventing the mechanic for MKM.
A TLDR on Brawl matchmaking is that it pairs punishing decks with punishing decks, so as Cole said you can either build a deck that is resilient to removal or else just pick a lane that the algo doesn’t recognize as oppressive. Excessive landfall synergies? Even Strip Mine? All a-okay, evidently!
August 21, 2025 at 2:39 PM
A TLDR on Brawl matchmaking is that it pairs punishing decks with punishing decks, so as Cole said you can either build a deck that is resilient to removal or else just pick a lane that the algo doesn’t recognize as oppressive. Excessive landfall synergies? Even Strip Mine? All a-okay, evidently!
Out of curiosity, are there any other cards you’d include in the optimal package for animating lands? I run all of these, but I’m also a sucker for Living Lands because the art is deranged. (Look at him! Just look at him!) Simply wondering if I missed anything good!
August 15, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Out of curiosity, are there any other cards you’d include in the optimal package for animating lands? I run all of these, but I’m also a sucker for Living Lands because the art is deranged. (Look at him! Just look at him!) Simply wondering if I missed anything good!
For some reason I’d cut it from the space themed deck I was building around this lunatic who people badly want to kill but who just gets to attack with impunity. Rightly restored, thank you for your service 🫡
August 11, 2025 at 1:43 AM
For some reason I’d cut it from the space themed deck I was building around this lunatic who people badly want to kill but who just gets to attack with impunity. Rightly restored, thank you for your service 🫡
Recent variations on this theme (Call for Aid, Mutinous Massacre) feel better precisely because they inject additional strategy into the resolution, or play into the social side of the game.
August 10, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Recent variations on this theme (Call for Aid, Mutinous Massacre) feel better precisely because they inject additional strategy into the resolution, or play into the social side of the game.
I do think that you need the full text to capture how misguided people’s collective assessment is. I keep seeing “it’s 9 mana for a 7 mana effect!,” but this overlooks: 1) that the rock refunds a part of that net cost every time you tap it; and 2) the activation can be done at instant speed!
August 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I do think that you need the full text to capture how misguided people’s collective assessment is. I keep seeing “it’s 9 mana for a 7 mana effect!,” but this overlooks: 1) that the rock refunds a part of that net cost every time you tap it; and 2) the activation can be done at instant speed!
Put some respect on his name! (For real, the art on this might be what got an adolescent me into the game: even without fully understanding the rules, it was such an obvious, visceral representation of power. Cracking a Breeding Pit and putting the pieces together? How a brewer is born!)
July 19, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Put some respect on his name! (For real, the art on this might be what got an adolescent me into the game: even without fully understanding the rules, it was such an obvious, visceral representation of power. Cracking a Breeding Pit and putting the pieces together? How a brewer is born!)
Agreed. The fact that the commander bracket terminology is expanded to “land denial” of any kind suggests that they find even the broader concept taboo. Confounding Conundrum is actually a pretty reasonable design! But it feels like a million years ago.
July 10, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Agreed. The fact that the commander bracket terminology is expanded to “land denial” of any kind suggests that they find even the broader concept taboo. Confounding Conundrum is actually a pretty reasonable design! But it feels like a million years ago.
I think Design has simply decided that six lands is the minimum number of lands you must leave people with so they don’t feel salty (see: Urza’s Silex).
July 10, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I think Design has simply decided that six lands is the minimum number of lands you must leave people with so they don’t feel salty (see: Urza’s Silex).
What if we pinballed it around to wipe the board first, letting it triple every time?
July 9, 2025 at 10:58 PM
What if we pinballed it around to wipe the board first, letting it triple every time?
You’re likely right, but they are seeding cards that have artificially high power that aren’t really useful to you the turn they come down. Emissary Escort being the best example, but anything that has Karnstruct text (Simulacrum Synthesizer for instance) would also put in work.
July 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
You’re likely right, but they are seeding cards that have artificially high power that aren’t really useful to you the turn they come down. Emissary Escort being the best example, but anything that has Karnstruct text (Simulacrum Synthesizer for instance) would also put in work.
For Matoya: Y’shtola Rhul. Bear with me here. Turns out there ARE a lot of scry effects that are end step triggers or ETBs. Flicker an Augury Owl, double a Palantir trigger, draw (at a minimum) 4? Yes please.
July 6, 2025 at 3:26 AM
For Matoya: Y’shtola Rhul. Bear with me here. Turns out there ARE a lot of scry effects that are end step triggers or ETBs. Flicker an Augury Owl, double a Palantir trigger, draw (at a minimum) 4? Yes please.
+1 to this. But we should also establish a small carve out for the Menswear Guy who is allowed to drag whoever he wants.
July 6, 2025 at 12:09 AM
+1 to this. But we should also establish a small carve out for the Menswear Guy who is allowed to drag whoever he wants.
2/9/24, apparently? (Who knew the dating on these was so specific?)
June 22, 2025 at 11:51 AM
2/9/24, apparently? (Who knew the dating on these was so specific?)
It’s also strange that the paper of record seems to want to grant the Nazi at the center of its story some level of anonymity of his own. Not a photo of Damsky to be found, but what is this weird picture and caption? Why even bother?
June 21, 2025 at 12:46 PM
It’s also strange that the paper of record seems to want to grant the Nazi at the center of its story some level of anonymity of his own. Not a photo of Damsky to be found, but what is this weird picture and caption? Why even bother?
1) 😔
2) Who, me, metagame?! It’s just a coincidence that all my decks are running Solemnity during Atraxa week! (In all seriousness, please do not ever run Solemnity, I love my new BFF Tidus too much.)
2) Who, me, metagame?! It’s just a coincidence that all my decks are running Solemnity during Atraxa week! (In all seriousness, please do not ever run Solemnity, I love my new BFF Tidus too much.)
June 12, 2025 at 9:53 PM
1) 😔
2) Who, me, metagame?! It’s just a coincidence that all my decks are running Solemnity during Atraxa week! (In all seriousness, please do not ever run Solemnity, I love my new BFF Tidus too much.)
2) Who, me, metagame?! It’s just a coincidence that all my decks are running Solemnity during Atraxa week! (In all seriousness, please do not ever run Solemnity, I love my new BFF Tidus too much.)
