Famously, Ixalan only had the 4 tribes. Humans, goblins, and sirens were around, but vampires (WB), merfolk (UG), dinosaurs (RGW), and pirates (UBR) were the main tribes. There was a 4 card cycle because that. So Graham isn’t forgetting a tribe; he’s forgetting a part of Ixalan’s identity. 😊
I like to imagine that the Bret H who donated this pack was, in fact, Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. Who is now going to local Magic events, and dominating opponents with the Sharpshooter and attacks from The Most Dangerous Rope.
There was also Seeker's Squire, the one human card in Ixalan block that was flavour-wise a member of the Legion of Dusk, but she had no mechanical support for anything bw was doing (etb: explore).
What I liked about Ascend in this set is that each tribe supported it in different ways, as it cared about having Permanents, not just creatures. Vampires and Merfolk had the most creature tokens, Pirates had Treasure tokens, and even Dinosaurs had a decent amount of ramp which means more Lands early on.
@@Mordalon I don't think you played this limited then. There weren't many two mana kill spells. If you played a creature on two, you could probably Squire's Devotion on three. That lifelink gave you a cushion to build your board and not block. Meanwhile, if your turn 4 play was to make three 1/1s, one of them probably needed to chump block.
The Ixalan vampires in lore really did only feast on those of "wicked" blood and did jn fact declare the entire Brazen Coalition and the Sun Empire to be wicked 😆
I’m always gonna remember the nickname episode for Rivals of Ixalan where Beej named “Shatter” as “A part of our heritage” which is a very Canadian joke.
I look forward to see how they address the problems Maro had talked about in his Lessons Learned podcast. Specifically the lack of tribal glue between the tribes. Not every set can have Changelings, so I'm looking forward to vampire dinosaurs and merfolk pirates.
My sister and I were playing a 2-headed giant Sealed at the Prerelease and pulled 2 Vona's Hunger - one in regular packs, one as the prerelease promo. We swept that event pretty hard. Card's strong in 1v1, but STUPID powerful when you're consistently getting at LEAST a 2-for-1.
Want to know if Colossal Dreadmaw was actually good or not in draft. Unfortunately, the Internet being the way it is, I will never get a straight answer, or any straight answers I get I will be unable to believe.
The Dinosaur deck wasn't one of the stronger decks in Limited, that was Vampires. Even so, Dreadmaw was a decent curve topper. Dreadmaw wasn't even the only common printed in both Ixalan and Rivals, the memes really began when it was in A25.
Ixalans little block was the standard when i first got into magic, but i as playing exclusively commander at the time, Dominiaria (2018) would be my first time playing limited. I was very aware of the set tho at the time, so its got this almost mystical nature in my mind.
Since Graham didn't pointed that out: Golden Demise is essentially a "fake" story spotlight, based on false memory Jace planted in Vraska's mind to trick Bolas into thinking she's still on his side (turning the Dusk legion Conquistadors into gold). In actual story, nothing like this ever happened, which makes this card... pretty interesting, I guess? Imagine War of the Spark having a card called "Bolas's Triumph", which showed him killing bunch of Planeswalkers, or something like that
I agree, although that card specifically was on the better end, as Red even now doesn't usually get a 3 mana 3/3 without a downside. Many of them fall into what I call the Goblin Bushwhacker design, where the "choice" between using the extra mechanic or not isn't really a choice because the weaker version is actually unplayable. Some cards requiring you to meet the condition is fine, it can't just be all upside, but it was especially notable in Ixalan.
@@Mordalon yeah, like there was that blue Pirate that became a Man-o'-War after you attacked. But without that... A 4 mana 3/2 even back then was... oof.
The whole plane being "Age of Exploration" is one of my favorite parts, it was crazy how many people I saw saying the inclusion dinosaurs, merfolk and vampires were "random" and that pirates and dinosaurs were just for kids. It's like people never got why it was Jurassic Park, the Lost World.
I always appreciated raid as a mechanic to teach newer players to hold off on doing things until after attacks
Famously, Ixalan only had the 4 tribes. Humans, goblins, and sirens were around, but vampires (WB), merfolk (UG), dinosaurs (RGW), and pirates (UBR) were the main tribes. There was a 4 card cycle because that. So Graham isn’t forgetting a tribe; he’s forgetting a part of Ixalan’s identity. 😊
It also had a fair number of orcs, at least compared to most other Magic sets.
I like to imagine that the Bret H who donated this pack was, in fact, Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. Who is now going to local Magic events, and dominating opponents with the Sharpshooter and attacks from The Most Dangerous Rope.
Suddenly Vince McMahon drops in with his own move: The Curtain Call.
Dinos, pirates, merfolk, vampires. Humans got shared between Dinos and Pirates.
And it wasn't really a "tribe" in the sense that anything cared about them.
There was also Seeker's Squire, the one human card in Ixalan block that was flavour-wise a member of the Legion of Dusk, but she had no mechanical support for anything bw was doing (etb: explore).
Ixalan block was all about Dinos (in Naya+), Pirates (Grixis), Merfolk (Simic), and Vampire Conquistadors (Orzohv). That's where the synergy laid.
What I liked about Ascend in this set is that each tribe supported it in different ways, as it cared about having Permanents, not just creatures. Vampires and Merfolk had the most creature tokens, Pirates had Treasure tokens, and even Dinosaurs had a decent amount of ramp which means more Lands early on.
Ascending quickly was all about Squire's Devotion
@@ShaqPlaque that gave you two permanents, but Call to the Feast gave you three.
@@Mordalon Not to disparage Call to the Feat as it was still god, but three CMC and four CMC are not the same in limited my friend
@@ShaqPlaque 3 bodies and not requiring already having a creature is also different from 1 body and requiring another.
@@Mordalon I don't think you played this limited then. There weren't many two mana kill spells. If you played a creature on two, you could probably Squire's Devotion on three. That lifelink gave you a cushion to build your board and not block. Meanwhile, if your turn 4 play was to make three 1/1s, one of them probably needed to chump block.
I have a City's Blessing with Graham's signature over the word City. Love it.
Truly Graham's Blessing!
The Ixalan vampires in lore really did only feast on those of "wicked" blood and did jn fact declare the entire Brazen Coalition and the Sun Empire to be wicked 😆
Was merfolk blood too salty or something? I can't think of a good joke
Graham coming out with the controversial "religious conquistador vampires are evil, actually" take
And ironically their leader Elenda is actually against them doing the evil stuff.
It's okay to pass a Dreadmaw, there will be another one coming along shortly
I’m always gonna remember the nickname episode for Rivals of Ixalan where Beej named “Shatter” as “A part of our heritage” which is a very Canadian joke.
“Speaking of moisture”
This man truly is the king of segues.
The Hitman sent you a booster pack? Damn.
Ixalan is so cool, really looking forward to the return later this year.
I look forward to see how they address the problems Maro had talked about in his Lessons Learned podcast. Specifically the lack of tribal glue between the tribes. Not every set can have Changelings, so I'm looking forward to vampire dinosaurs and merfolk pirates.
I love Vona's Hunger, it's a nice spell in my "Opponents Choose What All My Spells Do" deck.
Ascend was such a cool mechanic to support all 4 tribe's strategies.
Don't ever stop doing these I love them
excellent content to help me thru the er visit. thank you lrr
My sister and I were playing a 2-headed giant Sealed at the Prerelease and pulled 2 Vona's Hunger - one in regular packs, one as the prerelease promo. We swept that event pretty hard. Card's strong in 1v1, but STUPID powerful when you're consistently getting at LEAST a 2-for-1.
Want to know if Colossal Dreadmaw was actually good or not in draft. Unfortunately, the Internet being the way it is, I will never get a straight answer, or any straight answers I get I will be unable to believe.
From what I remember, not great but sometimes it's what you need to fill your curve. There were some real bomb big dinosaurs you could draft though
The Dinosaur deck wasn't one of the stronger decks in Limited, that was Vampires. Even so, Dreadmaw was a decent curve topper. Dreadmaw wasn't even the only common printed in both Ixalan and Rivals, the memes really began when it was in A25.
Ah, the set that got me into magic. Love dinos so this block spoke to me in a way few have since.
Ixalans little block was the standard when i first got into magic, but i as playing exclusively commander at the time, Dominiaria (2018) would be my first time playing limited. I was very aware of the set tho at the time, so its got this almost mystical nature in my mind.
Sanguine Glorifier seems like nothing but with all the good flyers at common, that thing was awesome
the precon merfolk from the very early days of mtg arena was my first
Ixalan is my favorite plane!
You were thinking of Repulse Graham.
Wait, Bret H(art) won at an FNM? Is he ruly the best there is, the best there was and the best that ever will be at everything?
Since Graham didn't pointed that out: Golden Demise is essentially a "fake" story spotlight, based on false memory Jace planted in Vraska's mind to trick Bolas into thinking she's still on his side (turning the Dusk legion Conquistadors into gold). In actual story, nothing like this ever happened, which makes this card... pretty interesting, I guess?
Imagine War of the Spark having a card called "Bolas's Triumph", which showed him killing bunch of Planeswalkers, or something like that
Out here recklessly cracking packs like madmen
Vona’s Hunger is a fun little card in Commander.
Ixalan had Raid and had Legends, but did not have Shadow.
oh man, Rivals block is my favorite draft environment. I miss the Merfolk deck.
We have been blessed by the Dreadmaw!
Vona's Hunger is pretty messed up in the right deck
I loved Ixalan. So many fun typal strategies! Really hoping we get Admiral Beckett Brass' daughter or granddaughter
We can go to the hand from the graveyard ""
Engagement for the engagement god!
All praise our lord and savior the Dreadmaw.
Respectable pick, but I personally would’ve taken the dinosaur 🎉
Crack! A! Pack!
I feel like Raid could've had some payoffs tuned a bit higher, like there you get a 3/3 for 3. Woohoo. lol
I agree, although that card specifically was on the better end, as Red even now doesn't usually get a 3 mana 3/3 without a downside. Many of them fall into what I call the Goblin Bushwhacker design, where the "choice" between using the extra mechanic or not isn't really a choice because the weaker version is actually unplayable. Some cards requiring you to meet the condition is fine, it can't just be all upside, but it was especially notable in Ixalan.
@@Mordalon yeah, like there was that blue Pirate that became a Man-o'-War after you attacked. But without that... A 4 mana 3/2 even back then was... oof.
@@sallomon2357 The worst was the pyromancer, 5 mana 3/2 that gives a Shock if you attacked.
@@Mordalon I forgot about that guy, and I built a Pirate tribal deck recently xD
Vampire colonialists is on the nose, but you can't deny the aptness
The whole plane being "Age of Exploration" is one of my favorite parts, it was crazy how many people I saw saying the inclusion dinosaurs, merfolk and vampires were "random" and that pirates and dinosaurs were just for kids. It's like people never got why it was Jurassic Park, the Lost World.
If quoting my favorite movies is wrong, I don't want to be right.
I never realized it, but the Frilled Deathspitter art is just traced Jurassic Park concept art, I'm pretty sure. Disappointing.