[conflux] review

[Mythrandir]

And we have already the full spoiler for [con], so like i usually do, here´s my review of the set for our Highlander format (and one or other tidbit about limited/constructed):
Here we go:

White:

Aven Squire - This looks like a good card to insert in WW, great in you can only attack with a single creature (shadow/flyer) due to board situation (moat/restraint/creatures, etc) however i have no idea of what to cut in the 2 CMC slot.

Celestial purge - Seems like a good removal and even though it can remove PW, etc it´s a bit situational, so metagame depending. (i believe there is better removal), but interesting.

Court homunculus - this one will probably find a place in consctructed.

Lapse of certainty - Well, white is getting better and better counterspells  This one not only "buys" you one turn but gains you tempo. Interesting to play in WW to avoid those WOGs

Martial coup - I think this is a must-in in staxx with W. good removal with the built in wining condition

Path to exile - Now we get to the probably most chase-uncommon of the set. This will probably be worth good money. And although in our format there are inumerous removal i think this will see play, especially in aggro since, IMO it´s better to give a land than to give life. (but very situational) As for control this as an early removal kind of sucks, since it ramps your opponnent, so at least i won´t be playing with it. good card.

Sigil of the empty throne - For those you like to play enchantress deck, here's a new enchantment for you to play. Good finisher in this deck.

Blue

Brackback water - well, i could see this playing in skies if it had some sort of evasion. But since it doesnt it will probably remain limited fodder.

Esperzoa - This is another very talked about card. It isnt a sea drake, but its drawback in the right deck can be an advantage. Very interesting card.

Faerie mechanist - It's no trinket, but it's a medium card for affinity/stax deck.

Master transmuter - Combo card, now it only needs another card to combo with. interesting card, no tinker, but it can save herself and put a darksteel colossus into play. I have no idea why staxx decks aren't around. they sure have very good cards even though academy is banned.

Telemin performance - Anti-oath tech just kidding. moving along 

Traumatic visions - (i just had to talk about this) So we get a set where blue and white have the same number of counterspells =/ ok... this may be good in limited or block, but it kind of sucks, even though it provides blue with an ability it usually doesnt have. Very disappointed. Where's blue draw and counter in this set?!  

Black

Rotting rats - seems interesting, although you still hae to discard the unearth ability provides a future discard.

Salvage slasher - it´s no ravager or disciple, but really interesting in affinity since it has flying.

wrecthed banquet - even though it's very situationl it can still be a good removal, but in our format ther are probably better options.

Banefire - One of the chase rares of the set. Really good, although, IMO, counters aren´t really a huge problem , Otherwise every player would run a boseiju. I play with a demonfire in my 5CC and i will be staying with it. the RFG ability is very important and even though hellbent is more situational tha the X=5 i think it´s not worth it.

Bloodhall ooze - well, there is much hype about this one. "sleeper rare" "new tarmo", etc. in my opinion it isnt any good even in constructed formats. you have to build the deck around it and in middle/late game it just sucks. But i have been wrong before.

Dragonsoul knight - This (and the rest of the "cycle", minus black which is meh) is kind of interesting. They are good early drops 3 for a 2/2 first strik isnt awful but in middle/late game with all 5 colors they get huge. it´s no figure of destiny, but until i get one IRL, this (or white, haven´t decided yet) will have to do. 

Goblin razor runners - In RDW this might even see some play, especially when RDW is facing a moat or restraint, they can just sit back and relax while this pings the opponnent.

Hellspark elemental - If i saw ppl playing with the R 3/1 "mini-ball lightning" this just might as well see some action. Unearth is a very interesting ability. Which i think (like other abilities) haven´t been explored to the maximum (probably in fear of creating unbalanced/broken cards)

Quenchable fire - doesnt seem too bad (at least if U isnt very played in your meta). But burn is one thing that R doesnt lacks...

Volcanic fallout - Anti-fae card. Might as well see some play in Highlander since it's better than pyroclam (in aggro) since it deals 2 damage to the players plus its instant.

Voracious dragon - Pure vorthos card. Would love to see someone playing this and then a patriarch bidding. lol. RDW/gobos? better finishers out there, IMO.

Worldheart phoenix - When i first heard rumours about this one it came with landcyle (it doesnt), oh, well.. this way it probably wont see play even though it´s one nasty creature to get rid of.

Green:

Glutonous slimes - This is mentioned here, only because of the flash + devour.

Might of alara - Another goodie for zoo

Noble hierarch - Another of the set's chase rare. This one is awesome in aggro decks, specially those that run mana acceleration (birds, etc). really great card. They really pushed exalted IMO. Another goodie for zoo (and others)

Scattershot archer - LOL, BB hoser (a bit like volcanic fallout). Might just see play in elfs deck at worst its a 1/2 for G vanilla creature.

Shard convergence - I dont know if i will be testing this one( in stead of darksteel ingot). This (provided it isnt countered) would provide 5CC with a land drop on the next 4 turns and totally avoids color screw, since it can fetch duals. However the 4 CMC factor in a deck that doesnt use any mana acceleration is a bit heavy. Late game is better than ingot since it thins the deck. What's your opinion on this one?

Soul majesty - Oath card, overlord (or progenitus) in play and then this. combo!!! lol  kidding.

Spores burst - From all the (new) domain card this one seems like it could see play in tokenmania. Even on only 3 color, it´s 3 tokens for 4 CMC, not very bad.

Thornling - Probably a chase mythic, ppl are saying this is the new chameleon (once it rotates out of T2). As for highlander, i have no idea. In MGA it's too expensive, in other decks they may be better options. BTW, activated haste? and in green? 

Tukatongue thallid - 1 drop for tokenmania? i think it´s suboptimal.

Multicolor:

Child of alara - it would have been great if this had been a domain powerful creature, oh well, i might even try it as a wog on a stick, but dont know. 5 for a trample 6/6 isnt very bad. btw, have you seen its picture? creepy!

Conflux - Combo with dreamhalls. Problem CMC. will it see play? IMO, no. (unless you´re comboing, and we all know how's combo in Highlander). but, heck, i have been wrong before. Although i would have loved (timmy part) to play this, perhaps one day when meta shifts toward less aggro.

Countersquall - nice fae card. It might just see play in our format too.

Fusion elemental - 5 CMC for a 8/8 WOW, oh wait.. it doesnt have any evasion. move along (i guess..)

The outlander cycle - Formely known as protection bears. will they se play? perhaps, but only the valeron (Pro from black) and vedalken (pro from red) IMO.

Gwafa hazid - Another perfect vorthos card. Good in multuplayer formats. Might have been good too if the clause "you don´t control" wasnt there.

Knight of the reliquary - My number 1 card from conflux. Cheap, nice body, Great (activated) ability, sinergy with its other ability. Will definitely see play, IMO on those LD decks that run these colors. Can thin your deck, search for tech lands while in the process getting huge. i´m looking at you Vazdru  great card.

Maelstrom archangel - if only it had shroud. if i´m going to test a WUBRG creaute it will be child of alara for its wog effect. Interesting card, but i guess it wont see play.

Malfegor - Apparently this is great in EDH, in our highlander i guess not. looks like Mortal kombat bosses.

Meglonoth - Talk about defensive creature. Too bad it´s a bit costy. but what can you expect from fatties.

Nicol bolas - The uber powerful PW, pity it costs 4UBBR. +3 counters makes him a bit hard to kill (glad for that CMC). i think all PW have seen some highlander games, and they are game breakers. will this see play. My tymmy part want to use, but the CMC is just a killer, i think i would prefer a cruel ultimatum.

Progenitus - Oath auto-included. If it dies (wog) it returns to the library, it´s unblockable, untargetable and it puts a 2 turn clock. If this hits the table, you can´t really do much, besides beating your opponnent before he beats you. Excellent card for oath, oath has been getting some goodies since mythic cards came out.

Scarland thrinax - it´s no ravager, but i think it can see some play in tokenmania.

Artifacts:

Bone saw - i think shuko is better than this one, but he might see play in addition to shuko. The reason this is better it´s because once it's in play you dont need to spend any mana.

Font of mythos - combo deck? owl mine? probably not any good.

Kaleidstone - Since it has a cantrip it can see some play in combo/staxx.

Manaforce mace - if this was cheaper it would be zoo paradise. but for 4 + 3 to equip it wont´see play

Obelisk of Alara - very versatile card, works wonder in staxx, IMO. As for my 5CC unless i change it and add some mana acceleration i wont make my decklit, aggro i my main problem and for this to work i need 6 + 1X mana, and that's a bit expensive, but even then... Very interesting, i think it deserves a couples of tests.

Lands:

Ancient ziggurat - good in zoo? its nice to have non-expensive mana bases to attract more players.

Exotic orchard - there´s a lot of fuss about this one. in our format there are far better things

Rupture spire - again non-expensive mana base might attract new players.

Unstable frontier - again, the same as above.

Well, that's it for this set. Have i miss any card that's worth mentioning? Feel free to comment and add suggestions. What cards will you be testing from the set?
Cheers.




EDITED: Added the rest.

[Vazdru]

Do you have a link for good scans (MWS) of Conflux cards?

Btw. my Conflux-favourites are
Knight of Reliquary
Progenitus
Noble Hierarch

[Mythrandir]

Do you have a link for good scans (MWS) of Conflux cards?

Btw. my Conflux-favourites are
Knight of Reliquary
Progenitus
Noble Hierarch

I don´t have HQ pics, yet, but mine are pretty reasonable. If you like i can send them, via mail or msn. i can´t recall where i got them, but if i find it, i´ll post it here.


btw: Knight is really interesting, can´t wait to play against it on your PW-LD deck.