Sunday, March 22, 2009

25 Random Commons

So back when the 25 Song shuffle was popular on facebook, Brian David-Marshall told me I should do 25 random notes about 25 random commons. I'm going to do that now, well after the meme has passed.
How I did this: I hit random card on Gatherer Beta until I hit a common.
All commons must be potentially legal for online Pauper play, meaning common and from a set beyond Mirage (even if the set isn't on MTGO yet).
I will skip Basic Lands.
Here we go:
1: Crown of Flames- A strictly better Firebreathing, I am sure people want Auras to be good, but they just aren't. In order for one to be good, it really has to do something special, like Armadillo Cloak.
2: Keeper of Kookus- I remember years ago, for my birthday I got a box of Visions. As far as Pauper, this card could be tech in the Goblins mirror match. Of course, Goblins are not a popular choice right now.
3: Sandstorm Eidolon: The Eidolons provide a free form of card advantage, if you pack your deck with enough multicolored cards that is. As of now, there just aren't enough cards to make a deck featuring these cards viable.
4: Craw Wurm- The iconic common green fatty. I remember seeing this card in my first packs of revised and being instantly hooked. Totally worthless in Pauper.
5: Coordinated Barrage- One of the biggest problems with Pauper is that Wizards uses commons to help push a set's theme and make interesting cards for draft. That often leaves a healthy portion of commons absolutely worthless for most serious Pauper decks. This is such a card, unless a great Soldier deck shows up.
6: Barbarian Bully- What was I just talking about? Sometimes there are cards that aren't there to show off the theme as much as to be limited filler with the theme tacked on.
7: Whimwarder- I like this card as some MUC sideboard tech for those decks featuring Errant Ephemeron.
8: Footbottom Feast- some people like these types of cards. I do not, as they require far too much work to make work well.
9: Reckless Abandon- This will appear in some mono-red weenie decks when it comes online. I remember a humorous article in a Duelist years ago about a deckthat ran 8 of this card.
10: Giant Growth- Another iconic green card. This one rarely makes the cut, as (Predator's Strike) is far more exciting.
11: Restless Dreams- I really love the tensions of this card. It used to be on my short list of black refuel cards until Grim Harvest came along. My first exposure to this card was as a great late game breaking in Prismatic Stairwell Highlander (like Stairwell Highlander, only 5 of each color in each casting cost slot).
12: Nacatl Savage- I love cards like this, but sometimes i wish Wizards would be a little more creative in retreads.
13: Rat's Feast- I do not think anyone has ever cast this gainst me. It is far too slow to matter.
14: Magma Spray- I love elegant cards like this. If Stinkweed Imp and Blind Hunter make a serious comeback, I am prepared to run this bad boy out there.
15: Enfeeblement- I have no idea what to say. This card could be good for Pauper if it was not black. I think that sums it up.
16: Strangling Soot- I love non-traditional card advantage. Soot is not only a fantastic limited card, but an under appreciated removal spell. If a Rakdos Midrange deck ever emerges, or the Rock wants to splash red, this card makes the cut, no doubt.
17: Taunting Elf- So many people want Elves to be a good deck. Those people eventually run into Crypt rats and cry.
18: Goblin Sledder- Goblins, on the other hand, have the burn to back up the beats. My first successful Pauper deck ran these guys as a way to increase damage output. Now, this card helps to fight off Tendrils of Corruption.
19: Rofello's Gift- Sucks. No constructed Pauper applications. However, I did attend the Urza's Destiny Prerelease in Florida, after I scrubbed out of the JSS Open. MaRo was the head judge (I think), and I passed up an opportunity to take a picture with Richard Garfield, who my father had started talking to (not knowing who he was at the time). My reasoning: I was busy in a game. Apparently, when told this, Dr. Garfield smiled.
20: Regeneration- Another aura. I do love the original Quinton Hoover art, though.
21: Keldon Mantle- So many auras.
22: Path of Peace- At some point, this might have been a staple. Now, with cards like Oblivion Ring and Sunlance, it's just another bad card for theme decks.
23: Sonic Seizure- I love this card; I love this art, I love dealing damage. Sadly, this card just is just not good enough for competitive Pauper (yet).
24: Zombie Cannibal- Once again, another card that fills a role for limited. Come on random algorithm, give me some something good for number 25!
25: Norwood Ranger- I could not have asked for a better punch line.

-Alex

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