[MtG] Unstable Spoilers

[Delibirb]

Unstable Spoilers are apparently starting in full force. Apparently, a number of people have received pieces of oversized cards in the mail from Wizards of the Coast. Specifically, these:

 

[spoiler=Large Images]

 

 

 

That's right: Contraptions are being revealed at last!

 

We do have all the pieces now, so this is what we know:

 

[spoiler=Contrations and Sprockets Assembled!]

 

 

The lack of mana cost would seem to imply that Contraptions do not exist in the library; they are likely, as was highly speculated, a separate deck in the command zone, and are assembled randomly (or perhaps not randomly, but still). You'll need to place them on a "sprocket" to determine how frequently you are able to "crank" them. Very unique!

 

Also note that they are borderless. MaRo has hinted there is something special about their art (probably it all fits together like one big contraption) but perhaps the lack of silver or black borders could mean special rules to allow it in certain formats or under certain conditions, without messing with the legality rules of silver-bordered cards. Maybe. We can dream.
 

Worst case scenario, casual EDH groups will be able to use them, and that's hardly a bad thing.

[Tesability Black]

Ooooh, this should be a fun thing to be had.

[bury the year]

http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/167382914418/from-matt-tabak-on-reddit-mark-is-incorrect

 

So confirmation from MaRo: contraptions are not legal in non-Unformats. As Kano mentions, they also do not start the game in one's deck, but rather in a separate "contraption deck."

 

Funnily enough, even though Steamflogger Boss is black-bordered, it itself cannot assemble a contraption. So even if the contraptions were legal, you'd have no way of using them.

[Delibirb]

http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/167382914418/from-matt-tabak-on-reddit-mark-is-incorrect

 

So confirmation from MaRo: contraptions are not legal in non-Unformats. As Kano mentions, they also do not start the game in one's deck, but rather in a separate "contraption deck."

 

Funnily enough, even though Steamflogger Boss is black-bordered, it itself cannot assemble a contraption. So even if the contraptions were legal, you'd have no way of using them.

They are, however, leaving room to make them legal if they decide to print black-bordered methods of assembling them. We'll have to see how contraptions do here.

[Flame Dragon]

IT BEGINS

 

 

 

For those that didn't read the mechanics/Mark's article contraptions work as follow.

 

1) Contraptions start in their own deck.

2) When you assemble a contraption you put it into one of the three sprockets.

3) On upkeep you move the crank (starting from 3->1) and trigger any contraptions on the new sprocket.

 

Honestly, I think the mechanical execution is beautiful and should be a joy to see in action.

[Poc]

Earl of Squirrel is how you win limited really really fast.

[Tesability Black]

Okay, this would be too Arceus-damned hilarious to see in action.

[Sixty]

love me a good game of hangman in the middle of my good game of magic

 

or ripping a phage out of my legions pack and losing off my 8 mana spell

 

[NeoRWBY65]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just tried to post all of the new ones from today, but it wouldn't let me, so I'll add my favorites of the day instead

[Poc]

If my LGS gives me the ok to use Spike as my commander things are going to get a bit silly...

[NeoRWBY65]

since Spike says "Has been banned or restricted" I went to look for something that gives a list, found a timeline of those announcements

 

https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Banned_and_restricted_cards/Timeline

[Sixty]

wow ycm magic community are you even here 

 

some cool rakdos un-commanders for yall

 

[Flame Dragon]

Not gonna lie I was too lazy to post all the new cards yesterday.

 

Anyway, set is looking sweet. Really happy that none of the cards are things I'd disallow my friends from using in commander if they so wished too.

[NeoRWBY65]

When I posted the 4 spoilers, including Spike, I tried to post the whole days, but it wouldn't let me.

I'm so glad Last and Triple Strike made it in, since I've been seeing questions sent to MaRo on his tumblr about those

[Sixty]

 

 

 

also more or less is really funny when used on the countdown is at one

[NeoRWBY65]

So......

 

If you use More or Less on The Countdown is at one, do you actually have a chance to look at what is in your hand in the subgame before you both lose? Because I saw someone mention Providence as a way to make things suddenly one sided in the subgame, and if you can reveal that and save yourself from losing the subgame you generate an unkillable furnace for your opponent but not yourself

[bury the year]

So......

 

If you use More or Less on The Countdown is at one, do you actually have a chance to look at what is in your hand in the subgame before you both lose? Because I saw someone mention Providence as a way to make things suddenly one sided in the subgame, and if you can reveal that and save yourself from losing the subgame you generate an unkillable furnace for your opponent but not yourself

 

 

Providence doesn't save you. Casting The Countdown... and targeting it with More or Less to change 1 to 0 will cause each player to start the subgame with 0 life. Providence's ability goes on the stack at the beginning of the first upkeep, but state-based actions see both players have 0 life when priority is given, and both players lose before the trigger in the subgame resolves. (Refer to rule 503.1a.)

[Poc]

countdown at 1 + more or less is the dumbest combo I've seen yet. Can't wait to get hit by it in draft.

[Sixty]

 

 

so i see what people mean by being too lazy to post spoilers when you have to post ALL of them. so uh... here's a very cryptic command

[Flame Dragon]

I'm curious how good the second mode will be. It will tap down all basics, but not sure how often it will get things past that. The one sided Windfall is really powerful though. My only issue is this really isn't an un card. Like, we have a few like this but this is the one that stands out the most to me. If the second ability was changed it would be perfectly doable in black boarder.

[Poc]

if you somehow live the dream and open up two of these you can basically keep recurring them and get a turnabout on your opponents upkeep every turn. Pretty gross.

[Sixty]

[Flame Dragon]

I like how they learned from Cheaty Face and made it so it say it needs to be in your hand.

 

And I'm curious how Buzz will fair in commander. It feels like he isn't good enough, but I could be wrong.

[Delibirb]

I like how they learned from Cheaty Face and made it so it say it needs to be in your hand.

 

And I'm curious how Buzz will fair in commander. It feels like he isn't good enough, but I could be wrong.

Physics would suggest there's a maximum optimal height before the dice are going to go too far out to land on anything helpful. I'm gonna guess you don't want more than 7 or 8, at which point it kinda depends on boardstates to determine how useful he will be.

 

Also, I'm a big fan of these:

 

If you go to draft Unstable with friends, make a pat beforehand to make sure they screw up your opponent as much as possible you tap them for Sacrifice Play or Kindslaver.

 

Over My Dead Bodies is awesome. Too bad Undeathtouch isn't printed on a  creature card, so you can't use it for this fella:

[Flame Dragon]

New week new spoilers. Going to actually stay on top of things this time.

 

 

The SNEAK legends seem really cool.