Vanguard

[Johny Cee]

I know quite a few of you pop on from time to time, but might not have checked out the new game type.

Essentially, vanguard format is anyone of the other formats but with the twist of your avatar grants you special abilities. 

So,  you have a type 2 deck.  You through in a Prodigal Sorceror avatar.  The Prodigal Sorceror ups your hand size to 8, and lets you (before draw) look at the top card of your library and choose whether or not to put it in your graveyard.

Each one of the other avatars grants a similar ability.  Flametongue Kavu reduces starting life and hand size, but when you put a creature spell into play you do a random amount of damage to target opponent's creature (1-4)

Looks like a fun way to spice up regular magic.  And you automatically start with the basic 5 avatars (prodigal sorc, serra angel, ernham djin, etc)

[Trippy]

Cosmic Encounters for the win!

[eldaec]

I had a few goes at this, and the key problem is that it massively accentuates the need to have a well designed deck, and reduces emphasis on playing it well or on luck.

Extended is where it's most extreme, games don't appear to last beyond turn 4. Ever.

It can be fun, but only really when playing a friend in ultra casual mode, the rest of the time it makes block feel like type 2, type 2 feel like type 1, and type 1 is just silly. This is all probably a good thing if you are already good at the game and already have a decent collection.

[Xilren's Twin]

I remember when they introduced that concept in paper magic, i think during one of the expansions involving Gerrard and his crew.  They actually distributed oversized avatar cards that told you their special abilities.  Think I still have some down in the basement somewhere....

Made for some gimmiky decks for certain.  Not sure I liked it then, not sure I like it now... So, I'm consistent in my equivacation.

Xilren

[Johny Cee]

Extended is where it's most extreme, games don't appear to last beyond turn 4. Ever.

Extended is ALWAYS over by turn 4, if you are playing with "serious" decks.  One person is either dead or essentially permalocked (Orim's Chant, arbitrarily high life total, etc etc)

Yes, Vanguard is gimicky.  BUT IT'S FREE.  It offers something new to all deck types,  and most regular players will have a variety of avatars to choose from (5 free,  average of a couple others received free at various events).

All in all, better than that gimmicky Mirrodin block piece of shit.  Artifacts, anyone?

[Strazos]

All in all, better than that gimmicky Mirrodin block piece of shit.  Artifacts, anyone?

That crap is leaking into the Kamigawa Block. Shackles and Jitte, anyone?

[Johny Cee]

All in all, better than that gimmicky Mirrodin block piece of shit.  Artifacts, anyone?

That crap is leaking into the Kamigawa Block. Shackles and Jitte, anyone?

Shackles are Fifth Dawn.

Jitte might be making a run at getting banned.  I've started seeing it in any deck that runs more than 14 or 16 creatures, it's that powerful.  Makes all of the old green pump worthless,  makes white enchantment pump nearly worthless.

By gimmicky,  I meant that:

Wizards released a block around artifacts that was essentially worthless,  since almost no artifacts other than ravager affinity were worth playing.  Nearly everything else was limited fodder. 

I would have liked to see artifacts that were broadly or situationally useful in certain deck types or strategies. 

[Strazos]

The green spellbomb thing was situationally useful...

I remember there being a trick to using it in combonation with Eradicate to manahose people. Something similar could be done with genju.

[Johny Cee]

The green spellbomb thing was situationally useful...

I remember there being a trick to using it in combonation with Eradicate to manahose people. Something similar could be done with genju.

Yes.  Also an infinite mana trick when used in conjunction with Forbidden Orchard and Intruder Alarm.  Integral part of Kiki Control, which has slipped down the ranks of tier 2 standard decks.

All the spellbombs have situational usefulness.  I just wish more artifacts were like this,  instead of either only useful when tied to affinity (ravager, myr enforcer, etc) or firmly in the "bomb" category (jitte, oblivion stone).

It's no fun when everyone is forced into using the same few cards because they are head and shoulders above the rest.

[Strazos]

I'm usually not fond of seeing a Scepter get dropped on me, especially in turn 1 or 2 assisted by a few fucking Moxes.

[eldaec]

At least the bomb artifacts are easy to remove.

I find playing standard or kami block without a minimum of 4x an artifact kill card is pointless. But so long as you do have at least 4, jitte, O stone, Scepter etc don't hurt that much.

In limited they prevent fun occuring, but WotC don't seem to believe in doing anything about cards that prevent fun in limited.