But Molder is also a dead card in other matchups. If I cannot use it, it sits in my hand and I can't really afford to have that happen. Sure, I can use it on one of my artifacts but that's definitely a last ditch effort action.
It's time to expand my search. Creatures aren't the only Legendary permanents; there are also Planeswalkers and they are bound to be useful, right?
....Not so much, as it turns out.
I kept resisting Planeswalkers because they are either really expensive or don't do what I need them to do (kill artifacts and enchantments).
Until now. Enter Vivien Reid.
A card draw engine and a way to remove fliers, artifacts and enchantments? This sounds pretty good to me. I resisted it for a little while because it costs five but so does Arashi, the Sky Asunder and that card does less. Now that all Planeswalkers are legendary, I get a bonus off Reki as well and that's something I want to do, always. But if there isn't a Reki, Vivien will happily let me draw cards.
I've also been considering Omnath more often when Time of Need comes up. Mana seems to be a little bit of a jam, still and I don't understand why: there are eight cards to help me ramp!
This was a bit more discouraging and notable against Matt while he was playing a dredge deck. I have all of these turn two plays and in our first game, I had to use Heart Warden to prevent a Bridge from Below going off and didn't see any more mana. In game two, I had four lands in my opening hand but drew into nothing to play!
A discouraging loss, for sure. I suppose sideboarding in Ground Seal might help although Grafdigger's Cage would be the real MVP.
Matt had some good advice though! Jedit Ojanen of Efrava (as I suspected) just isn't scary enough, Mox Amber might be a welcome addition and I definitely need more one drops. He suggested Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter, amongst others and I think that card has some merit.
A few games more and Fuz liked the shape the deck was in. Oviya, if unchecked, could produce not just chump blockers and time, but larger threats as well. The Mox Amber a solid add and two seems the correct number.
He's also suggested Polukranos, World Eater...which I don't have any copies of. I'm both a little surprised and indifferent to this fact. I never liked that dumb creature and I hated Monstrosity as a mechanic. I am especially dubious about the ability because it's so cost prohibitive. Three mana to do one damage just feels bad, even if I get a 6/6 out of the deal.
But it's a legend and the stats are good for the cost: the only question is if the ability is relevant.
The real problem is still that I am still having trouble getting from the early game to the midgame and I need something to help. The Blossoming Defense I've been using feel underwhelming and I only have two. I've even been considering adding in Llanowar Elves to help, though they are legendary in status only.
Which is when I broke down and went looking for legendary enchantments, and this is where Oath of Nissa comes in. This card seems perfect; good in the early game, good in the late game, doesn't matter if I play a second Oath over the first, enters the battlefield off a Kamahl's Druidic Vow, will trigger Traxos' untap and is so cheap that the impact on my manabase should be almost nothing, which is important since I've cut to lands for the two Mox Amber.
I'm really jazzed about this find and am hoping to see something awesome come of it.
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