Subject: Issue: Tournament Worthiness of Sets
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 15:22:19 -0100
From: "Christopher Huertas" <ChrisHuertas@worldnet.att.net>
To: <fkusumot@ix.netcom.com>

Wizards of the Coast seems to think that if a few players are upset by a
lack of tournament worthy cards they must print cards that are insanely
powerfull.  Case in point: The Rath Cycle.

Tempest contained too many abusable cards.  Tradewind Riders, Cursed
Scrolls, and, to an extent, Earthcraft have been judged by the general
Magic playing populus to be broken.  Eldamari's Vineyards also seems to be
a bit powerfull with many mono-green decks starting to pop up at
tournaments.  And Scroll Rack works very well with Land Tax.

Since Tempest was, in retrospect, too good (Cursed Scroll and Tradewind
Rider weren't recognized as power cards immediatly) the next set was toned
down.  Stronghold sported such cards as Grave Pact, Reins of Power, and
Ensnaring Bridge.  Although these cards have their uses they aren't seen in
tournament play that often.  After Stronghold came out many a player
complained of the general mediocrity of the set.

When Exodus came out many were quite shocked at the power of some of the
new cards.  Pandemonium will be seeing play with Phryxian Dreadnoughts.
Oath of Druids lets control decks get Verdant Forces out on turn 3.  Hatred
is a Channel/Fireball in one.  A little disapointment with Stronghold and
we get a set thats too powerfull.  Basically, 3rd turn kills are back.

This also happened, to a lesser extent, with Fallen Empires and the Ice Age
Block.  Fallen Empires was universally judged as unworthy of play so The
Ice Age Block had Zuran Orbs, Thawing Glaciers, and Kjeldoran Outposts.

Now that Hatred is hated and there's been a pandemonium over Pandemonium,
what will Wizards of the Coast do?  Urza's Saga is due out this fall.
Instead of overshooting and letting themselves get carried away maybe
Wizards of the Coast will turn out a well balanced set.  Hopefully, we
won't have another Stronghold.

                                        From: Aaron Huertas
                                Reach me at: ChrisHuertas@worldnet.att.net
                                Yes, those are capitals in may e-mail address