MTG COTD: Selesnya Guildmage

[klducks]

[IMG200]http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/ravnica/selesnya_guildmage.jpg[/IMG200]
Selesnya Guildmage - Ravnica: City of Guilds. Uncommon
G/W G/W: Creature - Elf Wizard
(G/W can be paid with either G or W.)
3G: Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
3W: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2


I really like the guildmages since
a) they can work with either mono color or both
b) theyre worth the price (2 drop for 2/2)
c) a worthy effect most of the time.


Now, if you read my post again, it says worthy effect, most of the time.
4 mana just to get a +1/+1 counter? Battlegrowth is screaming at your face.
4 mana just to get +1/+1 until end of turn? Glorious Anthem also screams at your face.

Sure, you get both effects in one card, could be an advantage? But it takes 1 removal to take both effects away. I guess the only guildmage that has worthy effects is the Boros one IMO. It isn't high costed like all the other guild mages combat tricks always help in limited play.

Anyway, this card aint worth the price of 4 mana for an end of turn effect.

The Duck's Rating:1.5/5

 

[Shadow Trainer]

This IMHO one of the best, if not the best guildmage released so far.The guild mana cost lets it fit nicely in either green or white decks or a combination of both.Now the abilities might be a little overcosted, but there still good especially in the late game when you don't have much to spend mana on and being a 2/2 for two mana isn't that shabby either. 4/5

 

[~RaikouRider243~]

Thanks for taking my suggestion, klducks.

I just love playing this guy in my green white (somewhat-wolf) deck. 2/2 for basically two mana and a couple of helpful abilities later on is really nice. Hey, I'll pay 4 to make all my Saprolings 2/2s. You got 3...8...12...14...16...18...20...22 damage coming your way. 4.5/5

 

[klducks]

Now the abilities might be a little overcosted, but there still good especially in the late game when you don't have much to spend mana on

It is overcosted and there are cards that could replace this card easily (Glorious Anthem and Honden of Life's Web like i mentioned before). Even if it costs 1 more mana, it's better then 8 compared to 4/5 next turn.

And if you dont have anything else to spend 4 mana, or even 8 mana, your deck needs some tweeking IMO.
4 mana: equiping, playing other cards etc.
8 mana: big creatures, Rude Awakening, etc.

Late game really isn't meant for "my 1/1 became a 2/2!" =P

and I think ranking the guildmages, it goes

Boros
Selesnya
Dimir
Golgari

for what the effects are worth.

 

[Shadow Trainer]

It is overcosted and there are cards that could replace this card easily (Glorious Anthem and Honden of Life's Web like i mentioned before). Even if it costs 1 more mana, it's better then 8 compared to 4/5
next turn.

Yes this is basically Glorious Anthem + Honden of Life Web + 2/2 body but that is why it's almost better the Glorious Anthem and definitely better the Honden of Life's Web since you get a 2/2 body and two very useful abilities in one card.

And if you don't have anything else to spend 4 mana, or even 8 mana, your deck needs some tweaking IMO.
4 mana: equipping, playing other cards etc.
8 mana: big creatures, Rude Awakening, etc.

Late Game really isn't meant for "my 1/1 became 2/2! =P

Selesnya Guildmage shines in aggro and aggro-control decks, aggro decks unless backed by blue or black will in the long run lose gas and go into topdeck mode, that is when Selesnya Guildmage's abilities shine, aggro-control decks on the other hand are different since usually you will run some small creatures and some big creatures for the late game, but still have the chance of losing gas and going into topdeck mode.Whose is to say that later in the game you will just be able to make your creatures 2/2s if you have acceled enough mana they may be 3/3s or 4/4s maybe even 5/5s heck who cares if your creatures are not large if your opponents staring down 10, 20, 30 Saprolings ? larger=/=better

and I think ranking the guildmages, it goes

Boros
Selesnya
Dimir
Golgari

for what the effects are worth.

I would rank the guildmages:

Selesnya
Izzet
Dimir
Boros
Golgari

 

[klducks]

definitely better the Honden of Life's Web since you get a 2/2 body and two very useful abilities in one card.

I wouldn't say it's better then Honden. It really depends on what you face more

Shocks/Terrors or Copy Enchantment/ Naturalize.

And Honden is better in my view since you dont have to pay 4 mana every turn for a 1/1.

Whose is to say that later in the game you will just be able to make your creatures 2/2s if you have acceled enough mana they may be 3/3s or 4/4s maybe even 5/5s heck who cares if your creatures are not large if your opponents staring down 10, 20, 30 Saprolings ? larger=/=better

Late game, 4 Glorious Anthems is fun =]

I would rank the guildmages:

Selesnya
Izzet
Dimir
Boros
Golgari

We going into Guildpact now? lol

 

[Shadow Trainer]

I wouldn't say it's better then Honden. It really depends on what you face more

Shocks/Terrors or Copy Enchantment/ Naturalize.

And Honden is better in my view since you don't have to pay 4 mana every turn for a 1/1.

IMHO Selesnya Guildmage is much better then Honden of Life's Web since being able to produce multiple tokens> producing one token per turn.

I do agree that it does matter what your meta-game is, since Honden would obviously be better in a meta-game full of Mono Black Control just like Guildmage would be much better in a meta-game full of enchantment hate.

We going into Guildpact now? lol

[SPOIL]
Izzet Guildmage U/R U/R
Creature - Human Wizard (U)

2U: Copy target instant spell you control with converted mana cost 2 or less.You may choose new targets for the copy.

2R: Copy target sorcery spell you control with converted mana cost 2 or less.You may choose new targets for the copy.

2/2
[/SPOIL]

Thanks to Rancored Elf for this information.

 

[Sergay Wang]

Four mana for +1/+1 to all creatures is savage. Especially since it's an ability, you don't lose card advantage. The last thing to give +1/+1 to all creatures was Roar of the Kha, which cost 1W and had an entwine of 1W (as well as the ability to untap). Call of Glory also gave +1/+1, but only to Samurai, so it's not as nice.

And four mana for a 1/1 saproling token is also decent, as you now have the same 1/1 that Vitu-Ghatzi would make for tapping 1 less land.

Here's how I rate the Ravnica Guidemages:
-Selesnya- Best. Abilities are a bit expensive, but they basically say: If I live, opponents will lose.
-Golgari- Pricey abilities, but strong. An infinite source of +1/+1 counters makes any creature, including the Guidemage itself, quite large late game. And the second ability allows recurrsion. Sure, I'd sacrifice a bad creature for a second chance at using my good one.
-Dimir Guidemage- Sorcery speed abilities that don't win you the game. They merely put yourself in a better position or your opponent in a weaker position. Nothing more.
-Boros Guidemage- First Strike and Haste do not win games. Haste helps speed up tempo and First Strike helps keep your creatures from dying in combat in some cases, but your weenies still lose to fatties and neither abilities help in a stalemate like the other guidemages can potentially do.

If Izzet Guidemage were out already, it'd top the list for certain.

Constructed: 3/5
Limited: 4.5/5
Casual: 4/5

 

[skiboydoggy]

I have little, or rather no experience with the Ravanica dual mana thingy, but I dare say that Selesnya Guildmage is highly dangerous in wee little too-many-creatures-to-count decks.
+1/+1 for every creature is powerful, especially if you pack plenty of token creatures, and four mana should be nothing for anything that packs green properly, seeing as how they pretty are mana themselves. Or something.
Yep, I am a newb, or even a n00b, but that's what I think...

I would give this card a 3/5... Still not sure what cards that are not Form 9 would get 5/5 though.

 

[Sergay Wang]

IMHOs:

Lightning Bolt is 5/5.
Original Dual Lands are 5/5.
Counterspell is 5/5.
Psychatog is 5/5.
Wild Mongrel is 5/5.
Goblin Welder is 5/5.
Dark Ritual is 5/5.
Duress is 5/5.
Hymn of Torach is 5/5.
Skullclamp is 5/5. (if it's bannable, it's 5/5.)
Entomb is 5/5. (again, banned and restricted.)
Rancor is 5/5. (arguable)
Lin-Sivvi is 5/5. (arguable)

Anything that is above and beyond the standard for it's cost and power is 5/5. Everything else is comparing itself to those cards. Thus, there's very few 5/5s.