#The Serpopard !!!! probably

[etoilebleu]

         “  very cuuuuute. vhat’s  his  name?  “  

          a  woman  in  thigh  high  black  boots  and  a  matching  light  coat  seemed  to  appear  out  of  thin  air  her  question  thick  with  what  sounded  like  a  russian  accent,  walking  the  same  pace  as  the  man  and  his  pet. a  sly  smile  crept  on  her  face,  gloved  hands  clasping  together  while  she  fluttered  her  lashes,  

“  and  i  don’t  mean  the  dog. “ /  @tanteichi​ for marc

[ardenssolis]

@nvrcmplt said (inbox):

... and like a viper from bushes, her frame pounces the Pharaoh's. Paws morphing upon contact to allow her legs to seal around his waist and her lips to snag aside his naan, because bread - bread was her weakness. Chomp. ♥

     WHY WAS IT HE was always getting ‘attacked’ when his guard was down?! It wasn’t fair! Zateros was too quiet! He could never hear her, whether she be in human form of serpopard, she might as well be utterly invisible to his senses most of the time. It was because of that, that once again she had managed to catch him unawares. He shouted with surprise, heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird until he realized just who this mystery ‘attacker’ was. Letting out a long, loud sigh of relief, he glowered. ❝You know, you could always just ask for your own bread.❞ She didn’t have to come and snatch it like some thief! There was plenty to go around! Would Zateros do that, though? Probably not. Coming out of nowhere and snatching food (his bread especially), seemed far more entertaining than doing it the ‘proper’ way.

[dwollsadventures]

Aw yeah it's Mušḫuššu. The most popular Mesopotamian creature, perhaps only rivaled by lamassu*. Back in the 1930's, when the Ishtar gate was rediscovered, it was one of the first ancient monsters brought to the light of the modern day. It's been around so long that when it was initially described archaeologists mistranslated its name as Sirrush. The real name, mushussu, has been variously translated as "Reddish Serpent" or "Fierce Serpent". It is the second snake dragon along with mushmahhu, this time without the multiple heads. Probably made up for the fact that it was given a higher degree of honor than its siblings, being a prominent symbol of the god Marduk and kings in general. Aside from the Ishtar Gate, depictions of mushussu are sometimes depicted in the serpopard pose, with necks intertwined. Others give mushussu a pair of wings in a much more lion dragon-like pose. Quite possibly the oldest representation of a dragon with four legs and two wings! But not the most popular, as the wingless are by and far the most common. Suck it dragon taxonomy gatekeepers. 

*the original draft of this falsely stated that Mushu from Mulan was named after mushussu, which is what I always thought, but apparently that's not true. Mushu is named after moo shu pork. Weird coincidence I guess. -- Haha! You thought I was going to do it without wings didn't you? You should know they call me Zig-zag-Gav! 

Ahem. My first draft was pretty much just a recreation of the mushussu from the Gate of Ishtar. But I wanted to do something different. There are dozens of pictures with a flat profile of him, I don't need to add another to the pile. The second thing that gave me trouble was the color. Some translate its name as "reddish serpent", so how do you parse that? Reconstructions of Ishtar's gate give mushussu a gold hide with a red spot on his neck, so is that what they're referring to? There are many iterations of the colors in my folders. In the end, this tropical one was the best of them all, in my opinion. On a flat background it looks like a lot, but I imagine in the hanging gardens of Babylon it would look like a resplendant, dangerous bird. A bird with the head of a snake and the forelimbs of a lion. The most unexpected bird of them all. I'm not entirely happy with it, in retrospect. The original design is already so good, how do I translate it into my style? At least I can say I didn't do the unexpected.

Next time, a snake dragon that is not a snake dragon.

[krinsbez2]

Fantasy Worldbuilding: Arming A Monster-Fightign Army?

Was looking around old posts of mine on a forum, and came across something that never really went anywhere there, maybe it could go somewhere here.

Inspired by The Red Knight by Miles Cameron and Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames, two very different but excellent books in which the lands of man are bordered by a great forest-y wilderness full of monsters that periodically wander into human lands to kill people and wreck stuff, and also sometimes great armies of them emerge led by some dark lord or whatever with the intent of utterly annihilating human civilization.

(things ultimately turn out to be more complicated than that in both cases, but that’s neither here nor there)

So, it occurred to me that, in a setting wherein monsters and monster attacks were an actual thing, it's slightly absurd that the arms and armor available would be the same? I mean, people going hunting for dangerous wild beasts used different kit than people going to war, even though a bear or boar or pack of wolves or whatever can kill you just as dead as an enemy soldier; different foes require different tools. And so surely different weapons and whatnot would be developed in a setting where monster attacks or invasions are A Thing instead of or in addition to those used IRL? By the same token, it's equally absurd to assume that, in such a setting the feudal lords (and their armies) who are ostensibly responsible for protecting their peasants, would not know how to fight monsters and have to rely on roving mercenary murderhobos. OK, so here's my question, for those of you who know more about this sort of thing than I do; let's say we have a generic fantasy setting, where wizards and such exist but are not super-common, and tech and society are both late-Medieval/early-Renaissance but without guns for some reason, where human lands both suffer regular infestations of assorted monsters, and also border some kind of impenetrable, monster-filled Wild Woods, from which armies of monsters will occasionally swarm out under the control of a Dark Lord or summat. What would armies look like in this place?

In case some specifics are needed...

-We’re looking at a generic not!Western Europe, and often more specifically, not!Britain-but-big. -In general, I imagine that the Wild Woods, are, well woods and swamps and such, but there's probably also an Icy Wasteland in the Far North and Sandy Wastelands in the Far South-West. Of course, while that's where Monsters mostly come from, and where the big invasions* come from, there's also plenty of places within the lands of humanity where they can hide, and either have been forever, or are descended from stragglers from the last invasion or someone did something dumb and brought them there. So, it's not just a problem for people on the borders.

*There's no regular schedule, but I'm figgering at least once in a generation is normal.

-What we’re talking about when we say “Monsters“, in order, from most common, to least, though I have no specific numbers: (note that the examples I'm giving are only, well, examples; each given category will also have multiple other instances, but I don't have the patience to list all possible examples)

Monsters that are bigger and more aggro versions of animals that are normally vermin or harmless or both; giant bugs, carnivorous horses, etc.

Monsters that are roughly human-shaped but smaller and/or dumber; goblins, redcaps, etc.

Monsters that are bigger, meaner, and/or smarter versions of dangerous animals; wargs, giant serpents, etc.

Monsters that are roughly human-shaped that either have human-level intellects or are only slightly dumber but have other attributes that compensate; orcs, gnolls, etc.

Monsters that are varying flavor of giant, but don't have "special abilites"*: ettins, cyclopes, etc.

Monsters that are chimeric but don't have "special abilities"; serpopards, owlbears, etc.

Monsters that are chimeric and have some degree of “special abilities”: poisonous manticores, flying-despite-being-too-big perytons, etc.

Monsters that are human-shaped, with human intellects and some degree of magical powers; vampires, doppelgangers, etc.

Monsters that are some variety of giant, and have special abilities; trolls, shape-shifting ogres, etc.

Monsters with multiple special abilities; wyverns, hydras, etc.

Monsters that have human intellects and multiple special abilities; dragons, beholders, etc.

*Special abilities here means "stuff normal animals can't do"; breath fire, fly despite being ridic large, shapeshift, turn people to stone, be way more poisonous than is logically possible, etc.

[rudjedet]

Hello do you know anything about cosmetics and perfumes in Ancient Egypt or any good sources to learn about it ? Thank you and have a nice day.

Cosmetics were used by almost all Egyptians, whether male or female, higher or lower classes. They didn’t only enhance the beauty of the wearer, certain cosmetics also had health effects. There is a distinct overlap between certain medicinal ointments and topical treatments, and cosmetics. Both made use of mineral substances (such as ochre, which has antifungal and antimicrobial effects), and oils and animal fats as either matrices or active ingredients. There are even recipes in the medical papyri that detail treatments for greying hair or baldness. 

The most evocative bit of ancient Egyptian cosmetics is of course the kohl the Egyptians used to line their eyes. Kohl was usually made from galena (lead glance), although sometimes also from other minerals such as cerussite (lead carbonate) or manganese oxide. It may have also protected the eyes from flies and infections.

Kohl and other cosmetics were kept in receptacles such as these containers:

18th Dynasty vessel from Memphis (British Museum, EA4743)

Cosmetic dish in the shape of a fish (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 90.6.24)

Some of the kohl we’ve found exists as a powder. Other finds have dried in, indicating it would have been a paste at the time of use, and was likely mixed with either animal fat or oils. Application was done either with the fingers or by using a thin stick made out of various materials.

18th Dynasty kohl container with application stick (Metropolitan Museum of Art,26.7.1447)

Oils and animal fats were also used on their own as cosmetics, to combat ageing and to protect the skin and hair from heat and dryness. Oils like almond, castor, sesame and moringa were used. The higher classes used elaborate mixes of different kinds of fat/oil and scents, where the lower classes would have made do with simpler mixtures with little fragrance or completely without it.

Egyptians also used other minerals mixed with oil or fat to create eyeshadows and lip and cheek stains. Malachite, a green mineral, was the most widely used for eyeshadow, and red ochre for lips and cheeks. In addition to colouring the skin, both malachite and ochre would have protected the skin from the sun. 

We have found many makeup palettes, from Predynastic examples all the way to the later periods of Egyptian history. The most famous of these is of course the Narmer palette (although it’s debatable whether this exact palette was actually used in the application of cosmetics because it’s larger and far heavier than regular palettes. It is likely a votive object instead). 

The Narmer Palette (Egyptian Museum in Cairo, CG 14716)

Predynastic makeup palette (British Museum, EA37273)

The palettes would have been used to ground up makeup prior to application; despite that it was unlikely to have been used, in the Narmer palette you can see the indent, created by the curling necks of the two serpopards, where the makeup would have been mixed. 

We’ve also found other accessories used in the application of cosmetics and to refine appearance, such as mirrors, tweezers and razors. Egyptian men are by and large depicted with clean-shaven faces, apart from some Old Kingdom examples showing men with moustaches. 

18th Dynasty toiletry set containing a kohl jar, razor, tweezers, whetstone and mirror (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

All of the items depicted above are “fancy” items, belonging to the elite, or temples. We can assume the lower classes made do with items of lesser quality, but that they would have made use of many of these tools regardless. 

The Egyptians were famous among their contemporaries for their perfumes. These, however, would not have been as widely available as cosmetics. While all social strata of Egyptian society enjoyed a bath every once in a while (scrubbing themselves with mixtures of natron and white lupin), fragrant perfumes were a luxury. 

These perfumes were made by infusing fats and/or oils with fragrant essences of plants, flowers and trees. Seeds, blossoms, roots and essential oils of plants themselves were mixed to get the desired result. Among many others they used lotus flowers, marjoram, lilies and cinnamon, as well as resins.

Probably the most famous use of perfume was the perfumed cones members of the elite are sometimes depicted wearing during banquet scenes. 

Woman depicted with a perfume cone (Tomb of Menna, 18th Dynasty)

It’s been suggested that these cones were made of wax or hardened animal fat and infused with pleasant scents, and that during the banquet the cone would melt and slowly give off its scent. It might also have kept away flies or mosquitoes. However, other scholars suggest that the cones were never actually used and are a visual depiction of perfume.

Perfumes were made at home or in temples, since perfumes played a part in the temple rituals as well. There’s a room in the temple of Dendera that was dedicated to the manufacture of perfumes, for example.

If you want to learn more, I’d suggest looking into the works of Salima Ikram, who has done experimental archaeology pertaining to Egyptian cosmetics. She has a chapter on toiletries in her book Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. Eugen Strouhal also has a chapter on the same in his book Life of the Ancient Egyptians.

If you have a JSTOR account, I suggest looking there, too. If you search for “Egyptian cosmetics” or variants thereof you’ll get a number of results from the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and the Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt among others. JSTOR allows you to read a number of articles for free online. Hope that helps!

Did you enjoy reading this post and want to show your appreciation? You can buy me a coffee on Ko-Fi (rudjedet; link also in my bio). No obligation but it’s always much appreciated!

[myth-lord]

Who is the Weakest and who is the most Powerful?

Here are all my common (so not unique or boss monsters) monsters collected in groups, but the catch this time is that they are collected from weakest (of each group) to strongest/most dangerous of each group. 

So for example in the human group the Buckrider is the weakest member, the Raktabija is the most dangerous and powerful. It is very messy and many monsters probably must be switched around, but it is VERY hard to come up with just the right order of least powerful -> most powerful! The strongest and weakest are mostly correct, I made sure of that!

HUMAN: Buckrider / Skinwalker / Selkie / Vish Kanya / Berserker / Bouda / Dodomeki / Tamanous / Nanaue /  Myrmidon / Korybante / Saapin / Svinfylking / Guédé / Green Knight / Raktabija

DWARF: Eloko / Ohdowas / Dactyl / Nuno / Mmoatia / Cabeiri / Alberich

GOBLINOID: Goblin / Bugbear / Scarbo / Kallikantzaros / Spriggan / Gwyllion / Likho  / Bugul Noz

GIANT: Goliath / Blemmyes / Cyclops / Munuane / Aigamuxa / Gegenees / Kapre / Argus / Moai / Cacus / Hrimpursar / Antaeus / Triton / Hraesvelgr / Fear Liath / Jack-in-Irons / Gawigawen

TITAN: Fomorian / Balor / Hekatoncheires

BEASTMAN: Pilou / Intulo / Vodyanoi / Merrow / Tanuki / Tengu / Harpy / Centaur / Lunwaba / Yawkyawk / Azeban / Lamia / Yeti / Cueyatl / Adaro / Yacuruna / Rougarou / Cindaku / Yowie / Bolotnik / Atosis / Zitiron / Minotaur / Girtablilu / Urmahlullu / Siyokoy / Capcaun / Blutschink / Telchine / Bush Daidai / Tikbalang / Arachne / Genderuwo / Serket

BEAST or MAMMALIAN: Drop Bear / Olitiau / Gulon / Pard / Veo / Rat King / Erymanthian / Satori / Musimon / Puaka / Amarok / Karkadann / Splinter Cat / Ziphius / Salawa / Kori / Cercopes / Nemeos / Aniwye / Bonnacon / Mapinguari / Ichneumon / Hrosshvalur / Sverdhvalur / Akhlut / Catoblepas / Indrik / Kokogiak / Leviathan / Behemoth / Cetus

AVIAN or BIRD: Chickcharney / Urcututo / Xecotcovach / Alicanto / Naujakuksualuk / Boobrie / Hverafugl / Tuyango / Camulatz / Tecumbalam / Stymphalian / Tera-Tsutsuki / Caladrius / Zhenniao / Valravn / Impundulu / Asipatra / Roc

REPTILIAN: Amphisbaena / Zoureg / Agemo / Jaculus / Cerastes / Kongamato / Gambo / Hypnalis / Gbahali / Hydra / Lu Dja Lako / Ogopogo / Ngoubou / Muhuru / Ropen / Burrunjor / Sierpa / Xhumpedzkin / Mokele-Mbembe / Emela-Ntouka / Kaiaimunu / Haermorrhois / Seps / Samm-Abras / Motelo Mama / Nyuvwira / Nguma-Monene

AMPHIBIAN: Alp-Luachra / Water Leaper / Aije / Bagiennik / Yara-Ma-Yha-Who / Tiddalik / Cmuch / Salamander / Amikuk / Bukavac / Grylio / Minhocao

FISH: Hippocampus / Mazomba / Echeneis / Akheilos / Aun Pana / Tiburon / Utelif / Swamfisk / Havhest / Trollgadda / Caspilly / Abaia / Skotumodir / Rock Bolter / Chipfalamfula / Namazu / Vatnagedda / Bakunawa

VERMIN or INSECT: Choukeshin / Tsutsugamushi / Xan / Deathcrawler / Scarab / Jba Fofi / Karkinos / Gastarios / Brucha / Con Rit / Moskitto / Cagn / Zarronco / Musca Macedda / Scorpios / Aasivarluut / Minceskro / Ulagu / Japeusa / Avelainya / Tcaridyi / Kranokolaptes / Polypus / Pasuk / Khepri / Eintykara / Djieien / Jinshin Mushi / Itzpapalotl / Inulpamahuida / Kugdlughiak / Myrmecoleon / Saratan / Skolopendra /

CHIMERAE: Wolpertinger / Xiao / Qinyuan / Kappa / Afanc / Baku / Ahool / Skeljaskrimsli / Griffon / Calopus / Ahuizotl / Leucrotta / Peryton / Bunyip / Nguruvilu / Serpopard / Manticore / Whowie / Sak / Bulgasari / Parandrus / Mishibizhiw / Dingonek / Ugjuknarpak / Nependis / Set-Qesu / Ookempam / Nue / Ga-Gorib / Wakandagi / Cipactli / Sphinx / Piasa / Grootslang / Lammasu / Ammit / Tarasque

DRAKE or LESSER DRAGON: Pyrausta / Cockatrice / Hodag / Bolla / Knucker / Gowrow / Wyvern / Qiuniu / Fuxi / Velue / Basilisk / Jimplicute / Tizheruk / Vouivre / Longgui / Scytalis / Aitvaras / Zabraq / Beannach-Nimhe / Haietlik / Ouroboros / Cuelebre

DRAGON or WYRM: Mhalla / Ikuchi / Zmey / Cirein Croin / Kholkikos / Jabberwock / Gargouille / Asdeev / Codrille / Kulshedra / Unhcegila / Nidhogg / Amhuluk  / Vritra / Tiamat / Zirnitra / Ghageb Tal-Ilma / Gaasyendietha / Usilosimapundu / Azi Dahaka

DRACONIAN or DRAGONMEN: Julana / Jimeng / Naga / Kampe / Echidna

PLANT: Vegetable Lamb / Guarana / Stray Sod / Cactus Cat / Barometz / Mandragora / Trenti / Aproxis / Coco / Devalpa / Rahara / Alraune / Xtabay / Ya-Te-Veo / Hungry Grass / MbieluMbielu / Jidra / Berberoka / Kayeri / El Juy-Juy / Jubokko / Otso / Zuttibur / Xoc Detsahi / Jinmenju / Andurá / Umdhlebi / Ladon / Zaqqum

FAE: Domovoi / Leprechaun / Clurichaun / Faun / Fir Darrig / Yallery / Anggitay / Tenaga-Jin / Ashinaga-Jin / Arrach / Redcap / Springheel / Gancanagh / Yumbo / Wendigo / Sarangay / Alkonost / Amadan / Ly Erg

FEY or FAE BEAST: Carbuncle / Ratatoskr / Arkan Sonney / Zlatorog / Yamabiko / Mimick / Snawfus / Miraj / Ramidreju / Kitsune / Cat Sith / Cu Sith / Dobhar-Chu / Shtriga / Shadhawar / Phooka / Kelpie / Awd Goggie / Peuchen / Yale / Penchapechi / Pioial / Bonguru / Bocanach / Malebete / Ccoa / Cath Palug / Teumessia / Ceffyl Dwr / Hrimfaxi / Traicousse / Succarath / Jorogumo / Cwn Annwn / Nekomata / Okiku Mushi / Kamaitachi / JubJub Bird / Bandersnatch

ELF or FAE HUMAN: Lofjerskor / Dokkalfar / Lausks / Dalaketnon / Ljosalfar / Erlking / Kulmking

GNOME or FAE DWARF: Kobold / Barbegazi / Leshy / Curupira / Karzelek / Pukwudgie / Nuberu / Woodwose / Ijiraq / Nalusa Falaya / Pech

NYMPH: Huldra / Bisan / Veela / Fossegrim / Encantado / Lampad / Askafroa / Maenad / Oread / Nereid / Thriae / Windsbraut / Poludnica / Te Hoata / Leanan Sidhe / Katsura-Otoko / Radande / Chione / Melinoe / Orco Mamman

FAIRY: Lunantishee / Danthienne / Ishigaq / Acheri / Tooth Fairy / Carabosse

HAG: Rokurokubi / Laure / Lechuza / Cuca / Mambabarang / Gorgon / Sunakake Baba / Qalupalik / Soucouyant / Hala / Utlunta / Yanagi Baba / Nocnitsa / Norn

TROLL or FAE GIANT: Tenome / Dulhath / Troll / Ninya / Asanbosam / Abuhuku / Buggane / Nargun / Porotai / Yehwe Zogbanu / Bulgu

BOGEY or FEAR EATER: Bauk / Shellycoat / Kikimora / Uay-Cot / Guiafairo / Marabbecca / Kludde / Krojemanchen / Shokera / Hellequin / Tailypo / Osschaart / Sandman / Rawhead / Astwihad / Stuhac / Nuckelavee / Marmajor / Metminwi

DEMON: Imp / Aswang / Oseichu / Incubus / Succubus / Pishacha / Skrzak / Tsenahale / Mahaha / Eurynomos / Cambion / Dydko / Manananggal / Kishi / Berbalang / Moselantja / Idaemonon / Nadubi / Empusa / Kigatilik / Alp / Ukobach / Delgeth / Hinkir Munkur / Makhai / Kurita / Aghash / Binaye-Ahani / Caorthannach / Asag / Oneiroi / Bies / Chort / Erchitu / Hashihime / Bushyasta / Chrysaor / Andrealphus / Baxbakwalanux / Dybbuk / Popobawa / Ajatar / Yeitso / Geryon / Aeshma

FIEND or DEMONIC BEAST: Apocalypse Locust / Muscaliet / Psoglav / Sigbin / Aerico / Garmr / Makalala / Mantabungal / Decarabia / Heikegani / Orthrus / Zheng / Druj Nasu / Marool / Akashita / Lavellan / Taotie / Each Tened / Apaosha / Sianach / Morgawr / ColoColo / Amdusias / Camazotz / Apep / Khudumodumo / Nian / Odontotyrannus / Cerberus

ONI or POSSESSION SPIRIT: Ovinnik / Suiko / Nodeppo / Rakshasa / Onocentaur / Chirizuka Kaio / Sazae-Oni / Chagrin / Tesso / Huay Chivo / Rogo-Tumu / Daitengu / Akhekh / Torc Triath / Batibat / Kasha / Mandarangkal / Leraje / Amanojaku / Nure Onna / Kumiho / Abaasy / Naqiq / Sandwalker / Tsuchigumo / Isonade / Tartalo / Ihuaivulu / Sin-You / Arzshenk / Stolas / Futsunushi / Omukade / Hua-Hu-Tiao

ANGEL: Anteros / Valkyrie / Erinyes / Limos / Achlys / Nemain / Nike / Keres / Ishim

UNDEAD: Zombie / Spartoi / Tiyanak / Oniate / Barghest / Rompo / Hrokkall / ChonChon / Gaki / Draugr / Banaspati / Bezkost / Myling / Dagwanoenyent / Gloson / Mano Peluda / Wether / Mormo / Mummy / Drekavac / Rusalka / Bloody Bones / Lagahoo / Mekurabe / Topielec / Inugami / Harionago / Helhest / Catacano / Xing Tian / Yuki-Onna / Candileja / Melalo / Duamutef / Pesanta / Aipalookvik / Mngwa / Raven Mocker / Jiangshi / Baykok / Dullahan / Ahkiyyini / Charon / Petsuchos / Nida / Airi / Coiste Bodhar / Gashadokuro / Bakekujira / Fext / Moroi / Naglfar / Legion / Taniniver / Ankou / Tzitzimitl

SPIRIT or GHOST: Will o Wisp / Adze / Poltergeist / Wraith / Waldgeist / Tebwem / Isogashi / Buruburu / Einherjar / Aatxe / Banshee / Luz Mala / Pesta / Jokkho / Bloody Mary / Sessho-Seki / Brollachan / El Tunche / Sluagh

ELEMENTAL or NATURAL SPIRIT: Squonk / Dorotabo / Undine / Bilwis / Hantu Anak Gua / Seitaad / Enenra / Akubozu / Obambo / Hongaek / Shudala Madan / Bisha Ga Tsuku / Polong / Chenoo / Raiju / Planctae / Nojukubi / Ebajalg / Gu / Nishi / Sachamama / Ahl At-Trab / Umibozu / Cherufe / Pericó / Phoenix / Psonen / Hakuturi / Hinqumemen / Odei / Landvaettir / Gaueko / Aten

GENIE or ELEMENTAL LORD: Ghul / Dasim / Zalambur / Redjal Marja / Ifrit

OOZE or SLIME: Nuppeppo / Globster / Baldanders / Ashi-Magari / Ozaena / Morko / Dheeyabery / Suzuri No Tamashii / A Bao A Qu / Nurikabe / It

ABERRATION: Grindylow / Sagari / Mulilo / Stella / Akaname / Keukegen / Atuikakura / Kamikiri / Shen / Akkorokamui / Issitoq / Marakihau / Fachen / Kurage Hinotama / Cecaelia / Skolex / Tculo / Mooldabbie / Huallepen / Sandewan / Cuero / Lakuma / Agropelter / Lolmischo / Burach Bhadi / Chicheface / Olgoi-Khorkhoi / Pua Tu Tahi / Lorelei / Lou Carcolh / Tlanusi / Siranis / Hiderigami / Migas / Camahueto / Ewah / Iku-Turso / Muirdris / Charybdis / Scylla / Lagarfljot / Kraken

ALIEN: Chupacabra / Gray / Roperite / Pugot Mamu / Schilalyi / Lilyi / Mamlambo / Rhinelapus / Tripodero / Snoligoster / Whimpus / Colorobetch / Bitoso / Chemosit / Dijiang / KawKaw / Butatsch / Yann-An-Oed / Alkuntane / Hidebehind / Mothman / Stoa / Rake / Snallygaster / Egregore / Argolito / Poreskoro / Papinijuwari / Doppelganger / Stewa Rutu / Hundun / Annunaki

CONSTRUCT: Trollnoste / Bakru / Formica Aurum / Gargoyle / Terra-Cotta / Invunche / Tupilaq / Dogu / Automaton / Grotesque / Wanyudo / Khalkotauroi / Indombe / Wulgaru / Ushabti / Celedon / Pixiu / Wicker Man / Kikituk / Minokawa / Juggernaut / Talos

TSUKUMOGAMI or LIVING OBJECT: Hinnagami / Kasa-Obake / Biwa-Bokuboku / Nosoi / Ittan-Momen / Furu-Utsubo / Hannya / Osakoburi / Kyobun-Sensei / Garei / Kameosa / Ipetamu / Bubak / Koto Furunushi / Ungaikyo / Boroboroton / Aoandon / Menreiki / Jenglot / Bugaboo / Oboroguruma / Fulad-Zereh / Seto Taisho / Zorigami / Agrippa / Tyrfing / Sakabashira / Caleuche / Cofgod / Pandoras

PS: Just for the record, I KNOW that spiders, centipedes, crabs and scorpions are NOT Insects, but I have more than enough groups as it is, don’t need an ARACHNID group, they are insects/vermin in my project! They are magical creatures anyway. 

[gryffnwing-blog]

Standard makes Gruun less lonely. $90 Standard Deck tech.

A new Season of Standard is upon us! With that, I’m revisiting one of my favorite color pairings. Dominaria has given Green/ Blue players some decent creatures, and some good control (without them being counters). Let’s begin~ For those of you who are just looking for the deck, you can see it here. Giant creatures~

We’re running 5 large creatures, with 2 copies of Grunn and Slinn Voda, and 1 copy of Multani. While Grunn is great kicked, swinging in for 10 damage a turn is just great. Mean while, we’re ramping a ton, which makes Multani a threat. Yeah, let them just kill Grunn, it’s sad, but giant tree out of no-where is amazing too. Lastly, Slinn Voda is meant for our late game. It seems that the new popular decks are going to be Knights, among other go-wide decks. And considering we can drop Voda down on turn 4/5, we can reset the board. 

On to the Ramp

Man, it it good to have a good card back. Turn one ramp, is really good. But what we drop on turn two, is even better. 

Doesn’t matter if you can attack or block. All that matters is that on turn 2 you have 3 lands, and an Elf, for turn 4 land drop and into Grown from the Ashes kicked. So turn five you’ll have 6-7 lands plus a Llanowar Elves on the field (If somehow it didn’t get destroyed). Which means you can bring in a 6/6 -7/7 Multani, or a kicked Grunn.  We have other ramp in Hour of Promise that can provide us some Zombies (We are indeed running 4 Deserts) as well as Spring/mind, which is meant for some late game draw. Well, what happens when indestructible Gods, flying Dragons, and other annoying stuff gets on the field? Well, we have some lovely temp disruption in, 

this and Unsummon  allows us to fix these situations. We have no hard counter in the main deck, but this helps us set back Scarab God and other such annoyances.  For all this build up, we need to somehow protect our big creatures.

Honestly this is the best card ever. Stops targeted removal, though against Settle the Wreckage, we’re going to have to sideboard. We do have Prowling Serpopard in the main for the big body, but to stop those pesky counter spells. Lastly, before we talk about the sideboard, I wanted to note the two copies of Tatyova, Benthic Druid. 

She takes shocks and other lovely damage spells, has a body that can block. Most importantly, a turn 3 Tatyova is the best Engine for this deck. Every Ramp spell is a two-for-one. While the life gain isn’t always important. Against fast aggro decks, it’s a nice touch.  For those questioning Gaea’s Blessing, it is a two mana Draw spell, and allows us to save our Graveyard from our own Scavenger Lands. Our Side deck. With all this ramp, we can have nice field of creatures. 

This is such a fun card, and after most decks side out their massive field wipes. We can always have 7 lands, in which case 4 can attack and that’s at least 8 damage. 

Glory Bringer, Lyra, and all major cards that have flying. The 7 damage is more than enough to deal with them. 

I love love love, cards like these. It’s great to see them in Standard. So, Gods like Hazoret, The Scarab God, and well those are the most problematic cards I’ve seen. make them a wall. Against control these don’t do much, so we never side them in. To round off the side board, we have an Unsummon to give us the complete playset and two Broken Bond. If History of Benalia has taught me anything it’s that Saga’s are gonig to be relevant in Standard...oh and all the O-ring like effects that stop our big creatures. The added land is sometimes nice. For $90, this is a pretty solid deck. I’ll be sleeving this up to play test soon, and will be writing about the results in the next few weeks. Many of the budget is towards the lands and the Sword tooth’s, which are good investments. Now, a small portion of the deck will cycle out in September, with rotation.  Personally, I love odd decks like this. We have some solid aggro, and some good disruption. The  way we want to go is dropping a Grunn, or even a Multani turn 4. Many deck aren’t going to be able to deal with that. I know many people are wondering why we don’t have trample enablers. While important, we really want the land drops. If anything I think 23 lands is too much, and would probably drop 2 for some main decked Song of Freyalise, which adds to the ramp, or Appeal//Authority. We don’t have the white, but a small pump to either Grunn or Multani can drastically change the game. Like the above, Drive// Despair is also good. Net a Draw and give Grunn trample (it affects our entire board) is just amazing. What do you guys think? Would you add anything? Did I miss anything? Well let me know in the comments below. Also, tell me the next Standard deck you’d like to see me build. Also, like, reblog, share, tell you cat. It makes me happy and helps with the whole self-confidence thing. Until next time, Gryffnwing~ 

[loreleywrites]

Cats of the Multiverse

When Commander (2017 Edition) was announced, you probably didn’t guess that Cat would be one of the featured tribes. When you found out that Cat would be one of the featured tribes, you probably didn’t think that there would be enough cards for the deck. When the decklists were finally revealed, you probably didn’t think that there was going to be that many different kinds of cats in the Multiverse.

And yet there are over twenty unique kinds of cat in Magic.

Last week I broke down the biodiversity of dragons by categorizing them up by plane. Many of the types of cats show up on multiple planes, so today’s article is going to be organized by type of cat instead. Pull up a box that you fit into, curl up and nap for twelve hours, and read on once you wake up.

Arahbo

Arahbo, Roar of the World by Jesper Ejsing

We only just learned that Arahbo exists, but he is already the most unique cat in Magic. Similar to how The Ur-Dragon imbues the Multiverse with dragonkind, Arahbo is the Ur-Cat that rouses the ferocious spirits of cats everywhere. We don’t know if they dwell on any specific plane or are an avatar capable of manifesting anywhere.

Arahbo has stripes like a tiger, a cloak-like mane echoing lions, and physical size to match any of the monstrous cats of the Multiverse.

Cat Warriors

Planeswalker’s Fury by Christopher Moeller

Cat warriors are the generic name given to most anthropomorphic cats in Magic. They are inspired by many kinds of real-world cats. Jedit Ojanen is a tigerfolk from Dominaria. The Planeswalker Windgrace (pictured above) was a black panther cat warrior who lived in Urborg. Jaguar-like cat warriors are members of the nacatl tribes on Alara. The only cat that doesn’t fall under the “cat warrior” umbrella is the lion, which belong to the named leonin race.

It’s possible that these different species of cat warrior get unique race names in the future. Until that day, they all get lumped together in one group.

Nekoru

Wasitora, Nakoru Queen by Cynthia Sheppard

While most cats are small and fuzzy, the nekoru of Jamuraa are giant cat-dragons. They have black fur and basically look like panthers with dragon wings.

Their most important role in Dominaria’s history was when Wasitora was stationed in Madara to protect the empire in exchange for fish. This was in the same era centuries ago when Tetsuo Umezawa killed Nicol Bolas, but the nekoru still live in their adopted home today.

Nishoba

Arctic Nishoba by Dave Kendall

There really isn’t much lore about the nishobas of Dominaria. What we know about them is inferred from their cards. They are massive, sabertoothed individuals. All the nishobas have such large power and toughness that they’re clearly some of the largest humanoids in the Multiverse. Sabertooth Nishoba even depicts one fighting a relatively small looking sea serpent.

Leonin

Pride Guardian by Chris Rahn

Leonin are the specifically leonine catfolk of the Multiverse. While they were first seen on Mirrodin, they only existed there because Memnarch stole them from somewhere else. Leonin have also appeared on Alara and Theros.

If you know what one leonin looks like, you know what they all look like. They display the standard sexual dimorphism, with males bearing large manes. Leonin look basically the same everywhere, though there are a few local quirks. Alaran leonin have coats colored in the standard gold, but can be white, grey, or black too. Like all other organisms on Mirrodin, leonin there have metal plating and dreadlock-esque hair.

Most cats are associated with both Green and White mana, but leonin are almost exclusively associated with White mana.

Rakshasa

Rakshasa Vizier by Peter Mohrbacher

The rakshasa of Tarkir are tiger-esque demons that lust for power and influence. They’re centered in Black, but occasionally tap into Green and Blue mana. They wield dark magic and are willing to share…for a price.

Whether in the Tarkir of Sarkhan’s nonexistent past or the Tarkir ruled by dragons, rakshasa tend to influence events from the shadows rather than the spotlight. Their large forms are often hunched over, whispering blackmail and treachery to those unfortunate enough to be in their debt.

Besides being large tigerfolk, rakshasa sprout curling demonic horns. They often wear ornate headdresses that reflect both their greed and the intricate loopholes in their pacts.

Housecat

Sacred Cat by Zezhou Chen

Not all cats are sapient humanoids. There are plenty of animalistic cats around.

The first group is exceptionally familiar: the housecat. Many planes have regular little cats that mew and catch mice and knock over goblets of ale. We’ve seen the most housecats on Innistrad, Ravnica, and Amonkhet.

Like most creatures in the Multiverse, not even housecats are immune to zombification. Zombies are everywhere on Innistrad, while cats on Amonkhet have been embalmed as part of Nicol Bolas’s Eternal army.

Small Wildcat

Steppe Lynx by Nic Klein

Wildcats come in many shapes and sizes, but they can be generally organized into small cats and large cats. These tend to be real-world animals put into a magical setting. Most of the small wildcats are lynxes (bobcats are lynxes), though there are a few caracals in Magic too. Some of the caracals are even domesticated, but they’re still much larger than the average housecat.

Debate can rage over whether or not pumas/cougars are small or large wildcats. Magic has a few either way.

Big Wildcat

Scythe Tiger by Michael Komarck

Big wildcats are like small wildcats but bigger. If you think pumas are big cats, then they’re here instead of in the last group (Though the Guma, which I can only assume is a portmanteau of “giant puma,” is definitely in the large group.)

These are familiar animals: lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and sabertooth cats. Panthers are just leopards or pumas or jaguars in our world, so it’s unknown if they’re an actual unique species in Magic.

A fantasy property has no problems making animals a little more fantastic. Some leopards have scythes on their legs. Some cheetahs have horns. Krosan Vorine is a generic “big cat” except for the spikes on its elbows and tail.

Firecat

Blistering Firecat by Arnie Swekel

Sometimes cats are just on fire.

Elemental cats wreathed in flame can mostly be found on Dominaria, but they also appear on Regatha and Fiora. They tend to be superficially built like large wildcats.

That’s it. They’re big cats made out of fire. Pretty easy to grok.

Jhovall

Jhovall Queen by Michael Sutfin and Jhovall Rider by Scott M. Fischer

The plane of Mercadia is the home of the giant jhovalls. These cats are tiger-like in appearance, but have one key distinguishing feature. Jhovall ears are long and end in curved points. Fancy.

While jhovalls are wild animals, they can be domesticated. Rebel forces on Mercadia often use jhovalls as mounts. The size and strength of these felines make them invaluable partners in combat.

Leotau

Wild Leotau by Michael Komarck

Mercadians aren’t the only people in the Multiverse who ride on weird fantasy cats. Leotau are hooved lions that (mostly) reside on the Alaran shard of Bant. Their stout, muscular bodies make them ideal mounts for the heavily armored knights of the plane. Leotau themselves even wear armor, participating in the regality of Bant’s martial culture.

While the only living leotau that survived the Sundering reside on Bant, zombified leotau still roamed the nightmarish shard of Grixis. These skeletal beings have replaced the pomp of their fleshy siblings with undying horror.

Felidar

Felidar Sovereign by Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

The bestial felidar are large cats crowned with crystalline horns. They are native to two planes: Zendikar and Kaladesh. Felidar of each plane have slightly different characteristics.

On Zendikar, felidar have muscular bodies and thick coats. Their horns glow with White mana, blinding foes as they charge into battle. They are often ridden by wandering knights, continuing the motif of noble wildcats acting as mounts.

The felidar of Kaladesh are lithe and elegant. Their white coats and bright blue stripes mirror the aether that imbues all life on the plane. Their horns swirl like fine filigree.

Maaka

Rubblebelt Maaka by Eric Velhagen

We know almost nothing about the maaka of Ravnica. They’re gigantic wildcats with six eyes that roam in the ruined regions of the city. They’re aligned with the Gruul Clans, attacking any foreign forces unfortunate enough to wander into maaka territory.

Arynx

Lurking Arynx by Carl Frank

Likewise, we know almost nothing about the arynx of Tarkir. They prowl the forests across the entire plane, from the humid jungles in Silumgar’s domain to the coniferous woodlands of Atarka’s hunting grounds. Predators have to be ferocious and violent in a world ruled by dragons, and the arynx is no slouch. Large fangs, facial spikes, and elbow blades allow these cats to kill large game. They have elongated ears, which probably help locate and track prey over large distances.

Bandar

Scrounging Bandar by Shreya Shetty

The sneakiness of a cat with the mischief of a monkey. That is the duality of the bandar.

These literal cat-monkeys live on Kaladesh, where they’re a nuisance to artificers everywhere. Bandar frequently take tools, munch metal, and wreck workshops.

Longtusk

Longtusk Cub by Zoltan Boros

The longtusks are a wildcat of Kaladesh that are heavily influenced by the movement of aether in the ecosystem. Aether’s swirling patterns can be found in many places in longtusk anatomy. Their tails curl with the aether currents. Their stripes undulate with the aethersphere. Even their namesake tusks growing in a swirling shape as they age.

It’s just a shame those teeth prevent the longtusks from actually being able to access food with their mouths.

Serpopard

Prowling Serpopard by Tyler Jacobson

Serpopards are part snake, part cat. They hunt in the deserts of Amonkhet, hiding in oasis trees to drop onto unsuspecting prey. They have the venomous fangs and sensory tongue of a serpent and the stealth and cunning of a leopard. Like many of the plane’s beasts, serpopards are occasionally brought into Naktamun to become part of Rhonas’s menagerie.

Magical Cats

Nylea’s Emissary by Sam Burley

Aside from the flaming elemental felines, there are all sorts of magical cats throughout the Multiverse. They are as varied as the biomes they inhabit and as mysterious as the energies that create their bodies.

These cats can be made from just about anything; ice, Phyrexian engineering, crystals, illusion magic, clouds, ghosts, Nyx, stone, barbed wire, and the spirit of night itself. So long as Magic continues to explore the Multiverse, I’m sure even more magical cats will be discovered.

The Cats Are out of the Bag

Cats are animals near and dear to humans, so it’s not surprising how many forms that take in Magic. On some planes, cats are people too. On others, they reprise the familiar role of furry pet. Almost everywhere, Magic’s cats can tap into the wild spirit of the predator.

Commander (2017 Edition) finally gives players the cards to support this multifaceted tribe. Even Standard provides the tools for a Green/White Cat tribal deck. And as always, kitchen tables around the globe are the homes of decks built around fan-favorite creature types.

Good for you, cats, and may your next eight lives be as blessed as this one.

[flavoracle]

Can we talk for a second about Prowling Serpopard and how one key omission in its design has ignited a war between the Vorthos and Mel sides of my brain? 

It doesn’t have deathtouch. 

“So what?” you say. “Green only gets deathtouch at secondary, and there’s nothing about the design of this card that makes it lean towards having deathtouch. It doesn’t synergize with the other rules text, and with a power of 4, it doesn’t really need it. It would just clutter card space.” 

And yes, that’s all 100% true! But then I look at the art and... 

And here’s the thing. You see those stripes? In a discussion on snake identification, the specific order those colors appear in is significant. 

These two snakes are the harmless King Snake and the highly venomous Coral Snake. When looking at them side by side, the difference between them is fairly obvious, but they’re rarely seen side by side. And in the wild, if you see a snake with red, black, and yellow stripes, you probably won’t want to reach for a field guide to figure out what it is. (Admittedly, the best advice for either snake is to just leave it the heck alone, but that’s beside the point.) 

So these two snakes have given rise to a whole host of cutesy rhymes and mnemonic devices over the years to remember which is which. Like this one for example: 

So why does this matter? Because as a former Boy Scout, I had this information pounded into my head on a regular basis. (Never mind the fact that neither of these species is native to where I live, but again, that’s beside the point.) 

So when Prowling Serpopard was released, as soon as I realized it was a cat SNAKE, the first thing I did was look at the order of its stripe colors. And sure enough, it’s got red on yellow. DANGER!! 

So then I expect to see it has deathtouch or some other mechanical representation of its famed venom and lethality, but it doesn’t. 

And then my rational side kicks in and is like, “Yeah, of course it doesn’t have deathtouch. Look at the card. That wouldn’t make any sense, Dave.” And then I’m like, “Shut up rational side of my brain! Look at the stripes!! DANGER!!” 

And now we’re right back where we started. 

What is the point of all this? 

...I dunno. It’s just been buzzing around my brain since yesterday when I saw the card. So I figured I’d share. 

[dailymtgflavortext]

EDH Decks: Amonkhet Overhaul

Hello everyone! Another Magic set means another massive list of changes for many of my EDH decks! Below, I will outline some of the changes I made, as well as talk a bit about some of the new cards I think are interesting or worth using.

I hope you enjoy my musings!

Here we go!

1. Thromok, the Insatiable

I want to make more changes to this deck in the near future, so I haven’t added much yet. But for now, I added Sheltered Thicket and Vizier of the Menagerie. The thicket isn’t a particularly exciting addition by any means, but it’s kind of cool to have the entire family tree of Forest/Mountains in the deck. The vizier is a super cool card though. This is a very creature-centric deck, but I’ve found the overall CMC of the cards to be a little on the higher side. I replaced Garruk’s Horde with this card, since it does the same thing but at a much lower cost. In the longer run, I want to make this deck a little less about big stuff as my Iwamori deck becomes almost entirely about big stuff. Speaking of which...

2. Iwamori of the Open Fist

Iwamori got a lot in this set, he seems to get along really well with Rhonas and friends. First of all, obviously Rhonas himself found a place in the deck since he will always be a creature and he can pump up the commander. Good stuff. Mouth // Feed is also a really good card in mono-green I feel. I mean, the 3/3 Hippo for 3 isn’t super great or anything, but getting Feed into the graveyard so you can use it whenever you want is pretty nice. Prowling Serpopard is another card I added, but I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. It seems like a decent utility card in a deck full of creatures, particularly since I don’t have access to Vexing Shusher in this deck like I do in Thromok. It can be fetched with Woodland Bellower too, so that’s something.

Now, for a couple cards I’m not completely sold on. Rhonas’s Monument was super wreck in sealed, so I figured I’d give it a shot. It makes my creatures cheaper, so that’s good. It also pumps my commander. Again, not bad. I feel like it should make the cut, but I haven’t used it yet. Finally, I also added Champion of Rhonas, kind of on a whim. I really want to make attacking more important to the deck since people in my playgroup rarely attack if they don’t plan to win the game by doing it, and this seems like a pretty good card for that. I dunno, I had the foil version from the prerelease. I wanted to use it.

3. Melek, Izzet Paragon

Yeah, my green decks got the most from this set. Just one thing here: Commit // Memory. Really, I’m surprised I don’t see more talk about this card. Commit is a pseudo-counterspell as well as nonland permanent  removal. I mean... that sounds great! I like it a lot. Memory is less exciting, but it’s a solid card to cast from a graveyard. All in all I like this card a lot, but somehow I didn’t even know it existed until I got one in a prize pack.

4. Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice

I’m still trying to get this deck to work well. It looks nice. I enjoy the whole aesthetic of the deck. But, it doesn’t really compete super well with the decks my friends run. However, Amonkhet seems to have just the cards that I need: cards that give free stuff! More specifically, cards that give free stuff that are based on counters! As Foretold and Oracle’s Vault are perfect for this deck, so I’m really looking forward to trying them out. I also added Bounty of the Luxa because I think it’s a cool card, and I could always use a bit more card draw/mana. It might go out of the deck later, but for now it’s there.

5. Karona, False God

This isn’t Alara, so 5-colour matters isn’t a theme that pops up often. Having said that, this set has Cascading Cataracts. It’s not a particularly good card, but I have a foil one. I dunno, I could see it maybe being useful if Chromatic Lantern isn’t in play. Possibly. It just looks pretty, okay?

6. Zur de France (Zur the Enchanter)

This deck is getting a lot of goodies, but it’s still a work in progress. Lots of cycling going on. Stay tuned for a deck list eventually!

And yeah, I think that’s it for cards I’m using. Of course, there are other good cards that I think are worth mentioning:

Sandwurm Convergence looks pretty good in a green deck, and I am considering it. The best thing about it is the fact that you actually get a wurm on the turn you play it, so it starts paying off right away. It’s a 5/5 tied to a Gravity Well for 8 mana that keeps generating more 5/5s. Sounds good if you can ramp to it well enough.

Glorious End is a funny card that I’m sure a silly mono-red deck out there somewhere will enjoy.

Samut, Voice of Dissent is a really weird card, and I personally hate that she has White in her activated ability. She’s better as a general that way, but it also means that I can’t use her as a Haste engine in Thromok. What a shame. For me.

Harsh Mentor looks like a card that will get a lot of use in some formats. Turns off a lot of combos, so it’s something to use if those are running rampant in your meta.

Annointed Procession looks really good. I don’t have a White token deck to use it in, but I’m sure it will become a staple in many of them. Can’t complain about as colour-shifted Parallel Lives.

Nissa, Steward of Elements looks super good. Might even find room for her in Atraxa. Probably should, actually.

Pyramid of the Pantheon is a card I really like, but I just have nowhere to put it. It’s a build-your-own Gilded Lotus, but I have no reason to use it over an actual Gilded Lotus. Even in Atraxa, I’d rather use Prismatic Geoscope. It’s a shame too, because I really think it’s a cool card. I mean, Gilded Lotus isn’t very cheap though, and the Pyramid is like a bulk rare. That should help it find a place in a lot of decks out there.

Heaven // Earth is another card that slipped by under my radar. It’s two board wipes in one. Can’t go wrong there.

Reduce // Rubble is a card I mention not because I think it’s good, but because of how disappointed I am in it. It’s fine for what it is, but I was reeeeealllyyy looking forward to the R/U split card for Melek, and I got this. Why is Rubble so... underwhelming? With a name like Reduce to Rubble, you’d think it would at least destroy a land, not just ice a couple down. Ugh.

Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons looks like a sick general. One of my friends is building a deck around her. I even might have if he didn’t.

Liliana, Death’s Majesty looks really good in a reanimator deck. I like her a lot. Not sure what else there is to say about her, she’s just a solid planeswalker.

Cut // Ribbons looks pretty good. Exsanguinate is used in a lot of decks, so if you are also running Red, might as well use this one as well. It’s removal on one hand, and a win-con on the other. Pretty solid.

And, that’s that. If you made it this far, I congratulate you! I hope you enjoyed what you read! I do enjoy talking about Magic cards, even if it means writing these long posts that people may or may not read.

[ardenssolis]

@nvrcmplt​ said (inbox):

I like to imagine, Ozy sitting in his throne with Lerion & Taizen in lion forms around his feet / on the steps, and Qee & Zateros higher up, their long necks stretching to be close with Ozy. uw u

[AAAAAAA YES! Can you imagine how intimidating that image is to someone who cames to talk to him? Ozy just casually lounging on his throne and he has two serpopards like right there and two really powerful lions that have the strength of like ten men in either form right resting around him... Probably wind up sweating hoping they never get on his bad side.]

[dude1818]

Went 2-2 again, but this time with the total opposite archetype and colors. Potential sideboard to the right, although I only used the Stinging Shot from it. Felt really good my first two matches, but had major mana troubles in my last two. Steamrolled a brand new player round one, but tried to be nice and walked him through how combat worked and such. Beat WU tempo in round two. He bounced my ETB discard dude twice, but then wheeled when I had only 2 cards in hand which probably cost him the game. Lost round three to a 4-color cycling deck. I stalled after getting him to 3 life, and he drained me for 14 with the black cycling enchantment. Got destroyed round four from a bad mulligan and Oketra.

Edit: Oops, forgot my rares. Soul-Scar Mage, Sweltering Suns, and Prowling Serpopard were in the deck. Promo was Angel of Sanctions.

[danceswithdinosaurs]

Jasmine, moonflower, dahlia ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

jasmine; what mythical creature do you wish actually existed?

oh you probably expecting some lame answer like a dragon, which is still true but too predictable. I want to see a Serpopard. Imagine seeing one of those peepin at you in the wild

moonflower; what’s your favorite color 

I’m rather fond of orange

dahlia; do you like crystals? 

they’re pretty so ofc I do. Let me be a dragon and have a hoarded pile of them

[trollandfairy-blog]

Aggro Deck, Midrange Ability

Well well well. Did we/I get our/my comeuppance(s). (Listen to the emotional fallout here on the latest episode!)

Let’s talk about Cole and Dlo’s most recent eruption into the melee of Channel Fireball’s Friday Night Magic tournaments (standard and modern, respectively).

Cole’s Deck (Standard-legal Sultai Energy)

Round 1 against Temur Energy went 1-2. Close couple of matches, and the highlight (the bad highlight) of this match for me was that I had lethal on the board in game 3 and didn’t realize it because I haven’t played with Walking Ballista and am not used to their god-like ability to suddenly unload counters for damage to a player’s face. Two (not one, not none, but TWO) people who had been spectating came up to me and told me how many mistakes I made the last match. Which I wasn’t even angry about, I was glad I realized it. I never want to make that mistake again.

Round 2 I... I don’t really remember. I think it was UB control? Yeah that’s right. Again went 1-2, and found I was really unclear about how to board in against control with my current decklist. I am really considering bringing in Prowling Serpopard to just give the middle finger to those counter-heavy decks, but need to noodle over what I would lose from the sideboard currently to accomodate that (probably the essence scatters).

Round 3 I went up against an affinity brew that had Herald of Anguish and Marionette Masters as its win condition. This is the only match I won with 2-1, and my loss was pretty directly attributable to being mana screwed. Learned a lot about when to and when not to rely on my Hostage Takers, who are NOT infallible by any means and are best cast if I can protect them. Super fun card that you can still work around, just like anything else.

Round 4? Oh hoh ho, let me tell you about Round 4 my friends. Orry (another buddy of the podcast) and Dlo were both watching the match after dropping for the last round of the modern tourney, and I let the pressure of eyes on me coupled with losing rounds 1 and 2 just make me fall apart. I went up against Jeskai Approach, went 0-2, and had the often occurring and totally unenjoyable experience of playing poorly against an opponent who clearly thought I was an idiot. Self-esteem and ability both deserted me and I went down in absoLUTEly preventable flames.

But overall? Totally fun. Even though Dlo and I can be what doctor’s call “Total Douche-y Hypercompetitive For Childhood-Rooted Inferiority Complex Reasons”, going into this with the explicit intent of practicing our new decks it still was a fun time in spite of all the losses.

WE WILL LEARN. AND THEN, WE WILL RISE! AND THEN, WE WILL PROBABLY GET SOME BURRITOS, BECAUSE RISING MAKES US HUNGRY.

[samwiselastname]

im afraid of tigers and snakes so a serpopard is probably one of the scariest animals i can imagine

[zomburai]

I read your review of Amonkhet and you made a lot of good points, but Serpopard is far from the first 4-power 1-color three drop. Ignoring the commons that are 4/1s, since that's basically a drawback by itself, Boon Satyr is a 4/2 with flash and bestow and there's even Leatherback Baloth, a 4/5 vanilla. Plus, while it probably won't work in standard I can definitely see it being sideboarded in modern stompy, so Snakat isn't totally useless.

Oh, shit, thanks for catching that. Originally it was supposed to be the first 4/3 three-drop without a drawback, but even then I somehow missed the Baloth in my research entirely. I’mma get that edited right now!

As for Serpopard making a mark in Modern, it remains possible! A lot of it will determine on how much Amonkhet upsets the metagame. If As Fortold does bring back a countermagic-heavy control deck, Kat Snak’s value goes up quick.