#ambuscade shaman

[xuxunette]

Chapters 61 to 64 posted.

Reunion time with Gu Xiang and Cao Weining, Lord Seventh/Great Shaman. Also, ZZS officially falls in love. Took only 60+ chapters.

The Ambuscade

Equilibrium

The Nights Before

A Deadly Gamble

[inventors-fair]

Stocking Stuffers

Congratulations to the runner-up this week, The Mantle of the Mardu for most thoughtful gift, Speedborn Strength for coolest gift, and Thelon, the Thallidfather for best card mechanically.

~

@kytheon4-4 - The Mantle of the Mardu

This is definitely a “laughing to keep from crying” kind of card. When you submitted it, I was like “yeah, old khans was way better, everyone knew it, it’s sad that it’s gone.” But then I read the card and was blown away. It’s so clear what’s going on, but it still is awesome. Putting this on Zurgo turns him into his other self. I was a little disappointed you didn’t make it cost 2WB so that the combined mana cost would line up (and since nothing on the enchantment is necessarily red), but I think you were right to keep Mardu in the Mardu colors. It’s a very powerful effect, but the 2-for-1 nature of auras and three-color requirement means this card isn’t too strong. A great, fun, powerful, and deeply flavorful card. I love it, and Zurgo would too.

-

@aethernalstars​ - Speedborn Strength

I don’t understand what this has to do with seedborn muse- OH Speedborn. Yes, I see. A gift to Ilharg, as well as the other big red legends that cheat big guys into play. I always thought Primal Forcemage was an awesome card, and I was happy when we got Ambuscade Shaman as well, but it’s always been surprising we never got one in the color that can best take advantage of it. Honestly you probably could have been fine just stealing their templating, since the only notable difference is that the others can buff blockers you flash in. Templating wise, I would replace “if it entered attacking” with “if it’s attacking” and turn “when” into “whenever” in both abilities. I’ll also point out that it’s symmetrical, which was probably not intended. But the card itself? I love it. It’s a little narrow, but it’s very nice in those decks, and if you can stack them so that a creature with haste is being put into play attacking? Hoo boy, what a rush! This is also possibly the most standard-playable of the cards this week, as opposed to the more commander or modern-combo cards. I’ll also say my opinion is slightly tainted by the fact that viashino are my favorite mechanically-defined tribes, and viashinio firstblade was one of my first favorite cards. This card gives me great joy.

-

@dumbellsndragons​ - Thelon, the Thallidfather

I assumed this was a gift to himself but when you said this was a gift to Korvold (every king need his tithe) it made a lot more sense. This is a very well-balanced card, and the symmetry between the saproling-creating triggered ability and the saproling-needing activated ability. I’m really impressed by the balance not only in power level (it’s efficient but not too efficient) but also the balance between the colors, being very clearly jund, but not more of any one color than any other. And, of course, it’s straight stupid good in Korvold decks. The only thing that kept it out of the top spot was that the two abilities are both things we’ve seen before, and while their combination is more than the sum of it’s part, it isn’t really breaking much new ground. Still, Great card!

~

And that’s the runners-up! Like I said yesterday, this was a tough challenge, and I could easily post a runners-up for the runners-up, but we have another contest to run, and I shouldn’t dilly-dally any longer. Commentary will be up in precisely half an hour, if tumblr can be trusted. Thanks again to everyone who entered, see you in Discord!

-Mod Mr. ShinyObject

[mtgbracket]

Round of 4096 - Batch 4

You can now vote in Batch 4.

Feature match: Blue mana accelerant Sapphire Medallion vs enchantment-cheating Academy Rector.

Currently open batches:

Batch 4 Batch 3 Batch 2 Batch 1

Full list of matchups:

Thistledown Duo vs Stirring Wildwood Life // Death vs Conundrum Sphinx Gaseous Form vs Zo-Zu the Punisher Fieldmist Borderpost vs Auriok Steelshaper Lord of the Undead vs Justice Scarscale Ritual vs Condescend Haze of Rage vs Wasteland Scavenging Ooze vs Unholy Strength Treacherous Urge vs Nut Collector Izzet Staticaster vs Raid Bombardment Deep-Sea Kraken vs Chief of the Edge Academy Rector vs Sapphire Medallion Groundbreaker vs Esper Charm Den Protector vs Shock Troops Ambuscade Shaman vs Entomb Price of Progress vs Gilded Light Giant Growth vs Voltaic Construct Master of Etherium vs Dimir House Guard Tymna the Weaver vs Evil Presents Marble Diamond vs Nether Void Memnarch vs Ovalchase Dragster Tolarian Winds vs Jeskai Ascendancy Nomad Outpost vs Sindbad Lux Cannon vs Brain Freeze Vulturous Aven vs Dragonlord's Prerogative Kagemaro, First to Suffer vs Pacifism Cumber Stone vs Lord of the Unreal Surgical Extraction vs Llanowar Dead Sphinx of Jwar Isle vs Ring of Gix Managorger Hydra vs Polymorphist's Jest Kor Hookmaster vs Thran Tome All Hallow's Eve vs Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer

[magic-the-beefening]

He’s a shaman that casts his spells with a sword. And the spell is always “blood everywhere”.

[mtgbracket]

Round of 4096 - Batch 4 results

1,306 Bracketeers voted in Batch 4, and 11.40m votes have now been cast.

Visual results are here and today’s results are:

Entomb defeats Ambuscade Shaman with 91.79% of the vote Price of Progress defeats Gilded Light with 91.18% of the vote Memnarch defeats Ovalchase Dragster with 90.45% of the vote Giant Growth defeats Voltaic Construct with 89.39% of the vote

Stirring Wildwood defeats Thistledown Duo with 87.32% of the vote Den Protector defeats Shock Troops with 86.81% of the vote Master of Etherium defeats Dimir House Guard with 86.33% of the vote Lord of the Undead defeats Justice with 85.67% of the vote

Wasteland defeats Haze of Rage with 84.92% of the vote Lord of the Unreal defeats Cumber Stone with 84.65% of the vote Surgical Extraction defeats Llanowar Dead with 84.24% of the vote Izzet Staticaster defeats Raid Bombardment with 82.33% of the vote

Scavenging Ooze defeats Unholy Strength with 82.30% of the vote Zo-Zu the Punisher defeats Gaseous Form with 81.16% of the vote Pacifism defeats Kagemaro, First to Suffer with 80.81% of the vote Nether Void defeats Marble Diamond with 79.64% of the vote

Condescend defeats Scarscale Ritual with 77.02% of the vote Academy Rector defeats Sapphire Medallion with 76.56% of the vote Jeskai Ascendancy defeats Tolarian Winds with 74.31% of the vote Kor Hookmaster defeats Thran Tome with 68.09% of the vote

Nut Collector defeats Treacherous Urge with 67.55% of the vote Tymna the Weaver defeats Evil Presents with 67.41% of the vote Esper Charm defeats Groundbreaker with 64.51% of the vote Sphinx of Jwar Isle defeats Ring of Gix with 64.13% of the vote

Dragonlord's Prerogative defeats Vulturous Aven with 63.68% of the vote Brain Freeze defeats Lux Cannon with 63.68% of the vote Nomad Outpost defeats Sindbad with 59.76% of the vote Deep-Sea Kraken defeats Chief of the Edge with 59.62% of the vote

Managorger Hydra defeats Polymorphist's Jest with 58.80% of the vote Life // Death defeats Conundrum Sphinx with 58.51% of the vote Auriok Steelshaper defeats Fieldmist Borderpost with 56.44% of the vote All Hallow's Eve defeats Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer with 56.18% of the vote

Full results to date can be seen here.

[mtgbracket]

Round of 8192 - Batch 55

You can now vote in Batch 55!

Currently open batches:

Batch 55 Batch 54 Batch 53 Batch 52 Batch 51 Batch 50 Batch 49

Batch 48 results will be up shortly.

Feature match: Super removal spell Putrefy takes on the one true mana elf, Llanowar Elves.

Full list of matchups:

Consuming Bonfire vs Dodecapod Fusion Elemental vs Fortune Thief Dark Hatchling vs Tolarian Winds Shield of Kaldra vs Fate Foretold Eye of Ugin vs Elemental Uprising Patron of the Wild vs Order of the Golden Cricket Vacuumelt vs Ancestral Memories Ornamental Courage vs Vraska the Unseen Goblin Snowman vs Alaborn Cavalier Desertion vs Stronghold Rats Supply // Demand vs Wall of Tanglecord Phyrexian Scuta vs Skittering Crustacean Putrefy vs Llanowar Elves Reckless Imp vs Ambuscade Shaman Dragonlord's Prerogative vs Hellkite Hatchling Humility vs Mardu Scout Puppet Master vs Loam Dweller Quest for Ancient Secrets vs Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion Wall of Shards vs Simic Sky Swallower Oblivion Ring vs Graf Mole Atog vs Sentinel of the Eternal Watch Skull Rend vs Mardu Shadowspear Fool's Demise vs Caress of Phyrexia Braids, Cabal Minion vs Evincar's Justice Golgari Brownscale vs Boros Cluestone Hada Freeblade vs Stonybrook Schoolmaster Holy Justiciar vs Armored Guardian Inferno Titan vs Unscythe, Killer of Kings Batterskull vs Identity Thief Maze of Shadows vs Bramblecrush Churning Eddy vs Unholy Hunger Leviathan vs Plague Witch

[mtgbracket]

Round of 8192 - Batch 55 results

935 Bracketeers voted in Batch 55, and 9.58m votes have now been cast.

Visual results are here and today’s results are:

Vraska the Unseen defeats Ornamental Courage with 96.76% of the vote Oblivion Ring defeats Graf Mole with 91.98% of the vote Batterskull defeats Identity Thief with 87.87% of the vote Eye of Ugin defeats Elemental Uprising with 87.76% of the vote

Desertion defeats Stronghold Rats with 85.92% of the vote Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion defeats Quest for Ancient Secrets with 83.20% of the vote Humility defeats Mardu Scout with 81.49% of the vote Braids, Cabal Minion defeats Evincar's Justice with 80.79% of the vote

Goblin Snowman defeats Alaborn Cavalier with 76.92% of the vote Supply // Demand defeats Wall of Tanglecord with 76.51% of the vote Shield of Kaldra defeats Fate Foretold with 75.74% of the vote Bramblecrush defeats Maze of Shadows with 74.77% of the vote

Atog defeats Sentinel of the Eternal Watch with 74.66% of the vote Llanowar Elves defeats Putrefy with 73.13% of the vote Simic Sky Swallower defeats Wall of Shards with 72.22% of the vote Inferno Titan defeats Unscythe, Killer of Kings with 71.30% of the vote

Leviathan defeats Plague Witch with 71.21% of the vote Order of the Golden Cricket defeats Patron of the Wild with 70.28% of the vote Ambuscade Shaman defeats Reckless Imp with 69.72% of the vote Ancestral Memories defeats Vacuumelt with 66.56% of the vote

Golgari Brownscale defeats Boros Cluestone with 65.05% of the vote Armored Guardian defeats Holy Justiciar with 64.58% of the vote Dodecapod defeats Consuming Bonfire with 63.10% of the vote Hada Freeblade defeats Stonybrook Schoolmaster with 62.20% of the vote

Tolarian Winds defeats Dark Hatchling with 59.04% of the vote Fortune Thief defeats Fusion Elemental with 57.10% of the vote Mardu Shadowspear defeats Skull Rend with 56.16% of the vote Loam Dweller defeats Puppet Master with 56.11% of the vote

Unholy Hunger defeats Churning Eddy with 55.32% of the vote Phyrexian Scuta defeats Skittering Crustacean with 55.22% of the vote Dragonlord's Prerogative defeats Hellkite Hatchling with 54.37% of the vote Fool's Demise defeats Caress of Phyrexia with 51.20% of the vote

Full results to date can be seen here.

[mtgbracket]

Round of 16384 - Batch 120 results

701 Bracketeers voted in Batch 120, and 4.93m votes have now been cast.

Visual results are here and today’s results are:

Hellkite Tyrant defeats Jukai Messenger with 95.85% of the vote Braids, Conjurer Adept defeats Shield Bearer with 93.62% of the vote Naya Charm defeats Rustmouth Ogre with 92.90% of the vote Heir of Falkenrath defeats Havengul Skaab with 90.57% of the vote

Vesuvan Shapeshifter defeats Rootgrapple with 89.29% of the vote Forbidden Alchemy defeats Batterhorn with 87.89% of the vote Night of Souls' Betrayal defeats Vodalian War Machine with 87.87% of the vote Stronghold Overseer defeats Cursed Monstrosity with 87.35% of the vote

Cloudgoat Ranger defeats Echo Tracer with 86.69% of the vote Torrent of Souls defeats Smoke Teller with 86.05% of the vote Ordeal of Thassa defeats Scent of Cinder with 83.50% of the vote Undercity Informer defeats Runed Arch with 82.40% of the vote

Soulcatchers' Aerie defeats Barbed Foliage with 79.91% of the vote Kiyomaro, First to Stand defeats Thoughtbind with 79.33% of the vote Traitorous Blood defeats Ancient Kavu with 78.71% of the vote Akroma's Memorial defeats Bottled Cloister with 76.90% of the vote

Palace Siege defeats Heightened Awareness with 75.18% of the vote Blisterpod defeats Allay with 73.95% of the vote Contraband Kingpin defeats Embargo with 71.98% of the vote Nimble Mongoose defeats Sulfur Elemental with 71.96% of the vote

Lay of the Land defeats Abstruse Interference with 64.78% of the vote Ornitharch defeats Spontaneous Generation with 63.99% of the vote Bifurcate defeats Seismic Mage with 62.56% of the vote Soldier of the Pantheon defeats Jodah's Avenger with 62.23% of the vote

Ambuscade Shaman defeats Sibsig Muckdraggers with 61.32% of the vote Ebony Charm defeats Moonlit Strider with 58.52% of the vote Soltari Champion defeats Dream Thief with 57.83% of the vote Greater Harvester defeats Agonizing Demise with 57.58% of the vote

Crush Underfoot defeats Spectral Guardian with 56.55% of the vote Brilliant Spectrum defeats Liberated Dwarf with 55.69% of the vote Watcher Sliver defeats Tectonic Rift with 55.49% of the vote Squallmonger defeats Painwracker Oni with 53.62% of the vote

Full results to date can be seen here.

[mtgbracket]

Round of 16384 - Batch 120

Batch 120 voting is now open.  The following polls are currently open:

Batch 120 Batch 119 Batch 118 Batch 117 Batch 116 Batch 115 Batch 114

Batch 113 results will be up soon.

The full list of matchups for today is:

Hellkite Tyrant vs Jukai Messenger Ancient Kavu vs Traitorous Blood Bottled Cloister vs Akroma's Memorial Sulfur Elemental vs Nimble Mongoose Soulcatchers' Aerie vs Barbed Foliage Spontaneous Generation vs Ornitharch Scent of Cinder vs Ordeal of Thassa Contraband Kingpin vs Embargo Braids, Conjurer Adept vs Shield Bearer Moonlit Strider vs Ebony Charm Rootgrapple vs Vesuvan Shapeshifter Blisterpod vs Allay Naya Charm vs Rustmouth Ogre Echo Tracer vs Cloudgoat Ranger Soltari Champion vs Dream Thief Jodah's Avenger vs Soldier of the Pantheon Crush Underfoot vs Spectral Guardian Torrent of Souls vs Smoke Teller Kiyomaro, First to Stand vs Thoughtbind Heightened Awareness vs Palace Siege Greater Harvester vs Agonizing Demise Bifurcate vs Seismic Mage Watcher Sliver vs Tectonic Rift Heir of Falkenrath vs Havengul Skaab Brilliant Spectrum vs Liberated Dwarf Painwracker Oni vs Squallmonger Forbidden Alchemy vs Batterhorn Abstruse Interference vs Lay of the Land Stronghold Overseer vs Cursed Monstrosity Sibsig Muckdraggers vs Ambuscade Shaman Undercity Informer vs Runed Arch Vodalian War Machine vs Night of Souls' Betrayal