Limited Resources patreon

Limited Resources 378 – Modern Masters 2017 Preview and Siggy’s Draft Tips Reviewed

🕑 Added 2017-03-02 07:46:22 +0000 UTC

Comments

Michael Rawdon

I want to support LSV's appreciation of Bastion Inventor (5U 4/4 Improvise Hexproof): I think it's a quality card, and here's why: There are very few Common creatures in this format with 4+ power or 5+ toughness - I count only 4 Commons in Aether Revolt (including the Inventor). There are a lot more in Kaladesh - I think 11 - which makes sense since it's a large set, but even so in AER draft you're going to see a lot fewer creatures which can go one-on-one with the Inventor. A 4/4 is pretty beefy in this format! Especially in Blue, and especially if you can improvise it out sooner. So it can productively block almost most other creatures (trading 1-for-1), but it will often need to be double-blocked (and potentially get a 2-for-1) when it attacks. And having Hexproof means it can't be 1-for-1'ed with a removal spell, which means your opponent *has* to figure out how to deal with it via combat. I've also found that while it's great if you can get Bastion Inventor or Sweatworks Brawler out early with improvise, they're also both okay to play for their natural mana cost, especially if you have other things to do while curving up to them. (Playing one of the many excellent 3-drops in the format followed by a Brawler on turn 4 has been fine for me. To be fair the Brawler is probably better positioned for this line of play than is the Inventor.) There are many formats in which the Inventor would be pretty meh, but I think Aether Revolt limited happens to be (or was designed to be) one where it shines. It's not a bomb, but it is a serious threat card. What do you think?