Discussion - Reassessing Guildpact

[Chedy]

We've had a chance to play with the cards, get a feel for the set, and even see it in action at the PT. Let's take another look and give a new top 10 list of the best cards in the set.

What cards make your top 10, and what cards have you found to be overvalued from when Guildpact was first released?

[kashmyr]

I really think that there hasn't been a set that was more undervalued then Guildpact - I think most of the reviews that I saw were quite a bit off. I think a lot of people underestimated some really good cards.

I think the top 10 cards of Guildpact are clearly (in no numerical order, by alphabetical order, removing the Signets and Lands because those are just easy answers):

Burning Tree Shaman
Castigate
Debtor's Knell
Dryad Sophisticate
Ghost Council of the Orzhova
Giant Solifuge
Mortify
Plagued Rusalka
Pillory of the Sleepless
Savage Twister

The most overrated by some (including myself)? Quicken. I think the card has potential, but so far has been a disappointment (of course, I also thought Battle of Wits would be better then it was - and the deck has all but disappeared because of the current environment).

[SRmogg]

Hmm, my list isn't very different from when I made it at the beginning of the set's released. Anywho

1. Dual lands
2. Burning-Tree Shaman
3. Mortify
4. Ghost Council
5. Giant Solifuge
6. Repeal
7. Debtor's Knell
8. Angel of Dispair
9. Scorched Rusalka
10. Electrolyze

Guildpact was a pretty good set. Not as good as Ravnica, but still strong.

[Dark Kuno]

1. Dual lands naturally
2. Dryad Sophisticate
3. Mortify
4. Burning Tree Shaman
5. Plagued Rusalka
6. Electrolyze
7. Debtor's Knell
8. Giant Solifuge
9. Silhana Ledgewalker
10. Savage Twister

[VSU The_Hangedman]

Overvalued cards from Guildpact: Electrolyze, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Undervalued cards from Guildpact: Ghostway, Skeletal Vampire, Mimeofacture, Gristleback

Top 10:
1) Any Shocklands
2) Ghost Council of Orzhova
3) Burning-Tree Shaman
4) Giant Solifuge
5) Mortify
6) Angel of Despair
7) Rumbling Slum
8) Dryad Sophisticate
9) Plagued Rusalka
10) Debtor's Knell

[snowden]

I actually think Niv-Mizzet is UNDERVALUED at present, largely because UR decks have a hard time keeping up with both BW and the zoo/gruul strategies. I guess I'll take a shot at a list, though it's horribly arbitrary:

1) Duals (anyone who says otherwise is probably wrong)
2) Ghost Council
3) Mortify
4) Burning Tree Shaman
5) Giant Solifuge
6) Dyrad Sophisticate
7) Savage Twister
8) Plagued Rusalka
9) Castigate
10) Repeal

Hon. Mention: Debtor's Knell and Angel of Despair...7 mana does not make me happy.

Oh, and Electrolyze's most relevant ability is drawing a card. The two damage is almost irrlevant. Almost. If it cost one less and didn't draw a card, it'd be unplayable.

[WolvieRage23]

1. obvisosly the dual lands
2. BTS: scary scary
3 Rumbleing slum: Eat your heart out Juza
4. Ghoast council: not as scary as the loxidon but still a good center peice to alot of decks
5. Castigate: should be called castrate, its what the card does to your opponets hand
6. Angel of Despair: Such on awsome finishing move to a BW/x controll deck
7. Dryad Sophisticate: basically unblockable, and forces your opponent to waste removal spells
8: Plaged Rusalka: basically all of these little ghosts are pretty killer fo one mana
9:Mortfy: best removal ever
10. Cry of contrition: for one mana its basically a double discard, and alot of effects play around sacking in the pst two sets, makes your opponent think twice about doing it

Under valued: well theres alot, ghost way, cerebral vortex (this is a sleeper), abyssal nocturnas, gelectrode, mimeofracture, djinn illuminatus, etc. homestly so far the whole set has made a big splash in my opinion, and is not getting the credit it desrves.

over valued: Niv mizzet, Quiken, invoke the firemind, giant solifuge.

[NeCrOMyStIc]

I would have to say I really enjoy this set. I play 1 booster draft a week and really got to know the cards...
My top 10: Of course Duals

Burning- Tree Shaman
Rumbling Slum
Castigate
Ghostway underated
Mortify
Leylines Void, Singularity, Lifeforce
Agel of Despair
Electrolyze
Ghost Council of Orzhova
Gruul War Plow

Honorable Mentions:
Orzhov Pontiff
Teysa
Niv- Mizzet
Skarrg, the Rage Pits
Quicken
Dryad Sophisticate

Just me personal ones

[thefatman1018]

1. Shocklands
2. Ghost Council
3. Mortify
4. Castigate
5. Plagued Rusalka
6. Burning-Tree Shaman
7. Silhana Ledgewalker
8. Giant Solifuge
9. Savage Twister
10. Dryad Sophisticate

[Aeolipile]

While Guildpact isn't as good as Ravnica, it's certainly made a gigantic impact. Most prevalent color combos? Orzhov and Gruul. 'Nuff said.

Not counting Shocklands...

10) Dryad Sophisticate. May as well say 'unblockable' with all the duals out there.
9) Giant Solifuge. A monster against control.
8) Electrolyze. Probably one of the best early tempo cards out there. Has the possibility of going 3-for-1, which is just gigantic early-game.
7) Plagued Rusalka. Only because of its massive synergy...by itself it's a little underwhelming.
6) Rumbling Slum. They finally released a 'Juzam' that's better than the original.
5) Mortify. Only Jitte makes Putrefy better.
4) Silhana Ledgewalker. Sometimes viewed as Sophisticate's ugly sister, she is sorely underrated. Control craps the bed when a Jitte or Moldervine Cloak is thrown on her.
3) Ghost Council of Orzhova. It just wins games. Synergy with so many different black and white cards helps too, even ones outside of Guildpact (Yosei or Kokusho?).
2) Castigate. Single-handedly ruining control strategies = Good. Only costing 2 mana to do so = Great.
1) Burning-Tree Shaman. Woefully efficient, mana-curve friendly, and the 'ping target Jitte user' is pretty good too. One of the best creatures around at the moment.

[Elemental_Man]

I have to fully disagree with everyone who has sophisticate in the top five. But here is my top 10

10. slum
9. repeal
8. ghost counsil
7. savage twister
6. ledgewalker
5. mortify
4. electrolyze
3. plagued rusalka
2. BTS
1. dual lands

No sophisticate because they are much worse than ledgewalker. Electrolyze is underrated by many. All of hand in hand is basically killed by it. Birds and sophisticates dies to it, and it replaces itself. Anything that 3-1s is great by me

[sergioc]

Saying Stomping Ground or Godless Shrine are on my top 10 list would be a bore! Any multicolor deck benefits by using the dual lands in the rotation of the time.

Here are my top 10 NONLAND cards from Ravnica:

1) Burning-Tree Shaman (no doubt !!)
2) Mortify
3) Dryad Sophisticate
4) Ghost Council
5) Giant Solifuge
6) Castigate
7) Plagued Rusalka
8) Rumbling Slum
9) Electrolyze
10) Savage Twister

Honorable Mention....Ghostway, Savage Twister, and Cry of Contrition.

:D

[-Reaper-]

Here's my top 10 (excluding lands):

1- BTS --- undercosted and very efficient creature... a 3/4 for 3 mana+a good ability makes a great creature
2- Ghost Council --- this just refuses to die and wins games on its own... Very siynergistic with many cards... Enough said
3- Mortify --- This and Putrefy are the best spot removal in standard. Plain and simple.
4- Silhana ledgewalker --- is just nuts with a jitte or a cloak on, better than sophy IMO
5- Rumbling Slum --- Another efficient and undercosted creature
6- Casigate --- Screws up the strategyu of most decks at a good cost... A must in any BW deck
7- Angel of Despair --- The reason this isn't higher in the list is it costs 7, but this turns the game just by coming into play... Having a 5/5 body + vindicate in a single card is a good deal... Great in BW control decks
8- Giant solifuge --- untargetabily is great with all that good spot removal going around, wrecks most control decks
9- Electrolyze --- Great card, has the potential to be a 3 for 1, the only problem is that 2 damage often is not enough to kill a creature
10- Dryad sophysticate --- Wins games pretty quickly if not answered... The problem is she dies to any removal or burn spell, so isn't that hard to answer... But if you don't have it, you're toast.

[Mexican Mage]

My top 10

1. BTS
2. Mortify
3. Electrolyze
4. Rumbling Slum
5. Ghost Council
6. Niv-Mizzet (I just keep winning in extended)
7. Giant Solifuge
8. Plagued Rusalka
9. Scorching Rusalka
10. Savage Twister

[Silent_Hill_2]

Well, here goes nothing:

1 & 2 & 3) Godless Shrine, Stomping Grounds, Steam Vents
4) Burning Tree Shaman
5) Plagued Rusalka
6) Orzhova Ghost Council
7) Mortify
8) Electrolyze
9) Dryad Sophisticate
10) Orzhov Pontiff

-Steven