Deeproot Champion

Prowess in Green

Given that Deeproot Champion exists and that green generally likes to buff creatures, does that make prowess tertiary in green?

No.

Champion Creatures Deeproot Champion Green Prowess Tertiary

Ixalan Tribal Dynamics

Ixalan definitely feels as though it would have gained from having the tribal card type (or conversely suffers for its loss, given how the Limited format has been received at least by commentators and pros). Relevant, balanced Limited interactions like using Siren's Ruse to equip Pirate's Cutlass, Deeproot Waters triggering off noncreature cards (and noncreature incentives to play Deeproot Champion) etc. Nothing much like the Lorwyn Merfolk 'control' archetype seems possible, which is a shame.

Innistrad is the set where we abandoned Tribal. The set has tribal components and using Tribal just barely mattered. It’s easy to focus on the 5% that works and skip the 95% that doesn’t.

Card Types Champion Deeproot Champion Deeproot Waters Equip Innistrad Ixalan Kindred / Typal Limited Lorwyn Merfolk Non-creatures Pirate Pirate's Cutlass Siren Siren's Ruse

Red's Color Pie

hi mark! love this game, but red's color pie seems much smaller than any other colors, and colors like green have been growing, even at the expense of shrinking red's. cards like Deeproot Champion that give green a focus on noncreatures seem like they should be in red, especially considering previous cards like Pyre Hound. red also seems to get the worst version of effects (looting vs rummaging) and more "random" effects, which make it even weaker, especially in constructed. what's up with that?

We make just as many red cards as green cards every year. The two colors’ slice of the color pie is big enough to support this.

Champion Color Pie Colors Constructed Deeproot Champion Green Keyword Actions Pyre Hound Red

Deeproot Champion's Design

Deeproot Champion is actually good because it's a G/U tribe, right? It's encouraging you to play more spells, which is blue's thing.

It was very much designed to go into a blue/green deck.

Blue Champion Deeproot Champion Green Simic (G/U) Spells

Deeproot Champion's Feel

Hey Mark, I think while Deeproot Champion isn't an actual color pie problem, it fails the "feel" test - it doesn't feel like a Green card. I reserve judgement until the whole set is previewed, it may fit in the set, but currently in the context of Magic as a whole - this card should be Red or Blue.

We’ve never done Merfolk in monogreen before so it’s meant to feel different.

Blue Champion Color Pie Colors Deeproot Champion Green Merfolk Red

Green Bend Analysis

Is Deeproot Champion even a bend? Green clearly gets the Forgotten Ancient/Managorger Hydra ability (whenever a player casts a spell, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature), as well weaker versions or subsets of that ability (like on Quirion Dryad).

It might not be a bend and a light bend even if it is.

Bend / Break Champion Creatures Deeproot Champion Dryad Forgotten Ancient Green Hydra Managorger Hydra Quirion Dryad

Green Color Pie Bend

Why does green get super prowess in the form of Deeproot Champion? This feels like the most the color pie has been broken in recent years.

Green is the color most associated with getting +1/+1 counters. It. An get them for all kinds of reasons. Yes, caring about spells is a bend, but not a giant one.

Bend / Break Champion Color Pie Colors Deeproot Champion Giant Green Prowess Spells

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