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Pojo's VS System Card of the Day

Rachel Summers <> Phoenix
Phoenix of the Future

Card #MXM-021

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Date Reviewed: 02.17.06

Constructed Modern Age Average Rating: 2.5
Constructed Golden Age Average Rating: 2.25
Limited Average Rating: 2.25

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst. 3 ... average.
5 is the highest rating.

Nakaiya21	Rachel Summers <> Phoenix - Phoenix of the Future This card is a quick and easy rate...simply because it is an 8-drop. This card is an excellent card to play...provided you build your deck around it and you can last until turn 8. Granted the first task is relatively easy to complete, however the second task is considerably harder. Put her in a stall deck (perhaps with a Gamma Bomb hint, hint) and this card will do wonders. Ratings: MMA constructed - 3.0/5.0 ...As far as 8-drops go...you probably can't go wrong here. GA constructed - 2.5/5.0 ...Outside of WELL constructed stall decks, this card will never see play. Limited - 2.5/5.0 ...If you can make it to turn 8 then just dropping an 8-drop is devastating.
HMK17	Okay Vs fans... last of X-Men Week. For this one, we bring you the new 8 drop: Rachel Summers <> Phoenix, Phoenix of the Future. Before I get started, if you thing she looks kinda familiar... she ought to. If you pull out a certain hidden Sentinel 2 drop... she is one of the two characters in the art. I've really gotten into comics as a side effect of wanting to know these characters... so if you want to know what's up with comics vs. cards shoot me an PM on pojo's forums. But Rachel starts off looking pretty solid. A 19/21 on 8 with Flight and Range is pretty solid. She's a little bit bigger than Mogo but still not as strong as other 8 drops such as the new Magento and Thor. But she is still above the stats of anything X-Men have had before. She also has the lovely Mutant-Mental trait. Something that a good number of cards trigger off. So not bad still. Let's see the text box... Reservist Your opponents cannot play plot twists while you control another Mental character Wow... Being a reservist is great for higher drops. When playing curve, one of the worst things to happen is to draw your late game characters and have to hols them in hand. The second effect is just nuts. In the game, controlling another Mental character is not hard. There are a number of Mental characters in the 6-7 drop range that could still be on the field come turn 8. Emma Frost, White Queen is an excellent example of this. However, the easier routes would be to use Psi-Link, Brave New World, or District X. With the latter, limiting your opponents to no plot twists from combat on is quite powerful. Especially in a limited format. Limited - Rachel is a strong pick, there is no doubt there. For MXM sealed... definitely consider including her if you get her. For draft... If you have decided to build Mental or X-men, she would be high pick. If you are still trying to find your play, she's of lower priority, though still a decent pick. 3.75/5 Constructed - She is very control oriented which will attract a lot of players. Initially, Mental and X-Men decks will be testing her. 3.5/5 Well, that does it Rachel... I'll see you guys next. Take care and good luck to all those trying to qualify for Atlanta.
Jason Bunch	Rachel Summers <> Phoenix, Phoenix of the Future Well, we end our first week of looking at the X-Men set with a big old fatty. As I said last week, 8 drops are for a deck that knows it's going to turn 8, has a plan to get there, and then has a bomb to drop when it gets there. X-Stall used Jean Grey, Phoenix Force to wipe the field clean for Imperiex. Rachel Summers' effect isn't nearly that game-ending, but still has a lot of potential. As long as you have another Mental character on the field, your opponent can't play any plot twists. Period. Ever. Well, unless they manage to stun Rachel Summers or KO any other Mental characters you have...but it's still a good effect, right? Well, against aggro decks, you're probably not going to make it to turn 8 anyways. X-Stall made it to turn 8 by exhausting your opponent's board early and often, so in that situation, your opponent will have a handful of unused plot twists. In this case, Rachel Summers is very very good. However, there's a reason that X-Stall doesn't show up in a lot of Top 8's anymore (10K San Francisco notwithstanding). Titans, AGL, and Squadron outgun it, New School out controls it, and G-Lock out stalls it. A good player is already wary of letting X-Stall get to turn 8 and will do everything they can to take you out before that happens. That takes away the element of surprise and puts you on your heels early. Also, if a Rachel Summers version of X-Stall ever becomes popular, then your opponents will know to dump their plot twists early and play around her ability. 18/21 with Flight and Range isn't bad at all though, the 21 DEF will especially help against the giant ATK of most 8 drops you'll encounter. In Limited, she becomes very interesting. She's not a first pick by any stretch of the imagination, but her Reservist ability makes her a decent splash. 8 drops are usually a bad play in Sealed or Draft, but an 8 drop that can sit in your resource row and power effects like Polaris is worth a second look. In Marvel Modern, decks like Faces of Evil and Squadron No Hand will still be popular due to their potential for a quick win and how well-tested they've been. If a deck like that sees turn 8, then they've probably burned all of their plot twists by then anyway, and don't even have an 8 drop to play. Avengers has Thor on 8 (if they play him) and they don't need a plot twists when Thor can give +7 to their 7 drop just by sitting next it. There's not just a huge amount of stall in the format, so turn 8's won't come around as often as they normally do, and that's not often at all. Save her for the trade binder, or to screw everyone over in a cutthroat game with 6 or 7 of your closest friends. Rating: 2/5
Sith Dragon	Rachel Summers X-men 8 drop 19/21 reservist Flight/range Trait: Mental Your opponent cannot play plot twists while you control another Mental Character. Today we do the new X-men 8 drop. For an 8 drop Rachel has an average attack with a very stout defense. Flight, range and reservist are all good perks (especially the reservist on an 8 drop). Her effect is pretty self explanatory and equally as irrelevant. Few decks will play 8 drops as most games are decided well in advance of turn 8, and those that are not will, 9 in 10, times be decided by character effects over plot twists. As good as her effect seems, it isn't big enough to warrant her over other 8 drops out there even if they are different teams. Most decks will play what they need to before she is played, when possible, once they see what you are running, or they will simply chain cards like flying kick and mega-blast to her coming out. Either way, what seems like a really good effect, really is not all that great. What it does insure is that if your opponent wants to take her out, then they will need to team attack to get her, assuming they can't play a card that does a turn-long boost. She isnt bad, but she isnt great either. "Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?"