r/MagicArena 14h ago

Information [FRA] Solitary Cell

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437 Upvotes

94 comments sorted by

141

u/Appropriate_King_732 14h ago

This is so close to being good it is crazy. Maybe it will be a role player at some point. Perfect power level.

49

u/Villag3Idiot 14h ago

If it wasn't a legendary card it would have been crazy good.

Still a decent card. The 3 mana range hits as lot of things. Black Midrange is back and this shuts down almost everything it runs except Bloodletter. In fact this feels like a giant middle finger to it, lol.

25

u/Chemical-Cat 13h ago

Eh, needing the card to be legendary i can excuse, I see the purpose is to mulligan when you have multiple copies of a legendary on hand (ie: 2 in hand or 1 in hand with 1 on the field already)

9

u/HeeeckWhyNot 11h ago

This, plus the ability in HOB to discard a copy of itself to do things, makes it feel like they're turning knobs on how to make legendary creatures less feelsbad when you draw a bunch of the same one

6

u/DomasAquinas Dimir 12h ago

It's not meta, but I occasionally run a Boros standard deck that uses Raubahn, Firion, and Gilgamesh to do equipment shenanigans. This is a great way to counterbalance all the big players in the deck being multiple-copy legendary cards while adding more removal. And any cycling helps the deck get to its win.

3

u/WrathPie 11h ago

If there's a good enough legendary option I can see this as a midrange enabler in something like mardu reanimator

Combo of O-ring remova, card filtering and binning a reanimator target might be more than the sum of its parts

2

u/SmoothOperator89 13h ago

Still a good pick in draft as removal.

1

u/basafo 10h ago

In draft is pretty good wth

1

u/FallenPeigon 11h ago

How do you know?

52

u/jdhovland 14h ago

I like that it's not limited to a legendary card that has the same name as a legendary permanent you control like [[Key to the Side-Door]].

26

u/Plausibleaurus As Foretold 14h ago

Upgraded [[Glass Casket]], I think it's pretty solid. Will probably see some play in niche Weapons manufacturing decks.

u/the-fr0g Izzet 21m ago edited 17m ago

I'm not sure, manufacturing doesn't play that many legendaries, and since this is a mv<=2 artifact that wants to stay on field, it nonbos with [[pinnacle starcage]]

-9

u/Uryendel 13h ago

Gasket is mono white, this is boros and the ability is very deck dependent. So yes in niche deck it will be better but in most deck you will prefer a casket. Granted it also work on enchantment and planeswalker, to see if there is any good one under 3 cmc

22

u/Character_Cap5095 13h ago

Casket hits creatures. This hits non-land permanents. It's a huge upgrade

-10

u/Uryendel 13h ago edited 13h ago

Casket only require one white mana plus a colorless, this require one white mana and one red, that's a huge downgrade in term of consistency, especially for an early game card. That's the same reason WUBRG card are usualy stronger than equivalent cmc mono color card, because they are harder to cast

Unless there is some very strong 3cmc enchantment / planeswalker /artifact in the meta (not saying that won't be the case), or you are getting an advantage from the additional ability, you will prefer casket to this

16

u/Character_Cap5095 13h ago

Sure, but hitting non-creatures is what makes this playable in the first place. A 2 mana sorcery speed removal conditional creature removal with a small upside would never be playable. But make it hit non-creatures as well. Oh baby, now you have a stew going.

-1

u/Blackestcurrant 10h ago

A 2 mana sorcery speed removal conditional creature removal with a small upside would never be playable.

I believe glass casket definitely was in sideboards around war of the spark. Maybe even mainboard sometimes? Not sure. But nowadays card is too weak indeed.

1

u/Correct_Day_7791 9h ago

People still register get lost

This will see play

1

u/Blackestcurrant 9h ago

Get lost is instant though. But I agree that it will see play in artifact decks, I meant glass casket is too weak, not new card.

1

u/Correct_Day_7791 8h ago

The fact it's flexible answer to tablet means it will see some play in the 75 in 4c control

Main deck idk but I'd guess 2-3 copies in the 75

2

u/BiggestBlackestLotus 10h ago

that's a huge downgrade in term of consistency

It's a very small downgrade, especially in the current huge standard where every deck has a dozen duals to pick from.

3

u/Plausibleaurus As Foretold 12h ago

Hitting every nonland is so relevant tho, you can hit unholy annex, earthbender ascension, tablet of discovery, a soul stone,...

I think it's a big powerlevel upgrade over casket.

0

u/Correct_Day_7791 9h ago

This seems like a commander brain take

What decks don't play things that cost three or less in any competitive format ??

0

u/Uryendel 9h ago

Learn to read.

1

u/Correct_Day_7791 8h ago

"The ability now very deck dependant"

It's not deck dependant

all decks have cards this hits 👍

Unless you mean the discard ability but that's almost flavor text on the card

Glass casket isn't legal anywhere it could see play by power lvl ( not a modern card)

Which is how I know you talking about commander 🤣

0

u/Uryendel 8h ago

Unless you mean the discard ability but that's almost flavor text on the card

Yes I mean the discard ability, ie the ability on top of the exile that is on gasket the card it is compared with

Which is how I know you talking about commander

I'm talking about card in its abstract, the point being made was it is a straight upgrade to gasket, my point is it is not, card does thing better, but can also be worse in other case.

1

u/Correct_Day_7791 8h ago

I don't think it can be worse

I think it can be unplayable if you don't have red in the deck but if you do it's strictly better

Exiling any non-land is better than a creature I don't think there's any argument about that

Having any kind of secondary effect even though it may come up rarely is better than not having one I don't think there's any argument about that

As mono white isn't a control color but Jeskai is maybe the most popular control color of all time ( even over blue white)

This card is better than casket and it's not even close

0

u/Uryendel 7h ago

I think it can be unplayable if you don't have red in the deck but if you do it's strictly better

You don't just need red in the deck, you need red open. The more color you need open the harder it get to cast the card, that's why the card has stronger effect

As mono white isn't a control color

You don't need to be control (also mono white is a control color btw) to play a removal... And Jeskai control ain't going to play that.

Also I just checked, Glass Casket is currently legal in standard, it was reprinted in Wilds of Eldraine

1

u/Correct_Day_7791 7h ago

Yep totally forgot it was legal because it is completely unplayable in any deck in the format currently

And in the last 2 months 0 copies of glass casket registered in standard

While in the same time 523 copies of lighting helix

Decks that currently play helix will play this

https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=90325&d=885694&f=ST Like this Jeskai control that took 3rd in the challenge 3 days ago

As it's a solid answer to tablet annex and synthesizer while also being a fine removal

The Jeskai and control decks with the lessons accumulated wisdom package won't as they need lessons in the yard but that's only about half of the 10% of the meta that this type of deck represents

1

u/Uryendel 7h ago

No, because that's not a good replacement for Helix...

47

u/cryingosling 14h ago

I wonder if this can see play in the Boros Dwarf Deck. Sucks that every single card in that deck fetches Equipment exclusively (instead of generic Artifact) cause then it would be very good for the deck.

13

u/Ithalwen 13h ago

Does trigger storied and it does run alot of legends that'd be good to cycle in a pinch, tho with standard as it is the opponent is likely to doomblade the legend.

3

u/Techhead7890 Chandra Torch of Defiance 13h ago

Yeah I saw that on untapped too! Was nice to see Kili make an impact on the standard meta and not just be a Brawl Commander.

Definitely hilarious seeing Liliana on a Boros card but I guess there's more where that's coming from with this Fractured Rifts set.

2

u/ignacio2D 13h ago

Ill try it in Boros Dragon.

11

u/hoirhiero 13h ago

It would be perfect if it used the Historic mechanic.

7

u/LordSlickRick 14h ago

Being nonland is very solid.

7

u/Sarokslost23 13h ago

this is going right into jeskai artifacts and weapons manufacturing

2

u/Lauren_Conrad_ 3h ago

I don’t think this beats dusk rose reliquary

4

u/DrTobiCool 13h ago

She looks so funny setting like that lol

5

u/brainpower4 13h ago

[[Glass Casket]] is an completely playable removal spell for white decks with artifact synergies, and this hits any non-land permanent. Plus had the discarding upside. Notably, the discard is any legendary card, not just creatures. That matters a lot for Karn wish boards in older formats when you have a second copy stuck in hand.

Of course, being double pipped is a very real downside, especially for artifact decks. You can play a Karn off [[Planar Nexus]] + [[Urza's Tower]] and fetch a Glass Casket to kill the opposing 2 drop with no additional fixing. You can't do that with Solitary Cell.

1

u/servant-rider 8h ago

It's a lot easier to hit 1W than RW on turn 2, which can make a huge difference when playing against aggro decks

3

u/Corino_ 13h ago

With a majority of creatures being legendary these days—seems trivial to make this great

4

u/davwad2 13h ago

[[Ferrous Rokiric]] is happy to see this.

3

u/Sardonic_Fox 13h ago

Neat! New target for [[United Battlefront]] in boros decks

1

u/Just-Assumption-2140 Ralzarek 13h ago

My azorios tempo wants at least 2 for sideboard

1

u/Uryendel 13h ago

How do you get the red mana to cast it?

4

u/Just-Assumption-2140 Ralzarek 13h ago

I'm running sunbillow verges, multiversal pessages and starting towns for high noon already. Shouldn't be too hard switching mana up enough to cast it. Although... maybe it's simply not worth including given you don't even run THAT many legendaries

1

u/gutpirate 41m ago

Issue there is that its a completely dead card if you dont gain access to red mana. Noon still does what its supposed to do even if you never gain access to red.

tl;dr: Noon is playable in UW, Cell isn't.

1

u/albvla 13h ago

How is this in limited?

3

u/Far-Blackberry-4193 13h ago

i'd say a pretty good rare but not a bomb in the sense that it won't really be a wincon

3

u/troglodyte 11h ago edited 11h ago

I'm never cutting this if it's on-color, but I'm also not splashing for it or reaching for it. It's just a fine removal spell, probably just a hair worse than Glass Casket since you trade a red pip for targeting any nonland permanent. It's better in exactly Boros, of course, but it's probably only really playable there, so it's not something you can play in 4+ decks like you could with GC.

But the upside is limited (a big token is the only way to feel like you got away with anything more than a moderately efficient removal spell) and the activated ability is pretty narrow; it's just usually not right to throw away gas, and that's even sometimes true when you have the same legend already on the battlefield. If artifact removal is playable or incidental, that would also pull it down slightly.

I'll be happy to take it when it falls to me but I don't see myself getting it super often. You've pretty much gotta be Boros and hope that no one reaches for it, and I don't know how common that will be.

2

u/Villag3Idiot 12h ago

It's a removal but doesn't help against the game ending bombs.

This would probably be way better in a UB set due to all the Legendary creatures letting you constantly discard and draw.

1

u/PulitzerandSpara 9h ago

I would imagine that most people will have a fair number of legends in their draft decks for this set, since 3 cards per pack will be guaranteed to be legends.

1

u/Villag3Idiot 9h ago

Ah that's true, forgot about how this sets packs will be set up 

1

u/Casual_Spike 12h ago

Similar to [[Glass Casket]], good not great. The added utility is probably just flavor text.

1

u/mkklrd 13h ago

Another toy for Jeskai Artifacts before rotation strikes!

1

u/Conscious_Capital249 13h ago

Perhaps another add to Weapons Manufacturing Deck?

Being 2 cmc 2 color only downside, maybe it will replace sawblades after rotation

1

u/ChildOfTheSoul 13h ago

Going to try this in a sevinne's rec superfriends build :3

1

u/Truckfighta 13h ago

The more decent artifacts that I can fetch with [[Vision Quesyt]], the better.

1

u/smwcbio 12h ago

what did she do to deserve this? At least give a [[grimoire of the dead]] or something

1

u/Tasonir 12h ago

I think this will be a staple in decks that care about legendary cards; although I'm not sure it'll be good enough if you aren't using the second ability.

1

u/mollymillionare 11h ago

This could help make mobilize decent
At least one can hope…

1

u/Cunterpunch 11h ago

I can already tell you I will never be able to play against this card without singing ‘When will he be let out of his solitary cell…!?’ from the Dream Theater song ‘Solitary Shell’.

1

u/Gbrew555 11h ago

This seems pretty darn good in the Jeskai Artifact deck.

1

u/danceisdead97 11h ago

Effectively gives [[Phlage]] Cycling (1). If theres a boros/jeskai control/artifact deck in Historic at some point, it might do something.

But likely not.

1

u/Loose-Neighborhood48 11h ago

Straight into my Dihada legendary Reanimator deck

1

u/Angrenost 11h ago

This is great in reanimator decks.

1

u/Lauren_Conrad_ 10h ago

Boros (Mardu) Weapons is a legit deck right now. Unsure if this makes the cut since the deck already has 1-mana removal that does plenty.

1

u/Extension_Scheme_694 10h ago

Greaaat. Means the sets going to be 50 percent legends , like half of them lately

1

u/mpassisdead 9h ago

This feels like a very meh draft card? Don’t you want a rare to be a bomb of some sort rather than removal which is at common and uncommon as well?

1

u/S2Ari 9h ago

Great flavor text

1

u/rossbalch 8h ago

Cool cards, feels like it could have been an uncommon though.

1

u/ButteryRaven 7h ago

This is crazy with RW legendary lands like [[Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire]] and [[Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance]] . You can run it with [[Mox Opal]] or [[Mox Amber]] in affinity or [[Sram]] dunk. For other formats, it works in Legacy Lands with [[Dark Depths]] , [[Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth]] , and [[Boseiju, Who Endures]] if, for some reason, you wanted to run Naya. Even Boros Energy could run it to pitch useless Ragavans or Ajanis to look for answers.

1

u/ButteryRaven 7h ago

MY GOD, I FORGOT HAMMER TIME WITH [[Skrelv, Defector Mite]] , [[Kíli the Resourceful]] , [[Cloud, Midgar Mercenary]] , [[Shadowspear]] , and Sram!

1

u/dogo7 Izzet 7h ago

Restricted [[Oblivion Ring]] with a restricted rummage ability? Okay, intriguing

1

u/Panda_Kabob 7h ago

My boros weapons manufacturing deck is excited.

1

u/Caprisolle 5h ago

why is everyone hyped about this card? i genuinely want to know what is so good about it?

1

u/Xx_gorp_xX 4h ago

[[General Ferrous Rokiric]] allstar. I wonder if legends is the boros archetype?

u/Zoom3877 26m ago

Wait... Lilian has ADHD?!

0

u/Cool-Leg9442 12h ago

This just feels bad you have to discard a real peice of cardboard and pay mana to mana draw a land...