The short week between Christmas and New Year’s day isn’t exactly ripe with information. Especially regarding the upcoming Zendikar expansion Worldwake. Tidbits and clues were coming slow enough when WotC was actually operating, now that slow grind has come to a complete halt. Of course this shouldn’t preclude us from rampant speculation (what ever would?). Before the break Mark Rosewater left us with a textless goblin to whet our appetite. Bazaar Trader is Worldwake’s version of Ardent Plea, a card that was intended to highlight Alara Reborn’s cascade mechanic and confirming the all-gold status.
The question then is what will Bazaar Trader highlight? In the spirit of ‘wild speculation’ here are three mock versions of the card with different text. Please remember these are only guesses based on what we know so far of Worldwake:
After hours of pondering, this version appears to be the most likely. Everything is in play here: multi-kicker (Worldwake’s prized new mechanic), the number three, and swapping creatures (something that has been entirely blue in the past). Casting with the kicker is expensive, especially more than once, but swapping out your goblin token for a Baneslayer Angel is worth every mana. Perhaps not an overpowering card, but abusable and great in casual formats like EDH.
We here at Gathering Magic are a little dubious of the recent message board claims that BT is a new ally. However, because it is currently the most prominent theory, heed should be paid. The ally mechanic is a little muddled in this case because of the magical number three. This is also an homage to the quests from Zendikar. A fun card, but unlikely because Mark Rosewater probably didn’t leave out the Ally part of the creature line. Why would he?
This is basically our first choice with a small tweak. A repeatable Act of Treason instead of an outright swap. The weakness being you only get the creature for one turn instead of forever. Like option #1 this version hits all the key points: It has multi-kicker, facilitates an exchange of creatures from one controller to another, and is completely red. It may seem overpowered at first, but paying eight mana for a double Threaten is reasonable enough.
There you have them. Three separate looks at what WotC’s latest teaser could be. Please feel free to speculate on their accuracy and don’t be scared to share you own ideas regarding this latest goblin. And of course stay tuned in to our Worldwake spoiler page for when the real Bazaar Trader is revealed.
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i tink bazzar trade r will be an ally.
ps: will the art for smother be the same?
Art for Smother be the same? No. Never has art that has been used for a reprint in an expansion has been the same art that has been used before. It’s alright for Core Sets, but not expansions.
All good ideas. Some things to consider:
- Now, most of the time Red steals something, it’s only until the end of the turn. Of course, you’re lead card mixes well with “Confusion in the Ranks” mold, which is perfectly fine.
- The 3 fingers could just mean art.
- Goblins have been known to be more trickery and random then helpful. Though taking something and exchanging it fits with the Bazaar flavor.
My guess:
When ~this~ enters the battlefield, choose a permanent you control at random. Put it on the bottom of your library and flip over cards on the top of your library until you match a card type. Put it on the battlefield and but the revealed cards on the bottom of your library randomly.
A little wordy? Sure, but I still think Polymorph should be a little Red (for the “random” effect).
Speculation is always difficult, but you did a good job.
Thanks for the input and allow for a a quick counter.
-The third version uses the patently red Threaten ability.
-No way this is just art. No way. Its the center of the picture.
-Tricky yes, but not always. Siege-Gang Commander is far from ‘tricky’. Just good. I think this is in same vien.
Response:
I find none of these cards to be bad guesses, or even bad cards. I find the trouble with guessing is randomly fumbling your way in the dark (like what I did); sure, you might find a light switch, but you could also fall down a shaft. Wizards could also print a new effect or something we don’t know entirely
- Yes, the third card I think is most true to Red (stupid Color Pie).
- I’m not saying it isn’t important, but he also could be asking for three gold pieces for this animal to show his location and tie it in with the flavor.
- Not always tricky, sure. But “not good” things happen when you put Goblins in non-military roles (See: Goblin Archaeologist, Goblin Chirurgeon, Goblin Gardener, Goblin Medics, Goblin Spy, Krark-Clan Engineers, Steamflogger Boss)
I think the first guess of the Trader with the permanent swap is way, way too good. Its like a Sower of Temptation with no drawback for one extra mana! If that’s the way the card is printed, I can see it getting into the $15 to $20 range quickly, for control decks.
Well, the drawback is you need a creature to swap. Five mana for a Control Magic isn’t that unrealistic.
You could say the same for the Ally option. I’ve never seen a card that lets you take control of an opponents creature, with NO way for him/her to get it back. Roil Elemental, for example, has you control a creature as long as you control Roil Elemental. But, if you SACRIFICE Bazaar Trader…??
The other thing I would say is I think people are taking the ‘trader’ in the name to mean swap creatures. Then why the three? Isn’t a payment of three something enough?
My first guess when I saw the card, is that it would be something like Illicit Auction, where players bid life for control of a creature. Not very playable maybe, but tons of fun, and very Red.
Or Dominate, or Legacy’s Allure, or Telemin Performance, or Gather Specimens, etc…
P.S. I love your deck.
You’ve never seen Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker?
Or maybe Bribery?
Anyone think it might be some type of “When ETB, Goblin Welder”? Trading artifacts seems more sensible than creatures for the flavor for the card.
He is pointing to a creature in the picture…
Bazaar Trader —– R1
Creature – Goblin
When Bazaar Trader enters the battlefield, draw three cards, then discard two cards at random. If you draw a Goblin card this way, you may reveal it and discard one card at random instead. P/T – 1/1. (Like a Goblin Lore)
Bazaar Trader —– R1
Creature – Goblin
Multikicker – Reveal an unrevealed Goblin card from your hand. If Bazaar Trader was kicked, put a 1/1 red Goblin token into play for each time it was kicked. P/T – 1/1.
Bazaar Trader —– R1
Creature – Goblin
When Bazaar Trader enters the battlefield, choose a number for X. Gain control of target creature unless its controller pays X life. If that player doesn’t, you lose X life. P/T – 1/1. (Ability from Illicit Auction)
Aw, beaten to Illicit Auction.
The third version seems to be the redish one
I could see the number 3 being important, or not. It could go either way.
As for what type of effect it has, I would point out that Zendikar goblins, while still not too bright, are a bit less reckless and random than goblins on other planes, so it could actually be moderately sensible.
Also, I would point out that in the first template, you could target BT himself as the creature to give away. As someone else alluded to, you could then pay 4R (a less stringent cost than Mind Control) to get an irreversible creature steal. It’s a scalable Mind Control with additional upside. Thus, I don’t see that happening.
I can’t see a goblin doing permanent creature-stealing, somehow it just doesn’t fit. I think it’s probably going to wind up as a combination of the first and the third.
How about:
Bazaar Trader
1R
1/1
Multi-kicker 2
When Bazaar Trader enters the Battlefield sacrifice a creature (or land maybe?). Then for each time Bazaar Trader was kicked, put 3 1/1 Red Goblins tokens into play.
Goblin Spells cost 1 less to cast.
I dunno. When I think of trading I think of getting a deal.