I think the problem was how "Soulshift" was worded. As is, a creature could bounce itself back to your hand if it's Soulshift was equal or greater to it's CMC. It's in the graveyard when it trigger and thus, a legal target. So to avoid this, Soulshift was always one less than the host's CMC. By this logic, to get higher Soulshift figures, you need higher CMC creatures. Then WotC failed once more by considering Soulshift enough justification for these overpriced creatures.
Yes, spirits were a theme to the block and had a few powerful additions. But you had to 1) get it in your graveyard, 2) get the appropriate Soulshift creature on the field, 3) get it killed, then finally 4) pay for the targeted creature to play it from your hand. Hardly a broken mechanic. is really the only color that could reliably pull all of those off but it has much better revival methods, so even then it wouldn't have been an issue.
Basically, it was all one big slippery slope that could have been avoided if they added "another" to the Soulshift rules. See Promised Kannushi for what could have been. It's not a spirit itself, but you get the idea. Personally, I blame it on Mirrodin. That unspeakable collection of broken cards was just before this block. I guess it is understandable that they played it safe after that.
Villainous1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This exemplifies everything wrong with Kamigawa.
RCarlysle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is so good! First pickable in every format!
Comments (6)
What an awful card. Costs 2 too many mana. 2/5.
Yes, spirits were a theme to the block and had a few powerful additions. But you had to 1) get it in your graveyard, 2) get the appropriate Soulshift creature on the field, 3) get it killed, then finally 4) pay for the targeted creature to play it from your hand. Hardly a broken mechanic.
Basically, it was all one big slippery slope that could have been avoided if they added "another" to the Soulshift rules. See Promised Kannushi for what could have been. It's not a spirit itself, but you get the idea. Personally, I blame it on Mirrodin. That unspeakable collection of broken cards was just before this block. I guess it is understandable that they played it safe after that.