(Editor’s Note: A�We promised two new articles and Episode 7 of the podcast a week or so ago. A�This article was supposed to be 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, but it never happened. A�If that didn’t implant an earworm firmly into that part of your brain, enjoy the following video.)

I finally broke down and joined a an Origins simulated sealed pool. A�I know, I know. A�I have said a few times (once on the upcoming podcast) that I’m just not that into the set. A�However, unable to afford the prerelease events this weekend because I didn’t get paid until the week after, and having scrubbed out of my last two three Cube events, I decided to give Origins a try. A�Maybe I’ve misjudged it and it really can be fun. A�My first impression is an emphatic repeat of my initial thoughts through spoiler season.

This is not bitterness. A�If I’m writing an article about how the new Holiday cube is not as good as last year’s–and I could–you would have a case. A�I’ve had an insanely bad experience with the 2015 cube events. A�Not with the Origins sealed. A�I won my first match in pretty convincing fashion and had to drop from the rest of the event to bring the boys for lunch. A�It’s not sour grapes. A�I simply did not have that much fun.

Nevertheless, I am a professional (not a journalist, but still), so I will give my thoughts on the set. A�Remember that this is only after one sealed match, so have that grain of salt at the ready. A�I may put together some standard decks and join a few drafts to see if they offer a more fun experience. A�Hell, at the least, it will be a way to cheat two more articles.

Now, finally, for my thoughts:

• They are selling the core set as mono. A�I don’t have a problem with that. A�They seem to oscillate between mono and multicolored. A�However, I had to build my deck with three colors to get enough playable cards. A�Look, I understand that you won’t usually get a sealed pool that allows for a mono deck. A�Ideally, you want to stick to 2 colors since mana and mana fixing (especially in a mono set) can be tough to accomplish with more colors. A�The lack of playables was a bit of a turn off. A�Maybe it was just a weak pool. A�No matter what they say, it is a core set after all and the power level of core sets is usually lower.

• Elves are going to be a thing in standard. A�I’m not sure how much or what kind of thing, but they are definitely pushing elves in this set. A�I only had a limited amount of the little tree huggers, but the synergy was amazing. A�Building a deck to exploit that specifically will be easy. A�If it will be good remains to be seen.

• White aura enchantments are very strong. A�I know that auras are a part of white’s repertoire, but there are some really good ones in this set. A�Along with elves, I thought that white weenies could make a come back. A�The auras don’t necessarily that confirm that. A�They do give me some ideas for a deck or two.

• Nissa’s Revelation is expensive, but it is a powerful spell. A�I only got to see and cast it once. A�When I did, I was able to set up my deck and hand to close out the game very quickly. A�With mana ramp and fixing, the card can absolutely affect games in a big way.

• I never thought much of renown, but it is a cool mechanic. A�+1/+1 counters are always fun. A�I didn’t like the condition of having to damage the opponent. A�Honestly, I never had any problems satisfying the condition and getting the counter.

• I hoped that the focus on mono might break some of the Abzan this and Sultai that decks, but they’re still around for the foreseeable future. A�I wend Abzan colors for playables and the deck was stronger than it probably should have been.

Well, I suppose that the experience wasn’t all bad. A�As I’ve said, I’m not a huge fan of sealed. A�Maybe that’s why I didn’t have fun. A�That, along with my unfavorable initial impressions of the set, wasn’t exactly a great start.

I did a draft while writing this. A�That went much worse than the sealed. A�The deck was blue/red and heavy on counterspells and removal as blue/red should. A�Even so, I can’t yet judge the format as a draft format. A�I got mana screwed in the first game and misplayed the second game horribly.

PS – I got blown out by WG renown, so that strengthens my earlier argument. A�I will draft more and probably write that article in a couple of weeks. A�Chris and I recently did a live sealed and that article is coming later this week. A�I’ve got some standard ideas. A�If I get a chance to test them, I will write about that next week. A�There may be hope for this set after all.