Friendship is Card Games: Testing Testing 1-2-3 · 3:56pm Apr 6th, 2014
I'll be honest; I didn't much care for this one. The idea that Dash wouldn't dive into anything Wonderbolts-related after embracing her inner egghead is kind of absurd.
On the other hand, I do associate her with red mana, and nothing's more red than living for the moment. Past and future don't matter, because you're not then right now. An upcoming history test? Yeah, that's "who cares?" squared.
Okay, that's somewhat justified. Still, Pinkie's rap felt over the top. And that's me saying that. And dammit, Applejack, there is a time and a place for apple trivia.
Ah well, they can't all be winners. And at least we got quite a bit of worldbuilding, a wonderfully ludicrous play, and a downright adorable sequence with Dash on the stool. (Sadly, Confiscate is already a card.) And for those of you bemoaning the disruption of your headcanon, remember, a thousand years is a long time for a military to evolve.
On a final note, there will be no new pony next week. However, there will be a Friendship is Card Games. You'll see. Now for today's cards:
Reconcile W
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control by sources you control this turn.
"Is that any way for friends to act?"
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
Icaranean Sun Salutation 2W
Instant
Until end of turn, target creature gets +1/+1 and gains flying, first strike, and lifelink.
By imitating the movements of Celestia raising the sun, a pony can sample the power of both.
Non Sequitur UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If a spell is countered this way, that spell's controller reveal cards from his or her library until he or she reveals a nonland card, casts that card if able, and puts the rest on the bottom of his or her library in a random order.
"'Doesn't follow'? Rapping is the only logical next step here!"
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Fashion Overwhelming 1U
Sorcery
Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard for each Equipment you control.
Rainbow Dash's mind just wasn't made for dressing in style.
Musical Intervention 1U
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Musical Intervention, remove X verse counters from among Songs you control.
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
"Enjoy your meal, because you just got served!"
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Deep Symbolism 2U
Instant
Counter target spell if that spell's converted mana cost is greater than the number of cards in its controller's hand.
"Well, the script made sense to me when I wrote it."
—Spike
Denigrate 2U
Instant
Creatures your opponents control get -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
"You call that flying? I've seen rocks get better airtime."
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Eagle Eye 2U
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has hexproof.
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may draw a card.
"A pegasus can spot a muffin from a mile up. Or, you know, something similarly sized."
—Ditzy Doo
Study Session 2U
Enchantment
1U: Each player draws a card.
"Who wouldn't want to share the joy of learning?"
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Passive Awareness 2UU
Enchantment
At the beginning of your draw step, draw a card.
As long as it's not your draw step, you can't draw cards.
"I'm too busy watching everything to focus on one dumb book."
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Tome Sideswipe 2UU
Sorcery
Whenever a creature attacks this turn, put the top X cards of defending player's library into his or her graveyard, where X is the attacking creature's power.
Bookbinding cutie marks are very rare among pegasi.
Persistent Pessimism 2BB
Enchantment
Your opponents can't gain life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses 1 life.
"It is not enough to take away hope. You must make the hopeless keep themselves from ever feeling it again."
—The Sombranomicon
Welcome Distraction 1R
Sorcery
Untap target creature with power equal to or less than the number of cards in its controller's hand. Gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn.
Even the most cloistered academic can feel the need to get out of his ivory tower once in a while.
Freakout Aria 1G
Enchantment
When Freakout Aria enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Whenever a Song you control becomes the target of a spell, put a verse counter on that Song.
An adrenaline rush is just an unmarked crescendo.
Learn Through Experience 3G
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell, you may draw a card.
"Ponies don't need fancy schools to get an education, just eyes and ears."
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
Pomniscience 6G
Sorcery
Draw a card for each Forest you control.
"Complete and total apple-related knowledge. Considered admirable by the deranged."
—Discord's Dictionary
Vintage Wonderbolts Uniform 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1, has vigilance, and is a Soldier in addition to its other types.
Equip 2
"I still can't believe they managed to fly in these."
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Pedalothopter 4
Artifact Creature — Thopter
Flying
Tap an untapped creature you control: Pedalothopter gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"After my peppermint prototype, pedal-powered permutations proceeded apace."
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
1/1
Pop Quiz RG
Sorcery
Each player gains 1 life for each card in his or her hand. Pop Quiz deals 5 damage to each player.
"First the quiz, then the pop."
—Spitfire, Wonderbolt captain
Blatant Anachronism 1UR
Sorcery
You may put a permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield with a time counter on it. That permanent has haste, vanishing, and "If this permanent would leave the battlefield, sacrifice it instead."
"I don't see what the problem is. Cheerilee referenced the same time period in Season 1!"
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Historical Reenactment 2UB
Instant
Target creature becomes a copy of target creature card in a graveyard until end of turn.
Those who learn from history enjoy repeating it.
Information Overload 3UR
Instant
Target player draws four cards. Then Information Overload deals damage to that player equal to the number of cards in his or her hand.
"Try to cram in everything at the last minute, and it'll just feel like your brain's going to explode."
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Protective Pony Platoon 4GW
Creature — Pony Soldier
Vigilance
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, you pay pay (gw)(gw). If you do, put a 2/2 green and white Pony Solider creature token onto the battlefield blocking that creature.
The EUP forces were formed in the wake of Luna's banishment, when Celestia was too consumed by remorse to defend herself.
4/4
I don't know man, I loved the episode.
Pinkie's rap basically cemented her as my favorite of the mane six. Of course it was ridiculous, it was Pinkie.
I was sure they'd end up just writing "the history of the wonderbolts as re-enacted by Daring Do" or something to make Dash learn, but I guess with the time limit it just wasn't possible. But then again, you're right; how the heck did she not know all of this already, and why did everyone else know it before her?
I'd really like to know just how aware Luna/NMM was on the moon, because as soon as they said the wonderbolts were formed indirectly in response to her banishment I wondered how in the world she could have known about them well enough to mimic them as the shadowbolts.
Also, Fluttershy is best Celestia impersonator, with angel as close second. Dat wig...
I'm of the opinion that Dash DID know. But Twilight's study methods scrambled her brain.
1985873 As to the Shadowbolt thing, she may have gotten a peek at ponies's minds
I hit mute about three seconds into Pinkie's rap. Cementing this episode as one of the only two (the other is Simple Ways) with audio I couldn't take. So glad for mute buttons.
They forgot the "c" when they were spelling that genre of not-music's name.
I'm pretty sure she only wants to join them so she can perform for others, that way everyone can watch her awesome moves and whatnot.
It's more than likely they all read the history to help Dash, or in some of their cases, investigated on their own time, it IS interesting tidbits after all.
Pinkie's rap... It was awesome, 'nuff said, I mean, if she can do so many illogical things, a 90's rap set in 4:3 aspect ratio with back-up singers to boot is certainly not out of her league.
Also, NO NEW PONY NEXT WEEK CRIES
I am so using the Sombranomicon in the future.
1985873 The Celestia wig business it truly booming, it seems.
1985873
Well, given that Nightmare Moon used modern diction, she was probably able to access a few dreams here and there. Cults may have been involved.
Also, it seems that Nightmare wigs are not for sale in Equestria. Which makes sense. It's one thing to placate her with candy. It's another to impersonate her.
1985904
That or hunger. Studying and focusing are never easy when you're so hungry you could eat earnest, undercooked pancakes.
1986225
Given that the Wonderbolts are described as "the most talented flyers in all of Equestria" in the very first episode, Dash's logic seems to be, "I'm the best. They're the best. I should be one of them."
1986647
Who needs Abdul al'Horsehead's doorstopper when you can have sheets of magically reinforced mica bound in bloodthirsty obsidian?
Seriously, handle with care. That thing will cut you.
Nekusar the Mindrazer wants to high five you (don't leave him hanging, he'll raze your mind).
This episode had really weird everything. Dash knowing less Wonderbolts history than her friends? I can accept Twilight knowing more given that it's ancient history, but Rarity? Pinkie? FLUTTERSHY? That and how each member of the Mane Six was just sort of there whenever it was convenient, Rarity being the most obvious example. The episode feels like it suffered from trying to fit too much into the time limit, and they couldn't gracefully transition from one scene to another as a result. Rainbow having maxed Perception is kind of a neat idea though, I liked that. And even if I didn't care for the rapping bit I grant points for the dedication to making it suitably 90s.
1989544 Also combos well with Runeflare Trap and Cerebral Vortex. "Oh, your hand was empty and you just drew for your turn? Alright, draw four and take five. Then draw two and take seven. Then take seven more." Cerebral Vortex Trap is one of my most favourite damage-dealing combos, and Information Overload has twice the draw of the Vortex and has the damage-dealing of the Trap.
You know, if your opponent finds a way to force you to control a Psychic Possession while you control Passive Awareness, that'd make for a really interesting way to lock someone down.