Friendship is Card Games: Castle Sweet Castle · 12:13pm Apr 12th, 2015
Golden Oak Library
2010-2014
Read blog if u cry evry tiem
Twilight had better sleep with one eye open. Angel’s sure to hold a grudge.
This episode proves what the last one hinted at: Very little time has passed since Tirek’s defeat. A week at most. As such, Twilight’s still going through the mourning process we got out of our systems months ago… though we may be seeing a relapse now that she’s done so.
In addition to acting as the library tree’s canonical eulogy, this episode was also a love letter to Season 1. There are explicit references to “Friendship is Magic,” “Look Before You Sleep,” “Sonic Rainboom,” and “The Best Night Ever.” Pinkie reprises the Frosting King gag from “Swarm of the Century.” A spa twin speaks for the first time since “Bridle Gossip.” And the plot opens with “Applebuck Season” before transitioning into a semi-inverted form of “Suited for Success,” with the personal tastes of five of the Mane Six interfering with a gift they want to give to the sixth, rather than one she wants to give to them.
Pinkie accidentally invented king cake, only instead of a bean or a plastic doll, it’s a measuring spoon, and instead of cake, it’s pancakes. Still, she won. Alicorn Pinkie confirmed, along with Half-Life 3. 
It may not be Season 1, but I do like that Applejack’s applying the lessons she learned in “The Last Roundup.” She knows avoidance when she sees it.
Spike has a Rarity plushie. That is fantastic. Odds are good that either she or Fluttershy made it for him, and either way, there is an adorable story to be had there.
Also, I really like that Spike appreciates the cold, cavernous aspect of the castle. It may be poorly suited for Twilight’s tastes, but it’s an ideal dragon lair.
Earth pony phytomancy in action. Yes, it happened during a musical number, but it’s still nice to see. Also, it’s nice how the clashing styles worked up until the very moment that the song ended. Then it all went to heck. This is why you plan things out before starting the fix-stuff-up montage.
(Also, Rarity, who was able to whip together dresses that perfectly expressed the nature of her friends, can’t apply that same skill to interior decorating. 
)
Spike peeking out of a corner of the portrait… At least he was included, but if that was meant as a joke, it wasn’t funny.
Bulk Biceps is a terrible masseuse. Especially when you think about how that was supposed to be a hot-stone massage. What did he do, balance Tom on Spike’s back? That said, I do admire his prehensile pectorals.
I’ll be honest; when the decorators started arguing, I was worried that they might damage the palace-tree. It’s made of their harmony, after all.
I know Rarity’s indecision well. I feel the same way whenever I try to make a Magic deck. I love all of the cards!
So, only when the Golden Oaks Library is burnt to the ground do we hear its name on the show. Twice, as if making up for lost time.
Apparently, Dash enjoys crashing, at least in a “look back on it and laugh” sense.
Davenport, what are you doing? That isn’t a sofa. That isn’t a sofa at all. You sold out, man. You used to be cool.
Did… did Rarity thread a jewel in the reprise? And then apparently infuse all of those jewels with memories? I’m pretty sure she and Twilight are the only ones capable of that kind of spellcraft, and Twilight obviously wasn’t responsible for the chandelier. I’m very impressed.
Also, I really do like the memory chandelier… but I have to wonder what happened to Twilight’s basement lab.
I do like that Dash choose to apply her personal touch to the library. At first, it caught me by surprise, but Daring Do is something she and Twilight have really bonded over. It was a nice touch. Also, there’s a beautiful irony in Pinkie’s contribution to the castle being the least obvious. At least, when the cannons aren’t firing.
Now for some castle-warming cards:
Frazzled Mien W
Enchantment — Aura
Whenever enchanted creature attacks or blocks, put a fatigue counter on Frazzled Mien.
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block unless its controller pays 2 for each fatigue counter on Frazzled Mien.
By the end of the week, Twilight’s mane wasn’t in good shape either.
Fluffy Bunny 1W
Creature — Rabbit
Whenever Fluffy Bunny becomes the target of a spell or ability, it gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
Self-awareness can be a double-edged sword when your defense mechanisms are so humiliating.
1/2
Repurpose 2W
Sorcery
Kicker—Exile a land card from your graveyard. (You may exile a land card from your graveyard in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell.)
Return target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand. If Repurpose was kicked, put that card onto the battlefield instead.
Triumphant Reprise XWW
Sorcery
Return target Song card from your graveyard to the battlefield with X verse counters on it.
Even the most dissonant tune can be made inspiring the second time around.
Meticulous Sorting U
Enchantment
1U: Look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order.
One of Twilight Sparkle’s less official titles, though one she has done no less to earn than any other, is “Princess of Obsessive Compulsion.”
Arcane Echo 2U
Sorcery
The next instant or sorcery spell you cast from your hand this turn has rebound.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.
Clashing Styles 2U
Instant
Counter target spell if its controller controls a nonland permanent that doesn’t share a color with that spell.
”It can be easy to forget that personal aesthetics are just that: personal.”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
“Make This Castle a Home” 3B
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Make This Castle a Home”.
1BB, Sacrifice “Make This Castle a Home”: Search your library for up to X cards with total converted mana cost X or less, where X is the number of verse counters on “Make This Castle a Home”. Reveal those cards, put them into your hand, and shuffle your library.
Coquettish Wiles 1R
Sorcery
Untap target creature with power less than or equal to your devotion to red. Gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn. (Each R in the mana costs of permanents you control counts towards your devotion to red.)
Anxious Anticipation 2R
Enchantment
Whenever a time counter is removed from a suspended card you own, Anxious Anticipation deals 1 damage to target player.
The worst fear of all is the fear of future fear.
Eager Excavation 3R
Sorcery
Replicate 2R (When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Destroy target nonbasic land.
Quick Grow 1GG
Sorcery
You may put any number of land cards from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.
”You really never heard growth before? What rock have you been living under?”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
Castle Critters 2G
Creature — Beast
Nonbasic landwalk
Fluttershy’s contributions to the Palace-Tree quickly made themselves at home.
2/2
Bearers’ Portrait 2
Artifact
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast a Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn spell or to activate an ability of a Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn.
It draws on the power of the strongest friendship in the Multiverse.
Pancake Panorama 2
Artifact
1, T, Sacrifice Pancake Panorama: Search your library for an artifact card with a mana ability, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
”When I say every flavor, I mean every flavor.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Wonderbolt Statuette 3
Artifact
T: Add R or W to your mana pool.
1RW: Wonderbolt Statuette becomes a 0/1 red and white Pegasus Soldier artifact creature with flying until end of turn.
Whenever Wonderbolt Statuette attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of attacking creatures you control. (Only creatures can attack.)
Pony Doll 5
Artifact Creature — Pony Construct
Indestructible
4: Until end of turn, Pony Doll becomes a copy of target Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn creature and gains indestructible and this ability.
Some toys refuse to be lost.
0/1
Roots of Memory 5
Artifact
During each turn, you may cast one instant or sorcery card from your graveyard. Exile that card as it resolves.
Made from the remnants of the past to welcome the future.
Abort Takeoff 1(gw)
Instant
Destroy target attacking or blocking creature with flying.
”I needed to buy a few more minutes, but I didn’t mean for them to be at the hospital.”
—Spike
Needlebeak Flock 1GW
Creature — Bird
Flying
Whenever Needlebeak Flock deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices an artifact or enchantment.
”Bunch of party poopers. They wouldn’t know a good time if they pecked its eyes out.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
2/1
Critter Cleaning 2(gw)
Instant
Destroy any number of target Auras attached to permanents you control.
”I live and work with animals all day. I have much more than my own hygiene to worry about.”
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
Flight Practice 3WU
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control with flying attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
”At least Twilight’s finally using those wings of hers.”
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Confetti Blast 3(wu)(wu)(wu)
Instant
Tap all creatures target player controls.
Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
Pinkie provided the Castle-Tree’s first line of defense.
Mighty Masseuse 4GU
Creature — Pegasus Citizen
Flying, trample
Whenever Mighty Masseuse deals combat damage to a player, tap target creature that player controls. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
He has trouble telling knots from bones.
3/3
Library Ruins
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
3, T: Shuffle your graveyard into your library, then sacrifice Library Ruins.
Though the books are burnt, the memories live on.
YES! Glad someone else noticed this. XD
Twilight has a secret basement lab in the tree-chandelier ceiling of her big chair room.
I want to say, that its actually the offical plush of the mane six that is all the rage in Canterlot right now.
I thought that sight gag looked familiar! Taken as the love letter you say it is, this episode...
Well, it's appreciate, this far into the show, but it's also kind of "why can't we move forward"? I mean, this is all about not forgetting your roots (I CRACK ME UP), but at the same time, one could argue the episode wasn't terribly original in that sense.
I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT
Kind of curious why make a house a home is only black, I would see it as black white since all of them have very good intentions, mainly helping a friend, all of them are self absorbed in their attempts to do so however.
2975903
Why would good intentions make it White? White is Community, Order, Law, Light, Protection, and Life. Good intentions have nothing to do with it any more than any other colour.
2975681
I'm always on the lookout for earth pony magic, whether sane or not.
2975761
I'm just worried about what will happen when the reagents eat their way through the thing...
2975779
Impossible. That would require them to have some level of fame and recognition beyond stained glass windows.
2975817
Pretty sure this one was meant to tie up the loose ends of the Season 4 finale, which led into the nostalgia theme. Now that the library has been properly unburied, we can move on.
2975903
As 2976324 noted, white is not good. Just ask Daimyo Floaty-Eyes or Lady Gaga a la Lord Zedd. "Make This Castle a Home" is black because Twilight's friends were all focused on their own interests rather than thinking about hers. Selfishness and individuality, both hallmarks of swamp magic.
2977751
Underground fame of course. You know, those guys who are fans of things before they become popular, but then when their secret undergroudn thing becomes popular with the masses, they'll hate it for no reason whatsoever
Arcane Echo makes me sad that Rebound doesn't "stack".
I am sad that Clashing Styles doesn't have Clash.
I think Quick Grow is a little too powerful, being able to put what is essentially an unlimited number of lands onto the battlefield for only three mana. Yes I know it is a finite amount, based on hand size and cards in hand and all that but there's a lot of draw tricks and hand manipulation and all sorts of ways to break anything without a hard limit.
And ways to break things with hard limits. M:tG is a wonderful game.
I don't think it would be so bad if you limited it as "You may put up-to X land cards from your hand onto the battlefield tapped, where X is the number of lands you control."
2977751 replace good intentions with compassionate intentions, compassion is generally seen as good so I wrote the wrong word.
Can I get my pancake panorama black lotus flavored?
I for one was cringing at the first round of the musical number; every one of their choices was so obviously wrong, and the song wasn't that good either. Rarity's idea was at least decent decorating strategy for the general case, but not exactly helpful when the entire building is already made out of crystal.
As for their final solution, well, having giant tree roots dangling above your throne room is certainly an avante-garde architectural decision, not to mention uprooting the remains of her old home without consulting her, but I guess Twilight liked it and that's what counts. (And indeed, the fact that they knew her well enough to guess she'd like it was the whole point).
As for cards:
Repurpose is pretty cool, both in flavor and mechanics. At least until someone uses it as a cheap reanimator for Blightsteel Colossus or something... that probably should've been a noncreature artifact.
Meticulous Sorting: Very appropriate for Twilight. Pretty nice card, since it lets you delay drawing a few cards you don't want indefinitely or manipulate your topdeck freely (hello Miracle costs, easy Clashes and all those green cards that put the top card of your library into play if it meets a condition).
Arcane Echo: Ooh, fancy! I like how this one is designed to evoke its flavor so well.
Clashing Styles: Secret tech: Piss off anyone who uses artifacts for anything.
Make This Castle a Home: So it's black, tutors any kind of card multiple times, gives you card advantage... and doesn't make you pay life, sacrifice creatures or sign away your firstborn? What gives? I don't even care if it's balanced or not, it's not black.
Quick Grow: I'm imagining this is devastating in the right deck. That deck includes the words "Landfall" and "Search your library" quite prominently.
Pony Doll: I'm assuming this means Smarty Pants survived to make another cameo I didn't notice? Props off to her I guess.
Roots of Memory: Protip: If you have enough mana to play Roots of Memory, you also have enough mana to play Time Warp. Twice in a row.
Abort Takeoff: I don't see why a green player would ever pick this over Plummet, split mana or not. White might, but it has more reliable options too.
Needlebeak Flock: That is the best flavor text ever. The card is pretty good, but the flavor text is great.
Flight Practice: Looks amazing until you notice how late in the game you have to play it, considering that decks with a lot of small fliers are pretty fast. Then again, 5 mana doesn't have to be "late in the game" when you're green...
Confetti Blast: Fool me once, shame on you. Somehow manage to catch me off guard with the second blase, shme on me. (Still very good).
Mighty Masseuse: Every once in a while 6 mana in green gets you something besides a giant battering ram... that's still quite good.
Library Ruins: Does that ability leave this card in the graveyard after the shuffle? I'm guessing yes. An interesting (but probably not very wise) choice in a deck that uses the above Retrace cards, if it does, and a hilarious anticombo if it gets shuffled into your library as well.
2984750
Repurpose: Well, not Blightsteel itself, given the anti-reanimation clause, but I understand what you mean. That said, bear in mind that Repurpose is only one mana less than Zombify and Argivian Restoration.
"Make This Castle a Home": Uh, black tutors go all the way back to the original tutor. This isn't even the first X tutor; that honor goes to Diabolic Revelation. Also, while the Song may not ask for cards, it does ask for time, which can be a much more valuable resource.
Pony Doll: No, this one's based on the Rarity plushie Spike had in his arms when he walked in on the pancake breakfast.
Library Ruins: I actually hadn't considered that. Since costs are paid before effects resolve, it would have shuffled itself with the rest of the graveyard. That wasn't what I had in mind, so I've tweaked the effect.
2984822
Huh, I thought I remembered the black tutors from the original tutor cycle requiring you to pay life but it looks like there's some of each. It's just that Vampiric Tutor and Death Wish were the ones I remembered since they "felt" more black (and I think Vampiric Tutor was the black contribution to the original sixth edition Tutor cycle. Death Wish was definitely the black card for the Wish cycle). Anyways, while time is a valuable resource it's the one resource that I'm not sure is actually thematically appropriate for black to sacrifice, plus it's a consequence of being a song rather than a direct aspect of the card. Maybe this could at least chuck X cards from the top of your library into the graveyard or exile as a side effect? That feels pretty fitting with the song it's supposed to represent (the first rendition anyways).
Library Ruins sits in the graveyard now, but you can also bounce it after triggering the ability now. How about "3,T, Exile Library Ruins: Shuffle your library into your graveyard, then put Library Ruins on top of your graveyard."