It That Writhes5
Creature – Eldrazi Horror [Rare] 2BB, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with power equal to or less than the sacrificed creature’s power and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
4/5
^This is a riff on Fleshwrither, a card that has fascinated me for a while. The card above provides some increased flexibility as a colorless beater in limited.
Four-Eyed Gorgon2BB
Creature – Cyclops Gorgon [Rare]
T: Destroy target creature unless its controller pays 4 life.
1/4
^Visara The Dreadful's little sister, but with a twist for hopefully some more interesting gameplay.
Lurking Monstrosity2BB
Enchantment [Rare]
Pay life equal to the number of creatures you control: Lurking Monstrosity becomes a 4/4 Horror creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. It’s still an enchantment.
^My take on Lurking Evil. I think the activated cost here is too interesting not to keep as is, but am still not sure on the card's mana cost.
It That Writhes is an interesting toolbox design, though its synergy with other Eldrazi isn't that great. Most of the expendable Eldrazi aren't that big, and most of the big Eldrazi aren't that expendable. Not getting cast triggers hurts, too. At least Matter Reshaper exists, and you can always run a bunch of 1 power creatures to grab with scions.
Four-Eyed Gorgon is, like most punisher cards, win-more. Her stats are not great, and the ability needs you either to have a superior board or be close to winning to be worthwhile.
Man-enchantments aren't normally in black's color pie, but the color has gotten more enchantment support recently. Deathtouch is superfluous on an evasive 4/4, though. The mana cost is fine because the activation cost is so low. Could even go up to five.
Lurking Monstrosity rocks just a little too hard in a no/low-creature deck; 0 life pays for any number of them to activate, as none of them are creatures when the payment is made.
Four-Eyed Gorgon is, like most punisher cards, win-more. Her stats are not great, and the ability needs you either to have a superior board or be close to winning to be worthwhile.
Wouldn't it be the opposite? If I'm in a losing position, she can be used as a decent blocker while turn after turn threatening to either eat chunks of health or kill the opponent's biggest threat at instant speed.
Man-enchantments aren't normally in black's color pie, but the color has gotten more enchantment support recently. Deathtouch is superfluous on an evasive 4/4, though. The mana cost is fine because the activation cost is so low. Could even go up to five.
The deathtouch was added to make the card more useful as a blocker, but it might indeed be unnecessary.
Four-Eyed Gorgon is, like most punisher cards, win-more. Her stats are not great, and the ability needs you either to have a superior board or be close to winning to be worthwhile.
Wouldn't it be the opposite? If I'm in a losing position, she can be used as a decent blocker while turn after turn threatening to either eat chunks of health or kill the opponent's biggest threat at instant speed.
Are you, uh, familiar with why punisher cards like Dash Hopes are incredibly win-more cards that are useless when losing? See, your opponent is always going to pick the option that is least advantageous to you. If you're truly getting your rear handed to you, making your opponent lose 4 life isn't going to stop him/her from smashing you flat. This card certainly isn't as effective in that situation as a genuine removal spell or a bigger body for the cost. The activated ability will only ever destroy anything when you either target something inconsequential, or when your opponent is in no position to lose any more life, at which point you are already winning. Ergo, punisher cards like these are win-more, and they will let you down otherwise.
Four-Eyed Gorgon is, like most punisher cards, win-more. Her stats are not great, and the ability needs you either to have a superior board or be close to winning to be worthwhile.
Wouldn't it be the opposite? If I'm in a losing position, she can be used as a decent blocker while turn after turn threatening to either eat chunks of health or kill the opponent's biggest threat at instant speed.
Are you, uh, familiar with why punisher cards like Dash Hopes are incredibly win-more cards that are useless when losing? See, your opponent is always going to pick the option that is least advantageous to you. If you're truly getting your rear handed to you, making your opponent lose 4 life isn't going to stop him/her from smashing you flat. This card certainly isn't as effective in that situation as a genuine removal spell or a bigger body for the cost. The activated ability will only ever destroy anything when you either target something inconsequential, or when your opponent is in no position to lose any more life, at which point you are already winning. Ergo, punisher cards like these are win-more, and they will let you down otherwise.
Yea, I'm familiar with punisher cards, though I still appreciate the breakdown. I definitely agree that a bigger body would be more useful (it always is), but I just think that "is useless while losing" is a bit hyperbolic. A 4 life swing at end of turn or in response to blocking a creature can still be meaningful in limited I feel. Would you really not play the card in limited? If you wouldn't, is the smaller body the main reason, or the punisher effect of the ability? I gave her the smaller body to justify a cheaper mana cost. She's not meant to be a game-ender, and in retrospect probably shouldn't be a rare as a result, or should just have the bigger body.
Yea, I'm familiar with punisher cards, though I still appreciate the breakdown. I definitely agree that a bigger body would be more useful (it always is), but I just think that "is useless while losing" is a bit hyperbolic. A 4 life swing at end of turn or in response to blocking a creature can still be meaningful in limited I feel. Would you really not play the card in limited? If you wouldn't, is the smaller body the main reason, or the punisher effect of the ability? I gave her the smaller body to justify a cheaper mana cost. She's not meant to be a game-ender, and in retrospect probably shouldn't be a rare as a result, or should just have the bigger body.
E.g would you rather play the following:
Other Gorgon2BB
Creature - Gorgon
Deathtouch
3/3
Thanks for the feedback btw, very helpful.
The "useless" comment referred more to the ability rather than the card as a whole. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, a body is a body, no matter how small.
If I opened a booster pack in draft and saw Four-Eyes at rare and the Other Gorgon at uncommon or common, I would pick the latter every single time.
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Creature – Eldrazi Horror [Rare]
2BB, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with power equal to or less than the sacrificed creature’s power and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
4/5
^This is a riff on Fleshwrither, a card that has fascinated me for a while. The card above provides some increased flexibility as a colorless beater in limited.
Four-Eyed Gorgon 2BB
Creature – Cyclops Gorgon [Rare]
T: Destroy target creature unless its controller pays 4 life.
1/4
^Visara The Dreadful's little sister, but with a twist for hopefully some more interesting gameplay.
Lurking Monstrosity 2BB
Enchantment [Rare]
Pay life equal to the number of creatures you control: Lurking Monstrosity becomes a 4/4 Horror creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. It’s still an enchantment.
^My take on Lurking Evil. I think the activated cost here is too interesting not to keep as is, but am still not sure on the card's mana cost.
Four-Eyed Gorgon is, like most punisher cards, win-more. Her stats are not great, and the ability needs you either to have a superior board or be close to winning to be worthwhile.
Man-enchantments aren't normally in black's color pie, but the color has gotten more enchantment support recently. Deathtouch is superfluous on an evasive 4/4, though. The mana cost is fine because the activation cost is so low. Could even go up to five.
Wouldn't it be the opposite? If I'm in a losing position, she can be used as a decent blocker while turn after turn threatening to either eat chunks of health or kill the opponent's biggest threat at instant speed.
The deathtouch was added to make the card more useful as a blocker, but it might indeed be unnecessary.
Are you, uh, familiar with why punisher cards like Dash Hopes are incredibly win-more cards that are useless when losing? See, your opponent is always going to pick the option that is least advantageous to you. If you're truly getting your rear handed to you, making your opponent lose 4 life isn't going to stop him/her from smashing you flat. This card certainly isn't as effective in that situation as a genuine removal spell or a bigger body for the cost. The activated ability will only ever destroy anything when you either target something inconsequential, or when your opponent is in no position to lose any more life, at which point you are already winning. Ergo, punisher cards like these are win-more, and they will let you down otherwise.
Yea, I'm familiar with punisher cards, though I still appreciate the breakdown. I definitely agree that a bigger body would be more useful (it always is), but I just think that "is useless while losing" is a bit hyperbolic. A 4 life swing at end of turn or in response to blocking a creature can still be meaningful in limited I feel. Would you really not play the card in limited? If you wouldn't, is the smaller body the main reason, or the punisher effect of the ability? I gave her the smaller body to justify a cheaper mana cost. She's not meant to be a game-ender, and in retrospect probably shouldn't be a rare as a result, or should just have the bigger body.
E.g would you rather play the following:
Other Gorgon 2BB
Creature - Gorgon
Deathtouch
3/3
Thanks for the feedback btw, very helpful.
The "useless" comment referred more to the ability rather than the card as a whole. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, a body is a body, no matter how small.
If I opened a booster pack in draft and saw Four-Eyes at rare and the Other Gorgon at uncommon or common, I would pick the latter every single time.