I was underwhelmed until I read it again and realized that the tokens aren't 4/4 hasty french vanillas, they're copies of the creatures you exile AND the tokens stay on the battlefield.
It seems pretty obvious to me that you would play this in a creature heavy deck with lots of self mill and cycling.
The only problem I see with this is the fact that Hour of Devastation includes a lot of graveyard hate that will exile your whole yard.
I think a LOT of people are missing the fact that the token sticks around. Just cram four of these, four gates, a bunch of overcosted and overpowered creatures, and some discard outlets into your deck, and exile your opponent's library with 4/4 Ulamogs.
Well, this is a Gift that was worth waiting for! Extremely appreciated after the resounding dud that the mysterious Vial of Dragonfire turned out to be.
My initial thoughts are that it might be possible to build around this in a RW deck--R for discard to get 6 creatures into the bin (Tormenting Voice and Cathartic Reunion, maybe even Insolent Neonate depending on how all-in you want to go) and W for an alternate way to cheat this out in case the Gate plan doesn't come together. Finally, an artifact worth reanimating! Toss in the Gearhulks of bothcolors for additional Refurbish targets and Eternalize fodder (one that gets you more gas or more options in the yard, and one that culls the board a bit--but still allows you to keep the Cataclysmic Gearhulk as the creature and the Gift as the artifact).
maybe even Insolent Neonate depending on how all-in you want to go)
Actually, The Neonate is the perfect card to go with this. He puts himself in the yard, discards another card, and would be a decent choice for the gift as well. A 4/4 haste menace is nothing to sneeze at.
Not to dampen the party but how can we have the Gate and 6 creatures in the yard by then?
Easy, even in limited:
T1: One drop creature, which you'll trade off in combat.
T2: Compelling Argument, which will obviously mill 5 creatures every time.
T3: Gate to the Afterlife
T4: Activate Gate. You even have two mana left over, so even if you got horrendously unlucky and didn't mill 5 creatures before, you can cast another Compelling Argument to get the rest.
I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure the odds there are extremely in your favor. Nothing could go wrong.
Wish it would let me exile/reanimate my opponents creatures as well. Even if it would remove the token end of turn in exchange.
But that's probably too much to ask for.
It already fuels itself for six activations.
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You could build a deck kind of like Living End in Modern. Put in all the cheap cyclers like Horror of the Broken Lands and Desert Cerodon. Cycle and survive for the first several turns and then start pumping out 4/4 critters. I think it's a cool card, and I hope it sees at least a little Standard play.
You don't really need to to rush this out in limited. In fact, unless HOU slows things down considerably you would probably be putting yourself at a disadvantage.
7 mana honestly isn't asking a lot for a bomb rare.
T1: One drop creature, which you'll trade off in combat.
T2: Compelling Argument, which will obviously mill 5 creatures every time.
T3: Gate to the Afterlife
T4: Activate Gate. You even have two mana left over, so even if you got horrendously unlucky and didn't mill 5 creatures before, you can cast another Compelling Argument to get the rest.
I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure the odds there are extremely in your favor. Nothing could go wrong.
Well, this is a Gift that was worth waiting for! Extremely appreciated after the resounding dud that the mysterious Vial of Dragonfire turned out to be.
My initial thoughts are that it might be possible to build around this in a RW deck--R for discard to get 6 creatures into the bin (Tormenting Voice and Cathartic Reunion, maybe even Insolent Neonate depending on how all-in you want to go) and W for an alternate way to cheat this out in case the Gate plan doesn't come together. Finally, an artifact worth reanimating! Toss in the Gearhulks of bothcolors for additional Refurbish targets and Eternalize fodder (one that gets you more gas or more options in the yard, and one that culls the board a bit--but still allows you to keep the Cataclysmic Gearhulk as the creature and the Gift as the artifact).
I was sort of thinking along the same lines, but your idea is far more polished than mine. I like the possibility of trying Key to the City and Hazoret's Monument as well. Black is another option, as it gives access to a lot of additional discard, and cycling options.
I think the Grim Flayer suggestion is a very good one, but I'd need to see the other supporting cast. The Insolent Neonate/Cathartic Reunion could certainly be a start as well. I suppose any deck trying very hard to accomplish this task may be able to use Haunted Dead + Prized Amalgam as an additional payoff for milling (although there's obviously some tension in that returning them puts you farther away from God-Pharaoh's Gift). Gate could also find a home in a Sam Black style Hidden Stockpile deck with Thraben Inspectors and Sacred Cats. That deck actively sacrifices its own creatures without losing board presence and is able to dig with scry to find more. Furthermore, a 4/4 Sacred Cat with haste is very cool.
7 mana for a card that produces a 4/4 each turn? Looks pretty unplayable. The combo with gate looks to be some kind of one-in-a-million scenario as well. For 7 mana I'd rather cast Bolas or some huge creature that actually wins the game.
That's assuming you pay 7 mana on turn 7, but it's a lot more impressive on turn 4 or 5.
Not to dampen the party but how can we have the Gate and 6 creatures in the yard by then?
Easy, even in limited:
T1: One drop creature, which you'll trade off in combat. T2: Compelling Argument, which will obviously mill 5 creatures every time.
T3: Gate to the Afterlife
T4: Activate Gate. You even have two mana left over, so even if you got horrendously unlucky and didn't mill 5 creatures before, you can cast another Compelling Argument to get the rest.
I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure the odds there are extremely in your favor. Nothing could go wrong.
I've gotta be honest, I'm kind of disappointed with this card insofar as I was expecting God-Pharaoh's Gift to be something unimaginably horrific, but it's really just 'yeah this is the thing'
Sooo... one or two of these, four Gates, a ton of cycling creatures and a bit of mill? That's janktastic! And like Living End, the cyclers help you find the enablers.
Guys, everyone wants to tutor this out with gate, but don't forget we also have Refurbish and Cathartic Reunion along with 5 gearhulks and other things. It may not be t1 in standard, but a Mardu reanimation deck keeps coming in and out of fashion and this will be great there.
Guys, everyone wants to tutor this out with gate, but don't forget we also have Refurbish and Cathartic Reunion along with 5 gearhulks and other things. It may not be t1 in standard, but a Mardu reanimation deck keeps coming in and out of fashion and this will be great there.
I'm trying a UW build with it because the value is insane. Eternalizing an Angel of Invention, or a Temmet, or an Aven Wind Guide after using this effect once is great. 4 Ornithopter. 4 Thraben Inspector to reach it the long way along with 16 other creatures. 4 Gate. 2 God-Pharaoh's Gift. 24 lands. 6 randoms.
I like this. I would jam a single copy of this into a deck with Madcap Experiment. I've been waiting for a good artifact to find with that card in standard. Combine it with Consulate Surveillance and a few discard outlets like Carhartic Reunion etc. and you could have fun eternalizing beaters early.
Overall I am not excited by this card. Just not. It does do powerful things for sure, and is a bomb rare in limited for sure, but I just don't like it.
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So much about this set has me just not interested at all. Amonkhet was exciting - the story of Hour of Devastation is exciting - but the cards that I am seeing so far just are not at all. Color me bored...could just be the fact that Ixalan looks so nutty that I can't focus on anything but that...
I'm surprised no one thought of RDW with bomat courier
turn 1: courier, swing
turn 2: swing again, activate ability, drop entire hand in the yard and get 2 cards back from bomat.
theoretically in a creature only aggro deck that has 4xgate to the afterlife and 2 of this new card, then a super low curve of only trying to get to 3 lands for the gate, you could easily get to 6 creatures in the yard by turn 3-4. red has some pretty interesting cards like the courier, or any of the 1 drop menace creatures that get a whole lot better at 4/4
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I think a LOT of people are missing the fact that the token sticks around. Just cram four of these, four gates, a bunch of overcosted and overpowered creatures, and some discard outlets into your deck, and exile your opponent's library with 4/4 Ulamogs.
My initial thoughts are that it might be possible to build around this in a RW deck--R for discard to get 6 creatures into the bin (Tormenting Voice and Cathartic Reunion, maybe even Insolent Neonate depending on how all-in you want to go) and W for an alternate way to cheat this out in case the Gate plan doesn't come together. Finally, an artifact worth reanimating! Toss in the Gearhulks of both colors for additional Refurbish targets and Eternalize fodder (one that gets you more gas or more options in the yard, and one that culls the board a bit--but still allows you to keep the Cataclysmic Gearhulk as the creature and the Gift as the artifact).
Turn 4's a little optimistic, but Grim Flayer, Corpse Churn, Grapple With the Past, and Wailing Ghoul could help. Some kind of GB Self-mill/discard feels like the only way you'd pull this off in standard.
Actually, The Neonate is the perfect card to go with this. He puts himself in the yard, discards another card, and would be a decent choice for the gift as well. A 4/4 haste menace is nothing to sneeze at.
Standard - RIP Cat
Modern - Death & Taxes
Commander - Mazirek, Trostani, Angry Omnath
Easy, even in limited:
T1: One drop creature, which you'll trade off in combat.
T2: Compelling Argument, which will obviously mill 5 creatures every time.
T3: Gate to the Afterlife
T4: Activate Gate. You even have two mana left over, so even if you got horrendously unlucky and didn't mill 5 creatures before, you can cast another Compelling Argument to get the rest.
I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure the odds there are extremely in your favor. Nothing could go wrong.
6/6 Grim Flayer...mmmmmmm.
I'm going to begin brewing today.
It already fuels itself for six activations.
7 mana honestly isn't asking a lot for a bomb rare.
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Crook of Condemnation in response to activating the Gate.
I was sort of thinking along the same lines, but your idea is far more polished than mine. I like the possibility of trying Key to the City and Hazoret's Monument as well. Black is another option, as it gives access to a lot of additional discard, and cycling options.
That's assuming you pay 7 mana on turn 7, but it's a lot more impressive on turn 4 or 5.
Big time spit take here.
Edit: Then again, Schmithing Needle is coming...
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
I'm trying a UW build with it because the value is insane. Eternalizing an Angel of Invention, or a Temmet, or an Aven Wind Guide after using this effect once is great. 4 Ornithopter. 4 Thraben Inspector to reach it the long way along with 16 other creatures. 4 Gate. 2 God-Pharaoh's Gift. 24 lands. 6 randoms.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Overall I am not excited by this card. Just not. It does do powerful things for sure, and is a bomb rare in limited for sure, but I just don't like it.
Selling some cards I don't want.
Generally less than tcg mid.
Older Magic as a Board Game: Panglacial Wurm , Mill
turn 1: courier, swing
turn 2: swing again, activate ability, drop entire hand in the yard and get 2 cards back from bomat.
theoretically in a creature only aggro deck that has 4xgate to the afterlife and 2 of this new card, then a super low curve of only trying to get to 3 lands for the gate, you could easily get to 6 creatures in the yard by turn 3-4. red has some pretty interesting cards like the courier, or any of the 1 drop menace creatures that get a whole lot better at 4/4