If you've played with it, how has it worked for you? A value conscious player will obviously try to two for one you, but honestly, if I have this out and it's the number one target for enchantment or land removal? It's a pretty tame game.
I'm basically looking for Phyrexian Arena number two in a deck, and it needs to be non-creature, so no Bob, Bloodgift Demon, Graveborn Muse. Necropotence isn't really appropriate for the deck as it's not a combo deck and needs to be able to play a slow game.
To much chance to get it destroyed imo. If your meta is incredibly light on land destruction then it's not entirely bad i guess, but you have to think you can even lose it to a simple boomerange effect.
I'd have to agree with Greg, here. Unless you're running some way to abuse it and benefit from the vulnerability, like Seedborn Muse, then it is really not worth it. One thing to note, though, is that a lot of the land destruction in EDH focuses on non-basics, so if you must...
There is an enchantment that does what BoB does, but I can't remember what's called at the moment. Besides, BoB can be a double-edged sword depending on the CMC of your deck...
It is godly and I love it! I rank it even higher than Phyrexian Arena. The card draw is an activated ability which means:
1) Activated any time you need when you are given priority. Have the choice to keep the land for mana until just right before your turn. Phyrexian Arena only happen during upkeep, and does not 'cantrip' itself when facing a removal (before the 1st upkeep)
2) Synergy with "tutor to top of library" cards.
3) Powerful synergy if one has means to untap lands (eg. Earthcraft + Basic lands, Voltaic Key + Artifact lands), potential to draw more than 1 card a turn.
Underword connections is generally mediocre IMO. I really don't like setting myself back a land drop. However in conjunction with tokens and Earthcraft I did once have a crazy draw engine going.
Seriously though...Necropotence is great and is essentially legalized cheating. There are VERY few black decks that would not benefit from running it.
David, it's great for a decks that require another Arena effect. Aren't you already running Bloodgift, Phyrexian Arena, Graveborn Muse, Skullclamp pllus others? The clause of having of being a land enchantment might hurt. If you draw 2 cards off it before someone Armageddons', it was already worth it.
Here's a plus, it's not on hate level of Consecrated Sphinx; you cast it, you get Time Walk'd because its off the table immediately.
David, it's great for a decks that require another Arena effect. Aren't you already running Bloodgift, Phyrexian Arena, Graveborn Muse, Skullclamp pllus others? The clause of having of being a land enchantment might hurt. If you draw 2 cards off it before someone Armageddons', it was already worth it.
Here's a plus, it's not on hate level of Consecrated Sphinx; you cast it, you get Time Walk'd because its off the table immediately.
It doesn't have to be a land enchantment... but enchantment is ideal as it's enchantment themed deck. The Ghave one in my signature.
I actively go for Stony Silence, Null Rod, and Humility, so trying to avoid artifacts and creatures. I could run Skullclamp and if it gets turned off by Null Rod I'm probably doing okay anyways. Same thing with Graveborn Muse being shut down by Humility.
I think I might just run Necrologia as I don't focus much on recursion. Of course then I might get crypted. There's always risk in Magic.
I've tried running it, and have always cut it during early playtesting, as it tying up a land ends up being a pain. Even if you want to go with theme over function, I'd agree with those who suggest Greed instead.
Even though every player in my meta runs Ghost Quarter and Tec Edge (amongst other LD), Underworld Connections is still valuable. I've used it to great effect over the course of it's lifetime, and I find it gets blown up by sweepers more often than targeted LD (often due to Austere Command).
tried it in Teneb and it was too slow for me. I figure the card draw could even out a potential 2 for 1, but a 2 for 1 involving your land getting blown up is probably the worst kind. replaced it with Sign in Blood but that should've been in my deck to begin with lol
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A great card but gets worse depending on how many green creature decks you face on a weekly basis. Slime and Sylvan Primordial are almost always going to 2-for-1 you. Still, if you drew enough cards off of it then it would still have been worth it.
If you don't mind the extra mana, Staff of Nin is really darn good. Underworld Connections is pretty good though, but it is pretty easy to remove, so I would try to find something that doesn't die to both LD and ED.
y'know, it's funny - staff of nin just replaced Underworld Connections in my Standard SB as a draw mechanic against those damn durdly "go to time" decks so many of the people in my meta enjoy...
But hell, why not run all of them? In singleton, the more effects the better. ^^;
My only problem with Necropotence is that damned "End Step" clause. If you're in the position of "Dig for an answer or I'm hosed," then it is very much not your friend. At least Underworld Connections has almost instant use.
Recently, I actually put it on a Darksteel Citadel - indestructible land is a godsend in EDH that doth love the land sweeping...
And how does Greed NOT tie up a land for each time you are drawing a card?
There are other sources of mana than land, and I prefer to leave all my options open as much as possible. Underworld Connections is unusable any time you use that land for anything else, and the land is not usable for anything else if you want to maintain the option of using Underworld Connections.
Now, if your deck has lots of ways to untap lands then Connections can be okay. It is also pretty good with things like Rings of Brighthearth, but one can say that about a few hundred other cards as well.
Black's got plenty of one-shot draw spells beyond Promise of Power - Necrologia you mentioned, but there's Ambition's Cost/Ancient Craving and Hoarder's Greed that should, on average, break even in terms of mana spent and cards drawn compared to Underworld Connections. There's also Skeletal Scrying, since your deck isn't very graveyard-centric for Junk.
Alternatively, what about Cream of the Crop? It doesn't draw you any extra cards, but with all the token-producers and anthems your increase in card quality will make up for it.
If you've played with it, how has it worked for you? A value conscious player will obviously try to two for one you, but honestly, if I have this out and it's the number one target for enchantment or land removal? It's a pretty tame game.
I'm basically looking for Phyrexian Arena number two in a deck, and it needs to be non-creature, so no Bob, Bloodgift Demon, Graveborn Muse. Necropotence isn't really appropriate for the deck as it's not a combo deck and needs to be able to play a slow game.
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To much chance to get it destroyed imo. If your meta is incredibly light on land destruction then it's not entirely bad i guess, but you have to think you can even lose it to a simple boomerange effect.
There is an enchantment that does what BoB does, but I can't remember what's called at the moment. Besides, BoB can be a double-edged sword depending on the CMC of your deck...
1) Activated any time you need when you are given priority. Have the choice to keep the land for mana until just right before your turn. Phyrexian Arena only happen during upkeep, and does not 'cantrip' itself when facing a removal (before the 1st upkeep)
2) Synergy with "tutor to top of library" cards.
3) Powerful synergy if one has means to untap lands (eg. Earthcraft + Basic lands, Voltaic Key + Artifact lands), potential to draw more than 1 card a turn.
4) Copy the ability with Rings of Brightheath
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Greed is a good idea, not as 'all in' as necropotence. I'll have to pick one up.
I'll play it this weekend and see how it goes, if I even draw it.
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Greed ain't bad, especially since it is repeatable use at instant speed...and the art of a guy gnawing on gold is fun.
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Seriously though...Necropotence is great and is essentially legalized cheating. There are VERY few black decks that would not benefit from running it.
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Here's a plus, it's not on hate level of Consecrated Sphinx; you cast it, you get Time Walk'd because its off the table immediately.
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It doesn't have to be a land enchantment... but enchantment is ideal as it's enchantment themed deck. The Ghave one in my signature.
I actively go for Stony Silence, Null Rod, and Humility, so trying to avoid artifacts and creatures. I could run Skullclamp and if it gets turned off by Null Rod I'm probably doing okay anyways. Same thing with Graveborn Muse being shut down by Humility.
I think I might just run Necrologia as I don't focus much on recursion. Of course then I might get crypted. There's always risk in Magic.
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Seems pretty mediocre unless you have a way to abuse it (untappers), or strong synergies (enchantress, Serra's Sanctum, Sphere of Safety).
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But hell, why not run all of them? In singleton, the more effects the better. ^^;
My only problem with Necropotence is that damned "End Step" clause. If you're in the position of "Dig for an answer or I'm hosed," then it is very much not your friend. At least Underworld Connections has almost instant use.
Recently, I actually put it on a Darksteel Citadel - indestructible land is a godsend in EDH that doth love the land sweeping...
There are other sources of mana than land, and I prefer to leave all my options open as much as possible. Underworld Connections is unusable any time you use that land for anything else, and the land is not usable for anything else if you want to maintain the option of using Underworld Connections.
Now, if your deck has lots of ways to untap lands then Connections can be okay. It is also pretty good with things like Rings of Brighthearth, but one can say that about a few hundred other cards as well.
Alternatively, what about Cream of the Crop? It doesn't draw you any extra cards, but with all the token-producers and anthems your increase in card quality will make up for it.
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Cream of the Crop is a new one for me. Will have to try that out too. Thanks.
As far as Underworld Connections... yeah I think in a deck designed to make use of it, maybe. Or just run better card draw.
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