Badass art, reasonable combat stats, interesting idea...but the fact that you have a big chance to whiff rather hurts. Does become a lot better with topdeck manipulation allowing 3 spells at instant speed for a relatively low cost, but while it's concept is great...it just doesn't make the cut.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
By far the biggest drawback is that it is blue, which greatly increases the likelihood of whiffing as blue wants to run counter spells and other situational effects. While blue also gives you more access to topdeck manipulation, its also the least in need of card advantage and often won't gain much on mana. In red, this would be great, in green (even losing flying) it would be bonkers, and white could definitely use the CA.
That said, I run it in oops all creatures Ephara human tribal as one of the few non human creatures, as it lets you cast creatures on your opponents turns, triggering Ephara and generating even more CA.
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
I loved playing this in my Intet top-deck champ deck. Sylvan Library, Mirri's Guile, and Sensei's Divining Top were the core ways to set up some degenerate plays. Even Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Prognostic Sphinx could make this guy do well.
I wish the art was of a more traditional Djinn, or featured a lamp, like aMahamoti Djinn (from ABUR/4th), but, I might be in the minority there.
That's not even counting instants and sorceries like Brainstorm, Foresee, and Ponder that are, by and large, autoincludes in blue. (Of course, Jace's 0 is Brainstorm.)
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I played this as one of three creature (all Djinn) in short-lived Intet, the Dreamer spellslinger deck. The deck performed well but I took it apart to build my creatureless version of Kruphix.
I think it's a great budget deck card. Fun ability, decently sized for it's cost, but for maximum efficiency you have to have something like Sphinx of Jwar Isle, or serious topdeck manipulation, which is surprisingly easy with blue.
Even without it's flip side, I'd probably run it in just about every blue Spellslinger list. You know, the kind of deck that also runs Talrand, Sky Summoner, and would run Young Pyromancer and Monastery Mentor if on-color. It would be worse than those in that case, but having a sizeable flying body doesn't hurt.
Then you realize how easy it is to flip (Most good creatures in Ux spellslinger are wizards anyway) and you're suddenly crapping out Insectile Abberations. Except they're Wizards. And your entire team gets that juicy +2/+1 Flying buff.
Great in Wizard tribal that doesn't aim to just combo wombo, and amazing in Spellslinger where it gives you a great finisher. Outside of those decks though, it's not all that good.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Wizard tokens can be used to tap for a card with Azami, lady of scrolls and counter spells with Patron Wizard. Not to be underestimated in the slightest.
I've been a little ruffled in the jimmies at the way one of the best blue creatures in 60-card constructed got perverted into an Eldrazi at the end, but enough of my Vorthos grumblings.
Recent set's U creatures with spell synergy just aren't doing that hot. Every time I jam something like Curious Homunculus or Thing in the Ice in a U-based spellslinger deck, I end up pulling it. The paradox is that you can fill a deck with so many creatures with spell synergy that you don't have room for the spells. At best you'll only have slots for about a dozen or so before they crowd out the spell slots.
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That name would, in modern design, belong to a vampire guaranteed. But now we got this. Card "draw" in Green before they got their real drawpower.
Late today, I know. Sleep schedule's been utterly messed up lately.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
I like to think of this as a creature version of Sindbad / Fa'adiyah Seer. These cards are fairly decent recurring forms of card draw and grave fill, requiring a low mana investment, but are utterly fragile.
As said, could be great in decks with Sylvan Library, Mirri's Guile, Sensei's Divining Top, ...
Even greater if supported by untap shenanigans. But we're talking Elves, so that should be a thing anyways.
I'd propably choose Descendant's Path over it, since it isn't as clunky, but i can see it get some mileage in more casual builds.
That name would, in modern design, belong to a vampire guaranteed. But now we got this. Card "draw" in Green before they got their real drawpower.
Late today, I know. Sleep schedule's been utterly messed up lately.
I just realized she's painting on her arm. Up until now I thought she was just, you know, gesturing mystically.
It's certainly playable in casual decks with lots of topdeck manipulation. It's too slow at everything it does for even a 75% deck, but if you're playing a creature heavy deck with a casual playgroup this is could make the cut, but in the bottom 5% or so of your cards.
I'm thinking if your deck would love to play Lurking Predators this is a really mediocre way of benefiting from all the top deck manipulation you're doing anyway.
Pretty huge buff for a 1-mana aura, that's for sure. Of course, being an aura and demanding constant sacrifice makes it considerably less impressive.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Great flavor text, terrible card. Situational limited fodder.
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
The only time the extra 2 mana is justified on this card over Demonic Appetite is 2hg, in my opinion, and even then it's a worse Elephant Guide for the most part. Demonic Appetite might be useful in some kind of monoblack infect where the game is over when you play it down.
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Badass art, reasonable combat stats, interesting idea...but the fact that you have a big chance to whiff rather hurts. Does become a lot better with topdeck manipulation allowing 3 spells at instant speed for a relatively low cost, but while it's concept is great...it just doesn't make the cut.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
That said, I run it in oops all creatures Ephara human tribal as one of the few non human creatures, as it lets you cast creatures on your opponents turns, triggering Ephara and generating even more CA.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
I wish the art was of a more traditional Djinn, or featured a lamp, like aMahamoti Djinn (from ABUR/4th), but, I might be in the minority there.
http://www.commandercast.com/category/articles/generally-speaking
Follow me on Twitter: @generalspeak
That's not even counting instants and sorceries like Brainstorm, Foresee, and Ponder that are, by and large, autoincludes in blue. (Of course, Jace's 0 is Brainstorm.)
On phasing:
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Also, very strong with Sylvan Library or Mirri's Guile in an UGx deck.
UAzami, Locus of All KnowledgeU
BMarrow-Gnawer, Crime Lord of ComboB
WBRTariel, Hellraiser StaxWBR
Annul is really good in EDH
Docent of Perfection / Final Iteration
Even without it's flip side, I'd probably run it in just about every blue Spellslinger list. You know, the kind of deck that also runs Talrand, Sky Summoner, and would run Young Pyromancer and Monastery Mentor if on-color. It would be worse than those in that case, but having a sizeable flying body doesn't hurt.
Then you realize how easy it is to flip (Most good creatures in Ux spellslinger are wizards anyway) and you're suddenly crapping out Insectile Abberations. Except they're Wizards. And your entire team gets that juicy +2/+1 Flying buff.
Great in Wizard tribal that doesn't aim to just combo wombo, and amazing in Spellslinger where it gives you a great finisher. Outside of those decks though, it's not all that good.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Draft my Peasant Cube.
Recent set's U creatures with spell synergy just aren't doing that hot. Every time I jam something like Curious Homunculus or Thing in the Ice in a U-based spellslinger deck, I end up pulling it. The paradox is that you can fill a deck with so many creatures with spell synergy that you don't have room for the spells. At best you'll only have slots for about a dozen or so before they crowd out the spell slots.
EDH
Works in Progress:
WUControlling the ElementsUW C Perfect Insanity C B Anowon, the Ruin Sage B BLiliana, Heretical HealerB
Pauper EDH:
WTallowispW Voltron
Retired:
RDaretti, Scrap SavantR
That name would, in modern design, belong to a vampire guaranteed. But now we got this. Card "draw" in Green before they got their real drawpower.
Late today, I know. Sleep schedule's been utterly messed up lately.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Obligatory <3 Rebecca Guay.
Even greater if supported by untap shenanigans. But we're talking Elves, so that should be a thing anyways.
I'd propably choose Descendant's Path over it, since it isn't as clunky, but i can see it get some mileage in more casual builds.
I just realized she's painting on her arm. Up until now I thought she was just, you know, gesturing mystically.
I'm thinking if your deck would love to play Lurking Predators this is a really mediocre way of benefiting from all the top deck manipulation you're doing anyway.
R Norin the Wary: I've Got a Bad Feeling About This
UG Thrasios & Kydele: Knowledge is Power
RG Borborygmos Enraged: The Breaking of the World
BG The Gitrog Monster: All Glory to the Hypnotoad
WUR Zedruu the Greathearted: Endless Possibilities, One Outcome
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain: What's Dead May Never Die
Turn your junk into something great with PucaTrade!
Pretty huge buff for a 1-mana aura, that's for sure. Of course, being an aura and demanding constant sacrifice makes it considerably less impressive.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
The only time the extra 2 mana is justified on this card over Demonic Appetite is 2hg, in my opinion, and even then it's a worse Elephant Guide for the most part. Demonic Appetite might be useful in some kind of monoblack infect where the game is over when you play it down.