It's not great. I guess the main issue I have with this card is the same one that I have with Turn to Slag. The abundance of protective equipment in Commander make spells like these useless.
Interesting card, but just how much life is worth drawing 4? And what's the best point to start with? Enemy lifegain decks will laugh at this.
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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.
A nice loss condition when you get Mindslavered, though the same could be said of Necropotence. The biggest benefit this has over Necropotence or Infernal Contract/ Cruel Bargain is that more flexible mana cost, so if you're looking for something similar in 3+ color (draw four for 3, take lots of life loss) this is your card. Breaking the symmetry by adding this to a draw pain deck doesn't seem as good, since you'll have plenty of Howling Mine things around. A lot of the time I favor card advantage creatures and repeatable durdle value over raw card draw, but it has its benefits.
I used to use this in a U/B/R Storm-lite deck with the usual Storm suspects. Red mana acceleration, free artifacts, etc. Nobody bids 15 on turn 4'ish generally.
It's not great. I guess the main issue I have with this card is the same one that I have with Turn to Slag. The abundance of protective equipment in Commander make spells like these useless.
I'm not even sure what its point was in AVR limited. I'm guessing Angelic Armaments? (Even if green decks benefit from A^2 more than anyone.) In Standard, it absolutely sucked when you consider:
Squadron Hawk was no longer in Standard and hadn't been for some time, and we were approaching the anniversary of the Jace/Stoneforge banning (and both of them wouldn't be in Standard either).
Decks that wanted to do Caw-Blade-like shenanigans had Invisible Stalker.
It's not a creature and thus doesn't get benefit from Cavern of Souls.
Sword of Feast and Famine was the most commonly played equipment, and the meta had moved beyond equipment in general to a large extent.
Anyway, Pain's Reward is one of those odd cards. I'm guessing they thought drawing four for three mana would be that useful. Of course, Kamigawa's meta also gave us Owling Mine, but I'm sure it has use in some sort of lifegain deck. Well, probably not, since lifegain decks' opponents would want you below 40 when you want them at 0 or less, and having 79 life is the definition of winmoar.
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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!
These fellas used to be one of the big all-stars of the format, but while they still have a presence, they have dropped out of favor a fair bit. Doesn't mean they're a bad pick - not at all - just that due to it lacking actual immediate impact unless you can follow up with several ramp spells, other options are often chosen above it nowadays.
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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.
These fellas used to be one of the big all-stars of the format, but while they still have a presence, they have dropped out of favor a fair bit. Doesn't mean they're a bad pick - not at all - just that due to it lacking actual immediate impact unless you can follow up with several ramp spells, other options are often chosen above it nowadays.
They do a great job in my Omnath, Locus of Rage deck as a back up general. Although outside of a heavy ramp or landfall based strategy I don't see them being used much else where else.
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EDH Pantheon UBRG Yidris, Eye of the Storm WBR Kaalia, Herald of Apocalypse UBG Damia, Sage of Nightmare WBG Karador, the Bridge Between WU Grand Warden Augustin IV RG Omnath, Locus of Awakening BG Nath Addict UR Niv Mizzet, Brain Aflame B Kokusho, the Mourning Star U Memnarch is All
This card ends games quickly for me in my The Gitrog Monster list. In there, it acts similar to a Grave Titan in that it fills my board with a massive presence that demands an answer quickly or wins me the game.
I liked them in aggressive style decks and or decks that hit a lot of landfalls. The ideal deck for them is a deck with a lot of threats that hits a lot of land drops and can use Greater Good.
In practice I dont run them much because its rare that I have a deck full of beaters. I do have an Abzan partner deck that uses them and they are great there but most decks, bodies and beaters is not what you need.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
Missed Pain's Reward, but I once paid 30 life for those 4 cards and then died a turn later. I regret nothing.
Baloths is one of many good card competing for a spot at 6 CMC and I still see them a fair amount. I like having cards that can take advantage of an excess of land ramp because it lets you overload on ramp effects without them being dead draws later, so that's a plus for them. The only real downside is how many options they're competing with, which means they make the cut less often than they used to.
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[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box.
Rampaging Baloths is basically the poster-boy card for 'Card that should be amazing but never is'. Its obviously a good card, but it has never been near as good as I've hoped.
The big problem is, a lot of ways I use my tokens, it really doesn't matter if they're 1/1 or 5/5. Mostly I use them for triggers and sometimes I attack with them.
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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!
This card is a way to get a lot of power into play quickly. A good way to win if you've cleared the board. I just think there are probably better options.
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.
At first glance a superior option to Pestilence with the only cost being that you have to run Snow Swamps. Not a big deal, right? Well, you have to be mono-black, you can't pump doubled basic land mana into it, you can't pump Cabal Coffers mana into it, you can't pump mana artifacts into it... The notable advantages you gain are 1 cmc lower (a good advantage) and Sun Titan recursion (a two color deck weakens the card, but you might reanimate someone else's sun titan for sure)
Pestilence isn't completely bad in multicolor, but it does give you fewer options. And since you're using a bunch of snow-covered swamps, you're going to be playing Extraplanar Lens.
It does have one advantage: It means that with Erebos out, your devotion to black is now 3. Format staples costing at least NBB include:
Also, you can activate it on opponents' turns, which I like. So it has value as something bleedy, if you have high enough toughness or just plain indestructible or pro-black, much like Pestilence itself.
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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 have great memories of Withering Wisps. My brother used to have an old janky kitchen-table black/white deck involving wisps, Pestilence, creatures with pro-black, and COP: black. Good memories!
At first glance a superior option to Pestilence with the only cost being that you have to run Snow Swamps. Not a big deal, right? Well, you have to be mono-black, you can't pump doubled basic land mana into it, you can't pump Cabal Coffers mana into it, you can't pump mana artifacts into it... The notable advantages you gain are 1 cmc lower (a good advantage) and Sun Titan recursion (a two color deck weakens the card, but you might reanimate someone else's sun titan for sure)
It's more narrow than it looks at the start.
I'm like 99% sure you are wrong. The oracle says
Activate this ability no more times each turn than the number of snow Swamps you control.
It doesn't say "spend only snow covered swamp mana for this".
Classic MTG art on a pestilence variant. I actually feel bad because I don't run many pestilence type cards, when much of the format revolves around token production. I would say thay this one is a bit weaker than others, as your limit for dumping mana is hampered by your number of SCS's. As mentioned before, if you're running Extraplanar Lens and using SCS's then it's a surprisingly nice, left field addition, though the cost costing 1 less than pestilence is probably not significant most of the time, though could bring that 1 more damage down to kill something if your opponent cant kill it the turn it drops.
At first glance a superior option to Pestilence with the only cost being that you have to run Snow Swamps. Not a big deal, right? Well, you have to be mono-black, you can't pump doubled basic land mana into it, you can't pump Cabal Coffers mana into it, you can't pump mana artifacts into it... The notable advantages you gain are 1 cmc lower (a good advantage) and Sun Titan recursion (a two color deck weakens the card, but you might reanimate someone else's sun titan for sure)
It's more narrow than it looks at the start.
I'm like 99% sure you are wrong. The oracle says
Activate this ability no more times each turn than the number of snow Swamps you control.
It doesn't say "spend only snow covered swamp mana for this".
This is correct. Your maximum limit is how many snow covered swamps you have, but you are not restricted to only using snow covered swamps to pay for the activation cost.
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.
Interesting card, but just how much life is worth drawing 4? And what's the best point to start with? Enemy lifegain decks will laugh at this.
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'm not even sure what its point was in AVR limited. I'm guessing Angelic Armaments? (Even if green decks benefit from A^2 more than anyone.) In Standard, it absolutely sucked when you consider:
Anyway, Pain's Reward is one of those odd cards. I'm guessing they thought drawing four for three mana would be that useful. Of course, Kamigawa's meta also gave us Owling Mine, but I'm sure it has use in some sort of lifegain deck. Well, probably not, since lifegain decks' opponents would want you below 40 when you want them at 0 or less, and having 79 life is the definition of winmoar.
On phasing:
These fellas used to be one of the big all-stars of the format, but while they still have a presence, they have dropped out of favor a fair bit. Doesn't mean they're a bad pick - not at all - just that due to it lacking actual immediate impact unless you can follow up with several ramp spells, other options are often chosen above it nowadays.
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.
They do a great job in my Omnath, Locus of Rage deck as a back up general. Although outside of a heavy ramp or landfall based strategy I don't see them being used much else where else.
UBRG Yidris, Eye of the Storm
WBR Kaalia, Herald of Apocalypse
UBG Damia, Sage of Nightmare
WBG Karador, the Bridge Between
WU Grand Warden Augustin IV
RG Omnath, Locus of Awakening
BG Nath Addict
UR Niv Mizzet, Brain Aflame
B Kokusho, the Mourning Star
U Memnarch is All
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsIn practice I dont run them much because its rare that I have a deck full of beaters. I do have an Abzan partner deck that uses them and they are great there but most decks, bodies and beaters is not what you need.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
Baloths is one of many good card competing for a spot at 6 CMC and I still see them a fair amount. I like having cards that can take advantage of an excess of land ramp because it lets you overload on ramp effects without them being dead draws later, so that's a plus for them. The only real downside is how many options they're competing with, which means they make the cut less often than they used to.
The big problem is, a lot of ways I use my tokens, it really doesn't matter if they're 1/1 or 5/5. Mostly I use them for triggers and sometimes I attack with them.
On phasing:
I hate Landfall, I think it is an overrated mechanic. The Baloth is about the only one I ever really consider running.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
I hate Landfall, I think it is an overrated mechanic. The Baloth is about the only one I ever really consider running.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
This card is a way to get a lot of power into play quickly. A good way to win if you've cleared the board. I just think there are probably better options.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
For when one Pestilence isn't enough.
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.
but its a good card.
It's more narrow than it looks at the start.
I think I would rather run pestilence. Primarily because I don't have enough snow covered swamps
BGGRock
Modern
BRGJund
BBGRock
It does have one advantage: It means that with Erebos out, your devotion to black is now 3. Format staples costing at least NBB include:
Necropotence (which can also use just plain Pestilence)
Sorin Markov (which can also use just plain Pestilence)
Grave Pact (which can blah blah blah)
Phyrexian Arena
Whip of Erebos
Liliana of the Veil
Dictate of Erebos
Sanguine Bond
Liliana of the Dark Realms
Black Market (but again, you're not using that mana)
Ob Nixilis Reignited
Mind Slash
Also, you can activate it on opponents' turns, which I like. So it has value as something bleedy, if you have high enough toughness or just plain indestructible or pro-black, much like Pestilence itself.
On phasing:
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsI'm like 99% sure you are wrong. The oracle says
It doesn't say "spend only snow covered swamp mana for this".
This is correct. Your maximum limit is how many snow covered swamps you have, but you are not restricted to only using snow covered swamps to pay for the activation cost.
Poor abilities tacked onto a 1 mana 1/1. Pass.
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)
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers