Hmm, must be because Slice and Dice is only considered a spell while it's on the stack, and a card while anywhere else? Or something. That's my guess, but I'm no judge. Perhaps it's just that keywords only work from certain zones?
Definitely annoying if you're going wide. "Yeah, you killed all my saprolings, pinged me with Stuffy Doll, and get to draw a card."
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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!
If it was just giving everything lifelink it would be possibly playable. Problem is that since it's only attackers and most decks going on the attack don't care much about lifelink. You'd be far better off playing 7 mana worth of anthems
I used to run this consistently in Mayael to decent effect. I think it's fallen by the wayside as Commander tables have become steadily more optimized, but I could still see it doing work in a laid back group.
It's danced on the maybepiles before. Even if you don't particularly build around it, just creating a bit of a life cushion later in the game (as long as you're piloting a somewhat creature-heavy deck) is often pretty good. And flying has proven effective at breaking cluttered board stalemates before.
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X Hope of Ghirapur Swordpile W Ghosty Blinky Anafenza U Nezahal- Big, Blue and HERE! B Gonti Can Afford It R Etali, Primal 'Whatjusthappened?' G Polukranos Wants More Mana WU The Exalted Vizier Temmet WB Home, Athreos WR Basandra, Recursive Aggression WG Karametra, Momma of Lands UB Wrexial Eats Your Brains UR Arjun, the Mad Flame UG The Fable of Prime Speaker BR Hellbent, Malfegor Style BG Jarad, Death is Served RG Running Thromok WUB Varina and ALL the Zombies WUBYennett, the Odd Pain-Train WUR Zedruu the Furyhearted WUG Arcades' Strategy, Shmategy, Sausage and Spam WBR A Case of Mathas' Persistent F*ckery WBRLicia's League of Legendary Lifegain Layabouts WBG The Karador Advantage PackageWRG Gahiji Rattlesnake Collection UBR Jeleva... does... things UBG Damia's Just Deserts URG Yasova's Has More Power Than Sense BRG Wasitora, Bad Kitty WUBRBreya, Eggs, Breya'd Eggs WUBG Tymna and Kydele, Extended Borrowing WURG Kynaios and Tiro, Landfall Impersonations WBRG Saskia Pet Card EnchantressUBRG Yidris of the Chi-Ting Corporation WUBRG Tazri's Amazing Allies
I have a bird tribal deck and I don't play it. It's just too expensive for that (ironically) low to the ground deck. Healer's hawk and Wingmate Roc are better forms of life gain in the deck.
If it was just giving everything lifelink it would be possibly playable.
Angelic Skirmisher has been a lot better than expected in my Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist build. Outside of my turn both First Strike and Lifelink have come in handy and if it weren't for my commanders dislike of Vigilance for herself all 3 modes would've been just as relevant on my own turn.
Decently likeable in Doran, and if you're building around it it's a hell of a threat. I rate this as a fine, fine EDH card. Not a staple by any means but fun.
There are some more efficient versions of this. Not the exact same wording, but close enough, most of the time. For instance, I've always been a fan of Victory's Herald. And if your deck is focused on +1/+1 counters, there's Abzan Battle Priest. And of course, Noble Purpose also falls into the "close enough" category.
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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!
most decks going on the attack don't care much about lifelink.
Huh? Lifelink is great for aggressive decks to create a buffer to take the hit on the crackback. Also, plenty of decks (both aggressive and not) will spend life as a resource, which makes lifelink a resource-generating ability.
Also, Windbrisk Raptor is the creature compliment to Windbrisk Heights, which mandates attacking. And since it's a static effect rather than a triggered ability, you could cast Raptor off the Heights and get the lifelink in the same combat.
I imagine this card is usually a pretty good power for 1. And even if that's not good enough, there's a sick pleasure to be found if you can kill every Sol Ring and then beat people over the head for playing it.
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Zedruu: "This deck is not only able to go crazy - it also needs to do so."
One of the best rates for a "-Vore" you'll ever find. I didn't think you could ever 'goyf a card type for one mana, and then this card came out. If you're playing the deck for it, it's absolutely grand.
I have a foil version of this and used it as one beater of many in a rainbow combo artifact deck, something that constantly filled the graveyard with arty stuff. I mostly played it for style points. It did, however, completely suck. It's annoying that vanillas are so bad in EDH.
Being 1 Mana matters if you are playing Ranger of Eos in a deck with lots of artifacts. On its own, it ranges from tiny to enormous, but probably ends up around decent sized most of the time, somewhere around a 5/5 to 8/8. That's good, but not setting the world on fire. It's much better when it gets brought to the party by a 3/2 for 4 that also grabs another friend, which can be a threat like Serra ascendant, an answer like caustic caterpillar, or a utility critter like mother of runes. There's actually a decent amount of CMC 1 matters spells in white. The issue is you also need not only a bunch of artifacts to make him worthwhile (I would only rely on opponents for the artifacts if there is regularly at least 1 artifact heavy deck at the table), AND they should be hitting the yard. Could be a real threat in a more fair Jhoira 2.0 build, or non combo Breya.
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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!
This guy was great at the time because of all the spellbombs and replicas and the like, and still is in Commander because of the proliferation of artifacts.
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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 cards is great. I don't expect much Opposition to that statement.
Fixed that for you.
Backbreaking card in the right place. I ran it in Ghave until recently taking the deck apart for scrap, and I've seen it used for absolute grossness in Emmara, Soul of the Accord too. Is it something Derevi, Empyrial Tactician wants? Could well be, I've never built Derevi.
At least according to a mod from the rulings forum, the answer is no. And I think he's right, although I'm not 100% sure. Definitely a weird rules case, I'm annoyed there isn't more info on the gatherer page for pestilent spirit.
So Shake the Foundations has that one over on S+D, at least.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Hmm, must be because Slice and Dice is only considered a spell while it's on the stack, and a card while anywhere else? Or something. That's my guess, but I'm no judge. Perhaps it's just that keywords only work from certain zones?
On phasing:
They've printed this concept much more aggressively since they made this card, but I think this is the only one stapled to its own beater.
I used to run this consistently in Mayael to decent effect. I think it's fallen by the wayside as Commander tables have become steadily more optimized, but I could still see it doing work in a laid back group.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
On phasing:
Huh? Lifelink is great for aggressive decks to create a buffer to take the hit on the crackback. Also, plenty of decks (both aggressive and not) will spend life as a resource, which makes lifelink a resource-generating ability.
Also, Windbrisk Raptor is the creature compliment to Windbrisk Heights, which mandates attacking. And since it's a static effect rather than a triggered ability, you could cast Raptor off the Heights and get the lifelink in the same combat.
The rest of the paired cycle are Isleback Spawn with Shelldock Hideaway, Hollowborn Barghest with Howltooth Hollow, Knollspine Dragon with Spinerock Knoll, and Mossbridge Troll with Mosswort Bridge. All the creatures cost 7 and have an ability that interacts with the condition for casting a spell off the land.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
I imagine this card is usually a pretty good power for 1. And even if that's not good enough, there's a sick pleasure to be found if you can kill every Sol Ring and then beat people over the head for playing it.
And yes, Pulverize wombo combo.
Also, nonartifact Construct, how cool is that?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
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!
On phasing:
This cards is great. I don't expect much Opposition to that statement.
Fixed that for you.
Backbreaking card in the right place. I ran it in Ghave until recently taking the deck apart for scrap, and I've seen it used for absolute grossness in Emmara, Soul of the Accord too. Is it something Derevi, Empyrial Tactician wants? Could well be, I've never built Derevi.