There's not a whole lot of incentive to build white Devotion really high other than this card and Springjack Shepherd, is there? Anyways, you could potentially use this with Blasphemous Act to save one of your dudes and launch a nuke at one of your opponents.
It's tempting in that it can result in some really spikey plays, but I think it, and most cards like it, are too weak in this format. If you will reliably have about 6 devotion to white, it becomes interesting. Using it to save something of yours and pick off an important creature can be strong, and at around 6 it can do both very well. At 6, you're also getting to a level where you can start to pick off low life totals late game, giving some reach.
The spiciest place is in Gisela. Imagine having 5 devotion, using this to protect an opponents creature will double the damage it deals to 10. Of course, I'm sure there are effects that will redirect all damage that would be even better.
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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!
There's not a whole lot of incentive to build white Devotion really high other than this card and Springjack Shepherd, is there? Anyways, you could potentially use this with Blasphemous Act to save one of your dudes and launch a nuke at one of your opponents.
I have used white in tri-color devotion decks. (Don't laugh, hybrids are some of the best devotion cards, black and green can circumvent mana costs, and blue can clone.) The problem is generally not running up devotion, but finding devotion cards.
I guess we'll have to wait for Return to Theros: Something more visual, but not too abysmal.
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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!
Wolfir Silverheart is a bit better when you want to go big. If you have a +1/+1 counter deck, Gearhulk competes with a lot of things.
I think it is probably fine in a deck that cares a bit more about artifacts, but I would mostly be surprised to see it played.
Wolfir Silverheart is a bit better when you want to go big. If you have a +1/+1 counter deck, Gearhulk competes with a lot of things.
I think it is probably fine in a deck that cares a bit more about artifacts, but I would mostly be surprised to see it played.
Ye olde Wolfir.......that belongs right in Goreclaw too.
I've played Gearhulk a few times. The floor on it is undercosted trample beater that outsizes most typical EDH creatures. It has a lot of potential to be better, whether that's loading counters onto your general to accelerate the clock, a double striker to magnify the effectiveness, something like Cephalid Constable, or spreading counters around to minimize risk from spot removal. Unlike Silverheart, it plays nicely with flickering/bouncing to reuse and the trigger can be doubled by the cards that care about that. It's a solid card for more beatdown focused decks even if efficient creatures are usually underappreciated in EDH.
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[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box.
I've tossed it up for a couple decks, but it never really makes the cut. In a dedicated counter deck it could be strong, but then there's lots of cards that can say that. Bare minimum though, it's a well costed beater with trample, which isn't bad by any stretch.
It's actually pretty ok in some counter synergy decks - Hallar, rishkar, and pir + toothy specifically.
P/t doesn't really make it worth it on its own, except maybe in Xenagod. And ofc in low-powered metas it's fine.
Animar possibly; it pays for itself, after all. Ghave is a bit of a long shot, since there are betterways to put +1/+1 counters on all your creatures. (You could even use a friendly aristocrat like Lumberknot to basically give all your creatures a Daily Regimen with Ghave.) But possibly Marath? Cathars' Crusade still exists, but little else does.
Could be useful in Kraj? I guess Ulasht.
Conversely, if you're playing Zegana, you'd probably want Wolfir, just because you can soulbond her to Wolfir.
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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 am not sure if it works this way, buuut the awaken part of the spell does target so with Radiate and the Awakened spell it might copy once for each land you control?
This is correct. Radiates for each land you control.
But even then, this isn't infinite because PTWV self-exiles. Though I digress that taking 9-14 turns in succession is probably a win anyway, it is definitely finite in and of itself.
No, it's not infinite. But if you can't win with 14 extra turns in a row and 14 6/6 creatures, you're doing something wrong.
It depends. This is kinda cool, since there are only really two classes of creatures worthy of fighting: Fatties and deathtouch creatures (e.g., Sedge Scorpion, Ambush Viper, Deadly Recluse). Possibly infect or wither, if you're trying to deal with something with indestructible. So, turning a 4/4 into a 6/6 is good. Turning something like Thorn Elemental into a 9/9 is even better. And it can still attack or block that turn.
Ancient Animus and Savage Stomp are cool, and if you're exploiting +1/+1 counters they can multiply rather quickly.
Pit Fight's in a weird spot. If you're in three colors, none of them black, that hybrid can matter. But since you have to be in both red and green to use it in Commander, it's not going to see as much play as a monogreen 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!
Probably the strongest card in multiplayer (maybe flash?) and is either completely degenerate or useless.
Bad card design, great card.
Of course its bad card design, its a "You Make the Card".
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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 run it in Liliana, Heretical Healer and it always does good work for me, giving me a little bit more advantage each turn in some way I can always use. One of the better cards in the deck.
This card is a paradox. It was clearly designed to not be used the way it was designed to be used.
Works wondrous with wheel effects.
We need a card that transforms black into red mana to be able to cast the drawn wheel effects. This would enable a very degenerate deck. Manaforge Cinder is limited and Agent of Stromgald has the wrong direction.
I don't get the dislike for this card... I guess some cards are really not for everyone. This is one of my favourite cards and I played it as a 4-of in Standard. I have been trying to build a modern deck around it for years (I built it, but I actually hate modern and never played it and now the deck no longer exists). It is a Johnny card and I would play it in EDH if I found a discard-themed general I liked.
The spiciest place is in Gisela. Imagine having 5 devotion, using this to protect an opponents creature will double the damage it deals to 10. Of course, I'm sure there are effects that will redirect all damage that would be even better.
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!
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Well, there is Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and Evangel of Heliod. Arguably Light from Within, which isn't so much devotion as much as it runs parallel to devotion: Divinity of Pride gets +5/+5, Iona, Shield of Emeria gets +3/+3, etc.
I have used white in tri-color devotion decks. (Don't laugh, hybrids are some of the best devotion cards, black and green can circumvent mana costs, and blue can clone.) The problem is generally not running up devotion, but finding devotion cards.
I guess we'll have to wait for Return to Theros: Something more visual, but not too abysmal.
On phasing:
It's not the format for this dude, but it's still a lot of power on the cheap.
Says who? Or maybe I have an extra appreciation for this guy after playing it under Goreclaw. 3 for 8 power is dece. 2cmc with the bear and monument.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I think it is probably fine in a deck that cares a bit more about artifacts, but I would mostly be surprised to see it played.
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
Ye olde Wolfir.......that belongs right in Goreclaw too.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
P/t doesn't really make it worth it on its own, except maybe in Xenagod. And ofc in low-powered metas it's fine.
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
Animar possibly; it pays for itself, after all. Ghave is a bit of a long shot, since there are better ways to put +1/+1 counters on all your creatures. (You could even use a friendly aristocrat like Lumberknot to basically give all your creatures a Daily Regimen with Ghave.) But possibly Marath? Cathars' Crusade still exists, but little else does.
Could be useful in Kraj? I guess Ulasht.
Conversely, if you're playing Zegana, you'd probably want Wolfir, just because you can soulbond her to Wolfir.
On phasing:
Who can resist that art and the first ever use of the word punch on a magic card.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Savage Stomp
It depends. This is kinda cool, since there are only really two classes of creatures worthy of fighting: Fatties and deathtouch creatures (e.g., Sedge Scorpion, Ambush Viper, Deadly Recluse). Possibly infect or wither, if you're trying to deal with something with indestructible. So, turning a 4/4 into a 6/6 is good. Turning something like Thorn Elemental into a 9/9 is even better. And it can still attack or block that turn.
Ancient Animus and Savage Stomp are cool, and if you're exploiting +1/+1 counters they can multiply rather quickly.
Pit Fight's in a weird spot. If you're in three colors, none of them black, that hybrid can matter. But since you have to be in both red and green to use it in Commander, it's not going to see as much play as a monogreen card.
On phasing:
This card is a paradox. It was clearly designed to not be used the way it was designed to be used.
Bad card design, great card.
Of course its bad card design, its a "You Make the Card".
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!
Beating Face with Bane
Beatrice, the Golden Witch
Works wondrous with wheel effects.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
We need a card that transforms black into red mana to be able to cast the drawn wheel effects. This would enable a very degenerate deck.
Manaforge Cinder is limited and Agent of Stromgald has the wrong direction.
Now it is fairly good alone but doesn't turn into a combo nightmare.
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