Toralf, God of Fury2RR
Legendary Creature — God (M)
Trample
Whenever a creature or planeswalker an opponent controls is dealt excess noncombat damage, Toralf deals damage equal to the excess to any target other than that permanent.
5/4
// Toralf's Hammer1R
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (M)
Equipped creature has 1R, t, Unattach Toralf's Hammer: It deals 3 damage to any target. Return Toralf's Hammer to its owner's hand."
Equipped creature gets +3/+0 as long as it's legendary.
Equip 1R
This seems like...a lot. It gives your burn spells a lot of reach. I thought it initially just burn-trample, but if your opponent has 3 1/1s, you can Bolt the first, Toralf can do 2 damage to the second, and then 1 damage to the third. The back side being a slow Volcanic Hammer with buyback is also cool, and since it returns itself, you can play the creature later if you need. Definitely looking into a cut to test this one.
The Thor side is ok, 5/4 trample with upside for 4 is playable. But red 4s are really stacked these days. So you would hope the hammer side could pull it over the top. I'm so sad the hammer only really works with legendary creatures, as I'm not really interested in a 6 mana buyback lightning bolt that requires you to tap a creature.
If the hammer gave +3/+0 to any creature, I would be hotter on this card. I think this is a pass. If you have a larger cube, or if your red decks focus on bigger burn spells, this could be something to test.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I had to read this card several times to fully understand it. Some cards in this set are incredibly complicated... I would consider testing if the pump were not only for legendary creatures.
Ugh, they couldn't even let non-legendaries get +2/+0? That kills this card. The days where 3RRR for 3 repeatable damage was cubable are long over. Another flexible card where the sum of its parts still don't do enough.
Still, I am EXTREMELY glad they've figured out how to do the "give burn spells trample" wording, because it means we can now get spells that will do this.
I am 100% certain I would cube a volcanic hammer that let you put the excess damage somewhere else, even if it was player only.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I had to read this card several times to fully understand it. Some cards in this set are incredibly complicated... I would consider testing if the pump were not only for legendary creatures.
You're not wrong. There are some funky cards this time around. I totally missed that the hammer only pumped legendaries. Also this guy himself has trample, so if he is blocked by a 1/1, I assume the damage tramples over to the player, but the ability also lets him deal 4 to something else-- which is good, but not intuitive. It's a super weird card.
It's not a bad card, and I think people are more down on it than it deserves. The god has blowout potential and is all around a solid four drop, if not staggering. It's true that the hammer is clunky as hell, but a bad reusable lightning bolt is still something. At least you can split the cost.
But it's true that the end result is pretty awkward, and not something that begs to be played.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I had to read this card several times to fully understand it. Some cards in this set are incredibly complicated... I would consider testing if the pump were not only for legendary creatures.
You're not wrong. There are some funky cards this time around. I totally missed that the hammer only pumped legendaries. Also this guy himself has trample, so if he is blocked by a 1/1, I assume the damage tramples over to the player, but the ability also lets him deal 4 to something else-- which is good, but not intuitive. It's a super weird card.
It's not a bad card, and I think people are more down on it than it deserves. The god has blowout potential and is all around a solid four drop, if not staggering. It's true that the hammer is clunky as hell, but a bad reusable lightning bolt is still something. At least you can split the cost.
But it's true that the end result is pretty awkward, and not something that begs to be played.
He's got a "noncombat" clause on his ability, so it has no interaction with his trample. Additionally, he actually doesn't interact well with non-combat sources that actually have (effective) trample, such as Ram Through, because the excess damage isn't dealt to the creature, it's dealt to the player instead.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I had to read this card several times to fully understand it. Some cards in this set are incredibly complicated... I would consider testing if the pump were not only for legendary creatures.
You're not wrong. There are some funky cards this time around. I totally missed that the hammer only pumped legendaries. Also this guy himself has trample, so if he is blocked by a 1/1, I assume the damage tramples over to the player, but the ability also lets him deal 4 to something else-- which is good, but not intuitive. It's a super weird card.
It's not a bad card, and I think people are more down on it than it deserves. The god has blowout potential and is all around a solid four drop, if not staggering. It's true that the hammer is clunky as hell, but a bad reusable lightning bolt is still something. At least you can split the cost.
But it's true that the end result is pretty awkward, and not something that begs to be played.
He's got a "noncombat" clause on his ability, so it has no interaction with his trample. Additionally, he actually doesn't interact well with non-combat sources that actually have (effective) trample, such as Ram Through, because the excess damage isn't dealt to the creature, it's dealt to the player instead.
Yep, I missed that little word. It only proves the point that this card is easy to misinterpret.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I had to read this card several times to fully understand it. Some cards in this set are incredibly complicated... I would consider testing if the pump were not only for legendary creatures.
I feel you on this one.
Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion is a card btw - I always think any red 4-5 drops should be compared with him.
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I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Toralf, God of Fury 2RR
Legendary Creature — God (M)
Trample
Whenever a creature or planeswalker an opponent controls is dealt excess noncombat damage, Toralf deals damage equal to the excess to any target other than that permanent.
5/4
//
Toralf's Hammer 1R
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (M)
Equipped creature has 1R, t, Unattach Toralf's Hammer: It deals 3 damage to any target. Return Toralf's Hammer to its owner's hand."
Equipped creature gets +3/+0 as long as it's legendary.
Equip 1R
This seems like...a lot. It gives your burn spells a lot of reach. I thought it initially just burn-trample, but if your opponent has 3 1/1s, you can Bolt the first, Toralf can do 2 damage to the second, and then 1 damage to the third. The back side being a slow Volcanic Hammer with buyback is also cool, and since it returns itself, you can play the creature later if you need. Definitely looking into a cut to test this one.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
If the hammer gave +3/+0 to any creature, I would be hotter on this card. I think this is a pass. If you have a larger cube, or if your red decks focus on bigger burn spells, this could be something to test.
That equipment on a nonlegendary means 3RRR for the first 3 damage. That is just a bad rate even with “buyback”.
A pass for me, both sides are not appealing.
EDIT: even for artifact cube, this card is not that good (non searchable)
Still, I am EXTREMELY glad they've figured out how to do the "give burn spells trample" wording, because it means we can now get spells that will do this.
I am 100% certain I would cube a volcanic hammer that let you put the excess damage somewhere else, even if it was player only.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
You're not wrong. There are some funky cards this time around. I totally missed that the hammer only pumped legendaries. Also this guy himself has trample, so if he is blocked by a 1/1, I assume the damage tramples over to the player, but the ability also lets him deal 4 to something else-- which is good, but not intuitive. It's a super weird card.
It's not a bad card, and I think people are more down on it than it deserves. The god has blowout potential and is all around a solid four drop, if not staggering. It's true that the hammer is clunky as hell, but a bad reusable lightning bolt is still something. At least you can split the cost.
But it's true that the end result is pretty awkward, and not something that begs to be played.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
Yep, I missed that little word. It only proves the point that this card is easy to misinterpret.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
I feel you on this one.
Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion is a card btw - I always think any red 4-5 drops should be compared with him.
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i