is locked to the Undercity (which Nadaar cannot choose)
after the first effect, triggers based on holding the Initiative, instead of on attack
The third point is very significant, as for an aggressive deck, the Undercity seems significantly stronger than any of the three other dungeons Nadaar can choose between (Lost Mine of Phandelver, Dungeon of the Mad Mage and Tomb of Annihilation). On the main path, you immediately search for a land, then put two +1/+1 counters on a creature during your next upkeep, then deal 5 damage to your opponent. If somehow that didn't end the game, the next two effects draw you a card, and then get you the best creature from your deck's top 10 cards with three +1/+1 counters.
The first effect is helpful in a land-light deck, but the next two are amazing: buffing a creature, perhaps even this one, before combat to get it through, and then getting a free lava axe to the opponent's head is amazing for an aggressive deck. You can also find a burn spell or a haste creature from the next two triggers.
These effects overall could also be argued to be stronger than holding the Monarchy. And the best part is, if an opposing control deck somehow gains the initiative, they are going to gain much less from the effects than they would from Monarchy. The untap-effect will also help in maintaining Initiative on the turn you play this card.
When your opponent is more aggressive than you are, I don't really see this card outperforming the other options in the extremely competitive slot of 3-mana white creatures. However, Nadaar has cube-worthy powerlevel, and this card seems even stronger in many of the decks that would draft him, so I think it is definitely worth testing if not just outright including.
This card is busted, easy top 2 spoiled so far along minsc and I won’t be shocked if those end up as the top 2 (but other cheap or board impacting initiate cards could easily displace them).
Even without the untap text this would be a really impactful 3 drop as a sort of buff civic wayfinder meets fall from favor, but the untap text is highly relevant in an initiative contesting racing situation.
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I primarily play limited, so most of my spoiler season comments view cards through that lens.
Yeah this is a lot stronger than Nadaar overall with the caveat that there's more risk involved since initiative can be stolen. The Undercity is generally stronger than the other 3 dungeons, not to mention that it always triggers on your upkeep. Being able to fetch a land and attack as a 5/5 the turn after you cast it is huge, and they're probably just dead or so fallen behind if they Lava Axe you the next turn.
The Undercity effects are great, but in a 2-player game this mechanic is even swingier than the monarch. The hidden risk is that you cast this, it grabs you a land, then your opponent bolts it. Then your opponent attacks and gets a land, then two +1/+1 counters, then deals you 5, then draws a card, then casts a card for free with +1/+1 counters. All that from an effect your opponent didn’t pay mana or a card for.
The ceiling on White Plume Adventurer is higher than Nadaar, but unlike Nadaar, White Plume Adventurer’s floor is a trap door into the sub-basement.
The way that I see this card:
1. If your deck can effectively curve out and you will regularly have a second creature to give pseudo-vigilance to when this drops down (also meaning a second blocker if the enemy has kill), you are in a good spot.
2. If you have blink, this is also good (this and ephemerate is a 5/5 vigilance for 4 that trades a card in your hand for a land and that drains 5 and draws a card next turn).
3. If small evasive creatures are plentiful in your cube, the usefulness of this type of effect plummets much faster than the power of monarch effects.
So if I understand initiative correctly, you get the first dungeon effect when this card enters the battlefield (land) and the second one on your upkeep , provided you aren’t dealt combat damage on the opponents turn?
If so, card seems nuts. Best 3 drop white creature printed.
I could see not playing it because it requires an extra reminder card and too many monarch like sub-games could be annoying.
This is definitely strong. I added Nadaar for a bit and ended up cutting it due to how many white 3s I felt were better, but I think this is enough stronger than Nadaar to make it for a while.
We can compare this card to Nadaar, Selfless Paladin. This card
The third point is very significant, as for an aggressive deck, the Undercity seems significantly stronger than any of the three other dungeons Nadaar can choose between (Lost Mine of Phandelver, Dungeon of the Mad Mage and Tomb of Annihilation). On the main path, you immediately search for a land, then put two +1/+1 counters on a creature during your next upkeep, then deal 5 damage to your opponent. If somehow that didn't end the game, the next two effects draw you a card, and then get you the best creature from your deck's top 10 cards with three +1/+1 counters.
The first effect is helpful in a land-light deck, but the next two are amazing: buffing a creature, perhaps even this one, before combat to get it through, and then getting a free lava axe to the opponent's head is amazing for an aggressive deck. You can also find a burn spell or a haste creature from the next two triggers.
These effects overall could also be argued to be stronger than holding the Monarchy. And the best part is, if an opposing control deck somehow gains the initiative, they are going to gain much less from the effects than they would from Monarchy. The untap-effect will also help in maintaining Initiative on the turn you play this card.
When your opponent is more aggressive than you are, I don't really see this card outperforming the other options in the extremely competitive slot of 3-mana white creatures. However, Nadaar has cube-worthy powerlevel, and this card seems even stronger in many of the decks that would draft him, so I think it is definitely worth testing if not just outright including.
This card is busted, easy top 2 spoiled so far along minsc and I won’t be shocked if those end up as the top 2 (but other cheap or board impacting initiate cards could easily displace them).
Even without the untap text this would be a really impactful 3 drop as a sort of buff civic wayfinder meets fall from favor, but the untap text is highly relevant in an initiative contesting racing situation.
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The ceiling on White Plume Adventurer is higher than Nadaar, but unlike Nadaar, White Plume Adventurer’s floor is a trap door into the sub-basement.
1. If your deck can effectively curve out and you will regularly have a second creature to give pseudo-vigilance to when this drops down (also meaning a second blocker if the enemy has kill), you are in a good spot.
2. If you have blink, this is also good (this and ephemerate is a 5/5 vigilance for 4 that trades a card in your hand for a land and that drains 5 and draws a card next turn).
3. If small evasive creatures are plentiful in your cube, the usefulness of this type of effect plummets much faster than the power of monarch effects.
If so, card seems nuts. Best 3 drop white creature printed.
I could see not playing it because it requires an extra reminder card and too many monarch like sub-games could be annoying.
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