I thought I would necro this thread and give some of my thoughts from testing it the past month-
recruiter has largely been played in control. Often it acts as a weak tutor that then just chumps a turn and on a slow body. Yes, the effect is fairly strong, and I even saw it get resto-angeled.
The truth is, as far as I have seen it, is that the decks that want this creature usually dont go into red and if they do, are going to pick other options way over it. Recruiter was usually a last five pick.
It's been fantastic. One of my favorite red 3-drops at the moment. It just tutors up so many great utility creatures. It's probably red's best toolbox card. I love playing it in RW decks with Reveillark; it fetches up so many great targets you want to grab. And in RG as ramp support so it can tutor up mana dorks, Rofellos and a good number of 4+cc creatures, and even some ramp targets like Slime, Hermit and Hornet Queen. The RB Braids/Stax deck loves it because it tutors up a bunch of engine cards like Braids, Squee, Bloodghast, Gravecrawler and so fourth. And it's really good in RU, where it simply has a TON of targets, including a grip of amazing ones like Meloku, GEA, Sower, Venser, Siege-Gang and more. I don't think I'll cut the creature from my cube. Maybe ever. It's at or near the top of my 3cc red creature section right now.
It's been fantastic. One of my favorite red 3-drops at the moment. It just tutors up so many great utility creatures. It's probably red's best toolbox card. I love playing it in RW decks with Reveillark; it fetches up so many great targets you want to grab. And in RG as ramp support so it can tutor up mana dorks, Rofellos and a good number of 4+cc creatures, and even some ramp targets like Slime, Hermit and Hornet Queen. The RB Braids/Stax deck loves it because it tutors up a bunch of engine cards like Braids, Squee, Bloodghast, Gravecrawler and so fourth. And it's really good in RU, where it simply has a TON of targets, including a grip of amazing ones like Meloku, GEA, Sower, Venser, Siege-Gang and more. I don't think I'll cut the creature from my cube. Maybe ever. It's at or near the top of my 3cc red creature section right now.
Crap. I guess this means I have to proxy one up/buy one when my new salary kicks in. Thanks a lot, dude! (j/k--this is good information).
I don't think it's going to get reprinted. And even if they made a Judge foil or something, they'd both be super expensive anyways. I don't like proxies as substitutes for long-term play, and I'm happy with the altered Recruiter I have.
Yea, I'm leery of testing this guy. I can't afford one, and I don't want to play with a proxy longterm. Still he seems awesome and I'd like to include. What to do, what to do.
They dont want to devalue a card that much. When was the last time a $100+ card was reprinted? The only card that fits that might be reprinted is Tarmogoyf
Yea, I'm leery of testing this guy. I can't afford one, and I don't want to play with a proxy longterm. Still he seems awesome and I'd like to include. What to do, what to do.
This guy is awesome. He is probably the only effect of his kind and is in a color that I love putting interesting cards into. I consider it pretty much and auto include in most cubes.
On a side note I don't understand people's qualms with proxying. My recruiter had been a proxy for multiple years until recently when I just happened to acquire one from my friend. I see my cube as my attempt at making the funnest limited environment I can think of. It's not "look at how cool my singleton collection is". If I don't have a card I proxy it because I'm trying to have fun when I cube and leaving a card out because I don't own it would probably make my cube less fun. If its a problem with hating the look of proxies then my advice is put more effort into your proxies. I don't see anything wrong with long term proxies. Just my two cents.
Yea, I'm leery of testing this guy. I can't afford one, and I don't want to play with a proxy longterm. Still he seems awesome and I'd like to include. What to do, what to do.
This guy is awesome. He is probably the only effect of his kind and is in a color that I love putting interesting cards into. I consider it pretty much an auto include in most cubes.
On a side note I don't understand people's qualms with proxying. My recruiter had been a proxy for multiple years until recently when I just happened to acquire one from my friend. I see my cube as my attempt at making the funnest limited environment I can think of. It's not "look at how cool my singleton collection is". If I don't have a card I proxy it because I'm trying to have fun when I cube and leaving a card out because I don't own it would probably make my cube less fun. If its a problem with hating the look of proxies then my advice is put more effort into your proxies. I don't see anything wrong with long term proxies. Just my two cents.
3 mana for a tiny utility creature that gets you another small* creature seems like too much durdling for my taste - especially for red decks. I mean nobody is considering Fierce Empath for their lists, which is in a better color for that effect and gives you a game ending creature.
This is the best comparison. I thought about Recruiter but this idea is probably the best way to articulate why he's not used. He's a little too much of a durdle.
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I mean, hell, we're all on a forum for something that most people would describe as a "children's card game"...do what makes you happy. You are never too old to enjoy yourself.
tutoring for utility is usually better than tutoring for a finisher. and the more targets available, the better the tutor. how many cards in your cube can empath get, vs how many recruiter can get? i think that's a pretty bad comparison. also, take a look at trinket mage vs treasure mage for a similar situation. i think most would agree that trinket mage is a better card.
When I see Healing Salve, I'm often like "Oh girl, I wish I could turn every card into this." Thanks they removed the gain life part, otherwise this would have been broken.
the sheer utility and flexibility of the card seems like to me it'd be a guaranteed slot in all cubes. i suppose the fact that it's a 3 mana 1/1 in red doesn't really help rdw, but stuff like grixis control or jund would love being able to tutor up a whole bunch of 2-power guys.
It's only playable in Legacy or Vintage in niche archetypes
i think pretty much every red edh deck would be running it as well, which is not insignificant.
There are so many worthwhile creatures to grab with Recruiter, especially those cubes that run any number of the Pestermite/Deceiver Exarch combo cards. I love including cards that reward players for making synergistic decks and I feel that Recruiter is a great example of one.
I would love to run Imperial Recruiter, now that I have added the full Kiki Exarch combo. He can fetch any combo piece (except Splinter Twin) and can even fetch two in a row, if Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker is the first one of those. The two things holding me back are the insane price and that it is a Portal creature (with the butt-ugly sword and shield symbols). No card has ever made me consider to break my "no proxies" policy as strongly as the Recruiter. I have already found a good image of the Masters Edition version online. No p/t symbols and modern wording, but still in the old frame.
Comparison is actually way off. You cannot compare a card that tutors for utility and solutions - Imperial Recruiter - and a card that tutors win conditions - Fierce Empath -. Tutoring for win conditions is hardly relevant, it's not something you want to do unless you already have the game in hand. Tutoring for answers is always relevant. Imperial Recruiter can be a spot removal, an artifact removal, an enchantment removal, a clone effect, a bounce, a counterspell, a draw spell ... while Fierce Empath will only ever be a big dude. There are not many decks where I would not run Imperial Recruiter, but I would never run Fierce Empath.
This is exactly right. And not only that, but Recruiter can get a lot of bigger creatures anyways.
Understandably he may not see main deck play in an aggressive red deck, but aggressive isn't the only dimension of red or we should strive to give it other identities. This card gives a bit of toolbox utility to red and it plays well in double colored decks. This isn't to say it doesn't play well in red also where it fetchs kiji-jiki, Siege-gang, artifact killers and cunning sparkmage for that last bit of damage.
recruiter has largely been played in control. Often it acts as a weak tutor that then just chumps a turn and on a slow body. Yes, the effect is fairly strong, and I even saw it get resto-angeled.
The truth is, as far as I have seen it, is that the decks that want this creature usually dont go into red and if they do, are going to pick other options way over it. Recruiter was usually a last five pick.
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Crap. I guess this means I have to proxy one up/buy one when my new salary kicks in. Thanks a lot, dude! (j/k--this is good information).
Cheers,
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No chance they reprint a $250 card except in Judge Foil
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They dont want to devalue a card that much. When was the last time a $100+ card was reprinted? The only card that fits that might be reprinted is Tarmogoyf
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/3pq
This guy is awesome. He is probably the only effect of his kind and is in a color that I love putting interesting cards into. I consider it pretty much and auto include in most cubes.
On a side note I don't understand people's qualms with proxying. My recruiter had been a proxy for multiple years until recently when I just happened to acquire one from my friend. I see my cube as my attempt at making the funnest limited environment I can think of. It's not "look at how cool my singleton collection is". If I don't have a card I proxy it because I'm trying to have fun when I cube and leaving a card out because I don't own it would probably make my cube less fun. If its a problem with hating the look of proxies then my advice is put more effort into your proxies. I don't see anything wrong with long term proxies. Just my two cents.
This guy is awesome. He is probably the only effect of his kind and is in a color that I love putting interesting cards into. I consider it pretty much an auto include in most cubes.
On a side note I don't understand people's qualms with proxying. My recruiter had been a proxy for multiple years until recently when I just happened to acquire one from my friend. I see my cube as my attempt at making the funnest limited environment I can think of. It's not "look at how cool my singleton collection is". If I don't have a card I proxy it because I'm trying to have fun when I cube and leaving a card out because I don't own it would probably make my cube less fun. If its a problem with hating the look of proxies then my advice is put more effort into your proxies. I don't see anything wrong with long term proxies. Just my two cents.
Can't it be both?
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This is the best comparison. I thought about Recruiter but this idea is probably the best way to articulate why he's not used. He's a little too much of a durdle.
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i think pretty much every red edh deck would be running it as well, which is not insignificant.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
This is exactly right. And not only that, but Recruiter can get a lot of bigger creatures anyways.
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