MTG Salvation

Another three mana edict guy. He is aggressively costed. The question is: how easy can you make him work in your favour?

If you have a body worse than his on the board, you upgrade a creature in size, and get an Edict for 2B. If you have any ways to abuse the fact that it's a creature (Mimic Vat, say) it can become really abusive. And it works spectacularly with Gravecrawler, Bloodghast or any other recursive threat/token maker or a persist/undying creature.

For anyone who sticks with the black sac effects you should definitely look into Academy Rector. I think cubes used to run her years ago before we got into it. We considered adding Cabal Therapy, but there is a limit somewhere because black wants SOME creatures that don't want to hit the bin haha

It wasn't a lack of ways to kill the Rector that led to it getting cut, it was the slow evolution of the cube that resulted in purging all of her tier 1 targets. Paying 3W for a chump blocker and a Journey to Nowhere is pretty rough. But when it was getting Future Sight, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Form of the Dragon and Debtor's Knell ...it was a beast and a half.

I still run Academy Rector to great effect; that effect is scary! We often call it Moat, as it makes people not want to attack into it, just to let your opponent get something dumb like Mirari's Wake or Yawgmoth's Bargain or Debtor's Knell on turn 4! (Not to mention others like Faith's Fetters, O-Ring, Form of the Dragon, Future Sight...the list goes on and on!)

As far as Douchebag Marauder goes, I've never really considered him for the Cube. I can see it being pretty good if you are supporting the pox-type theme that is rising in popularity, and of course if you have it on something abusive like Mimic Vat (but most creature with ETB abilities are abusive on the Vat). Perhaps I'll investigate it in the near future if I find a foil...

-AA

Quote from wtwlf123

It wasn't a lack of ways to kill the Rector that led to it getting cut, it was the slow evolution of the cube that resulted in purging all of her tier 1 targets. Paying 3W for a chump blocker and a Journey to Nowhere is pretty rough. But when it was getting Future Sight, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Form of the Dragon and Debtor's Knell ...it was a beast and a half.

You can Flash Rector and she gets Moat itself, Dream Halls, Necropotence and you can add news ones like Omniscience. We're talking eminently cubeable cards that pretty much win the game on the spot.

I only cube Necro and Moat. They're good. There aren't enough tier 1 cube worthy targets for Rector anymore.

We've only just brought him in but I've liked him for the 35 minutes he's been in. Part of trying to make Gravecrawler decks better involves having zombies that you actually want to play after turn 1, and this is one of them, I think. We have a lot of decent recursive guys in black, and I think this guy helps take advantage of that fact.

He's not a top tier card. But he's fun. Plus . . . Sun Titan

Quote from eidolon232

Edict effects are already not worth the 2 mana and they tend to lose in value as the game progresses. So unless you have a reliable way to minder the drawback or even use it to your advantage I would not use it.

There are two things that alter the equation. First, reanimated/cheated fat creatures that may be immune to standard/targeted removal. Second, the fact that if you have enough of these effects they become massively more oppressive.

Also, we're getting close to having enough ways to circumvent the sacrifice penalty with Reassembling Skeleton, Gravecrawler, Bloodghast, Nether Spirit, Blood Artist (sorta), Abyssal Persecutor, Bone Shredder (kinda), Bitterblossom, and whatever else I'm not thinking of (EDIT: like undying guys such as Geralf's Messenger)

Close to being an auto-include in Multiplayer cubes. Fleshbag's the very definition of a pigeon card (it likes having more people around to feed off).

Quote from Nof

For people liking him, above which of those creatures would you rank it?

I think it's better than:

Dauthi Marauder
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Phyrexian Rager
Undead Gladiator
Demonic Taskmaster
Stinkweed Imp

and Liliana's Specter if you're supporting a Pox package.

I think he is definitely worth a slot if you are pushing pox/recursion, and not worth a spot if you are not.

I like wtwlf's list, but I would rank Dauthi Marauder ahead of him. 3 power of most of the time unblockable is something my black weenie decks need, since the 2/2's for one get outclassed so quickly, and I've watched Marauder end SO many games on his own. Sure he's underwhelming against removal, but if he doesn't get removed, he can turn the game in your favor.

That seems like an obvious statement, but if you look at the rest of black's little creatures, it's often not true. A lot of black's dudes are ones that are about value, and not about winning the game quickly. It's nice to have something that if unanswered for a few turns can win the game.

Quote from JeffDerek

I like wtwlf's list, but I would rank Dauthi Marauder ahead of him. 3 power of most of the time unblockable is something my black weenie decks need, since the 2/2's for one get outclassed so quickly, and I've watched Marauder end SO many games on his own. Sure he's underwhelming against removal, but if he doesn't get removed, he can turn the game in your favor.

That seems like an obvious statement, but if you look at the rest of black's little creatures, it's often not true. A lot of black's dudes are ones that are about value, and not about winning the game quickly. It's nice to have something that if unanswered for a few turns can win the game.

I sort of agree but is anybody seriously going to pick him in that capacity? The black aggro stuff already languishes in many drafts and when it doesn't the "unanswered creature that can win the game role" is filled by Falkenrath Marauders or something red.

Quote from KBH

I sort of agree but is anybody seriously going to pick him in that capacity? The black aggro stuff already languishes in many drafts and when it doesn't the "unanswered creature that can win the game role" is filled by Falkenrath Marauders or something red.

Without seeing your cube it's hard to say. I'd say he's maindecked in well over 50% of our drafts. It may be because he's a favorite of mine and I take him a lot, but I'm pretty sure other people play him because of how many times I've beaten them with him.

I'm on the pox bandwagon, and while I don't think black aggro is where it needs to be in my cube yet, it's getting better, and cards like Marauder I believe are an important part of that.

I'm hoping cards like Fleshbag are too, since I jsut brought him in.

Spells on a body are generally powerful and this one is costed nicely with a efficient power for cost. I like him and don't plan on cutting him anytime soon.

Fleshbag Marauder was discussed here in the Random Cube Card of the Day Thread. Marauder? I barely know her, but I will maraud you if you don't visit the thread.

There is also currently a second SCD here.

(Spoiler: Mostly a pauper card.)