A Goblin Piker in blue is terrible, but is a Goblin Piker that replaces itself with the best of your top 4 cards worth trying? I think maybe.
Fblthp, the Lost doesn't do enough for most cubes, but I think this guy could be a solid workhorse. It's a solid speedbump for control decks, a two power attacker for tempo decks, it plays great in blink decks, and is a nice creature to recur from the graveyard. Seems like there are very few blue decks that wouldn't want to run this.
Ya... id definitly test it if it didn't etb tapped.
The value is pretty incredible if you can make use of the body for attacking or blocking, but losing a turn on defense is a big deal.
Also, if you can blink it, you get the card.
Possible sleeper pick and I may test at some point, because of how efficient the value is.
I also missed ETBT. Stupid keywords with random extra baggage. I still think it's a playable card, especially if some form of Ninjutsu ends up getting played.
The effect is strong, an impulse on a 2/1 is something, but if you cast it on turn 2, you must wait a round before you can block, meaning you'll have the card available on turn your 4. This card won't help you hit lands if you are missing. It is bad at blocking against aggro decks, and this card is a *****ty late game top deck, which normally where these creature shine - being early blockers with card selection/draw and being a fine late game draw because they replace themselves. While this card is actually quite "powerful" if you look at the stats and effect, but it fails at all of the roles these cards are supposed to fulfill.
I forsee this being a powerful and cool card in slower, more forgiving cube formats, where you'll have plenty of time to cash the card in. Also I like the design. Having downsides and restrictions for a powerful effect is nice, but it won't be good in higher power level cube formats.
I think the focus on this card's demerits should be on the delayed Impulse, not the ETB tapped. Unless you're up against aggro or immediately curve into Flickerwisp or something, you're probably not cashing in on that Impulse by turn 3-4.
IMO drawing a card immediately is much more delayed than a delayed Impulse. Those types of changes can make or break you keeping a shaky hand. An extra power isn't worth the uncertainty of the card draw compared to something like Fblthp, the Lost.
A Goblin Piker in blue is terrible, but is a Goblin Piker that replaces itself with the best of your top 4 cards worth trying? I think maybe.
Fblthp, the Lost doesn't do enough for most cubes, but I think this guy could be a solid workhorse. It's a solid speedbump for control decks, a two power attacker for tempo decks, it plays great in blink decks, and is a nice creature to recur from the graveyard. Seems like there are very few blue decks that wouldn't want to run this.
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Ya... id definitly test it if it didn't etb tapped.
The value is pretty incredible if you can make use of the body for attacking or blocking, but losing a turn on defense is a big deal.
Also, if you can blink it, you get the card.
Possible sleeper pick and I may test at some point, because of how efficient the value is.
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I forsee this being a powerful and cool card in slower, more forgiving cube formats, where you'll have plenty of time to cash the card in. Also I like the design. Having downsides and restrictions for a powerful effect is nice, but it won't be good in higher power level cube formats.
Untapped and I would have tried it but coming in tapped with a delayed draw makes it a terrible topdeck too often.
IMO drawing a card immediately is much more delayed than a delayed Impulse. Those types of changes can make or break you keeping a shaky hand. An extra power isn't worth the uncertainty of the card draw compared to something like Fblthp, the Lost.
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