FYI, the creature itself is a 4/4 for 3G. The 1GG is the mutate cost.
Cool card, and very powerful on T2 after a T1 Elf if your opponent has a target. But in other cases, I prefer the consistency of one of the existing 3cc variants that doesn't require a body in order to mutate onto.
I wish these were worded as "enters the battlefield or mutates" in order to provide an added layer of versatility and abusive potential. Even if it meant increase the casting cost of the base creature.
I think this card is great within this set. I'm not convinced that with the limited inclusions of the keyword mutate that will make it into most cubes that this will be good enough. This has an excellent best-case scenario of eating a mana-rock off of a mana dork, but I don't think the average case scenario is going to be good enough. Hard-casting this is very underwhelming and probably guarantees no triggers of the mutate ability, and requiring a creature to be able to use its mutate can be an issue. I second Wtwlf's comment about how adding ETB to some of these would go a long way.
On the plus side with these though, if your opponent responds by trying to kill the creature you are mutating onto, you still get to keep the mutate creature.
Sadly the "whenever this Mutates" mechanic is rather parasitic, so we won't be able to enjoy many of the mutate cards. So far the only mutate card without it is Brokkos, Apex of Forever.
Sadly the "whenever this Mutates" mechanic is rather parasitic, so we won't be able to enjoy many of the mutate cards. So far the only mutate card without it is Brokkos, Apex of Forever.
Not sure if I understand what you're saying, but when you cast this for its mutate cost it counts as mutating for the purpose of triggering the ability. The way they chose to template the ability makes the terminology kind of ambiguous to the point where there are almost two instances of the word "mutate" -- one a keyword, one closer to natural language. Its definitely on the "people will get it" end of the clean design spectrum.
I think what they're saying is that Mutate triggers are better in multiples, since you can trigger the mutate again by mutating the combined creature with another mutate card. You'll get that bonus in IKO limited and in mutate decks, but it probably won't ever come up in cube.
Oh man, I forgot about the non-Human clause. That really hurts a lot in the cube. Like almost 30% of the creature cards in the cube are randomly humans.
While I think this card is really good, I also spotted a ton of random Humans at low CMCs that are going to make this quite frustrating on some occasions, so it's maybe a narrow miss for us. The floor of a 4/4 trample reach will probably make it pretty playable for a lot of people though.
Reclamation sage in my opinion is one of the top 5 green cube cards in vintage cube. I have found this card to be so powerful, I play the lesser Viridian Shaman and Manglehorn, but this is no reclamation sage variant.
The double green requirement on this card is already a consideration problem. In addition, it only removes when it mutations instead of mutate or ETB which causes a second issue.
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This is a 3 mana creature aura that naturalizes once and buffs average +2/+2, and it has a vanilla 4/4 For 4 option. While there’s a lot going on, none of that seems exciting to me.
Mutate 1GG
Reach, trample
Whenever this creature mutates, destroy target artifact or enchantment an opponent controls.
Seems very solid to me for powered.
Brutal on a manadork on T2 if opponent played fast artifact mana for example
Cheers,
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My fear is that the fail case is quite bad. But the effect is super powerful if you can guarntee a creature.
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Cool card, and very powerful on T2 after a T1 Elf if your opponent has a target. But in other cases, I prefer the consistency of one of the existing 3cc variants that doesn't require a body in order to mutate onto.
I wish these were worded as "enters the battlefield or mutates" in order to provide an added layer of versatility and abusive potential. Even if it meant increase the casting cost of the base creature.
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My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 46th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MOM!
Not sure if I understand what you're saying, but when you cast this for its mutate cost it counts as mutating for the purpose of triggering the ability. The way they chose to template the ability makes the terminology kind of ambiguous to the point where there are almost two instances of the word "mutate" -- one a keyword, one closer to natural language. Its definitely on the "people will get it" end of the clean design spectrum.
My 540 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 46th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MOM!
My 540 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 46th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MOM!
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
The double green requirement on this card is already a consideration problem. In addition, it only removes when it mutations instead of mutate or ETB which causes a second issue.
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