Saturday, April 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Quick Conflux Review
I have been really busy the last couple of days. I intend to finish my Conflux Comparative Review soon. For now, here are my ratings (for Standard) for the rest of the cards from the latest expansion.
BLACK
Absorb Vis - 6B
Sorcery (Common)
Taget player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life.
Basic landcycling {1}{B}
RATING: 2 Stars
Corrupted Roots - B
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant Forest or Plains
Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.
RATING: 1 Star
Drag Down - 2B
Instant (Common)
Domain - Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Dreadwing - B
Creature - Zombie (Uncommon)
{1}{U}{R}: Dreadwing gets +3/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Extractor Demon - 4BB
Creature - Demon (Rare)
Flying
Whenever another creature leaves play, you may have target player put the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Unearth {2}{B}
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Fleshformer - 2B
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}: Fleshformer gets +2/+2 and gains fear until end of turn. Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. Play this ability only during your turn.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Grixis Slavedriver - 5B
Creature - Zombie Giant (Uncommon)
When Grixis Slavedriver leaves play, put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token into play.
Unearth {3}{B}
4/4
RATING: 1 Star
Infectious Horror - 3B
Creature - Horror (Common)
Whenever Infectious Horror attacks, each opponent loses 2 life.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Kederekt Parasite - B
Creature - Horror (Rare)
Whenever an opponent draws a card, if you control a red permanent, you may have Kederekt Parasite deal 1 damage to that player.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Nyxathid - 1BB
Creature - Elemental (Rare)
As Nyxathid comes into play, choose an opponent.
Nyxathid gets -1/-1 for each card in the chosen player's hand.
7/7
RATING: 5 Stars
Pestilent Kathari - 2B
Creature - Bird Warrior (Common)
Flying
Deathtouch
{2}{R}: Pestilent Kathari gains first strike until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Rotting Rats - 1B
Creature - Rat (Common)
When Rotting Rats comes into play, each player discards a card.
Unearth {1}{B}
1/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Salvage Slasher - 1B
Artifact Creature - Human Rogue (Common)
Salvage Slasher gets +1/+0 for each artifact card in your graveyard.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Scepter of Fugue - BB
Artifact (Rare)
{1}{B}, {T}: Target player discards a card. Play this ability only during your turn.
RATING: 3 Stars
Sedraxis Alchemist - 2B
Creature - Zombie Wizard (Common)
When Sedraxis Alchemist comes into play, if you control a blue permanent, return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Voices from the Void - 4B
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Domain - Target player discards a card for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Wretched Banquet - B
Sorcery (Common)
Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures in play.
RATING: 3 Stars
Yoke of the Damned - 1B
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
When a creature is put into a graveyard from play, destroy enchanted creature.
RATING: 1 Star
RED
Banefire - XR
Sorcery (Rare)
Banefire deals X damage to target creature or player.
If X is 5 or more, Banefire can't be countered by spells or abilities and the damage can't be prevented.
RATING: 4 Stars
Bloodhall Ooze - R
Creature - Ooze (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a black permanent, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodhall Ooze.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a green permanent, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodhall Ooze.
1/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Canyon Minotaur - 3R
Creature - Minotaur Warrior (Common)
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Dark Temper - 2R
Instant (Common)
Dark Temper deals 2 damage to target creature. If you control a black permanent, destroy the creature instead.
RATING: 1 Star
Dragonsoul Knight - 2R
Creature - Human Knight (Uncommon)
First strike
{W}{B}{U}{R}{G}: Until end of turn, Dragonsoul Knight becomes a Dragon, gets +5/+3, and gains flying and trample.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Fiery Fall - 5R
Instant (Common)
Fiery Fall deals 5 damage to target creature.
Basic landcycling {1}{R} ({1}{R}, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
RATING: 2 Stars
Goblin Razerunners - 2RR
Creature - Goblin Warrior (Rare)
{1}{R}, Sacrifice a land: Put a +1/+1 counter on Goblin Razerunners.
At the end of your turn, you may have Goblin Razerunners deal damage equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it to target player.
3/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Hellspark Elemental - 1R
Creature - Elemental (Uncommon)
Trample, haste
At end of turn, sacrifice Hellspark Elemental.
Unearth {1}{R}
3/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Ignite Disorder - 1R
Instant (Uncommon)
Ignite Disorder deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target white and/or blue creatures.
RATING: 3 Stars
Kranioceros - 4R
Creature - Beast (Common)
{1}{W}: Kranioceros gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
5/2
RATING: 1 Star
Maniacal Rage - 1R
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and can't block.
RATING: 1 Star
Molten Frame - 1R
Instant (Common)
Destroy target artifact creature.
Cycling {2}
RATING: 2 Stars
Quenchable Fire - 3R
Sorcery (Common)
Quenchable Fire deals 3 damage to target player. It deals an additional 3 damage to that player at the beginning of your next upkeep step unless he or she pays {U} before that step.
RATING: 2 Stars
Rakka Mar - 2RR
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman (Rare)
Haste
{R}, {T}: Put a 3/1 red Elemental creature token with haste into play.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Toxic Iguanar - R
Creature - Lizard (Common)
Toxic Iguanar has deathtouch as long as you control a green permanent.(Whenever it deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.)
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Viashino Slaughtermaster - 1R
Creature - Viashino Warrior (Uncommon)
Double strike
{B}{G}: Viashino Slaughtermaster gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Volcanic Fallout - 1RR
Instant (Uncommon)
Volcanic Fallout can't be countered.
Volcanic Fallout deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.
RATING: 4 Stars
Voracious Dragon - 3RR
Creature - Dragon (Rare)
Flying
Devour 1
When Voracious Dragon comes into play, it deals damage to target creature or player equal to twice the number of Goblins it devoured.
4/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Wandering Goblins - 2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior (Common)
Domain - {3}: Wandering Goblins get +1/+0 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
0/3
RATING: 1 Star
Worldheart Phoenix - 3R
Creature - Phoenix (Rare)
Flying
You may play Worldheart Phoenix from your graveyard by paying {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} rather than paying its mana cost. If you do, it comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
GREEN
Beacon Behemoth - 3GG
Creature - Beast (Common)
{1}: Target creature with power 5 or greater gains vigilance until end of turn.
5/3
RATING: 1 Star
Cliffrunner Behemoth - 3G
Creature - Rhino Beast (Rare)
Cliffrunner Behemoth has haste as long as you control a red permanent.
Cliffrunner Behemoth has lifelink as long as you control a white permanent.
5/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Cylian Sunsinger - 1G
Creature - Elf Shaman (Rare)
{R}{G}{W}: Cylian Sunsinger and each other creature with the same name as it gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Ember Weaver - 2G
Creature - Spider (Common)
Reach
As long as you control a red permanent, Ember Weaver gets +1/+0 and has first strike
2/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Filigree Fracture - 2G
Instant (Uncommon)
Destroy target artifact of enchantment. If it was blue or black, draw a card.
RATING: 2 Stars
Gluttonous Slime - 2G
Creature - Ooze (Uncommon)
Flash
Devour 1
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Matca Rioters - 2G
Creature - Human Warrior (Common)
Domain - Matca Rioters's power and toughness are each equal to the number of basic land types among lands you control.
*/*
RATING: 2 Stars
Might of Alara - G
Instant (Common)
Domain - Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Nacatl Savage - 1G
Creature - Cat Warrior (Common)
Protection from artifacts
2/1
RATING: 1 Star
Noble Hierarch - G
Creature - Human Druid (Rare)
Exalted
{T}: Add {G}, {W} or {U} to your mana pool.
0/1
RATING: 5 Stars
Paleoloth - 4GG
Creature - Beast (Rare)
Whenever another creature with power 5 or greater comes into play under your control, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
5/5
RATING: 1 Stars
Sacellum Archers - 2G
Creature - Elf Archer (Uncommon)
{R}{W}, {T}: Sacellum Archers deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
2/3
RATING: 1 Star
Scattershot Archer - G
Creature - Elf Archer (Common)
{T}: Scattershot Archer deals 1 damage to each creature with flying.
1/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Shard Convergence - 3G
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Search your library for a Plains card, an Island card, a Swamp card, and a Mountain card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Soul's Majesty - 4G
Sorcery (Rare)
Draw cards equal to the power of target creature you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Spore Burst - 3G
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Domain - Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Sylvan Bounty - 5G
Instant (Common)
Target player gains 8 life.
Basic landcycling {1}{G}
RATING: 1 Star
Thornling - 3GG
Creature - Elemental Shapeshifter (Mythic Rare)
{G}: Thornling gains haste until end of turn.
{G}: Thornling gains trample until end of turn.
{G}: Thornling is indestructible this turn.
{1}: Thornling gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
{1}: Thornling gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
4/4
RATING: 4 Stars
Tukatongue Thallid - G
Creature - Fungus (Common)
When Tukatongue Thallid is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Wild Leotau - 2GG
Creature - Cat (Common)
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Wild Leotau unless you pay {G}.
5/4
RATING: 1 Star
GOLD
Apocalypse Hydra - XRG
Creature - Hydra (Mythic Rare)
Apocalypse Hydra comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it. If X is 5 or more, it comes into play with an additional X +1/+1 counters on it.
{1}{R}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Apocalypse Hydra: Apocalypse Hydra deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
0/0
RATING: 2 Stars
Blood Tyrant - 4UBR
Creature - Vampire (Rare)
Flying, trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player loses 1 life. Put a +1/+1 counter on Blood Tyrant for each 1 life lost this way.
Whenever a player loses the game, put five +1/+1 counters on Blood Tyrant.
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Charnelhoard Wurm - 4BRG
Creature - Wurm (Rare)
Trample
Whenever Charnelhoard Wurm deals damage to an opponent, you may return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
6/6
RATING: 2 Stars
Child of Alara - WUBRG
Legendary Creature - Avatar (Mythic Rare)
Trample
When Child of Alara is put into a graveyard from play, destroy all nonland permanents. They can't be regenerated.
6/6
RATING: 3 Stars
Conflux - 3WUBRG
Sorcery (Mythic Rare)
Search your library for a white card, a blue card, a black card, a red card, and a green card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Countersquall - UB
Instant (Uncommon)
Counter target noncreature spell. Its controller loses 2 life.
RATING: 2 Stars
Elder Mastery - 3UBR
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has flying.
Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to a player, that player discards two cards.
RATING: 1 Star
Esper Cormorants - 2WU
Artifact Creature - Bird (Common)
Flying
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Exploding Borders - 2RG
Sorcery (Common)
Domain - Search your library for a basic land card, put that card into play tapped, then shuffle your library. Exploding Borders deals X damage to target player, where X is the number of basic land types among lands you control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Fusion Elemental - WUBRG
Creature - Elemental (Uncommon)
8/8
RATING: 2 Stars
Giltspire Avenger - GWU
Creature - Human Soldier (Rare)
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
{T}: Destroy target creature that dealt damage to you this turn.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Goblin Outlander - BR
Creature - Goblin Scout (Common)
Protection from white
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer - 1WU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (Rare)
{W}{U}, {T}: Put a bribery counter on target creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
Creatures with bribery counters on them can't attack or block.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Hellkite Hatchling - 2RG
Creature - Dragon (Uncommon)
Devour 1
Hellkite Hatchling has flying and trample if it devoured a creature.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Jhessian Balmgiver - 1WU
Creature - Human Cleric (Uncommon)
{T}: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
{T}: Target creature is unblockable this turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Knight of the Reliquary - 1GW
Creature - Human Knight (Rare)
Knight of the Reliquary gets +1/+1 for each land card in your graveyard.
{T}, Sacrifice a Forest or Plains: Search your library for a land card, put it into play, then shuffle your library.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Knotvine Mystic - RGW
Creature - Elf Druid? (Uncommon)
{1}, {T}: Add {R}{G}{W} to your mana pool.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Maelstrom Archangel - WUBRG
Creature - Angel (Mythic Rare)
Flying
Whenever Maelstrom Archangel deals combat damage to a player, you may play a nonland card from your hand without paying its mana cost.
5/5
RATING: 4 Stars
Magister Sphinx - 4WUB
Artifact Creature - Sphinx (Rare)
Flying
When Magister Sphinx comes into play, target player's life total becomes 10.
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Malfegor - 2BBRR
Legendary Creature - Demon Dragon (Mythic Rare)
Flying
When Malfegor comes into play, discard your hand. Each opponent sacrifices a creature for each card discarded this way.
6/6
RATING: 3 Stars
Meglonoth - 3RGW
Creature - Beast (Rare)
Vigilance, trample
Whenever Meglonoth blocks a creature, Meglonoth deals damage to that creature's controller equal to Meglonoth's power.
6/6
RATING: 1 Star
Nacatl Outlander - RG
Creature - Cat Scout (Common)
Protection from blue
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker - 4UBBR
Planeswalker - Bolas (Mythic Rare)
+3: Destroy target noncreature permanent.
-2: Gain control of target creature.
-9: Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker deals 7 damage to target player. That player discards seven cards, then sacrifices seven permanents.
5
RATING: 2 Stars
Progenitus - WWUUBBRRGG
Legendary Creature - Hydra Avatar (Mythic Rare)
Protection from everything
If Progenitus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Progenitus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead.
10/10
RATING: 2 Stars
Rhox Bodyguard - 3GW
Creature - Rhino Monk Soldier (Common)
Exalted
When Rhox Bodyguard comes into play, you gain 3 life.
2/3
RATING: 1 Star
Scarland Thrinax - BRG
Creature - Lizard (Uncommon)
Sacrifice a creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on Scarland Thrinax.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Shambling Remains - 1BR
Creature - Zombie Horror (Uncommon)
Shambling Remains can't block.
Unearth {B}{R}
4/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Skyward Eye Prophets - 3GWU
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Vigilance
{T}: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it into play. Otherwise, put that card into your hand.
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Sludge Strider - 1WUB
Artifact Creature - Insect (Uncommon)
Whenever another artifact comes into play under your control or another artifact you control leaves play, you may pay {1}. If you do, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
3/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Sphinx Summoner - 3UB
Artifact Creature - Sphinx (Rare)
Flying
When Sphinx Summoner comes into play, you may search your libary for an artifact creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Suicidal Charge - 3BR
Enchantment (Common)
Sacrifice Suicidal Charge: Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1 until end of turn. Those creatures attack this turn if able.
RATING: 2 Stars
Vagrant Plowbeasts - 5GW
Creature - Beast (Uncommon)
{1}: Regenerate target creature with power 5 or greater.
6/6
RATING 1 Star
Valeron Outlander - GW
Creature - Human Scout (Common)
Protection from black
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Vectis Agents - 3UB
Artifact Creature - Human Rogue (Common)
{U}{B}: Vectis Agents gets -2/-0 until end of turn and is unblockable this turn.
4/3
RATING: 1 Star
Vedalken Outlander - WU
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Scout (Common)
Protection from red
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Zombie Outlander - UB
Creature - Zombie Scout (Common)
Protection from green
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
ARTIFACTS
Armillary Sphere - 2
Artifact (Common)
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice Armillary Sphere: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Bone Saw - 0
Artifact - Equipment (Common)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0.
Equip {1}
RATING: 1 Star
Font of Mythos - 4
Artifact (Rare)
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional two cards.
RATING: 2 Stars
Kaleidostone - 2
Artifact (Common)
When Kaleidostone comes into play, draw a card.
{5}, {T}, Sacrifice Kaleidostone: Add {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Mana Cylix - 1
Artifact (Common)
{1}, {T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Manaforce Mace - 4
Artifact - Equipment (Uncommon)
Domain - Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each basic land type among lands you control.
Equip {3}
RATING: 1 Star
Obelisk of Alara - 6
Artifact (Rare)
{1}{W}, {T}: You gain 5 life.
{1}{U}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
{1}{B}, {T}: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
{1}{R}, {T}: Obelisk of Alara deals 3 damage to target player.
{1}{G}, {T}: Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
RATING: 3 Stars
LANDS
Ancient Ziggurat
Land (Uncommon)
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play creature spells.
RATING: 2 Stars
Exotic Orchard
Land (Rare)
{T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
RATING: 2 Stars
Reliquary Tower
Land (Uncommon)
You have no maximum hand size.
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
RATING: 2 Stars
Rupture Spire
Land (Common)
Rupture Spire comes into play tapped.
When Rupture Spire comes into play, sacrifice it unless you pay {1}.
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Unstable Frontier
Land (Uncommon)
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{T}: Target land you control becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn.
RATING: 2 Stars
BLACK
Absorb Vis - 6B
Sorcery (Common)
Taget player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life.
Basic landcycling {1}{B}
RATING: 2 Stars
Corrupted Roots - B
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant Forest or Plains
Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.
RATING: 1 Star
Drag Down - 2B
Instant (Common)
Domain - Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Dreadwing - B
Creature - Zombie (Uncommon)
{1}{U}{R}: Dreadwing gets +3/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Extractor Demon - 4BB
Creature - Demon (Rare)
Flying
Whenever another creature leaves play, you may have target player put the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Unearth {2}{B}
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Fleshformer - 2B
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}: Fleshformer gets +2/+2 and gains fear until end of turn. Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. Play this ability only during your turn.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Grixis Slavedriver - 5B
Creature - Zombie Giant (Uncommon)
When Grixis Slavedriver leaves play, put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token into play.
Unearth {3}{B}
4/4
RATING: 1 Star
Infectious Horror - 3B
Creature - Horror (Common)
Whenever Infectious Horror attacks, each opponent loses 2 life.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Kederekt Parasite - B
Creature - Horror (Rare)
Whenever an opponent draws a card, if you control a red permanent, you may have Kederekt Parasite deal 1 damage to that player.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Nyxathid - 1BB
Creature - Elemental (Rare)
As Nyxathid comes into play, choose an opponent.
Nyxathid gets -1/-1 for each card in the chosen player's hand.
7/7
RATING: 5 Stars
Pestilent Kathari - 2B
Creature - Bird Warrior (Common)
Flying
Deathtouch
{2}{R}: Pestilent Kathari gains first strike until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Rotting Rats - 1B
Creature - Rat (Common)
When Rotting Rats comes into play, each player discards a card.
Unearth {1}{B}
1/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Salvage Slasher - 1B
Artifact Creature - Human Rogue (Common)
Salvage Slasher gets +1/+0 for each artifact card in your graveyard.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Scepter of Fugue - BB
Artifact (Rare)
{1}{B}, {T}: Target player discards a card. Play this ability only during your turn.
RATING: 3 Stars
Sedraxis Alchemist - 2B
Creature - Zombie Wizard (Common)
When Sedraxis Alchemist comes into play, if you control a blue permanent, return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Voices from the Void - 4B
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Domain - Target player discards a card for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Wretched Banquet - B
Sorcery (Common)
Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures in play.
RATING: 3 Stars
Yoke of the Damned - 1B
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
When a creature is put into a graveyard from play, destroy enchanted creature.
RATING: 1 Star
RED
Banefire - XR
Sorcery (Rare)
Banefire deals X damage to target creature or player.
If X is 5 or more, Banefire can't be countered by spells or abilities and the damage can't be prevented.
RATING: 4 Stars
Bloodhall Ooze - R
Creature - Ooze (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a black permanent, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodhall Ooze.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a green permanent, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodhall Ooze.
1/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Canyon Minotaur - 3R
Creature - Minotaur Warrior (Common)
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Dark Temper - 2R
Instant (Common)
Dark Temper deals 2 damage to target creature. If you control a black permanent, destroy the creature instead.
RATING: 1 Star
Dragonsoul Knight - 2R
Creature - Human Knight (Uncommon)
First strike
{W}{B}{U}{R}{G}: Until end of turn, Dragonsoul Knight becomes a Dragon, gets +5/+3, and gains flying and trample.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Fiery Fall - 5R
Instant (Common)
Fiery Fall deals 5 damage to target creature.
Basic landcycling {1}{R} ({1}{R}, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
RATING: 2 Stars
Goblin Razerunners - 2RR
Creature - Goblin Warrior (Rare)
{1}{R}, Sacrifice a land: Put a +1/+1 counter on Goblin Razerunners.
At the end of your turn, you may have Goblin Razerunners deal damage equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it to target player.
3/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Hellspark Elemental - 1R
Creature - Elemental (Uncommon)
Trample, haste
At end of turn, sacrifice Hellspark Elemental.
Unearth {1}{R}
3/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Ignite Disorder - 1R
Instant (Uncommon)
Ignite Disorder deals 3 damage divided as you choose among any number of target white and/or blue creatures.
RATING: 3 Stars
Kranioceros - 4R
Creature - Beast (Common)
{1}{W}: Kranioceros gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
5/2
RATING: 1 Star
Maniacal Rage - 1R
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and can't block.
RATING: 1 Star
Molten Frame - 1R
Instant (Common)
Destroy target artifact creature.
Cycling {2}
RATING: 2 Stars
Quenchable Fire - 3R
Sorcery (Common)
Quenchable Fire deals 3 damage to target player. It deals an additional 3 damage to that player at the beginning of your next upkeep step unless he or she pays {U} before that step.
RATING: 2 Stars
Rakka Mar - 2RR
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman (Rare)
Haste
{R}, {T}: Put a 3/1 red Elemental creature token with haste into play.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Toxic Iguanar - R
Creature - Lizard (Common)
Toxic Iguanar has deathtouch as long as you control a green permanent.(Whenever it deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.)
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Viashino Slaughtermaster - 1R
Creature - Viashino Warrior (Uncommon)
Double strike
{B}{G}: Viashino Slaughtermaster gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Volcanic Fallout - 1RR
Instant (Uncommon)
Volcanic Fallout can't be countered.
Volcanic Fallout deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.
RATING: 4 Stars
Voracious Dragon - 3RR
Creature - Dragon (Rare)
Flying
Devour 1
When Voracious Dragon comes into play, it deals damage to target creature or player equal to twice the number of Goblins it devoured.
4/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Wandering Goblins - 2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior (Common)
Domain - {3}: Wandering Goblins get +1/+0 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
0/3
RATING: 1 Star
Worldheart Phoenix - 3R
Creature - Phoenix (Rare)
Flying
You may play Worldheart Phoenix from your graveyard by paying {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} rather than paying its mana cost. If you do, it comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
GREEN
Beacon Behemoth - 3GG
Creature - Beast (Common)
{1}: Target creature with power 5 or greater gains vigilance until end of turn.
5/3
RATING: 1 Star
Cliffrunner Behemoth - 3G
Creature - Rhino Beast (Rare)
Cliffrunner Behemoth has haste as long as you control a red permanent.
Cliffrunner Behemoth has lifelink as long as you control a white permanent.
5/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Cylian Sunsinger - 1G
Creature - Elf Shaman (Rare)
{R}{G}{W}: Cylian Sunsinger and each other creature with the same name as it gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Ember Weaver - 2G
Creature - Spider (Common)
Reach
As long as you control a red permanent, Ember Weaver gets +1/+0 and has first strike
2/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Filigree Fracture - 2G
Instant (Uncommon)
Destroy target artifact of enchantment. If it was blue or black, draw a card.
RATING: 2 Stars
Gluttonous Slime - 2G
Creature - Ooze (Uncommon)
Flash
Devour 1
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Matca Rioters - 2G
Creature - Human Warrior (Common)
Domain - Matca Rioters's power and toughness are each equal to the number of basic land types among lands you control.
*/*
RATING: 2 Stars
Might of Alara - G
Instant (Common)
Domain - Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Nacatl Savage - 1G
Creature - Cat Warrior (Common)
Protection from artifacts
2/1
RATING: 1 Star
Noble Hierarch - G
Creature - Human Druid (Rare)
Exalted
{T}: Add {G}, {W} or {U} to your mana pool.
0/1
RATING: 5 Stars
Paleoloth - 4GG
Creature - Beast (Rare)
Whenever another creature with power 5 or greater comes into play under your control, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
5/5
RATING: 1 Stars
Sacellum Archers - 2G
Creature - Elf Archer (Uncommon)
{R}{W}, {T}: Sacellum Archers deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
2/3
RATING: 1 Star
Scattershot Archer - G
Creature - Elf Archer (Common)
{T}: Scattershot Archer deals 1 damage to each creature with flying.
1/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Shard Convergence - 3G
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Search your library for a Plains card, an Island card, a Swamp card, and a Mountain card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Soul's Majesty - 4G
Sorcery (Rare)
Draw cards equal to the power of target creature you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Spore Burst - 3G
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Domain - Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each basic land type among lands you control.
RATING: 1 Star
Sylvan Bounty - 5G
Instant (Common)
Target player gains 8 life.
Basic landcycling {1}{G}
RATING: 1 Star
Thornling - 3GG
Creature - Elemental Shapeshifter (Mythic Rare)
{G}: Thornling gains haste until end of turn.
{G}: Thornling gains trample until end of turn.
{G}: Thornling is indestructible this turn.
{1}: Thornling gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
{1}: Thornling gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
4/4
RATING: 4 Stars
Tukatongue Thallid - G
Creature - Fungus (Common)
When Tukatongue Thallid is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Wild Leotau - 2GG
Creature - Cat (Common)
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Wild Leotau unless you pay {G}.
5/4
RATING: 1 Star
GOLD
Apocalypse Hydra - XRG
Creature - Hydra (Mythic Rare)
Apocalypse Hydra comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it. If X is 5 or more, it comes into play with an additional X +1/+1 counters on it.
{1}{R}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Apocalypse Hydra: Apocalypse Hydra deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
0/0
RATING: 2 Stars
Blood Tyrant - 4UBR
Creature - Vampire (Rare)
Flying, trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player loses 1 life. Put a +1/+1 counter on Blood Tyrant for each 1 life lost this way.
Whenever a player loses the game, put five +1/+1 counters on Blood Tyrant.
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Charnelhoard Wurm - 4BRG
Creature - Wurm (Rare)
Trample
Whenever Charnelhoard Wurm deals damage to an opponent, you may return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
6/6
RATING: 2 Stars
Child of Alara - WUBRG
Legendary Creature - Avatar (Mythic Rare)
Trample
When Child of Alara is put into a graveyard from play, destroy all nonland permanents. They can't be regenerated.
6/6
RATING: 3 Stars
Conflux - 3WUBRG
Sorcery (Mythic Rare)
Search your library for a white card, a blue card, a black card, a red card, and a green card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Countersquall - UB
Instant (Uncommon)
Counter target noncreature spell. Its controller loses 2 life.
RATING: 2 Stars
Elder Mastery - 3UBR
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has flying.
Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to a player, that player discards two cards.
RATING: 1 Star
Esper Cormorants - 2WU
Artifact Creature - Bird (Common)
Flying
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Exploding Borders - 2RG
Sorcery (Common)
Domain - Search your library for a basic land card, put that card into play tapped, then shuffle your library. Exploding Borders deals X damage to target player, where X is the number of basic land types among lands you control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Fusion Elemental - WUBRG
Creature - Elemental (Uncommon)
8/8
RATING: 2 Stars
Giltspire Avenger - GWU
Creature - Human Soldier (Rare)
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
{T}: Destroy target creature that dealt damage to you this turn.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Goblin Outlander - BR
Creature - Goblin Scout (Common)
Protection from white
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer - 1WU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (Rare)
{W}{U}, {T}: Put a bribery counter on target creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
Creatures with bribery counters on them can't attack or block.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Hellkite Hatchling - 2RG
Creature - Dragon (Uncommon)
Devour 1
Hellkite Hatchling has flying and trample if it devoured a creature.
2/2
RATING: 1 Star
Jhessian Balmgiver - 1WU
Creature - Human Cleric (Uncommon)
{T}: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
{T}: Target creature is unblockable this turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Knight of the Reliquary - 1GW
Creature - Human Knight (Rare)
Knight of the Reliquary gets +1/+1 for each land card in your graveyard.
{T}, Sacrifice a Forest or Plains: Search your library for a land card, put it into play, then shuffle your library.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Knotvine Mystic - RGW
Creature - Elf Druid? (Uncommon)
{1}, {T}: Add {R}{G}{W} to your mana pool.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Maelstrom Archangel - WUBRG
Creature - Angel (Mythic Rare)
Flying
Whenever Maelstrom Archangel deals combat damage to a player, you may play a nonland card from your hand without paying its mana cost.
5/5
RATING: 4 Stars
Magister Sphinx - 4WUB
Artifact Creature - Sphinx (Rare)
Flying
When Magister Sphinx comes into play, target player's life total becomes 10.
5/5
RATING: 2 Stars
Malfegor - 2BBRR
Legendary Creature - Demon Dragon (Mythic Rare)
Flying
When Malfegor comes into play, discard your hand. Each opponent sacrifices a creature for each card discarded this way.
6/6
RATING: 3 Stars
Meglonoth - 3RGW
Creature - Beast (Rare)
Vigilance, trample
Whenever Meglonoth blocks a creature, Meglonoth deals damage to that creature's controller equal to Meglonoth's power.
6/6
RATING: 1 Star
Nacatl Outlander - RG
Creature - Cat Scout (Common)
Protection from blue
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker - 4UBBR
Planeswalker - Bolas (Mythic Rare)
+3: Destroy target noncreature permanent.
-2: Gain control of target creature.
-9: Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker deals 7 damage to target player. That player discards seven cards, then sacrifices seven permanents.
5
RATING: 2 Stars
Progenitus - WWUUBBRRGG
Legendary Creature - Hydra Avatar (Mythic Rare)
Protection from everything
If Progenitus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Progenitus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead.
10/10
RATING: 2 Stars
Rhox Bodyguard - 3GW
Creature - Rhino Monk Soldier (Common)
Exalted
When Rhox Bodyguard comes into play, you gain 3 life.
2/3
RATING: 1 Star
Scarland Thrinax - BRG
Creature - Lizard (Uncommon)
Sacrifice a creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on Scarland Thrinax.
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Shambling Remains - 1BR
Creature - Zombie Horror (Uncommon)
Shambling Remains can't block.
Unearth {B}{R}
4/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Skyward Eye Prophets - 3GWU
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Vigilance
{T}: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it into play. Otherwise, put that card into your hand.
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Sludge Strider - 1WUB
Artifact Creature - Insect (Uncommon)
Whenever another artifact comes into play under your control or another artifact you control leaves play, you may pay {1}. If you do, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
3/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Sphinx Summoner - 3UB
Artifact Creature - Sphinx (Rare)
Flying
When Sphinx Summoner comes into play, you may search your libary for an artifact creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
3/3
RATING: 3 Stars
Suicidal Charge - 3BR
Enchantment (Common)
Sacrifice Suicidal Charge: Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1 until end of turn. Those creatures attack this turn if able.
RATING: 2 Stars
Vagrant Plowbeasts - 5GW
Creature - Beast (Uncommon)
{1}: Regenerate target creature with power 5 or greater.
6/6
RATING 1 Star
Valeron Outlander - GW
Creature - Human Scout (Common)
Protection from black
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Vectis Agents - 3UB
Artifact Creature - Human Rogue (Common)
{U}{B}: Vectis Agents gets -2/-0 until end of turn and is unblockable this turn.
4/3
RATING: 1 Star
Vedalken Outlander - WU
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Scout (Common)
Protection from red
2/2
RATING: 3 Stars
Zombie Outlander - UB
Creature - Zombie Scout (Common)
Protection from green
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
ARTIFACTS
Armillary Sphere - 2
Artifact (Common)
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice Armillary Sphere: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
RATING: 2 Stars
Bone Saw - 0
Artifact - Equipment (Common)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0.
Equip {1}
RATING: 1 Star
Font of Mythos - 4
Artifact (Rare)
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional two cards.
RATING: 2 Stars
Kaleidostone - 2
Artifact (Common)
When Kaleidostone comes into play, draw a card.
{5}, {T}, Sacrifice Kaleidostone: Add {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Mana Cylix - 1
Artifact (Common)
{1}, {T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Manaforce Mace - 4
Artifact - Equipment (Uncommon)
Domain - Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each basic land type among lands you control.
Equip {3}
RATING: 1 Star
Obelisk of Alara - 6
Artifact (Rare)
{1}{W}, {T}: You gain 5 life.
{1}{U}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
{1}{B}, {T}: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
{1}{R}, {T}: Obelisk of Alara deals 3 damage to target player.
{1}{G}, {T}: Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
RATING: 3 Stars
LANDS
Ancient Ziggurat
Land (Uncommon)
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play creature spells.
RATING: 2 Stars
Exotic Orchard
Land (Rare)
{T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
RATING: 2 Stars
Reliquary Tower
Land (Uncommon)
You have no maximum hand size.
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
RATING: 2 Stars
Rupture Spire
Land (Common)
Rupture Spire comes into play tapped.
When Rupture Spire comes into play, sacrifice it unless you pay {1}.
{T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
RATING: 1 Star
Unstable Frontier
Land (Uncommon)
{T}: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{T}: Target land you control becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn.
RATING: 2 Stars
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Comparative Conflux Review: Blue
Brackwater Elemental versus Fog Elemental 
Brackwater Elemental - 2U
Creature - Elemental (Common)
When Brackwater Elemental attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of turn.
Unearth {2}{U}
4/4
Brackwater Elemental traded Flying for Unearth. While Fog Elemental's evasion makes sure that the 4/4 hits the opponent when it attacks, Brackwater Elemental is often better as it can hit twice.
WINNER: Backwater Elemental
Esperzoa versus Stampeding Wildebeests
Esperzoa - 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
Stampeding Wildebeests was the cornerstone of the mono-color Stupid Green decks. The idea was to take advantage of the Wildebeests' return-a-green-creature-to-your-hand drawback by using creatures with comes-into-play effects, like Wall of Blossoms. Esperzoa may serve the same purpose in Esper decks, bouncing Sanctum Gargoyles or Elsewhere Flasks instead. It would be fun to build a casual Esper deck around Esperzoa.
WINNER: Esperzoa
Master Transmuter versus Elvish Piper
Master Transmuter - 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
{U}, {T}: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
1/2
Both are "fun-tastic" cards for casual decks, but Master Transmuter's return-an-artifact ability has a lot more combo potential. Both easily die to common creature-kills, so I doubt either will see tournament play.
WINNER: Master Tansmuter
Scepter of Insight versus Jayamdae Tome
Scepter of Insight - 1UU
Artifact (Rare)
{3}{U}, {T}: Draw a card.
Both still suck. Gone are the days when we had to make do with slow, expensive card-drawing.
WINNER: None
Telemin Performance versus Bribery
Telemin Performance - 3UU
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until a creature card is revealed. Put all noncreature cards revealed this way into that player's graveyard, then put the creature card into play under your control.
The ability to potentially mill out an opponent's library is tempting, but Bribery is still better than Telim's Performance. Being able to choose which creature to take from an opponent's deck makes a lot of difference. Besides, why the need to mill an opponent's library when you can just attack him with the beastie you just stole?
WINNER: Bribery
QUICK HITS
Brackwater Elemental - 2U
Creature - Elemental (Common)
When Brackwater Elemental attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of turn.
Unearth {2}{U}
4/4
RATING: 1 Star
Constricting Tendrils - U
Instant (Common)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Cycling {2}
RATING: 1 Star
Controlled Instincts - U
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant red or green creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
RATING: 2 Stars
Cumber Stone - 3U
Artifact (Uncommon)
Creatures your opponents control get -1/-0.
RATING: 2 Stars
Esperzoa - 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Ethersworn Adjudicator - 4U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Knight (Mythic Rare)
Flying
{1}{B}{W}, {T}: Destroy target creature or enchantment.
{2}{U}: Untap Ethersworn Ajudicator.
4/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Faerie Mechanist - 3U
Artifact Creature - Faerie Artificer (Common)
Flying
When Faerie Mechanist comes into play, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it in your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Frontline Sage - 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (Common)
Exalted
{U}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
0/1
RATING: 1 Star
Grixis Illusionist - U
Creature - Human Wizard (Common)
{T}: Target land you control becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Inkwell Leviathan - 7UU
Artifact Creature - Leviathan (Rare)
Islandwalk, trample, shroud
7/11
RATING: 2 Stars
Master Transmuter - 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
{U}, {T}: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
1/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Parasitic Strix - 2U
Artifact Creature - Bird (Common)
Flying
When Parasitic Strix comes into play, if you control a black permanent, target player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Scepter of Insight - 1UU
Artifact (Rare)
{3}{U}, {T}: Draw a card.
RATING: 2 Stars
Scornful Aether-Lich - 3U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Wizard (Uncommon)
{W}{B}: Scornful Aether-Lich gains fear and vigilance until end of turn.
2/4
RATING: 1 Star
Telemin Performance - 3UU
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. That player puts all noncreature cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard, then you put the creature card into play under your control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Traumatic Visions - 3UU
Instant (Common)
Counter target spell.
Basic landcycling {1}{U}
RATING: 2 Stars
Unsummon - U
Instant (Common)
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
RATING: 3 Stars
View from Above - 1U
Instant (Uncommon)
Target creature gains flying until end of turn. If you control a white permanent, return View from Above to its owner's hand.
RATING: 1 Star
Worldly Counsel - 1U
Instant (Common)
Domain - Look at the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of basic land types among lands you control. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library.
RATING: 1 Star
(Images from magicthegathering.com)
Brackwater Elemental - 2U
Creature - Elemental (Common)
When Brackwater Elemental attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of turn.
Unearth {2}{U}
4/4
Brackwater Elemental traded Flying for Unearth. While Fog Elemental's evasion makes sure that the 4/4 hits the opponent when it attacks, Brackwater Elemental is often better as it can hit twice.
WINNER: Backwater Elemental
Esperzoa versus Stampeding Wildebeests
Esperzoa - 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
Stampeding Wildebeests was the cornerstone of the mono-color Stupid Green decks. The idea was to take advantage of the Wildebeests' return-a-green-creature-to-your-hand drawback by using creatures with comes-into-play effects, like Wall of Blossoms. Esperzoa may serve the same purpose in Esper decks, bouncing Sanctum Gargoyles or Elsewhere Flasks instead. It would be fun to build a casual Esper deck around Esperzoa.
WINNER: Esperzoa
Master Transmuter versus Elvish Piper
Master Transmuter - 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
{U}, {T}: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
1/2
Both are "fun-tastic" cards for casual decks, but Master Transmuter's return-an-artifact ability has a lot more combo potential. Both easily die to common creature-kills, so I doubt either will see tournament play.
WINNER: Master Tansmuter
Scepter of Insight versus Jayamdae Tome
Scepter of Insight - 1UU
Artifact (Rare)
{3}{U}, {T}: Draw a card.
Both still suck. Gone are the days when we had to make do with slow, expensive card-drawing.
WINNER: None
Telemin Performance versus Bribery
Telemin Performance - 3UU
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until a creature card is revealed. Put all noncreature cards revealed this way into that player's graveyard, then put the creature card into play under your control.
The ability to potentially mill out an opponent's library is tempting, but Bribery is still better than Telim's Performance. Being able to choose which creature to take from an opponent's deck makes a lot of difference. Besides, why the need to mill an opponent's library when you can just attack him with the beastie you just stole?
WINNER: Bribery
QUICK HITS
Brackwater Elemental - 2U
Creature - Elemental (Common)
When Brackwater Elemental attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of turn.
Unearth {2}{U}
4/4
RATING: 1 Star
Constricting Tendrils - U
Instant (Common)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Cycling {2}
RATING: 1 Star
Controlled Instincts - U
Enchantment - Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant red or green creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
RATING: 2 Stars
Cumber Stone - 3U
Artifact (Uncommon)
Creatures your opponents control get -1/-0.
RATING: 2 Stars
Esperzoa - 2U
Artifact Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, return an artifact you control to its owner's hand.
4/3
RATING: 2 Stars
Ethersworn Adjudicator - 4U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Knight (Mythic Rare)
Flying
{1}{B}{W}, {T}: Destroy target creature or enchantment.
{2}{U}: Untap Ethersworn Ajudicator.
4/4
RATING: 3 Stars
Faerie Mechanist - 3U
Artifact Creature - Faerie Artificer (Common)
Flying
When Faerie Mechanist comes into play, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it in your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Frontline Sage - 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (Common)
Exalted
{U}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
0/1
RATING: 1 Star
Grixis Illusionist - U
Creature - Human Wizard (Common)
{T}: Target land you control becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn.
1/1
RATING: 1 Star
Inkwell Leviathan - 7UU
Artifact Creature - Leviathan (Rare)
Islandwalk, trample, shroud
7/11
RATING: 2 Stars
Master Transmuter - 3U
Artifact Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
{U}, {T}: Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.
1/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Parasitic Strix - 2U
Artifact Creature - Bird (Common)
Flying
When Parasitic Strix comes into play, if you control a black permanent, target player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Scepter of Insight - 1UU
Artifact (Rare)
{3}{U}, {T}: Draw a card.
RATING: 2 Stars
Scornful Aether-Lich - 3U
Artifact Creature - Vedalken Wizard (Uncommon)
{W}{B}: Scornful Aether-Lich gains fear and vigilance until end of turn.
2/4
RATING: 1 Star
Telemin Performance - 3UU
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. That player puts all noncreature cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard, then you put the creature card into play under your control.
RATING: 2 Stars
Traumatic Visions - 3UU
Instant (Common)
Counter target spell.
Basic landcycling {1}{U}
RATING: 2 Stars
Unsummon - U
Instant (Common)
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
RATING: 3 Stars
View from Above - 1U
Instant (Uncommon)
Target creature gains flying until end of turn. If you control a white permanent, return View from Above to its owner's hand.
RATING: 1 Star
Worldly Counsel - 1U
Instant (Common)
Domain - Look at the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of basic land types among lands you control. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library.
RATING: 1 Star
(Images from magicthegathering.com)
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Conflux Comparative Review: White
INTRODUCTION
Unoriginal. That's my problem with Conflux. A lot of the set's cards are just (sometimes) better versions of cards from older expansions. We've got a new Icy Manipulator. A new Demonfire. A new Swords to Plowshares. A new Birds of Paradise. The list goes on. The sad thing is, this is not a "nostalgia" set like Time Spiral. As it is, Conflux appears to have been poorly designed -- the designers seemed to have ran out of new ideas.
Well, at least they gave me an idea on how to go about my Conflux set review...
Some cards are easy to rate because there are older cards with similar abilities with which to compare them. For example, I know Chameleon Colossus was going to be good in Standard because Phantom Centaur was. Flame Javelin is similar to Char, a card that saw a lot of tournament play. Wild Nacatl is Kird Ape version 2.
There are cards which have been misevaluated by the designers at Wizards of the Coast perhaps because these cards are so original that there are no other cards to compare them with. Take Bitterblossom. The card nearest to its ability may be Phyrexian Arena. One life gives you a resource, a 1/1 flier from the former, and a card from the latter. Yet Phyrexian Arena is a well-balanced card, while Bitterblossom continues to dominate Standard. The same may also be said with Tarmogoyf (compared to Lhurgoyf) and Skullclamp (compared to, um... nothing!).
Since most of the "buzz" cards of Conflux are copycats, might as well compare them with their predecessors. In this set review, I intend to use the "comparative approach" in evaluating the cards. Are the new cards better than their counterparts? Will they see tournament play as did (or did not) their forerunners? On with the review!
WHITE
Court Homonculus versus Goldmeadow Stalwart
Court Homunculus - W
Artifact Creature - Homunculus (Common)
Court Homunculus gets +1/+1 as long as you control another artifact.
1/1
Both one-to-cast 2/2's. The Stalwart for Kithkin decks, the Homonculus for Esper decks... The problem with Court Homonculus, however, is that, currently, there is no viable aggressive Esper deck, and I doubt that there ever will be. Esper, it seems, is a shard not designed for an aggro strategy. Popular Esper cards from Shards of Alara, like Esper Charm and Tidehollow Sculler, point to disruption and card advantage as the strenghts of the artifact-heavy shard.
WINNER: Goldmeadow Stalwart
Lapse of Certainty versus Memory Lapse
Lapse of Certainty - 2W
Instant (Common)
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner's library instead of into that player's graveyard.
Would the shift from the color pie justify the additional one-mana for the mana cost of Lapse of Uncertainty? I don't think so. At three mana, Blue gets a "hard" counter, like Cancel. White gets this. And it does not need it. "Soft" counters are supposed to be tempo cards. They buy the player time. Little tempo advantage can be gained using a three-casting-cost counterspell. White would rather stay with the aggro route to victory.
WINNER: Memory Lapse
Mark of Asylum versus Forfend
Mark of Asylum - 1W
Enchantment (Rare)
Prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to creatures you control.
Enchantment versus Instant. As a sideboard against damage-based mass-kill spells (like Firespout and Pyroclasm), the permanent is most times better for obvious reasons.
WINNER: Mark of Asylum... but wait, we have another challenger...
Mark of Asylum versus Burrenton Forge-Tender 
Both are hosers against Red burn-based decks. While Mark of Asylum is an excellent sideboard card, Burrenton Forge-Tender is good in the main deck. The Forge-Tender is currently a tournament staple in Kithkin and Boat-Brew decks. The Mark of Asylum is a welcome addition to the sideboard of these creature-based decks, especially with all the cheap damage-based mass-kills.
WINNER: Tie
Martial Coup versus Supply/Demand versus Decree of Justice
Martial Coup - XWW
Sorcery (Rare)
Put X 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens into play. If X is 5 or more, destroy all other creatures.
A token-making triple threat! The game-changing power of a seven-mana-cost Martial Coup easily beats the versatility of Supply/Demand. The tougher opponent is the oft-cycled Decree of Justice. This one's close, but I dare say that the bonus Wrath of God effect can swing more games than an instant-speed uncounterable token-maker. I hope to see this Conflux card replace Oona, Queen of the Fae in Quick-and-Toast decks soon.
WINNER: Martial Coup
Path to Exile versus Swords to Plowshares
Path to Exile - W
Instant (Uncommon)
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
The problem with Path to Exile is that it often sucks as a creature-kill during the first few turns, assuming your opponent does not have any basic lands in his deck. But it gets better as the game progresses, as the search-a-land drawback becomes less relevant. That said, Path to Exile still pales in comparison with Swords to Plowshares. But still, the Conflux card is far from being a bad card. Path to Exile is best used in a creature-heavy aggro deck where,early in the game, you can instead use it as a pseudo Rampant Growth, targeting your own graveyard-bound creatures. Not too useful in control decks, though...
WINNER: Swords to Plowshares
Scepter of Dominance versus Icy Manipulator
Scepter of Dominance - 1WW
Artifact (Rare)
{W}, {T}: Tap target permanent.
Guess what: Icy Manipulator was reprinted in Tenth Edition. It is Type-2 legal... yet no one seems to care. The mana cost of Icy Manipultor is too pricey for the current metagame. I'm afraid shaving off one mana would do little good. Icy Manipulator was good in tandem with Winter Orb. The two-card combo created a "soft-lock". With no Winter Orb in Standard, the Scepter of Dominance, if ever it will be used, is best in a land-destruction deck, together with Ajani Vengeant and Fulminator Mage. But mana-denial decks, I'm afraid, won't do much good facing a lot of aggro and tempo decks in today's meta.
WINNER: None
BONUS: QUICK HITS!!!
Here's a quick Standard card evaluation...
Rating System:
5 Stars- Main-Deck Key Card, Build-A-Deck-Around-Me Card
4 Stars- Tournament Staple in the Main Deck or Sideboard
3 Stars- Good Card with Potential for Tournament Play
2 Stars- Little Potential for Tournament Play
1 Star- Don't Even Bother...
Aerie Mystics - 4W
Creature - Bird Wizard (Uncommon)
Flying{1}{G}{U}: Creatures you control gain shroud until end of turn.
3/3
RATING: 1 Star
Asha's Favor - 2W
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has flying, first strike, and vigilance.
RATING: 1 Star
Aven Squire - 1W
Creature - Bird Soldier (Common)
Flying
Exalted
1/1
RATING: 2 Stars
Aven Trailblazer - 2W
Creature - Bird Soldier (Common)
Flying
Domain - Aven Trailblazer's toughtness is equal to the number of basic land types among lands you control."
2/*
RATING: 1 Star
Celestial Purge - 1W
Instant (Uncommon)
Remove target red or black permanent from the game.
RATING: 4 Stars
Court Homunculus - W
Artifact Creature - Homunculus (Common)
Court Homunculus gets +1/+1 as long as you control another artifact.
1/1
RATING: 3 Stars
Darklit Gargoyle - 1W
Artifact Creature - Gargoyle (Common)
Flying{B}: Darklit Gargoyle gets +2/-1 until end of turn.
1/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Gleam of Resistance - 4W
Instant (Common)
Creatures you control get +1/+2 until end of turn. Untap those creatures.
Basic landcycling {1}{W}
RATING: 2 Stars
Lapse of Certainty - 2W
Instant (Common)
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner's library instead of into that player's graveyard.
RATING: 2 Stars
Mark of Asylum - 1W
Enchantment (Rare)
Prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to creatures you control.
RATING: 4 Stars
Martial Coup - XWW
Sorcery (Rare)
Put X 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens into play. If X is 5 or more, destroy all other creatures.
RATING: 4 Stars
Mirror-Sigil Sergeant - 5W
Creature - Rhino Soldier (Mythic Rare)
Trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a blue permanent, you may put a token into play that's a copy of Mirror-Sigil Sergeant.
4/4
RATING: 2 Stars
Nacatl Hunt-Pride - 5W
Creature - Cat Warrior (Uncommon)
Vigilance
{R}, {T}: Target creature can't block this turn.{G}, {T}: Target creature blocks this turn if able.
5/4
RATING: 1 Star
Paragon of the Amesha - 2W
Creature - Human Knight (Uncommon)
First strike
{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}: Until end of turn, Paragon of the Amesha becomes an Angel, gets +3/+3, and gains flying and lifelink.
2/2
RATING: 2 Stars
Path to Exile - W
Instant (Uncommon)
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
RATING: 5 Stars
Rhox Meditant - 3W
Creature - Rhino Monk (Common)
When Rhox Meditant comes into play, if you control a green permanent, you may draw a card.
2/4
RATING: 2 Stars
Scepter of Dominance - 1WW
Artifact (Rare)
{W}, {T}: Tap target permanent.
RATING: 2 Stars
Sigil of the Empty Throne - 3WW
Enchantment (Rare)
Whenever you play an enchantment spell, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying into play.
RATING: 1 Star
Valiant Guard - W
Creature - Human Soldier (Common)
RATING: 1 Star
Wall of Reverence - 3W
Creature - Spirit Wall (Rare)
Defender, flying
At the end of your turn, you may gain life equal to the power of target creature you control.
1/6
RATING: 3 Stars
(Thanks to mtgsalvation.com for the spoiler!)
(Images from magicthegathering.com)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Naya Aggro Post Conflux
NAYA AGGRO4 Wild Nacatl
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Woolly Thoctar
3 Qasali Ambusher
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Cylian Sunsinger (Conflux)
4 Naya Charm
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Saferight Quest
4 Path to Exile (Conflux)
5 Plains
4 Mountain
1 Forest
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Jungle Shrine
3 Karplusan Forest
Path to Exile - W
Instant (Uncommon)
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
Cylian Sunsinger - 1G
Creature - Elf Shaman (Rare)
{R}{G}{W}: Cylian Sunsinger and each other creature with the same name as it get +3/+3 until end of turn.
2/2
NEXT: Black-Red Discarder!
Image from wizards.com
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year (and Naya Aggro)
Happy New Year! Sorry I have not been able to post anything for quite a while. Blame it on online games (Cabal Online) and law school. This 2009 however, I resolve to update this site regularly - primarily with Magic articles, then maybe with some other nerdy stuff, like comics or online games. After all, 2008 had been such a good year to me as a Magic player (even if passed up the opportunity to play at Worlds in Memphis because I had to finish my law degree... seeesh!), so I have to give something to the community in return.
With the greetings/apologies/resolutions out of the way, here's the current version of one of the decks I'm currently playing:
NAYA AGGRO
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Figure of Destiny
2 Mogg Fanatic
4 Woolly Thoctar
3 Qasali Ambusher
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Rampant Growth
4 Incinerate
4 Naya Charm
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Plains
4 Mountain
2 Forest
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Naya Panorama
3 Jungle Shrine
2 Karplusan Forest
2 Brushland
I figured that, with Faeries still the deck-to-beat, I had to make an aggro deck (after all, aggressive decks beat tempo-based strategies, theoretically at least). But my deck had to be ORIGINAL and FUN, and competitive at the same time. So instead of playing Kithkin or Blighting decks, I decided to go for an aggressive Naya deck. Nothing is more fun and original than playing Wild Nacatl and Qasali Ambusher, is there?
With no Ravnica shock-lands (which, rumor has it, MIGHT be reprinted in 11th-Ed) I had to make do with Terramorphic Expanse, Naya Panorama and Rampant Growth (which also doubles as mana acceleration) to fetch me some basic lands for my Cat Warriors.
Figure of Destiny fits the deck nicely. People should realize that FOD isn't just a mono-white card in a mono-white Kithkin deck, or a mono-red card in a mono-red Demigod deck. They should see the card for what it actually is: a white-red hybrid card for white-red decks.
Underrated cards Ranger of Eos and Naya Charm distinguish Naya from other aggro decks. The Ranger makes sure the deck does not run out of ammo, while Naya Charm takes care of creature-stalls.
If spoilers are to be believed, the next expansion, Conflux, seems to support the "Domain" mechanic. That's good news for Naya Aggro. Already, Path to Exile - the new Swords to Plowshares - is creating buzz. I'll probably replace the two Mogg Fanatics with this new card when the set becomes legal.
With the greetings/apologies/resolutions out of the way, here's the current version of one of the decks I'm currently playing:
NAYA AGGRO
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Figure of Destiny
2 Mogg Fanatic
4 Woolly Thoctar
3 Qasali Ambusher
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Rampant Growth
4 Incinerate
4 Naya Charm
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Plains
4 Mountain
2 Forest
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Naya Panorama
3 Jungle Shrine
2 Karplusan Forest
2 Brushland
I figured that, with Faeries still the deck-to-beat, I had to make an aggro deck (after all, aggressive decks beat tempo-based strategies, theoretically at least). But my deck had to be ORIGINAL and FUN, and competitive at the same time. So instead of playing Kithkin or Blighting decks, I decided to go for an aggressive Naya deck. Nothing is more fun and original than playing Wild Nacatl and Qasali Ambusher, is there?
With no Ravnica shock-lands (which, rumor has it, MIGHT be reprinted in 11th-Ed) I had to make do with Terramorphic Expanse, Naya Panorama and Rampant Growth (which also doubles as mana acceleration) to fetch me some basic lands for my Cat Warriors.
Figure of Destiny fits the deck nicely. People should realize that FOD isn't just a mono-white card in a mono-white Kithkin deck, or a mono-red card in a mono-red Demigod deck. They should see the card for what it actually is: a white-red hybrid card for white-red decks.
Underrated cards Ranger of Eos and Naya Charm distinguish Naya from other aggro decks. The Ranger makes sure the deck does not run out of ammo, while Naya Charm takes care of creature-stalls.
If spoilers are to be believed, the next expansion, Conflux, seems to support the "Domain" mechanic. That's good news for Naya Aggro. Already, Path to Exile - the new Swords to Plowshares - is creating buzz. I'll probably replace the two Mogg Fanatics with this new card when the set becomes legal.
(Image from magicthegathering.com)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
I told you so...
Bin Laden the Skrull:
http://polarnest.blogspot.com/2008/04/who-do-you-trust-part-2.html
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the Skrull:
http://polarnest.blogspot.com/2008/03/who-do-you-trust.html
Raed Secret Invasion issue 4, released yesterday. Carefully scan page nine. Either I'm psychic or SI artist Lienel Francis Yu reads my blog. Personally, I prefer the latter. Lolz.
http://polarnest.blogspot.com/2008/04/who-do-you-trust-part-2.html
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the Skrull:
http://polarnest.blogspot.com/2008/03/who-do-you-trust.html
Raed Secret Invasion issue 4, released yesterday. Carefully scan page nine. Either I'm psychic or SI artist Lienel Francis Yu reads my blog. Personally, I prefer the latter. Lolz.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Netdecker, Metagamer
I eagerly awaited the results of the US, Canadian, French, and Italian nationals. UB Faeries, Reivellarks and Demigod Reds posted impressive finishes during the events. There were no discarder decks in the top-eights. Perfect. This was the go-signal I was waiting for. I was to play a discarder deck for the 2008 Philippine National Championships the following week.
A lot would say that the current Standard metagame is a rock-paper-scissors game. If the rock were UB Faeries, the paper would be Mono-Red Aggro, and the scissors multi-color Reivellark. My strategy for the Standard portions of the nationals was simple: use a deck than can beat the rocks, the papers, and the scissors. Discarder it is.
The funny thing is, discarder decks are one of those decks which are easiest to beat after sideboarding. Any deck can pack three to four copies of Dodecapod in the board. Not every discarder player can handle well the Dodecapod mind-games. But I knew not one soul in the tournament would be using the 3/3 artifact creature. After all, no discarder decks went into the top eight of recent national championship events. Most Magic players here are "net-deckers". They would be using and expecting decks similar to those which were successful in other countries. I had to take advantage of that net-decking mentality.
In this age of information, the Internet's impact on the Magic metagame can not be ignored. While most would simply copy successful decks from the Net, I took a different approach to "net-decking". The Net helped me correctly predict the metagame. All I needed to do was use a deck which can break the metagame decks. My strategy paid off well.
Monday, August 11, 2008
aNIHILITHor
Undefeated at the 2008 Philippine Nationals. I conceded the finals match to my good friend.
Main Deck
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Augur of Skulls
2 Nihilith
4 Stupor
4 Raven's Crime
4 Smallpox
4 Nameless Inversion
2 Slaughter Pact
4 The Rack
4 Treetop Village
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Twilight Mire
2 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Howltooth Hollow
6 Swamp
Sideboard
4 Bitterblossom
4 Damnation
3 Riftsweeper
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Bottle Gnomes
Main Deck
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Augur of Skulls
2 Nihilith
4 Stupor
4 Raven's Crime
4 Smallpox
4 Nameless Inversion
2 Slaughter Pact
4 The Rack
4 Treetop Village
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Twilight Mire
2 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Howltooth Hollow
6 Swamp
Sideboard
4 Bitterblossom
4 Damnation
3 Riftsweeper
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Bottle Gnomes
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