Pages

Popular Posts

1.03.2013

Gatecrash Spoiler 7


~
Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

Another happy day indeed if you are a Magic: the Gathering player looking at new Gatecrash spoilers 'n' previews.  We will cover off four new cards for today's post but want to remind you to look for our continually updated Gatecrash Spoiler List where we labour to keep up to date as new cool cards are being posted.  If you have a thingy for Orzhov (white / black), then you will likely be rather happy with today's offerings . . .

EDIT - another Dimir card added below!
~
High Priest of Penance, wb
Creature - Human Cleric, Rare
Whenever High Priest of Penance is dealt damage, you may destroy target nonland permanent.
1/1

This preview from our friend Jaun who runs the show over at Magic Madrid.  The final English card name may be somewhat different but there is no mistaking the power of this two-drop creature.  This is a very lovely and threatening Orzhov blocker, who can pop off any non-land permanent on the game table.  Just note that this card can be an offensive weapon as well should you develop a strategy to ping it yourself in order to blow up one of your opponent's pieces.  We can see this being played in quite a few game formats.
~
Alms Beast, 2wb
Creature - Beast, Rare
Creatures blocking or blocked by Alms Beast have lifelink.
6/6

This Gatecrash preview card is courtesy of the MTG Australia / New Zealand Facebook.  We would rather play a Desecration Demon than this.  Having said just that, there may be something a bit more subtle and sinister the deeper we look.  The Demon forces the opponent to sac a chump blocker and face a potentially bigger and bigger threat while the Beast here may lure an opponent down the same path, greedy for some life gain while whittling away at some small stuff.  The point is, you still have a 6/6 threat which, if you do not have a plan to dispatch it, will cause some serious damage. Jury may still out on this one.
~
Elusive Mutant, 1ug
Creature - Fish Mutant, Uncommon
Elusive Mutant is unblockable.
Evolve (Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
0/4

This preview coming from Japanese site MTG on Nico Video.  Final English card name (and perhaps creature type) is still not confirmed.  Having a zero power on this will ensure you will be able to evolve some counters on this and the four toughness make this perhaps the most solid blocker we've seen for a while until you get your engine on line.  We look forward to having this mutant evolve each other following evolve creature with its toughness.
~
Skullcrack, 1r
Instant, Uncommon
Players can't gain life this turn. Damage can't be prevented this turn. Skullcrack deals 3 damage to target player.

This appears to be a solid choice to response against Thragtusk or perhaps after your opponent casts Sphinx's Revelation.  We're certain that this spell will see some standard play.
~

Duskmantle Guildmage, UB
Creature - Human Wizard, Uncommon
1ub: Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player loses 1 life.
2ub: Targer player puts the top two cards of his or here library into his or here graveyard.
2/2

This late-day spoiler from Elaine Chase, the Brand Director at Magic: the Gathering.  This particular Dimir Guild Mage brings the juice to the milling party.  We would love to use this with Jace's (Memory Adept) 0 ability, mill ten and then use Duskmantle to collect a whack of life off the opponent. ~

2 comments:

cheshire vash said...

Wow there has certainly been quite a good amount of flavor in these card's posted today. I am sure this will also possibly help out a lot in Alms beast favor, but only time will tell. The lifegain is clearly to represent giving away coins for free, the flavor text mentions that the coins can only be exchanged or used at a Orzhov business. This can be seen as fueling the Extortion engine that Orzhov decks may be trying to build up. That lifegain may be seen as something for the opponent to shrug off the fact it's a 6/6 for 4 on the field, he is getting something from it now. But in the end, it is YOU who will be taking back all that life you gave away. Here's hoping there will be more Orzhov cards like the Ghost Council who don't need mana to have an Extort-like ability.

As far as things are looking now, I would never want to put that thing in any Black/White deck I may run UNLESS it was Orzhov or some other strategy that focuses on life draining.


Now for the other super flavorful card, Skullcrack. Oh boy do I LOVE this card, I know it technically is not a Gruul card, but it OOZES with Gruul flavor. It pretty much sums up EVERYTHING you need to know about Gruul in a nutshell. They are ALL about brute force to solve any problem. Opponent decides to regain all the life he lost to you this turn, 'NO! You will NOT heal! Healing is for PUSSIES, *cracks a skull open*' Your opponent decides to use some sissy barrier like fog to prevent your wall of muscle from crashing down on him? 'NO! You will NOT hide from the PAIN! You will TAKE the pain and ENJOY IT! *cracks some skulls together*' Opponent is trying to reason with you with some big fancy words? 'NO! Big words make HEAD HURT! I make YOUR head hurt! *You get the picture now.*'

Real shame this card was not made into a full Gruul card, really does show off the guild completely and totally in one simple card. But on the plus side, that means it can be used in any red deck instead of needing green if it was a Gruul card.

cheshire vash said...

So looking at that new Guildmage for Dimir. I joked before with my buddy that we should do Two Headed Giant at prerelease with both of us being Dimir to try the shenanigans of having two copies of that consuming aberation promo card out at a time, for double the number of opponent's graveyard, and double the milling.

Now I am seriously contemplating that as a strategy in a two headed giant format with Duskmantle Guildmage. Both opponents would have to mill from their decks, and since they are sharing the same life, that is potentially double the possible life loss. Even more so if you get more aberrations on the field. Dimir is just ridiculous right now and they barely started preveiws this week!