Things people might overlook in comparison to Shimian specter:
1) Doomsday Spector make your opponent discard ANY card, that include lands. (Although Shimian's denial power is definitely stronger)
2) You can return utility creatures to your hand with Doomsday Spector, such as Seagate Oracle, Man'o War, Ravenous Rats, Rune-Scarred Demon, etc.
3) 2/3 is slightly tougher against other 2 attack power flyers. Also at the time of this card's presence, there was no Bolt, only Shock.
Posted By:
Cyberium
(12/5/2011 1:28:13 AM)
Awesome card, works perfectly in the usual U/B combo decks.
First guy I thought of for his combo was:
Ravenous Rats - Force another discard
4/5, easily. Probably better
Posted By:
Gaussgoat
(6/2/2010 8:45:51 AM)
Probably the best gating creature.
Posted By:
Designer_Genes
(9/23/2009 1:08:30 PM)
Mode: Compare Abyssal Specter. The ability to pluck a chosen card is what warrants the "drawback", and is not to be underestimated. If this gentleman gets powered out through some acceleration, you may be able to selectively negate any and all of your foe's early plays, should the stars align.
majinara: You can't bounce Eternal Witness. This is a blue/black only club.
Anyway, brilliant card. Love it.
Posted By:
DoctorKenneth
(4/9/2010 5:02:45 AM)
Brilliant card. Singlehandedly makes up for so many crap rares. I love UB.
Posted By:
blindthrall
(12/15/2010 12:30:50 AM)
This guy is very powerful, but only if you make good use of his gating ability, using it to your advantage and not to your disadvantage.
Example:
Turn 3, play Man-o'-War.
Turn 4, attack with the manowar, then play this guy and return the manowar to your hand.
Turn 5, play manowar again, bouncing either a possible blocker of the specter, or simply the most annoying creature your opponent has. Then attack with the specter, and you can have him discard the creature you just bounced.
You can also use Chittering Rats instead of the jellyfish, setting your opponent two turns back. Or an Eternal Witness. Any creature with a good CIP ability is worth it.
Posted By:
majinara
(2/10/2009 4:38:29 PM)
Many multicolored Planeshift cards have the "gating" ability, but why did this creature get it?
Aside from that ability, it has - unlike the other creatures from that cycle - a rather normal mana cost / efficiency relation.
Of course, it still has great use with cip/etb effects, but why does a card with normally ratio have it?
Posted By:
Mode
(9/6/2009 4:51:33 AM)
gotta agree completely with majinara and MtgTGG. Great card, great combo
Posted By:
ChuckMickey
(9/3/2009 9:23:01 PM)
This is easily one of the best, if not the best, specter(s) out there.
Posted By:
MtgTGG
(1/21/2009 8:11:29 PM)
Maybe it's because I built a deck using 4 of these. Maybe it's because I like the art. Or maybe it's because this really is just a great card, but I love playing these guys. ANY u/b deck I build has these. 4/5
Posted By:
Smauls
(1/21/2011 1:34:43 PM)