@bowlofgumbo
Yes, those cards (Ancestral Recall and Time Walk) are inherently broken, but a deck full of just Ancestral Recall and Time Walk is not going to win you the game. It's the other cards in the relevant format that make a card broken.
What makes Geist of Saint Traft broken is that the other cards available in the pool of today's standard aren't good enough to deal with him without some inherent loss. Cards that do deal with him are too narrow or too costly. You can't block him if your opponent plays Restoration Angel or Spectral Flight in their deck. Rolling Temblor is too narrow for the main board, as it does not hit flyers and is sorcery speed. Supreme Verdict comes out a turn too late, and again, sorcery. Barter in Blood and Mutilate will sometim... (see all)
Posted By:
flipsyalec
(1/18/2013 12:48:40 AM)
The main reason this guy is stupid is because blue is stupid. White-blue control didn't need such an OP, undercosted finisher.
This guy is a really stupid duel commander general because you basically throw him out on turn 3, and then counterspell everything your opponent does for the rest of the game. You win if they don't get something through, and you most likely lose if they do. Permission is the dumbest thing ever. I'm so glad for cavern of souls.
EDIT
@Laguz
"I am so incredibly psyched about dropping angelic destiny on this guy. Combos that are both vorthos appropriate and functionally incredible are extremely hard to fund."
Was that a typo for 'find' or was it what you meant to type? :P (both are true)
Posted By:
SAUS3
(7/16/2013 10:20:30 AM)
This guys cool. A deceased soldier charges into battle with his guardian angel.
Posted By:
JFM2796
(9/22/2011 2:58:03 PM)
Downvoting this card simply because it represents the worst thing about Magic: The Gathering with the current model:
This is a cheap, insanely powerful card, and it's mythic. If you're up against a deck using this, you're boned - you're taking at -least- four damage, and if not dealt with, you'll be dead inside of three turns.
You need it to win if you're going to go W/U to reach top 4, maybe top 8. If you aren't playing this, you have no chance. Getting a set is $120 to your deck cost, and that's being generous.
Posted By:
Vandell
(2/12/2013 9:59:13 PM)
This guy would have been more fair as a 2/2 for UW that does the angel thing, but without the hexproof.
Posted By:
Phelplan
(8/11/2013 2:21:09 PM)
This guy is worthy of being a mythic rare, mostly because of the epic story that was made for him. I like that he's not fantastically broken either. Yeah, that Angelic Destiny combo is pretty crazy, but that card makes pretty much any creature nasty anyway - not just Saint Traft.
Posted By:
GrimjawxRULES
(10/10/2011 10:42:56 AM)
I have the humble opinion that anyone who plays him as an EDH general are the most boring EDH players out there.
Posted By:
spiney
(6/29/2013 6:42:27 AM)
His ability BY ITSELF doesn't warrent the low CC, let alone the fact that he's also hexproof and has a body! F it, why not have him draw ya a card and give him a tutor effect (when he comes into play of course!) while you were at it!??
Posted By:
Mike-C
(6/21/2012 5:13:08 AM)
I hate everything about this card. It uses troll shroud, which wizards seems to be riding lately, its undercosted, AND I have yet to play in a tourney that doesn't have at least ten guys with 4 of these in their deck (along with all the new swords of this and that). I hate how magic favors all the rich spike players these days.
Posted By:
Dragasm
(8/1/2012 1:15:56 AM)
0.5/5. Dies to Silverstorm Samurai and is strictly worse than Storm Crow. WotC has to stop printing cards like this.
Posted By:
SgtPepperjack
(8/14/2012 5:23:50 PM)