Each Time Spiral card was an homage to at least one previously printed card. The legendary creatures in these sets were also all characters from previous sets who had yet to see print.
This card depicts the risen Metathran necromancer Dralnu, a nefarious member of the Coalition during Invasion block, who was supposedly slain for his treachery (obviously they either didn't finish him off or he escaped through a time rift.) This card is arguably referencing Phyrexian Negator as well as the entire Flashback mechanic (possibly drawing a tie between it and creature reanimating effects.)
Given that Metathran is now an official creature type, his type line should probably be errata'd to Creature - Metathran Zombie Wizard
Posted By:
Missile_Penguin
(2/19/2013 5:38:43 AM)
The original Snapcaster Mage.
Posted By:
dlgn
(5/18/2012 7:12:14 PM)
Just make sure you have something to get rid of him before you opponent uber smokes him with a Shivan meteor
Posted By:
Zoah
(6/8/2010 1:53:39 AM)
Considering using this with Catalyst Stone and cards to get the Stone in play such as Tinker. Then I would use Lightning Greaves to protect Dralnu from getting damaged from most sources. Then I would use cards with dredge such as Darkblast to get targets to cast into my graveyard. I would either try to flashback or hard cast a Morality Shift to get many targets into my graveyard. In the deck I would have large spells such as Plague Wind or Wit's End that I might not normally play.
Cinsider this, Dralnu in play, use Tinker and sac a cheap artifact such as Ornithopter or Seat of the Synod to get the Catalyst stone into play, now target the Tinker in my graveyard with Dralnu and pay one blue (the cost of Tinker reduced by 2) to get another Catalyst Stone into play. Now flashback is reduced by 4 for ... (see all)
Posted By:
TreeTrunkMaster
(11/22/2009 11:15:01 PM)
If you cast a card with buyback with this, can you still buy it back or will it be exiled first?
Posted By:
Th3_Dark_On3
(8/12/2010 10:26:11 AM)
I've built an entire extended archetype around this card, with amazing matchups against nearly the entire field. Then the format became New Extended.
Use this with fog effects, with Luminesce and Safe Passage main to protect from burn. Play like turbo fog at first, with howling mines, etc. Eventually get Dralnu out, and recur fogs pretty much forever. Mark of Asylum can protect Dralnu, and you finish either with constant milling or through a pair of Luminarch Ascension.
It beat Thopter/Depths reliably, as they rarely had burn. It could easily beat most combo decks thanks to things like Luminesce. Zoo was annoying, but still reliably winnable, as their burn was hated out main deck and otherwise they couldn't really do anything.
It was really great. Pity Dralnu isn't even Extended legal anymore.
Posted By:
Phantom_of_the_FNM
(4/9/2011 1:24:23 PM)
Heart of Light works wonders with this guy.
Posted By:
Echoes_of_Deception
(6/24/2010 3:15:56 PM)
Even just casting darkrituals with this guy is awesome...way underrated.
Posted By:
Arthindole
(8/27/2010 8:21:54 PM)
Counter everything, then counter it again.
Posted By:
metalevolence
(5/26/2011 6:15:14 AM)
I run this guy as an EDH general and I can say he is a certified BALLER. Make sure you run spells with cycling such as Rescind and Expunge. You may not need them early in the game, but you will be able to use them later once you get Dralnu out. It's already been mentioned, but Magebane Armor is a must, since it protects him from burn spells that hit all creatures, such as Pyroclasm. Other artifacts to run include Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Catalyst Stone, and Altar of the Lost. Going zombie tribal (i.e. Geralf's Mindcrusher) isn't a bad idea either, since you will definitely have to get creatures back from your graveyard, espeically if you opt to power-mill youself with cards like Traumatize, Mirror-Mad Phantasm, or Morality Shift/autocard... (see all)
Posted By:
BearClaw13
(7/18/2013 12:05:34 PM)