I have always considered manlands as a better defensive technique than an offensive one. They tend to cause your opponent to miscalculate how many creatures you have, and then when they attack suddenly a creature that they didn't count on dying dies. That is, as long as you haven't attacked with it yet, you can have nearly as much of a surprise as a flash creature.
This guy is (imo) a manland that works to fit that technique well, as a more defensive combat trick than a creature. That, and it's a dual manland, which is more than anyone can really ask for.
Posted By:
brunsbr103
(2/20/2010 4:35:16 PM)
when i saw this i got excited, the reason is it has reach, white/green is always trying to protect from the air while killing with mass hordes, this guy will make sure to guard your back while you doing your stuff.
Posted By:
wolfv
(1/29/2010 4:34:45 PM)
I really like this one, yeah it's not unblockable or gets counters etc etc., but it's 99% garaunteed to be able to block whatever creature is swinging at you with it's reach ability, the only other one coming close is celestial colonnade.
Posted By:
Donovan_Fabian
(1/29/2010 11:51:06 PM)
won alot of games with this because my opponent forgot it had reach lol.
Posted By:
driftingsmoke
(2/9/2010 12:56:47 PM)
Ya you guys are right that say this is good, I run two in my GW deck and they can block a almost anything turn three. And to the guy xDaragox, not every card is meant to be a blocker for a big game finisher, this card comes through in the clutch mid game, for sure.
Posted By:
EvilCleavage
(4/8/2010 5:47:35 PM)
XDaragoX:
You forget that he is the only one of the tree manlands usable turn 4 that can't be simply bolted. With its P/T and Reach, he is an excellent attacker and blocker. Sure, Celestial Colonade is more powerfull, but it also comes out two turns later.
Posted By:
BALDOF
(1/31/2010 12:26:00 PM)
when is see this art, i imagine the woods swatting squadron hawks out of the sky.
Posted By:
rinoh20
(5/25/2011 3:59:16 PM)
@steelpommel
Turning this into a creature works just like all other animation effects.
The rules are:
A creature (weather animated or just a creature) cannot attack or {tap} unless it has been continuously under your control since the beginning of your most recent/current turn.
In most cases the first time you could attack with these animate lands is the turn after you played them. Both because they come into play tapped, and they do not have haste.
If you could untap it (amulet of vigor) AND give it haste (burst of speed)you could attack with it the turn you played it.
Posted By:
Kurhan
(2/23/2010 6:32:34 PM)
When looking at the cycle, you have to observe this thing's use when comparing it to Celestial Colonnade. It doesn't have evasion, meaning it's going to often times be used more defensively with the body it has.
1GW is perfectly acceptable for 3/4, IMO; you get a two-turn jump on the Colonnade if you're trying to intercept fliers.
The thing I don't think people get is that you should never animate lands excessively. Yes, they're creatures and you have the option, but keep in mind - they're still lands. That thing you really need to keep tempo in your favor? That thing you can only play once a turn (usually)? You don't want to animate this thing just to have it die. Yeah, you might have got rid of your opponent's removal spell/creature/combat trick, but you just set yourself back one turn, and that can change the entire course of a game when that means you can't drop your bomb and beat your opponent that much sooner, without fear of their own finisher looming abou... (see all)
Posted By:
DonRoyale
(2/17/2010 11:35:06 PM)
I like how UW got Celestial Colonnade, which turns into a Serra Angel and is awesome for control; UB got Creeping Tar Pit, a solid control/midrange-y battler; BR got Lavaclaw Reaches, which can swing for a ton after clearing the opponent's board, something BR is good at doing anyway; and RG got Raging Ravine, which grows every time it attacks. Meanwhile, GW got this, which can't even deal with bomby control finishers like Baneslayer Angel and Sphinx of Jwar Isle that GW needs to deal with. It's not horrible, it's just one of the worse cards in the cycle.
Posted By:
XDaragoX
(1/30/2010 6:48:59 PM)