Good for just being huge, but otherwise not very impressive. Strictly speaking, he's a better enormous baloth, without question. Most of the things your giving to a rampaging baloth are the same things your giving to a kalonian to activate trample, and so it really doesn't matter, including that 1 mana enchantment that gives all your creatures trample. On the other hand, kalonian is strictly worse than simic skyswallower in extended. Also for 7 mana you could have played a uril miststalker followed by a shield of the oversoul on the same turn for 9/9 flying indestructible troll shroud creature. So, not the best for the mana cost, but better than other creatures for pure size. Shroud is also pretty underestimated.. the anti trample problem is only relevant vs. black and green who have regeneration or a lot of token creation, against blue for example a 9/9 that you can't unsummon or kill once it hits the field is incredibly destructive.
Posted By:
Donovan_Fabian
(11/7/2009 8:52:21 PM)
Hmm, Plated Slagwurm sure is better, but sometimes 4 of those isn't enough. That's when this thing kicks in. 4½
Posted By:
Carkki
(11/15/2010 10:47:36 PM)
I can't speak to this card in constructed; sure, 7 for a 9/9 shroud is pretty solid, if not part of a pro combo engine. What I can say is that this gentleman is an absolute BOMB in limited play. Turn 1 Llanowars, turn 6 shrouded 9/9... The only way to clear him is to gang block and lose all your men, or to throw down a Righteousness. Made a huge splash in our friendly draft-- all of a sudden the Ball Lightning and Lightning Elementals I'd pulled to beat down opposing creatures don't seem so big!
Posted By:
TroglodyteJB
(7/20/2009 7:15:08 AM)
It may be true that one can do better with seven mana. Especially when you consider seven mana going towards a combo. I love that M10 has new cards in it. It's certainly an exciting new base set. I see this card as filling the Verdant Force slot. Having said that, I must admit that I see more playablity in Verdant Force than this card. Automated tolken creation is just so dynamic. Not that this is a bad card; it certainly seems apt at playing the role of a finisher with more longevity than most large creatures due to Shroud.
Posted By:
Mr_Hendry
(7/18/2009 6:29:44 PM)
Oh hi there Kalonian behemoth, allow me to introduce you to my sprouting phytohydra, something tells me you two will be meeting a lot on the battlefield.
Posted By:
IshubarashI
(7/12/2010 5:08:32 AM)
Brawn. That is all.
Posted By:
MrPink343
(10/1/2009 11:57:58 AM)
umm people, Garruk and overrun say hello
Posted By:
bigsexxy36
(7/21/2009 9:29:10 PM)
very solid 7 drop. you can certainly give it trample, as was mentioned. both garruk and overrun give trample to your creatures boardwide, not targeted, and both are perfectly in line in terms of colors =). As I said, solid 7 drop, even better on turn 3 =P, pulled off that once, and only once. turn 1 llanowar elves. turn 2, 3 more llanowar elves (3 in opening hand, drew 4th). turn 3, tap 3 lands and 4 elves for 9/9 shroud.
Posted By:
Grimn777
(8/1/2009 10:06:34 AM)
While i love this card it's not really effective. The lack of trample really hurts him.
If your opponent have any regenerator or deathtouch creature you can't even atack them. Even if they don't, he's easy enough to chump block.
He works great with overrun, but wolfbriar elemental/howl of the night back/bestial menace works so much better.
Posted By:
ratrase
(2/24/2010 12:16:08 AM)
9/9?! holy crap, thats huge!
Posted By:
Ae00111
(12/8/2009 4:26:36 PM)