I'd definitely play this over Thorn Elemental...
Posted By:
Volcre
(9/4/2009 3:36:50 AM)
Did you know there are only 27 Flying creatures in the game that would survive the 6 damage?
Posted By:
Eved
(3/6/2010 12:57:00 AM)
The neat part is, you're basically paying for a Hurricane that deals that much damage, just not to players. Yet.
Posted By:
CrazyLou
(8/18/2010 3:50:21 PM)
I dunno about taking this over Thorn Elemental; good ol' Thorn Elemental has the force of nostalgia on its side and wins you the game in an even three turns. Still, this card is incredibly good. I have never had this fail to kill all fliers on the opponent's side (I don't have any, usually), and this is a good thing. More than once, this has bailed me out of a next-turn loss. Hitting for a reliable six is also very good. I feel like a living tornado should fly, but hitting the opponent directly is just as good, if not better, though worse flavourwise (Just why does it hurt your opponent from a distance?). I can understand that Thorn Elemental shoots thorns, but what does Tornado Elemental fling? Cows?
A 6/6 for 
, even with its direct-damage ability, would be a bit of stretch (Thorn Elemental is 7/7 for the same cost, after all), but add in the kill-fliers ability and it's a heck of a deal.
Top it all off with the stellar art; that is definitely what a tornado-as-a-creatur... (see all)
Posted By:
ClockworkSwordfish
(2/4/2010 2:47:35 PM)
@ClockworkSwordfish
I think it's ability is perfectly flavorful. It's probably because you're comparing it to a card like Thorn Elemental that you're imagining the need for it to fling something. When I read the text I pictured it as, it's a tornado, your creature can try and block a TORNADO but it's not going to be able to stop it.(Unless of course it deals 6 damage and destroys it and even then unless it has first strike, it's not going to block it.)
It wouldn't have made sense for it to have flying because while it's a tornado, it's still in contact with the ground at practically all times. And if it had "unblockable" that still wouldn't make sense because there's no reason a creature can't "try" to block a 50 ft tornado. It's not exactly a discreet creature.
Of course, if you still want to imagine something being flung think of it this way, the creature is fighting it at its base while it's shooting lightning at you from its eyes.
Posted By:
OpeeFomenom
(8/9/2010 9:13:58 PM)
Ya, I totally agree, the added flier killer effect rocks against those pesky blue &/or white decks that are skating around your blockers with their measly 1-2 power ratings. I like this card in a green/red deck, but I think it would be more potent in a wholly green deck, especially if you are highly land dependent & can't get deep into your deck w/o letting the opponent stack up monsters while you are waiting on lands.
**Absolutely awesome card in a deck with 4 Llanowar elves &/or boreal druids.
Posted By:
AnelDerys
(9/8/2009 9:15:24 AM)
It's so timmy, it hurts. But at the same time (if you can get to seven mana) it's just plain GOOD. Will take down any flier your opponent has, and will always hit them for six every time it attacks.
Posted By:
Dark_Raider
(11/14/2009 1:10:56 PM)
I love throwing Mage Slayer on this. You can throw 12 damage at your opponent or hit the blocker AND the defending player for 6. Either way it's pretty sweet.
Posted By:
Shabroky
(6/9/2010 6:24:46 AM)
Anti-Flyer
Posted By:
Duskdale_Wurm
(7/2/2010 5:10:39 PM)
Eved: "Did you know there are only 27 Flying creatures in the game that would survive the 6 damage? "
When you make statements like this, say when they're made because the number's always going up. As of M12 release, for example, I can find 44: 33 flyers with 7 or more toughness, 5 with unconditional protection from green, Phantom Flock (with at least 2 counters on it), Iridescent Angel, Dawn Elemental, Swans of Bryn Argoll, Darksteel Gargoyle, and Commander Eesha.
Also, Pristine Angel if it's untapped, and Voice of All if you chose Green. Mist Dragon can dodge it too.
I may still be missing some, but that's a good starting point.
Posted By:
WhiteWizard42
(8/19/2011 4:30:47 PM)