This is dumb. Dumb dumb dumb.
Why? Because it costs as much as Avacyn, but inferior in basically every way. Both fly, but vigilance is way more powerful than lifelink. The draw effect is cool, but making everything INDESTRUCTIBLE is cooler.
Posted By:
steinburger1109
(4/28/2012 8:28:13 PM)
I think, for what it gives you, it was somewhat well designed.
The 1 card for 1 life model, as TheWrathofShane said, is broken. However, this forces you to draw in multiples of 7, similar to Jin-Gitaxias. Sometimes, you'll only want 2 or 3 cards, but you can't. Sometimes, you'll be at 6 life, and you can't. That's a problem.
The 
should be something people shouldn't look past. It, like Phyrexian Obliterator, forces you to go Mono-Black, which limits your card choices. Obviously, this a secondary reason why he's almost only used for reanimation.
Truthfully, the best way to make him "Fair" is to make it "
- Draw 7 cards and lose 7 life". The ability to do it multiple times and at instant speed is exactly what ruins him. It's a good thing he's banned in EDH. I know that facing him as a commander is NOT pretty.
Posted By:
Ferlord
(12/22/2012 2:14:00 PM)
Type your comment here.
Posted By:
Halaphax
(2/4/2013 5:33:09 PM)
8 pages of comments, top comment 4 stars. No 5-star comments?
Posted By:
azure_drake222222
(2/5/2013 8:33:04 AM)
A balanced Yawgmoth's Bargain. Granted, it's practically unplayable at 8 mana, but it's balanced.
Posted By:
bay_falconer
(5/6/2012 1:14:26 PM)
Just think of this guy hitting the field with a second-turn Kaalia of the Vast swing (In Commander, of course). Third turn, you're dropping whatever answer you pulled in those 35 cards you drew with Grislebrand. Add that to the 10 you've drawn so far (Assuming either multiplayer or draw first - 7 opening hand plus 3 for your 3 turns), and you're holding almost half your deck in your hand. Pop a CHildren of Korlis in the deck and you have ANOTHER 35 cards (We're up to 75 cards in hand here. On turn 3.)
To be fair, a turn 2 hasty Kaalia is not entirely easy, but it is possible.
Posted By:
Andon_A
(4/26/2012 5:06:19 PM)
Probably my fav card in this set, i love this dude. Fun in limited and awesome in casual formats. gain 7, lose 7, draw 7. perfecto.
Posted By:
GreenDjinn
(5/1/2012 7:50:46 PM)
Gris-el-brand. Vol-de-mort. Demon-That-Needs-No-Title/He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
Make 7 Horcruxes: Write 7 books.
Lich.
Lifelink? Seriously? Ookaaay...
The difference between this guy and Mojo Jojo: Mojo Jojo doesn't know AVADA KEDAVRA.
Give this guy Undying and Persist. You know you want to.
Edit: So, I am thinking this guy should be called out as EXACTLY a 6/5 stars, no more, no less. He's very, very abusable, but he's not actually bannable in Legacy or restrictable in Vintage. He's banned in Commander but that format's nature was different enough from 60-card Constructed to let him run completely unleashed and amok.
Let's imagine a scale where
''9/5'' is the Power Nine
"8/5" is "All that Urza Block bull-shit" and
"7/5" are "abusable cards that are very tough to answer either on speed or on rules"
Animate Dead, for example, or a Balance cast by a person that knows what they're doing, tend to be 7/5 cards because in addition to having an utterly blowout effect... (see all)
Posted By:
DarthParallax
(3/3/2013 9:39:22 PM)
Does it really bother anyone else that Griselbrand doesn't have a title? I keep trying to remember it, but then I remember he doesn't have one. I think such an incredible card and important character deserves an awesome title.
Let's make one for him!
How about: Griselbrand, Lord of Darkness
Any other ideas?
Posted By:
KokoshoForPresident
(5/2/2012 5:14:50 PM)
The irony of Griselbrand is I actually don't see you drawing very many 'real' cards with him actually.
He's a 7/7 lifelinker with evasion.
You combo him out, and start attacking people to kill them. His pay life ability offers him protection because people DON'T want you to do that in response to a kill spell to 'replace' him.
Alright, so in Commander, he's just tiny and it's a very different story: They WILL want to kill him, you WILL...get a load of other cards anyway...and they WILL....die anyway. But he's banned there now so that doesn't count, exactly.
My speculation, admitting no experience on it, is that in Legacy/Vintage, where you have less life to pay AND less life you need to take to win, is that he probably races/kills pretty fast and even tho you draw the cards anyway 'because they're free and you can', you probably don't actually get a chance to use them much. Your deck can do other things sure, if it's comboing it wants at least two different things to combo out, bu... (see all)
Posted By:
ParallaxtheRevan
(8/3/2012 11:36:52 AM)