This card is basically "the most powerful creature you control gains double strike and you gain life equal to that creatures power"
P.S. Just for the turn you play it though, but still very good
Posted By:
WoWbolt17
(5/26/2012 3:33:16 PM)
So far it's worked well for me. I kinda see this as an upgrade for Consume Spirit, it's much more flexible even though it doesn't target creatures. Finishers anyway, and black has a lot of ways to kill creatures, with or without the lifegain.
EDIT: Oh, and today I realized too late that this would've combo'ed well with Trepanation Bladed creature.... oh well.
Posted By:
AshToMoutHound
(6/18/2012 12:50:35 PM)
Excellent with Exalted now!
Running a black white exalt. Put a Spirit Mantle on a creature (preferably a Nighthawk, my preferred attacker). Swing with the Nighthawk, typically gain a 5+ exalted bonus by the time I get this combo ready. That's a 8/9 unblockable lifelink, and then since Exalt lasts until end of turn, Essence Harvest for a total life difference of 32.
Posted By:
RedUndead40
(8/12/2012 12:52:08 PM)
Might consider a copy or two as a finisher...Demonlord of Ashmouth with a Rancor on him likes.
Posted By:
LordRandomness
(8/15/2012 6:24:29 PM)
Malignus! What did you do to yourself!?
Posted By:
TheJord01
(8/29/2012 2:26:21 PM)
With Volrath the Fallen as one of my EDH commanders, when used well this can help me take out two players in one turn (including Volrath swinging) and give me over twenty life back. The mana for this curves nicely if discarding 2 creatures with Volrath, as is usually the case with the large size of black creatures I use.
Posted By:
Wizard-of-the-Toast
(10/25/2012 1:33:06 PM)
I kind of want to cast this with Malignus and Serra Avatar under my control, then hit it with Increasing Vengeance or Reverberate. It's not the easiest Malignus combo in Standard/Type-II, but it is elegant in the logical proof of its lethality.
With just Serra Avatar, your opponent loses life (and you gain life) equal to 300% of your current life total. With just Malignus, your opponent loses life (and you gain life) equal to 75% of his/her current life total, rounded up. But with both, your opponent dies. The first Harvest will always drain at least half of your opponent's life, rounded up. Your new life total will exceed your opponent's, making the next Harvest lethal.
Plus, this is yet another card that interacts in odd ways with Death's Shadow. I like that.
Posted By:
Ragamander
(12/8/2012 1:42:58 AM)
Played this with an 18/18 Primordial Hydra under my control. That was fun.
Posted By:
resturgence
(1/4/2013 11:04:02 PM)
I mentioned this card with regards to Consuming Aberration earlier. See, with an Aberration on the table, Essence Harvest will determine X after it resolves. Note that the Aberration forces the opponent to mill until they hit a land card, ensuring that the Aberration is much bigger before spell resolution. If time was taken to set up an opponent's graveyard for a larger Aberration earlier in a game, Essence Harvest could easily end the match.
Another good card to pair this with is Wight of Precinct Six, especially if your opponent has lots of creatures to mill or kill.
Posted By:
2-Bravo
(2/14/2013 11:46:38 PM)
This card is great for that last little hit to bring your opponent down at the last second, especially if your creatures don't quite cut it and you know you won't survive one more turn. Won me numerous games like that.
Posted By:
Adderbine
(3/30/2013 10:12:30 AM)