Call me crazy, but I can see this getting some pretty big play in Standard. It's a potential 4/5 for 1!
Posted By:
Continue
(1/28/2014 3:19:32 PM)
Also see: Pauper
Posted By:
Ferlord
(1/28/2014 7:34:27 PM)
Worst case: 4/5 for 6b -- Bad.
Pack Rat scenario: Just an extra card to donate. Or, with high enough devotion, is played for it's discounted casting cost alongside a Rat (or any other permanents in the deck). -- Good.
Best case: it's a top-deck 4/5 for 1 -- Excellent. Could put another big body on the field while leaving enough mana up to play instants/sorceries that are left in-hand.
Seems like, given its potential, that it should have been uncommon.
Posted By:
dbinazeski
(1/29/2014 7:15:51 AM)
See: Affinity
Posted By:
DaLucaray
(1/28/2014 4:49:22 PM)
Great beater for Limited 
devotion decks. Outside of Limited a vanilla 4/5 won't be doing much. The art is cool too!
Posted By:
Trygon_Predator
(1/29/2014 1:57:21 PM)
This brings back memories of my dear friend ghoultree. Bringing out a huge creature for only 1 mana. Good times indeed.
Posted By:
Shadowcaster3975
(1/29/2014 12:58:38 PM)
Since 'affinity for black' is nowhere near as powerful as just plain affinity, I'm pretty sure this card will end up in one of two scenarios most often: stuck in your hand as its too costly to play without a board presence, or a cheap card when you already have a nice presence. I think people are overhyping this creature and unless it finds a nice deck--unlikely though, since black has many good cards all fighting for spots--it just won't see much play in Standard. And definitely not in Limited, since you practically have to go two colors.
Posted By:
Eternal_Blue
(1/29/2014 5:51:51 PM)
It is perfectly limited playable. Black has a lot of high devotion on tiny EtB bodies and could use an occasional beatstick. 5 toughness is also a magic number for dodging removal in the format.
Constructed, well, no. 7 as an initial cost is too high. In standard, you have the (way more) consistent plan of Desecration Demon as your undercosted beater. In pauper, your creatures are just spells that can chump block. You aren't in the market for vanilla beef. It could maybe be worth sideboard slots against Affinity decks, as they have a lot of trouble with five toughness. Even then, board stalling isn't the greatest if they're still on the fling plan.
On comparing this to affinity, don't. Affinity meant all your lands tapped for two mana until you had board presence. Once you had board presence, they turned into damage. This card does not in any way resemble that.
Posted By:
Taudisban
(1/29/2014 9:25:56 PM)
{B} for a 4/5? Sign me up, I could see this guy getting played in mono-{B} pauper devotion deck alongside Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
Posted By:
tcollins
(1/30/2014 7:28:44 PM)