at first I though "with that mana cost it's only good for cycling", but no. indeed you DO have to cycle it to make it good, but AFTER you cycle it not only do you get a free card and a bunch of damage, you get an extra creature in your graveyard! which you can either bring back into play through many different means OR just take advantage of the fact it's in there OR you can remove it from your graveyard for a numerous amount of other black abilities... this card has versatility and usefulness coming out of his palms.
Posted By:
supershawn
(3/4/2011 2:43:02 PM)
Lets see...
puts a creature in your graveyard
draws you a card
works well with zombies
hello tombstone stairwell
Posted By:
roguepariah
(3/31/2011 7:39:32 AM)
I like to cycle him, even early on in the game, just to get him into my graveyard to combo with Soulless one or Cemetery reaper. Or even better, lord of the undead. Repeatable draw and HUGE damage for 4 mana.
Posted By:
bijart_dauth
(4/23/2011 2:05:00 PM)
This card is simply brilliant when you can end the game in two turns when there are 10 or more zombies in play. Quick to play zombies like Festering Goblin or Maggot Carrier make cycling him much more satisfying.
Posted By:
StealthShadow
(5/2/2011 8:37:54 PM)
Oh look, it's Eddie the Head!
Posted By:
Bulhakas
(8/9/2011 11:13:19 AM)
This is gonna get at least a casual revival with all the Innistrad Zombies. :D
Posted By:
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
(9/25/2011 3:14:05 PM)
yeah i know everyone says the same thing..... well worth it just for the cycle ability. i dont think i've ever played it just use it for a draw spell that causes lots of life loss that i can fetch with lord of the undead. and carnopahge_4ever you seem to forget that grave pact is usless with this card. i mean, really take a moment and read both of them.
Posted By:
thewalkingdead
(12/16/2011 11:50:09 AM)
Cycle me with Zombie apocalypse.
Posted By:
Mike-C
(2/18/2012 8:09:18 AM)
If you have 4 x these and 4 x shepherd of rot, you have the makings of a very, very quick game. Throw in some Dark Ritual, Carnophage,Gravecrawler, and Diregraf Ghoul in there to create that space between you and your opponent first.
Posted By:
Paleopaladin
(2/22/2012 11:02:18 PM)
@Carnophage_4ever - It's a nice thought, but Grave Pact doesn't work that way.
"Whenever a creature you control is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, each other player sacrifices a creature."
When you cycle Gempalm Polluter, you are activating the Cycling ability on the card, which forces you to discard the card to the graveyard as per its cost. It never went to the battlefield nor was it ever technically a creature, therefore certain conditions were never met. It may have the creature card type, but it's not a creature while in your hand. If you hard cast the card and the spell resolves, then it's a creature on the battlefield and Grave Pact will then take affect.
Also, please look further at the Details rulings above for a clearer understanding on the abilities' activation conditions and the order on the stack, or lack there of.
And if the new text "dies" is on your Grave Pact card...
700.6. The term d... (see all)
Posted By:
corranhorn84
(10/26/2012 3:16:50 AM)