Pretty good considering how bad most other artifact cards are in these sets (mirage-tempest-urzas). I still wouldn't use it without Madness or a card like Zodiac Dragon or Squee. But there is a LOT of good reanimation in this block if your doing a draft or block game, so black players might want to pick this guy pretty quickly. See you wouldn't ever play its ability (except maybe the +1/+1 for extra damage) unless its needed. This guys true strength is in the misplays it causes. He's an easy to miss creature--he even looks like a regular artifact. And remembering all the stuff he gets by discarding is hard to miss too. Because of this this card has a hidden exceptional offense and defense.
On defense it can suddenly jump up to block fliers. It can get first strike against things with only 4 toughness and not look at their attack. Plus, of course, it can buff itself to a 5 or 6 pretty easily.
On offense it can fly over your opponent's army or, if you don'... (see all)
Posted By:
kitsunewarlock
(6/2/2009 3:30:31 PM)
card has its moments.....versatility could win
Posted By:
LivingFoul
(1/4/2010 10:03:05 AM)
Build your own creature for incredibly steep costs!
Posted By:
Leftconsin
(6/9/2009 1:00:33 AM)
If you need to discard cards for some madness effect, it's ok. Else, I would't play it.
6 mana for a 4/4 is bad.
8 mana and a discarded card, for a 5/5 or a 4/4 with some keyword ability ain't great either.
10 mana and two discarded cards for a 4/4 with two keywords, 5/5 wit one or a vanilla 6/6 ain't better.
12 mana and three discarded cards, well you get my point...
Posted By:
majinara
(2/7/2009 6:32:40 AM)
and discard three cards for a 4/4 flying, trample, first strike creature? No, thanks :D
However I can't dislike this card due to its flavorfulness...
Posted By:
Paolino
(1/13/2012 3:57:15 AM)
Seeing a shapeshifter with a discard ability makes me wish there was a Spellshaper Shapeshifter. Oh, how it rolls of the tongue...
Posted By:
Necrosage_Disel
(8/12/2010 5:09:38 PM)
If it could buy indestructibility, I would love it. Not the best choices though.
3/5
I think I might try one in an Experiment Kraj deck, just to see how Kraj likes permanent self augmentation :D.
Posted By:
NARFNra
(11/29/2010 9:53:51 PM)
Seems pretty good, especially for the time it was printed. Cast it for 6, then next turn you can pitch a land to give it flying and start pumping it. You can avoid giving it first strike or trample until you really need to. Too bad that it can't protect itself - if it could, it would go from being OK to totally awesome.
Posted By:
Fanaticmogg
(2/5/2011 9:30:06 PM)
It's definitely not bad for an old creature, particularly a colorless artifact. Reminds me of a proto-leveler.
Posted By:
Arachnos
(1/11/2013 10:40:25 AM)