Note that this doesn't require the creature to be untapped, so you can activate it choosing a creature you attacked with already to get the best of both worlds (assuming that creature didn't take too much damage in combat.)
Posted By:
exterion
(9/18/2010 3:17:55 AM)
I use it with stuffy doll to good enough effect... And it works nicely for forcing foes to hit walls or such... I use it in my mono white control more than my mono blue control-- I enchant / exile their powerful creatures, use pariah stuffy doll or sun droplets to prevent direct burn, and arena to deal some damage or remove weaker effect creatures.
Posted By:
Zaneshift
(4/16/2010 8:51:33 PM)
I use it in combination with Baron Sengir. particularly if the opponent has enough creatures to block him with a number of them that would kill the Baron but no single creature would have enough power on it's own, this card provides a great way to cull the battlefield and pump him up in in the meantime.
Posted By:
Winterhawk200
(7/15/2010 9:55:03 AM)
I was surprised to see this card being reprinted. This gives green a way to kill utility creatures who don't engage in combat. Also awesome with deathtouch, and also works against combat-related abilities like Exalted or Bushido (which will not trigger).
Edit: @stygimoloch - Creatures like Archivist or Dark Confidant can be hard for a green deck with not splash to deal with, since chances are they will not engage in combat. Arena gives green players a chance to single these guys out and kill them, all for colorless mana.
Posted By:
Equinox523
(5/10/2011 9:05:44 AM)
Noone mentioned Vigor? NOONE?!?
Arena becomes 3, T: one of your creatures gets at least one +1/+1 counter, assuming your opponent has creatures with 1 power or more. If your biggest creature has more power than their biggest creature's toughness, you also get to kill a creature for free (probably not that biggest one), and getting some +1/+1 counters for it. Did we mention this is creature removal playable in green?
I'm tempted to make a mono-green stompy deck based largely around this, but I'll need to include some nonbasic land fetch (why hello thar Primeval Titan) to feel safe with it.
@Stygimoloch: the thing is, your creature can already be tapped when you use arena and target it. The criteria for targetting is "target creature you control" and "target creature of an opponent's choice he or she controls". The tap is part of the effect, not the cost, so you can beat face with your green fatty, then pay 3 to arena it and give yourself card advantage. I've just put together a very,... (see all)
Posted By:
JaxsonBateman
(5/11/2011 5:57:39 AM)
I still have my copy of the book this card came from (also titled Arena). Actually a pretty fun book. Never actually owned this card though (or Sewers of Estark), as my copy was used and came without the thing to fill out and send in.
Posted By:
SirMalkin
(5/17/2011 12:43:47 AM)
Quite obvious "cheap" combo but... use it with Phyrexian Obliterator
Posted By:
Half-dead
(5/20/2011 6:19:26 AM)
much simpler than what everyone else is saying, but when battlefields start to get too big (on both sides) you have to worry about stack blocking and if you have the bigger creatures you often don't want to deal with that headache. this card is a great way to thin the opponent's battlefield one creature at a time when stuck in a stalemate and if it's green vs green with your opponent outnumbering you but you having bigger creatures it can give you just enough advantage to put through your biggest stompy guy. in a situation where no one is attacking it's definetly worth while.
but I was actually thinking of just throwing it in a phantom deck I was considering making...
and this would be fun in my black deck because no one ever wants to kill my creatures, this would force them too, of course it's not the best choice since stronghold assassin pretty much serves the same purpose in that deck...
Posted By:
supershawn
(7/12/2011 2:47:52 AM)
I remember when you had to special order this card by sending in something you got off the back of one of the Magic: The Gathering novelizations. I barely missed the cutoff for the mail-in date when I found out, and man was I bummed. I was a fairly young player at the time, and I only had one real deck: a Sengir Vampire/Nettling Imp deck. The thought of having a land that I could use to feed more creatures to my Vampire was beyond comprehension.
I'm rather glad they reprinted this in Time Spiral, since I can finally make up for what I missed out on so many years ago. I still have the deck too, updated a bit of course.
Pity nobody decided to reprint Mana Crypt as well.
Posted By:
yyukichigai
(7/23/2011 4:27:17 PM)
Ready? Fight!
For some reason that keyword is going to make me really want to play cards with that ability. It just sounds so awesome.
Posted By:
Gelzo
(8/27/2011 9:31:26 PM)