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Yes, in fact, this does neutralize a threat. If your opponent spends, say, five mana on a Lava Axe, and you spend two mana on this, you're as well off as if you had countered the Axe plus gained three life more than that. If there were a burn spell that did 8 damage for 2 mana, everyone would be all over that. Well, this would completely neutralize that.
Plus, unlike a true counter, you don't need to wait to cast this. You can just cast this whenever you have the mana free and have dropped a land this turn, and be ready for that burn spell in advance.
Life gain can and does win games.
Posted By:
sonorhC
(10/21/2011 5:42:36 PM)
For Majinara, you aren't thinking right. If you think aobut it it as red burn decks, they count cards for how much damage they do, spark elementas, ball lightning, and their ilk. This just "countered" 2 plus spells.
If you are going up against a slow control deck, they normaly get only one 2-3/X evation beat stick out, in wich case you just bought your self 3-4 fogs with one card.
If they tend to have a giant attacker, it's a 1 turn fog. The extra mana is for it being a "seal". (invest now, use later)
While I don't see this being a 4 of in any standard deck, I can see a few finding homes in some control decks.
Posted By:
wolfbear2
(2/11/2010 9:45:44 PM)
This card is an answer to red deck wins cards like Hellspark Elemental, Ball Lightning, and Hell's Thunder. Put a few in your side board and board them in against RDW or burn. That's what is is good for.
Posted By:
JasonC2
(2/19/2010 11:13:46 PM)
One of the most efficient life-gain spells in Magic's history. It seems that Wizards has now realized that these kind of lame effects are moderately useful when properly costed.
Posted By:
DespisedIcon
(8/19/2010 11:48:04 AM)
Whether or not you like lifegain, this is the most powerful one printed in its class at common. Very useful in Pauper, limited, and casual where it buys you a turn. Helped turn UW skies into a viable archetype in Zen block limited. Good card.
Posted By:
ZursApprentice
(5/13/2010 1:42:17 PM)
Does it neutralize a threat (counter a spell, kill a permanent etc)? No.
Is it a threat itself (deal damage)? No.
Does it weaken my opponents board position or hand in any way? No.
Does it strengthen my board position, make me draw cards or anything? No.
Protect my permanents? No.
It doesn't do anything useful. It has no impact whatsoever on the board position in any way, nor does it help me kill my opponent in any way. And if my opponent is killing me then I might want to play something to kill my opponent first, or something that stops whatever my opponent is killing me with. This does absolutely nothing helpful.
If there was an instant that gave you 100000 life for 1 mana would it be bad?
8 life for 2 mana isn't too bad. This is a decent sideboard card against RDW which can buy you a turn.
Posted By:
mdakw576
(7/2/2010 12:35:36 AM)
It's not that bad and it's not that good. I see applications for it in limited, not just casual. It does something very important: when you're playing a more controlling deck against a more aggresive one, it gives you more time to get out your higher cost, more powerful cards out, rather than losing turn 5. Just because life gain and walls and such aren't generally good in constructed doesn't mean they're bad cards. A slow deck in Zendikar block had better have some early game stalls or it's going to be blown away. This fits that niche perfectly, so I see it as a good card.
2.5/5
Posted By:
rubber
(2/3/2010 8:31:02 PM)
>>> bsolute garbage.
Does it neutralize a threat (counter a spell, kill a permanent etc)? No.
Is it a threat itself (deal damage)? No.
Does it weaken my opponents board position or hand in any way? No.
Does it strengthen my board position, make me draw cards or anything? No.
Protect my permanents? No.
It doesn't do anything useful. It has no impact whatsoever on the board position in any way, nor does it help me kill my opponent in any way. And if my opponent is killing me then I might want to play something to kill my opponent first, or something that stops whatever my opponent is killing me with. This does absolutely nothing helpful. <<<
Good point, but a Ponder doesn't give you card advantage (it's a 1 for 1 trade), doesn't kill your enemy and doesn't prevent your death. And the sorting bonus isn't a calculable one. This card does give you a bonus... a time bonus. A counterspell that returns the spell to that player's hand even results in a card-disadv... (see all)
Posted By:
Cheza
(3/16/2010 5:41:13 PM)
This card is sick with Serra Ascendant. It's just a harmless 1/1 on turn 1, but watch the look on their face when you jump to 28 life the next turn, then play survival cache or kabira crossroads and you have a 6/6 flying lifelink on turn 3 with 36 life. How's that for an opening?
Posted By:
ioncloud
(8/9/2010 2:40:36 PM)
If you can get over the preconceived notion that most players seem to have these days (lifegain = garbage), this is a good card. This card will, at the least, buy you one turn on the clock for 2 mana, which is quite good. If your playing a deck that requires even a small amount of time to get going, this will be a huge asset. I'll admit, its not the best card in the game, its still a solid card.
Posted By:
f_fivefiftyseven
(2/14/2010 7:50:58 PM)