For all those who think this card sucks, CARD ADVANTAGE. First thing's first, it's ability is NOT firebreathing because it also increases toughness, making this card a very flexible blocker or attacker (though probably you'll use this more to attack just because it puts so much pressure on the opponent to throw a blocker in front of it anyway).
And it replaces itself with a swamp in your hand, and that swamp is very relevant to it's shade ability and to many powerful mono-black abilities! Even more excellent is that there is one less swamp in your deck now, increasing the odds of drawing a useful spell later.
All I have to say is that shades win games all by themselves. Or they lure out a removal spell, which is fine considering you got the swamp to compensate.
Posted By:
vesterpop
(8/10/2012 2:20:18 PM)
Not the most Earth-shattering creature in the game, but the ability to tutor for a Swamp is definitely useful. Add to that the pump ability, and you have a good little creature. If nothing else, if you leave your lands all untapped going into combat, you can cause difficult decisions for your opponent- let through a saboteur or risk a big hit from the shade (and by the time you can attack with it, you are looking at having at least five lands on the table, with the potential to become a 6/6).
And let's not forget that RTR is bringing back the shock lands... ;-)
3/5
Posted By:
Eddie_Antilles
(9/16/2012 7:30:16 AM)
To everyone saying this cost is prohibitive, let me ask you something:
Are you EVER, for ANY reason going to be using a shade in anything other than Mono-Black? No. No you are not.
Posted By:
DoragonShinzui
(8/19/2012 11:04:19 AM)
Mana ramp in black?!
Wow. once Dark Ritual and its lesser cousins vanished, that was it for black mana acceleration. Nice to see the old idea makes a return. Sure, this will probably only see play in mono-black or similar decks, but I like the idea.
Posted By:
Radagast
(7/14/2012 9:23:42 AM)
Justify it how you will, I will never support Black being able to tutor for Swamps. That really did seem to be an ability that should have been exclusively Green. Perhaps it's a one-time thing just to show how it relates with the newest version of Liliana. Either way, a 1/1 for 2BB that has fire-breathing and nets you a card is still probably one-mana too expensive to see any real play. Still, it could be decent in Limited if you have a way to protect it/way to get damage through.
Posted By:
Eternal_Blue
(7/6/2012 10:21:46 PM)
makes using a shade in limited a bit more possible
Posted By:
Arachibutyrophobia
(7/5/2012 6:44:30 PM)
This is NUTS. Black is going land crazy in this set!
Posted By:
ZEvilMustache
(7/6/2012 5:24:12 PM)
This is an all star in Mono-black. Mono-black control is looking very promising this set.
Posted By:
Lotsofpoopy
(9/3/2012 4:28:36 AM)
This isn't going to break the color pie. Like Hornet Sting it's underpowered due to being in the wrong color. Compare to Wood Elves, that cost one less and put the Forest directly into play.
Posted By:
UncreativeNameMaker
(7/7/2012 1:04:12 PM)
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is complete trash. Its mana cost is just too prohibitive to see play in limited, let alone constructed. Overall, a disappointing addition to a tribe that really needs more love.
1/5
Posted By:
LlanowarEmissary
(7/7/2012 12:27:43 AM)