Strictly better than a bear, and major cool points for being a mold-encrusted Golgari beetle, but...
This is a pretty good example of my problems with Scavenge, and I'll voice them here. It looks like Wizards was worried that Dredge-style strategies would ever return, so they nerfed the hell out of them in this block. It's not just the blatant Rest in Peace, but Scavenge itself also lacks a lot of punch. Most of the time you either get fairly-costed creatures with huge Scavenge costs (like the Drudge Beetle here), or extortionately-costed creatures with reasonable Scavenge costs (like the Zanikev Locust) or high costs for both (e.g. Terrus Wurm). The fact that Scavenge works as a sorcery further hurts your mana usage, and if you want to put 2 +1/+1 counters from a Drudge Beetle, you're paying mana that could have gone into playing a fattie.
There are efficient creatures with Scavenge (Deadbridge Goliath/autocar... (see all)
Posted By:
Trygon_Predator
(9/26/2012 1:18:50 PM)
I like the shift for Golgari in flavor and how insects play a much bigger roll in their plans.
Posted By:
lorendorky
(9/25/2012 11:51:10 PM)
Scavenge is either efficient on an inefficient creature, or...
This. Damn, this is just kinda sad. I mean, strictly better than bears of course, but still. Any particular reason, guys?
Posted By:
DoragonShinzui
(9/26/2012 11:10:47 AM)
I know people are generally going to say that this is a 2/2 for 1G, your standard 'bear', that happens to have an added bonus, and therefore is already above par. However, power creep being a reality, no one would play a vanilla 2/2 for 1G anymore anyhow. Therefore, with bears being all but extinct in Standard/Constructed decks, your 2/2 for 1G is going to want something more than an on-death +2/+2 counter for 5G mana. Which isn't to say this isn't good for Limited--but that's all it's good in. Trygon_Predator pretty much summed up my feelings on the matter.
Posted By:
Eternal_Blue
(9/27/2012 12:24:30 PM)
In draft, probably a good pick for the horde. Anywhere else, not so much. Mind you, I can never bring myself to give a bear less than 2.5, and this is just a fruity bear.
Posted By:
TheManakinTransfer
(9/27/2012 1:33:10 PM)
@Trygon_Predator: I disagree. I'm not saying scavenge is going to take Standard by storm, but it kicked ass for me at the prerelease. Plain and simple, it's card advantage that gives you an edge for the long game, and it's an outlet for all your extra mana when you don't have a more important spell to play (or you're just topdecking). Scavenge costs might be high, but you still got the full value of a creature first.
Sluiceway Scorpion won me an impressive amount of games; nobody wanted to attack me because I'd kill their creature and then make my surviving creatures more powerful the next turn. Add in a Corpsejack Menace (which was in every Golgari prerelease deck) and those counters suddenly start becoming a much better value for the mana. At that point, your guys are starting to get 6-8 counters on them, and given that Golgari has access to swampwalk, tra... (see all)
Posted By:
MisterAction
(9/30/2012 5:39:30 PM)
How is this card rated so poorly? The real value of this card is the fact that it's a bear with a bonus. An overcosted bonus, but a bonus nontheless.
Posted By:
GruesomeGoo
(10/1/2012 11:45:49 AM)
Awww, look at that cute little pet!....I WANT one!
In all seriousness, I actually happen to like this guy. Yes, six mana is huge for 2 +1/+1 counters, and I felt like reducing that cost by 1 or even 2 wouldn't have busted his rarity. BUT he is still a solid two-drop and if you need two more power to win the game...he's there for you.
Posted By:
Splizer
(10/8/2012 5:20:56 PM)
This thing's scavenge is just a way to use mana you have no other use for this turn
Posted By:
Miklzry
(9/25/2012 6:21:25 PM)
Pros like me like this card because it is a bear that scavenges. It scavenges at a high price, but that's ok because it was a bear once.
Posted By:
Lotsofpoopy
(9/26/2012 6:06:57 AM)