@ Arachibutyophobia: Sure. But for 1 more mana, you get to make use of its undying. Also, it's nice for cards with undying or flashback and the like to still be useful, so you can run them with this.
EDIT: Alright, so it looks like the main suggestions not to let your opponents get it are by:
Not letting it return from the graveyard (Grafdigger's Cage)
Countering the activated ability (Stifle etc)
Making a token army with it (Mimic Vat or Soul Foundry)
Ending the turn (Sundial of the Infinite)
Giving it a +1/+1 counter
Gaining control of it once it dies (Namely Mark of Oni)
Sacrificing it in response to the triggered ability (Fling or an outlet)
Or my suggestion, not letting the ability trigger with Torpor Orb.
It looks like most people are looking to Grafdigger's Cag... (see all)
Posted By:
j_mindfingerpainter
(9/4/2012 3:30:50 PM)
I fail to see how any sacrifice would work. When I look at the rules that trigger the ability, it appears that any instance where it is put into your graveyard from the battlefield would trigger undying.
700.6 Dies
700.6. The term dies means “is put into a graveyard from the battlefield.” It is used only when referring
to creatures.
701.14. Sacrifice
701.14a To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the battlefield directly to its owner’s
graveyard. A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a
permanent he or she doesn’t control. Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration
or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.
702.91. Undying
702.91a Undying is a triggered ability. “Undying” means “When this permanent is put into a
graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under
its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.”
Any regenerate ability ju... (see all)
Posted By:
Smithjg84
(9/20/2012 4:48:36 PM)
Rest in Peace will make this a lot of fun in an Orzhov deck.
Posted By:
snazzycool
(9/26/2012 10:58:57 AM)
As was said, the scavenge ability from return to ravnica would work really well with him, but you could also use Necropolis Regent with this guy to make him really nuts. If you want to run him in a modern deck there's Torpor Orb or Sundial of the Infinite as an option to negate his ability.
EDIT: This guy has some fun synergy with Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord. Since this guy is under your control for a brief moment, you can sacrifice him to Jarad's ability so instead of your opponent getting a 5/4 they can lose 5 life instead. Just something fun to do.
4/5
Posted By:
HappyJackington
(10/4/2012 1:16:23 PM)
@Smithjg84: the sacrifice trick works because when the Pitt-Dweller undies he briefly comes back under your control and then is given over to the opponent's control because you are the owner of the card. So as long as you have an instant speed sac tool (such as the mentioned Fling) you have the ability to interrupt the Pitt-Dweller turning on you.
I personally love this card but i admit i'm usually to scared to play it unless i have a Fling or something in my hand.
Posted By:
Oni_of_Darkness
(10/4/2012 10:21:56 PM)
Could you cast an instant exiling a card in your graveyard targeting this one before the undying brings it back?
Posted By:
RuecianXII
(10/8/2012 6:38:15 PM)
I love this card, flavorfully and mechanically. It really shines in the right deck though i'm decidedly against the slitherhead strategy as you can have so much fun with this card in standard rakdos now between this, vexing devil, and fling.
Other shenanigans may be done with act of treason, brimstone volley, altar's reap...
Posted By:
Osprey_93
(11/28/2012 9:07:07 AM)
After several honest attempts, I can state with confidence that this is the best card to play in Standard if your intention is to kill yourself.
"Here Mr. Opponent, take a 5/4 on turn three."
Posted By:
BegleOne
(1/14/2013 7:27:53 PM)
Simply awesome in suicide black. I run him alongside Carrion Feeder so that I can just sacrifice the Pit-Dweller in response to the 'gain control' trigger.
Posted By:
TheShadow344
(2/15/2013 3:02:44 PM)
Play it with Grim Affliction, or simply block with at least a 2/2 that has Wither/Infect, and you've set yourself up to get this card back. I like genuine drawbacks for black cards that you have to BUILD around, screw Rakdos, Lord of Riots, Phyrexian Obliterator, and their ilk. We want more of this and Abyssal Persecutor.
Posted By:
Bobth
(2/16/2013 7:02:48 AM)