I hate to break it to you all, but this card is INSANE.
I was lucky enough to open one in one of my first few packs after returning to the game after a couple of months break, and I didn't know all of the cards in the set (hadn't read gatherer / spoilers). I literally couldn't believe it, a 3 mana planeswalker with a +2 ability that allows me to steal the weenies in the decks that always try to rush my control deck. And its CMC is low enough for it to come out early enough to matter against those types of decks. And against another control deck? They tend not to be very efficient without a hand, and even if they find an answer before the ultimate goes off, you can almost always steal at least one nice creature you exiled.
Low CMC card that demands an answer and can help {U}{B} out against faster decks. Hands down good.
Posted By:
TheKazu
(1/1/2014 11:25:19 AM)
Oh +2. I love how hard it makes you to kill.
Posted By:
Flyheight
(9/18/2013 8:39:58 AM)
The PlanesWalker of the "My deck is your deck" deck featuring Soul Ransom, Nightveil Specter, and some Psychic Intrusion.
Posted By:
Purplerooster
(9/18/2013 7:54:53 AM)
This is what planeswalkers should be: interesting and completely unique.
Posted By:
ShatterPalm
(9/17/2013 5:03:01 PM)
I don't think most of you realize just how good Ashiok's third ability really is. On its own, it's decent, if somewhat narrow. However, the third ability allows him MANY more cards for his second ability. I'm seriously considering this for my Grixis control deck. Against control, think of how good Nephalia Drownyard was. Against aggro, since I have plenty of burn and destroy, I have lots of good choices as far as dropping fatties with this guy.
I really like this card. 4/5
Posted By:
MithosFall
(9/18/2013 12:21:38 PM)
I think Ashiok will be quite the beast in this set with all the scry running around? Opponents will be super fearful (once they realize) to put the card that they really want on top of their deck, as it'll soon be exiled. I'm not sure people realize quite yet how useful this guy will be. Oh, put your god on top of your library with scry?
I'm gonna just go ahead and exile the crap outa him/her.
Posted By:
Twilly05
(9/18/2013 12:22:14 PM)
It's funny how many people here think of Ashiok as a casual walker when it made 13th place at Pro Tour Theros (3 copies maindeck).
Ashiok wasn't designed like your typical planeswalker (neither was Gideon Jura), which is why the standard metrics make it look silly and casual. The problem people have with it is that there is no guarantee of value; its abilities must be sequenced.
But it is powerful, this is evident if you've ever pulled it in limited. Your opponent must answer it, or it will drop their creatures, steal their clutch 1-of's, and disrupt their attempts to smooth out draws with scry. The ultimate is there only as an alternative to the -X, against decks with no creatures.
Decks must have inevitability and defense to get value out of Ashiok (i.e. control), and sometimes it will eat a Hero's Downfall/Dreadbore while providing basically nothing. But this happens to creatures and other planeswalkers as well... (see all)
Posted By:
DoorDie
(11/18/2013 11:08:00 AM)
Another reason we have a hard time evaluating this guy is that we are nt sure how well he'll interact with Scry. Remember: if an opponent uses Voyage's End, Prescient Chimera, Omenspeaker, Aqueous Form etc. and you have Ashiok, scry becomes useless because they cannot afford to leave their best cards on top of their deck.
Posted By:
Circeus
(9/28/2013 1:26:28 PM)
Ashiok does not bow to your pathetic concept of "gender".
Posted By:
Feralsymphony
(9/19/2013 5:38:19 PM)
apparently, someon easked MaRo if Ashiok was a man or a woman
he replied, "Maybe, but Ashiok doesn't like being labeled"
he's just *** awesome
Posted By:
progenitus5
(9/19/2013 9:52:01 PM)