He doesn't look like a lot (to me at least) but he plays a lot better than you'd think. When you play him, you can basically block two non-tramplers each turn until something happens (block with him and a bat, sac the blocking bat to make two, sac one to regen him).
In combo (with Blade of the Bloodchief for instance) or when you are on the offensive, he's still pretty good, bringing 5 evasive, hard to remove power to the table. He's getting a bit less powerful these days, but still good and I think an excellently designed card.
Posted By:
djflo
(4/28/2012 10:54:22 PM)
Slow and expensive. For 6 CMC, you could be playing something that wins you the me.
Posted By:
Verdande
(3/10/2013 6:39:12 PM)
This guy was rare because he was from rav, which had more bats, he ran mmuch better in an orzhov deck, or something similar by sacing things with haunt, worked quite well. Now not really rareish, but still good, basically 5 mana for an equivilant of a 5/5 regenerater thats harder to block, and can keep getting stronger.
Posted By:
Behalter
(2/7/2010 12:57:57 PM)
I think six mana for THREE creatures is a bargan deal!
And I don't think a 3/3 with two 1/1s I don't think is bad for a rare.
But yeah, it'd be nice if the bat token production were/was cheaper! Specially since he IS rare.
Posted By:
AbyssalManZero
(11/26/2009 7:53:03 PM)
He is vengeance, he is the night, he is....BATMAN!
Posted By:
NeoSin
(5/29/2010 10:31:33 PM)
Play him, attack with both bats and the vamp, and the opponent will have a hard time blocking it all... The other abilities are too expensive.
Posted By:
Sironos
(5/11/2010 2:59:39 PM)
skeletal vampire with flying so ridicilous
Posted By:
vadaaaa
(7/22/2010 7:30:51 AM)
If the cost to make more Bats was cheaper (I'd say 3B or 2BB would be good, but 2B or 1BB would be better) this guy could make a decent contributor in a Black-(color) Devour deck.
At the very least, you should be able to put more Bats in without having to sac one in the first place.
Posted By:
Diachronos
(9/3/2010 8:45:41 AM)
"people who are complaining about this card have obviously never played it. A nice inclusion to any black control deck."
I have played with this card, and the Melvin side of me wanted to like it. It's just too weak for the mana when compared with other cards. There are many better finishers in black for the same mana cost -- Kokusho, the Evening Star, Grave Titan, Dread, Oona, Queen of the Fae -- all of which are also nice inclusions to a black control deck.
Posted By:
scumbling1
(1/5/2012 2:13:41 PM)
Wow, no comments? This is a very interesting card. On the one hand, you get 3 creatures for the price of one, and you get the potential to make more every turn, and regenerate the big guy. On the other hand, you pay THROUGH THE NOSE in mana for this privilege. Consider the activation cost on goblin warrens. 5 mana for a 1/1 flyer is pretty pricey. And with a 3/3 on the main guy, you'll need to be regenerating him quite often. I suppose this is a balanced card, but it should be uncommon. At rare, i'd like to see him 4/4, and the bat maker cost 3B. That wouldn't be too overpowered considering that if your little bat friends die, you can't just make another. Once you run out, you've got a crappier phantom monster.
Posted By:
Nickkom
(11/12/2009 3:40:19 PM)