This card is by far my favorite card in all of Magic history. It has cool art, cool mechanics, and everytying to satisfy a Timmy Player.
Judgement-Day
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(10 votes)
Fun casual card. ...just don't build an EDH deck around it.
macic666
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(9 votes)
I am 80% sure this is the best card in all Magic The Gathering sets...from the beggining...
Only 7 mana for this killing machine...
Sithrin
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This is one of the greatest cards I'v ever had. not only is it good for casual play. but in Tournaments were it is Legal, Its always nice to have for your own purposes, but when your opponent plays Telemin Preformance on you, theres always that chance it will be Phage.
PhageRules1
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(7 votes)
This card is awesome. It is not good, but it is awesome.
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(7 votes)
Shes A Zombie Now? *** Yeah
65days
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Be careful when playing against a control deck though, it can be easily used against you. It's a great card though, I like playing with it a lot!
Blue_Blur
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
All I have to say is, play a card to give this card trample.
swissbanker
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I'd like to play Akroma, Angel of Wrath against this beast..........
Piechart
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(9 votes)
Elvish Piper and Ember Gale Without mana boosting, 6th turn standard win. With really good mana boosting, 3rd turn extended win, using Magus of the Vinyard, Mass Hysteria and Simian Spirit Guide. Best standard speed I can think of is 4th turn.
DarthExecutor
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Umm, if you play her with elvish piper you lose the game.
Synnestro
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Forget Trample...give her Viridian Longbow and you have "ping" for dead of your choice...slow and painful by killing your foe's creatures one at a time, or fast and merciless by going straight for them =P
INSTA-KILL!!
Plantboy81
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(6 votes)
Re: comments by DarthExecutor & Synnestro: Elvish Piper allows you to play a card from your hand. Phage just says from your hand. It does not say anything about paying the mana cost, therefore you can play it using the Piper and not invoke the 'you lose the game' ability. As for Viridian Longbow's effect, it is not combat damage so the "ping" damage does not invoke Phage's ability either. That would be fun, though.:}
Rainyday2012
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
Phage does kill you if you put it onto the battlefield with Elvish Piper's ability. Phage needs to be cast, as a spell, from your hand not to kill you. You will also lose if you cast her, as a spell, from anywhere except your hand (like with Yawgmoth's Will). I think they changed the terminology partly to lessen this kind of confusion between cast and put onto the battlefield.
in deathtouch, if your creature is blocking does it still destroy the attacking creature?
PolskiSuzeren
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Phage is probably my favorite card ever. I used to run four of her in a straight black deck, toss a whispersilk cloak on and swing, but it's much more fun to discard it and prevent people from usingLliliana Vess's big ability, and holding onto a Swerve for when they try to reach into your graveyard is always a great way to get a laugh.
liir007
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(6 votes)
Card of the Day - Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Phage is an extremely powerful and complicated character. She began life as Jeska, Warrior Adept, but Braids, Cabal Minion gave her a new life as a walking engine of death. It is therefore somewhat odd that one of the cards she appears on is the relatively innocuous Swat. You don't really think of someone who can kill with a touch just hauling off and smacking an underling.
grundledib
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Easy way to make an opponent lose the game - Flickerform could have been designed to beat this card...
Or, as an alternative, try and do what I managed and O-Ring her, then destroy that O-Ring (or put another O-Ring on the first O-ring) to force Phage into play without being cast from a hand.
There are ways round the deathtouch-type ability as well - first strike'll do nicely :) (Toxic Iguanar enchanted with Asha's Favor works fantastically well if they attack you with Phage and you flash in a Qasali Ambusher. A flying, first striking deathtouch-y little lizard is really rather fun)
GhelmaroftheSimic
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(7 votes)
This + Endless Whispers = Fun way to win.
yasin757
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
One word wispersilk cloak that was 4 words
yargamafrag
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I can kill someone on the first turn with this. Mox Ruby, 3 dark ritual a basic swamp, phage, and reckless charge
vaultboyzk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Black Lotus, Mountain, 2x Dark Ritual, Mass Hysteria, Phage six cards first turn kill combo
Dayne80
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Ok first turn cast nothing so you can discard phage. Second turn drop one blue or black land and drop one mox jet or saphire. Play reanimate and get phage the untouchable and stifle. 3rd turn POSSIBLE realistic win. Yes i know black lotus would be nice but a poor man can dream eh. Yes i also know there are better 3 turn wins i like mine so bleah. P.S. MOX ARE ALOT CHEAPER THEN LOTUS THOUGH YOU KNOW MOX ARE STILL THE SAME AS A CAR PAYMENT AT LEAST MINE . <--- JUST A DRUNKEN DISCLAIMER
billpasdmf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
You can't just cast NOTHING so you can discard a card on the first turn. If you go first you're going to only have 7 cards. I suppose if you go second you're allowed to choose not to put down a land, but you're whole strategy is very narrow, and practically never gonna happen.
The sheer amount of money you're talking about spending on those cards is ridiculous even without black lotus. You know what girls are, right?
Sorry I forgot to say the third land is a Lake of the Dead.
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Whilst the card does say play, the gatherer information has been updated to *cast*, meaning you have to pay the mana cost and put it onto the battlefield from your hand.
Whilst lots of 'instant win' cards have potential, realistically, the lack of shroud on most of them makes them sitting ducks, or they have such unrealistic expectations that you're likely to never pull them off (I've only ever 'instant won' twice myself - both casual times - the first in a multiplayer match where two Soul Wardens and everyone's creatures coming out gave me enough health for Felidar Sovereign to win it for me, and another where I was playing a Bant lifegaining deck (splashed with a little red), and Mayael's Aria + Cradle of Vitality + Wall of Reverence ended up comboing for the win (thanks to the opponent having pretty much no spot removal).
In terms of Phage, being black protects her from Terror/Doom Blade, and her toughness helps protect her from bolts, but she can still be removed. Protection from Black creatures such as White Knight will also block her indefinitely, saving the game for the other player.
In order to realistically win with her, you'd need something like Whispersilk Cloak or an instant/enchantment that provides Trample. But then, I'd expect her to be removed as soon as you put either of those on the stack. It'd be possible to catch your opponent by surprise in a game, throwing her out late when they're low on cards (and spot removal), but you can bet your bottom dollar they'd consider holding onto some if they knew she was around.
On the other hand, she could protect from certain effects and abilities like Telemin Performance or Liliana Vess' major (not that I've *ever* seen anyone actually get that far with her).
An interesting card, but likely to always be one of those "instant wins" that don't really work.
AbyssalManZero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love combining her with Whispersilk Cloak; unblockable AND shroud and then-- Game over lol XD Awesome card!
majinara
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Nice ability and flavour, powerwise though it's just "meh". It's a 4/4 for seven mana with deathtouch. Your opponent should by that time have enough mana to counter it, kill it, or block it all day long. If you have bad luck, your opponent has a flicker effect which means you just killed yourself by playing phage.
Nice idea and everything, but just too costy.
Asinine-Ultimatum
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Phage the Untouchable: the most poorly understood card in all of magic. More bombos and rules confusions have been made about you than perhaps any other creature. I respect you for that. However, now that I think about it, the M10 terminology changes ought to make it much easier for people. P.S. PolskiSuzeren's idea of swerving a Rise from the Grave onto Phage to kill your opponent is brilliant! lol!
Nerobyrne
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Phage has many weak points, Whipsersilk Cloak covers most of them ^^
sir_dwar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Every phage card needs her own "# of times I've killed my owner" tally on the card. Make sure to add yours! Or better yet, stick a proxy over it in a sleeve, so you can print another copy after you run out of them.
@Demonic_Angel13 You will lose, her copy is exactly the same ('cept haste and sacrifice obviously) and since she says "If its not cast from your hand you lose" and the copy is just put into play (from who knows where!) If she was extremely specific and named off every way she could come into play normally (When she comes into play if she is came from your graveyard, library, exiled zone you lose the game.) you'd be fine but if she came into play and she's not from your hand it's a lose.
Yozuk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
they need to reprint this card so people will stop saying she is a human Minion...
Erokow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Phage is my second favorite character out of the Odyssy and Onslaught blocks, with Kamahl as the first. She is awesome and easilly my favorite black legend. She's smart, cute and deadly to boot. With Akroma, they make an awesome, Red, White, Black triagnle.
Jeska, Warrior Adept Phage the Untouchable Akroma, Angel of Fury Akroma, Angel of Wrath What I don't get however, is how she's a Zombie Legend. The gatherer calls her one, but the Legions and Tenth creature types both call her only a minion. Her name doesn't even say zombie or undead or anything of that sort. Can anybody explane this to me?
I play slivers and I love this combo...
Gemhide Sliver Horned Sliver Muscle Sliver Spitting Sliver Might Sliver Hivestone Phage.
You just lost the game. Or else with a Platinum Angel you play her in EDH.
Slave of Bolas...thats right ***!You're my slave! :P
Thorhauge
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
MC Hammer comes to mind
tenkaze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Erokow: Hopefully this clears things up a bit... At the end of Odyssey block storyline, angry Kamahl stabbed his sister Jeska with his Mirari-enhanced sword, she didn't die but was brought back to power by the Cabal Patriarch as Phage. So yes she's undead, but with Akroma they make a red/green white black/red triangle (you forgot that Kamahl turned into a druid between Odyssey and Onslaught), and blue can be included if you consider Ixidor as part of that little group (which you should, since Akroma was born of his flesh), so the four of them represent all five colors, and bam you get Karona.
Also, I've lost to this card exactly one time. It was embarrassing. It should never be able to happen.
jlowther
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Given her appearance on Ladies' Knight, I don't think she's "untouchable" at all.
I'd say she gets touched a lot.
PvdHeuvel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I was just wandering. If I have a Volrath's Shapeshifter in play, I pay 2 to discard Phage, do I loose the game then?
vardaris
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Phage the untouchable's first print was in legions and then reprinted in 10th edition core set. In both prints the creature type is Minion and in the de***ion next to it it is described as zombie and minion, there is a mistake here I guess...
Flash.Blue.Dog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Run it in any EDH deck containing black, its hilarious when someone casts Telemin Performance and gets Phage. Oops, good game buddy!
Donate? Really? i dislike unintelligents. Whoa, imma donate her to my opponent, and my opponent will diiiiie but no! Imma donate her to my opponents, thinking it will come into play, when it dooooesnt come into play it switches control. So congrats buddy, you just gave your opponent a 4/4 "uberdeathtouch" creature using your ooooown mana and became the laughing stock of the whole room when your own phage the untouchable touches you.
I think this card is one of the more perfect cards in MTG.
It's a real game finisher while it's on the board, and an immediate threat,
And there's so many ways to abuse this card, on both sides of the table.
It's quite tricky, and imaginitive.
I love this card.
pistolsforpandas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love seeing this card out, especially in mono black decks. That way they have no way to deal with the Excommunicate -> Polymorph.
SolidSoldier
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You can totally play her as an EDH general!! Just make sure you have Platinum Angel out before you cast her. >_>
divine_exodus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
WHOOPS!! Now where did that distortion strike come from? I didn't mean to do that....
ArchAl_Chemist
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed that after the Magic 2010 rule change Phage has become a card that isn't very useful. First off she has to be cast so unless you reduce her man cost then it is kind of a waste. Second after the new rules regarding combat damage Phage's second ability is also useless. Just asking did Wizards want to make her an expensive wort in the game. Ok I admit this idea would probablyu make her broken on every account but it may have been a good idea to change that second ability to deathtouch so she would be of some use. From what I can see unless Phage is given an evasion ability she's a target (an expensive one at that), the other option would be to increse her power and toughness but then again you might as well have a Festering Goblin which is a seventh of the mana cost.
I read some comments stating that this combo doesn't work but word for word, from Phage's Card text:
"Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game."
From Viridian Longbow Card text: "Equipped creature has ": This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player."
Unless 1 damage is not the same as 1 combat damage. In which case Whispersilk Cloak FTW! xD
thedeathscythe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card works with donate, you just need to donate it then momentary blink it. 5 Mana win, maybe you mana ramped to her so she came out 4th turn (dark rituals let's say at least). Not particularly fun or rewarding of a win, but its a freebie.
dragonking987
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
hey look it has ubur infect!
djbon2112
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@VegaSecureA They're not. COMBAT damage comes from COMBAT. Any T: ability isn't combat by definition.
channelblaze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
coyotemoon722: Lol =) I totally agree
I love this card. No, it's not actually that strong, but in terms of cool factor....heck yeah.
Hey, uh, guys. You know how you're saying she'd be an epic general?
Don't you play Generals from the exile zone? :(
Makasat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
thedeathscythe: This card doesn't work with Donate like you describe. First, you can only Momentary Blink creatures you control (which you will not if you donated your Phage), second, even if you use other flickering effects that allow you to flicker other players' creatures, like Glimmerpoint Stag, you will make Phage return under YOUR control and then lose the game yourself. So, to get the effect you are aiming for, you need to use a card like Endless Whispers: play Phage, sac it to something with Endless Whispers on the board, wait until Phage pops back under opponent's control at end of turn.
Turn 2 Hastey Phage, and all it cost you was 1 creature, and your entire hand, luckily you're safe from Force Spike when casting Phage since you have the mountain.
Assuming they don't play a creature on their first turn (and you went first), they're open to be Swatted by Her, and judging by swat's art, it hurts :(
I'll admit though, you'd have to have pretty amazing luck to get all 7 cards in hand on turn 1 or 2, even with 4 copies of each in the deck.
melancholie
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Let's say you have Platinum Angel out and play Phage from your graveyard only to have Platinum Angel destroyed three turns later. Would you still lost the game, or does Phage's first ability only apply as she comes into the game?
no BAD EDH she kills you the comander zone is not your hand same with ink-eyes she cant use ninjutsu
Polychromatic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@melancholie
It only applies to when she comes into play. Once that checks and clears the stack, you'll be fine whether or not you still have Platinum Angel in play, unless something removes her from play and puts her back into play without you having the Platinum Angel hanging around.
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Another Turn 2 Phage kill - which only moderately breaks your wallet...
The most fun thing to do with Phage is imprint her on a Summoner's Egg or Clone Shell. Give the card to your opponent somehow (Bazaar Trader, Legerdemain -- whatever). Then simply kill the Shell / Egg.
It's roughly as fun AND reliable as playing your state lottery.
Wait, if you use her as an EDH general... won't you lose when you cast her?
auriscope
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Amusing when someone Telemin Performances you and this is the only creature in your deck.
Enchantment_Removal
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yes. I have found it. My response to the new Karn.
Sleazebag
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Torpor Orb breaks this card... and all other cards with negative comes into play effects
Drewid
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
has anyone seen kyle? anyone? phage has.
private_vendetta
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(7 votes)
Can't touch this.
VoidedNote
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(18 votes)
Opponent: I activate Liliana's Ultimate! Game over! Me: For you maybe. *activates divining witch's ability, discarding phage* Opponent: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
Opponent: I use Karn's +4 ability on you, discard a card.
Me: *Discards Phage the Untouchable* *Troll face*
endersblade
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This + Viridian Longbow = you're a moron. Pinging is not combat damage. Never has been, never will be.
About the best thing that can be done with her is making her unblockable, and there are a billion different ways to do that in just about any color. Besides, if your opponent finds out you're playing with this card, I'm sure they'll pull out any number of ways to get rid of her. Condemn ftw.
That being said, I've had so much fun blowing this card up in multiplayer it's not even funny anymore. Someone has already commented on dropping an O-ring on her, then disenchanting it. What's more fun is dropping the O-ring, and watch them cringe every time someone ends their turn, wondering which player is going to blow the ring up and make that player lose the game. There are just too many easy ways to make this card backfire to make it worth running, as well as too many ways to get rid of her. Thankfully, creature removal/counterspells are instant, and she is neither uncounterable nor has shroud. (Word to the wise: Whispersilk cloak is only good if you actually get the time to equip it, since equipping is sorcery speed.)
asandberge
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I am happy she is now zombie.
I run a zombie deck with four Dirge of the Dead (Usually using cycle) and Zombie Trailblazer. I mainly depend on Trailblazer because my friend runs an all artifact deck. Good things though are that I have 3 Dark Rituals and 3 Burnt Offerings and 2 Zombie Warchiefs so I can play Vengeful Dead on turn two and get my trailblazer ready and sac the vengeful the next turn and play Phage. I only have to get a zombie turn one, though, like Festering Goblin.
Axelle
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Why don't people just ignore her first ability while playing her as a general in Commander?
(Or do they and I don't know it? Eh, at least there's no such thing as official Commander rules...)
SniperJolly
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Because she would make the game shorter than it should be. Give her trample or unblockable, and hoop doop, GG. There is a 40 life total and 20 poison total for a reason, it would make EDH essplode. Also, why would you?
"BTW, Karn Liberated's ultimate works with her since she never "enters the battlefield" in that case. "
@Paleopaladin: That is flat out wrong. All of the cards exiled with Karn are put into play at the beginning of the game and any triggered abilities will go on the stack at the beginning of the first upkeep.
Atali
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
She demands Endless Whispers, regardless of whether you're going for the auto-kill combo or not. Your opponent will be terrified of accidentally killing her, but is required to try and block her, and you get to take home anything she touches in the crossfire.
occamsrazorwit
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If Phage is just a Minion, then imagine the master O_O
Play the swamp, then play all four Dark Rituals. Play Phage The Untouchable, then play Sootstoke Kindler. Tap Sootstoke Kindler to give Phage haste, then swing with Phage to win on turn 1. =)
Goatllama
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
So beautiful....... but I think I'll slip on this Darksteel Plate before I give her a squeeze.
CuriousThing
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Want to have fun? Run Phage as your EDH general in a casual match. As long as you have access to Platinum Angel, she's a truly frightening commander -- all you need is a protection/counter suite (Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, Darksteel Plate, Nether World, Thrull Wizard, etc.) and a tutor/reanimation suite for the Angel.
Im planning on putting her in my Zombies deck, but Wizards says Zombie minion, the card itself says Only Minion.. Does this mean I cant use her with Rooftop storm?
Geaxis
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Does anyone understand how much Phage destroys with Sword of Vengeance......
Getting a tattoo of her on my leg holding The Sword+ Nightmare lash \m/
rainbowdash
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
worst edh general ever?
Guyveromega
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Opponent: I activate Liliana's Ultimate! Game over!
Me: For you maybe. *activates divining witch's ability, discarding phage*
Opponent: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
I came across the comment above... loooked up Liliana's Ultimate and was not in the gatherer database. then I looked up Divining Witch. Found that one. But I don't see how discarding Phage would signal the end of the game. OK you've discarded Phage, now you get to exile the top six cards of your library and search for a named card exiling all cards revealed until you find the named card. What am I missing here?
RunedServitor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is how you screw over whoever just played this card: Flickerit.
give her away and blink her is a much more reliable strategy
slathbog3000
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Guyveromega They were refering to Liliana Vess's -8.
SirZapdos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I saw someone using this card as their EDH General on MTGO. I can only find three cards that could be used to counter Phage's ETB ability: Platinum Angel, Sundial of the Infinite and Torpor Orb. Are there any others?
Honestly, a Phage EDH deck doesn't sound too far-fetched.
Justin133Nivmizzet1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
That's because he means liliana vess's -8 ability returning the phage he just discarded. To the opponents battlefield therefore losing the game due to phage etb ability. Also sick hand this 4 dark ritual, lightning greaves, swamp. Play swamp, 4x dark ritual, then this and then play and equip lightning greaves and swing. To badmit falls to force of will or mental misstep.
crone0070
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rooftop Storm anyone? especially for zombie decks
Geth: TAKE A CREATURE FROM THE GRAVE.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed: POWER THAT MOTHA ***ER UP!!!!!!!!!!
Phage: the name says it all
Cemetery reaper 4x+ diregraf captain 4x+ undead warchief 4x =unstopable,and thats why i love them
Tryffin
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
What about rooftop storm? will that cause you to lose the game?
adrian.malacoda
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rooftop Storm works with phage because you're still casting her, you're just casting her for 0.
Supa_Rhino
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I find it really funny that this creature is now considered a "Zombie Minion." Rooftop Storm = Hilarity! You still cast Phage, just at 0 mana.
I was just reading the story about her. Apparently, she used to be a barbarian named Jeska, Warrior Adept. She was then captured by Braids, Cabal Minion, and turned into Phage by the Cabal Patriarch. Cursed to rot anything she touched, she could only wear clothes made of silk, and touch inorganic materials. However, the Patriarch could touch her, because he shared a similar curse, and they actually had a child. The child was the reincarnation of some sort of god that had been hanging out with the Cabal.
Eventually, Akroma, Angel of Wrath came to kill Phage (that was actually the purpose behind Akroma being created - she was created by an illusionist and is technically an ILLUSION angel), and the Patriarch killed her, but accidentally killed Phage and their child in the same swing, causing a new god to be born somehow (part of it was Phage's planeswalker spark) - called Karona, False God. Eventually, Karona died, but Phage's planeswalker spark kept her part of Karona alive. She was ressurected as Jeska (yay!). After a bunch of other stuff, Jeska sacrificed herself and all of her planeswalker powers to cause the Mending to happen, which was a major MtG event. I suggest you read more about all of this, I was new to the game and didn't know any of it, but I'm assuming a lot of the older players did, if the Mending was involved.
Eved
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I enjoy cheating this into play. Then explaining to people why I lose without them asking. Even if I've made the same play to that very same person person.
This card may hate reanimation... but it has a love affair with Dimir Doppelganger.
LordRandomness
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I like to think that Phage's casting cost includes mana dedicated to stopping her from killing you accidentally upon summoning. So if you get her into play some other way, *glerk*.
BurningPhoenix85
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
No, Tryffin, casting Phage with Rooftop Storm will not result in you losing the game. Rooftop Storm simply means you don't have to pay for her to be cast; it's still from your hand.
DarthParallax
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
One of only two creatures left in old MAGIC cards that compares well to Post-Mythic Rarity Creatures.
These dozen-odd creatures just about obsolete most other creatures for the purposes of 'High End Finisher'. Color Restrictions Not Applying, if you're looking for a Giant Stick, these are probably what you're looking at. If you're looking for something else, you're setting yourself Color Restrictions or trying to win more Fast and Consistent than these because you don't have the combo pieces or are restricting yourself from combo to do something more interesting/fun, if slow, ineffecient, and less effective.
The only two I can think of that are actually in still in this League?
There's an old rule when it comes to whether a card in Magic is good or not: If the best combo capabilities this card has is with Donate, then it's bad.
Finally the perfect answer to Liliana Vess. Discard a card? Ok. (discard Phage) Oh, you want to bring all the creatures from the graveyard? Ok. Btw, I win. Opponent looks at the table then flips it. And yet you're still smiling as you're picking your cards off the floor.
But you do get bonus cool points for winning the game while her ETB trigger's on the stack. Sacrifice would net you , to spend at instant speed...
azure_drake222222
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've noticed that players never die in this game. They lose, but they never die.
NanakoAC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Maddogliam54
If liliana forces you to discard phage, and then resurrects it, the player who controls it will lose the game. if she uses something that makes all players resurrect their own creatures under their own control, phage's owner will lose the game, not liliana.
Ligerman30
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
So this means it can only really be played w/ Cabal Coffers/Uborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth :\ Well then. Still cool right? Idk, I'd rather slam One Shot the Robot. Needs Wispersilk Cloak.
EGarrett01
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Is it wrong that I call this card "Rebecca Black?"
I love this card with Vraska the Unseen. Not only do you have to worry about Phage instantly killing you, you also have to contend with the Assassin tokens as well. I hope this gets reprinted in the next core set.
Torpor orb only works on Phyrexian dreadnoughts effect If I remember properly, so torpor orb would do nothing for you if you messed with phage that way
SolomonRedfang
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Lifegainwithbite
Torpor Orb would indeed counter the ability. Alternatively, Platinum Angel at the same CMC would work, and can be cheated out. Stifle is another option, but takes an extra blue mana on top of the cost for Phage herself.
You could always get lucky with 4 Dark Rituals on turn 1, if you know it's safe from removal.
Earthdawn
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
This is a card that should have been in FTV Legends, just so we could get a print of her with the freakin' zombie subtype.
Reishyn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Throwing an unblockable effect on top of Phage just isn't satisfying enough to me. First Strike is where it's at. There's more sport to be had! I mean, you're mostly going to use her in casual anyway so you might as well have fun with her and watch your opponent squirm as they throw creature after creature to their death in an effort to stop her!
Aggro_Red
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I have to say, she is by far and long, my favorite Magic card. I really think people don't give this card enough credit. While its true that she can, in many many ways, be the one that kills YOU and not your opponent, she EMBODIES Black Magic. She fits, whole and true, the 'kill or be killed' concept of Black. The 'win at ANY cost' that used to be so prominent in Black cards. She also instills a sort of nervouseness in players if they don't have that immediate answer, and must sacrifice all they have built to keep her away until they can be rid of her.
Functionally, the card is, as many have noted, very difficult to use. But its exactly why she is so much fun to play. Experienced players bash her with unrelenting malice, calling her a 'noob card'. Any card that can give you a potential auto win deserves such a major drawback. Its BLACK.
Phage has always had a great effect on games in my playgroup. We are not, by any means, pros. We play casual, and we often play EDH. And its so much fun to slap her down and to see them look painfully at their hands, wondering if they need to waste precious counter, removal, or burn to be rid of her. Yes, she can turn on you if you try to Cheatyface her into play. Yes, she can kill you if she is flickered. But she can also kill your opponent with the many ways to make her unblockable.
Its justifiable that she can easily one shot YOU as she can your foe. A creature with her power needn't feel THREATENED by you, anymore than your foe.
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Well I am currently making a Phage the untouchable EDH deck because all my friends joke about how she is the worst general. I have always loved her, this card just feels so perfectly, evilly black. WHen you have her out, someone is losing, either you or your opponent. The deck is coming along nicely too. Obviously Torpor Orb, Platinum Angel and Sundial of the infinite are in, so I can play her. I enjoy the fact that these combos have the potential to lose me the game if they fail too. Dying by your own general is just neat.
The rest of the deck will be pretty standard mono-black control, but I want to keep with the theme of her, so lots of boardwipes, of course the unblockable enablers, and an Akroma's Memorial for irony/fun. This will be my forth mono black EDH (Ashling the extinguisher, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder and a retired griselbrand deck) and undoubtably my worst, but I am looking forward to some fun games.
Give your opponents no satisfaction in EDH with her as your general. Play Vedalken Orrery, and when you're on the brink of defeat, pop her out. "Oh no. I seem to have killed myself..." For double rainbows, play Strionic Resonator and double the ability.
Pull this off (obviously, you need multiple hammers), then you get the ultimate... wait, what's the type of gamer who doesn't care about winning, but wants their opponent to die of laughter before the game ends? 'Cuz that's how I've been doing it.
Bufzar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Phage is an interesting name, as in latin it means eat or eating, and phage sure eats your opponents.
FlingIt
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Well, there goes commander.
SerGarlan
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the greatest instances of a threeway game I ever played her in.
Lifegain deck: "Hah! I gain 175 life! So what if I'm tapped out, swing with your puny 4/4 I dare you!"
Me: "Alright, and while I calculate the damage, care to read the card again?"
Lifegain deck: "....WHAT?"
Blue Control deck: "That's AWESOME! GIMME THAT! *Casts clone on Phage*
Me: "Alright, and maybe you want to read her as well?"
Blue Control deck: "....WHAT?"
Me: "I believe that's game ladies and gentlemen."
VirusVescichetta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Bufzar Just to be pedantic, "phagein" is actually Greek. It means "to eat" or "to devour". The Latin word is "vorare", which is where we get things like Mortivore.
Not only does this perfectly represent everything about black (extreme power with a risk attached), it's my new favorite card.
Not because it's good (and it is good), but because of how it makes people feel. When Phage comes out, everyone's nervous, but at the same time they're excitedly scheming on how to turn her against her caster. And boy are there so many ways to do this (target her with Banisher Priest, kill her and cast Living Death, give her persist or undying, or just steal her and swing in). It's not just some weird corner case; Phage will nearly always end the game, but you truly can never know exactly which way she'll swing. And when she does one-hit-kill your opponent, the game's done; I'd always rather be killed by her than some stupid drawn-out Erayo lock.
Plenty of other cards are better, but a lot of good cards just crush your opponent's spirit. Nothing else quite excites the imagination like Phage the Untouchable.
BobbySinclair
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Insanity wolf:
Plays Phage the Untouchable as general.
Casts Phage from command zone.
Masticates furiously.
Paleopaladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
EDIT / UPDATE: I was wrong -- Karn Liberated's rulings clarify that restarting the game after exiling her means that you *DO* lose:
"After the pre-game procedure is complete, but before the new game's first turn, Karn's ability finishes resolving and the cards left in exile are put onto the battlefield. If this causes any triggered abilities to trigger, those abilities are put onto the stack at the beginning of the first upkeep step." _________________________________________________________ She's cool, but I'm afraid of a card that lets a single Otherworldly Journey kill me.
BTW, Karn Liberated's ultimate works with her since she never "enters the battlefield" in that case.
Phage on battlefield: "I play land, Groundswell, Mutagenic Growth, Berserk, and Glistening Oil. Entering combat, I attack you with phage for 20 points of trampling, infect, "I win the game damage"." This would likely never work but still, no kill like the overkill. Flash them a Fling if you feel like taking it a step further.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gamecast, near-deathtouch, and gametouch
CFLuke
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm really not sure how a card that makes you lose the game with a single flicker can be rated above 4. this isn't one of those "dies to removal" comments - you actually lose the game! Also, 4/4 is not hard to kill (or chump block).
Comments (193)
...just don't build an EDH deck around it.
Only 7 mana for this killing machine...
INSTA-KILL!!
in deathtouch, if your creature is blocking does it still destroy the attacking creature?
Phage is an extremely powerful and complicated character. She began life as Jeska, Warrior Adept, but Braids, Cabal Minion gave her a new life as a walking engine of death. It is therefore somewhat odd that one of the cards she appears on is the relatively innocuous Swat. You don't really think of someone who can kill with a touch just hauling off and smacking an underling.
Or, as an alternative, try and do what I managed and O-Ring her, then destroy that O-Ring (or put another O-Ring on the first O-ring) to force Phage into play without being cast from a hand.
There are ways round the deathtouch-type ability as well - first strike'll do nicely :) (Toxic Iguanar enchanted with Asha's Favor works fantastically well if they attack you with Phage and you flash in a Qasali Ambusher. A flying, first striking deathtouch-y little lizard is really rather fun)
The sheer amount of money you're talking about spending on those cards is ridiculous even without black lotus. You know what girls are, right?
Whilst lots of 'instant win' cards have potential, realistically, the lack of shroud on most of them makes them sitting ducks, or they have such unrealistic expectations that you're likely to never pull them off (I've only ever 'instant won' twice myself - both casual times - the first in a multiplayer match where two Soul Wardens and everyone's creatures coming out gave me enough health for Felidar Sovereign to win it for me, and another where I was playing a Bant lifegaining deck (splashed with a little red), and Mayael's Aria + Cradle of Vitality + Wall of Reverence ended up comboing for the win (thanks to the opponent having pretty much no spot removal).
In terms of Phage, being black protects her from Terror/Doom Blade, and her toughness helps protect her from bolts, but she can still be removed. Protection from Black creatures such as White Knight will also block her indefinitely, saving the game for the other player.
In order to realistically win with her, you'd need something like Whispersilk Cloak or an instant/enchantment that provides Trample. But then, I'd expect her to be removed as soon as you put either of those on the stack. It'd be possible to catch your opponent by surprise in a game, throwing her out late when they're low on cards (and spot removal), but you can bet your bottom dollar they'd consider holding onto some if they knew she was around.
On the other hand, she could protect from certain effects and abilities like Telemin Performance or Liliana Vess' major (not that I've *ever* seen anyone actually get that far with her).
An interesting card, but likely to always be one of those "instant wins" that don't really work.
Nice idea and everything, but just too costy.
Jeska, Warrior Adept
Phage the Untouchable
Akroma, Angel of Fury
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
What I don't get however, is how she's a Zombie Legend. The gatherer calls her one, but the Legions and Tenth creature types both call her only a minion. Her name doesn't even say zombie or undead or anything of that sort. Can anybody explane this to me?
I play slivers and I love this combo...
Gemhide Sliver
Horned Sliver
Muscle Sliver
Spitting Sliver
Might Sliver
Hivestone
Phage.
You just lost the game. Or else with a Platinum Angel you play her in EDH.
Hopefully this clears things up a bit... At the end of Odyssey block storyline, angry Kamahl stabbed his sister Jeska with his Mirari-enhanced sword, she didn't die but was brought back to power by the Cabal Patriarch as Phage. So yes she's undead, but with Akroma they make a red/green white black/red triangle (you forgot that Kamahl turned into a druid between Odyssey and Onslaught), and blue can be included if you consider Ixidor as part of that little group (which you should, since Akroma was born of his flesh), so the four of them represent all five colors, and bam you get Karona.
Also, I've lost to this card exactly one time. It was embarrassing. It should never be able to happen.
I'd say she gets touched a lot.
If I have a Volrath's Shapeshifter in play, I pay 2 to discard Phage, do I loose the game then?
Tainted Æther
MUHAHAHAHA!!
EDIT
I think this card is one of the more perfect cards in MTG.
It's a real game finisher while it's on the board, and an immediate threat,
And there's so many ways to abuse this card, on both sides of the table.
It's quite tricky, and imaginitive.
I love this card.
First off she has to be cast so unless you reduce her man cost then it is kind of a waste.
Second after the new rules regarding combat damage Phage's second ability is also useless. Just asking did Wizards want to make her an expensive wort in the game.
Ok I admit this idea would probablyu make her broken on every account but it may have been a good idea to change that second ability to deathtouch so she would be of some use.
From what I can see unless Phage is given an evasion ability she's a target (an expensive one at that), the other option would be to increse her power and toughness but then again you might as well have a Festering Goblin which is a seventh of the mana cost.
She's definitely one of my favorite cards. Ever.
and if its in the graveyard it ruins liliana vess
Except this is a picture of Phage extending her finger to poke God XD
I read some comments stating that this combo doesn't work but word for word, from Phage's Card text:
"Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated.
Whenever Phage deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game."
From Viridian Longbow Card text: "Equipped creature has "
Unless 1 damage is not the same as 1 combat damage. In which case Whispersilk Cloak FTW! xD
I love this card. No, it's not actually that strong, but in terms of cool factor....heck yeah.
Great with a set of lightning greaves
Don't you play Generals from the exile zone? :(
also, some people on here are really really dumb
Turn 1: Swamp, Dark Ritual, Cathodion
Turn 2: Mountain, Culling the Weak sacking Cathodion, Cast Phage, tap mountain, Reckless Charge or Crimson Wisps
Turn 2 Hastey Phage, and all it cost you was 1 creature, and your entire hand, luckily you're safe from Force Spike when casting Phage since you have the mountain.
Assuming they don't play a creature on their first turn (and you went first), they're open to be Swatted by Her, and judging by swat's art, it hurts :(
I'll admit though, you'd have to have pretty amazing luck to get all 7 cards in hand on turn 1 or 2, even with 4 copies of each in the deck.
WOO
I mean...I know it's painfully obvious, and less "in fashion" than tricking your opponent into playing her somehow.
Me: Oblivion Ring
Friend: :(
Me: Disenchant.
Friend: :'(
It only applies to when she comes into play. Once that checks and clears the stack, you'll be fine whether or not you still have Platinum Angel in play, unless something removes her from play and puts her back into play without you having the Platinum Angel hanging around.
Play a Swamp.
Play a Lotus Petal.
Tap Swamp (
Entomb Phage in your graveyard for
Wait a few seconds for your opponent to coll you a n00b and an idiot, then Stifle her deadly cip with
Turn 2: Kill!
And for the extra lucky not-going-first legendary eight card first turn kill combo engine:
Discard Elvish Spirit Guide for
OR
Discard Simian Spirit Guide for
OR
Just use a second Lotus Petal if you're not playing with the Vintage restriction list.
It's roughly as fun AND reliable as playing your state lottery.
Me: For you maybe. *activates divining witch's ability, discarding phage*
Opponent: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
Opponent: ROFLROFLROFL Gather Specimens GG
Me: ROFLROFLROFL Elvish Pipering in my Phage GG
Me: *Discards Phage the Untouchable* *Troll face*
About the best thing that can be done with her is making her unblockable, and there are a billion different ways to do that in just about any color. Besides, if your opponent finds out you're playing with this card, I'm sure they'll pull out any number of ways to get rid of her. Condemn ftw.
That being said, I've had so much fun blowing this card up in multiplayer it's not even funny anymore. Someone has already commented on dropping an O-ring on her, then disenchanting it. What's more fun is dropping the O-ring, and watch them cringe every time someone ends their turn, wondering which player is going to blow the ring up and make that player lose the game. There are just too many easy ways to make this card backfire to make it worth running, as well as too many ways to get rid of her. Thankfully, creature removal/counterspells are instant, and she is neither uncounterable nor has shroud. (Word to the wise: Whispersilk cloak is only good if you actually get the time to equip it, since equipping is sorcery speed.)
I run a zombie deck with four Dirge of the Dead (Usually using cycle) and Zombie Trailblazer. I mainly depend on Trailblazer because my friend runs an all artifact deck. Good things though are that I have 3 Dark Rituals and 3 Burnt Offerings and 2 Zombie Warchiefs so I can play Vengeful Dead on turn two and get my trailblazer ready and sac the vengeful the next turn and play Phage. I only have to get a zombie turn one, though, like Festering Goblin.
(Or do they and I don't know it? Eh, at least there's no such thing as official Commander rules...)
Still ridiculous of course, but at least you can actually play your general.
Entomb. Reanimate. Stifle. You're welcome.
Edit: Whoops, thanks Ophet, my bad
T1: play phage, attack, win
gg
"Here..."
"THAT'S A LIE! IF I TOUCHED HIM HE'D BE DEAD!"
"oh...case dismissed"
@Paleopaladin: That is flat out wrong. All of the cards exiled with Karn are put into play at the beginning of the game and any triggered abilities will go on the stack at the beginning of the first upkeep.
Want my sacrificed permanents? Fine, take my Phage. *trollface*
She's also saying, "Pleeeeeease give me Rancor".
Swamp, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Phage The Untouchable, Sootstoke Kindler.
Play the swamp, then play all four Dark Rituals. Play Phage The Untouchable, then play Sootstoke Kindler. Tap Sootstoke Kindler to give Phage haste, then swing with Phage to win on turn 1. =)
Getting a tattoo of her on my leg holding The Sword+ Nightmare lash \m/
Me: For you maybe. *activates divining witch's ability, discarding phage*
Opponent: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
I came across the comment above... loooked up Liliana's Ultimate and was not in the gatherer database. then I looked up Divining Witch. Found that one. But I don't see how discarding Phage would signal the end of the game. OK you've discarded Phage, now you get to exile the top six cards of your library and search for a named card exiling all cards revealed until you find the named card. What am I missing here?
Then he'd better be afraid... XD
Liliana Vess's Ultimate ability puts all creatures in all graveyards onto the battlefield under your control. Kind of like Grimoire of the Dead.
T2: Island, flip Egotist, Burnt Offering, Phage the Untouchable & Mark of Fury
GG
7 cards, not likely but it could happen
give her away and blink her is a much more reliable strategy
They were refering to Liliana Vess's -8.
Mind you, one wouldn't need many more, because black has a bunch of great tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Imperial Seal and Diabolic Tutor.
Honestly, a Phage EDH deck doesn't sound too far-fetched.
Also sick hand this 4 dark ritual, lightning greaves, swamp.
Play swamp, 4x dark ritual, then this and then play and equip lightning greaves and swing. To badmit falls to force of will or mental misstep.
Geth: TAKE A CREATURE FROM THE GRAVE.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed: POWER THAT MOTHA ***ER UP!!!!!!!!!!
Phage: the name says it all
Cemetery reaper 4x+ diregraf captain 4x+ undead warchief 4x =unstopable,and thats why i love them
me: i'll flameslash phage, and uh... you loose
... i love cube drafting
Eventually, Akroma, Angel of Wrath came to kill Phage (that was actually the purpose behind Akroma being created - she was created by an illusionist and is technically an ILLUSION angel), and the Patriarch killed her, but accidentally killed Phage and their child in the same swing, causing a new god to be born somehow (part of it was Phage's planeswalker spark) - called Karona, False God. Eventually, Karona died, but Phage's planeswalker spark kept her part of Karona alive. She was ressurected as Jeska (yay!). After a bunch of other stuff, Jeska sacrificed herself and all of her planeswalker powers to cause the Mending to happen, which was a major MtG event. I suggest you read more about all of this, I was new to the game and didn't know any of it, but I'm assuming a lot of the older players did, if the Mending was involved.
"Little Bigs" Baneslayer Angel, Titans Wurmcoil Engine
"Big Bigs" Griselbrand, Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
"Combo Kills" Progenitus, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, Blightsteel Colossus
These dozen-odd creatures just about obsolete most other creatures for the purposes of 'High End Finisher'. Color Restrictions Not Applying, if you're looking for a Giant Stick, these are probably what you're looking at. If you're looking for something else, you're setting yourself Color Restrictions or trying to win more Fast and Consistent than these because you don't have the combo pieces or are restricting yourself from combo to do something more interesting/fun, if slow, ineffecient, and less effective.
The only two I can think of that are actually in still in this League?
Akroma, Angel of Wrath and Phage, the Untouchable.
Phage needs a Mythic Reprint. Period.
Switcheroo does not work.
Giving someone else control of Phage after she has entered the battlefield will not cause that person to lose the game.
But you do get bonus cool points for winning the game while her ETB trigger's on the stack. Sacrifice would net you
If liliana forces you to discard phage, and then resurrects it, the player who controls it will lose the game. if she uses something that makes all players resurrect their own creatures under their own control, phage's owner will lose the game, not liliana.
Torpor Orb would indeed counter the ability. Alternatively, Platinum Angel at the same CMC would work, and can be cheated out. Stifle is another option, but takes an extra blue mana on top of the cost for Phage herself.
You could always get lucky with 4 Dark Rituals on turn 1, if you know it's safe from removal.
Functionally, the card is, as many have noted, very difficult to use. But its exactly why she is so much fun to play. Experienced players bash her with unrelenting malice, calling her a 'noob card'. Any card that can give you a potential auto win deserves such a major drawback. Its BLACK.
Phage has always had a great effect on games in my playgroup. We are not, by any means, pros. We play casual, and we often play EDH. And its so much fun to slap her down and to see them look painfully at their hands, wondering if they need to waste precious counter, removal, or burn to be rid of her. Yes, she can turn on you if you try to Cheatyface her into play. Yes, she can kill you if she is flickered. But she can also kill your opponent with the many ways to make her unblockable.
Its justifiable that she can easily one shot YOU as she can your foe. A creature with her power needn't feel THREATENED by you, anymore than your foe.
The rest of the deck will be pretty standard mono-black control, but I want to keep with the theme of her, so lots of boardwipes, of course the unblockable enablers, and an Akroma's Memorial for irony/fun. This will be my forth mono black EDH (Ashling the extinguisher, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder and a retired griselbrand deck) and undoubtably my worst, but I am looking forward to some fun games.
Play Vedalken Orrery, and when you're on the brink of defeat, pop her out. "Oh no. I seem to have killed myself..."
For double rainbows, play Strionic Resonator and double the ability.
Stop! Hammer Time!
Pull this off (obviously, you need multiple hammers), then you get the ultimate... wait, what's the type of gamer who doesn't care about winning, but wants their opponent to die of laughter before the game ends? 'Cuz that's how I've been doing it.
Lifegain deck: "Hah! I gain 175 life! So what if I'm tapped out, swing with your puny 4/4 I dare you!"
Me: "Alright, and while I calculate the damage, care to read the card again?"
Lifegain deck: "....WHAT?"
Blue Control deck: "That's AWESOME! GIMME THAT! *Casts clone on Phage*
Me: "Alright, and maybe you want to read her as well?"
Blue Control deck: "....WHAT?"
Me: "I believe that's game ladies and gentlemen."
Not because it's good (and it is good), but because of how it makes people feel. When Phage comes out, everyone's nervous, but at the same time they're excitedly scheming on how to turn her against her caster. And boy are there so many ways to do this (target her with Banisher Priest, kill her and cast Living Death, give her persist or undying, or just steal her and swing in). It's not just some weird corner case; Phage will nearly always end the game, but you truly can never know exactly which way she'll swing. And when she does one-hit-kill your opponent, the game's done; I'd always rather be killed by her than some stupid drawn-out Erayo lock.
And just knowing she's in your opponent's deck is intimidating. Do you really want to cast that It That Betrays? That Telemin Performance? That Rise of the Dark Realms? Choices are more interesting when Phage is around.
Plenty of other cards are better, but a lot of good cards just crush your opponent's spirit. Nothing else quite excites the imagination like Phage the Untouchable.
Plays Phage the Untouchable as general.
Casts Phage from command zone.
Masticates furiously.
"After the pre-game procedure is complete, but before the new game's first turn, Karn's ability finishes resolving and the cards left in exile are put onto the battlefield. If this causes any triggered abilities to trigger, those abilities are put onto the stack at the beginning of the first upkeep step."
_________________________________________________________
She's cool, but I'm afraid of a card that lets a single Otherworldly Journey kill me.
BTW, Karn Liberated's ultimate works with her since she never "enters the battlefield" in that case.
-Swag_Crow
Fun card, but...terrible...