by it's self it's a possible 2 mana in 1 turn or a lanowar elf for 1 extra also quillspike
Lesion
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This + Immaculate Magistrate = 4th turn you are laying out your hand (assuming you have a couple more elves :P) I like to use Wirewood lodge....first turn I lay Llanowar Reborn (the graft land) Second turn Devoted Druid and throw the +1/+1 counter on him, third turn Magistrate, 4th some cheap elves then pump up Devoted Druid with Magistrate, use the mana to lay out some more elves then pay the last mana to untap Magistrate with Lodge, pump up Druid again and then lay out more elves :P 5th turn, attack all out and pump something up twice with Magistrate/Wirewood Lodge, then Mercy Killing the one I pumped for some more elfy goodness...it is really fun if you have Elvish Vanguard out early too :P
Twigster
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(7 votes)
Quillspike what can I say... 500mil / 500mil turn 3... stupidly overpowered... but so going in my deck.. until they change the rules...
PaladinOfSunhome
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I really like it. You can just abuse it for green mana, it really does not need to be used for anything esle. Give you it faster.
3.5
Thallid_King
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
this card can be used with three others and three lands. its a bad a$$ combo baby. i love choosing the amount of tokens i put out. ok, this card with a Lanowar Elf, and Coat of Arms on the field. then enchant druid with Presence of Gond.three more lands to produce 5 mana for Coat of Arms. if u can give the tokens trample its game over for at least 5 players. you must have those 4 cards and three mana for this combo buti have pulled it of.
Great enabler card, works GREAT with the graft mechanic
Kidrik
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(21 votes)
"Why aren't you just using Llanowar Elves?" *plays Flourishing Defenses* "Oh, cool, he gives you an elf." *plays Quillspike* "That's pretty cool how he eats that token. Wait a minute.. Ohh....."
I can see this being better than Llanowar Elves in some decks even without the combo, though you'd still have to find a way to either pump it or remove counters to squeeze out any extra mana to make it worth the replacement.
Oh, and when two of these are on the field, Ezuri, Renegade Leader can get you infinite mana. Here's an article about a deck using that.
Infinite elves and since Blessing gives more than enough toughness to negate the -1/-1 counters, infinite green mana, provided you tap to make an elf in between each tap for mana. (Or really, just make at least as many elves as you need mana and you should be fine.)
Obviously, Coat of Arms is preferable if you're just looking to make a lot of elves and don't care about tapping the druid for mana once you start using him to make elves.
Had a playset of these since Shadowmoor release, only recently realized how good they were >_>
Mode
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(4 votes)
An okay card by itself with a very interesting activation cost, which makes it even better when combined with other cards. The infinite loop with Quillspike is likely the strongest one. But Power Conduit for example is also a pretty combo (and this artifact is also useful for Wither creatures, who again synergize with Quillspike) Like this, the druid can provide you mana each turn or if it didn't have a -1/-1 counter at the beginning of the turn. That means if you have her outside and play the conduit, it's basically for free. I also tried some weird mana accel with Puresteel Paladin and Slagwurm Armor. (But you should never have a three-card combo in your deck (that doesn't even win you the game) unless each of those cards have at least some good synergy with the rest of your deck, otherwise you'll just have a shity deck that relies on multiple cards without a single disruption, which is easily done with any removal or counterspell :P)
ElDoRado1239
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Turn 1: Leyline of Vitality from starting hand, forest Turn 2: Forest, Devoted Druid Turn 3: Forest, tap DD, Might of Oaks on Devoted Druid - he now has 7/10 = up to 10 green mana, feel free to drop anything like Engulfing Slagwurm or Vigor or anything else with similar level of nastyness. Devoted Druid dies, but he's really devoted, so... he'll be allright.
I use this gal pretty much everytime I play my monogreen big-monsters deck. Obviously, it's even better for an elvish deck.
Okay I know someone asked this already but I did not see an answer for it in the comments.
Would Malira, Sylvok Outcast prevent the addition of -1/-1 counters and give you the ability to tap/untap Devoted Druid for infinite mana or would it shut off the ability completely not allowing you to untap?
My thoughts are seems to be on the later because Malira, Sylvok Outcast says "Creatures you control can't have -1/-1 counters placed on them." I think it probably in effect turns off the ability due to the inability to pay the cost.
However, the argument could be made that you add the -1/-1 counter per the cost requirements but then the counter would fall off given Malira's ability.
Any help here would be appreciated.
syrazemyla
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best combo with this guy is Magical Hacker. Infinite mana and power/toughness.
Milun
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just give her some Slagwurm armour.
SnackyNorph
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Quillspike. With a bit of ramp turn one, you can easily get that combo off and give Quillspike haste by turn 3; that's game over in two cards.
All in all, a much better Wall of Roots throwback, both in elegance (-1/-1 instead of -0/-1) and in playability (you don't have to put -1/-1 counters on it every time).
Aehetag
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@bay_falconer I believe Melira, Sylvok Outcast would make our druid incapable of untapping with its ability. Since -1/-1 counters CANNOT be placed on your creatures, you cannot pay the cost for the ability. @jkwaak1980 your initial thoughts were correct, the -1/-1 can never hit the druid, so the cost can never be paid.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Actually with power conduit you can get GGG every turn: -Tap for {G} -Add the -1/-1 cpimter -Remove the -1/-1 counter -Add the +1/+1 counter to him -Tap for {G} -Add the -1/-1 counter -Tap for {G}
I'll be using this as a non-degenerate combo I think
flavioal28
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"Is it just me, or does this card NOT combo with Doubling Season?" - RJDroid
Actually, Doubling Season doesn't place another -1/-1 counter on it because you place it as a COST, not as an EFFECT. The same is true for planeswalkers. From the rulings: "Planeswalkers will enter the battlefield with double the normal amount of loyalty counters. However, if you activate an ability whose cost has you put loyalty counters on a planeswalker, the number you put on isn't doubled. This is because those counters are put on as a cost, not as an effect." In the same way, you only place one -1/-1 counter on the druid to untap it.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The more I look at this card the better it gets. Can give you extra reach for a 6 drop on turn 3.
Kirbster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A great card that's abusable without it being too easy to do so. I used her as part of an infinite combo with Necrotic Ooze - get a Druid and a Morselhoarder in your graveyard and that's infinite mana of any colours you want... plus infinite untaps, in case you can use that. From there, just put the mana into a Flamekin Spitfire or Dimir Guildmage, and it's an easy combo win the turn you drop the Ooze!
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Joraga Treespeaker complements the Quillspike combo nicely; get Treespeaker up to level 5 and suddenly you're pumping out infinite green mana. And Treespeaker is pretty good ramp on her own, as well.
Comments (32)
also quillspike
what can I say... 500mil / 500mil turn 3...
stupidly overpowered... but so going in my deck.. until they change the rules...
3.5
Great enabler card, works GREAT with the graft mechanic
*plays Flourishing Defenses*
"Oh, cool, he gives you an elf."
*plays Quillspike*
"That's pretty cool how he eats that token. Wait a minute.. Ohh....."
Taps for an extra (G)(G) each turn
Oh, and when two of these are on the field, Ezuri, Renegade Leader can get you infinite mana. Here's an article about a deck using that.
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/boab/120
Infinite elves and since Blessing gives more than enough toughness to negate the -1/-1 counters, infinite green mana, provided you tap to make an elf in between each tap for mana. (Or really, just make at least as many elves as you need mana and you should be fine.)
Obviously, Coat of Arms is preferable if you're just looking to make a lot of elves and don't care about tapping the druid for mana once you start using him to make elves.
Had a playset of these since Shadowmoor release, only recently realized how good they were >_>
The infinite loop with Quillspike is likely the strongest one. But Power Conduit for example is also a pretty combo (and this artifact is also useful for Wither creatures, who again synergize with Quillspike)
Like this, the druid can provide you
I also tried some weird mana accel with Puresteel Paladin and Slagwurm Armor. (But you should never have a three-card combo in your deck (that doesn't even win you the game) unless each of those cards have at least some good synergy with the rest of your deck, otherwise you'll just have a shity deck that relies on multiple cards without a single disruption, which is easily done with any removal or counterspell :P)
Turn 2: Forest, Devoted Druid
Turn 3: Forest, tap DD, Might of Oaks on Devoted Druid - he now has 7/10 = up to 10 green mana, feel free to drop anything like Engulfing Slagwurm or Vigor or anything else with similar level of nastyness. Devoted Druid dies, but he's really devoted, so... he'll be allright.
I use this gal pretty much everytime I play my monogreen big-monsters deck. Obviously, it's even better for an elvish deck.
T2: Forest, Devoted Druid, Bounty of the Hunt, Quillspike, attack
Mountain and Mass Hysteria are acceptable first-turn alternatives. You can override chumps by using Rancor, Primal Rage, etc.
Note: If it so pleases you, you may substitute Khalni Hydra for Quillspike.
Turn 3, 6 mana.
WITHOUT 2 EXPLORES
Would Malira, Sylvok Outcast prevent the addition of -1/-1 counters and give you the ability to tap/untap Devoted Druid for infinite mana or would it shut off the ability completely not allowing you to untap?
My thoughts are seems to be on the later because Malira, Sylvok Outcast says "Creatures you control can't have -1/-1 counters placed on them." I think it probably in effect turns off the ability due to the inability to pay the cost.
However, the argument could be made that you add the -1/-1 counter per the cost requirements but then the counter would fall off given Malira's ability.
Any help here would be appreciated.
All in all, a much better Wall of Roots throwback, both in elegance (-1/-1 instead of -0/-1) and in playability (you don't have to put -1/-1 counters on it every time).
@jkwaak1980 your initial thoughts were correct, the -1/-1 can never hit the druid, so the cost can never be paid.
-Tap for {G}
-Add the -1/-1 cpimter
-Remove the -1/-1 counter
-Add the +1/+1 counter to him
-Tap for {G}
-Add the -1/-1 counter
-Tap for {G}
I'll be using this as a non-degenerate combo I think
Actually, Doubling Season doesn't place another -1/-1 counter on it because you place it as a COST, not as an EFFECT. The same is true for planeswalkers. From the rulings: "Planeswalkers will enter the battlefield with double the normal amount of loyalty counters. However, if you activate an ability whose cost has you put loyalty counters on a planeswalker, the number you put on isn't doubled. This is because those counters are put on as a cost, not as an effect." In the same way, you only place one -1/-1 counter on the druid to untap it.
I used her as part of an infinite combo with Necrotic Ooze - get a Druid and a Morselhoarder in your graveyard and that's infinite mana of any colours you want... plus infinite untaps, in case you can use that. From there, just put the mana into a Flamekin Spitfire or Dimir Guildmage, and it's an easy combo win the turn you drop the Ooze!