Pretty fun mill card. And wizards were kind enough to make it a merfolk. Please keep merfolk and their milling theme. And can we get Mill as a keyword. I doubt it will matter to a huge majority of players that the word would be confusing. Newbies only look at damage, anyway.
Quackor
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(6 votes)
Very powerful. Almost feels like too much for blue to have for just U.
hunthell
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(7 votes)
NO QUACKOR, BLUE HAS BEEN NERFED ENOUGH AS IT IS!!!
DragonLord132
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Must have for Mill decks! If you think the 1 is too much, use it as a blocker!
Silverware
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Amazing card for one blue mana. Though players are bound to kill it as soon as possible, which isn't really a bad thing since they will have to waste their time with it.
rubber
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Hedron Crab. This really isn't good. A 1/1 for 1 isn't that important in blue. Zephyr Sprite is the most use you'll get out of that. The mill part of this creature is also not inefficient. I would never use this in constructed, and I've never seen a limited/casual mill deck. I'm not saying they don't exist, they're just rare.
raptorman333
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Can I pay this ability any number of times in response to one blue spell?
Zoah
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
A very nice merfolk wizard... good early in the game due to playability, and good latter for adding that extra "mill two cards" every time you play a spell.
Before I really even structured a deck for milling cards this guy saved me by eating my opponent's deck. It was likely after that when I realized just how lethal a mill card could be, so I ordered myself a merfolk wizard mill deck, and now all of my friends are afraid of it. As for its structure: all creatures are wizards or merfolk, and all but two are bolth (the two are Oona and merfolk archer) I's also my favorite deck to play with if not my best. (my counter deck is the best, everyone hates that one even more)
So, base rating: ** (docked for one drops)
mill power: +* combo promise: +*
final: ****
Fordin
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(5 votes)
@ raptorman 333: No u can't play it more then once /spell.
metalevolence
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@hunthell: not in llorwyn block it hasn't
@rubber: this card is terrifyingly strong in limited. (40 card library.)
OrzhovGhostCouncil
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@rubber: Half of the group I play with casually run mill decks.
BlackAlbino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Must have for Mill, Merfolk, or control (mill=countered before you drew it) Also nice to make yourself a target early on in multi because you milled plyr #2's favorite card
CrazyLou
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
To those knocking this card, you obviously underestimate the annoyance capabilities of milling every time you play a spell. Cantrips and multiple Drowners are best friends. With Tome Scour, even better.
ChampionofSquee
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Turn 1: Island, Drowner Initiate Turn 2: Land, Tome scour use other land to pay for a total of mill 7 for 2 mana
CeremonialBathory
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@rubber - Who are you playing with? x.x Not only do I see a lot of mill, I also play mill. I've only seen this in a merfolk deck, though. xP
Imperialstonedragon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
not too shabby
jilting_joker
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
As others have already stated, this card is powerful early in a game, especially if used with Tome Scour. Copy a Tome Scour with a Sigil Tracer to play it again, targeting any number of target players.
May I add, Drowner Initiate can be an effective mill even later in the game if it still remains on the board - use a Gigadrowse. Each copy of a Gigadrowse that is played triggers the option of activating Drowner Initiate's ability many times per turn.
A similar cheap mill is Merfolk Mesmerist which recently came out with M12. Although, Merfolk Mesmerist can only activate its ability once per turn, unless untapped. Futhermore, Merfolk Mesmerist's ability is a {U},{Tap} ability - it cannot be used the first turn it is played due to summoning sickness; whereas, Drowner Initiate has a trigger,{U} ability which may be used as soon as it hits the table. In conclusion: For a mill deck containing mostly blue spells, I give Drowner Initiate 5 stars.
Shadoflaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why is everything underlined?
Paolino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this card is really strong against blue...
Corey_bayoudragonfly
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@jilting joker: you've doomed us all to underlines! Not bad in a casual dredge deck playing U.
lilwolf2005
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Merfolk is totally about to do a KAMEHAMEHA!!!
Ralasuco
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Quick question; is this an 'activate' ability that is affected by summoning sickeness?
SirLibraryEater
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
IT IS THE MOST BROKEN 1-DROP IN THE WORLD.
I don't always play mill decks, but when i do, I prefer to annoy the crap out of the people i'm playing with.
also, @ralasuco, no, summoning sickness only affects attacking and abilities that {T} the creature.
Comments (24)
If you think the 1 is too much, use it as a blocker!
Before I really even structured a deck for milling cards this guy saved me by eating my opponent's deck. It was likely after that when I realized just how lethal a mill card could be, so I ordered myself a merfolk wizard mill deck, and now all of my friends are afraid of it. As for its structure: all creatures are wizards or merfolk, and all but two are bolth (the two are Oona and merfolk archer) I's also my favorite deck to play with if not my best. (my counter deck is the best, everyone hates that one even more)
So, base rating: ** (docked for one drops)
mill power: +*
combo promise: +*
final: ****
@rubber: this card is terrifyingly strong in limited. (40 card library.)
Also nice to make yourself a target early on in multi because you milled plyr #2's favorite card
Turn 2: Land, Tome scour use other land to pay for a total of mill 7 for 2 mana
May I add, Drowner Initiate can be an effective mill even later in the game if it still remains on the board - use a Gigadrowse. Each copy of a Gigadrowse that is played triggers the option of activating Drowner Initiate's ability many times per turn.
A similar cheap mill is Merfolk Mesmerist which recently came out with M12. Although, Merfolk Mesmerist can only activate its ability once per turn, unless untapped. Futhermore, Merfolk Mesmerist's ability is a {U},{Tap} ability - it cannot be used the first turn it is played due to summoning sickness; whereas, Drowner Initiate has a trigger,{U} ability which may be used as soon as it hits the table. In conclusion: For a mill deck containing mostly blue spells, I give Drowner Initiate 5 stars.
@jilting joker: you've doomed us all to underlines! Not bad in a casual dredge deck playing U.
I don't always play mill decks, but when i do, I prefer to annoy the crap out of the people i'm playing with.
also, @ralasuco, no, summoning sickness only affects attacking and abilities that {T} the creature.