this is an awsome card, it would be better in a naya deck if it was power 5, cause then u can do all that "power 5 or greater comes into play" stuff
Demonic_Angel13
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(7 votes)
Great card, especialy good against a burn deck.
Mprime818
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
It is a slow play card, it kinda hoaxes ur opponent into gaining the strength advantage, and then him not wanting to swing because of the consequence, great with Mayael's Aria enchantment as well...
True_Mumin
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Actually he's extremely BAD against a burn deck, because he's so easily burned. I don't like him that much.
TheBigDrat
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(5 votes)
This card needs flash.
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(6 votes)
Hes Effecient And I Like His Mana Cost
CerpinTaxt362
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is great in my Naya deck since it's made for massive life gain
Pwnsaw
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Try this guy with Behemoth Sledge, Runes of the Deus, or Shield of the Oversoul. Play this guy once you have exhausted opponent's removal, or when you have some means to protect him. Give this card lifelink and gain all that lost life back.
wolfbear2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
standard needs more good griffins. This is too good, it is a magnit for every removale and even they don't have the removale, they wont let it grow big untill they knew they can win.
Maybe if it was resistant to removale or had flash or something...
JaxsonBateman
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Not a bad card. If you take a hit from a flier that your other fatties can't block, you'll become strong enough to block it next time. It is a target for removal, but even just having 3 colours works really well with Knight of New Alara, pumping it up to a 5/5 immediately.
If your opponent doesn't have any fliers or removal, it can work as a great shield while you establish board dominance aswell. They're probably not going to attack if they'd have to take at least that much back +2 next turn.
Edit: somewhat take it back. It's so hard to get him up to anything significant. You're basically relying on another card to pump it up to be a worthwhile 4 drop. Perhaps the only thing it's good for is stopping your opponent from attacking if he doesn't have removal and can't deal winning damage in one turn.
BlackAlbino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
good lord i wish this was a white/black card so it would fit in my deck but naya works too... great with tainted sigil if you can manage to fit them both in the same deck
Gaussgoat
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If you throw a source of shroud on this guy, he could get ridiculous very quickly. Better yet, throw a Whispersilk Cloak on him and let the opponent try and figure out how to not do damage to you while he is wailing on them, lol.
Neat idea, and not costed too heavily.
4/5
wpken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
the only thing im concerned with this is during a scenario where you block with him and let other things go through, would he get the +1/+1 counters before he would die? or after the combat step al together. I would believe it would be before he dies because damage happens simultaneously to the best of my knowledge meaning he gets those counters as he is being dealt damage because of his trigger. If what i believe to be true than he is far better in my eyes then he ever was before, but until i finish my boss naya..hes good haha need some fliers
SleetFox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pretty much ridiculous in free-for-alls. In duels, he's too slow and too risky to play; a creature that often won't block at first that can be destroyed when it gets strong is not a great idea.
SoulShatterer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Let the opposing player try to burn him with a Shock or Lightning Bolt, then hit him with a Giant Growth or the like to help him survive the hit. The damage will still give him counters, often making the effect of Giant Growth or Groundswell permanent.
achilleselbow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@SoulShatterer: No. Read the card again. He only gets the counters when damage is dealt to YOU.
I agree that while this may seem awesome, it's kind of a lose-lose situation. If you already have a good defense set up, he just becomes a really weak 4-drop. If you don't, then you could have spent that 4 mana casting a Spellbreaker Behemoth or Mycoid Shepherd to block whatever damage was coming your way. Considering how many creatures there are that trigger effects after dealing damage to a player, it's pretty dangerous to let the damage through just to power up a creature that could still get Terminated immediately after. The flying may make it useful in some situations, but overall it just doesn't have very good synergy with a Naya deck.
What? Rockslide Elemental triggers off of creatures dying; this from damage. Apples and oranges.
Wormfang
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
run in naya EDH next to platinum emperion, "oh you're swinging at me with lifelink? I'll take the damage, lose no life and swing back harder, thanks"
oHspoke
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Continues the tradition of having griffins cost four mana (all the way back since Mirage). Truthfully, in my opinion, I think this card would have been fine at three mana. At four mana it comes out way too slow against any aggressive deck to matter. I really see it having the most use against decks that auto-ping you with cards such as Black Vise or Underworld Dreams.
Khavrion
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I think this'd go nicely with Mayael's Aria. Aria's healing means you stay alive, and eventually if they keep trying you'll win because of all the +1/+1 counters.
If you give it lifelink, it combos really well with Phyrexian Unlife. If you're reduced to zero or less, your griffin becomes enormous. Then you swing to regain life before your opponent can poison you to death.
Really, though, it's just a cool card. I like it.
Tynansdtm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Ragamander: It does work that way. Platinum Emperion says "your life total can't change", not "you don't take damage". And Retaliator Griffin doesn't have any mention of "life lost this way", like other cards do. What if you were hit by a creature with infect? Would the Griffin still get counters? Your life total didn't change, but damage is still damage, and things still trigger off it.
Minus_Prime
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I wanted this more than anything else in the Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas duel decks. Way more flavorful than the Firemane Angel we got.
UsagiYojimbo
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is the Polar Opposite of Kavu Predator. Hear me out:
KAVU PREDATOR 1) Efficient Body, Low Colorweight 2) Grows When Opponent's Life Swings Up 3) Easily Blocked, Unchumpable 4) Combos Off of Your Cards 5) White/Black Bane 6) Seems Bad, Turns Out to Be Great 7) Solid in Any Deck that Can Cast It 8) Discourages Defensive Strategies 9) 2 Power and 2 Toughness
RETALIATOR GRIFFIN 1) Ineffecient Body, High Colorweight 2) Grows When Your Life Swings Down 3) Hard to Block, Chumptastic 4) Combos Off of Their Cards 5) Seems Great, Turns Out to be Bad 6) Only Good in Specially Tuned Decks 7) Discourages Offensive Strategies 8) 2 Toughness and 2 Power
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Odd Couple of Magic the Gathering!
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
reminds me of Darien
Pigfish99
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Give the griffin the sledge and the oversoul, and then you get a beatstick that will be the bane of your oppoment.
Unboxed_Hero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I use this card in a RWG deck and it combos nicely with an Alpha Authority and a Mayael's Aria. Great card and not to expensive with a 4 CMC.
Comments (33)
Maybe if it was resistant to removale or had flash or something...
If your opponent doesn't have any fliers or removal, it can work as a great shield while you establish board dominance aswell. They're probably not going to attack if they'd have to take at least that much back +2 next turn.
Edit: somewhat take it back. It's so hard to get him up to anything significant. You're basically relying on another card to pump it up to be a worthwhile 4 drop. Perhaps the only thing it's good for is stopping your opponent from attacking if he doesn't have removal and can't deal winning damage in one turn.
great with tainted sigil if you can manage to fit them both in the same deck
Neat idea, and not costed too heavily.
4/5
I agree that while this may seem awesome, it's kind of a lose-lose situation. If you already have a good defense set up, he just becomes a really weak 4-drop. If you don't, then you could have spent that 4 mana casting a Spellbreaker Behemoth or Mycoid Shepherd to block whatever damage was coming your way. Considering how many creatures there are that trigger effects after dealing damage to a player, it's pretty dangerous to let the damage through just to power up a creature that could still get Terminated immediately after. The flying may make it useful in some situations, but overall it just doesn't have very good synergy with a Naya deck.
What? Rockslide Elemental triggers off of creatures dying; this from damage. Apples and oranges.
Retaliator Griffin is an awesome card, even though it may seem bad. You should give him lifelink with, say, Scourge of the Nobilis and shroud/hexproof with, say, Swiftfoot Boots.
If you give it lifelink, it combos really well with Phyrexian Unlife. If you're reduced to zero or less, your griffin becomes enormous. Then you swing to regain life before your opponent can poison you to death.
Really, though, it's just a cool card. I like it.
KAVU PREDATOR
1) Efficient Body, Low Colorweight
2) Grows When Opponent's Life Swings Up
3) Easily Blocked, Unchumpable
4) Combos Off of Your Cards
5) White/Black Bane
6) Seems Bad, Turns Out to Be Great
7) Solid in Any Deck that Can Cast It
8) Discourages Defensive Strategies
9) 2 Power and 2 Toughness
RETALIATOR GRIFFIN
1) Ineffecient Body, High Colorweight
2) Grows When Your Life Swings Down
3) Hard to Block, Chumptastic
4) Combos Off of Their Cards
5) Seems Great, Turns Out to be Bad
6) Only Good in Specially Tuned Decks
7) Discourages Offensive Strategies
8) 2 Toughness and 2 Power
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Odd Couple of Magic the Gathering!