amazing card. very flexible. good early game, not worthless late game.
Jedi1josh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(8 votes)
Maybe I'm alone in this but I think this card is severely overrated. 9 times out of 10 when I see this card in a match up I'm able to deal with it right away. All colors except green can easily deal with this card. 2.5 rating from me.
flippythekist
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(17 votes)
I think that the idea that this card is overrated is just silly. he justifies it by saying that 90% of the time he can deal with it right away.....well why is it that u are dealing with it "right away"?....oh its cause its a good card. Cards only demand answers if they are threats and this guy is a big threat. he plays sever roles throught the game that cannot be ingored, a 2/2 for echo for R isn't bad, and an attackign 4/4 on turn 3 can put on the beats, and then he can Finish it withan 8/8 Flying!. This card is early, mid, and late game all very efficiently.
The idea that just cause u can kill something doesn't make it good is just plain silly, and if u follow that logic u will find yourself playing with only Regenerators and Dark steel Ingots....but oh wait, those can both be removed from the game!!! WHAT IS A PLAYER TO DOO??????
the answer: Play with good, efficient cards. Like say...figure of destiny.
5 out of 5
Treima
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Awesome card, very flavorful, worthy of inclusion in just about any red/white deck.
Blue_Blur
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(6 votes)
A player will swear when you play this first turn. A player will get up and leave once you tap 6 mana.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Very good. He's vulnrable to removal spells, but he's definitely worth it! I almost always make him a spirit avatar by the end of the game whenever I play him.
God_of_Destruction
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(12 votes)
TERMINATE him and let Demigod of Revenge rule all of the spirit avatars...
hozz101
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(5 votes)
4 stars from me. Because for his colors there's no better 1-drop creature. Like all other 1-drops though he's able to be dealt with.
bav123_2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I like the idea of having a few of these and gradually bring them up to massive creatures, allows for versatility.
Vadoff
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(5 votes)
@flippythekist
"echo for R"? Figure of Destiny's abilities don't just last until the end of turn, they last forever (At least until he leaves play, or some subsequent effect changes its characteristics).
ValenRakdos
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
it's begging to be made a changeling.
Hyon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Trickery Charm can now be used properly. second turn 8/8 flying attacking :)
Chaottickitty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Ive found this card usefull not as an answer but as a good card for mana accelerator decks but really is alittle average if its not pulled early but in saying that played on turn one or two it offers a fast way to deal dammage but is atarget for burn and exileing cards.
John-Bender
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Thank you Wizards for making him a so I can use him in my mono White Kithkin deck :3
Silverware
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(4 votes)
A good card if you can find ways of changing his creature type, otherwise 10 mana is a very sketchy cost to excpect to be able to pay. All in all very flexiable card, just keep in mind that in many decks the mana that would be spent on him will often get spent on spells from your hand keeping him a 1/1 or 2/2.
JacksonRex
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is amazing. If you want to know the true value of a card try and buy one online. those guys aint stupid. So what if it remains a 1/1, at worst a 1/1 for 1 mana with abilities you can use, even in your opponents turn.
Gezus82
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I recently pulled one of these out of a pack and find him a little overrated. a 1/1/ 2/2 or 4/4 with no abilities is not game-breaking. and too often I find he gets terminated as soon as he becomes ultimate and I'm stuck having sunk in 11 manna for an empty board.
Though it doesn't give you as much card advantage I much prefer playing a 1/1 for 1 the first turn then more 1/1s or 2/2s the following turns there are some strong things that you ca pull to keep your board full and adding some abilities doesn't hurt. especially with the double strike that seems to be prolific with RW creatures
I never liked this card though I played it often. It was frustrating that I never made it an 8/8, but it does make a point. Figure was great because it was the best target in the format. It made opponents spend a card on it that could have been spent on something else.
Kurhan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Purposes this card is great, not overrated.
cheap to play early cheap-ish to buff to a 4/4 usable late game excellent sink for unused mana
as for what Gezus82 said,
yes you will want to play your other creatures with abilities, but if there is mana left over, you can pump him up without a draw back.
As for changing creature types, it seems that would be helpful for him, but a waste of a card slot in your deck unless you can utilize that runed stalactite elsewhere in your deck, but still a good idea.
Guest682914079
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Very useful to have an Amoeboid Changeling out at the same time as when you play it.
Kbot
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
The first pseudo level up card? Would've been wicked if it debuted in Future Sight.
HairlessThoctar
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Because an 8/8 flyer really needs first strike.
Ekko
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Excellent card, but my favorite part is that you can pay 1 mana to revert it to a 2/2 if you need to - those other abilities aren't disabled. I'm not sure when you would, but it's something to think about.
surewhynot
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The first version of the Level Up system? Maybe so. Not complaining either way.
murdershot21
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
You could use Boldwyr Intimidator to skip to the last level, since it makes it a Warrior.
ClockworkSwordfish
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(5 votes)
You know why they did this? Because "Legendary Creature-- Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar" wouldn't fit on the card.
TopRomen
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
I think it is funny that you can actually downgrade him. For what purpose? I don't know -- someone will figure something out!
Bandswithother
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I too don't understand these complaints. This guy is a potential threat whenever he hits the table, and demands removal. A weak player will waste a kill spell on him early when a strong player will wait till he poses a real threat. All the while you're casting other spells and generating other threats that the opponent will have to answer to when it comes to endgame. Since this guy can be leveled with otherwise wasted mana (not saying you should tap yourself out every turn) his threat grows with the game. My point is if he isn't removed he will become a game ender; if he is removed then he's just a R/W Duress.
On the subject of removal, yes everything does in fact die to removal. If anyone thinks that a card is terrible because of its vulnerability to doomblades, bolts, paths, and other spells then they must think this whole game is terrible, which begs the question as to why they're here commenting in the first place.
bijart_dauth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
am i the only one who thinks this is like a first attempt at leveling?
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love how versatile this little guy is. He could even find a home in a Meekstone deck since he can shrink himself back to a 2/2!
Asmodi0000
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It is a little disheartening to see a card you play rather often (since he's not very difficult to cast) eat the dirt before it gets a chance to really show its true power, but you get used to it after a while. A 2/2 swinging on turn 2 isn't too bad, and it works nicely with Boros Garrison in regards to that early game tempo. A 4/4 that can swing on turn 3 is also excellent, and people should be happy enough to see that before it gets killed.
And, you mustn't forget, that in the games where he manages to survive all the way to become an 8/8 first strike flyer, it's more of a "win-more" card, since your opponent can't be in a great position if he let that happen. Though, while "win-more" cards aren't strategically great, they certainly have a great deal of style.
It's interesting to note that if you just happen to have a spare 11 red/white mana sitting around, you could drop him and level him up all the way to his final form in the same turn, though I will admit that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong if a red/white deck finds itself sitting on 11 mana.
Overall, I prefer him to the true level-up creatures because of one vital factor. You can activate his ability at instant speed, which is often an important consideration when you make him a 4/4 to outpace a lightning bolt.
Longshanks126
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(4 votes)
"Haha, I tap my Intrepid Hero to destroy your Figure of Destiny. Bet you're sad you spent all that time and mana leveling him up!"
"In response, I pay 1 to make him a 2/2. What has two thumbs and isn't dead? THAT GUY!"
look at this http://www.ebay.com/itm/160639875890?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_1156
Lief098
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
You: "I'll pay 6 mana to make him an 8/8 with flying and first strike. Pass turn." Opponent: "All righty, that's pretty frightening... Mind Control." You: "In response, I pay one mana to use his first ability and make him a 2/2. Here you go, bro." Opponent: "FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU---"
Yeah, I like how the first ability can still be relevant after he's "leveled up".
Todris052
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My first reaction to this card: "Why isn't this a cycle?" My second reaction, after my brother put it in his R/W deck, with stuff like Scourge of the Nobilis and Balefire Liege: ...Wow.
KnexWiz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1) just b/c he is a Kithitin Spirit Warrior Avatar doesn't mean he is a 8/8 flyer with firststike (im looking at you Amoeboid Changeling) you have to activate his last ability to do that.
2) yeah no sh*t this card dies to removal, the fact that he is a one-drop means you should welcome that removal
Nillock
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
turn 1. play a land, and this turn 2. play a land and use first ability, then play mother of runes, watch opponent scoop or be forced to spend 2+ mana kill carding a 1 drop...hillarious
Rancid_Raptor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@HairlessThoctar
It needed it because this set had Wither as an ability to worry about. With First strike, it kept it safe from most wither cards. And it also protects it from most Infect Cards as well now.
J_Cast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ TopRomen
so you can make him unblockable with Goblin Tunneler then turn back to a 8/8
SkyknightXi
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
We've got this confirmed for Modern Masters.
Burningsickle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so much epicness piled into one card! Great flavor, unique abilities, only card I know of that can intentionally level down. I have seen this thing in action, and it is impressive!
Comments (44)
This card is early, mid, and late game all very efficiently.
The idea that just cause u can kill something doesn't make it good is just plain silly, and if u follow that logic u will find yourself playing with only Regenerators and Dark steel Ingots....but oh wait, those can both be removed from the game!!! WHAT IS A PLAYER TO DOO??????
the answer: Play with good, efficient cards. Like say...figure of destiny.
5 out of 5
"echo for R"?
Figure of Destiny's abilities don't just last until the end of turn, they last forever (At least until he leaves play, or some subsequent effect changes its characteristics).
Though it doesn't give you as much card advantage I much prefer playing a 1/1 for 1 the first turn then more 1/1s or 2/2s the following turns there are some strong things that you ca pull to keep your board full and adding some abilities doesn't hurt. especially with the double strike that seems to be prolific with RW creatures
cheap to play early
cheap-ish to buff to a 4/4
usable late game
excellent sink for unused mana
as for what Gezus82 said,
yes you will want to play your other creatures with abilities, but if there is mana left over, you can pump him up without a draw back.
As for changing creature types, it seems that would be helpful for him, but a waste of a card slot in your deck unless you can utilize that runed stalactite elsewhere in your deck, but still a good idea.
On the subject of removal, yes everything does in fact die to removal. If anyone thinks that a card is terrible because of its vulnerability to doomblades, bolts, paths, and other spells then they must think this whole game is terrible, which begs the question as to why they're here commenting in the first place.
And, you mustn't forget, that in the games where he manages to survive all the way to become an 8/8 first strike flyer, it's more of a "win-more" card, since your opponent can't be in a great position if he let that happen. Though, while "win-more" cards aren't strategically great, they certainly have a great deal of style.
It's interesting to note that if you just happen to have a spare 11 red/white mana sitting around, you could drop him and level him up all the way to his final form in the same turn, though I will admit that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong if a red/white deck finds itself sitting on 11 mana.
Overall, I prefer him to the true level-up creatures because of one vital factor. You can activate his ability at instant speed, which is often an important consideration when you make him a 4/4 to outpace a lightning bolt.
"In response, I pay 1 to make him a 2/2. What has two thumbs and isn't dead? THAT GUY!"
Opponent: "All righty, that's pretty frightening... Mind Control."
You: "In response, I pay one mana to use his first ability and make him a 2/2. Here you go, bro."
Opponent: "FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU---"
Yeah, I like how the first ability can still be relevant after he's "leveled up".
My second reaction, after my brother put it in his R/W deck, with stuff like Scourge of the Nobilis and Balefire Liege: ...Wow.
2) yeah no sh*t this card dies to removal, the fact that he is a one-drop means you should welcome that removal
turn 2. play a land and use first ability, then play mother of runes, watch opponent scoop or be forced to spend 2+ mana kill carding a 1 drop...hillarious
It needed it because this set had Wither as an ability to worry about. With First strike, it kept it safe from most wither cards. And it also protects it from most Infect Cards as well now.
so you can make him unblockable with Goblin Tunneler then turn back to a 8/8