She's okay. Playing her at the right moment will gain you a lot of tempo. But the 2/2 body is kinda underwhelming. 3/5
majinara
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Not that bad. Not great either. Bouncing stuff is nice, gaining life is fine too, and merfolk and wizard are both heavily supported creature types. 3/5
WER386
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
If all conditions are met, you get a 2/2, 3 life and a creature on your foe's side off the table for 3 mana, seems quite good for me. If conditions are no met you just get a 2/2 for 3 mana... another of these "play me with your deck supporting me or i smell".
skew
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Altough there are some other UG merfolks, i guess there's not much UG merfolk decks around. That said, you'll probably be grateful for the 2 Island condition fullfilled. Then you'll get to return one tapped creature. Not that bad, but if you want to get rid of some specific creatures, you might not be albe to. If you want to get rid of some big nasties, you'll be able to do so probably after they attacked, which is a bit late, too.
Still, in some (not strictly merfolk) decks it can be quite effective, i guess. 3/5.
Atmos
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
The sole weakness of this hedge-mage is the lack of the true "Man-O-War" effect; why the "tapped" condition? Then again, Wizards was likely worried about effectively reprinting Man-O-War during a time where blue decks (or rather, Faeries) had taken over Standard and Blue needed to be brought down a peg. I'm fairly certain that's why it was designed this way.
However, I find that to be a inadequate reason to limit the bounce ability on this creature, considering that the format at the time revolved around Comes Into/Leaves Play abilities, and a three drop that resets your opponent's Spellstutter Sprite/Kitchen Finks sorcery speed would not have broken anything.
Sadly, even after rotating out of Standard, the poor Selkie Hedge Mage has nowhere to go, and it's a shame since it was so close to being just right.
The green ability really doesn't share anything with blue, but that's fine. Green has had lifegain since the dawn of Magic and it fits here.
The creature types were part of the archetypes chosen for Eventide, but even so, Merfolk and Wizards have no shortage of buffs and effects, though one would be hard pressed to splash green into Merfolk as printed.
Overall though, it's a solid, if a bit underwhelming, part of a good cycle.
Skyknight
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
It was probably only tapped creatures to keep her from being strictly better than Man-o-War (q.v. the additional life-gain clause).
AXER
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Damn she's so f'g hot. Gotta love that goth style!
SleetFox
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This girl is more attractive than she really should be.
Anyway, the tapped clause isn't as big of a deal as one would expect. Most of the time the creature you'll want to be bouncing will be tapping to attack you or use a good ability anyway. That means you have to let that attack/ability go off once, unfortunately, but you still get to hit that target easily. The life gain is an afterthought, but it's still nice.
I give it a 3.5/5.
NARFNra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You know, it's kinda disturbing how someone with a body that's half a fish(seal?) can be that attractive. I know there've been comments on it already, but really Wizards?
MarlinFlake
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@True_Mumin I wouldn't say her body is underwhelming, I'd say she's pretty smokin'
Kirbster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
She's okay. Wooing her at the right moment will gain you a lot of cuddles. But the half-seal body is kinda underwhelming. 3/5
Continue
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Breeding Pool to get both effects on turn 3, but she's probably better later, when you can bounce something huge. 3.5/5
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card would be retardedly good if it were in standard today with all the shocklands.
switchblade44
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'll take her 2/2 body anytime. The claws just do it for me.
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I get that people aren't very happy about the tapped condition, but you can get a lot of bang for your buck here. If she just had man-o'-war's ability she would be absurd. Keep in mind she could choose to bounce herself, which is probably why they added the restriction.
A decent body, a splash of life and delay a threat. (Or abuse another comes into play effect) If she was also a repeatable Healing Leaves then she would be too much. She won't place in tournament decks, but she is an excellent play for anyone else running simic colors. Also just fun.
As for her appearance, she should be attractive. Selkies are very specifically attractive, its one of their defining features in every story about them. (the other is that they turn into seals.)
Comments (15)
Bouncing stuff is nice, gaining life is fine too, and merfolk and wizard are both heavily supported creature types. 3/5
If conditions are no met you just get a 2/2 for 3 mana... another of these "play me with your deck supporting me or i smell".
Still, in some (not strictly merfolk) decks it can be quite effective, i guess. 3/5.
I'm fairly certain that's why it was designed this way.
However, I find that to be a inadequate reason to limit the bounce ability on this creature, considering that the format at the time revolved around Comes Into/Leaves Play abilities, and a three drop that resets your opponent's Spellstutter Sprite/Kitchen Finks sorcery speed would not have broken anything.
Sadly, even after rotating out of Standard, the poor Selkie Hedge Mage has nowhere to go, and it's a shame since it was so close to being just right.
The green ability really doesn't share anything with blue, but that's fine. Green has had lifegain since the dawn of Magic and it fits here.
The creature types were part of the archetypes chosen for Eventide, but even so, Merfolk and Wizards have no shortage of buffs and effects, though one would be hard pressed to splash green into Merfolk as printed.
Overall though, it's a solid, if a bit underwhelming, part of a good cycle.
Anyway, the tapped clause isn't as big of a deal as one would expect. Most of the time the creature you'll want to be bouncing will be tapping to attack you or use a good ability anyway. That means you have to let that attack/ability go off once, unfortunately, but you still get to hit that target easily. The life gain is an afterthought, but it's still nice.
I give it a 3.5/5.
I wouldn't say her body is underwhelming, I'd say she's pretty smokin'
A decent body, a splash of life and delay a threat. (Or abuse another comes into play effect) If she was also a repeatable Healing Leaves then she would be too much. She won't place in tournament decks, but she is an excellent play for anyone else running simic colors. Also just fun.
As for her appearance, she should be attractive. Selkies are very specifically attractive, its one of their defining features in every story about them. (the other is that they turn into seals.)