Pointed Discussion

MY HELLION

This guy is a Sleeper in the set. Anyone who has read any of the Ferret's writings and remembers Crater Hellion is automatically like OMG Crater Hellion 5-8!!!!!

This card is GOOD, sacrificing one dude so he survives his own ability shouldnt be too much of a problem, since you are likely about to loose SOMETHING to the aformentioned Triggered Ability anyway.

Combos nicely with Goblin Assault. I definitely dig the card.

there is a problem with this guy, he needs to eat to survive. if you play him without devouring something (which is better then killing anything that is less then defense 3), he kills himself. so in a jund deck he is really good because you'd eat all saprolings you have produced, and make him nice and fat

so what the heck is a hellion anyway

If I devour a Sprouting Thrinax with this, will the three damage kill the tokens that would be spawned as a result of the thrinax being sent to the graveyard, or are the abilities handled simultaneously so the tokens survive?

FogRaider: I'm not sure if it's completely legit, but my friend runs a devour deck with Sprouting Thrinax, and he devours it and the three tokens it makes when it hits the graveyard. So that's what you probably want to do. If you didn't devour the tokens, they'd get burned by Helion.

Devour and the damage are triggered by the same event, by the Hellion coming into play.

When you choose to resolve Devour first, the Thrinax hits the bin and triggers the creation of tokens, which is put onto the damage trigger on the stack. The tokens die of the damage because they are created first (LastInFirstOut).
When you choose to resolve the damage first, it kills the Hellion and the Thrinax. This triggers the creation of tokens, which is put onto the Devour on the stack and resolves, then Devour fizzles because the Thrinax is no longer a legal target.

In neither case, the tokens cannot be devoured.

@MadTheorist: You are partially wrong.

Devour isn't a triggered ability, it's a static ability. It's applied as part of the resolution of the spell.

So, when the Hellion enters the battlefield, before you get to put any triggers on the stack, you have the option to sacrifice any number of creatures. If you do, you put the appropriate number of+1/+1 counters on it and the Hellion enters the battlefield as a creature of the corresponding power and toughness. Then triggers go on the stack, among those, the "deal 3 damage" part. If you've sacrificed a Thrinax to the Hellion's devour ability, you get to put either the 3 tokens into play before or after the damage, depending on the order of the triggers on the stack you chose.

You are right when you say the tokens can't be devoured, however. Because they are created by a trigger, said trigger must wait until the devour ability has fully resolved to be put onto the stack... and it's then too late, of course, to devour them.

Of course it's expensive; look what it does. A kicked (Devour 1) Caldera Hellion in combination with Splinter Twin and you have a creature that deals 3 damage to each creature every turn.

Add Basilisk Collar and Whispersilk Cloak and it's probably lights out.

If you wanna get tokens from Sprouting Thrinax to sac to this guy, here's how you do it. You play 4 Thrinaxes, Earthquake for 3 to kill 'em and get 12 tokens. Play this guy, sac 12 tokens, he's a frigging 15/15 that hits all creatures for 3 upon entering the battlefield. If timed right, you'll boardwipe everything that doesn't have flying, pro-red, and a toughness over 6. And get a 15/15, lol.

Devour always happens before ETB triggers. You devour "as" you come into play. you deal damage after you have entered play.

I remember having a hard time deciding to use this or Magma Phoenix. This guy is definitely way better than the Magma Phoenix. The Phoenix's ability is just too clunky and slow.

The two parts of his ability play really well together. When you play him odds are your going to loss at least a couple of creatures so feeding them to him is no big deal. Really is a nice use of devour.

So if I have a 1/1 Mortician Beetle and I play this devouring three creatures, would the beetle die from the 3 damage, or would it get the three +1/+1 counters before the damage?

Protip: Sacrifice all the creature with a toughness of 3 or less.

Hellions are badass.

I'd like it even more if it had haste.

I know you guys think this card is great, but I can't say I like it. When you play it, you basically have to sac all your small creatures or they get burned, for only one +1/+1 counter apiece. It would be worth it if it had trample or if it was Devour 2 or 3. I just feel like you'd be better off playing a Mycoloth or a Marrow Chomper, both of which have Devour 2 at the same CMC, and end up with larger creatures that don't begrudge you all of your small creatures.

@RunedServitor:
You forget that this is a red creature, while both of those you named are green (and black, in the case of Marrow Chomper). Green gets to have more efficient creatures. So with this being red, it's awesome because it helps clear your opponent's field, saving your Lightning Bolts and whatever other damage spell you're running for his or her face. It's an awesome ability even without getting the overpowered creature.

@OutlawD1 Hellions are like fire breathing worms

One word, "soulbond"

2 other words "Nightshade Peddler"

2 less board wipey other words "Nearheath Pilgrim"

Just stack the triggers so it buddies up with the guys then let the 3 damage to everything be enhanced with deathtouch or lifelink.

Awesome art.