Blech. (<--Can you tell I used to read Mad Magazine?) WUGRB for a 4/4 flier doesn't seem worth it to me. At least not on a rare.
Aristos
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
If you cast this creature from the graveyard, is it still a red creature? Or is it now a creature of all colors?
r-e-meatyard
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
@Aristos: It would be red. What matters is the normal cost of the card, not what you actually paid for it.
Huangzhong
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
takes forever to pop this guy. Most games are over by then.
tngms
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is far from overpowered and it can't fit into typical red decks, but I still like it. For a somewhat crappy creature (2/2 or 4/4 flier) it's hard to get rid of for good (since it returns itself from the graveyard directly to play). As I said before, it's not overpowered since it costs 4 to play the first time (when its a measly 2/2) and the colorful 5 is a complicated investment for just a 4/4 flier. But it does have a cool effect that can be relevant in slow casual games. It's a decent include budget multicolor decks, as something with a lot of green/red can manage to get at least one of the other colors.
RyFryy
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Pretty disappointed to pull this out of my booster pack the other day. I can't see myself ever using this. It would be much better if it got the +1/+1 counters no matter how it returned to play, then using something like Sneak Attack would make it worth while.
RJTheDestroyer
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I like this card...if you need, you can just keep blocking with it and bringing it back from the grave on your next turn until you get something to turn the tide of the battle (of course this will only work if your opponent can't overwhelm you with a bunch of creatures or something, or just exiles the card).
PaladinOfSunhome
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I find this card avaerage. I think the cost for bringing it from the graveyard is too much, your better dregding for it,
2.0
Donovan_Fabian
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I like it for the most part, but I would still gripe about the part that bothers me most, the mana cost paired with the power. What I want to see on a phoenix should read, 3/3 for 5 mana, if it dies you may pay 3 and 1 r to bring back the phoenix into play with 2 counters as a 5/5 flying with haste and first strike. That would be cool because it doesn't have those abilities unless it dies and is brought back in first place, but if it isn't exiled or something it can pay out big. Either way, having a creature that can potentially be brought back from the graveyard over and over can be really good, especially when paired with gorgon flail, for a 5/5 flying death touch that you don't care if it dies or not. Electropotence also a pricey, but effective combination, 8 mana puts the phoenix back into play and does 4 burn damage to target of your choice.
BrilliantIdiot
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I threw it in my main deck, since I like using a Mycosynth Lattice I gotta admit once I got the out of the way it was a pretty fun play. I like it, but thats just because I don't like tournaments.
RowanKeltizar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Neat card. I use it because I don't have many other red critters with flying at this point. Giving it something like Grafted Wargear or Claws of Valakut helps make it a threat.
Guest1162619373
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
People STILL do not get it: the card is being cast FROM YOUR GRAVEYARD for WUGRB. Is that not good enough for a 4/4 flier that can come back every single turn after getting killed unless exiled? How many other creatures in this game can return themselves TO PLAY from the graveyard that are red and are not Phoenixs? How many? They made it harder to recur because that is a powerful ability to have, especially when tied to a 4/4 flier when it is recurred with it's ability.
ElMikkino
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I much prefer Kuldotha Phoenix over this card.
Dr.Pingas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't understand the wording of it. I get what it does, just not the wording. What does it's mana cost have to do with casting it from your graveyard to warrant a 'rather'?
also, @Huangzhong, I can't say I've played a game in the past 2 years that didn't last less than an hour, which means 20+ turns for each player easily. Most games are over by when?
NoobOfLore
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Remember, red does NOT get efficient fliers. See Goblin Sky Raider. Adding 1 more mana for an extra toughness and a potentially useful ability isn't bad, although there are better cards for most situations. Not a card I particularly want, but I'm glad to see it exists.
Nagoragama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
In my 5 color Commander deck which can easily consistently get to all 5 colors by turn 3 or 4, this is an endlessly recurring attacker/blocker for the low cost of 5 mana. Definitely not worth it for serious constructed play, but in the right deck/format it is a powerhouse. Plus it has my favorite creature type, phoenix.
Kindulas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card. Can be cast from your graveyard. For mana only. and the cost is not exorbitant. it is GOOD. I mean just try and deal with this thing without white! 4/5
Azazyel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled the idea from an old Building on a Budget article from 2009 and tried to make a control deck using this as a win-con. The idea is that this think escapes board wipes, and all targeted removal save for Path/Swords, so even if it gets killed or countered you can recur it and win.
Problem - the ability only functions at sorcery speed. Nothing kills the buzz of paying at the end of an opponents turn only to realize that since the Phoenix is cast, it can only be played at any time you could cast a creature.
This puts a damper on the control strategy of the deck, since in order to recur the Phoenix you're forced to shut off mana you could've used for card draw instants and counterspells.
I guess if you could find a way to give it flash...
Oh look. Another pheonix that, though flavorful, is kinda hard to work with.
GrimjawxRULES
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I remember this being tournament playable at some point. 5 color control ran these as their finishers because they were nearly impossible to deal with, and it's easy to see why. It's easily cast the first time around (only one red mana in its cost), and after that, you're recurring a 4/4 flyer that takes 20 % of your opponent's life every turn unless they waste another removal spell on it. Two things are especially worth noting with this card: Firstly, you cast it, meaning it can be countered by an opponent, and secondly, it's one of the few (strong) creatures that you can repeatedly return from your graveyard to play. Each time your opponent uses a Doomblade or Terror to get rid of it, you're gaining card advantage.
Binaro
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hey, I like the guy. I build five-colored decks all the time, and they aren't that difficult if you aren't afraid to throw in at least ten mana-generating artifacts. This guy can be casted from my graveyard as easily as anything else can.
Comments (22)
2.0
also, @Huangzhong, I can't say I've played a game in the past 2 years that didn't last less than an hour, which means 20+ turns for each player easily. Most games are over by when?
Adding 1 more mana for an extra toughness and a potentially useful ability isn't bad, although there are better cards for most situations.
Not a card I particularly want, but I'm glad to see it exists.
Can be cast from your graveyard.
For mana only.
and the cost is not exorbitant.
it is GOOD.
I mean just try and deal with this thing without white!
4/5
Problem - the ability only functions at sorcery speed. Nothing kills the buzz of paying
This puts a damper on the control strategy of the deck, since in order to recur the Phoenix you're forced to shut off mana you could've used for card draw instants and counterspells.
I guess if you could find a way to give it flash...
No, Haakon works better with Vengeance.
Two things are especially worth noting with this card: Firstly, you cast it, meaning it can be countered by an opponent, and secondly, it's one of the few (strong) creatures that you can repeatedly return from your graveyard to play. Each time your opponent uses a Doomblade or Terror to get rid of it, you're gaining card advantage.