8 seems like a lot, eh? Well guess what: it still sucks. Just play a creature instead.
PeterRabit
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(5 votes)
I would run these in my sanguine bond deck, 4 of these to be exact If I can get 3 out of 4 out with quest counters on them by the time I get sanguine bond out on turn 5 I've won, in casual at least :P
Designer_Genes
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(6 votes)
I can actually see these in W/U control. They do give a lot of life for little investment, in a deck that doesn't have a lot of other things not called Ponder to cast first turn.
Mr_Hendry
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(7 votes)
These quest cards are an interesting demonstration of how something seemingly powerful is not in fact that effective. At first glance the impression is that of little commitment for big returns but the truth is a lot can happen in three turns — A LOT. This card might not even make it that long. It's still playable, even descent, but inevitable less amazing than first impressions. Some quests are better than others and this one falls in the middle. The flavor is great, however, and the common ranking of this card does a great job of setting the prevalent adventure motif of the set. Fun stuff.
Strong card, cheap and you get eight life for 3 counters. Have lots of these and you can really go far.
3.5
snyden
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I see some hate because it takes three turns for this card to take effect. In a sense this is correct, insomuch as that if your deck would take three turns to activate this card, then it shouldn't be in that deck. There are plenty of decks out there, however, that would take one if not zero turns for the triggered effect, and that is where the card shines. I'm not talking about gearing your deck for this card either, but a deck that purposefully mana ramps to trigger damaging effects, or for the mana advantage can make great use of this. Lifegain is a form of stalling until you can activate the bigger effects that you are ramping for after all ;-)
KrosanGardener
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I think this card can most accurately be described as: sideboard-tastic! Against most decks, it delays the inevitable. Against sligh, it is THREE LIGHTNING BOLTS. Yikes. Card advantage.
Templar314
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Rest for the Weary can achieve the same effect in a single turn, for the cost of one colorless mana more.
Guntz1092
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this plus Sanguine Bond...AND you dont have to wait to cast this
Baconradar
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This is a classic card that looks like a good deal and certainly can be, but consider the following:
If you play it early, you are playing a card that for three turns or so does NOTHING. This can often equate to more of a loss than 8 life is a gain.
Imagine you are in a close game and you need to topdeck something relevant. This is a TERRIBLE card to topdeck.
AXER
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Gain 8 life for ONE mana? Why can't everyone rate it at least a 4?!?
SleetFox
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If you don't die in the first three or so turns, this is going to be better than Rest for the Weary. Therefore, it's one of the better life gain cards. It's still a card with no value outside of life gain, but for what it is, it's really nice.
masonthekiller
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
8 life for 1 mana is damn awesome.
And actually, if you set this up right, you can gain the 8 life after it comes into play: just sit on those fetch lands or play a Harrow.
bijart_dauth
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
i like it simply because not every deck has a good one drop creature, expecially in casual, were people dont spend more than 15 dolors or so on there decks. and enchantment destroy usually costs 2 or more, so in general you come out up on the mana spent, and you lose no card advantage.
Narim
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm going to build a W/B lifegain deck with Sanguine Bond... and I'm considering to put this quest instead of the Rest for the Weary... I can just leave it in a play until I put Sanguine Bond and once it has it's counters, I don't need to put any other land for it to be effective... on the other hand, if you're finishing your game and draw this, it's in most cases quite disappointing. Not to mention that your opponent can easily prepare and react on every expedition...
It's not strictly worse or better then Rest for the Weary, they have just different usage... I will deffinitely try it, it can be really funny with things like Elixir of Immortality and fetching lands
divine_exodus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
C'mon WIzards!! Let the guy do more artwork! He's almost as good as Jason Chan, and he's only done two cards!
jimmy92
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm really glad I found this card. I might put a few of them in my future deck. White is notorious for boosting your life and this card says it all. It would be a great combo playing this card with Clarion Ultimatum. Bring out four more lands and there you go, already three counters for Sunspring Expedition.
7pace7
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Actually this card works with fetchlands, and Rest for the Weary doesn't. So if you need something that cost a little cheaper, this could be it.
armogohma
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@True_Mumin
Not quite. There are't many one drop creatures that can save you 8 life. Still, anyone willing to play this card might want to consider using Perimeter Captain instead.
ScepterofEternities
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm tired of people calling lifegain useless and stupid. Sure, by itself, lifegain's basically just stalling, but when you take cards like Sanguine bond, Serra's Ascendant, Ajani's Pridemate, Ageless Entity, Divinity of Pride, Ajani Goldmane and Felidar Sovereign, lifegain suddenly becomes a lot more attractive, doesn't it?
sonorhC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've never understood people who say that life gain doesn't make you win, it just makes you not lose. Isn't not losing pretty much the same thing as winning?
Alsebra
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@armogohma - Then rarity is a factor. Acquiring a playset of these is much easier than of the Captain, and also take into account the amount of creature removal that is rampant.
The way I've always looked at it is that lifegain is white's way of stalling to the later game; blue has counter and bounce, black has destruction and graveyard shenanigans, red has burn (red doesn't really hope for late-game), and green has mass amounts of creatures.
arconic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I prefer soul warden simply because for the same mana, you've got a creature that will quickly gain life and can pay itself off in the long run. Not to mention, it has the possibility of gaining more life and doesn't rely on one source.
Comments (25)
If I can get 3 out of 4 out with quest counters on them by the time I get sanguine bond out on turn 5 I've won, in casual at least :P
3.5
If you play it early, you are playing a card that for three turns or so does NOTHING. This can often equate to more of a loss than 8 life is a gain.
Imagine you are in a close game and you need to topdeck something relevant. This is a TERRIBLE card to topdeck.
And actually, if you set this up right, you can gain the 8 life after it comes into play: just sit on those fetch lands or play a Harrow.
It's not strictly worse or better then Rest for the Weary, they have just different usage... I will deffinitely try it, it can be really funny with things like Elixir of Immortality and fetching lands
Bring out four more lands and there you go, already three counters for Sunspring Expedition.
Not quite. There are't many one drop creatures that can save you 8 life. Still, anyone willing to play this card might want to consider using Perimeter Captain instead.
The way I've always looked at it is that lifegain is white's way of stalling to the later game; blue has counter and bounce, black has destruction and graveyard shenanigans, red has burn (red doesn't really hope for late-game), and green has mass amounts of creatures.