This card is too much fun. Simple but powerful design that proves the power that can be had at common. Great for limited and solid for constructed. Has great art, too! Looking forward to playing with this card some more.
angelsfire15
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(6 votes)
This card is obscene. One of the most powerful commons ever printed, and of the most powerful cards period to come out of this block. Pridemage is going to see play even in Legacy and Classic.
Studoku
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
An amazingly powerful card. It's a 2/2 with exalted that is also a naturalise. I'm suprised it's a common to be honest- those stats are normally found on uncommons or even rares.
SolacePlease
★☆☆☆☆ (1.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Insanity. Powercreep please.
xMLEE
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Technical Question: I pay 1 colorless and sacrifice Qasali Pridemage as an activation cost for its ability to destroy a target artifact or enchantment.
Can my opponent prevent the ability from resolving by casting a removal spell on the sacrificed Qasali Pridemage such as, 'Unmake'?
I am thinking no, because my logic is that the Qasali Pridemage's sacrifice resolves immediately and does not go on the stack. In the case that my logic is correct, what happens to the Unmake spell?
behemothzero
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@XMLEE: No, because you sacrifice him as a part of the cost.
This card should have being an uncommon at least. This guy gets rid of 44 cards in alara reborn alone. Talk about defense and removal, this guy is perfect and a must in a bant deck. I personally hated when someone would oblivion ring my Rafiq Of The Many "aarrggh", but With Qasali Pridemage forget about it.
Qasali Pridemage and Giltspire Avenger can help keep your opponent under control while you are swinging Rhox War Monk "for example", and gaining 5 life.
thaviel
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Technical Question: I pay 1 colorless and sacrifice Qasali Pridemage as an activation cost for its ability to destroy a target artifact or enchantment.
Can my opponent prevent the ability from resolving by casting a removal spell on the sacrificed Qasali Pridemage such as, 'Unmake'?
I am thinking no, because my logic is that the Qasali Pridemage's sacrifice resolves immediately and does not go on the stack. In the case that my logic is correct, what happens to the Unmake spell?
ok
so first off costs are paid as soon as you activate your ability. so there is no more pridemage to target with the unmake so it never gets cast.
second if he was still around cuz the card was worded something like "pay 1colorless pridemage destroyes target enchantment then bites it" then yes you could kill it before it goes off because there would be no more pridemage to kill the enchantment .
third if the card said pay 1colorless target enchantment explodes and then they target the pridemage and the pridemage is dead the ability is still on the stack and the enchantment dies anyway.
this has been magic confusion corner with thaviel.
True_Mumin
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Great and efficient. Extremely useful creature.
Vinifera7
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is ridiculous for a two-drop. It's a 2/2 with Exalted that ensures that you have artifact and enchantment removal.
I'd say yes - this is power creep. A Disenchant is usually at CMC 2. A 2/2 is, too. And then consider that this attacks as a Watchwolf on its own, can pump another attacker, and doesn't need to tap to use his ability. This is a powerhouse. Play it.
ArKive
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
It is a solid card, possibly even to main. This is how I understand turn Sequences, if I am wrong, please correct me. Cast Qasali Pridemage. Attack with your Rhox War Monk, wait until Exalted goes onto the stack. Sac your Pridemage, destroying your opponents artifact creature he was to block with/enchantment buffing his creatures/what ever card you currently aren't very fond of (Platinum Angel.) (you can do this because it is not a tap ability, and summoning sickness doesn't affect it.) deal your buffed damage to the player/blocking creature.
that happened because you used 1white 1green and a colorless. Now why is this card not used more often?
JaxsonBateman
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(8 votes)
@Thaviel:
Thought I'd answer your question/s with some coherence. ^^
First off, sacrificing pridemage is part of the ability's cost, and you can't interrupt costs as they don't use the stack. That's the beauty of instants and abilities that require sacrificing - if they try to destroy it, you can sacrifice it in response and nail an enchantment or artifact. If you try to nail an enchantment or artifact then its already left the field.
Secondly, spells and abilities are independent from their source once they're on the stack. Destroying the source won't prevent the spell or ability, unless it specifically says so. Even an ability like Prodigal Pyromancer (tap, *Prodigal Pyromancer* deals 1 damage to target creature or player) will still work - if the permanent is no longer on the battlefield, its last known information was used (it has no bearing on this, but if it was an ability that did damage equal to Pyromancer's power then it'd use its last power value before it died).
Thirdly, if an ability or spell is multi part (ie. your example of "1: Qasali Pridemage destroys target enchantment or artifact. Sacrifice Qasali Pridemage") and one of those parts can't be completed, the rest still go on as normal. So even if they kill the Pridemage there's nothing to stop the first half of the ability resolving.
Hope this helps.
EpicPridemage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love this card in my white green deck, my friend freezes my protean hydra solid, i sac my pridemage and have another out to buff my guy
achilleselbow
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(12 votes)
People, stop saying this should be rare or uncommon! It sickens me that people have become so used to the idea that a card's rarity should determine how good it is, or that you can print cards that are strictly and substantially better than other cards with the same cost, with no drawback other than being rare or mythic. Some of the best cards in older sets were commons or uncommons, and rares weren't just strictly better, but situationally better and required more thought to use properly. There is no reason to tie a card's rarity to its quality other than for Wizards to drain more of your money. Cards like Baneslayer Angel and most of the planeswalkers disgust me. Be thankful they're still printing some decent commons - looking at the Zendikar block, I feel like this may soon no longer be the case.
OverfiendSurprise
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
disgustingly good... and kinda upsetting.
lorendorky
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
this is practically a mythic rare when playing pauper.
niallcmurray86
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Wow this guy will loved by Magic players until the end of time! Instant classic.5/5
Galgus
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(4 votes)
@achilleselbow: I absolutely agree, especially about Plainswalkers.
vsasntore
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Puts Elvish Hexmage to shame
RazzmatazzTheGreat
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
His shoulderpad depicts the Japanese Rising Sun and he appears to be standing on the Great Wall of China. Hmmm...
DacenOctavio
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(9 votes)
Cat Wizard. That's a game-winning creature type combination already.
Kryplixx
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Better than Watchwolf.
pigknight
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Seems more shammy than wizzy.
dragonking987
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
scumbling1 the best cards from the first Mirrodin block where uncommons but for the most part you are right.
NextSureThing
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Who loves kitty?
Shadoflaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Who the hell rated up achilleselbow? That's the worst argument made since anti-abortionists.
Lueseto
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You really want 4 of these in your deck
SirZapdos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Turn one: Plains, Akrasan Squire Turn two: Forest, this card, swing for 3 (hopefully) Turn three: Any mana producing land, Shield of the Oversoul on this card, a 4/4 indestructible flyer that swings as a 6/6.
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Why would anyone want to get mad about this loveable card? It was a step towards being able to play a great deck in legacy with no blue in it. Power distribution is important and they finally found out that creatures need to do things that interact with your opponent and net you value. 5/5
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
While I'm hesitant to shout "POWERCREEP" when there are better targets available *cough Phyrexian Obliterator cough*, this guy is a hell of a lot of effects rolled into one. 2/2 for ? Check. Exalted? Check. Naturalize? Check. Common? Common? Uh, check.
Still, I'm even more hesitant to call it "broken." It's useful, sure, but again, *cough Hand of the Praetors cough* there are worse cards.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I wonder if R&G got confused for a second and thought exalted was a drawback.
MojoVince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like it so much but Sylvok Replica getting less rewards whereas it's in an artifact block disturb me ...
Brawler_1337
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love opening this guy with Rancor in my Modern deck. Turn 3, swing with a 5/3 that loses nothing if I use his ability later. This is a really good card. Possibly one of the best commons ever made.
Unsung31
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a foil one of these, looks fantastic.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A common that sees regular legacy play. That, in many ways, makes this as iconic and powerful as the ol' Lightning Bolt.
RobotOwl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Every time I look at this card I cannot help but think that Wizards originally planned on it being two separate creatures. One with Exalted and the other with the artifact/enchantment destruction. Especially since it is a common.
One cannot ask for more utility in a single creature. Creatures with similar levels of utility usually rely on some other source to make it good. For example, Deathrite Shaman needs the graveyard or it is just a 1/2, and Stoneforge Mystic is only as good as the equipment it gets. Also note that these cards are rares.
Of course I am not saying that Qasali Pridemage is better than these two, but my point is that this card is good by itself. It attacks as Watchwolf and is constantly threatening any of your opponents artifacts or enchantments. It is pretty much required as a 1 or 2 of in any GW deck, especially with Green Sun's Zenith.
5/5 for being an awesome card but still far from broken.
Comments (38)
Powercreep please.
I pay 1 colorless and sacrifice Qasali Pridemage as an activation cost for its ability to destroy a target artifact or enchantment.
Can my opponent prevent the ability from resolving by casting a removal spell on the sacrificed Qasali Pridemage such as, 'Unmake'?
I am thinking no, because my logic is that the Qasali Pridemage's sacrifice resolves immediately and does not go on the stack. In the case that my logic is correct, what happens to the Unmake spell?
This card is absurdly powerful.
Qasali Pridemage and Giltspire Avenger can help keep your opponent under control while you are swinging Rhox War Monk "for example", and gaining 5 life.
I pay 1 colorless and sacrifice Qasali Pridemage as an activation cost for its ability to destroy a target artifact or enchantment.
Can my opponent prevent the ability from resolving by casting a removal spell on the sacrificed Qasali Pridemage such as, 'Unmake'?
I am thinking no, because my logic is that the Qasali Pridemage's sacrifice resolves immediately and does not go on the stack. In the case that my logic is correct, what happens to the Unmake spell?
ok
so first off costs are paid as soon as you activate your ability. so there is no more pridemage to target with the unmake so it never gets cast.
second if he was still around cuz the card was worded something like "pay 1colorless pridemage destroyes target enchantment then bites it" then yes you could kill it before it goes off because there would be no more pridemage to kill the enchantment .
third if the card said pay 1colorless target enchantment explodes and then they target the pridemage and the pridemage is dead the ability is still on the stack and the enchantment dies anyway.
this has been magic confusion corner with thaviel.
I'd say yes - this is power creep. A Disenchant is usually at CMC 2. A 2/2 is, too. And then consider that this attacks as a Watchwolf on its own, can pump another attacker, and doesn't need to tap to use his ability. This is a powerhouse. Play it.
Cast Qasali Pridemage.
Attack with your Rhox War Monk, wait until Exalted goes onto the stack.
Sac your Pridemage, destroying your opponents artifact creature he was to block with/enchantment buffing his creatures/what ever card you currently aren't very fond of (Platinum Angel.) (you can do this because it is not a tap ability, and summoning sickness doesn't affect it.)
deal your buffed damage to the player/blocking creature.
that happened because you used 1white 1green and a colorless. Now why is this card not used more often?
Thought I'd answer your question/s with some coherence. ^^
First off, sacrificing pridemage is part of the ability's cost, and you can't interrupt costs as they don't use the stack. That's the beauty of instants and abilities that require sacrificing - if they try to destroy it, you can sacrifice it in response and nail an enchantment or artifact. If you try to nail an enchantment or artifact then its already left the field.
Secondly, spells and abilities are independent from their source once they're on the stack. Destroying the source won't prevent the spell or ability, unless it specifically says so. Even an ability like Prodigal Pyromancer (tap, *Prodigal Pyromancer* deals 1 damage to target creature or player) will still work - if the permanent is no longer on the battlefield, its last known information was used (it has no bearing on this, but if it was an ability that did damage equal to Pyromancer's power then it'd use its last power value before it died).
Thirdly, if an ability or spell is multi part (ie. your example of "1: Qasali Pridemage destroys target enchantment or artifact. Sacrifice Qasali Pridemage") and one of those parts can't be completed, the rest still go on as normal. So even if they kill the Pridemage there's nothing to stop the first half of the ability resolving.
Hope this helps.
Turn two: Forest, this card, swing for 3 (hopefully)
Turn three: Any mana producing land, Shield of the Oversoul on this card, a 4/4 indestructible flyer that swings as a 6/6.
Still, I'm even more hesitant to call it "broken." It's useful, sure, but again, *cough Hand of the Praetors cough* there are worse cards.
One cannot ask for more utility in a single creature. Creatures with similar levels of utility usually rely on some other source to make it good. For example, Deathrite Shaman needs the graveyard or it is just a 1/2, and Stoneforge Mystic is only as good as the equipment it gets. Also note that these cards are rares.
Of course I am not saying that Qasali Pridemage is better than these two, but my point is that this card is good by itself. It attacks as Watchwolf and is constantly threatening any of your opponents artifacts or enchantments. It is pretty much required as a 1 or 2 of in any GW deck, especially with Green Sun's Zenith.
5/5 for being an awesome card but still far from broken.