Morphling, Torchling and Thornling is already in existance now. too bad this time the card is not as consistant to the original as Torchling used to be. but well, i guess that means that wizards will likely come up with two more Mythic Rarelings sooner or later. Spoiltling and Saintling, i'm waiting for you ;)
nususu
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(10 votes)
The art of this card infuriates me. Here's what's wrong.
1. The art is not consistent with Morphling or Torchling. This could have been a really cool, really collectible cycle, but it is ruined by this art.
2. The art doesn't make sense with the card. If we look at the card's power and toughness, 4/4, and then the size of the monster, some inconsistencies are reached. Take Wooly Thoctar for example. Woolly Thoctar does not tower over the trees around it, however it has a power of 5. Granted, The Thornling has the capacity to get bigger, but it starts out as a 4/4. So assume the illustration represents the Thornling as large as it can be on its own, a 7/1. Now, the Fusion Elemental, an 8/8 should be larger than the Thornling right? According to its power and toughness it should have a larger body than the Thornling, but it doesn't.
3. Furthermore, power/toughness art discrepancies aside, this doesn't look like a 'ling at all. It's too huge to be something called 'ling. (see Hellkite Hatchling)
It seems like someone got the art wrong for the card, and I hope this is fixed via a promo version of the card or something.
The bottom line is, the art bugs me because it lacks consistency. It lacks consistency with its cycle, and it lacks consistency with its set. This was a HUGE letdown for me when I saw this art, and honestly, the art of this card is my least favorite thing in Conflux. I could forget about all of Conflux's other faults, if only this art was different.
What a disappointment. When I saw the text of the card spoiled I had so many cool ideas for what it could look like, but alas, what a cruel world we live in.
I give the card itself 4.5 stars just because I'm such a huge fan of the would-be cycle. I give the art a half of a star.
vesu_
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(10 votes)
The art is fine, but not fitting on this card. I don't mind that it doesn't feature a shapeshifter imitating another creature, I mind that it doesn't look like a shapeshifter at all. I can understand the decision to break the trend of 'ling artwork so that the other two 'lings do not have predictable and could have more unique artwork, but this does not sit well on an intangible level. A 'ling is a creature of variable size and shape, but the artwork depicts a big chunk of thorns that looks so painfully static, bulky, and bears an unintentionally humorous dopey expression.
The combination of indestructible and power/toughness shifting is fun, especially when you add trample, but the haste ability has no audience. Timmy hates to have to wait to play his creature just so it's ability may be useful when the benefit seems so unwieldy, and competitive players will never wait for six mana to play this, or more if they want to actually take advantage of the other abilities on that turn. What makes this ability even worse is that it can't be used with the other abilities without an unrealistic investment of at least seven mana, and to casual players, it isn't worth it compared to less mundane threats than a seven-mana 4/4 trampling haste creature.
FreakyM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
The art is horribly ugly. Nuff said.
chicho27
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(5 votes)
The haste ability is kinda blah.. shroud would have prolly made this see some standard play. Oh well still is a neat card to pick up.
nubiop
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
A really neat cycle ruined by the artwork...
Shazzeh
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Ugly to the extreme. Make a promo with rk post art.
RJDroid
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I have no real problems with the card, but they did not even attempt to homage the original Morphling. Would it have killed them to paint two huge humanoid critters covered in thorns?
majinara
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The problem with this guy is that the abilities make mostly no sense. - haste. makes sense only the turn it comes into play, and only once. any time later it is a dead ability - trample. sure, good ability, but again: beeing able to activate it multiple times makes no sense - indestructible. same as trample. apart from beeing able to use it in response to someone trying to kill it in response to the first activation
Yes, in theory, it could be a 7/1 indestructible trampler with haste. But then he'd cost.. uhm... 5...8.... 11 mana. Not worth it.
The guy is all in all a fine card, but blows compared to the original Morphling, and is even worse than torchling. It's ok in casual decks, but else sucks.
xxBrun0xx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I actually made a beautiful promo version of this card with MUCH better art for my cube. If anyone wants it, email me: fearnbp@clarkson.edu. :) It's really quite a strong card.
Procrastinate
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(13 votes)
At a first glance, Thornling is just an okay card. But then you have to realize something:
7/1 isn't its full potential.
If you pay the 1 green, its indestructible, meaning it won't be destroyed if you do the +1/-1 ability more. Build it up to an 8/0, 9/0 10/0, etc.
Unless there is something in the rules that says something about it, as long as it is indestructible, it wont die if it has 0 toughness, meaning it can have more power.
thaviel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i'm sorry to break it to you but being X/0 means it's dead indestructible or not.
bugi1986
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
The haste ability is retarded... The other 4 are OK... all in all... fine card...
MasterOfEtherium
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The Artwork Is *** Awesome And Hes Pretty Strong The Haste Ability Is Total Garbage Though Switch It With Reach Its More Fitting With Green. But Its Hard To Construct A Deck Wiith This Guy Other Than With Blach Wood Armor.
Oleander
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's a state based effect that as soon as a creature's toughness reaches 0 or less, it dies, regardless of any form of indestructibility it may have, so this.. thing... cannot become any bigger than a 7/1. As for it's abilities, they pretty much make it sub-par as compared to it's shapeshifting brethren. Both the others have abilities that can be used multiple times and still have some useful effect, such as the untap abilities that they both have, which opens them up as blockers, utilizing their rear-end growth function, as well as the lure ability of Torchling; But having 3 abilities that don't even stack is kinda blah, and the inability to untap basically forces you to pick if you want him to be an attacker or a blocker, rather than the potential for both. Heck, even an activated vigilance would have been better than an activated haste, as that still accomplishes the same function in a greenish way. Kind of a waste of a mythic slot, if you ask me, though.
epricq
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Agree with basically everything vesu said, but I am just less of a fan of the art. I don't like it. I'd like Wizards to do an Arcana showing what the de***ion given to Kev Walker said.
crenel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Uhm excuse me but what the *** were they thinking? This thing is overpowered as no other in literally almost any deck. Why does it need FIVE abilities? Wizards, seriously, Lorwyn was a few blocks ago, get your shit together. No more of these overpowered meatballs. (Yes, I'm aware that it's just a copy of Morphling with a few variations, but even so... seriously? Seriously now?)
Asarkun
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You dont spend your mana before you declare the attack and your opponent chooses how to block but after the blockers are declared.
If...
...your opponent doesnt block you can boost him +1-1 for each mana
...your opponent does block it with one creature or very weak creatures than you give him trample, indestructible and/or boost him
...your opponent does block him with a very strong force than you give him only indestructible and maybe a little boost to kill at least one of your opponents creatures
also... a strong creature with indestructible is always very handy.
4/5
MightyMortox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What I like about this card is the innate Indestructibility, albeit you have to pay the 1g for it, but it can be a huge game changer if you get into bomb vs bomb. Basically able to chump any single creature and with trample you'll often be getting damage through to your opponent.
Sure it's slightly costly to get this guy up and running but consider 6G to get him into play /w Indestructibility for the first turn; then look at comparable 6 cost creatures. Not many are indestructible. Meaning often those 6 cost creatures come into play and are instantly destroyed.
IMO any card that offers you versatility is worth considering, and this guy has versatility written all over him.
Only thing I don't like is the Haste, since as mentioned, after his first turn it's a dead ability and more than likely he'll be hitting the board as soon as you have 6 mana, with the 6th point being spent on Indest. rather than Haste.
4/5.
Grimn777
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't think you guys appreciate how good the haste can be. As a 5 drop this card is good, and really gets online next turn. As a 6 drop, the indestructibility for a turn is crucial. However, where this card really shines is in a topdeck/deadlocked game where each player has around 10 lands, and needs a bomb. Although he only costs 5, pay 1 for the haste, 1 for indestructibility, and 3 to make him 7/1, you have a huge amount of damage that cannot be destroyed, the turn it comes into play.
Agent1103
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
It seems there is a tad bit of confusion on this card and its indestructibility, so I thought I would clear some of it up.
Effects that destroy or deal lethal damage do not remove Thornling, or any card that is indestructible, from play. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be gotten rid of. Effects that exile or reduce it's toughness to 0 or below will remove it from play. For example, if you use Thornling's (+1/-1) ability to reduce it's toughness to 0 or below, it will go into the graveyard. If you choose to make it a (7/1) and some other ability gives it (-1/-1), like Infest, then it will go into the graveyard. However, if you choose to make it a (7/1) and it is dealt lethal damage, say via Lightning Bolt, it WILL NOT be put into the graveyard. This ability should be understood as reducing it "base" toughness to zero or below - so long as it's base toughness is not ≤ 0 then it survives.
As for my opinions on this card, I think it is good, but not as good as it's predecessors (particularly Morphling). The lack of an untap ability reduces its utility somewhat. While the indestructibility is on par with Morphling's shroud, this block has several spells that can remove it from the game reducing its power when compared to other cards. Nevertheless, this is a solid card with reasonable potential. That having been said, I am very interested to see the next number of cards in this shapeshifter family.
professornutbutter
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(6 votes)
A lot of people are lambasting the art. I know why, and I agree that it is unfortunate that it isn't in the same vein as Morphling or Torchling with a mirror image, and therefore a shapeshifter, but I can't agree that the art is 'terrible" in any way here. I challenge those who say it's "crap" to do something better, and using photoshop on/with other people's artwork does not count; when I say "do something better", I mean actually create something, i.e. paint the image for the Thornling the way you want it to look. If you can't produce a better looking image than Kev Walker, then how can you say it's crap? (last question to be read: STFU :P ) He did what he was told to do I'm sure (it's not like Wizards said: "Scrawlz teh apez-lik3 mirrorzzez 4 uss plz LOL!" and he replied with a: "LOL!!!1one! I drawlz teh ubberz BEATS-b34sts in$tedd s0 d13 1n 4 f1r3! LOLZ!" ... ), and he did it quite well. It's a great painting all in all, it just doesn't conjure up Shapeshifters and Supermen or Morphlings and Torchlings; and for that it's too bad. But it is a nice piece of work. My 2 cents
Omniance
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Regardless of the art's quality (Kev Walker is amazing) the illustration is terrible. A giant rhino made of dead branches and trees is suppose to be able to 'morph' and change forms at will? The art isn't nearly as distinguishing as it should have/could have been, and that's more of Wizard's fault then Kev Walker's.
If they ever reprint this, hopefully they'll commission rk post to do another rendition of a 'ling card to bring back that old nostalgic feel and continue what they started when they made Torchling.
QNG425
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think some people underestimate the usefulness of this card. I run this in my Bant along with Rafiq, Baneslayer, Noble, etc. and it's proving to be a big nasty especially with pumpable trample. Forces your opponent to use a Path or some other exile type card too. A poor man's Morphling, but appropriate.
Neutralion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Make a creature you want. I want whiteling
Raveknight
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Alot of your opinions I see posted of this card are going to change as this guy see's more tournament play
AbyssalManZero
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
... I don't see what everyone's beef with the art work is, it's great art work and the card it's self is a gnarly addition to any deck! Done me alot of good!! All so helpful and useful! If only it could get vigilence too LOL :P
Ava_Adore
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(6 votes)
Haste is alright but next turn its useless so you may as well not count this ability at all, Indestructible is good and so is trample, but in green does this creature really stand out much at all.
compared to morphling in blue, i don't think so.
its still good though, i give this a 4/5
i gave morphling a 5/5 tho
SliverWarlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
F*** this artwork !!! makes me sad that the morphlingstyle serie is over here
JosirisDavid
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I rather they make the first ability to " G : Untap Thornling ".
Green are known for untapping stuffs.
Guest379324807
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
sorry, one simple question: why elemental if it is a shapeshifter? I guess just for making someone doing a silly question like this.... :-)
Fordin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Procrastination
Indestructible doesn't mean it won't die if it toughness falls to 0, all creatures die when that happens :)
Gheridarigaaz
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
OK I have no qualms with Kev Walkers work on this shapeshifter but I must say i was really looking forward to the "Green" interpretation of the anthropomorphic figure. Its nice to have change but when it breaks the trend substantially it lowers my expectations. Anyway wouldnt the suffix -ling be used to imply something as scrawny, not that i have any problem with a huge beast on my side of the table. AND Whats with all this fuss about their abilities. I dont see much of a problem we cant have an all powerful shapeshifter, it would be really ***y to be up against someone with a creature that wont go down, its up to us as gamers to utilize these abilities creatively. isnt that what magics all about, personally i think these blunt abilities are potentially a waste of mana. so if i was looking at these from someone elses point of view weve got superman(morphling), bizzaro (torchling) and metallo? (thornling) i guess... The idea is theyre almost on par with each other (to the noob).
spectermonger
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
for the mana you use to play it, it becomes a 7/1, Trample indestructible. I agree that the art is in bad flavor, but it is not bad art. When I'm sitting working on a painting or illustration and somebody say, "hey, it would be neat if you did X", then I hand them the paper or canvas and say, "go nuts".
Johnald
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With Thornling out that just means there are two more '-lings' to complete a 5 color cycle.
InsideousRakael
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I agree with vesu_ . It's not necessarily that it doesn't follow the trend, but it doesn't look at all what I would have imagined. Definitely something smaller and more humanoid would have been more appropriate. I mean, 3/3 is elephant and this guy's 4/4 and TOWERING over the trees. That and the picture is quite static. It's abilities also don't really make it stand out that much from other green creatures. Indestructibility is cool, but everything else is just so-so. I mean, how hard is trample to come by and why would I give it a -X on either side when green is all about bigger and bigger. That lends itself better to either of the other -lings but not this one. All in all not terrible and still usable. Would have been 4.5/5 if it had the untap ability. 3.5/5
Gaussgoat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How is this card possibly rated below a 4???? Don't get me wrong, it may not be the greatest card in the history of Magic, but it is an incredibly flexible and powerful creature for 5CC.
4.5/5
Zefaris
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
can one make it below 0 power? for instance -4/12??
@ professornutbutter: There is absolutely no prerequisite for critiquing art. Art is not a practical endeavour, so to suggest that a person needs to propose a better alternative to be able to criticize it is ridiculous. To complain about politics with no alternative is one thing, but art is a totally different matter. Walker tried to evoke an emotional response with his work, and it looks like he failed to do so with most of the posters here; he sure did with me. And that's my personal inner experience, that I don't need to justify to anyone else. No one needs to rationalize their emotional experience to the arts.
Anyway, Thornling has the worst design of any of the 'lings by a wide margin. It's not very tempting to pump his toughness one point at a time when you can just make him indestructable. They were willing to throw the size and the art conventions out the window when making this card, so why stick with the -1/+1 ability when it matters in only the most narrow of situations? It just looks like an amateurish mistake from a card among Magic's earliest sets.
desolation_masticore
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Morphling sucks, he has been replaced about 17 times now. He used to be good, but Juzam Djinn used to be amazing. Creatures have gotten better, and Morphling has stayed the same.
I would still like to see the cycle completed.
Huffytreefolkman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
first mistak they should of have rk post do the art.
Laguz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
The beef with the art isn't with the art itself - i don't think Kev Walker could paint a bad picture even if he tried - but it's that the art doesn't fit the card. It seems like WotC had an unused beast laying around and slapped it on thornling here (probably due to the artist missing the deadline). That is really lame. Even worse, it doesn't fit the mirror-image shapeshifter motif that started way back with vesuvan doppelganger.
As for the card itself, I wish haste was replaced with anything else. Haste on this thing is entirely useless and it would have been infinitely better with a unique ability.
ObsessedAddict
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card to death, actually. Swing with a 4/4 for 5, leave all your lands open, after combat play whatever you want with the mana left in your postcombat main? Oh I'm going to block with a 6/6? Tap 2G, it's now a 6/4 indestructible. No blockers? easily tap 3 colorless to make it a 7/1?
If they lightning bolt it after combat, in response just beef up its toughness as much as necessary and it survives. Same with anything like infest, or whatnot.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
you guys are green-haters, this card rocks
OmegaSerris
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(3 votes)
My prediction for the next in the 'ling cycle:
Muckling Shade Shapeshifter Untap ~. ~ gains Intimidate until EOT ~ gains Hexproof until EOT ~ gets +1/-1 until EOT ~ gets -1/+1 until EOT 2/2 (because we can't have an efficient black creature, can we? :-P)
ax_morph
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Should have given vigilance...since it's basically the green version of untap and haste is worthless the turn after it comes in...
infernox10
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Here's hoping for a White and a Black "'ling"~~
Goatllama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Two more to go.......!
BongRipper420
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is pretty neat due to it's flexibility, something Green isn't exactly known for, but I do have a few gripes & observations when it comes to this card.
For starters, many people comment on the art being sort of off, especially when looking at it's 'ling' peers. I agree that the art seems a tad bit inappropriate due to it not really hinting at it's capabilities as a shapeshifter. It's not the this art is bad, it just seems like they could have done more with the green shapeshifter concept. Instead, they took the same route they would later take with fellow green shapeshifter, Skinshifter where it's unique traits are barely touched on in the art. So while the art is good, it's a bit disappointing to see another ordinary looking large green beast on a creatures who's abilities are anything but.
Now, my other observation with this card regarding it's playability is the fact that one ability nullifies the other. I'm talking about how the 'Indestructibility' effect makes the '-1/+1' ability almost completely irrelevant in 90% of situations, and only really useful against certain removal (Dismember, ect). I understand why it was given both abilities, but that doesn't make it any less unfortunate that one ability feels nearly useless and almost always goes with being activated.
Regardless, I like the card and the art as well. And I can't wait for the White or black 'Ling' creatures.
4/5.
upgraded
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
On the one hand the art is odd when stacked up against the other two 'lings, but on the other the art is quite good. It's a rhino with a face; that seems like the perfect picture for a green shapeshifter.
immelmann
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
should have changed the Haste to either Reach or Vigilance...
Kelptic183
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I require the black Ling to be called Zergling. I don't care about copyright infringement, do it NOW!
TheWrathofShane
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I dont know if its because they wanted to keep the "until end of turn" synergy, but the indestructible ability is a stronger version of regeneration.
I think they should keep regen, its been in magic since alpha, but some will argue that it should go and be replaced in the future with abilities like thornlings.
There are some key differences between something that regenerated and something thats indestructible. For one it becomes tapped, and number two there are plenty of destroy and burns that prevent regeneration, but none that prevent indestructible. You have to look to auras, exile, and bounce for that.
So a creature with : Regenerate ~, would be fundamentally different from something thats just indestructible.
Anzu-chan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It is the Super man's pet. :p
Binaro
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
People really underestimate Haste, don't they? Sure, it only matters for one turn. But that one turn is really all that matters. Not giving your opponents a chance kill it with a sorcery and not giving them a chance to untap their creatures to block with can really make a huge difference(and sometimes can even win you games).
I think a direct comparison to Thornling's kin is leading some people to form misconceptions about this card. Just as Morphling and Torchling were designed with their respective colors' goals in mind, so too was Thornling. Keep in mind that green is the color of mana acceleration, that means that while M and T will not see the board till turn five usually, Thornling is a turn 3 4/4. Look at Ashenmoor Gouger, Arrogant Bloodlord, Vexing Sphinx, Crag Saurian, or any other turn 3 4/4 outside of green to see what kind of drawback that merits,and none of them even come close to Thornling's versatility. The hastiness is there for when you draw this guy t4 or later. In either of the above scenarios, you get to swing with a 4/4 on t4, it's just a difference of whether you paid for it last turn or current turn.
Several folks also brought up the overlap between indestructibility and -1/+1, but both of the other 'lings have a similar overlap, whether it's shroud or redirect. All of these abilities are intended to be situational, they obviously aren't intended to have equal weight in most scenarios. Sure you might only need the buff when hit with a dismember; indestructible makes him indestructible, the buff makes him invulnerable. At that point, you've whittled Thornling's weaknesses down to bounce, tuck, and exile. The first is just a speed bump, it should be no problem to recast, the second is rare, and the last is the only remaining threat and the most dangerous form of removal in the game anyway.
It's sad that such a good card is derided by so many simply because it's not perfect.
Megadog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The only x-ling that can be in a Doran EDH. I really want one for that purpose. Swinging with a 4/4 that has 1: Get's +1/+1 until end of turn, along with it's other effects, would be brutal.
NinStarRune
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Assigning Blockers Step:
Opponent: "Does it have Trample?" Me: "Not yet."
RustyKeyes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't care if it's better, a true Morphling's power and toughness are 3! And where in the art is its double? Heresy!
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why was this made?
No, I'm being serious. Why was this made? Why Conflux? Why green? For what purpose was this printed, especially at this rarity?
Comments (62)
too bad this time the card is not as consistant to the original as Torchling used to be.
but well, i guess that means that wizards will likely come up with two more Mythic Rarelings sooner or later. Spoiltling and Saintling, i'm waiting for you ;)
1. The art is not consistent with Morphling or Torchling. This could have been a really cool, really collectible cycle, but it is ruined by this art.
2. The art doesn't make sense with the card. If we look at the card's power and toughness, 4/4, and then the size of the monster, some inconsistencies are reached. Take Wooly Thoctar for example. Woolly Thoctar does not tower over the trees around it, however it has a power of 5. Granted, The Thornling has the capacity to get bigger, but it starts out as a 4/4. So assume the illustration represents the Thornling as large as it can be on its own, a 7/1. Now, the Fusion Elemental, an 8/8 should be larger than the Thornling right? According to its power and toughness it should have a larger body than the Thornling, but it doesn't.
3. Furthermore, power/toughness art discrepancies aside, this doesn't look like a 'ling at all. It's too huge to be something called 'ling. (see Hellkite Hatchling)
It seems like someone got the art wrong for the card, and I hope this is fixed via a promo version of the card or something.
The bottom line is, the art bugs me because it lacks consistency. It lacks consistency with its cycle, and it lacks consistency with its set. This was a HUGE letdown for me when I saw this art, and honestly, the art of this card is my least favorite thing in Conflux. I could forget about all of Conflux's other faults, if only this art was different.
What a disappointment. When I saw the text of the card spoiled I had so many cool ideas for what it could look like, but alas, what a cruel world we live in.
I give the card itself 4.5 stars just because I'm such a huge fan of the would-be cycle. I give the art a half of a star.
The combination of indestructible and power/toughness shifting is fun, especially when you add trample, but the haste ability has no audience. Timmy hates to have to wait to play his creature just so it's ability may be useful when the benefit seems so unwieldy, and competitive players will never wait for six mana to play this, or more if they want to actually take advantage of the other abilities on that turn. What makes this ability even worse is that it can't be used with the other abilities without an unrealistic investment of at least seven mana, and to casual players, it isn't worth it compared to less mundane threats than a seven-mana 4/4 trampling haste creature.
- haste. makes sense only the turn it comes into play, and only once. any time later it is a dead ability
- trample. sure, good ability, but again: beeing able to activate it multiple times makes no sense
- indestructible. same as trample. apart from beeing able to use it in response to someone trying to kill it in response to the first activation
Yes, in theory, it could be a 7/1 indestructible trampler with haste. But then he'd cost.. uhm... 5...8.... 11 mana. Not worth it.
The guy is all in all a fine card, but blows compared to the original Morphling, and is even worse than torchling. It's ok in casual decks, but else sucks.
7/1 isn't its full potential.
If you pay the 1 green, its indestructible, meaning it won't be destroyed if you do the +1/-1 ability more. Build it up to an 8/0, 9/0 10/0, etc.
Unless there is something in the rules that says something about it, as long as it is indestructible, it wont die if it has 0 toughness, meaning it can have more power.
The other 4 are OK...
all in all... fine card...
If...
...your opponent doesnt block you can boost him +1-1 for each mana
...your opponent does block it with one creature or very weak creatures than you give him trample, indestructible and/or boost him
...your opponent does block him with a very strong force than you give him only indestructible and maybe a little boost to kill at least one of your opponents creatures
also... a strong creature with indestructible is always very handy.
4/5
Sure it's slightly costly to get this guy up and running but consider 6G to get him into play /w Indestructibility for the first turn; then look at comparable 6 cost creatures. Not many are indestructible. Meaning often those 6 cost creatures come into play and are instantly destroyed.
IMO any card that offers you versatility is worth considering, and this guy has versatility written all over him.
Only thing I don't like is the Haste, since as mentioned, after his first turn it's a dead ability and more than likely he'll be hitting the board as soon as you have 6 mana, with the 6th point being spent on Indest. rather than Haste.
4/5.
Effects that destroy or deal lethal damage do not remove Thornling, or any card that is indestructible, from play. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be gotten rid of. Effects that exile or reduce it's toughness to 0 or below will remove it from play. For example, if you use Thornling's (+1/-1) ability to reduce it's toughness to 0 or below, it will go into the graveyard. If you choose to make it a (7/1) and some other ability gives it (-1/-1), like Infest, then it will go into the graveyard. However, if you choose to make it a (7/1) and it is dealt lethal damage, say via Lightning Bolt, it WILL NOT be put into the graveyard. This ability should be understood as reducing it "base" toughness to zero or below - so long as it's base toughness is not ≤ 0 then it survives.
As for my opinions on this card, I think it is good, but not as good as it's predecessors (particularly Morphling). The lack of an untap ability reduces its utility somewhat. While the indestructibility is on par with Morphling's shroud, this block has several spells that can remove it from the game reducing its power when compared to other cards. Nevertheless, this is a solid card with reasonable potential. That having been said, I am very interested to see the next number of cards in this shapeshifter family.
If they ever reprint this, hopefully they'll commission rk post to do another rendition of a 'ling card to bring back that old nostalgic feel and continue what they started when they made Torchling.
Indestructible is good and so is trample, but in green does this creature really stand out much at all.
compared to morphling in blue, i don't think so.
its still good though, i give this a 4/5
i gave morphling a 5/5 tho
makes me sad that the morphlingstyle serie is over here
Green are known for untapping stuffs.
Indestructible doesn't mean it won't die if it toughness falls to 0, all creatures die when that happens :)
AND Whats with all this fuss about their abilities. I dont see much of a problem we cant have an all powerful shapeshifter, it would be really ***y to be up against someone with a creature that wont go down, its up to us as gamers to utilize these abilities creatively. isnt that what magics all about, personally i think these blunt abilities are potentially a waste of mana. so if i was looking at these from someone elses point of view weve got superman(morphling), bizzaro (torchling) and metallo? (thornling) i guess... The idea is theyre almost on par with each other (to the noob).
4.5/5
Anyway, Thornling has the worst design of any of the 'lings by a wide margin. It's not very tempting to pump his toughness one point at a time when you can just make him indestructable. They were willing to throw the size and the art conventions out the window when making this card, so why stick with the -1/+1 ability when it matters in only the most narrow of situations? It just looks like an amateurish mistake from a card among Magic's earliest sets.
I would still like to see the cycle completed.
As for the card itself, I wish haste was replaced with anything else. Haste on this thing is entirely useless and it would have been infinitely better with a unique ability.
If they lightning bolt it after combat, in response just beef up its toughness as much as necessary and it survives. Same with anything like infest, or whatnot.
Muckling
Shade Shapeshifter
2/2
(because we can't have an efficient black creature, can we? :-P)
For starters, many people comment on the art being sort of off, especially when looking at it's 'ling' peers. I agree that the art seems a tad bit inappropriate due to it not really hinting at it's capabilities as a shapeshifter. It's not the this art is bad, it just seems like they could have done more with the green shapeshifter concept. Instead, they took the same route they would later take with fellow green shapeshifter, Skinshifter where it's unique traits are barely touched on in the art. So while the art is good, it's a bit disappointing to see another ordinary looking large green beast on a creatures who's abilities are anything but.
Now, my other observation with this card regarding it's playability is the fact that one ability nullifies the other. I'm talking about how the 'Indestructibility' effect makes the '-1/+1' ability almost completely irrelevant in 90% of situations, and only really useful against certain removal (Dismember, ect). I understand why it was given both abilities, but that doesn't make it any less unfortunate that one ability feels nearly useless and almost always goes with being activated.
Regardless, I like the card and the art as well. And I can't wait for the White or black 'Ling' creatures.
4/5.
I think they should keep regen, its been in magic since alpha, but some will argue that it should go and be replaced in the future with abilities like thornlings.
There are some key differences between something that regenerated and something thats indestructible. For one it becomes tapped, and number two there are plenty of destroy and burns that prevent regeneration, but none that prevent indestructible. You have to look to auras, exile, and bounce for that.
So a creature with
Sure, it only matters for one turn. But that one turn is really all that matters. Not giving your opponents a chance kill it with a sorcery and not giving them a chance to untap their creatures to block with can really make a huge difference(and sometimes can even win you games).
Several folks also brought up the overlap between indestructibility and -1/+1, but both of the other 'lings have a similar overlap, whether it's shroud or redirect. All of these abilities are intended to be situational, they obviously aren't intended to have equal weight in most scenarios. Sure you might only need the buff when hit with a dismember; indestructible makes him indestructible, the buff makes him invulnerable. At that point, you've whittled Thornling's weaknesses down to bounce, tuck, and exile. The first is just a speed bump, it should be no problem to recast, the second is rare, and the last is the only remaining threat and the most dangerous form of removal in the game anyway.
It's sad that such a good card is derided by so many simply because it's not perfect.
Opponent: "Does it have Trample?"
Me: "Not yet."
No, I'm being serious. Why was this made? Why Conflux? Why green? For what purpose was this printed, especially at this rarity?