Probably the best piece of flavor text ever printed.
Donovan_Fabian
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(11 votes)
yes, it is great for milling, but in a way I wish they wouldn't encourage milling quite as much as they do, because then your not getting to play your simply getting all your cards milled and the game ends. I've been on both sides of the card mill deck in play and it can win for you (memory erosion being an especially awesome card) but it also takes a lot of the fun out of it. Doesn't quite feel like winning because you never let your opponent play anything for a whole game with some mill, remove soul, essence scatter, and counter spells, so its like playing solitaire until you win. Great for spikes, but I'm more of a johnny.. timmyish.. somewhere in between, I still like to win, but I'd rather not have to lock down my opponent entirely to do it.
Drawing all 4 archive traps in your starting hand for example.. can mill your opponents entire deck except for 8 right at the beginning for 0 mana.
Anyways, sort of rambling here, just making a case for and against milling, its a good mechanic that can help blue players, but make it to easy and your not really getting to play magic anymore.
@ designer genes, maybe so, but you can play an almost creatureless deck with these crabs that does nothing but counter spell, boomerang, and mind control whatever your opponent plays, and mill them into the ground. You know what defense there is against that? Almost nothing, even if your opponent also has counter spells, if your whole deck is set up that way you will outdo with them with it.
masterSDF
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(8 votes)
For 1 mana, you get to either mill your opponents OR feed your graveyard? Well I think it has more to show than what is apparent at first glance! I think it's a great card... Looking forward to (ab)using it! :-P
Mode
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Can both be of great use either for milling your or your opponent's side. Given that this is in your opening hand and survives, it greatly sums up to the lategame. When you play your sixth land this crab has milled considerable fifteen cards, that's one Tome Scour plus one Glimpse the Unthinkable.
I also like the fact that it has a 0/2 body. It suits to Crabs regarding flavor, blocks 1/x creatures unharmed and prevents it from getting Zapped to death that easily.
Elysiume
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm not a fan of mill, but the excuse that it doesn't let you play things is so stupid. How is getting milled any different than just plain killed? Instead of dealing 20 damage, they mill 50 cards. It's certainly harder to combat, but that isn't the fault of the people playing the mill decks.
That said, while I have a mill deck, I don't play it much. While in multiplayer it can all but instantly take someone out, it seems a bit unsporting. Yes, Traumatize + Mind Funeral + Tome Scour is pretty nice, getting a 40 card deck down to about 5 cards, it isn't fun to get hit with. It's a legitimate tactic, but it just isn't that fun to play against.
And as for 4x Archive Trap in the first hand, for a 60 card deck, they are dead second turn. They already drew 7, and you milled them for 52. A 1 card library doesn't last long.
inmypants22
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
a great one drop for mill decks like mine. the best thing about it is that it still works in the late game if it isnt killed off.
Owls_and_More_Owls
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(9 votes)
I has a Hedron.
No! They be stealin' mah Hedron!
Zulp
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(22 votes)
Aw, cute. He has a hedron. He is perplexed by it.
SachielOne
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
This baby won me several games in a booster draft. I shudder at how effectively these can mill a 40-card deck. Combine it with a fetch land to mill twice in a turn, or something like a Khalni Gem to get land back in your hand should you be short on land.
Panpl
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(13 votes)
A large Hedron collider.
Vadoff
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@Donovan_Fabian If you're talking about standard then ignore what I have to say, since I don't play that format... However, if it's either legacy or vintage you're talking about then LOL. You have NO IDEA what you're talking about if you think mill is even remotely competitive in those scenes.
True_Mumin
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Dredge decks have suddenly fallen in love with this card. :)
StreamHopper
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I own a mill deck, and boy is it fun. You find your opponents frustrated at what was put into their graveyards after casting a mind funeral. I use a card called Kathari Remnant. Cascading into a Mind Funeral is a whole bunch of fun, and it creates a staller than can continuously block. I've got four of those, and two Odious Trows. Deny reality is also a nice cascade card. With a bunch of tome scours, and a few drowner initiates. Oona Queen of the Fae as my trump... Couple Zombie Outlanders, Slave of Bolas, Deny Reality and Sedraxis Alchemists... You got yourself a nice affordable mill deck. What some people fail to understand about mill decks is that regeneratable creatures are a pain in the ass when you're getting the everliving shit milled out of you. It's a beautiful thing to see your opponent frustrated, and tis a thing I look forward to.
Dingo777
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I love milling and I love this little guy, all I can think of in standard though is the UB zombie, nemesis of reason, memory erosion, mind funeral, archive trap and this little guy and Jace
maybe there is something in M10 I am forgetting but mill is fun, it doesnt always work, which is part of the fun
I would love to see shelldock isle and sanity grinding reprinted, those were 2 awesome mill cards from lorwyn-shadowmoor
PaladinOfSunhome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is just aweosme. Great for getting rid of your opponents good cards but also great for Dredge.
3.5
Smoked_Peasant
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This little guy is a monster. As good a turn-one play you can make in a mill deck, and a decent turn one dredge play.
This card is a must for aggro-mill decks. Build a deck with these, a couple of Mind funerals, Tome Scours and Archive Traps, and you can mill a 60-card deck in 4-5 turns for the win. Add Jace Beleren, splash in some Negates and Doom Blades then choose your walls (I recommend Bone Wall and Wall of Frost) and you've got yourself a Standard Format tournament-worthy deck.
Actually, Psyklone, Taniwha does nothing. Phasing in and phasing out does not trigger leave-play and/or enter-play abilities. If all your lands phase in, landfall does not trigger. Cuz phasing a neat idea, but is broken. Not in the good way. Phasing is just broken cuz it doesn't do anything. Someone honestly should fix phasing.
he is the first blue card i have considered legitimately putting in a deck. good ability, and he is kinda cute.
oh, and "I haz a Hedon."
please make this a FNM reward card with that as flavor text.
BeRad
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
If you have 2 of these guys out, does it double the effect? 6 cards milled for each land you have enter?
Foodtime
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Zendikons + Fetch lands. 'Nuff said. Run B/U Mill with MInd Funeral (lulz), these lil guys, the Black and Blue zendikons, Fetchlands, and Grim Discovery (AMAZING card. get crabs... back... and pull up your fetchlands!)
I drew such an insane hand with these guys I wanted to cry because I know it will never happen again.
One island, Three crabs, 3 Evolving wilds
48 cards milled by turn 3, for 3 mana.
BaneSlayerKirby
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(12 votes)
Small Enemy Crab.
SleetFox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of the most efficient mill cards ever. For only U you get a very reliable way to deck people or feed your graveyard, and if that strategy doesn't work, you still get a 0/2, which is not bad, all things considered.
Plus it's adorable.
Past_Dark877
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Does nobody else think it's funny to swing for "nothing" with these guys?
vsasntore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is the sole reason I hate dredge decks. But as much as I hate dredge, I have to admit that this is a good card.
RoboRick
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I LOVE Hedron crab. I had 4 in my U/W control deck when i started and cut it back to just 2. Getting Hedron Crab on the battlefield on turn 1 makes my day every single time it happens. A very good card, especially for one mana.
Plungingforward
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
It's pretty funny that I've been forced to add a pair of Eldrazi titans to my sideboard to deal with a one to cast, 0/2 crab. So. Many. Combos. So. Dang. Annoying. So. Dang ... Cute?
BrotherEra
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(3 votes)
The only useful Crab creature ever printed in the history of Magic.
Nayban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love playing this guy with cards like Farhaven Elf, and other cards that put a land on the board.
Sasky
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Its ability is far more powerful than most one drops. It has 2 toughness, which makes it able to block 1-powers. It can disrupt combos by milling key cards before they ever see the light of play. It is absolutely brutal when you are playing cards like harrow and when you have multiple copies in play.
You don't have to mill an opponent to death with him to let him have a huge impact on gameplay. And let's not forget how he costs only ONE MANA.
I'm pretty sure wizards were sniffing too many black lotuses when they made this card.
Leonidus7784
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So I was playing in a tournament with my red green valakut landfall deck with my friend who had a blue green hedron crab landfall mill deck. I ending up winning but he had more fun than any of us there. To hear "I mill you for 72" is pretty crazy. (in case you wanted to know he had kicked a rite of replication on a hedron crab and had six then played four lands in one turn thanks to bouncing and evolving wilds.) it was great. Great Card!
NoobOfLore
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is just obnoxious to play against.
iSlapTrees
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This lil crab reminds me of dory from finding nemo.
"ooooooo..... a hedron..." :)
Funny aside, I have been dreaming of a deck running this lil fella and Bloodchief Ascension. Though I see that the 0 toughness doesn't fit the 2 damage theme.
draco_nite
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(13 votes)
CRAB BATTLE!
Zacch
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
certainly one of the best lanfall abilities, following rampaging baloths. it mills opponents super quickly. I run four in my blue control deck
divine_exodus
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(14 votes)
Who's a cute little crab? You are!! Who's holding a hedron looking cute? You are!! Who is so very annoying to everyone it plays against?
You know the answer, folks.
Z33T
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love how this one card has helped me destroy those blue-white control decks. :3 I dare ya, counter my land drop ;p
JsGiant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Considering there are many 1 turn kills that win by doing 20 plus damage it's nice to have 1 that wins on the mill. This card, scorched ruin, crucible of worlds, fastbond, claws of grix, and a forest and an island gives you the win before they can Bogardian hellkite/fireball n channel/phage and lightning grieve you to death. Provided you go first.
Odorous_Walker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Dont let this little guy fool you, he may be cute but I was on the recieving end of two of these guys and was killing 6 a land drop. I really wish this card was not only banned but burnt to the ground. it is a great card but the leading cause for me to deck out.
Feralsymphony
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
And the award for cutest blue creature goes to...
Polkovnik_Skyfox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Card can backfire if you can't target an opponent. Run with Ravenous Trap.
This little monster is a great way to get your friends to stop playing Magic with you. I love blue, and I love mill, but being on the receiving end of this thing's effect is absolutely infuriating. Also, play terramorphic, explore, play a second terramorphic, then tap/sac (lawl? sorry) both terramorphics.
a lovely little creature with flavorful and mighty ability. i love the creature type, by the way^^
Creamof1337
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(9 votes)
MY BOY. My mill deck has changed so much over the past couple of years, but this is one baaaaaaad crab that my playgroup has come to fear, no matter what the deck around him is like. Long live the Hedron Crab.
DacenOctavio
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Forms an interesting feedback loop with Punishing Fire. They mill your fire, you give them some free life, they give you a card, you shoot their crab and bash for 3 with Wild Nacatl.
very nice; they were printing self mill less and less until innistrad came out, and this was one of the better
zenitramleirdag
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
planar birth...
Bioshockboy7
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i run a blue mill that wins about 59% (D: i need a jace) and i normally have this first turn, if not i sometimes mulligan until i have it (no more than 3 times though) and this card + 4 evolving wilds and terramorphic expanses REALLY
LordRandomness
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Orobo, Palace in the Clouds. Derp.
raptorman333
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this guy basically opened the door to functioning mill
I'm surprised people don't know how much of a god he is in Legacy.
Turn one play and Island and drop him. Turn Two drop a Misty Rainforest, mill yourself for 3, crack open a forest, mill yourself again for three.
That's seven cards in the grave, congrats, Threshold turn 2.
Want more? You happen to have two untapped lands, including a forest. Why not drop a MASSIVE Tarmogoyf?
Paolino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is a masterpiece of design and development: it's a great annoying card and it can come down at turn 1; it has 0 power, because an annoying AND fighter creature is just too much for ; it has toghness 2, which is the right compromise between easy removal effects and strong removal effects (which use direct damage of course, not counting the obvious universal removal spells) and it's an uncommon, so that it shows up the right often in Limited.
Fenix.
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Turn 1: Island, Hedron Crab Turn 2: Hedron Crab, land
Probably my favourite game start ever.
GolemEmperion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Turn 1, play the crab. Turn 2, play another crab, play a land, mill 6. Turn 3, play another crab, play a land, mill 9. Throw in a few tome scours or thought scours and watch your friends glee turn to unstoppable rage!
ziggefranz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
best one drop in the game.
everyone's already mentioned the combos, so, I'll just say this guy is a definite four-of.
it's amazing how people will target the living hell out of this guy - he pulls more aggro then almost any creature card I have in my mill deck, barring Nemesis of Reason and . I've had people drop removal on one of my crabs rather than Circu, Dimir Lobotomist.
hilarious.
goldstar971
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Vadoff
That's not quite true while a mill deck is non competitive there is one deck that wins by mill painter stone
eonsofevil
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
4 HEDRON CRABS with 4 LIVING TSUNAMI.
CaiusAeliusLupus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love this card. This one works great with Jace's Erasure and quite a few Tome Scours in my deck.
Shadoflaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The cutest insanely good 1 drop by far. 5/5
Arachnos
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This little guy doesn't LOOK like much, but trust me, you will be sorry if you don't remove him because his ability adds up. Especially if you have several of them on you.
@Eonsofevil: I don't think you need more than one Tsunami, really.
Is it bad that I use the crab's mill ability on myself? Narcomoeba doesn't seem to mind.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Always love this little guy; I do find him mildly difficult to utilize appropriately however. I know it's just "play, put down lands", but the nature of mill and his "slow and steady wins the race" playstyle can be troublesome since there's no board position to speak of.
@Kweane: I think the reason is because WotC put the word "Jace" in front of every good mill card, and no one wanted to run a Jace theme deck. That's my reason at least. I don't like the guy at all, and I'd prefer to not have to pretend I'm anyone other than myself when I play anyway.
Goatllama
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Crab: "Whadafook is dis?"
wideyes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lots to love. He's a great first-turner for weenie blocking and milling. You can chump block him or sac him later-game if he's not doing you service. Use him for your own card advantage if you're using graveyard tech. Heck, put some equipment on him and he can even attack. A versatile creature that shouldn't be overlooked, especially in any landfall deck that runs blue.
Xineombine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Really good one drop, with an effect like that he'll see much play 4.5/5
MindAblaze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this might be my favorite creature. Very nice to copy with a Phantasmal Image.
larkeith
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Something that hasn't seemed to be noted is the possibility of using this in some sort of janky self-mill land/graveyard deck; Crucible of Worlds makes this guy basically a free three cards to your graveyard each turn.
Mike-C
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
2 things we know:
1) Shellfish are born to GO HARD.
2) Jesper Ejsing (The Artist) Was playing A LOT of Skylanders (Spyro's Adventure) when he drew this..
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
While player burn and mill are slightly different, 3 milled is about the same percent to victory as ~1.13 damage. (Not counting that your opponent draws each turn.) Red got stuck with Cosi's Ravager for , blue gets a one-drop. That's the power of Hedron Crab. It puts a clock on any opponent who doesn't deal with it, it blocks chumps and if it can survive just a few turns, it easily becomes the most efficient mill spell ever printed.
I have had opponents drop a Wrath of God when I had two out; this crab demands an answer.
Comments (99)
Drawing all 4 archive traps in your starting hand for example.. can mill your opponents entire deck except for 8 right at the beginning for 0 mana.
Anyways, sort of rambling here, just making a case for and against milling, its a good mechanic that can help blue players, but make it to easy and your not really getting to play magic anymore.
@ designer genes, maybe so, but you can play an almost creatureless deck with these crabs that does nothing but counter spell, boomerang, and mind control whatever your opponent plays, and mill them into the ground. You know what defense there is against that? Almost nothing, even if your opponent also has counter spells, if your whole deck is set up that way you will outdo with them with it.
Given that this is in your opening hand and survives, it greatly sums up to the lategame. When you play your sixth land this crab has milled considerable fifteen cards, that's one Tome Scour plus one Glimpse the Unthinkable.
I also like the fact that it has a 0/2 body.
It suits to Crabs regarding flavor, blocks 1/x creatures unharmed and prevents it from getting Zapped to death that easily.
That said, while I have a mill deck, I don't play it much. While in multiplayer it can all but instantly take someone out, it seems a bit unsporting. Yes, Traumatize + Mind Funeral + Tome Scour is pretty nice, getting a 40 card deck down to about 5 cards, it isn't fun to get hit with. It's a legitimate tactic, but it just isn't that fun to play against.
And as for 4x Archive Trap in the first hand, for a 60 card deck, they are dead second turn. They already drew 7, and you milled them for 52. A 1 card library doesn't last long.
No! They be stealin' mah Hedron!
If you're talking about standard then ignore what I have to say, since I don't play that format...
However, if it's either legacy or vintage you're talking about then LOL. You have NO IDEA what you're talking about if you think mill is even remotely competitive in those scenes.
maybe there is something in M10 I am forgetting but mill is fun, it doesnt always work, which is part of the fun
I would love to see shelldock isle and sanity grinding reprinted, those were 2 awesome mill cards from lorwyn-shadowmoor
3.5
Who says blue can't play aggro?
That was painful.
oh, and "I haz a Hedon."
please make this a FNM reward card with that as flavor text.
Run B/U Mill with MInd Funeral (lulz), these lil guys, the Black and Blue zendikons, Fetchlands, and Grim Discovery (AMAZING card. get crabs... back... and pull up your fetchlands!)
One island, Three crabs, 3 Evolving wilds
48 cards milled by turn 3, for 3 mana.
Plus it's adorable.
You don't have to mill an opponent to death with him to let him have a huge impact on gameplay. And let's not forget how he costs only ONE MANA.
I'm pretty sure wizards were sniffing too many black lotuses when they made this card.
"ooooooo..... a hedron..." :)
Funny aside, I have been dreaming of a deck running this lil fella and Bloodchief Ascension. Though I see that the 0 toughness doesn't fit the 2 damage theme.
You know the answer, folks.
Run with Ravenous Trap.
Forest, Fastbond, Oboro, Hedron Crab, any basic land, repeatedly bounce oboro till your at 1 life and you've milled your opponent for 54.
Assuming a 60 card deck and they didn't mulligan down to 5, that's game.
Flesh out the rest of the deck with soratami mindsweeper, oboro breezecaller, lifegift, horn of greed, and other mill options.
5/5
Scapeshift
Turn one play and Island and drop him.
Turn Two drop a Misty Rainforest, mill yourself for 3, crack open a forest, mill yourself again for three.
That's seven cards in the grave, congrats, Threshold turn 2.
Want more? You happen to have two untapped lands, including a forest. Why not drop a MASSIVE Tarmogoyf?
Turn 2: Hedron Crab, land
Probably my favourite game start ever.
everyone's already mentioned the combos, so, I'll just say this guy is a definite four-of.
it's amazing how people will target the living hell out of this guy - he pulls more aggro then almost any creature card I have in my mill deck, barring Nemesis of Reason and . I've had people drop removal on one of my crabs rather than Circu, Dimir Lobotomist.
hilarious.
That's not quite true while a mill deck is non competitive there is one deck that wins by mill painter stone
@Eonsofevil: I don't think you need more than one Tsunami, really.
Use him to power out Jace's Phantasm, Consuming Aberration assistance, Avatar of Woe, Visions of beyond and similar.
1) Shellfish are born to GO HARD.
2) Jesper Ejsing (The Artist) Was playing A LOT of Skylanders (Spyro's Adventure) when he drew this..
I have had opponents drop a Wrath of God when I had two out; this crab demands an answer.