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Magic: The Gathering Card Comments Archive

Illusionary Servant

Multiverse ID: 189897

Illusionary Servant

Comments (24)

MetalCrisis
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0) (10 votes)
Blue usually doesn't get creatures this efficient. Anything that would target it would likely kill it anyway.
Oleander
★☆☆☆☆ (1.4/5.0) (11 votes)
Good card, but I hate the art. Where exactly is the servant? I know it's illusory, but I shouldn't have to do a picture within a picture activity to locate the focus of the art.
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0) (19 votes)
Oleander Is Gay This Card Is Tight And The Art Is Unique Looks Outer Spaceish
kczok
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0) (6 votes)
A quite efficient beater. Unfortunately, his ability turns many spells into removal. Imagine taking him out with Moonlace.
UltimaCenturion
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0) (9 votes)
I like the art; I hate the card. We need blue spells, not half-dead blue critters.
Also, Oleander, if you look somewhat-but-not-especially closely you can see the mist on the rock looks like a hand.
What it needs is "fear," since that would make sense with the point of making it look like you have a creature in the first place.
deadguyred
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0) (7 votes)
It's works great in my black/blue discard deck. After they discard almost their entire hand, who wants to target this guy with anything?!

Cheap and deadly if used thoughtfully and flying is a nice touch.
Gwafa_Hazid
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0) (13 votes)
@Oleander

When you see it, you'll sh*t bricks.
DarthX
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0) (3 votes)
Actually I don't think you could use Robe of Mirror or Whispersilk to shroud it, if I'm not mistaken those both target the servant with an ability/spell which would mean you have to sacrifice it.
EternalLurker
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0) (4 votes)
@Zulp: No, you can't give it shroud with either of those. They'll target it and thus you'll have to sacrifice it before they resolve. You'd need to give it shroud with something that doesn't target, like Enchanted Evening + Sterling Grove.
achilleselbow
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0) (4 votes)
Yea, I never saw the 'drawback' on cards like this or Skulking Ghost or Tar Pit Warrior as much of a drawback. 95% of the time, if your opponent is targeting your creature with something, it's a spell that's going to kill it anyway. And regardless, if your opponent has to play a spell to kill it, you don't lose card advantage. The only real weakness it has is if your opponent already has something in play that could target it, like a Prodigal Sorcerer. Considering stuff like that is not all that common, I'd say this is one of the best drawbacks for efficient creatures.
RedReality
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If I'm reading this correctly, then Trickbind should be able to stop the sacrifice effect. Of course, saving this from a removal spell would require that the spell in question be countered as well, so in this way, card advantage is lost, making the better course of action to just let the Servant die.
Eved
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (4 votes)
3CMC for a 3/4 in blue is great. Flying is good. Giving it a drawback that usually doesn't matter isn't that bad. I tried this guy out a few days ago. He is now a 4of in my deck. Try him out, then rate him.
Chazilla
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0) (1 vote)
This is a fantastic creature, for Blue and the drawback isn't as big of a downside as many people seem to think, but would its ability trigger when targets are declared, or could you counter the targeting spell and save the creature?

In theory, you could counter the targeting spell before its controller declares any targets, thus the ability wouldn't trigger, but if they have stated a target already (which is more than likely) would Illusionary Servant's ability trigger, before you have the opportunity to counter?

EDIT: Never mind, I worked it out. Still good though
Stray_Dog
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (2 votes)
I love this... thing.
creepycrawler
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (2 votes)
Use Simic Guildmage to get shroud onto him and then you can play with him long enough to appreciate the artwork. The moon is his head!

Or just let him eat one of your opponents spells they should've saved for an even bigger threat that might be lurking somewhere in your deck. A 3/4 flying is nothing to sneeze at either though (unless sneezing is a targeted ability)...

Makes your opponent think before simply killing it, and you can plan for it to die. It's so blue!
HairlessThoctar
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0) (5 votes)
3 for a 3/4 flying that dies to things it would have died to anyway?
Awesome.
iSlapTrees
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0) (5 votes)
Illusion is a handy but fragile medium. Use it only in a pinch, or against the dim-witted."
—Jace Beleren

Dim-witted? I'll show you dim-witted!

-casts Giant growth on Illusionary servant-
Shadoflaam
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (4 votes)
See, they banned Jace and put an illusion subtheme in M12. WHO'S DIM-WITTED NOW BASTARD?
DarthParallax
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (3 votes)
Illusion decks almost didn't need M12 anyway. there was this, and Illusory Demon. Now? well...damn. :P
ZeroSheep
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (6 votes)
Lord of the Unreal to make it even better!
Nagoragama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0) (3 votes)
Insanely good in limited.
Valyant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0) (2 votes)
Who want's to pay 1BlueBlue for a wannabe creature? It should be called "Imaginary Servant".
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"I.. hate... you..." Illusionary Servant, to Hammerheim
OnyxSturm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Elegant art. Reminds me of a smoother, less gritty Brackwater Elemental.