Pointed Discussion

Ugh. These are so bad, at least make them common if you ever print them again.

i dont see how this is a bad card in a mono black deck

Having a lot of life doesn't win the game, it just prolongs it. Life gain by itself isn't very good, but life gain + other nice things can be. Like lifelink, Kitchen Finks, Cruel Ultimatum (yes, the life gain matters quite often!), Tendrils of Corruption and such.

sop reprinting stuff like that

Despite what many people think, these are great cards in a monochrome deck. At least in casual play, anyway.

It's a solid 2-drop in Limited, where every point matters. Outside of Limited, however, it's quite subpar.

Don't underestimate this card, black has the biggest habit of beating itself up, this is it's 2 drop cure.
Think about having this out with Foul Imp, Carnophage, Yawgmoth's Bargain or the legendary Necropotence.
It gives black what it needs: staying power.

People confuse the hell out of me. It only costs 2 mana and it gives you free life. If it gets destroyed, you're only out the 2 mana you used to cast it. 90% of the time, you'll have gained enough life from it to have made those 2 mana worthwhile. In a multiplayer game you've got even better chances of getting use out of it. But somehow people still don't like them. No accounting for taste, I guess.

I don't like these. They just don't do enough to justify devoting a card slot to. Even in limited they are a last-pick sideboard card.

If you are winning a game you don't want to play this, because it doesn't help you defeating your opponent. You'd rather want to play a creature or something to finish off your opponent.

If you are losing a game, you don't want to play this, because it doesn't stop whatever is killing you. You'd rather want to play a doomblade or some other removal to destroy whatever is killing you.

In short: you don't want to play this at all.

Auto life gain is important is some decks. Just think about some cards like:
Sign in blood
Phyrexian Rager
Phyrexian Arena
Bitterblossom
Lord of the Pit
Breeding pit
and so on.
Black needs sacrifices to get strong so its important to regain life. It would be really stupid to commit suicide using so epic stuff. Its not just simple prolonging game, its keeping you alive while ur summoning pure awesomennes.

This can translate into so much life over the course of a duel for only 2 mana, and black has many spells that require life sacrifice= This thing rocks in monoblack.

People shouldn't be depreciating this rating. This card is actually quite usefull.

1.Imagine like many of you here have stated, free life for only two.
2. In turn if this lives long enough to see multiple spells Sign in Blood or even Demon of Death's Gate(even the Exhume combo) will be even more worthwhile.
3.Imagine if you had two of these out, or more if you were incredibly lucky(or use the "Black Tutor" cards)

I did use to be a noob at Magic, and as I learned how to play more adeptly, I discovered many standard tournament players hate limited and casual cards considerably. And weren't we all noobs at one time? Don't deny it elitists. Here is what your typical elitist sounds like "Man you are noobs, I spent two thousand dollars on twenty Jace the Mind Sculptors, and I like am going to nationals in standard FTW, BTW ANYBODY WHO USES RARES LESS THAN 13 DOLLARS ARE NEWBS"

Yeah I had a time when I was like that 2k is an exaggeration for me though, about 2k for all the stuff I bought. Anyways, Magic is a game some play for fun others for competition, many need to learn the difference. In addition, of the tournaments I have attended, a ton of it is based on luck despite standard search cards, and only hardcore Magic freaks like Simon Gurtzen or Guillaume Matignon should get bragging rights(kinda a profession for those two.)

I've found that these are almost never worth the space they take up in a deck, there's invariably something better that could go in its spot.

All the people complaining about these card cycles are tourney players. As a casual player who plays predominantly multiplayer, these cards are great.