I love this, it makes it easy to deal with early on fliers, and can even deal with a turn one Glint Hawk from your opponent.
Fyo
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Green's answer to infect in draft.
Tailor-made to block a plague stinger (or any 1/1 infect) and survive, or trade with a non-regen Skithiryx.
divine_exodus
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(9 votes)
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!!! One for a 1/2 with reach? And it can become a 4/2 at anytime? And it's common? The best common in the new set, undoubtedly.
5/5
PS. Watch out Storm Crow!
Eternal_Blue
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(5 votes)
this is clearly powercreep; and yet, would anyone actually play this if it were 1G? perhaps a happy medium would have been a 1/2 with reach alone.
I wonder what's wrong with me that I defend the idea that Baneslayer Angel is not overpowered and yet I find this card almost there... Don't get me wrong, it's not "broken" or something like that, but it is disturbingly powerful for a one drop common. Sure, there's all sorts of ways around it (as there is with any card--first strike is it's downfall), it just feels like it ought to be eith one mana more or one less power and toughness. But that's alright. It is a very powerful card, and as someone who plays a lot of flying definitely something to watch out for.
Mindbend
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Whats that Norwood Rangeryou went away and learnt how to use a bow and arrow and want to audtion for my deck again.
well i'ts definatly an improvement i might be able to find you spot
ratrase
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I can't decide if i should replace my Deadly Reclus for these guys as my AA defence.
WTF. This is extreme power creep. I don't like it. This card has too much juice for a one drop.
Stray_Dog
★☆☆☆☆ (1.4/5.0)(14 votes)
I'm in love.
There are so many beautifully balanced cards in this set. This is just another example.
People who cry powercreep don't understand that similar cards in earlier sets were UNDERPOWERED.
Narim
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(5 votes)
Powerfull one-drop, considerable tribe and great art (I love they have mirrodin's Viridian Longbow)
justicarphaeton
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(5 votes)
@RuthieA the sad thing is, as overpowered as this card is for a one-drop, it probably won't even see constructed Tier 1 play. What does that say about the power level of Standard right now?
And I always thought Thornweald Archers pushed the envelope for low-curved green flying hosers...
It's a neat card but just thinking about where it sits on creature power-level makes me worry about what's happening to creature power-creep in Magic...
tantallum99
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(7 votes)
A 1/2 one drop with reach that becomes a 4/2 and it's a COMMON!
NARFNra
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
@Ameisenmeister
Uh, dude. If the average power of old cards is significantly lower than the average power of new cards, that is power creep. As in, that is the definition of power creep.
Saying that the old cards were "too weak" isn't really true when you consider they were all "too weak".
vsasntore
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(5 votes)
My all time favorite 1-srop
tonyf
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING CARD EVER for one mana you get a 1 2 with reach it rocks against flying cous when it blocks som'thin with it it gets plus 3 plus 0 ( awsome in elf decks)
being a one-drop with reach and toughness 2 was enough, +3 power against air when blocking makes it CRAZYgood
Kryptnyt
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I still prefer scattershot archer. This guy's triggered ability won't be relevent often enough in my opinion. I prefer an aggressive approach with my elves, and this guy wants to hang back and hold the line. I think he'd be solid to put into an equipment deck that uses green though. small reaching body to put vigilance and p/t onto.
ElMikkino
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
Hmm? A 1/2 for 1? Not too shabby... Oh? It has reach? That's awesome! Oh wait? If it blocks a flyer, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn!? INCREDIBLE! 5/5!
WateryMind
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card fraks flyers up.
Period.
Ameisenmeister
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Alright Stray_Dog. There is no power creep in magic. The older cards where just too weak! Terra Stomper is well balanced because Force of Nature has always been lousy. The same is true for Baneslayer. Serra Angel just never saw play. That was just ironic if anyone is wondering.
EDIT: I meant that was just sarcastic. So the opposite of what I said was meant, okay.
Drewsel
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Sigh... I guess I have to make an archer deck now.
Vinifera7
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
In older sets there was usually massive variation in power level between cards. Some cards would be absurdly powerful, while others would be unplayable by today's standards. It's not necessarily "power creep" if WotC makes cards more consistent in power level.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Already, a 1/2 for {G} is great. Tack on reach, and that's at least an uncommon, protecting you from Storm Crows for as long as you want. Then the pump...what the hell? A 4/2 whenever it blocks a flying? And at common? I wanna get my hands on a playset of this guy!
6/5
JFM2796
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
When I first saw this thing spoiled I thought the path Magic was heading down was bad. I took a break from the game for the block. It is nice to see that power creep hasn't gotten as out of hand as I thought it might but come on. This guy is in some cases a 4/2 for !. That is ridiculous.
TherealphatMatt
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
These guys are a GREAT one-drop. They provide a good blocker and are a great 1-drop strictly for their very impressive stats, and solve one of green's biggest problems: flying creatures.
This thing can take out a Serra Angel. With Elvish Archdruid out, it can take out something bigger like Aegis Angel. 4.5/5
SkaerKrow
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the best 1 drops in the history of the game. Good body for the cost, a relevant defensive ability that almost functions as removal thanks to the second ability, and it's part of green's best tribe. 5/5
Mike-C
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I'll frack YOU up! Buster.
ayefightbears
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kinda forgot about this guy. Green decks should sideboard him in against Delver decks.
1/2 with reach for is common is absurd. 4/2 with reach for is obscene and a prime exhibit in the case of "Powercreep vs. Leveling the playing field."
The-Earth-Dragon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm gonna hold back on marking this card. The power creep on green archers has been ridiculous the last few years. A 1/2 reach for one green would have seen daylight. This is a bit much and I hope some young developer doesn't try to top this ever.
Dragasm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I would say I hate this card for how stupidly powerful it is as a common, but then again, it kills vampire nighthawk
Pendulous
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you aren't rating this a 5, exactly how powerful do you expect a one-drop to be?
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Re-looking at this guy; I note a few things: -Trades with most 4-5 drop finishers, especially if he's got even a trusty machete. Examples include Bloodgift Demon, -Trades with excessively annoying flyers like Nighthawk, Delver, and even powerful attackers like Taskmaster -Is an elf. This means he grows over time, taps for mana or increases the mana tapped by things like Priest of Titania, etc.. -Is a t1 play against many of the biggest threats we see and requires an answer if those decks rely on it.
For those calling powercreep, I point to Hidden Spider. While it *is* urza-block, it's even bigger, it can be an attacker, and it hoses the same set of cards. It's worth reminding people that we've survived much worse, even at common.
MightyWhitey
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Compared to most one drop commons this is the bomb. As blurrymadness points out, there have been acceptions. This card is trumped by hidden spider indeed. 4/5 stars for that reason.
Luchian-D
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This has to be the best 1 drop common creature in the game.
Comments (44)
Becoming a 4/2 against air is kinda nasty.
Tailor-made to block a plague stinger (or any 1/1 infect) and survive, or trade with a non-regen Skithiryx.
5/5
PS. Watch out Storm Crow!
well i'ts definatly an improvement i might be able to find you spot
There are so many beautifully balanced cards in this set. This is just another example.
People who cry powercreep don't understand that similar cards in earlier sets were UNDERPOWERED.
And I always thought Thornweald Archers pushed the envelope for low-curved green flying hosers...
It's a neat card but just thinking about where it sits on creature power-level makes me worry about what's happening to creature power-creep in Magic...
Uh, dude. If the average power of old cards is significantly lower than the average power of new cards, that is power creep. As in, that is the definition of power creep.
Saying that the old cards were "too weak" isn't really true when you consider they were all "too weak".
I'm not convinced that it's necessarily a problem though.
This guy's triggered ability won't be relevent often enough in my opinion. I prefer an aggressive approach with my elves, and this guy wants to hang back and hold the line.
I think he'd be solid to put into an equipment deck that uses green though. small reaching body to put vigilance and p/t onto.
Oh? It has reach? That's awesome!
Oh wait? If it blocks a flyer, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn!? INCREDIBLE! 5/5!
Period.
That was just ironic if anyone is wondering.
EDIT: I meant that was just sarcastic. So the opposite of what I said was meant, okay.
6/5
This thing can take out a Serra Angel. With Elvish Archdruid out, it can take out something bigger like Aegis Angel. 4.5/5
4/2 with reach for
-Trades with most 4-5 drop finishers, especially if he's got even a trusty machete. Examples include Bloodgift Demon,
-Trades with excessively annoying flyers like Nighthawk, Delver, and even powerful attackers like Taskmaster
-Is an elf. This means he grows over time, taps for mana or increases the mana tapped by things like Priest of Titania, etc..
-Is a t1 play against many of the biggest threats we see and requires an answer if those decks rely on it.
For those calling powercreep, I point to Hidden Spider. While it *is* urza-block, it's even bigger, it can be an attacker, and it hoses the same set of cards. It's worth reminding people that we've survived much worse, even at common.