I feel he should have been both Red/Blue, and his level up should be multicolored as well. It's also a bit expensive, but if you can level him, he will be solid.
AngelxLegna
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(7 votes)
He looks familiar don't you think? Brine Seer maybe?
DonRoyale
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(11 votes)
How many times do I have to say Venerated Teacher before everyone gets that he makes all these guys stupidly ridiculous?
I'd adore copying Cruel Ultimatum twice. That would be very...*shades* Cruel.
WhiteyMcFly
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
One of the better levelers. He's hard to kill and will probably case a lot of splashing in the future just for this card.
SleetFox
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(10 votes)
Normally creatures like this you would call fragile. That's not his issue. At level 2, any removal puts your opponent down one card (you lose Echo Mage, they lose the spell as well as the creature you take out when you copy said spell). At level 4, removal puts them down two cards. Did I mention this applies to any creature they try to get rid of, not just this guy? Sadly, Jund doesn't really get hurt much by this, what with Bloodbraid Elf (already puts you up a card when you play it), Sprouting Thrinax (Terminate will just split it), and Broodmate Dragon (you only can kill half of it at levels 2 and 3.) Still, looking at this card in an environment not dominated by Jund, it's quite potent for avoiding card disadvantage.
Also: "Sure I'll copy that counterspell. I choose to counter... Your counterspell. Here you go, Ulamog, I cleared a path for you."
A deceptively good card. I'd say its only weakness is that while it's a fun card, it still doesn't provide consistent results. I don't know if it's worth playing in tournaments, but I really hope I get one or two of these guys; I look forward to getting cards good enough to make a level up/control deck with this guy in it.
Minor side-note: is it just me, or are black guys predominantly blue in the world of Magic? It seems to me pretty much every black human is blue.
Theostratus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Doesn't he look like the one black captain from the Star Trek series?
With Training Grounds, he's a Level 4 on Turn 4. It's almost as if they perfectly costed the abilities of these guys to match Training grounds...>_>
hugemanatee
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
When you whip this guy out people will quake in fear at a magical basketball star. But seriouslt though it's not bad
blindthrall
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@sleetfox Southern Paladin, and Argus Krobut they do all seem to rock.
Cheza
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Copying spells should be a red ability. This would create a counter to counterspells, if this creature could get into play. Please R&D, look at Chandra.... what does she do? She steals & copies a powerful spell... This makes red less innovativve & creative, but much more powerful. (Lighning Bolt, etc.)
jlowther
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(6 votes)
Nothing like double-copying a lava axe for 15 damage on turn 6...
Common!?? Is that you!? He's lookin like he's ready to remix some spells at yo face!
LiXinjian
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(9 votes)
Cue the Harlem Globetrotters theme.
Hacklespur
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Risky, but if you can get it to level 4, you get a double Twincast on a stick. Helps out just about any deck with blue in it.
Razmataz24
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A 2/3 body for 3 isn't that bad. That and he gets bigger as you level him up. He can block and if they try to remove him he can most likely take out one of you opponents creatures. Most of all, he can be devasting to turn a late game top draw blightning or lightning bolt into 9 damage to your face for 5 or 3 mana respectively.
At worst he is a chump or removal catnip. Best case he utterly destroys your opponent. IMO an underrated card.
HouseofLastWords
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks like Common. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/images/2008/06/04/common_300.jpg
BlackAlbino
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I want this and I want it now! Straight to the RU with him izzet guildmage will like the company... BTW duplicate a kicked rite of replication twice with this... 15 super creatures
EDIT: i drafted this and nomads assembly for {U} {W} . i had just echo mage and cast nomads assembly and tripled it. 2, 4, 8, played a one-drop, 9. rebound, tripled, 18, 36, 72.
EnV
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Are you allowed to copy a counter to respond to your counter being countered?
EchoMage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Is his ability an instant or a sorcery?
Jest22
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Echo Mage and Reality Spasm, paying at least 3 on the spasm and you have an infinite loop of tap/untap whatever you want. Add in Sphinx of Magosi with Training Grounds and you have infinite card draw and infinite mana to cast 'em.
achilleselbow
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Sleetfox: Clearly you youngsters don't remember the Mirage block, in which pretty much ALL the humans were black. Outside of that, I don't know, I haven't really been keeping track, but I seem to remember a lot of White creatures fitting that de***ion, ironically.
Semptimilius
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What? Only 13 rulings for this card? I'm sure we can take it to 15, easily.
ViciousKitty13
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
1:can abilities be used as instants?
2:Can his ability be used on cards in the graveyard?
3:His ability can only be activated WHILE a spell is being played, CORRECT
WanderingSniper
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So I thought it was amazing to level this guy up to 4 and then draw into archive trap. Amazing if you happen to hardcast 7 mana but even better if you double cast the spell for 39 cards into the graveyard for two blue.
surewhynot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Copy a Twincast that is targeting another Twincast twice and try wrapping your head around that mess.
I will tap 2 and echo mage and replicate your day of judgm- wait a minute...
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
gangsta mage...
Temporal_Arcanist
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I absolutely love this guy and he has become a critical part of one of my combos when playing against my friends. I simply wait until I have enough mana to boost him up in one turn to level 4 (made especially easy by Training Grounds) and pop a Robe of Mirrors on him to get him through to the next turn. Normally I have at least one Jhoira's Timebug out and I suspend either a Shivan Meteor or a Time Stretch (via Jhoira of the Ghitu herself) and widdle away the time counters off of the suspended card (more bugs means faster spells). As the last time counter is being pulled off, I tap the two blue and Echo Mage to triple the effects of these huge spells. So that's either 39 damage via the Meteor or about 6 extra turns via the Time Stretching. All in all the game is usually in the bag.
I don't see why he wouldn't be any less than 5 stars. Even if he isn't a critical component to your deck, he at the very least poses as a threat to maybe force your opponent's hand sooner than he'd like.
How would Echo Mage copy arc blade or reality strobe? Would you have copies of those spells going off for the rest of the game with their suspend mechanic?
We call him Montel at the card shop, looks just like him... Whuddup Montel meet steady progress, then copy it!!!
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Sleetfox; Agrus Kos looks pretty black to me. They aren't all blue, but they are all pretty awesome, it seems.
nimzo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He starts as a 2/3 for 3, not bad for blue...
Rakdos.Da.Purifier
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
MONTEL WILLIAMS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric1618
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
They should have just straight up reprinted izzet guildmage.
This guy is okay though. I wish to god that his first ability worked on level one, and his last one worked on level three. He would have been 10 times more playable, and not at all broken. They might as well have made him blue/red while they were at it- what are you really gonna copy in a blue deck, deprive? lol.
As it is, this guy has ONE job and ONE JOB ONLY. And that job is to be sideboarded in pyromancer ascension decks to punish your opponent for sideboarding out their removal, and to dance around their enchantment hate. And he does his one job well.
KingRusty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This has so many potential possibilites it's unreal. Play this with Reverberate and any burn spell in any blue/red deck and it's game. Exponential increase as the game continues as well. Run it with Comet Storm and you win unless your mana pool is DRYYYY.
Smauls
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so.. I played this guy the other night in my white/blue control deck. Got him to level 4. By this point, I had 7 mana and played Traumatize and copied it twice. My opponent then had 6 cards left in his library. :)
This is a PERFECT card for blue. 5/5
smokiermatthias
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
sweet card. in a blue and red deck it's not to hard to protect it with counters long enough for you to finish the game with a couple low mana burn cards.
ROBRAM89
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks like an invitational winner card. But it's not...OR IS IT, DRAMATIC MUSIC?
Stray_Dog
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Lebron Mage!
BOOMSHAKALAKA
PhyrexianAdvocate
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With 7 open mana, a fully leveled Echo Mage, and Reality Spasm you get infinite Twiddle.
Infinite tap / untap. That basically makes you god.
TheGreatJman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I was using this guy Levelled up and comboing him with Diabolic Tutor for 2 more copies, then digging out and using Elixir of Immortality every turn to shuffle them back into my Library. I run 2 Tutors in that deck, so always ended up with 1 in my hand from the copies...this guy is awesome.
Buderus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
THIS GUY LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE BLACK GAY DUDE FROM "CHAOS CITY" O.o !!!!!!
Google Michael Boatman and look at his picture, plz >_<
I once had a max-levelled Echo Mage and a fully charged Archmage Ascension (thanks to Contagion Engine).
One tripled Tezzeret's Gambit later and I had six Demonic Tutors and a triple proliferate.
GlowInTheDarkRhyno
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(5 votes)
I have a Green/Blue deck that does lots of Mill and mana ramp with elves and such, In the deck I have four of these guys, and let me tell ya, whenever I get a cultivate or a Tome Score out, stuff's about to get real.
Psychrates
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey, babygirl Montel's got that 'Blue Dream' for ya...BTW I live directly outside of his 'dispensary' in Sac.
Urza's Rage, kicked, at me? I can't counter it, prevent it, or anything? Hmm. Quite a predicament. Well, while I ponder that, you can take two kicked Urza's to the face.
Brentos123
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(8 votes)
Anyone else wonder if he can smell whats cooking?
ScissorsLizard
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Benjamin Sisko?
Totema
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
Looks like Isaiah Mustafa to me. Hello ladies! Look at me. I am casting this instant or sorcery spell. Look again. The spell has now been copied!
"...and I'll copy your War Report for , to gain $a_whole_bunch life."
Arachnos
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Lightning Helix becomes pretty cruel. For {R}{W}{U}{U} you deal 9 damage and gain 9 life.
Even the standard humble Lightning Bolt becomes pretty cruel with 9 damage for {R}{U}{U}.
And that's just things with a low mana cost. Imagine if you have a shitload of mana... how about a kicked Rite of Replication... replicated twice? Or 39 2/2 zombies with Army of the Damned?
wholelottalove
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
All of you guys keep going on about how good this card is but you have to put in nine mana into this card and then you have to pay two more mana to get it to copy twice. That's only if it gets that far. A simple Boomerang will screw this card so bad.
Elvoran
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Demonic_Angel13: No. Rebound does not make this card remotely cooler. Unless coolness is defined by keywords on cards. Straight out of the Comprehensive Rules: 704.5e: "If a copy of a spell is in a zone other than the stack, it ceases to exist. If a copy of a card is in any zone other than the stack or the battlefield, it ceases to exist".
I would very much like to take six extra turns for , even if it takes another to get to that point. EDH Platinum. 5/5
Smoke_Stack
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Great card. Definitely a removal magnet but once he gets going its pretty hard for your opponents to cast anything with confidence.
GhostCounselor
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Wait, how did Dwayne Johnson end up on Zendikar?
A_Real_Travesty
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Opponent: Coalition Victory! Me: I copy it twice, and resolve mine first. Opponent: You.. You don't meet the color requirements. Me: T_T I know.. I just wanted to feel better about this whole situation.
TheWrathofShane
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I never liked this guy. I was a fan of other level up heroes, but this guy has an extra big kill me sign on his forehead, and you cant really benefit until you invest allot.
Sergent James Doakes here is a GREAT addition to any blue EDH deck. With all the powerful spells flying around in the format, who wouldnt want to copy a spell!? Heck copy it TWICE! AND he is a wizard which is very relevant.
Comments (76)
I'd adore copying Cruel Ultimatum twice. That would be very...*shades* Cruel.
Also: "Sure I'll copy that counterspell. I choose to counter... Your counterspell. Here you go, Ulamog, I cleared a path for you."
A deceptively good card. I'd say its only weakness is that while it's a fun card, it still doesn't provide consistent results. I don't know if it's worth playing in tournaments, but I really hope I get one or two of these guys; I look forward to getting cards good enough to make a level up/control deck with this guy in it.
Minor side-note: is it just me, or are black guys predominantly blue in the world of Magic? It seems to me pretty much every black human is blue.
Echo Mage, Splinter Twin, Pyromancer Ascension, Twincast + name ur cheap red instant = *dr. evil voice* one MILLION strikes!
Please R&D, look at Chandra.... what does she do? She steals & copies a powerful spell... This makes red less innovativve & creative, but much more powerful. (Lighning Bolt, etc.)
And double-copying a Traumatize followed by a Mind Funeral?
JEE-ZUS...
*** you
At worst he is a chump or removal catnip. Best case he utterly destroys your opponent. IMO an underrated card.
Straight to the RU with him izzet guildmage will like the company...
BTW duplicate a kicked rite of replication twice with this... 15 super creatures
EDIT: i drafted this and nomads assembly for {U} {W} . i had just echo mage and cast nomads assembly and tripled it. 2, 4, 8, played a one-drop, 9. rebound, tripled, 18, 36, 72.
2:Can his ability be used on cards in the graveyard?
3:His ability can only be activated WHILE a spell is being played, CORRECT
I don't see why he wouldn't be any less than 5 stars. Even if he isn't a critical component to your deck, he at the very least poses as a threat to maybe force your opponent's hand sooner than he'd like.
5 stars from me~
Perhaps some cheese to go with that fine whine?
They aren't all blue, but they are all pretty awesome, it seems.
This guy is okay though. I wish to god that his first ability worked on level one, and his last one worked on level three. He would have been 10 times more playable, and not at all broken. They might as well have made him blue/red while they were at it- what are you really gonna copy in a blue deck, deprive? lol.
As it is, this guy has ONE job and ONE JOB ONLY. And that job is to be sideboarded in pyromancer ascension decks to punish your opponent for sideboarding out their removal, and to dance around their enchantment hate. And he does his one job well.
This is a PERFECT card for blue. 5/5
BOOMSHAKALAKA
Infinite tap / untap. That basically makes you god.
Google Michael Boatman and look at his picture, plz >_<
Psst! Solemn Simulacrum!
Traumatize: Super fast milling!
Conqueror's Pledge: Lotsa tokens.
Nomads' Assembly: See above.
Harrow: Sure, you sac 3 lands but you get 6!
Scapeshift: OH MY GOD LANDFALL!!
Shivan Meteor: For the extreme Timmy.
Untamed Might: Super boost!
Overwhelming Stampede: Super boost for the extreme Timmy!
Overrun: See above.
Mind Funeral: Super fast milling!
Ultimatum: Any ultimatum is absolutely devestating.
Distortion Strike: Make 3 creatures unblockable, twice!
Sadistic Sacrament: Get rid of your opponent's best cards.
Comet Storm: Very satisfying.
Jace's Ingenuity: Hooray for card draw!
Boomerang: Get out. All 3 of you.
Doom Blade: KIIIILLLLL!!!!
Terror: See above.
Go For the Throat: See above.
Glimpse the Unthinkable: That's not even fair.
Time Stretch: That's even less fair.
Dragonstorm: Dragons everywhere!
Rite of Replication: With allies, insane. With anything else...insane.
Coalition Victory: For those seeking overkill, you can win 3 times.
Pongify: Dem apes.
Plow Under: Hope your opponent likes lands...
Army of the Damned: Zombie apocalypse!
One tripled Tezzeret's Gambit later and I had six Demonic Tutors and a triple proliferate.
I can't counter it, prevent it, or anything?
Hmm. Quite a predicament.
Well, while I ponder that, you can take two kicked Urza's to the face.
"...and I'll copy your War Report for
Even the standard humble Lightning Bolt becomes pretty cruel with 9 damage for {R}{U}{U}.
And that's just things with a low mana cost. Imagine if you have a shitload of mana... how about a kicked Rite of Replication... replicated twice? Or 39 2/2 zombies with Army of the Damned?
That's only if it gets that far. A simple Boomerang will screw this card so bad.
Straight out of the Comprehensive Rules:
704.5e: "If a copy of a spell is in a zone other than the stack, it ceases to exist. If a copy of a card is in
any zone other than the stack or the battlefield, it ceases to exist".
Me: I copy it twice, and resolve mine first.
Opponent: You.. You don't meet the color requirements.
Me: T_T I know.. I just wanted to feel better about this whole situation.
I recommend him for EDH though.
"Suprise, mutha f*ckah!"