I don't care if it's a digital card in Masters Edition... what posessed them to reprint this? This is consistently voted one of the most useless cards they ever printed... like most of the Prophecy and Fallen Empires expansions... oh and a good chunk of Kamigawa block.
Zuul33
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(18 votes)
I was determined to make this card work, so I made a deck around it that won locals tournaments it was in. It was a W/r deck with 4 Sorrow's Path, a bunch of En-Kor creatures (The ones that shift damage around) and Mog Fanatics. I would also have Wraths and a Balance and some STPs to keep my opponent honest. I would swing away with my En-Kor and my opponent would block... I would tap sorrow's path, it would deal 2 damage to all my creatures, I'd redirect it to the Mogg Fanatic and proceed to blow my opponent off the board :) I've only found THAT deck to utilize this card in, but it was fun!
SwordSkill
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(7 votes)
One of the Worst cards ever in Magic: The Gathering
no_body
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(7 votes)
oh...so they reprinted this...but as a RARE!? this doesn't even deserve common status...
haha I love this, everybody, you all have to admit that even though this card is sooooo crummy it's cards like this that help to make magic what it is today! This card, along with a few others, hold a dear place in my heart to this day, and give me that warm fuzzy feeling inside haha. Really, you guys have to admit that this card is bursting with flavor! :)l
spectermonger
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(18 votes)
This card forced me to run 4 Wastelands in every deck. Still, Chimney Imp has the edge.
But yeah, using en-Kor creatures with Mogg Maniac - or preferably even Spitemare or Stuffy Doll - to make use of this ridiculous drawback seems to be a good idea.
Get your opponent to know how your creatures feel about a Sorrow's PathPyroclasm, yay!
Weary_PSI
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(17 votes)
IT COULD AT LEAST TAP FOR MANA!
GainsBanding
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Why oh why was this reprinted in Masters Edition 3? That's the good Masters Edition set! LaPille has written a few articles on developing that set, but he conveniently always leaves out any mention of this card. We could have had Wheel of Fortune or Mishra's Workshop or Regrowth or Fastbond or In the eye of Chaos or original art Blood Moon or Maze of Ith, or even something like Blaze of Glory would have been preferable.
Gonna have to re-read those article about why bad cards exist.
channelblaze
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Was this really so good that something like this wouldn't work?
{T}, Pay 2 life: Choose two target blocking creatures an opponent controls. If each of those creatures could block all creatures that the other is blocking, remove both of them from combat. Each one then blocks all creatures the other was blocking.
{T}: Add 1 to your mana pool
It's still not a great land or anything. It's not like it would be the new wasteland or anything, or even the new...idk, cycling land or something else good but kinda niche.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Confusing oracle text is confusing
Ava_Adore
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
it is a bad card, however due to the nature of its ability it screams to make a jerk deck where you abuse the hell out of it.
donating and tap down has been mentioned, so have zebura's, Chimney Imp, and vigor.
Pontiac
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
I used Political Trickery with icy's, Twiddles, Mana Short, Power Drains and such, I also dontated other stuff like City of Brass, Illusions of Grandure and such. back then it did okay (with full power and control backing it up) nowadays the best use for a Sorrow's Path is sticking it in a kids bike spokes to make that clicky sound when the ride around.
eestlinc
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The only people who rated this more than half a star are those who didn't know they could rate in half-stars.
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@car2n: I just finished watching Evil Brain from Outer Space, and it was AMAZING!!! My friend saw Manos, and he lurved it.
Anyways, great card for when you make an entirely indestructible deck, but otherwise...AMAZING!!!!!
blindthrall
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@ong312: Yes, Kamigawa was a waste, but Prophecy was a good set, especially in the burn department. The average card in Fallen Empires was bad, but hymn to Tourach and Goblin Grenade make up for it. You want to see a truly horrible set? Homelands. It contained exactly one playable card, and even that one wasn't anything special.
@EvilCleavage: It's certainly bursting with something.
If this card consisted of only the first six words, it would be awesome.
supershawn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I guess if someone chump blocks your grave titan and blocks your 7/7 trampler with a 9/9 it's nifty to switch them... but your opponent will already know that is what you will do. and the drawback of "don't have anything with 2 or less toughness" is way too heavy, unless you have elesh norn on your side of the field but then you are already playing in at least two colors which leaves precious little space for *** cards like this.
Gameguy602
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I could see somehow giving control of it to your opponent then tapping it with a sorcery or something. Bonus points if you can somehow untap and retap it a few times per turn.
DarthParallax
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Game 1 T: everybody else at the table argues about what it does and looks for a copy of the comprehensive rule book. One-sided Pyroclasm. To yourself. Game 2 T: everybody ignores you. Pyroclasm yourself.
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
why did they give it that drawback? IHATEWOTC!
JFM2796
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combo with Vedalken Plotter. Soon, your opponent will kill all of his creatures!
high_tide_niv
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
rites of passage, safe passage, or how about mirror universe
001010011100101110
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Attack with Progenitus and Emrakul, your opponent sacrifices all his lands and blocks Emrakul with Ornithopter. Tap this land. A whole THREE life swing, bitches.
Now you have an army of fliers with prot-lands and the capability to mess with their blockers with no downside. I don't think it is worth the effort to get there, but it is possible.
Lueseto
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@spectermonger were the wastelands to destroy your own Sorrow's Path?
JNSiQwa0
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
If you get Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo onto the battlefield, then make him indestructible with Darksteel Plate or Indestructibility or something, Sorrow's Path almost sort of becomes remotely playable in a griefing deck where you just want to jerk your opponent around with their blocking choices.
JackofAntioch
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Oh god. It burns my eyes.
Artscrafter
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
@no_body: oh...so they reprinted this...but as a RARE!? this doesn't even deserve common status...
1. Check the edition from The Dark again. This was always a rare. 2. The Master's Edition sets were designed with limited in mind. Do you really want this showing up in limited pools more often?
Kezia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Man they posted a wall of rules for a card no one in there right mind would play. It's damn near strictly worse than any basic land.
MicrosizeMe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I play this, then Bazaar Trader, then Sorin.
pedrodyl
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Thanks to the new community rating search function, we know now that this is indeed the worst card in MTG. (or at least the worst rated)
ZaisConsultant
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I sooooo don't get it. I guess it's good with vigor as re-usable burn for your own creatures, or with phytohydra, but this is just so bad...
TheWrathofShane
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
How is this bad? 5/5 easy. Example..
Your opponent has an untapped Merfolk of the Pearl Trident and a Colossus of Sardia You have a Force of Nature and a Thicket Basilisk and swing. He blocks your Force with his Colossus, and your Basilisk with his Merfolk. Being a good magic player you smile and tap your path, getting in 7 damage for the win!!!
This is what magic cards are made of people.
konokono
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ok yeah it's bad. But can someone explain to me the flavor? Or at least, what were they thinking when they designed this card?
JasonPaul601
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
It baffles me to think of who at Wizards thought this card was a good idea.
I mean, think about it. This card didn't just make itself. Someone at Wizards thought that it would be useful in some capacity. I mean, that's why they make cards, right? To be played? And even a card like One With Nothing has some merit. I can't think of a single instance where this would be useful for its intended purpose. Switching blockers is a fairly useless ability to begin with. I can't fathom why Wizards would think of it as being so powerful that you would have to Bonfire yourself for two just to use it.
And to the person who asked "Do you really want this showing up in limited pools more often?", I say "I don't want this showing up in limited pools at all."
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Only works as a finisher and if you're using overrun. Other than that, It sucks. Maybe usable in a stuffy doll deck.
Asmodi0000
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Get a few spitemares and stuffy dolls on the field, and this card's drawback might start working to your advantage.
Of course, cards like pyrohemia do the job much better, but at least it's something to think about.
DrJack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ TheWrathofShane
But you were already down to 2 life because your opponent hit you with the Colossus of Sardia twice already, so you died when you tapped your Sorrow's Path. :-(
ParallaxtheRevan
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Kirbster! Challenge Accepted! I shall NOW!!!!
Build a deck that causes me to become my own opponent!
I go insane, and start attacking myself with my own Eldrazi. Because that's what insane people do. I am my own opponent, and Sorrow's Path becomes AWESOME!!!!! :D
ItBurnsUs
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This + Stuffy Doll?
That's all I got.
Morgaledh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So... you get to rearrange two of your opponent's blockers, and in exchange you Pyroclasm yourself AND your creatures? I guess for the lulz, this is an awesome card.
Yeah, it does look like they added the last bit on due to sudden last-minute paranoia about how effective it would be otherwise.
Still, there was a comment or two on another printing toying with this and Donate tactics, then tapping it with Icy Manipulator to blast them and their creatures continuously. Seemed pretty scary to be honest.
Stray_Dog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Will be pretty good once they finally print a card that says "if you would lose the game this turn, you win the game."
That's amazing, and so much more creative than the Bazaar Trader/Icy Manipulator gimmick deck I'd thought to use this card in. I love that there's a deck in which Sorrow's Path is not only usable, but one of the best cards you could possibly pick for it.
Moxxy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Even if you give it a way to produce mana it still hurts you each time it's tapped. If your opponent has a way to tap your lands it's many times more useful for him than switching blockers would be to you. Should be the worst rated card, all the cards rated lower can at least attack, block or their bad abilities are optional. This is the only one that not only does nothing but can be a benefit to the opponent even without them having to use Mindslaver shenanigans
azure_drake222222
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of the worst cards ever. If it was a 0-cost artifact that drew me a card when it entered, I wouldn't do it.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Well, if you're going to block like that, I guess I might as well Bonfire myself for 2.
Despite being one of the worst cards in the game, it does find a fairly effective purpose in Zedruu the Greathearted EDH. Pass this piece off to someone else, then drop War's Toll. Have fun Pyroclasming yourself every time you try to pay for your spells, Mr. Opponent.
XaiviarNightwing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In a green white deck this is good to animate and give lifelink. Maybe add a cradle of vitality?
DM3921
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If it wasn't for cards like Bazaar Trader, I'd have no idea how to use this.
Trade it off to an opponent, then forcibly tap it with some blue cards. Then laugh knowing that you turned a useless card into a nuke against your opponent. Sure its conditional, but its still amusing to imagine it...
WiNGSPANTT
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is one of those cards where you're curious to find out how it could possibly be rated so low. Hey, it's a land with some really long ability, how bad could it be, right?
So you start reading it. "Okay, this is confusing but, it's a combat trick. Hmmm, I guess you can... you can switch blockers? That's not bad at all."
And then you read it: the second half of the card.
"Oh."
NARFNra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Make a deck based around free creature damage to your side.
Oh, wait. Mode and Zuul already said that, whoops. Dammit.
Lifegainwithbite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's not that bad! I love saccing four of my guys to maybe kill one of my opponent's creatures. That's if any of my creatures are actually still alive by that point.
Hilariously bad card. Best use is to donate it to your opponent and tap it with an Icy Manipulator. I am going to say that again. It is better for your opponent to have this card on the field than it is for you to! That is how bad it is
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combo's with trash-can and/or lighter, your choice
.5/5 Stars
Aelvr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I read the first ability for this card, and thought, "heh, that's not so bad. Niche, but not bad."
Then I read the second ability.
*sniff* Those poor people who had to open this in a booster pack. :'(
Phelplan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I like the art at least. It looks like the cover of a fantasy novel. And Zuul33's deck idea is most excellent.
IamjustnotCreative
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is actually pretty fun in EDH, the 2 damage to you is negligible (40 starting health), you can pick off potentially 4 creatures if you use it during an opponent's combat phase, and in the right deck, you'll have maybe 2 creatures that have less than 2 toughness.
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For the masochists, or the people who are desperate to prove their machismo. e.g. "I can take five Bonfires to the face"
Hosed by Rishadan Port *gasp* I can't believe what I just said
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card was designed for a Backdraft game. First card to be considered for Backdraft back when it was a casual way of playing instead of a sanctioned tournament format.
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
too unfair, should enter the battlefield tapped
Salient
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Multiplayer is where this shines. You can screw up the plans of the attacking player or the defending player, and nobody will ever, ever see it coming because they think you're playing Sorrow's Path just for the lulz. In any sufficiently long game, there is always a hilarious application for this.
One of the only cards ever made that is literally better to give to your opponent than use yourself. Sadly it loses the Donate war against cards like Thought Lash and Illusions of Grandeur that are faster, more effective and don't require another card like Icy Manipulator to work with.
Comments (83)
But yeah, using en-Kor creatures with Mogg Maniac - or preferably even Spitemare or Stuffy Doll - to make use of this ridiculous drawback seems to be a good idea.
Get your opponent to know how your creatures feel about a Sorrow's Path Pyroclasm, yay!
Gonna have to re-read those article about why bad cards exist.
{T}, Pay 2 life: Choose two target blocking creatures an opponent controls. If each of those creatures could block all creatures that the other is blocking, remove both of them from combat. Each one then blocks all creatures the other was blocking.
{T}: Add 1 to your mana pool
It's still not a great land or anything. It's not like it would be the new wasteland or anything, or even the new...idk, cycling land or something else good but kinda niche.
donating and tap down has been mentioned, so have zebura's, Chimney Imp, and vigor.
Anyways, great card for when you make an entirely indestructible deck, but otherwise...AMAZING!!!!!
@EvilCleavage: It's certainly bursting with something.
and the drawback of "don't have anything with 2 or less toughness" is way too heavy, unless you have elesh norn on your side of the field but then you are already playing in at least two colors which leaves precious little space for *** cards like this.
T: everybody else at the table argues about what it does and looks for a copy of the comprehensive rule book. One-sided Pyroclasm. To yourself.
Game 2
T: everybody ignores you. Pyroclasm yourself.
Horizon Drake
Tamanoa
Sorrow's Path
Now you have an army of fliers with prot-lands and the capability to mess with their blockers with no downside. I don't think it is worth the effort to get there, but it is possible.
oh...so they reprinted this...but as a RARE!? this doesn't even deserve common status...
1. Check the edition from The Dark again. This was always a rare.
2. The Master's Edition sets were designed with limited in mind. Do you really want this showing up in limited pools more often?
Your opponent has an untapped Merfolk of the Pearl Trident and a Colossus of Sardia
You have a Force of Nature and a Thicket Basilisk and swing.
He blocks your Force with his Colossus, and your Basilisk with his Merfolk.
Being a good magic player you smile and tap your path, getting in 7 damage for the win!!!
This is what magic cards are made of people.
I mean, think about it. This card didn't just make itself. Someone at Wizards thought that it would be useful in some capacity. I mean, that's why they make cards, right? To be played? And even a card like One With Nothing has some merit. I can't think of a single instance where this would be useful for its intended purpose. Switching blockers is a fairly useless ability to begin with. I can't fathom why Wizards would think of it as being so powerful that you would have to Bonfire yourself for two just to use it.
And to the person who asked "Do you really want this showing up in limited pools more often?", I say "I don't want this showing up in limited pools at all."
Of course, cards like pyrohemia do the job much better, but at least it's something to think about.
But you were already down to 2 life because your opponent hit you with the Colossus of Sardia twice already, so you died when you tapped your Sorrow's Path. :-(
Build a deck that causes me to become my own opponent!
+ Sorrow's Path
+ Knowledge Pool
+ Future Sight
+ Mindslaver
+ Omniscience
+ One With Nothing
+ Wit's End
+ Madblind Mountain
+ Battle of Wits
+ Spawnsire of Ulamog
==========================
AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS . DECK!
I go insane, and start attacking myself with my own Eldrazi. Because that's what insane people do.
I am my own opponent, and Sorrow's Path becomes AWESOME!!!!! :D
That's all I got.
2. Get Lifelink on Sorrow's Path
3. Get out Avacyn, Angel of Hope
4. Get out token army
5. ???
6. Profit!
Still, there was a comment or two on another printing toying with this and Donate tactics, then tapping it with Icy Manipulator to blast them and their creatures continuously. Seemed pretty scary to be honest.
That's amazing, and so much more creative than the Bazaar Trader/Icy Manipulator gimmick deck I'd thought to use this card in. I love that there's a deck in which Sorrow's Path is not only usable, but one of the best cards you could possibly pick for it.
Martyrdom. yay.
Trade it off to an opponent, then forcibly tap it with some blue cards. Then laugh knowing that you turned a useless card into a nuke against your opponent. Sure its conditional, but its still amusing to imagine it...
So you start reading it. "Okay, this is confusing but, it's a combat trick. Hmmm, I guess you can... you can switch blockers? That's not bad at all."
And then you read it: the second half of the card.
"Oh."
In other words, Sorrow's Path + Stuffy Doll + Clones such as Cackling Counterpart, Mirrorweave, Infinite Reflection, et cetera. Hell, the idea of Progenitor Mimic-ing Stuffy Doll is kind of awesome. Hey, Tamanoa!
Oh, wait. Mode and Zuul already said that, whoops. Dammit.
.5/5 Stars
Then I read the second ability.
*sniff* Those poor people who had to open this in a booster pack. :'(
e.g. "I can take five Bonfires to the face"
Hosed by Rishadan Port *gasp* I can't believe what I just said
Or you could run it in suicide black and not give a damn. Heck, run it with Phyrexian Negator and Phyrexian Obliterator!
By a significant margin, the worst land.
"What!?"
*Rereads*
"So, you... swap the... what?"
*Reads original*
"Oh."