pretty average in limited, awful in constructed, a gimmicky life gain deck is a bad idea, its tough to spend cards gaining life while you also have to play control against anything an opponent could throw at you
wolfbear2
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
I know it's a terrable combo, but this and bitter blossem.
And I don't think you are giving this much credit, life gain is a lot more powerful than people think it is.
dberry02
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(5 votes)
@wolfbear2: Life gain IS more powerful than most people think. Unfortunately, I'd rather play Angel's Feather over this.
roqbthepirate
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Ruminite436
Its a hard knock life being a planeswalker...
Guntz1092
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This card stinks, but lifegain decks arent all bad. Win conditions include things like Felidar Sovereign if its a good life gain deck. If not, you can still to Ajani Goldmane's 3rd ability to create a Serra Avatar. Things like Serra Ascendant are playable too. Divinity of Pride if in constructed; its better. Other type II cards like Rest for the Weary and Sunspring Expedition are good in getting a Life boost. White is also a good removal shard, with things like Oblivion Ring and Path to Exile. If you want to splash some black, Sanguine Bond ain't too bad.
B/W Eventide is my favorite though
Temple_Garden
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In a format where games often end by turn 5 or 6, this card will usually gain at most 4, maybe 5 life. Two mana and a card for 4-5 life isn't the best deal - especially considering you are choosing to cast this over a turn 2 drop like White Knight. If it activated at both upkeeps or acted like a Soul Warden or Soul's Attendant and was 1 mana it would be so much better.
Even in a slow game where life gain adds up, this will still struggle to make a significant impact in most games compared with other cards you could use.
coyotemoon722
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(11 votes)
I don't see how people can say lifegain is "bad". You're literally giving yourself more of a buffer against attack. That's why things like manlands are good, and DOJ is good, and finishers are good. Because while your opponent is trying everything to get your life lower than 20, you're busy building good board position.
Kryptnyt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Useful only with Ajani's Pridemate out, really. Which is what we call "RND planned synergy."
Tobinator
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I was actually surprised at this in limited, definitely pulled its weight. I only threw it in at the last moment because it was in my colors and it was nice, always gained me a lot of life, and was never a big enough threat to be removed. I really underestimated the value of this guy in limited :P
but agreeing with @Ruminite436; it's crap in constructed. there are way better ways to get life in constructed. or you know, do better things, like win.
dgregory
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Quick reality check people...Sun Droplet is rated 4.083. This is rated 2.538. With the exception of working in any color deck, this is BETTER than sun droplet as it doesn't require you to take a hit first.
Dr.Pingas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems like a filler card, in both the set and in any deck that'd run it. Really just an ivory chalice/goblet or whatever without the ability to untap it for more. Not horrible, I can see it's uses, but there's definitely better.
Donovan_Fabian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't think this card is quite getting enough respect, I mean ok so you wouldn't play it everywhere, but its a better version of all those artifacts that only activate when the right color spell is cast and are awesome in duplicates. Not to mention it really puts a dampener on rdw. If you start off the game with leyline of vitality, then play a bird and this on turn 2, you're already on your way to gaining 3 life right at the beginning and then some. It's also survival cache's best friend.
Quick reality check people...Sun Droplet is rated 4.083. This is rated 2.538. With the exception of working in any color deck, this is BETTER than sun droplet as it doesn't require you to take a hit first.
Sun droplet triggers at each upkeep while this is only your upkeep. Sun droplet gets you twice as much life. And in a muliplayer game, more than twice.
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
@ coyotemoon722: Lifegain isn't bad, but this card surely is. Manlands can attack, can't be countered and survive mass removal or removal at sorcery speed. Day of Judgment grants card advantage/time advantage and has nothing to do with lifegain.
@ this card: Well, it's the usual question of dealing damage vs. preventing damage. Lifegain is only a more permanent "prevention" bonus. Therefore, if a spell for cmc 1 can deal 3 damage to a player, a spell with the same mana cost should grant more than 3 lifepoints. The next step is to compare creatures vs. non-creature permanents. The difference shouldn't be quite high, more or less similar to an additional shroud on a creature.
Therefore, if you can have an unblockable 1/1 creature for cmc 2 and a Prodigal Pyromancer and a Honden of Infinite Rage for 3, I would definitely feel fine with a red enchantment for 1R that deals 1 damage to target player during your upkeep. Therefore - to make lifegain a bit better than damage, I would have reduced the cost of the mantra to W.
It would be still a bit weaker than a Soul Warden, but also a bit more permanently. And as a cmc1 card, I would have used it from time to time.
RichardJesperson
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Fun card in a casual life gain deck.
Troutz
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Don't try and make this card out to be anything more than it is. A nice card for casual life gain decks, if you have playsets of this and Ajani's Pridemate you'll be set. That's that. Solid card, does its job well (gain life slowly and consistently).
RedArcher
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As with half of all other cards ever made (intentional exaggeration), play this with paradox haze and then laugh as your opponents realize what it means.
Selez
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
On constructed: Repetitive life gain is, as a rule of thumb, the only playable life gain, and even then it needs to be on a card that does something else, like block. A successful instance of life gain can be seen on Knight of Meadowgrain, which was an absolutely absurd card, as well as on the synergistic cards in the standard "Soul Sisters" deck (which, unfortunately, will be dying with the Scars rotation. I love that deck).
On limited: If your deck is lacking in two-drops (admittedly an odd thing for White), or you expect the game to go long, or you're fighting an aggro deck, or you have multiple Ajani's Pridemates, then run it or sideboard it in. But please, barring the last situation, don't pick it early. Trust me, it will table.
Mr.Floppy
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ummm... this is complete crap in standard, limited, and even in casual... I could pay one more and play Recumbent Bliss and neutralize a creature while still gaining one life a turn for my ajani's pridemate... seriously... I'll give it a 1 only because it works out ok in a pridemate deck or any deck which needs lifegain to trigger something...
m00tzman
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(21 votes)
MUFASA! HE LIVES, HE LIIIIIIIIIIIVES!
Nagoragama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's not better than Sun Droplet at all. Sun Droplet is an artifact and can be played in any deck. Also Sun Droplet says each turn, not just your turn.
planersibling
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Get a couple of these out, and watch Ajani's Pridemate grow massive in no time.
Bursama
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Quite good card...
mlanier131
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
good in draft, it can save you 10 life over the course of a game
Autocard
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
"Quick reality check people...Sun Droplet is rated 4.083. This is rated 2.538. With the exception of working in any color deck, this is BETTER than sun droplet as it doesn't require you to take a hit first."
Wrong. Sun Droplet works EVERY upkeep, not just your own. It may not be that great normally (Two life per turn) but it's an all-star in multiplayer games.
VampireCat
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Not all Lifegain is bad, but this is bad lifegain.
DacenOctavio
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
If it's not working in constructed, you're doing it wrong. This thing is a pain in the ass not because of the amount of life multiples can give, which believe me it does add up, but what it does in a deck that runs 4 of these and 4 Ajani's Pridemate, not to mention a copy of Ajani Goldmane.
Mono-white weenie is so annoying when you're trying to play mono-red burn. I'm glad we at least got Unstable Footing and Leyline of Punishment to balance things out. Of course, I'd rather have a playset of Flames of the Bloodhand and some Everlasting Torment.
DiasFlac420
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Tch... Haters. It's DESIGNED to be played with Ajani's Pridemate. 4 of these with 4 Pridemates, along with 4 Whispersilk cloaks... Then sit back and watch the fireworks (or the sweatdrops on your opponent's forehead)...
majinara
★☆☆☆☆ (1.9/5.0)(7 votes)
Lifegain is not powerful, it stinks. And this card is even one of the worst lifegain cards out there. Wouldn't even play it in limited.
@ coyotemoon722: It's bad beause: - it doesn't help against combo decks or control decks. If you are milled, or your opponent comboes out, or your opponent counters your threats, then lifegain does nothing to help you. Or if you are pummeled by poison/infect creatures. Lifegain cards are then dead cards. - it prolongs your defeat, but doesn't help you win. If your opponent is at 3 life, do you want lifegain or a lightning bolt? If your opponent has 3 or 4 cards left in the ilbrary, do you want to draw mill or lifegain? If mass removal killed all creatures, do you want creatures or lifegain? And so on and so on.
Lifegain would be good, if it wouldn't require you to invest cards and mana into it. And if it wouldn't be the case that about everything else would be better. Sure, there exist one or two cards that can in certain formats be powerful in matters of lifegain (like life gift in a multiplayer game). Or maybe if for little mana you'd gain insane amounts of life, turning any damage based futile, that can be at times helpful. But this ain't the case for this card. Ajani's Mantra is slow, weak, predictible, and so on and so on. In short: it's just plain horrible.
Henrietta
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Much worse than Pristine Talisman. Costs 1 less, but doesn't provide mana, requires White, and is an enchantment rather than an artifact, although that last one is more of a difference rather than an advantage or disadvantage. Artifacts have more things that can be used for synergy, like metalcraft, affinity, and various combos, but there's also more removal out there for artifacts.
Of course, cards used specifically for llifegain are terrible in a competitive environment, so you shouldn't play this or Pristine Talisman in a tournament, but in a casual environment where combo decks don't have you on a short clock before they go off and control decks can't lock you out efficiently and aggro decks don't kill you in 4 turns, Pristine Talisman is actually a pretty fun card, because it both helps you ramp and gains you life, and it can fit in any colour deck unlike this card.
yyukichigai
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I can think of worse commons. This at least does something constructive, albeit not much. Counteracts a few other cards like Bitterblossom, Phyrexian Arena, etc. If it only cost {W} it would be rated a lot higher, for a common this isn't bad.
Ragamander
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems like it might be good alongside Zur's Weirding, like anything that gains you life regularly.
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
They need to make a Circle of: Life
p0ptarts
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
THAT PERSON IN THE FLAVOR TEXT KILLED AJANI"S BROTHER STORY JUST BEEN...........SPOILED >:)
Comments (35)
And I don't think you are giving this much credit, life gain is a lot more powerful than people think it is.
Its a hard knock life being a planeswalker...
B/W Eventide is my favorite though
Even in a slow game where life gain adds up, this will still struggle to make a significant impact in most games compared with other cards you could use.
but agreeing with @Ruminite436; it's crap in constructed. there are way better ways to get life in constructed. or you know, do better things, like win.
Sun droplet triggers at each upkeep while this is only your upkeep. Sun droplet gets you twice as much life. And in a muliplayer game, more than twice.
Lifegain isn't bad, but this card surely is. Manlands can attack, can't be countered and survive mass removal or removal at sorcery speed. Day of Judgment grants card advantage/time advantage and has nothing to do with lifegain.
@ this card:
Well, it's the usual question of dealing damage vs. preventing damage. Lifegain is only a more permanent "prevention" bonus. Therefore, if a spell for cmc 1 can deal 3 damage to a player, a spell with the same mana cost should grant more than 3 lifepoints. The next step is to compare creatures vs. non-creature permanents. The difference shouldn't be quite high, more or less similar to an additional shroud on a creature.
Therefore, if you can have an unblockable 1/1 creature for cmc 2 and a Prodigal Pyromancer and a Honden of Infinite Rage for 3, I would definitely feel fine with a red enchantment for 1R that deals 1 damage to target player during your upkeep. Therefore - to make lifegain a bit better than damage, I would have reduced the cost of the mantra to W.
It would be still a bit weaker than a Soul Warden, but also a bit more permanently. And as a cmc1 card, I would have used it from time to time.
On limited: If your deck is lacking in two-drops (admittedly an odd thing for White), or you expect the game to go long, or you're fighting an aggro deck, or you have multiple Ajani's Pridemates, then run it or sideboard it in. But please, barring the last situation, don't pick it early. Trust me, it will table.
Wrong. Sun Droplet works EVERY upkeep, not just your own. It may not be that great normally (Two life per turn) but it's an all-star in multiplayer games.
Mono-white weenie is so annoying when you're trying to play mono-red burn. I'm glad we at least got Unstable Footing and Leyline of Punishment to balance things out. Of course, I'd rather have a playset of Flames of the Bloodhand and some Everlasting Torment.
@ coyotemoon722: It's bad beause:
- it doesn't help against combo decks or control decks. If you are milled, or your opponent comboes out, or your opponent counters your threats, then lifegain does nothing to help you. Or if you are pummeled by poison/infect creatures. Lifegain cards are then dead cards.
- it prolongs your defeat, but doesn't help you win. If your opponent is at 3 life, do you want lifegain or a lightning bolt? If your opponent has 3 or 4 cards left in the ilbrary, do you want to draw mill or lifegain? If mass removal killed all creatures, do you want creatures or lifegain? And so on and so on.
Lifegain would be good, if it wouldn't require you to invest cards and mana into it. And if it wouldn't be the case that about everything else would be better. Sure, there exist one or two cards that can in certain formats be powerful in matters of lifegain (like life gift in a multiplayer game). Or maybe if for little mana you'd gain insane amounts of life, turning any damage based futile, that can be at times helpful. But this ain't the case for this card. Ajani's Mantra is slow, weak, predictible, and so on and so on. In short: it's just plain horrible.
Of course, cards used specifically for llifegain are terrible in a competitive environment, so you shouldn't play this or Pristine Talisman in a tournament, but in a casual environment where combo decks don't have you on a short clock before they go off and control decks can't lock you out efficiently and aggro decks don't kill you in 4 turns, Pristine Talisman is actually a pretty fun card, because it both helps you ramp and gains you life, and it can fit in any colour deck unlike this card.
STORY JUST BEEN...........SPOILED >:)