I don't think Searing Blaze would be a liability, because it targets a player in addition to a 'single golem'. Definitely need a ruling on that. "Single golem and no other targets", or "Single golem and no other golems"?
Chrome_Coyote
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I can't tell if the double-edge sword effect is worth it. At least finally we have some Golem tribal cards.
jamiepm
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
does its ability extend to 1. all creatures of subtype naming golem 2. the tokens created or 3. the precusor golem and the tokens i'd imagine itd be 1. right?
StaberFire
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
If it affects all Golems and not just tokens named Golem, could make for some fun casual shenanigans with Golem Foundry and Rusted Relic.
Flesh Allergy makes Mr. Precursor have a very bad day. Assuming no other creatures died that turn, it results in 10 life loss on top of the golem loss.
Silverosx
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Play Precursor Golem, use Soul's Fire. Soul's initial target is the golem, the second target would be your opponent. More golems on the field = more damage.
SicksEyeUrn
★☆☆☆☆ (1.9/5.0)(4 votes)
The text says that spells would be copied for each golem. Searing Blaze only specifies that it targets a creature not a single creature. So the spell is copied 3 times. All 3 golems die and controller takes 9 damage from the 3 Blazes.
Selez
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
On constructed: Lightning Bolt exists. Searing Blaze exists. Burst Lightning exists. Galvanic Blast exists. Grasp of Darkness exists. Doom Blade exists. Smother exists. Urge to Feed exists. Condemn exists. Shatter exists. That said, this card is otherwise a three-for-one and could see play in decks that aim to play more creatures than their opponent has removal spells. As for abusing its latter ability, go nuts in casual.
On limited: By definition, limited decks are not pre-constructed, and so can be lacking key cards, like the removal necessary to deal with this guy. If your opponent isn't under a lot of pressure, they will probably save their removal spell for a threat, but otherwise its card advantage will likely be too much for them to overcome. I also like how it single-handedly puts Metalcraft online.
Could "Precursor" mean that Karn will return?
venerableloki
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
For Soul's Fire I'm not sure if the stipulation on targeting extends to ANY other targets or just other GOLEMS being targeted, because it was one of my first ideas (I do like the idea of Distortion Strike with Tainted Strike too) and I looked it up in the Scars FAQ when they first put it up. BTW make sure if you use Mirrorweave on it, that you target another Golem first and put the copy targeting the Precursor on top of the stack so that it resolves first. The rest of the copies and the original Mirrorweave won't do anything after that because everything will already be Precursors.
robyc01
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
The text on the Golem clearly states "targets only" , therefore searing blaze would not be copied as it is not only targeting a single creature, but a creature and player.
DredgeSkeletons
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
The drawback of this card is fairly easy to get around if you dont mind a little sacrifice... start out with Golem Foundry and Throne Of Geth out on the field and play Precursor Golem, then use the throne to sac the precursor golem and put another counter on the foundry...that automatically puts 2 counters on the foundry in addition to any you had before on there(one counter from initially playing precursor golem and another from proliferating)...now with precursor golem gone so is the threat of all your golems being targeted...because it doesnt say anything about the other golem tokens having that same effect..so you wind up with one less golem but if you have a foundry with a token on it already then you get it back by removing the three...and what if you had 2 foundries?! Ha! This card is a win when played properly.
LTJZamboni
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This does not die to Searing Blaze, since Searing Blaze targets the player first and then the creature. It fails in this way for the same reason that if you kill the creature Searing Blaze is targeting then it still deals damage to the player.
Granted he lives to attack him plus Vault Skyward is pretty good. Ancestral the hard way with Twisted Image. Not to beat a dead horse with what you people have said about this card but this card is too much of a drawback to see constructed play. Limited however... is swwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttt.
UNBAN_SHAHRAZAD
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Lightning Bolt.
channelblaze
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I wanna cast mirrorweave on it just to confuse the crap out someone.
Ratoly
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(15 votes)
Ugh....you guys.....he's not card disadvantage if they shoot him down. It's a 1-for-1. HE makes the tokens, so if they Doom Blade him, you lose 1 card and they lose 1 card. Not a 3-for-1. He's a very solid card which can end games quickly and is pretty potent when paired with stuff like Vines of Vastwood, Withstand Death, or even Asceticism.
sungkwon
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Withstand Death will save each of your golem copies. Also, saying "something dies to removal" is a bad argument. EVERYTHING dies to removal. Plan on abusing this guy with Shape Anew
God, some of you need to get off your removal high. Like Ratoly said, it's a 1 for 1, not a 1 for 3. Wake up, everything dies to removal, who cares. Thank you, now gtfo.
The card says, "Whenever a player casts an instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single Golem, that player copies that spell for each other Golem that spell could target."
That "only" should be enough to clear up any questions about Searing Blaze or similar cards.
Azarath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I was planning to use this card in conjunction with Mimic Vat. for 3 colorless and tap, I would get a token that as it comes into play will put two additional tokens into play, the original will have haste and would be exiled at the beginning of the next end step. Leaving the other two tokens.
This would be a cheap and effective token generator and with a deck with a few cantrips can be very effective. and the spell replication will only be a factor if the precursor golem token is in play so you can create the token when it best benefits you, and with the combination with Throne of Geth you can react to an opponents spell and sacrifice the precursor golem token prior to the replication effect, since sacrificing does not use the stack. However you will have to make it very clear as to when you sacrifice the golem failure to do so will be assumed to be after the ability is on the stack.
Shukakun
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Need to defend your golem? Let me introduce you to Mindbreak Trap.
Salohkin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
I can't adequately state how much I love this card.
Mtg has always been about how your deck works as a whole. I love how this card has so much potential, depending on what deck you throw him in and can become so devastating in so many different ways. I hope this is a precursor to more cards with a wide number of uses depending on how you build a deck with them.
I can think of different ways to use him for every color and most color combos, and can't wait to using this guy in a number of different ways.
TraitorIlKor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wow, really amazing card. Really easy to combo out with this baby. Just make sure you got his (their) back(s). As Ratoly said, he ISN'T card disadvantage because even though he ''is'' 3 creatures, you only used one card. I love using him with Livewire Lash, since he does like to get targeted...
God_Of_The_Smurfs
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I once played a lightning bolt on one of these guys. One mana has never been better spent. : 4.5/5
BioPrince
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
OMG!! LEARN TO READ PEOPLE! i am sick of people saying " i'll target him 999 times with my NOT SPELL and he triggers" abilities do not work, equips do not work, ... Mindbreak Trap NO! they only CAST one!
( LMAO Doubling Season) play 1 get 5 3/3's then kicked rite and 1 gets 10 each get 4 tokens so 40+10+1 then 4 tokens get 10 each 40+4 === 51+44 = 95 all for the price of one Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
and finally MIMIC VAT the best EVER since you get all 3 3/3's and the one with they multiply spells ability is gone EOT so 2 3/3's and no mass removal from sorcerys
Gavrilo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is great card design with great potential. Just be sure to cover those golem asses with something like Asceticism
frommerman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Everyone making the claim that removal means this guy is useless is incorrect. Any deck which plays this would also be playing either green (for withstand death, giant growth, and ramp to get him out) or blue (shape anew, counterspells), or both, and could thus protect and use him to his full potential. I see him defining some successful fringe deck, if not actually taking over the format.
majinara
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like this guy. He won me several games in drafts easily. And in casual decks... well, if you play two of these and a rite of replication on one, you end up with hundreds of golems. Also fun with {standardize}. And if you want absolute insanity, turn each creature into a precursor with mirrorweave.
Eldraziking187
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Counting out the possibilities with this card make my head hurt bad…I need to go take a nap.
saphireblade
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
for all of the stuff you guys are talking about im not sure if im the only one who runs it but let me remind you of Whispersilk Cloak and also Indomitable Archangel especially with a prototype portal game day is coming up and i hope im not the only one who thinks three unblockable untargetable creatures on the field at the same time is worth it. heck they're all artifacts so why not just go with a grafted exoskelton. but seriously its like an golem sliver all by itself just keep him up and runing and your golden.
Ragamander
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At its very worst, it's a 9/3 artifact creature for {5}. At its very best, it absolutely WRECKS with Distortion Strike and Vines of Vastwood. At its most amusing, it is the target of either Shape Anew or Polymorph.
In all cases, this is a great card for Timmys and Johnnys alike. Spikes will get varying mileage out of it.
Gelzo
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(13 votes)
Has anyone mentioned cantrips yet? This strikes me as a good target for them. You can turn a Twisted Image into an Ancestral Recall.
Leonidus7784
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love this card. Great art and great ability. I have 2 of these in my golem deck and he usually wins it with distortion strike + tainted strike. WIN
I think this is an underrated card, that in a properly given deck could be amazing. Pretty much Blue plus anything gives you plenty of options.
Blue for counterspells, Redirect (sure I'll take your spell that was going to help your creature to make my golems even more cool), Distortion Strike and Rite of Replication (not to mention fun cards like Vault Skyward - fly and draw a bunch of cards, Twisted Image - draw a bunch of cards, Twitch - tap/untap and draw a bunch of cards).
Green gives you other protection in the form of Vines of Vastwood or Withstand Death, plus all the crazy pumping spells (personal favorites Feral Contest, Strength of the Tajaru - not kicked), as well as fun things like Wing Puncture.
Black gives you kill conditions like Tainted Strike or Virulent Swipe, lifegain possibilities by targeting your golems with Last Kiss, along with your own removal suite.
If you run Black and Green, it's awesome to run Virulent Swipe plus Irresistible Prey together. Draw cards, kill all blockers. Fun times.
Red gives you Fling, which is one of the most dramatic things you can do with your golems, Assault Strobe, and a burn spell suite. Add in some Kiln Fiends and Chandra's Spitfires for more fun.
It's sad that this card doesn't have room for flavor text, because I really want to know what a Precursor Golem IS and why they bear a striking resemblance to Karn.
CeremonialBathory
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@304 - Nice math. For I can get rid of all of 'em.
asacnineb3
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
At the moment, this is my favorite card except steel hellkite. It also couples extremely well with Ink-treader nephilim and eldrazi con***ion. Even more potent is, as others have said, rite of replication. you can easily get an army of 45 603/603 annihilator 120 creatures. And that's with just one nephelim, one con***ion, one kicked rite of replication, and one precursor golem.
Steel-Hell
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So if I mana leak a doom blade targeting precursor golem, can my opponent still use the copies to slaughter the tokens? Or does the effect not resolve because mana leak is on top of the stack?
auriscope
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
How does this function with other Golem creatures?
MasterOfEtherium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Man So Ill The Art Is Spectacular. And with Tempered Steel So Beasty Ramping This Is So Wicked. My Fav Card In The Set Every Aspect 5/5 METH COOK GOLEM
I have a problem If I cast a Precursor Golem and I get 2 3/3 golem; then I cast Rite of Replication and pay the kicker cost, target on Precursor Golem; after resolve I cast Rite of Replication again and pay the kicker cost, target on Precursor Golem.
How many golem I will have?
Wraique
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You get 28 golems from one kicked Rite of Replication. 5 of those golem tokens are Precursor Golems which generate their own golem tokens when they hit the field. 10 of them, to be precise.
3 x 5 = 15 +3 +10 = 28.
With that in mind, if you kicked another Rite at a golem.
28 x 5 = 140 + 28 = 168 + 60 = 228
Again the extra 60 comes from having 30 Precursors enter the battlefield.
On another note, I was watching a game in which one guy had this and his two golem tokens. His Precursor had a Whispersilk Cloak equipped and one of the golem tokens had Doom Blade cast on it. The guy who cast Doom Blade said that the Precursor would be destroyed due to the way copy effects like this work, even though it had shroud. Is that BS or what?
Ninjakraken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rys the redeemed anyone?
Deadpool2000
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not the best use of it ever, but Momentous Fall'ing it in response to lighting bolt is pretty hillarious...
qki
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
if you guys are finished doing naughty things to yourself over this card, i'll throw in my $0.02.
a 1-1 trade for a lightning bolt at 5 mana is hardly a reason to get so excited. Any other fattie coud die to doom blade and similar point removal spells, but a lightning bolt/flame slash and other cheap kill spells get rid of this guy a bit too easily.
Defensively, this might be a bad trade, or a good one (depending on the removal). Offensively, it's better as it works with giant growth and similar effects. With the artifact anthemn it's a beast (three 5/5 dudes that no longer die to x/4 removal spells), instant metalcraft is also nice. If you are running a midrange beatdown deck with pump up effects via instants/sorceries this guy might be well worth it.
bijart_dauth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
splinter twin. Tap the golem you get 2 more from the come into play ability and only the first one sacs.
KikiJikiTiki
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
These numbers aren't big enough. I see some people had the right idea, but I just wanted everyone to know exactly how ridiculous this is with Mirrorweave and Rite of Replication/Heat Shimmer. This the largest non-infinite number of tokens ever made.
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #1
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
This turns into
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #1
...
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #9
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #2
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
9 precursor golems enter the battlefield, each bringing 2 buddies. There are now 19 precursor golems and 18 3/3 generic golem tokens. We STILL have
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #1
...
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #36
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #3
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
Precursor Golems/Golem Tokens Initial Golems : 10/0 1: 19/18 2: 37/54 3: 73/126 4: 145/414 5: 289/990 6: 577/2142 7: 1153/4446 8: 2305/9054 9: 4609/18270 10: 9217/36702 Original Spell: 9218/36704 When Mirrorweave wears off you will have 9209 Precursor Golems and 36706 3/3 Golem tokens that will all be killed 9209 times by any kill spell that targets a single creature.
: D
This is when there are only TEN creatures on the battlefield, and requires only 8 mana. I sucessfully resolved consecutive, kicked Rite of Replications on back to back turns creating a number of golem tokens that was approximately 38,000 digits long.
copied or not, an ability that says " I CANNOT BE TARGETED" means so. so if one of your golems had haste the spell would fizzle, because the shrouded golem would be an illegal target.
Artscrafter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A lot of people have the wrong idea on the effect, so let's break it down. "Whenever a player casts an instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single Golem..."
What this means: 1. If an effect copies a spell and the target of the copy is a Golem, this doesn't make more copies of the spell because those copies weren't cast. Ink-Treader Nephilim has no synergy with this card unless you can turn it into a Golem (in which case you'll get two copies of the spell for each other Golem.) 2. If a spell has its target changed to a Golem, it does not trigger the effect because that isn't how it was originally cast. You can't Redirect your opponent's pump spell and get copies. 3. Copies of a spell that are generated due to this effect are not cast. Mindbreak Trap is therefore not an automatic freebie (although for its hardcast cost it's still an effective way to counter stuff) and Bituminous Blast gets you exactly one cascade trigger. 4. A spell that targets a Golem and anything else does not trigger this, even if the spell has different instances of the word "target" and even if some of the targets aren't creatures. Searing Blaze is not copied. Soul's Fire is not copied. Arc Trail is not copied. 5. Sacrificing a Golem as a cost to play a spell does not make the spell target the Golem. Momentous Fall and Fling do not have any particular synergy with this card except for the fact that you can sac tokens for them and keep the original. 6. It only works with instants and sorceries. You can't get a 3-for-1 on Eldrazi Conscription with these guys.
All that being said: I highly approve of the Distortion Strike/Tainted Strike win con. Cantrips are great on this guy, but on the flip side of that, the hands down best card in Standard for answering this guy is Slice in Twain. Also watch out for cards that sneak in damage or life loss to the controller without targeting them, such as Chandra's Outrage and Hideous End.
(PS: If one of your Golems has shroud, e.g. because of a Whispersilk Cloak, then a copy of the spell is not created for that Golem. Note the "could target" phrasing.)
DarthKithkin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I wouldnt mind using my own Path to Exile on this... and this guy will definitely make your opponent think twice about using theirs.
No joke, all pros and cons aside,
This guy says:
"Hey, whatever situation you're in, you now have Metalcraft."
Who cares about removal/pump/whatever,
We'll say the reason he's so good for you to target with pump, and it's so terrible to have it targeted by a kill spell cancel each other out.
In that case:
Three 3/3 creatures on the field for 5.
Metalcraft when it resolves.
littlebeast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@304: Actually, since there are six Precursor Golems on the field, Might of the Masses would get copied six times per golem (except the one you cast it on). You would therefore then be attacking with a 31/31 and 27 171/171s, for a ridiculous 4648 damage.
Since that's obviously a ridiculous amount of overkill, any deck that actually wanted to do this would be advised to use Vines of Vastwood instead, as a means to protect the golems after replication. (I mean, it's not like you even really need to pump them at that point anyway, though that is viable for BEFORE the rite.)
And then Echoing Courage just makes it even more ridiculous. You know you want to deal OVER 9000!!!!!!!!! damage. Let me see, six Precursor Golems * Echoing Courage 31 times total * +2/+2 = 390 damage, 22 other golems * 6*22 Echoing Courages * 2 = 5874, for 6264 total damage. It would be over 9000 if they were all named the same.
What if you started with two Precursor golems? Then Rite of Replication would produce 5 * 7 Golem tokens and 5 * 3 Precursor Golem tokens (which carry with them 5 * 3 * 2 Golem tokens), for 69 Golems and 17 Precursor Golems. At which point Might of the Masses buffs them each by 1462. Math... 1465 * (69 + 16) = 124525, + 88 = 124613.
At that point even a Distortion Strike would result in 1704 unblockable damage. Or you could just attack with your 85 3/3s. What I'm trying to say here is, this guy can go nuts with duplication. (Unkicked Rite + Distortion Strike = 39 damage, unblockable. Even an unkicked rite by itself results in 8 3/3s, that usually ought to win you the game.)
tcollins
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Target your own with Arc Trail to potentially burn your opponents for 6, or kill any threatening creatures. Also works well with Spawning Breath, pretty much makes it Brood Birthing at instant speed. As others have mentioned, Twisted Image works, so does Shape Anew. Irresistible Prey results in a green Ancestral Recall (albeit at sorcery speed, but still). Repel the Darkness can be used to for the card draw and to tap three of your opponents creatures (play it at the end of their turn). Personally, I enjoy the potential combos with it and look forward to using with Shape Anew....also Titan Forge for even more shenanigans (and potential card disadvantage)
yesnomu
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Argh, I've had such mixed luck with this card. Seems like half the games I run my opponent over with nine power, and half the games something... unpleasant happens.
Once I had it Slice In Twain'd; lost that game pretty badly. Another time it fell to Flesh Allergy; losing 6 life in addition to my golems wasn't particularly fun. My worst experience was in a cube draft, where my opponent kicked Into the Roil on it. I cast it again, and he stole all my golems with Ray of Command and beat me to death.
This guy is pretty much the definition of "high risk, high reward". Plenty of good combos for you--watch for the ones that go badly.
Example: you get out your Precursor Golem and you have Hive Mind in play also. Opponent hits Golem with a Lightning Bolt, Doom Blade, whatever. Do you, the controller of the Golem, get 3 copies of opponent's spell or just 1?
Also, it looks like Hive Mind would allow you to pick new targets for the copied spells, they wouldn't have to target the Golems again. Am I correct on this?
Murderball
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Am I the only one who loves this guy and a Garruck's Packleader Throw in a Glimmerpoint Stag and you just drew 7 cards and have 5 3/3's
Lampmode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy really makes that Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas final ability really sting. If you get Tezz out a turn early and get him out a turn early when you -4 it adds another 6 damage for 5 colorless. I use a bunch of 0 casting cost artifacts like Ornithopter and MemniteMox Opal so by turn 4 you can do serious damage when this Golem hits the ground. I also like to use the Twisted Image to draw three cards for a U. That is sweet.
TreeTrunkMaster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awesome, I want to build a Golem deck, kind of needs Asceticism. High risk-high reward card definitely. Reminds me of Radiate.
Josh1229
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The blue and white suns states that this is meant for UW control as a finisher XD.
Leonidus78
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So let me get this straight. He's basically a 9/9 for 5 that is in the form of 3 creatures. Right? I don'y think he makes a doom blade kill every golem you have.
wxnbvq1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Follow it up with Jor Kadeen!!!!
Ava_Adore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Thinking of old mirrodin cards, if you have four copies of a golem in play and play one copy of echoeing courage, just those four golems alone each get +8/+8, for two green mana!
but anyway, this means I can finally make a decent tribal golem deck!!! ive been waiting for a card like this for years.
I take it multiple precursers, means multiple copies (well more multiple copies)
this calls for shields of velis vel, Grim affliction, copy it for every creature your opponent has, could deal some serous damage, especially with some graft/if there are a heap of +1/+1 counters on your own creatures destroy all your opponents creatures and put 1 -1/-1 counter on 3 of your creatures? sounds good to me
Polychromatic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This has my very favorite art in Scars of Mirrodin. It's pretty damn awesome.
So Xenograft makes everything you control the creature type of your choice in addition to whatever else it is. Choose Golem. Precursor Golem copies any spell that targets a golem for each golem you control. Doubling Season doubles that number. With the Kicker we're talking ten token copies of every creature you control PLUS all of the golem tokens that the Precursor Golems and splicers bring in with them.
What would happen if you spliced a dampen thought onto an arcane that targetted a golem? would the copies also have the spliced effect?
mrhardy12
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Look, you NEED to do math with this guy. Rite of Replication is likely the best way to go, and you should always target one of the TOKENS with it. Watch.
1 Precursor, 2 Tokens. Targetting the token with a kicked Rite gives this: 6 Precursors, 12 Tokens (and 10 more tokens from the new Precursors). This is the 28 people mention. Let's go further with another kicked Rite on the Token: 6 Precursors, each copied into 5, and each has 6 instances of "copied" on them. This means that the total number of Precursors GAINED is 180, or (6^2)(5). Then, you add the original 6 to there, and you have 186 Precursors. I'm ignoring the Token count at this point. Just assume that it's already massive. A third kicked Rite: (186^2)(5) + 186 = new Precursor count. This is equal to no less than 173166 Precursors. Fourth kicked Rite: 149,932,490,946 Precursor Golem cards on your field total. NOW you cast a single instance of Distortion Strike. This is the equivalent of all creatures getting +149932490946/+0 and becoming unblockable until end of turn. You have at LEAST (as in, not counting Token clones, just Precursor drag-ins) 299,864,981,892 Tokens, meaning 449,797,472,838 Golems on the field. Each one is +149932490946/+0 until end of turn and unblockable, so that means that you get a total of each creature being 149,932,490,949/3 and unblockable. Total damage: 67,439,255,525,166,508,343,262. You don't even NEED Tainted Strike.
Note: ONLY do this in a Green/Blue deck, allowing for Asceticism, mana ramp and counterspells to keep them and yourself alive long enough to cast four kicked Rites. Just be careful and the total damage is in the hextillions. Keep that in mind.
P.S.: This is ONLY counting cards currently in Standard. :D
RATZGobbler
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I have a question. Can you use artillerize to sac all of your golems and deal that damage with the copies?
Racnornam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
built a green deck around this with like withstand death, andmirran mettle to attak for 21 damage when they decide to let me swing out and them just take 9
made my friend main board doom blade cause it was the only creature in the deck
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
wow, so much combo potential
Zerof89
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm amazed no one has mentioned the obvious yet. This is the whole package if you want to activate metalcraft.
Kura-san
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is actually a pretty amazing card, considering the number of combos with this. People have already mentioned Distortion Strike, not to mention a number of green and blue instants like Giant Growth. There's always the chance your opponent wipe out all your golems in a single move, but Asceticism is brilliant at protecting your creatures. Also comboing with Precursor Golem and Asceticism is Xenograft, where having a Master Splicer on the field can make your Splicers less vulnerable by bumping up their toughness.
EternalPhi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@RATZGobbler
No copies will be made since Artillerize doenst target a golem, it targets a player and forces you to sac a creature.
This card rules, so many ways to break it (or have it broken on you :/)
Nayban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Run it with Arc Trail, hitting it with the 1 damage source, letting you throw 2 damage all over the field.Run it with a Comet storm with a cost of 5(with one Multikicker) and get some nice damage out of it based on how many golems you have. Slaughter Cry gives them all +3/+0 and first strike. There are so many red cards that can run with these, its amazing Im not seeing this guy played more. Think its time i go make a blue red deck with him at the core.
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Nayban - Arc Trail, and a kicked Comet Storm both have multiple targets, so they don't trigger Precursor Golem's ability.
Guildpact_Revived
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What about Cyclical Evolution? Would the copies be suspended and replayed to make an exponential growth rate every 3 turns you have a Precursor?
@mrhardy12: What if I play a Batwing Brume with W/B. Then your super swing becomes a death march for yourself.
In related news, Day of Judgement will go back to being Wrath of God for M13, and be a Mythic Rare.
(Why isn't this guy banned in EDH?!)
CJM2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@mrhardy:
If you order the triggers/resolution of copies correctly, you can net over 4 million golems with a second Rite of Replication. You wind up with 279,936 Precursor Golems alone, assuming you targeted one of the vanilla 3/3 golems with the casting of Rite.
Punchgroin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wanna know something cool? Feed him into the Birthing pod - fetch yourself a Titan. You get to keep the two tokens, since artifact/creature abilities aren't pertinent to the card text. Suppose you fetch a Wurmcoil Engine. Next turn you pod the WormCoil and get yourself Elesh Norn.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy reminds me of Nacatl War-Pride, which seemed like an underutilized card with serious combo potential. I hope the instant/sorcery copying turns out to be abuseable...
This is the least useful guy to copy with Phantasmal Image, though :)
Sheep_Darklord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is probably my favourite card, provided that you have something like Asceticism or Leonin Abundas, otherwise you're practically begging for a Doom Blade or some similar destroy creature effect that will end up ruining your entire force. That aside, you can really abuse this effect; 2 mana for Titanic Growth for +4/+4, 1 mana for Giant Growth +3/+3, so that's a grand total of +7/+7 on all your 3/3 golems. Combine that with a Maul Splicer and you've got the recipe for complete annihilation.
gtamaster503
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Does anyone realize that this means if a player can Doom Blade one of your Golems, he can doom blade all of them. Unless you can regenerate them for {1} each with that green Golem master, that makes this card a huge risk to run.
Russian.Thunder
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It occurs to me, and I'm not sure if this is the case, but if Precursor Golem is in play... Would, say Zombify be copied to target ALL golems in your graveyard?
wiseguy20
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"Oh, so you used cackling counterpart on your precursor golem and made 5 other golems for a total of 8? Oh noes, whatever am I gunna do?
Not my personal favorite, in many ways can backfire.... :S Imagine you do Rite of Replication and opponent plays Grim Affliction with only 1 poison counter on you... :P
@LPFan55 When using Flesh Allergy, the opponent wouldn't lose 12 life. The opponent would lose life equal all creatures put into the graveyard this turn (prior to Flesh Allergy resolving from the stack). In other words if the opponent lost 3 life because of flesh allergy, the opponent would not lose any more life from that same instance of flesh allergy even if more creatures went to the graveyard after the original Flesh allergy resolved.
To calculate: There are 2 golems and one Precursor Golem on opponents battlefield. You have 1 creature. You cast Flesh Allergy, sacrifice your creature and target one of the golems. This is the original spell and is put on the bottom of the stack. Two more copies of the spell are then put on the stack in the order of your choice, each targeting a different golem. So the last target you pick would resolve first. At this point in the stack only 2 creatures have gone to the graveyard (the one you sacrificed, and the first one destroyed by Flesh Allergy). So your opponent would lose 2 life. The next to last copy of Flesh Allergy would then resolve. At this point in the stack 3 creatures have gone to the graveyard (the one you sacrificed, the first one destroyed by the last copy of Flesh Allergy and this creature destroyed by Flesh Allergy). The opponent would lose 3 life from this copy. And Finally the original spell would resolve, killing the last golem and the opponent would lose 4 life from the spell.
So your opponent would only lose 9 life, not 12.
Combolulz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My friend used a Xenograft while i had this guy out ,2 blade splicers , and a myr superion out as well as the myrs used to summon him. I was about to finish him next turn with a Might of the masses But he chose the golem creature type on me....he then lightning bolted my single golem and destroyed all creatures except my myr superion....he simply lightning bolted it again. He won the game after playing an olivia volderan and swinging multiple times.
LPFan55
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Zonderion You're right :D Thanks man
DritzD27
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Combolulz It would only have effected his creatures. He couldn't have turned all your stuff into golems.
Chimaera2357
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lots of fun with any cantrip. Try also Asceticism, which lets you regenerate all the golems for and protect them from removal. 5/5 for being powerful and inventive, as well as making Limited-fodder combat tricks worthwhile, like Wildsize and Sigil Blessing.
Hackworthy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The closest thing to a vanilla 9/9 for 5.
Tivadercrusader
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So Parallel Lives is all I'm on right now and this guy makes me incredibly happy with that.
My major question is related to charms. If I cast Evolution Charm on a Golem, am I forced to use the fly option on the card and make the rest of the Golems flying or can I just copy the instant for each golem in play?
thexmanlight
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Thankfully, Rite of Replication on this thing is easily fixed with a Gutshot.
just use indomitable archangel, instant metalcraft, instant awesomeness...
304
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rite of Replication needs to target a golem already on the field and would be copied to hit the other two golems. So, kicked, you get 10 golem tokens from the 2 original copies of the golems and 5 copies of the main card which would then each produce two tokens adding 15 more golems giving you a total of 28 golems (25 Replicated copies and the original 3). Assuming they survive the a turn and get to attack, and you have no other creatures, a Might of the Masses would add 784 (+28/+28 to 28 different creatures) damage to their base 84 power (28 3/3 creatures) giving you a total of 868 damage.
combocrazy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just made a RG deck that kinda works. Mana ramp into Parallel Lives, then Precursor. Colossal Might and Fling. :) 35 damage. lots of mana, hard to do, but it's really sweet.
Stinga
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Normally I am not the guy who does the hateing But my friend’s golem deck sure is frustrating His giant growth and mighty leaps are not combat tricks his precursor golem quintuples them, that G splits I got my board good to go. Next turn he dies: my saps are too many I grin down at my 40/40 mycoloth and reach for another penny. There is no way he can break my wall of plants with his five golem I feign a graceful win, looking at the table and keeping myself solemn It’s his turn and his turn to grin. He topdecked a mighty leap I see him tap 3 and I start to weep. Might leap, giant growth swing for fifty flying It does not matter how large my force is: I am dieing. Good game sir that was fun. Very close but I am glad you won. Time to add more pollenbright wings I deck-build and dream of reaper kings.
tdogg46142
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
use this with Arc Blade and 3 turns later, you are overkilling your opponent
Yezzerat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@tdogg46142 I love the Arc Blade idea... but it doesn't work. They aren't cards, so when they are exiled they cease to exist. Same reason tokens with Undying don't return. So all your "copied" arc blades that get exiled with time counters vanish, and in 3 rounds you just recast the original Arc Blade.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Instant Metalcraft. And there you thought the Splicers were good with Jor Kadeen.
I feel like this guy's name should be Phantasmal Golem (because of the ability). Even though he's vulnerable, he's awesome.
Specter_Fanatic13
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card. In one match I played, my opponent kept killing my blade splicers so I couldn't smack him with a hoard of first strikers. By turn six, I laid down Precursor Golem, with a total of six golems on the field. And then I cast Mighty Leap.
I really need some ideas for a new deck with him though, I feel like I'm missing something...
feedbacker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
makes all your golems radiateing and gives you three additional golems, pretty strong card for a golem deck, but like someone else said, quite the double edged sword. Make sure to have fast offense or good defense when playing this card
Cartopolis
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
im fairly new to MTG, so i bought the Splicer deck. ive enjoyed it so far, and added Precurser to it. ive still yet to draw it though, haha, but ive already eliminated that high risk of his. Simply give him Hexproof via Leonin Abunis and give Abunis Mask of Aviacian. i dont have Leonin Abunis yet, so ill just settle giving him the mask directly. infinite plus since all spells are green/white/colorless in the deck
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems to me like you play Xenograft choosing golems. Then if your opponent tries to abuse it for mass removal purposes, you just Donate the graft to them! Or use that Worldwake goblin guy that gives people stuff, I forget his name...oh, right, Bazaar Trader, but he doesn't work on enchantments. :(.
Dies to Murder, along with all other golems you control. @mrhardy12, your ridiculous attack of such an incredible Golem horde is thwarted pretty intensly as any form of bounce or even worse hard-removal .....
It's hard to even fathom the rage it could create.
Tryffin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So can I eat this card? I mean devour wise. I hear people saying it counts as unlimited food but i'm not sure.
C1455
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For all you people out there with the pure intentions of breaking this card, i have two words for you-searing spear.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I actually kicked a rite of replication on this, my opponent dropped him. Needless to say MTGO nearly crashed and I reached the maximum creature limit... But he just Day of Judgment the following turn.
Rite of Replication kicked? I Radiate it. Watch as the stack falls. It's so cute. It mimics your own fate... Each golem is targeted by a kicked rite of replication, for each golem. 3 golems I cant even do the math. I guess it would be 7!^3 or 3!^7 So at least 49. Johnny do what you want.
Keldane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So here's what you do with this guy -
Play Precursor Golem, and enchant him with Indestructibility, then play Xenograft naming Golem and Donate it to your opponent. Lastly, Murder one of their creatures, or your own Precursor, or one of its tokens - really, any golem. BAM! Needlessly complex one-sided board wipe that is, conveniently, repeatable and in Esper colours. For extra stupidity, imprint Doom Blade on Isochron Scepter. Two mana to wipe his board of all non-black creatures at will - though since you're going that route and not paying the cost anyway, why not use Terminate instead? Or, since we're really going needlessly complex, get two of the scepter, one imprinted with either Pongify or Rapid Hybridization and the other imprinted with Smother. Zap all their creatures into apes or frog lizards, then suffocate them all. Cruel, cruel excessive complexity.
1. Cast kicked Rite. 2. Precursor Golem makes two other copies of Rite on the stack. 3. Radiate the spell targeting a token, which adds a copy for the Precursor and a copy for the other token to the stack. 4. Two kicked Rites on the Precursor make 10 Precursor tokens, which make 20 vanilla tokens as they enter. 5. Three kicked RItes on the other two tokens make 15 more vanilla tokens. 6. Wait for the dust to settle. 7. You own 11 Precursor Golems (10 are token copies) and 37 3/3 golems. 8. Cast Traitorous Instinct on any golem. That golem gets +2/+0 and haste, every other golem gets +22/+0 and haste. 10. ATTACK FOR 1180! Only cost .
Precursor Golem only copies spells as they are cast, not if they are added to the stack. (Else it would copy the copies it produces for an infinite loop.) It would be sweet if Radiate cast the copies, then you'd get three copies of RIte of Replication on each golem, for 16 Precursors and 62 3/3's.
I almost said to use Fling, but that targets the wrong thing. I wish there were a card that read, "target creature deals damage equal to its power to every opponent".
(P.S. you were joking about the 49, right? 3!^7 is 6^7 = 117,649 and 7!^3 is 5040^3 = 128,024,064,000.)
Cancrix
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
You guys are all being so restrained with this guy's potential.
Start off with 4 Parallel Lives and 4 Doubling Season. Then play 4 Precursor Golems. The Enchantments multiply the tokens by 256, so you have 4 Precursor Golems and 2048 3/3 Golems.
(You all know the general craziness of how this will play out, so I'll spare you most of the mathematical waffle.)
Then, play a Cytoshape, making all of your golems into Precursor Golems. Then play and Flashback 4 Cackling Counterparts. You now have 10^1458 Precursor Golems, and 10^1461 3/3 Golems.
Then drop a 3 copies of Rite of Replication, all kicked. Maths happens, and you end up with 10^11727 Precursor Golems, and 10^11730 3/3 Golem tokens.
Then play your fourth kicked Rite of Replication, but we'll copy it with an Increasing Vengeance or 4. Then we'll start chaining 4 flashbacked Increasing Vengeances, flash in 4 Runic Repetitions using your handy Alchemist's Refuge, getting back all 4 Increasing Vengeances. play them and increase the flashback chain, then finish off with 4 Reverberates and 4 Forks.
You now have a few kicked copies of Rite of Replication (and by "a few", I mean 2626). Let those all resolve, more maths happens. More maths than has ever happened in the universe. You now have 10^(10^791) golems. Or, as it's better known:
And, tragically, the deck still dies to Flame Jab.
Hercynian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What happens if I use vanish into memory on this?
Also I like that I can get 9 power for 5 mana in Blue.
Also it turns your opponent'm doom blade into a board wipe if you have an unnatural selection.
Also Vital Splicer pretty much makes this awesome.
itsandycapp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Distortion strike ftw
crylockXIII
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Reading up on rite of replication I had a thought, ghostly flicker. Hears the play Precursor Golem and two golem tokens, ghostly flicker Precursor Golem and one land the copys target the token and a land. First one resolves second is targeted, Precursor Golem reactivates and recopys ghostly flicker hitting Precursor Golem last on that section when Precursor Golem enters two more tokens "And then you continue for as long as u want that to go on for" The main part here is "and just what to make sure that it clears w.o.c." that sense im targeting ONE golem and a land It would work correct
Synesthetic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In case you're wondering what the equations are to figure out your own maths when you kick Rite of Replication on your own Golem token here they are:
5x²+x : gives you the number of Precursor Golems you'll end up with after the dust settles. Of course to do this you have to have a golem OTHER than a Precursor to cast Rite on.
The math for figuring out number of tokens was a little more interesting, but this is what you end up with (using "x" for number of Precursor Golems themselves, and "y" for the number of tokens as you cast Rite):
10x² + 5xy + y - 5x + 5
Note: This equation includes the tokens that the new "x" number of Precursor Golems will make as they enter the field.
So to make mrhardy12's numbers even more accurate: After that initial 28, you end up with 186 Precursors and 1017 golem tokens. Next is 173166 Precursors like he said, and 1,291,862 tokens. Then 149,932,490,946 Precursors like he said again, and 1,418,397,937,057 tokens. One Distortion Strike would give 1,568,330,428,002 golems +149932490946/+0 and one Token +1/+0 and unblockable. For a grand total damage of: 235,143,687,701,451,161,153,902.
P.S. You target a token with Rite because the effect of having multiple Precursor Golems only produces multiple copies for the golems that you don't target. So because you want to make the maximum number of golems possible, you want it to copy the effect as many times as possible onto the Precursors themselves, so that you can keep climbing exponentially.
BlossomRevane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I used to use sigil blessing on my golems when this was out! I could easily get them too 60/60 or so. This card is still not all that though lol
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Almost matches Wurmcoil in 1v1. Two golems eat the biggun; 1 eats one of the smaller ones. Not bad for a rare and {1} less.
Seize the Day and anything that grants your creatures vigilance (Consider piety charm) allows one to attack (with just this card) for 36 spread between up to 12 players. Combined with any other buffer you'll win just about any game if/when you do this.
Hidden Strings is also neat. Target only one of your golems then tap down their guys and untap your mana with it. The fact he closes games so quickly makes it so he can be one of the few creatures in your deck.
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I find it interesting that it explicitly says the new spells target the golems. Perhaps, if your opponent tries to cast some big impressive buff on his golems, you can effectively counter them all by responding with something like Mage's Guile.
mrchuckmorris
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Synesthetic Sooooooooooo...... what further atrocities happen to the maths when you toss a Coat of Arms on the field next? ^\_(*_o)_/^
Comments (142)
What happens when he's targeted by Searing Blaze? Do all of them die and you take 9 damage?
Opponent: I play Lightning Bolt (or other cheap 3+ damage dealer)
You: @#$*%
Tainted Strike allows it to end the game in one fell swoop.
This creature is a huge risk, but it could be very well broken with the right deck.
ALSO: Searing blaze doesn't triple itself, since doesn't just target one golem.
I don't think Searing Blaze would be a liability, because it targets a player in addition to a 'single golem'. Definitely need a ruling on that. "Single golem and no other targets", or "Single golem and no other golems"?
1. all creatures of subtype naming golem
2. the tokens created
or
3. the precusor golem and the tokens
i'd imagine itd be 1. right?
On limited: By definition, limited decks are not pre-constructed, and so can be lacking key cards, like the removal necessary to deal with this guy. If your opponent isn't under a lot of pressure, they will probably save their removal spell for a threat, but otherwise its card advantage will likely be too much for them to overcome. I also like how it single-handedly puts Metalcraft online.
Could "Precursor" mean that Karn will return?
start out with Golem Foundry and Throne Of Geth out on the field and play Precursor Golem, then use the throne to sac the precursor golem and put another counter on the foundry...that automatically puts 2 counters on the foundry in addition to any you had before on there(one counter from initially playing precursor golem and another from proliferating)...now with precursor golem gone so is the threat of all your golems being targeted...because it doesnt say anything about the other golem tokens having that same effect..so you wind up with one less golem but if you have a foundry with a token on it already then you get it back by removing the three...and what if you had 2 foundries?! Ha! This card is a win when played properly.
There are some dumb things you can do with this card, and it's also instant Metalcraft. I'm seriously tempted to use Colossal Might, or Distortion Strike, or Virulent Swipe, or Bituminous Blast, or maybe even Twisted Image just to draw 3 cards off of 1 blue mana. So many possibilities.
That "only" should be enough to clear up any questions about Searing Blaze or similar cards.
This would be a cheap and effective token generator and with a deck with a few cantrips can be very effective. and the spell replication will only be a factor if the precursor golem token is in play so you can create the token when it best benefits you, and with the combination with Throne of Geth you can react to an opponents spell and sacrifice the precursor golem token prior to the replication effect, since sacrificing does not use the stack. However you will have to make it very clear as to when you sacrifice the golem failure to do so will be assumed to be after the ability is on the stack.
Mtg has always been about how your deck works as a whole. I love how this card has so much potential, depending on what deck you throw him in and can become so devastating in so many different ways. I hope this is a precursor to more cards with a wide number of uses depending on how you build a deck with them.
I can think of different ways to use him for every color and most color combos, and can't wait to using this guy in a number of different ways.
the best thing ive seen is:
splinter twin,
Distortion Strike + Tainted stike = game over
Rite of Replication
1 gives 5 + 10(2 tokens each) , 2 gives 10 so 28 total
( LMAO Doubling Season)
play 1 get 5 3/3's then kicked rite and 1 gets 10 each get 4 tokens so 40+10+1 then 4 tokens get 10 each 40+4 ===
51+44 = 95 all for the price of one Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
prototype portal GREAT!
and finally MIMIC VAT the best EVER since you get all 3 3/3's and the one with they multiply spells ability is gone EOT so 2 3/3's and no mass removal from sorcerys
And in casual decks... well, if you play two of these and a rite of replication on one, you end up with hundreds of golems. Also fun with {standardize}. And if you want absolute insanity, turn each creature into a precursor with mirrorweave.
At its very best, it absolutely WRECKS with Distortion Strike and Vines of Vastwood.
At its most amusing, it is the target of either Shape Anew or Polymorph.
In all cases, this is a great card for Timmys and Johnnys alike. Spikes will get varying mileage out of it.
What happens if I target a golem in my graveyard with something like Dead Reckoning, Disentomb, Rise from the Grave, or Nature's Spiral? If I target one of my golems with Corpsehatch, do I get a whole bunch of Eldrazi Spawn?
I think this is an underrated card, that in a properly given deck could be amazing. Pretty much Blue plus anything gives you plenty of options.
Blue for counterspells, Redirect (sure I'll take your spell that was going to help your creature to make my golems even more cool), Distortion Strike and Rite of Replication (not to mention fun cards like Vault Skyward - fly and draw a bunch of cards, Twisted Image - draw a bunch of cards, Twitch - tap/untap and draw a bunch of cards).
Green gives you other protection in the form of Vines of Vastwood or Withstand Death, plus all the crazy pumping spells (personal favorites Feral Contest, Strength of the Tajaru - not kicked), as well as fun things like Wing Puncture.
Black gives you kill conditions like Tainted Strike or Virulent Swipe, lifegain possibilities by targeting your golems with Last Kiss, along with your own removal suite.
If you run Black and Green, it's awesome to run Virulent Swipe plus Irresistible Prey together. Draw cards, kill all blockers. Fun times.
Red gives you Fling, which is one of the most dramatic things you can do with your golems, Assault Strobe, and a burn spell suite. Add in some Kiln Fiends and Chandra's Spitfires for more fun.
White gives your golems protection with Emerge Unscathed or even Shieldmate's Blessing, and win conditions with Mighty Leap, plus the bonus of metalcraft cards like Indomitable Archangel, or Dispense Justice (which can't be Redirect-ed like some other cards that could hurt your own golems).
Seems like Kiln Fiend's three metal cousins
oh yeah, and soul's fire
If I cast a Precursor Golem and I get 2 3/3 golem;
then I cast Rite of Replication and pay the kicker cost, target on Precursor Golem;
after resolve I cast Rite of Replication again and pay the kicker cost, target on Precursor Golem.
How many golem I will have?
3 x 5 = 15 +3 +10 = 28.
With that in mind, if you kicked another Rite at a golem.
28 x 5 = 140
+ 28 = 168
+ 60 = 228
Again the extra 60 comes from having 30 Precursors enter the battlefield.
On another note, I was watching a game in which one guy had this and his two golem tokens. His Precursor had a Whispersilk Cloak equipped and one of the golem tokens had Doom Blade cast on it. The guy who cast Doom Blade said that the Precursor would be destroyed due to the way copy effects like this work, even though it had shroud. Is that BS or what?
a 1-1 trade for a lightning bolt at 5 mana is hardly a reason to get so excited. Any other fattie coud die to doom blade and similar point removal spells, but a lightning bolt/flame slash and other cheap kill spells get rid of this guy a bit too easily.
Defensively, this might be a bad trade, or a good one (depending on the removal). Offensively, it's better as it works with giant growth and similar effects. With the artifact anthemn it's a beast (three 5/5 dudes that no longer die to x/4 removal spells), instant metalcraft is also nice.
If you are running a midrange beatdown deck with pump up effects via instants/sorceries this guy might be well worth it.
Assume there are 10 total creature to begin with. I cast Mirrorweave followed by an unkicked Rite of Replication...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #1
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
This turns into
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #1
...
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #9
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #2
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
9 precursor golems enter the battlefield, each bringing 2 buddies. There are now 19 precursor golems and 18 3/3 generic golem tokens. We STILL have
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #1
...
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature" #36
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #3
...
"that player copies that spell for each other golem that spell could target" #10
"Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature"
Precursor Golems/Golem Tokens
Initial Golems : 10/0
1: 19/18
2: 37/54
3: 73/126
4: 145/414
5: 289/990
6: 577/2142
7: 1153/4446
8: 2305/9054
9: 4609/18270
10: 9217/36702
Original Spell: 9218/36704
When Mirrorweave wears off you will have 9209 Precursor Golems and 36706 3/3 Golem tokens that will all be killed 9209 times by any kill spell that targets a single creature.
: D
This is when there are only TEN creatures on the battlefield, and requires only 8 mana.
I sucessfully resolved consecutive, kicked Rite of Replications on back to back turns creating a number of golem tokens that was approximately 38,000 digits long.
TLDR; Mirrorweave + Precursor Golem + Rite of Replication/Heat Shimmer= A LOT of tokens. A LOT. As many as that italicized number in bold.
"Whenever a player casts an instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single Golem..."
What this means:
1. If an effect copies a spell and the target of the copy is a Golem, this doesn't make more copies of the spell because those copies weren't cast. Ink-Treader Nephilim has no synergy with this card unless you can turn it into a Golem (in which case you'll get two copies of the spell for each other Golem.)
2. If a spell has its target changed to a Golem, it does not trigger the effect because that isn't how it was originally cast. You can't Redirect your opponent's pump spell and get copies.
3. Copies of a spell that are generated due to this effect are not cast. Mindbreak Trap is therefore not an automatic freebie (although for its hardcast cost it's still an effective way to counter stuff) and Bituminous Blast gets you exactly one cascade trigger.
4. A spell that targets a Golem and anything else does not trigger this, even if the spell has different instances of the word "target" and even if some of the targets aren't creatures. Searing Blaze is not copied. Soul's Fire is not copied. Arc Trail is not copied.
5. Sacrificing a Golem as a cost to play a spell does not make the spell target the Golem. Momentous Fall and Fling do not have any particular synergy with this card except for the fact that you can sac tokens for them and keep the original.
6. It only works with instants and sorceries. You can't get a 3-for-1 on Eldrazi Conscription with these guys.
All that being said:
I highly approve of the Distortion Strike/Tainted Strike win con.
Cantrips are great on this guy, but on the flip side of that, the hands down best card in Standard for answering this guy is Slice in Twain. Also watch out for cards that sneak in damage or life loss to the controller without targeting them, such as Chandra's Outrage and Hideous End.
(PS: If one of your Golems has shroud, e.g. because of a Whispersilk Cloak, then a copy of the spell is not created for that Golem. Note the "could target" phrasing.)
P.S. Can we stop naming the typical combos involving Tainted Strike, Twisted Image, Rite of Replication, Giant Growth etc etc etc..... we get it already! This card is awesome!
This guy says:
"Hey, whatever situation you're in, you now have Metalcraft."
Who cares about removal/pump/whatever,
We'll say the reason he's so good for you to target with pump, and it's so terrible to have it targeted by a kill spell cancel each other out.
In that case:
Three 3/3 creatures on the field for 5.
Metalcraft when it resolves.
Since that's obviously a ridiculous amount of overkill, any deck that actually wanted to do this would be advised to use Vines of Vastwood instead, as a means to protect the golems after replication. (I mean, it's not like you even really need to pump them at that point anyway, though that is viable for BEFORE the rite.)
And then Echoing Courage just makes it even more ridiculous. You know you want to deal OVER 9000!!!!!!!!! damage. Let me see, six Precursor Golems * Echoing Courage 31 times total * +2/+2 = 390 damage, 22 other golems * 6*22 Echoing Courages * 2 = 5874, for 6264 total damage. It would be over 9000 if they were all named the same.
What if you started with two Precursor golems? Then Rite of Replication would produce 5 * 7 Golem tokens and 5 * 3 Precursor Golem tokens (which carry with them 5 * 3 * 2 Golem tokens), for 69 Golems and 17 Precursor Golems. At which point Might of the Masses buffs them each by 1462. Math... 1465 * (69 + 16) = 124525, + 88 = 124613.
At that point even a Distortion Strike would result in 1704 unblockable damage. Or you could just attack with your 85 3/3s. What I'm trying to say here is, this guy can go nuts with duplication. (Unkicked Rite + Distortion Strike = 39 damage, unblockable. Even an unkicked rite by itself results in 8 3/3s, that usually ought to win you the game.)
Once I had it Slice In Twain'd; lost that game pretty badly. Another time it fell to Flesh Allergy; losing 6 life in addition to my golems wasn't particularly fun. My worst experience was in a cube draft, where my opponent kicked Into the Roil on it. I cast it again, and he stole all my golems with Ray of Command and beat me to death.
This guy is pretty much the definition of "high risk, high reward". Plenty of good combos for you--watch for the ones that go badly.
Example: you get out your Precursor Golem and you have Hive Mind in play also. Opponent hits Golem with a Lightning Bolt, Doom Blade, whatever. Do you, the controller of the Golem, get 3 copies of opponent's spell or just 1?
Also, it looks like Hive Mind would allow you to pick new targets for the copied spells, they wouldn't have to target the Golems again. Am I correct on this?
Reminds me of Radiate.
but anyway, this means I can finally make a decent tribal golem deck!!! ive been waiting for a card like this for years.
I take it multiple precursers, means multiple copies (well more multiple copies)
this calls for shields of velis vel, Grim affliction, copy it for every creature your opponent has, could deal some serous damage, especially with some graft/if there are a heap of +1/+1 counters on your own creatures destroy all your opponents creatures and put 1 -1/-1 counter on 3 of your creatures? sounds good to me
So Xenograft makes everything you control the creature type of your choice in addition to whatever else it is. Choose Golem. Precursor Golem copies any spell that targets a golem for each golem you control. Doubling Season doubles that number.
With the Kicker we're talking ten token copies of every creature you control PLUS all of the golem tokens that the Precursor Golems and splicers bring in with them.
Now all you need is Aceticism to keep Unsummon from becomming Wrath of God.
Oh yeah, throw in Coat of Arms for extra fun.
1 Precursor, 2 Tokens. Targetting the token with a kicked Rite gives this:
6 Precursors, 12 Tokens (and 10 more tokens from the new Precursors). This is the 28 people mention. Let's go further with another kicked Rite on the Token:
6 Precursors, each copied into 5, and each has 6 instances of "copied" on them. This means that the total number of Precursors GAINED is 180, or (6^2)(5). Then, you add the original 6 to there, and you have 186 Precursors. I'm ignoring the Token count at this point. Just assume that it's already massive. A third kicked Rite:
(186^2)(5) + 186 = new Precursor count. This is equal to no less than 173166 Precursors. Fourth kicked Rite:
149,932,490,946 Precursor Golem cards on your field total. NOW you cast a single instance of Distortion Strike. This is the equivalent of all creatures getting +149932490946/+0 and becoming unblockable until end of turn. You have at LEAST (as in, not counting Token clones, just Precursor drag-ins) 299,864,981,892 Tokens, meaning 449,797,472,838 Golems on the field. Each one is +149932490946/+0 until end of turn and unblockable, so that means that you get a total of each creature being 149,932,490,949/3 and unblockable. Total damage: 67,439,255,525,166,508,343,262. You don't even NEED Tainted Strike.
Note: ONLY do this in a Green/Blue deck, allowing for Asceticism, mana ramp and counterspells to keep them and yourself alive long enough to cast four kicked Rites. Just be careful and the total damage is in the hextillions. Keep that in mind.
P.S.: This is ONLY counting cards currently in Standard. :D
made my friend main board doom blade cause it was the only creature in the deck
No copies will be made since Artillerize doenst target a golem, it targets a player and forces you to sac a creature.
This card rules, so many ways to break it (or have it broken on you :/)
Slaughter Cry gives them all +3/+0 and first strike. There are so many red cards that can run with these, its amazing Im not seeing this guy played more. Think its time i go make a blue red deck with him at the core.
Would the copies be suspended and replayed to make an exponential growth rate every 3 turns you have a Precursor?
@mrhardy12: What if I play a Batwing Brume with W/B.
Then your super swing becomes a death march for yourself.
Then Propoganda, then cast and acivate Nin, the Pain Artist.
In related news, Day of Judgement will go back to being Wrath of God for M13, and be a Mythic Rare.
(Why isn't this guy banned in EDH?!)
If you order the triggers/resolution of copies correctly, you can net over 4 million golems with a second Rite of Replication. You wind up with 279,936 Precursor Golems alone, assuming you targeted one of the vanilla 3/3 golems with the casting of Rite.
This is the least useful guy to copy with Phantasmal Image, though :)
I'll play Smash to smithereens. Take 24 damage. GG."
Imagine you do Rite of Replication and opponent plays Grim Affliction with only 1 poison counter on you... :P
To calculate: There are 2 golems and one Precursor Golem on opponents battlefield. You have 1 creature. You cast Flesh Allergy, sacrifice your creature and target one of the golems. This is the original spell and is put on the bottom of the stack. Two more copies of the spell are then put on the stack in the order of your choice, each targeting a different golem. So the last target you pick would resolve first. At this point in the stack only 2 creatures have gone to the graveyard (the one you sacrificed, and the first one destroyed by Flesh Allergy). So your opponent would lose 2 life. The next to last copy of Flesh Allergy would then resolve. At this point in the stack 3 creatures have gone to the graveyard (the one you sacrificed, the first one destroyed by the last copy of Flesh Allergy and this creature destroyed by Flesh Allergy). The opponent would lose 3 life from this copy. And Finally the original spell would resolve, killing the last golem and the opponent would lose 4 life from the spell.
So your opponent would only lose 9 life, not 12.
My major question is related to charms. If I cast Evolution Charm on a Golem, am I forced to use the fly option on the card and make the rest of the Golems flying or can I just copy the instant for each golem in play?
But my friend’s golem deck sure is frustrating
His giant growth and mighty leaps are not combat tricks
his precursor golem quintuples them, that G splits
I got my board good to go. Next turn he dies: my saps are too many
I grin down at my 40/40 mycoloth and reach for another penny.
There is no way he can break my wall of plants with his five golem
I feign a graceful win, looking at the table and keeping myself solemn
It’s his turn and his turn to grin. He topdecked a mighty leap
I see him tap 3 and I start to weep.
Might leap, giant growth swing for fifty flying
It does not matter how large my force is: I am dieing.
Good game sir that was fun.
Very close but I am glad you won.
Time to add more pollenbright wings
I deck-build and dream of reaper kings.
I feel like this guy's name should be Phantasmal Golem (because of the ability). Even though he's vulnerable, he's awesome.
I really need some ideas for a new deck with him though, I feel like I'm missing something...
@mrhardy12, your ridiculous attack of such an incredible Golem horde is thwarted pretty intensly as any form of bounce or even worse hard-removal .....
It's hard to even fathom the rage it could create.
I Radiate it.
Watch as the stack falls. It's so cute. It mimics your own fate...
Each golem is targeted by a kicked rite of replication, for each golem.
3 golems
I cant even do the math.
I guess it would be 7!^3 or 3!^7
So at least 49.
Johnny do what you want.
Play Precursor Golem, and enchant him with Indestructibility, then play Xenograft naming Golem and Donate it to your opponent. Lastly, Murder one of their creatures, or your own Precursor, or one of its tokens - really, any golem. BAM! Needlessly complex one-sided board wipe that is, conveniently, repeatable and in Esper colours. For extra stupidity, imprint Doom Blade on Isochron Scepter. Two mana to wipe his board of all non-black creatures at will - though since you're going that route and not paying the cost anyway, why not use Terminate instead? Or, since we're really going needlessly complex, get two of the scepter, one imprinted with either Pongify or Rapid Hybridization and the other imprinted with Smother. Zap all their creatures into apes or frog lizards, then suffocate them all. Cruel, cruel excessive complexity.
1. Cast kicked Rite.
2. Precursor Golem makes two other copies of Rite on the stack.
3. Radiate the spell targeting a token, which adds a copy for the Precursor and a copy for the other token to the stack.
4. Two kicked Rites on the Precursor make 10 Precursor tokens, which make 20 vanilla tokens as they enter.
5. Three kicked RItes on the other two tokens make 15 more vanilla tokens.
6. Wait for the dust to settle.
7. You own 11 Precursor Golems (10 are token copies) and 37 3/3 golems.
8. Cast Traitorous Instinct on any golem. That golem gets +2/+0 and haste, every other golem gets +22/+0 and haste.
10. ATTACK FOR 1180! Only cost
Precursor Golem only copies spells as they are cast, not if they are added to the stack. (Else it would copy the copies it produces for an infinite loop.) It would be sweet if Radiate cast the copies, then you'd get three copies of RIte of Replication on each golem, for 16 Precursors and 62 3/3's.
I almost said to use Fling, but that targets the wrong thing. I wish there were a card that read, "target creature deals damage equal to its power to every opponent".
(P.S. you were joking about the 49, right? 3!^7 is 6^7 = 117,649 and 7!^3 is 5040^3 = 128,024,064,000.)
Start off with 4 Parallel Lives and 4 Doubling Season. Then play 4 Precursor Golems. The Enchantments multiply the tokens by 256, so you have 4 Precursor Golems and 2048 3/3 Golems.
(You all know the general craziness of how this will play out, so I'll spare you most of the mathematical waffle.)
Then, play a Cytoshape, making all of your golems into Precursor Golems. Then play and Flashback 4 Cackling Counterparts. You now have 10^1458 Precursor Golems, and 10^1461 3/3 Golems.
Then drop a 3 copies of Rite of Replication, all kicked. Maths happens, and you end up with 10^11727 Precursor Golems, and 10^11730 3/3 Golem tokens.
Then play your fourth kicked Rite of Replication, but we'll copy it with an Increasing Vengeance or 4. Then we'll start chaining 4 flashbacked Increasing Vengeances, flash in 4 Runic Repetitions using your handy Alchemist's Refuge, getting back all 4 Increasing Vengeances. play them and increase the flashback chain, then finish off with 4 Reverberates and 4 Forks.
You now have a few kicked copies of Rite of Replication (and by "a few", I mean 2626).
Let those all resolve, more maths happens. More maths than has ever happened in the universe.
You now have 10^(10^791) golems. Or, as it's better known:
10^100 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000.
(Please don't ask me to write that without standard form.)
And, tragically, the deck still dies to Flame Jab.
Also I like that I can get 9 power for 5 mana in Blue.
Also it turns your opponent'm doom blade into a board wipe if you have an unnatural selection.
Also Vital Splicer pretty much makes this awesome.
Hears the play Precursor Golem and two golem tokens, ghostly flicker Precursor Golem and one land the copys target the token and a land. First one resolves second is targeted, Precursor Golem reactivates and recopys ghostly flicker hitting Precursor Golem last on that section when Precursor Golem enters two more tokens
"And then you continue for as long as u want that to go on for"
The main part here is "and just what to make sure that it clears w.o.c." that sense im targeting ONE golem and a land It would work correct
5x²+x : gives you the number of Precursor Golems you'll end up with after the dust settles. Of course to do this you have to have a golem OTHER than a Precursor to cast Rite on.
The math for figuring out number of tokens was a little more interesting, but this is what you end up with (using "x" for number of Precursor Golems themselves, and "y" for the number of tokens as you cast Rite):
10x² + 5xy + y - 5x + 5
Note: This equation includes the tokens that the new "x" number of Precursor Golems will make as they enter the field.
So to make mrhardy12's numbers even more accurate: After that initial 28, you end up with 186 Precursors and 1017 golem tokens. Next is 173166 Precursors like he said, and 1,291,862 tokens. Then 149,932,490,946 Precursors like he said again, and 1,418,397,937,057 tokens. One Distortion Strike would give 1,568,330,428,002 golems +149932490946/+0 and one Token +1/+0 and unblockable. For a grand total damage of: 235,143,687,701,451,161,153,902.
P.S. You target a token with Rite because the effect of having multiple Precursor Golems only produces multiple copies for the golems that you don't target. So because you want to make the maximum number of golems possible, you want it to copy the effect as many times as possible onto the Precursors themselves, so that you can keep climbing exponentially.
Seize the Day and anything that grants your creatures vigilance (Consider piety charm) allows one to attack (with just this card) for 36 spread between up to 12 players. Combined with any other buffer you'll win just about any game if/when you do this.
Reconnaissance + Sieze the day will also
Hidden Strings is also neat. Target only one of your golems then tap down their guys and untap your mana with it. The fact he closes games so quickly makes it so he can be one of the few creatures in your deck.