6 mana for a 4/4 sucks, but then the fun begins, as it weakens/kills other creatures it gets stronger, and with proliferate adding -1/-1 counters, this could be very big and your opponents creatures...very dead.
NecroticNobody
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Gotta love the name. The ability is moderate, but once it shrugs off the counters, your opponent better watch out.
Hilarious, but he doesn't play well with others, which I don't like.
Sir_Kaeru
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Probably would do good in a U/B proliferate deck. Otherwise, he seems unworthy of being a demon. Give him trample, an alternate casting cost or an upkeep ability, and then he might, just might, be worthy of demon status.
Diachronos
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(11 votes)
Appropriately named, I think. Carnifex is Latin for "executioner."
Chrome_Coyote
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Good synergy with Morrowind/Shadowmoor cards, if you're playing that way.
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Got two in my sealed pool for the prerelease, amongst a bunch of awesome GB infect creatures. Won the day, and these guys certainly helped by repeatedly clearing the board, as well as often finishing the opponent with a Tainted Strike.
Gezus82
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
two of these guys creates a constant board wipe
demoninabottle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
While I do like the transfer of -1 -1 counters, the effect works too slowly to matter (in constructed at least). To get any benefit out of it on the drop turn you'd have to pay 8 mana, which is just completely unreasonable.
bagilis
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I confirm. This with throne of geth adn proliferate in the U/B deck won me some games
Hollowing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My friend's girlfriend pulled two of these on the midnight release tournament, but the guy next to me pulled Koth and Elspeth. As you would have guessed it, he won the tournament.
This guy just begs you to use Proliferate. He's like Pestilence Demon without the extreme cost. He is on my list of favorite demons.
BioPrince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
awesome card! Got me to the top 4 at the prerelease combined with contagion clasp
Jonnythekid107
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(11 votes)
Worst Demon in a while.
Gavrilo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Perfectly fine demon. He'll get a chance to drop minus counters before attacking, so he's 4/4 only for immediate burn. Anti-weenie tech on big body... not bad.
StreamHopper
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This thing single handedly got me into the top 8 in limited. Being able to get him out, you can destroy almost the entire field next turn. This puts him out of reach of Grasp of Darkness, Turn to Slag, and other spells that can wipe out your creatures. Difficult to find a flier in the set that can overpower him.
LarsBM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So much potential, awesome card!
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
underwhelming in limited
PastProphet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Keep in mind that if you keep at least one of his counters on, you can proliferate and add more -1/-1 counters TO him, to keep his ability ready for anything new that comes into play. Also, Baneslayer Angel has protection from Demons, but this effect doesn't target ( " on each other creature") so it would effect her as well.
jamiepm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
wow at first i didnt realise it put a -1/-1 on all other creauters. this is insane! imagine this with a Splinter Twin attached for a -6/-6 sweep every turn
Notoriety
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just reread this card and realized it says "each other creature" and not "target creature."
BEAST.
EvilCleavage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's on par with Pestilence Demon, and I think Pestilence Demon might be even a little better (which isn't saying much). :S But I think he could probably be a lot of fun in casual.
LEP-Recon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Moderate at best, unless you have a second, then extremely dangerous. That said, a single Diminish will kill him the second he lands if they can't peel off both counters immediately.
I love this guy, but he doesn't really play well with others not also named Carnifex Demon. While two of these create an infinite board wipe, any other creature you want to play will also end up dying. Good news is with two demons flying around board wiping you probably don't need any other creatures to win.
Combos REALLY well with Carnifex Demon. (you can just keep crapping counters on to eachother and pour {B} into destroying everything with -1/-1 counters.
Anyone who can't see the value of that, proliferate, and being tough/powerful flying at a reasonable cost.. is a big fraggin newb.
Leshrac_Nightwalker
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(10 votes)
There's something interesting about this card that is hard to see on card-sized art, but which becomes much more apparent if you look at the blown-up Wallpaper-sized image:
The creature's face actually seems to have a humanish nose and face! Most of it is covered by armored skin or plating, but it suggests that this creature may have started out as a Moriok human - especially looking at the relatively smooth mask covering the upper half of the face, which is a sign of Moriok on their way to becoming nim. (see Moriok Rigger and Moriok Scavenger for examples of what I mean)
Then, I guess, Phyrexia got their phalanges on him/her and took the evolution (de-evolution?) in a different direction. From a flavour perspective, it adds a new dimension to this card that I would not have noticed without the blown-up art! Very cool, IMO.
Vinifera7
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
The fact that he gets two -1/-1 counters is important because you can spread the contagion, then proliferate to keep his counters going. Rinse and repeat! He also becomes even better in multiples since they fuel one another.
nimzo
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(6 votes)
I agree with Vinifera7 and blurrymadness. Two copy of Carnifex Demon on the battlefield works like a killing machine. I rarely saw two copy of a same card working like this...
Further more, i think Carnifex Demon is one of the few (and essential) card in Scars of Mirrodin enable to efficiently start your "Proliferate -1/-1 counter strategy" in multiplayer game. One single B, and then, proliferate to affect all opponent creatures.
I give it 4,5/5 because black isn't the best color for flying... and this one is a killer.
With Kulrath Knight on the battlefield, the game is over. Also works very well in a Reanimator deck. He finds a very good disciple in Tatterkite too...
Great_North
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A totally awesome concept for a Phyrexian demon. I think it's perfect. Together with the name and awesomely creepy art, I really like this. Good job, Wizards.
Also reading comments I discovered that two of these will wipe the board, and keep it that way. AWESOME.
I love this card. I'm a big demon guy anyway but this card rules them all. You don't even need proliferate to make this card work. Cards like Instill Infection do nicely when you target him and yes if you get two of 'em out there then the real fun begins.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I love both Demons and Phyrexia. I also love the fact that wizards mixed two awesome things to create one of my favorite cards from SoM
Totobean
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I realize that everyone is talking about using this guy with proliferate to get him -1/-1 counters. But aren't we ignoring another key facet of what makes this a fantastic card? Infect deals in -1/-1 counters, and several spells in the Mirrodin block so far also deal damage in -1/-1 counters. This guy can shed them all right back off onto your opponents!
I just drew one at the MBS Pre release tourney and it carried me all the way to first place. He is a phenomenal beast vs infect.
Outside of limited it can and should make a huge impact in today's standard after MBS hits standard legal.
Ragamander
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Good in Limited for defeating opposing Infect decks. In Standard Constructed, it's probably not efficient enough to see play. An interesting card in theory, but it really depends on both the metagame and what other cards are played alongside it. Either sideboard it or build around it.
Concerned_Bystander
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Anyone else noticed that this guy combos brilliantly with himself? Get two of these on the table and you have an endless supply of -1/-1 counters to dish out to your opponents.
Awesome flavor, powerful ability for Proliferate control, works well with itself. Black Control Demon wins in my book.
Pontiac
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like his style.
Pay 1 B: FU other creatures
Alluceanot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With the card Glistening Oil spoiled from New Phyrexia this could get crazy
SeiberTross
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Shadowmoor's Blowfly infestation makes this particularly horrifying, especially since when you're done wiping the board, you can move a counter back to the Demon.
Pwnsaw
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy seems hilarious with wickerbough elder, contagion clasp, and liquimetal coating.
RedAtrocitus
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Controlling two of these guys is a ton of fun. Spend black and trade counters between them to create as many counters on every other creature as you can afford. Until they're all gone.
Do note that the effect doesn't ONLY target the counters it is given when it's summoned. What would happen if... i dunno, somehow you gave it a few more -1 counters?
You could TOTALLY mash this with Skinrender, give the negative counters to himself, and then WREAK HAVOC.
Two Carnifex demons will kill. or, play in proliferate deck. Also, anything that gives it counters is very good. also, good against an infect deck, just put sevral echo circlets on it
Carnifex demon is what i play in my UB control deck, he goes good with anything really, do not need proliferate, or any other crazy combos like that, just carnifex carnifex carnifex, i play myrs and carnifex, and a lux cannon as well, i am new to the whole mirrodin block, but im liking it so far.
Don't get me wrong, I think this guy is really interesting but if you build a deck with these in, then you'd better hope you have a Melira, Sylvok Outcast to go with, otherwise you're going to be clearing your own creatures out too...
TPmanW
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Wonder what crazy shenanigans this guy will get up to with undying? That 6 cmc plus activation cost is going to hold him back, but hey it's a Heartless world out there!
Aramond_of_the_North
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I like this guy with Glistening oil, Heartless summoning, Meliras Keepers. Plus in extended/Modern you get tatterkite. Undying is going to make this even more fun!
ajolt151
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy just got better in Dark Ascension as an Undying extender. Helps a mono black deck against some of its foes in Standard: hexproof decks (in either the Illusion or Thrun, the Last Troll flavor) and mass token decks. It doesn't target anything and can come back for more mass removal fun if you have Mikaeus, the Unhallowed out--it's negative counters that come into play and it's positive counter cancel each other out, so it will continually go to the graveyard w/o any positive counters. I'm moving this and a Black Sun's Zenith from a casual deck to my Standard Heartless Summoning deck. :)
EpicBroccoli
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@ Fenizrael
Since this is 6 mana, don't think of him that way, instead think of him as a 6/6 creature that clears the board of tokens/weenies a turn after he drops in.
GolemEmperion
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Give him Glistening oil and watch your opponents forces slowly melt away to nothingness! Oh yeah, and he gains Infect. Let the beatings rain from the heavens!
Tiggurix
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Pretty delicious synergy with Soul Snuffers and other assorted cards from Shadowmoor block.
@ajolt151: If a creature has a +1/+1 token on it and a -1/-1 token on it, although they functionally cancel each other out, they are both still there. So, a creature with undying couldn't be made to undie again by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, because it would still have a +1/+1 counter on it, even though its p/t would be normal. Using things like Bioshift or Zameck Guildmage's second ability works better for keeping your undying horde around.
PsykeSC
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Ginto: This is incorrect. From the complete rules PDF of Wizards:
121.3. If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it as a state-based action, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it. See rule 704.
As such, one -1/-1 counter cannot exist on a permanent at the same time as one +1/+1 counter. They cancel each other.
@amielzki Not really, as unless your opponent can deal with it right now, if he's top of your curve, then next turn you can immediately 6/6, simultaneously reducing the threat of every other creature. Then run out a 4-drop that should be able to handle the post-Infectstorm threats.
But he's certainly wobbly on the "demands scale":
1) Turning him into a 6/6 will nerf your other creatures significantly, at least against your opponent's next play 2) As a 4/4 for 6, he doesn't block well the turn you play him, so he's not great for saving you when you're losing 3) If you're going to straight activate him when you're at 8 mana, you have to hit 4 swamps, so he's in the "playing black? play more black" zone
But still, Phyrexian Demon. Is Nice. And one of those cards with lots of Johnny Applications.
Comments (73)
Hilarious, but he doesn't play well with others, which I don't like.
Also, Baneslayer Angel has protection from Demons, but this effect doesn't target ( " on each other creature") so it would effect her as well.
BEAST.
Anyone who can't see the value of that, proliferate, and being tough/powerful flying at a reasonable cost.. is a big fraggin newb.
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/arcana/565
The creature's face actually seems to have a humanish nose and face! Most of it is covered by armored skin or plating, but it suggests that this creature may have started out as a Moriok human - especially looking at the relatively smooth mask covering the upper half of the face, which is a sign of Moriok on their way to becoming nim. (see Moriok Rigger and Moriok Scavenger for examples of what I mean)
Then, I guess, Phyrexia got their phalanges on him/her and took the evolution (de-evolution?) in a different direction. From a flavour perspective, it adds a new dimension to this card that I would not have noticed without the blown-up art! Very cool, IMO.
Further more, i think Carnifex Demon is one of the few (and essential) card in Scars of Mirrodin enable to efficiently start your "Proliferate -1/-1 counter strategy" in multiplayer game. One single B, and then, proliferate to affect all opponent creatures.
I give it 4,5/5 because black isn't the best color for flying... and this one is a killer.
With Kulrath Knight on the battlefield, the game is over. Also works very well in a Reanimator deck. He finds a very good disciple in Tatterkite too...
Also reading comments I discovered that two of these will wipe the board, and keep it that way. AWESOME.
However, I am seriously considering keeping my Pestilence Demon, and instead sticking them in my G/B Dredge deck.
The reason? Wild Pair.
On topic: Really cool card. Has a new friend in Black Sun's Zenith
Outside of limited it can and should make a huge impact in today's standard after MBS hits standard legal.
Pay 1 B: FU other creatures
Bye Bye Myr Galvanizer...
Bye Bye Chumps...
Hello win...
2 of these plus 2 Black Sun's Zeniths makes for a lot of fun.
Do note that the effect doesn't ONLY target the counters it is given when it's summoned. What would happen if... i dunno, somehow you gave it a few more -1 counters?
You could TOTALLY mash this with Skinrender, give the negative counters to himself, and then WREAK HAVOC.
To conclude, i traded a Consecrated Sphinx for a foil this and a foil Sengir Vampire. Some say i got Gyped.
I also tell my friend who traded the Sphinx for three White Knights the same thing :D
you did get gyped. You get a foil one of these guys in a starter deck.
That 6 cmc plus activation cost is going to hold him back, but hey it's a Heartless world out there!
Since this is 6 mana, don't think of him that way, instead think of him as a 6/6 creature that clears the board of tokens/weenies a turn after he drops in.
121.3. If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters
are removed from it as a state-based action, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1
counters on it. See rule 704.
As such, one -1/-1 counter cannot exist on a permanent at the same time as one +1/+1 counter. They cancel each other.
What? It does!
But he's certainly wobbly on the "demands scale":
1) Turning him into a 6/6 will nerf your other creatures significantly, at least against your opponent's next play
2) As a 4/4 for 6, he doesn't block well the turn you play him, so he's not great for saving you when you're losing
3) If you're going to straight activate him when you're at 8 mana, you have to hit 4 swamps, so he's in the "playing black? play more black" zone
But still, Phyrexian Demon. Is Nice. And one of those cards with lots of Johnny Applications.