Really? For a colorless, repeatable Rise from the Grave effect? That gives the creature a boost and evasion? I'd say the cost is just right. It may only target your creatures, but that's still a really good deal
roguepariah
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Attack with a creature with infect, let it do its duty and weaken your opponents blocker, when it goes to the yard bring it back for another go next turn, with a power boost, and evasion.
OpeeFomenom
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I laughed so hard when I read this cards effect. It does all that? Really? It gives the creature +2/+2, intimidate and they turn into a black zombie. Plus it can bring the dead back to life? And all for the low cost of 6 mana?
SinnerSage
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(4 votes)
This will finally allow me to use Grave Titan to its full potential in a zombie deck. Not to mention that it won't be nerfed by Noxious Ghoul upon attacking anymore.
GromHellscream2
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The winner at my pre-release sealed had this card, Hand of the Praetors, Contagion Engine, and a bunch of infect creatures to give intimidate to. It was pretty evil. The rise from the grave effect was just not even necessary.
NecroticNobody
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(5 votes)
It looks like Cranial Plating. The equip cost is a little to high though. {2} or {3} should have been enough for it.
chremon
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I usually duel against a vampire's deck withvampire hexmagues.
Finally my Phylactery liches will last enought to do his work
dudecow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wouldn't the creature enter the battlefield under its owner's control? RFTG specifically says "under your control." So couldn't you pretty much "only" use this on your creatures?
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The trigger is pretty powerful by itself. And it allows an infinite saccing loop with Su-Chi.
Regarding flavor, i would have supposed this card to provide +1/+0 for each artifact you control, since that's the ability all Nim share.
But then again, we had an equipment of that sort already.
This equipment seems to be for the cratures body, while Cranial Plating is - as the name suggests - for its head.
Zenzei
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Die hard.
Theostratus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@SilkyGoodness Guess you haven't been playing long, but yes a creature stolen by this will be black and lose any other color and creature type, but the creature will retain any other aspect of itself such as activated abilities, static effects, etc.
@dudecow As long as it touches "your graveyard" you can target it. So if something would put an opponent's card into your graveyard, then feel free to nab it back.
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
VERY powerful in Limited. Put this on any creature with infest and it's nearly a game win. Best option for this is Corpse Cur. This will grant either a huge card advantage or a swift win.
I think they put the wrong watermark on this card.
Aquaela
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The only thing about this card that makes me sad is that the graveyard ability is a triggered ability, and thus can't be paid for by Grand Architect's ability.
PastProphet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"I think they put the wrong watermark on this card." - I agree! one of the rules for getting the Phyrexia Watermark is: "'The card was a creature with a "put into a graveyard from the battlefield" effect. " this seems close enough to that effect, and definitely 'feels' like it should be Phyrexian.
one combo that I managed to pull off with this was: Perilous Myr + Throne of Geth Sacrifice the Myr with the Throne, deal 2 damage, pay 4 to return it
sad to see that I can't build that deck and keep the Factions aligned for Game Day
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ohhhhh yes, this combos very well with hand of the praetors and ichor rats, bringing them back from the dead to add even more poison counters. Also corpse cur will be able to bring keep your grave yard empty and your hand full of creatures, and the opponent's creatures full of -1/-1 counters. In fact, this combos very well with all infect creatures, since evasion is critical in an infect deck, at least the way I play. Getting both evasion, +2/+2 boost and zombify in instant form, I love this card, nice job wizards.
Actually i have been playing long, it's just that it says it becomes a Black zombie with intimidate, which I just wanted to know if that it also over ruled all other static abilities because of it's wording, and maybe activated and triggered as well. The ability didn't say gain is why I questioned it.
nomegus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
is card is goofy good, for example I saw at the last FMN I went to, one guy was playing some home brewed blue/black kinda control deck with all shroud creatures vs the normal blue/white control. the U/B player somehow has a Sphinx of Jwar Isle in play and casted the deathmantle with 5 mana open. the U/W player has that WTF look your creatures have shroud and cast DOJ and the other guy says thanks for a 7/7 sphinx and then there was a judge called and we had to explain the difference between equip and attach. god I love stupid goofy cards
makochman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's not terrible by any means. But we already have Mimic Vat, which is way superior.
LiXinjian
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Theostratus: when cards go to the graveyard, they always go to their owner's graveyard, regardless of who cast/controlled the aforementioned card. Therefore, there's no way you can steal your opponent's creature with this.
@Fategus: Yeah, sort of, but that means you must have 5 mana available to cast Putrefax the first time, and then have another 4 if you want to be able to return it to the battlefield when it bites the dust at end of turn (it's too late after that). That's a total of 9 mana in one turn. Not exactly stellar, right?
Love this card. For my infect deck I just regenerate Putrefax over and over again... It's such a great combo with any infection or a black deck.
Amnesigenic
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm wondering how this would work with Tel-Jilad Fallen. Protection from artifacts wouldn't apply while it's in the graveyard, so it would be a legal target, but it says to return the creature to play and attach Nim Deathmantle. Would it come back into play, but not equipped? Or would it have to be equipped for the ability to follow through?
BioPrince
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Putrefax doesnt work unless you want to pay 4 on your eot then 4 again at opponents eot. if you have 8 open mana there are better ways to use it! Like an Untamed Might.
now... use this with a couple Pawn of Ulamog s to reduce the cost.
Bucket365
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
@Theostratus you are wrong about the color and creature type, the creature becomes black and is a Zombie in addition to all other colors and creature types. Guess you haven't been playing that long.
Nighthawk42
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Planning to test this in my Kor Armor deck. Seems like it could be fun with a Kor Outfitter and Argentum Armor. Deathmantle returns the Outfitter who then attaches the armor to itself.
ihaveyourdog
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(5 votes)
This card has been fun in combination with my Precursor Golem
davidesky2
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@ Bucket365 Actually @Theostratus was right (if not very polite about it). The rules:
105.3. Effects may change an object's color or give a color to a colorless object. If an effect gives an object a new color, the new color replaces all previous colors the object had (unless the effect said the object became that color "in addition" to its other colors). Effects may also make a colored object become colorless.
Khultar
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
i find that this card is great on many levels, such as that its colorless, allowing revival for nonblack decks
@Bucket365 i was gonna tell you that youre wrong but someone else beat me to it. dont go telling ppl off when you dont know what youre talking about yourself
as far as the card ive seen it used in rdw sideboards to get passed firewalker and baloth.
It is. Threw two into the deck, used it to bring back the Ichorclaw Mry I sacrificed to Throne of Geth to proliferate.
adinsx3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Fategus
You have to spend 5 for Putrefax. Then you have to spend another 4 at the end of your turn. Then you have to spend another 4 at the end of your opponents turn. That's 13 mana for a 5/3 trample infect. For 1 less mana, you could hardcast a Blightsteel Colossus.
Anubisisking
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I find it odd that this is Mirran, when it was revealed that the Nim were Phyrexian...
NeedADispenserHere
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cool, you can equip it to dying creatures.
Azrael1911
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Amnesigenic It works just fine, since protection only prevents targeting effects, and no part of deathmantle's effect targets. (excluding the actual equip, but the nonetargeting effect attaches, not equips as a separate targeted action)
Mephastopheles
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@SeiberTross: I don't think Puresteel Paladin will allow you to pay 0 for the resurrect effect, since that isn't technically an equip cost, it's just priced to look like one. So this does combine with the paladin, but only in the same way any equipment does.
This seems like a really good card, or a lot of fun at least. Deathrender is one of my absolute favourite cards ever, and this is sort of "Deathrender Jr. (now with less horrifying brokenness)".
Lunarblade
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Composite Golem for infinite mana fun!
mindguru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The flavor and abilities this card has are crazy! I don't find myself being a fan of a lot of the strategies posted here for standard, though. It seems like they aren't cost-effective enough. This card begs to be abused in standard, but I don't know how, or if, that will ever happen in the current state of standard.
remake
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
just because a card has too with death like effect it dosnt not make it phyrexian and nim are from old mirrodin block befor the oil
After much playtesting, this can be a bit absurd. Use with Pawn of Ulamog for sure, it can get out of hand and force a concession rather quickly.
Best fun with a Death Cultist out. Continuous blocker that can sac every turn. Really can screw up an opponents strategy. Also fun with various graveyard damage cards, like Blistergrub or Perilous Myr.
I keep a Necrotic Plague floating around since you can turn it into a one sided game of hot potato.
Update: Puresteel Paladin should make this a very usable card...in that it enables metalcraft, gives you a +2+2 intimidate black boost, and late game the graveyard recursion should be very very deadly.
Qazior
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
"So you attack me? Good that I have my Empyrial Archangel on the field. Oh my, it dies! Now I'm vulnerale to your next attack which clearly kills me. Oh, wait! I just pay {4} and return the Archangel to the field with my Deathmantle. My turn?"
smokiermatthias
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
could be fun with goblin grenade
drebhan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card plus Ezuris brigade pulled me through the prerelease. Every time i went against infect i just swung with the brigade, watched it die, then bring it back, untapped and with no counters on it! Fantastic card.
Tempted_Johnny
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(5 votes)
I imagine R&D is keeping close tabs on this card, because it screams "Abuse me!" and yet, since its printing, the only card that comes close to accomplishing abuse is Priest of Urabrask - and that falls short unless copied by Phyrexian Metamorph with a Mirrorworks on the field and a sacrifice engine in place. Even then, all that's accomplished is a messed up variant of Exarch Twin minus the haste. Multiple Mirrorworks could lead into an infinite red mana combo in this scenario, but I doubt if all the pieces required would ever make it to and stay on the battlefield.
There are better ways to use this, such as having multiple Pawn of Ulamogs and/or copies of them in play, as well as Priest of Urabrask or Emrakul's Hatcher for recurring fun, but pieces of that combo will soon be rotating out. The same can be said about Lotus Cobra, which, with enough in play, could get infinite landfall off of Inkmoth Nexus. Still, you always need a reliable sacrifice ability on the field to make any of these shenanigans work.
Unlimited possibilities with this card, however reliable they may or may not be, I love it all the same :)
Purpleplushies
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For EDH this card is amazingly awesome. Imagine having Avenger of Zendikar, Phyrexian Altar, Nim Deathmantle in play. Avenger ETB's with a few tokens. Sacrifice 3 tokens and the avenger himself to altar generating 4 mana. Proceed to spend that mana to bring avenger back from the graveyard. Avenger then makes more tokens. Repeat for infinite tokens/mana/sexiness.
Ragamander
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(8 votes)
@Breaking this in Standard, as of 12/3/2011: I had this big, long, thoughtful post about what kinds of cards we should look out for if we want to break Nim Deathmantle, but then I found something very simple. It requires a huge board commitment but only one specific card.
Of course, there's a lot you can do just by producing on each pass and untapping all your creatures repeatedly, the simplest probably being Goblin Fireslinger, Vedalken Certarch, and Mikaeus, the Lunarch. If you net mana on each pass, you can do practically anything, including infinitely recurring Vulshok Replica or what-have-you.
Heck, just running it with Skirsdag High Priest might generate enough 5/5 flying Demons to win games.
The bigger question would be how to build a good deck that includes the combo but doesn't rely on it. Honestly, mana-dorks + Nim Deathmantle is not a terrible combination, allowing for quite a lot of chump-blocking and subsequent reanimation. However, the only really "playable" sac-engine among those I listed is Mortarpod.
Of course, I bet someone else can come up with a better deck; only four of the decks I've built have been PTQ-caliber (and none of them truly Tier-1 quality), of the literally dozens I've made, and I don't feel like this would be the fifth. Besides, who knows WotC will release in the next sets?
Works great in my infect deck. Asside from Putrefax, Hand of the praetors and Inexorable tide, this is the only 4+ cmc card and due to most creatures w/infect not having much staying power, this card is great. Not to forget how much it helps making them nearly unblockable! The pump is just gravy, but a very nice added bonus. To conclude, this + P-fax wins games.
Ambushbug72
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hmmmm. Good synergy with Dark Ascension's "Undying" mechanic. Young Wolf on turn 1, Nim Deathmantle on turn 2. Wolf attack on turn 3 for undying. Attack again on turn 4, bring him back and ready to rock as a 3/3 zombie on turn 5. Again as a 4/4 on turn 6. Not so good against a black deck, but still makes a beefy blocker... ^_^
dragonhat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Makes a decent mid-game combo with Kathari Bomber. You can just swing at your opponent for 2 damage, then bring it back as a 4/4 to accompany your new pair of goblins. Next turn you can hit them for 4, then bring it back again to join your growing army of goblins. Basically, this combo can be the fuel for lots of sacrificing. Hello, Siege-Gang Commander.
And as a side note, I'm pretty sure that the equipped creature is only a black zombie, since the card doesn't say "is a black Zombie in addition to its other types and colors" like Rise from the Grave does. Keep that in mind when factoring in the intimidate!
alphagprime
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Attach this to Mortis Dog, swing, Fling, and recur. For extra LULZ use Virulent Swipe. Deathtouch may be just enough discouragement to keep your opponent from blocking it (depending what they have on the board).
Rinse and repeat next turn for game.
Tunnlerat
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Im loveing this card with undying. Just the fact that you can bring them back over and over then just let them die a turn.
Pinto331
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You know, Scars of Mirrodin might not have the broken artifacts that the original Mirrodin block did, but dang if it doesn't have some of the most fun artifacts ever printed. Seriously, things like this, Mimic Vat, Contagion Engine, Livewire Lash, Prototype Portal, Semblance Anvil, Liquimetal Coating, they all just cry out for Johnnies to toy around with them.
Just excellently designed, fun but not overpowered. Gotta love it.
You guys realize that you don't have to have this equipped to bring back a creature? You just pay 4 and it gets equipped to the creature that just died and brings it back. Or you can just equip it for 4 if you want the stats.
amberbock
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Avalanche Riders surprised no one mentioned this one. Each turn pay 4 to have a 4/4 haste intimated and destroy a land.
Lazrbeams
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Uhhhhm goblin bombardment+su-chi will kill everyone at the table, it was the thing I could come up with fastest!
Comments (64)
Really? For a colorless, repeatable Rise from the Grave effect? That gives the creature a boost and evasion? I'd say the cost is just right. It may only target your creatures, but that's still a really good deal
Finally my Phylactery liches will last enought to do his work
Regarding flavor, i would have supposed this card to provide +1/+0 for each artifact you control, since that's the ability all Nim share.
But then again, we had an equipment of that sort already.
This equipment seems to be for the cratures body, while Cranial Plating is - as the name suggests - for its head.
Guess you haven't been playing long, but yes a creature stolen by this will be black and lose any other color and creature type, but the creature will retain any other aspect of itself such as activated abilities, static effects, etc.
@dudecow
As long as it touches "your graveyard" you can target it. So if something would put an opponent's card into your graveyard, then feel free to nab it back.
Other great targets are Sylvok Replica or Razor Hippogriff-
- I agree!
one of the rules for getting the Phyrexia Watermark is: "'The card was a creature with a "put into a graveyard from the battlefield" effect. "
this seems close enough to that effect, and definitely 'feels' like it should be Phyrexian.
one combo that I managed to pull off with this was:
Perilous Myr + Throne of Geth
Sacrifice the Myr with the Throne, deal 2 damage, pay 4 to return it
sad to see that I can't build that deck and keep the Factions aligned for Game Day
@Fategus: Yeah, sort of, but that means you must have 5 mana available to cast Putrefax the first time, and then have another 4 if you want to be able to return it to the battlefield when it bites the dust at end of turn (it's too late after that). That's a total of 9 mana in one turn. Not exactly stellar, right?
now...
use this with a couple Pawn of Ulamog s to reduce the cost.
105.3. Effects may change an object's color or give a color to a colorless object. If an effect gives an object a new color, the new color replaces all previous colors the object had (unless the effect said the object became that color "in addition" to its other colors). Effects may also make a colored object become colorless.
as far as the card ive seen it used in rdw sideboards to get passed firewalker and baloth.
It is. Threw two into the deck, used it to bring back the Ichorclaw Mry I sacrificed to Throne of Geth to proliferate.
You have to spend 5 for Putrefax. Then you have to spend another 4 at the end of your turn. Then you have to spend another 4 at the end of your opponents turn. That's 13 mana for a 5/3 trample infect. For 1 less mana, you could hardcast a Blightsteel Colossus.
It works just fine, since protection only prevents targeting effects, and no part of deathmantle's effect targets. (excluding the actual equip, but the nonetargeting effect attaches, not equips as a separate targeted action)
This seems like a really good card, or a lot of fun at least. Deathrender is one of my absolute favourite cards ever, and this is sort of "Deathrender Jr. (now with less horrifying brokenness)".
Best fun with a Death Cultist out. Continuous blocker that can sac every turn. Really can screw up an opponents strategy. Also fun with various graveyard damage cards, like Blistergrub or Perilous Myr.
I keep a Necrotic Plague floating around since you can turn it into a one sided game of hot potato.
Update: Puresteel Paladin should make this a very usable card...in that it enables metalcraft, gives you a +2+2 intimidate black boost, and late game the graveyard recursion should be very very deadly.
There are better ways to use this, such as having multiple Pawn of Ulamogs and/or copies of them in play, as well as Priest of Urabrask or Emrakul's Hatcher for recurring fun, but pieces of that combo will soon be rotating out. The same can be said about Lotus Cobra, which, with enough in play, could get infinite landfall off of Inkmoth Nexus. Still, you always need a reliable sacrifice ability on the field to make any of these shenanigans work.
Unlimited possibilities with this card, however reliable they may or may not be, I love it all the same :)
I had this big, long, thoughtful post about what kinds of cards we should look out for if we want to break Nim Deathmantle, but then I found something very simple. It requires a huge board commitment but only one specific card.
Village Bell-Ringer
Mana-Dorks:
Avacyn's Pilgrim
Birds of Paradise
Deranged Assistant
Llanowar Elves
Elvish Archdruid
Alloy Myr
Plague Myr
Palladium Myr
Gold Myr
Silver Myr
Leaden Myr
Iron Myr
Copper Myr
Free Sac-Engines:
Devouring Swarm (infinitely large flying creature)
Flesh-Eater Imp (infinitely large flying/infect creature)
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born (infinitely large creature)
Plaguemaw Beast (infinite proliferation)
Dross Hopper (no benefit on its own)
Costed Engines:
Disciple of Griselbrand (infinite life, creatures must tap for
Skirsdag Cultist (infinite damage, creatures must tap for
Mortarpod (infinite damage; creatures must tap for
Stitcher's Apprentice (infinite creatures; creatures must tap for
CIP/LP Triggers:
Suture Priest (infinite life)
Unruly Mob (infinitely large creature)
Selhoff Occultist (infinite mill)
Falkenrath Noble (infinite drain life)
Lumberknot (infinitely large hexproof creature)
Gutter Grime (infinitely many infinitely large creatures)
Rage Thrower (infinite damage)
Warstorm Surge (infinite damage)
Of course, there's a lot you can do just by producing
Heck, just running it with Skirsdag High Priest might generate enough 5/5 flying Demons to win games.
The bigger question would be how to build a good deck that includes the combo but doesn't rely on it. Honestly, mana-dorks + Nim Deathmantle is not a terrible combination, allowing for quite a lot of chump-blocking and subsequent reanimation. However, the only really "playable" sac-engine among those I listed is Mortarpod.
If there were a way for a deck with huge numbers of mana-dorks to draw tons of cards, then DorkPod just might be a viable archetype even without the combo. Jace's Archivist and even Time Reversal wouldn't be half bad either, since you'd tend to empty your hand waaaaaaay faster than your opponent. Maybe throw in Unruly Mob, Boneyard Wurm, and/or Bonehoard for potentially enormous bodies. The latter two help avoid getting utterly wrecked by Curse of Death's Hold. Day of Judgment will be really painful regardless, although Bonehoard would "survive" it. (Although you could be the one running the board wipe, and just Mortarpod the heck out of your opponent beforehand, powering up your Bonehoard for the win next turn, or maybe with Divine Reckoning and with Nim Deathmantle so your massive sole survivor can dodge your opponent's sole survivor?)
Of course, I bet someone else can come up with a better deck; only four of the decks I've built have been PTQ-caliber (and none of them truly Tier-1 quality), of the literally dozens I've made, and I don't feel like this would be the fifth. Besides, who knows WotC will release in the next sets?
And as a side note, I'm pretty sure that the equipped creature is only a black zombie, since the card doesn't say "is a black Zombie in addition to its other types and colors" like Rise from the Grave does. Keep that in mind when factoring in the intimidate!
Rinse and repeat next turn for game.
Just excellently designed, fun but not overpowered. Gotta love it.