Pointed Discussion

this card appears quite weak actually, yet it can be very beneficial if you are playing a beast tribal deck. they're normally quite slow at the early game, but if you can afford an additional 2/2 body this can really help defending the aggro for a while. i prefer my opponent having 5 more live rather than letting him win :D

and of course it synergizes great with False Cure or Kavu Predator.

it could possibly have a cheaper mana cost of 2G instead or higher toughness, though...

edit: Needlebite Trap does a great job with that card. Play a Bayou or Overgrown Tomb on turn one and start off with 25 life and a 2/2 body!

About that first turn thing Mode: If you use Overgrown Tomb u should pay that 2 life so u can pay Needlebite Trap's cost, so u end only having a first turn 2/2 and 23 life... LOL

With Ghazbán Ogre or Wild Dogs you can get two 2-powered creatures on turn 1 with a forest.
Or the Overgrown Tomb thing Mode was talking about.
Both really killer first turn combos. Then if you add Punishing Fire with Grove of Burnwillows for creature removal, perhaps Kavu Predator to effectively even the life gain, and some counters such as Molten Influence or Vines of Vastwood - then you've got the beginnings of a pretty neat deck

don't forget wirewood savage, she loves a good skyshroud cutter.

Wow, just what i need, to give my opponent 25% extra starting life to get a 2/2 with no abilities on field, that otherwise costs 3G. Rubbish unless you'ge got a combo with something like false cure.

Thinking about putting this in my Archenemy deck (as an ally, not the archenemy.) Sure, I give the Archenemy 5, but I also give EACH teammate 5. With 4 on 1, that's a gain of 10 life on our side.

Combos with False Cure and Rain of Gore (and probably some other stuff, too), and could do some things with creatures that have gating + RoG. Just off the top of my head.

Turn one: Forest. Chrome Mox, imprint something black. Dark Ritual, play False Cure. Drop two Skyshroud Cutters, instant kill.

Impossible in reality, as the chances of you drawing that perfect hand are.. slim.

Use Rancor and you get a 4/2 with trample on turn 1. Your opponent won't keep that 5 life for long.

Decent in an infect deck.

@LemonParty
Actually they would have 10 health left. Read false cure carefully. They would be @30 health, then lose 20 life.

I think you're all missing the point; it's Predator.