A strictly better version of the already amazing Nightmare Lash, now I have to buy a set to replace all of the Nightmare Lashes I had in other decks.
Oh and just for kicks, if you wanted to equip Lashwrithe straight onto a creature after playing it, fine, just let the Germ token die. You're (probably) playing black, you might even be BENEFITING from the death.
scumbling1
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(8 votes)
"Well... another card that turns Nightmare even more obsolete... as if Nightmare Lash and Korlash, Heir to Blackblade weren't enough."
Yeah, it might be time to explore some new design space.
Gabriel422
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(8 votes)
Much better than Nightmare Lash. And I always liked Nightmare Lash.
Ouch. Phlacetry Lich i got You an Arbor Day Present.
jsttu
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
@infernox10: yeah it's weird, but the phyrexian mana allows you to use your mana elsewhere that turn. Since Phyrexian mana is strictly better than its normal counterpart, consider it a bonus.
You are about to rotate out of Standard, but that doesn't mean I am going to take you out of my Legacy/Classic Mono Black Deck. Also, I know you can fly, and kill whatever you touch, and increase my own life total, but I got this cool new equipment for you. No, you don't have to thank me, or anything, I just thought this would, you know, let you end the game three turns earlier than usual.
Seriously, though, not that my Nighthawk army needs a lot of help, I can see this being a standard artifact in my Mono Black decks.
Meh, this frankly is really boring, but I like it for what it does. A nightmare as an equipment really isn't that amazing, considering you wouldn't play nightmare in a constructed game and expect to win. A creature has to be more than just big to effect the way current games work, as we have already seen with bonehoard, and abyssal persecutor. When abyssal persecutor was first printed everyone said it would be devastating. Turns out instead whenever anyone played it, pretty much got killed a turn later.
Come to think of it I've only seen abyssal persecutor win a game once in all the times someone has played it.
Anyways, starting to go off topic, all I'm saying is this is good, but it would have been better many sets back when things aren't as powerful as they are now. Plus, mirrodin came full of artifact hate as well, so I don't ever expect to see this card get out of control.
tcollins
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@infernox10: I agree that it is a little contradictory but it helps fits the style of suicide monoblack which is basically win at any costs, even if those costs include physical or mental harm to yourself, your creatures, or anything else really..
Also, not strictly better than Nightmare Lash if you plan on using this in a non-black deck, Nightmare Lash is better (if you plan to use it with something like Overgrown Tomb or dual lands for example, lastly use with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth)
TheWrathofShane
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
So its 4 for a Nightmare without flying, then 2 swamps or 4 life, (or 2 life and a swamp) to equip and pump a creature at least +4/+4 (if your playing mono black). Also like nightmare lash you can swing the turn it comes out.
Vinifera7
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
And here I used to think that Nightmare Lash was pretty great. This version comes with a free creature!
__Silence__
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
cough cough why don't we all talk about how this only sometimes works then shove a whispersilk cloak and this into a mono black infect deck =|
leomistico
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@VarteDod & scumbling1: Nightmare Nightmare Lash Korlash, Heir to Blackblade This, probably among others... Do you know why they printed so "many" (relatevely many, we're talking about few cards in thousand of others...) cards with the same mechanism? Because of "consistency"... Along with the high number of {B}{B}{B} mana-cost Black spells and the "shade" creatures, this mechanism defines mono-black, the color of complete dedition and surrender. Those cards tell you: "Play Balck and nothing else, and I'll give you the power!". If there were only Nightmare as this kind of card, you wouldn't identify the mechanism as a "black mechanism", but as a "Nightmare mechanism". So, without rancor, next time you feel to say "Yeah, it might be time to explore some new design space.", maybe think about this... Sometimes it's difficult to recognize this kind of "theme" and its purpose because is quite hidden in the game...
SparkleTiger
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(5 votes)
I agree with leomistico. Magic has set up the Mono-Black theme fairly under the radar, and I for one love it. The flavor of Black "requiring" or "enticing" a sort of "full devotion" to the color and giving a player benefits for doing such is totally in line with the color's characteristics and defining qualities. I love it when a card can capture a color's base traits so well (and an artifact card, at that!)
Otherwise, I think this card is a slightly more versatile Nightmare Lash. I absolutely adored Nightmare Lash when I played Mirrodin Block back in high school, and I think Magic created this card as an ode to the older card, splashed with the new set's flashy Living Weapon mechanic and Phyrexian mana. But for the same CMC you get a 0/0 creature just in case you didn't have one (or just wanted one), and if you're aching on life you can pay BB instead of the mandatory life equip cost of Nightmare Lash.
-Mortis Dogs- Awkwardly the same CMC, but very funny!
....why do I bother? Just slap it on your Phyrexain Obliterators and be on your way!
grandpraetor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A free creature and (mana) free equip. Trade mana for anything that are not mana, is a really big threat. I could call it overpowered, but we still have batterskull hanging around... this is just a nice germ token.
AvatarofBro
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Won me a local tournament. Mono-Black infect + Lashwrithe = fast and deadly. I don't think I've ever actually used the living weapon portion of it, though. I tend to forget about it, actually.
dragonhat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is black's answer to Armored Ascension. Advantage of this card is that it comes into play on a creature and is reusable. Disadvantage is that it doesn't grant flying. Then again, that isn't much of a problem if you have a few Vampire, Imp, or Kathari creatures handy.
Paleopaladin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
The perfect curve from Vampire Nighthawk to this is just too awesome. Drop your VN on T3, then this on T4, equip and swing for enough to recoup its equip cost and then some? Yes please!!!
Equip Nightmare Lash to a Nightmare: yo dawg, I heard you like nightmares so we equipped your nightmare with a nightmare so you can own while you own.
Kelptic183
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Vampire Nighthawk is back in standard eeeee :) And this thing lets any creature (other than the poor germ) survive a Mutilate.
Rikiaz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love Living Weapon, especially this and Bonehoard. I got one of these from the prerelease but I need 3 more and 2 more Bonehoards and two more Batterskulls
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ooops, when I first read this I thought it was an instant speed equip (because of cranial plating.)
This guy is the epitome (outside of batterskull..) of living weapon done right. It allows you to have an on-curve creature that leaves behind something when it gets destroyed. If they do destroy it, it's tasty card advantage.
Vastator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This may prove to be one of the all time greatest artifacts because: 1) Its reasonably low cost 2) It will only get stronger 3) It comes with a free creature
It does help to encourage the reassertion of Mono-black. Point in fact, I attached one of these to my Chancellor of the Dross along with a Strands of Undeath- and by the time I got to turn twelve, this thing was a 26/26 flying lifelink regenerator
I arrest my case.
Mirrordin_Pure
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My first ever booster pack rare; still sees play in my Drana EDH. Oh Lashwrithe, how I do love thee,
Comments (30)
Oh and just for kicks, if you wanted to equip Lashwrithe straight onto a creature after playing it, fine, just let the Germ token die. You're (probably) playing black, you might even be BENEFITING from the death.
Yeah, it might be time to explore some new design space.
This costs more life.
You are about to rotate out of Standard, but that doesn't mean I am going to take you out of my Legacy/Classic Mono Black Deck. Also, I know you can fly, and kill whatever you touch, and increase my own life total, but I got this cool new equipment for you. No, you don't have to thank me, or anything, I just thought this would, you know, let you end the game three turns earlier than usual.
Seriously, though, not that my Nighthawk army needs a lot of help, I can see this being a standard artifact in my Mono Black decks.
Come to think of it I've only seen abyssal persecutor win a game once in all the times someone has played it.
Anyways, starting to go off topic, all I'm saying is this is good, but it would have been better many sets back when things aren't as powerful as they are now. Plus, mirrodin came full of artifact hate as well, so I don't ever expect to see this card get out of control.
I agree that it is a little contradictory but it helps fits the style of suicide monoblack which is basically win at any costs, even if those costs include physical or mental harm to yourself, your creatures, or anything else really..
Also, not strictly better than Nightmare Lash if you plan on using this in a non-black deck, Nightmare Lash is better (if you plan to use it with something like Overgrown Tomb or dual lands for example, lastly use with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth)
Nightmare
Nightmare Lash
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
This, probably among others...
Do you know why they printed so "many" (relatevely many, we're talking about few cards in thousand of others...) cards with the same mechanism? Because of "consistency"... Along with the high number of {B}{B}{B} mana-cost Black spells and the "shade" creatures, this mechanism defines mono-black, the color of complete dedition and surrender. Those cards tell you: "Play Balck and nothing else, and I'll give you the power!".
If there were only Nightmare as this kind of card, you wouldn't identify the mechanism as a "black mechanism", but as a "Nightmare mechanism". So, without rancor, next time you feel to say "Yeah, it might be time to explore some new design space.", maybe think about this... Sometimes it's difficult to recognize this kind of "theme" and its purpose because is quite hidden in the game...
Otherwise, I think this card is a slightly more versatile Nightmare Lash. I absolutely adored Nightmare Lash when I played Mirrodin Block back in high school, and I think Magic created this card as an ode to the older card, splashed with the new set's flashy Living Weapon mechanic and Phyrexian mana. But for the same CMC you get a 0/0 creature just in case you didn't have one (or just wanted one), and if you're aching on life you can pay BB instead of the mandatory life equip cost of Nightmare Lash.
Tip of my hat to R&D for this one.
-Child Of Night or Markov Patrician: Both Lifelinky goodness!
-Vault Skirge,Flensermite or Plague Stinger: The moderating alternating trio of Flying, Infect and Lifelink; pick your choice!
-Reassembling Skeleton: If the opponent doesn't have much artifact removal, this guy will stick around to cause some pain
-Tormented Soul: Have fun blocking that
-Mortis Dogs- Awkwardly the same CMC, but very funny!
....why do I bother? Just slap it on your Phyrexain Obliterators and be on your way!
@leomistico: You forgot Dakmor Sorceress!
This guy is the epitome (outside of batterskull..) of living weapon done right. It allows you to have an on-curve creature that leaves behind something when it gets destroyed. If they do destroy it, it's tasty card advantage.
1) Its reasonably low cost
2) It will only get stronger
3) It comes with a free creature
It does help to encourage the reassertion of Mono-black. Point in fact, I attached one of these to my Chancellor of the Dross along with a Strands of Undeath- and by the time I got to turn twelve, this thing was a 26/26 flying lifelink regenerator
I arrest my case.
Oh Lashwrithe, how I do love thee,