This is the best non-legendary big eldrazi by a mile. 9 colorless mana is extremely cheap for 10 power, annihilator 2 and reanimation. None of the other Eldrazi apart from the big three are nearly as efficient as this.
Ulamog's Crusher? Solid, but the artisan gets +2/+1, reanimation and the ability to block for a mere one more mana. (Pauper? So what? lol. The Artisan gets all those bonuses for a mere one more mana and that gives it a much better cost to effect ratio. The crusher is a great card and it has won me a ton of drafts, but the artisan definitely gets the nod.)
Pathrazer of Ulamog? Just play Ulamog for the same cost. (I stick with my comments here...why play pathrazer for 11 when you could play ulamog for 11? This doesn't count in draft of course, but the artisan and pathrazer are both uncommon, and the artisan is definitely getting picked over the pathrazer.)
Spawnsire of Ulamog? While the first ability is solid, for 1 more mana you get 3 less power, 1 less annihilator and a worthless 20 mana ability. (this may be the worst non-mythic besides the hand and i'll stick with my comments)
Hand of Emrakul? Lulz. (it's not doing much of anything even if it does land on turn two.)
It that Betrays? Extremely situational ability for more mana than ulamog or kozilek. (ok, you made a great point here, i'll agree with you. It's a lot better than I gave it credit for, especially since I just got the chance to play with it. Is it better than the artisan cost to effect wise? It's arguable, but I still like the artisan.)
JoshGuessed
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I wish the Return Creature From Your Graveyard to Play would activate when he came into play from anywhere as opposed to having to actually cast him.
warhound165
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Love this card. Especially when players target my Verdant Force's.
Kyzar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
i really like this card, great cost to effect ratio, love the reanimate. great card.
@ Lagus So I run a type 1.5 eldrazi deck and the Spawnsire of Ulamog is one of the top 3 favorite cards. Make a side deck of PURE eldrazi spells... play him... then get 20 mana (which for my deck is easy as all hell (turn 5 earliest unless other things happen, then as early as turn 3)) and then BAM!!! you now have 15 eldrazi spells. Lets say Emrakul, The Aeons Torn and it says cast w.o/ paying mana cost so you get the extra turn, and It that betrays and lots of other stuff and you get an extra turn...attack next turn and gain control of up to i believe 36 permanents of theirs with up to I also believe like 100+ damage...if that does not kill them, then loosing the permanents and in a sence of "restarting" with an empty field will. So now do you see the power?
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
16 years ago, for , you got Colossus Of Sardia, a 9/9 trampler with a huge drawback...
Today, for exactly the same price, you get +1/+0, NO drawback (but no trample), an awesome ability, and an extra awesome bonus if you hardcast him, and finally, he's uncommon...
*shakes head in bafflement but adores the heck out of*
Also, while it's been stated (by R&D themselves, too), that the Eldrazi were inspired by Lovecraft's Mythos, the design of especially the Kozilek brood lineage strongly reminds me of the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion (and they are about as crazy powerful to boot, though I guess then all of them should be indestructible...).
DarkbladeWraith
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I really like this card - the artwork is superb and it has a healthy mana-to-power ratio, for something that could probably be much more costly. While I intend to buy a full set, I probably won't use them in my Eldrazi deck on account of the fact that the only things in there that I would want to ressurect (the Big Three; Emrakul, Kozilek and Ulamog) already go to my library instead of the graveyward. It's a GREAT ability, but probably at it's best when used to return Fatties that aren't other Eldrazi.
Superllama12
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Okaaaaaaaayyyyyyy... I lurv this card, but I also like Pathrazer, Crusher, and It That Betrays. If anything, they are all great cards, and serve a great spot on the mana curve. Also, before everyoen starts yelling about how some of those suck because of different rarities, be respectful! I don't play pauper, but I imagine Crusher to be at least decent. Plus, in a draft, you're more likely to get Crusher or Hand than this. However, I must say that I freaking LURV this card...I've had friends who concede once I get this guy out. I, personally, have never been a fan of Hand or Spawnshire, and not so much Pathrazer (timminess aside), but before you go dissing other peoples comments or say that a card is strictly better, look at context! IMHO, the only time a card can be strictly better is when it is the same: card type, rarity, color, color weight, and legal in most of the same formats. Like Shock and Bolt. Anyways, great card, always get a smile when I draw him.
SeiberTross
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Timmy abuses this guy with blue.
Ramping up often nets you a turn 3 with 7 or 8 mana. What to do then? Quicksilver Gargantuan! They must kill it already, and when they do drop this guy next turn to fetch Gargantuan and get 2 artisan's! Timmy like.
Eved
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
EDIT:
Careful Study first turn and Exhume this guy on your second turn to bring back both him and that other random eldrazi you put in your graveyard last turn.
WARNING: rant/argument @Laguz, The elrazis' varied secondary abilities make direct comparison between them very difficult.
Pathrazer of Ulamog uses a combination of it's relatively high annihilator and requirements to be blocked as a sort of evasion. Also, if you're going to argue that you should be using the mana to play Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre instead, then I guess I should say that you should be using the mana used to play the Artisan to play Kozilek, Butcher of Truth instead. I was under the impression that your intent was to compare the non-legendary eldrazi to each other. "This is the best non-legendary big eldrazi by a mile.", "None of the other Eldrazi apart from the big three are nearly as efficient as this." Yeah, I think your argument about playing Ulamog is invalid.
Hand of Emrakul can be played on turn two. And you laugh at that but making someone sacrifice a permanent each turn while attacking with a 7/7 on your 3rd turn isn't usually something to scoff at.
It that Betrays uses it's two abilities in combination as I said before to steal cards from your opponent.
occamsrazorwit
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Lord_of_Tresserhorn:
"Also, while it's been stated (by R&D themselves, too), that the Eldrazi were inspired by Lovecraft's Mythos, the design of especially the Kozilek brood lineage strongly reminds me of the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion"
Angels were also inspired by Lovecraft so there's the connection.
iUseBreakOpen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Careful Study first turn and Exhume this guy on your second turn to bring back both him and that other random eldrazi you put in your graveyard last turn.
Sorry, doesn't work. The ability doesn't trigger if you bring him back from the graveyard, only when you cast him.
Comments (16)
Ulamog's Crusher? Solid, but the artisan gets +2/+1, reanimation and the ability to block for a mere one more mana. (Pauper? So what? lol. The Artisan gets all those bonuses for a mere one more mana and that gives it a much better cost to effect ratio. The crusher is a great card and it has won me a ton of drafts, but the artisan definitely gets the nod.)
Pathrazer of Ulamog? Just play Ulamog for the same cost. (I stick with my comments here...why play pathrazer for 11 when you could play ulamog for 11? This doesn't count in draft of course, but the artisan and pathrazer are both uncommon, and the artisan is definitely getting picked over the pathrazer.)
Spawnsire of Ulamog? While the first ability is solid, for 1 more mana you get 3 less power, 1 less annihilator and a worthless 20 mana ability. (this may be the worst non-mythic besides the hand and i'll stick with my comments)
Hand of Emrakul? Lulz. (it's not doing much of anything even if it does land on turn two.)
It that Betrays? Extremely situational ability for more mana than ulamog or kozilek. (ok, you made a great point here, i'll agree with you. It's a lot better than I gave it credit for, especially since I just got the chance to play with it. Is it better than the artisan cost to effect wise? It's arguable, but I still like the artisan.)
So I run a type 1.5 eldrazi deck and the Spawnsire of Ulamog is one of the top 3 favorite cards. Make a side deck of PURE eldrazi spells... play him... then get 20 mana (which for my deck is easy as all hell (turn 5 earliest unless other things happen, then as early as turn 3)) and then BAM!!! you now have 15 eldrazi spells. Lets say Emrakul, The Aeons Torn and it says cast w.o/ paying mana cost so you get the extra turn, and It that betrays and lots of other stuff and you get an extra turn...attack next turn and gain control of up to i believe 36 permanents of theirs with up to I also believe like 100+ damage...if that does not kill them, then loosing the permanents and in a sence of "restarting" with an empty field will. So now do you see the power?
Today, for exactly the same price, you get +1/+0, NO drawback (but no trample), an awesome ability, and an extra awesome bonus if you hardcast him, and finally, he's uncommon...
*shakes head in bafflement but adores the heck out of*
Also, while it's been stated (by R&D themselves, too), that the Eldrazi were inspired by Lovecraft's Mythos, the design of especially the Kozilek brood lineage strongly reminds me of the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion (and they are about as crazy powerful to boot, though I guess then all of them should be indestructible...).
While I intend to buy a full set, I probably won't use them in my Eldrazi deck on account of the fact that the only things in there that I would want to ressurect (the Big Three; Emrakul, Kozilek and Ulamog) already go to my library instead of the graveyward. It's a GREAT ability, but probably at it's best when used to return Fatties that aren't other Eldrazi.
Ramping up often nets you a turn 3 with 7 or 8 mana. What to do then? Quicksilver Gargantuan! They must kill it already, and when they do drop this guy next turn to fetch Gargantuan and get 2 artisan's! Timmy like.
Careful Study first turn and Exhume this guy on your second turn to bring back both him and that other random eldrazi you put in your graveyard last turn.
WARNING: rant/argument
@Laguz,
The elrazis' varied secondary abilities make direct comparison between them very difficult.
Pathrazer of Ulamog uses a combination of it's relatively high annihilator and requirements to be blocked as a sort of evasion. Also, if you're going to argue that you should be using the
Hand of Emrakul can be played on turn two. And you laugh at that but making someone sacrifice a permanent each turn while attacking with a 7/7 on your 3rd turn isn't usually something to scoff at.
It that Betrays uses it's two abilities in combination as I said before to steal cards from your opponent.
"Also, while it's been stated (by R&D themselves, too), that the Eldrazi were inspired by Lovecraft's Mythos, the design of especially the Kozilek brood lineage strongly reminds me of the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion"
Angels were also inspired by Lovecraft so there's the connection.
Sorry, doesn't work. The ability doesn't trigger if you bring him back from the graveyard, only when you cast him.