"or untap" makes a whole world of difference here. It's like giving artificial Vigilance to your huge beater. Let him attack, he'll be ready to block again with just 1 cheap Island.
A0602
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It's a tapper.... that flies!
ichorNet777
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(10 votes)
I love that it is a "may" ability for some reason.
RAV0004
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Should have had vigilance. When you're getting in the 3cmc range, it has to be good. This just doesnt cut it, not when you can cast the hexproof spirit lord or geist of saint traft.
ilovealara
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@RAV0004 No it shouldn't: a) Vigilance is a white and sometimes green ability, and is very rare in blue. b) It is monocolored so can be run in more decks than Drogskol Captain and Geist of Saint Traft. c) Saint Traft is MYTHIC, if it was the same power level as this, than no one would want him as a mythic. (Plus, he doesn't fly.)
izzet_guild_mage
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(7 votes)
Actually, the "you may" is a very important part of the ability, which would have been completely overlooked even five years ago. If it didn't say "you may", you would have to attempt to execute one of the two options upon resolution of the ability. So let's say you use this to tap your opponent's Gideon's Avenger, but in response, he activates his Gideon's Lawkeeper. Now the Avenger is tapped, so you would have to do one of the available actions. You can't tap a tapped creature, which means you now must untap it.
Wizards didn't like that interaction, so they added "you may" to each card that works like this (see the oracle text for Twiddle).
Wraique
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@ izzet
You can choose to untap an untapped creature, and tap a tapped creature. You can even target those cretures with modal abilities, ie, you could target a tapped creature with Gideon's Lawkeeper (See the first ruling on Ajani Vengeant ) This usually doesn't do much though. Was there ever a rule that said you couldn't target tapped creatures with an ability that taps creatures, or one that said you had to tap or untap upon Twiddles resolution? Edify me, if there was.
You get to choose whether to tap or untap upon resolution, and that's important if you need to change your mind for some reason.
Also, card's great.
Steinhauser
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy, alongside Thraben Doomsayer, won me my first triple DKA release draft. My deck wasn't even that good - but an engine that pumps out 2 tokens a turn, then taps down a blocker before an alpha strike, is incredibly powerful in limited.
The funny thing is, I second-picked the Niblis after the Doomsayer, but I didn't even register the combo until I had both creatures on the board in game 2! I'd thought it was just a 2/1 flying tapper - which would still be second pick worthy in a so-so pack. Untapping is just icing.
MrTrance
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Can be a decent tool in limited standard
M_E_T_A_L_LORD
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
As just a tapper, compare to tideforce elemental. TE is obviously crazy good as you can tap at opponents EoT, untap, tap another, lay a land, untap, and tap another or swing. Niblis has flying... i guess i'm just having trouble understanding how flying equals an untapping landfall in rarity. Sure Niblis is a spirit, and has pretty good support now, but tideforce elemental is kinda booty compared to this, yet theyre both uncommon. I'll still use both, but tideforce elemental is still the booty - tapper go to card for me. Also, combo this with Beguiler of Wills (Bruce Willis) and take multiple creatures (works crazy with tideforce elemental though).
Alex343
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@izzet_guild_mage , great point!
Boglehunter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dear godAngel of Flight Alabaster help the poor soul!
TwentyFifthBaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Played with this guy against royal assassin. Hilarity ensued.
jenekee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@izzet_guild_mage: No, just because the creature is already tapped doesn't mean you now have to untap it.
Comments (16)
No it shouldn't:
a) Vigilance is a white and sometimes green ability, and is very rare in blue.
b) It is monocolored so can be run in more decks than Drogskol Captain and Geist of Saint Traft.
c) Saint Traft is MYTHIC, if it was the same power level as this, than no one would want him as a mythic. (Plus, he doesn't fly.)
Wizards didn't like that interaction, so they added "you may" to each card that works like this (see the oracle text for Twiddle).
You can choose to untap an untapped creature, and tap a tapped creature. You can even target those cretures with modal abilities, ie, you could target a tapped creature with Gideon's Lawkeeper (See the first ruling on Ajani Vengeant ) This usually doesn't do much though. Was there ever a rule that said you couldn't target tapped creatures with an ability that taps creatures, or one that said you had to tap or untap upon Twiddles resolution? Edify me, if there was.
You get to choose whether to tap or untap upon resolution, and that's important if you need to change your mind for some reason.
Also, card's great.
The funny thing is, I second-picked the Niblis after the Doomsayer, but I didn't even register the combo until I had both creatures on the board in game 2! I'd thought it was just a 2/1 flying tapper - which would still be second pick worthy in a so-so pack. Untapping is just icing.
I'll still use both, but tideforce elemental is still the booty - tapper go to card for me.
Also, combo this with Beguiler of Wills (Bruce Willis) and take multiple creatures (works crazy with tideforce elemental though).
So, why are people downvoting Wraique's comment?
That is all.