Its a generic draw spell, at sorcery speed. If you play blue, there's no reason to run it. However, the draw is that I can run this in my / deck for some needed card advantage. I'm thinking this will be an early pick in draft, and that's based solely on the card draw. The proliferate just adds field advantage (have another counter, Tumble Magnet ).
AnTzero
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(9 votes)
This seems to be better than most draw spells if you can take advantage of it proliferate. It almost seems to call to Planeswalker cards.
As good as I think this card is, I can't get past the fact that Tezzeret is try to hide. The guy with the huge glowing orb of random sparks and lightning running through his arm is trying to hide. I'm guessing things didn't go well.
.Blaze.
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
My infect deck is going to love this since it helps give me a little more fuel as well as speeding up my poison clock by a little.
guitargamer79
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is going to be the #1 card draw spell when Zendikar block rotates out. Colorless Divination for any color is just amazing, adding Prolierate is just pure godliness. Too bad we will have no more use for Steady Progress once this hits. Red Deck Wins just got a key ingredient as well. This card is more broken than people think.
So, a colorless Sign in Blood that proliferates for {1} more? Or at least that seems to be how it will play out.........wat.
krauser-gogetthegirl
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(5 votes)
holy S*** draw two and proliferate in any color?
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Draw two cards: {3} (Divination, not a great card but right on the curve) Proliferate: {(U/P)}? Holy crap! It's Vampire Nighthawk all over again!
SwordOfKaldra
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
-_- You're comparing a sorcery to an instant, so it can't be "strictly" better for that reason alone. Then there's the +{1} or -2 life on top of that.
Anyway, it does remind me of Sign in Blood. Awesome that it can be played in any color. If you can make use of the proliferate it's a great card.
danyo622
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Perfect for simic decks or anything with a lorescale coatl in it.
lorendorky
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Koth decks could REALLY use this.
altf4ninja
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
my pyromancer deck will like these. i run jace beleren and chandra ablaze so the proliferate just speeds up my overkill condition. ultimate jace on self then ultimate chandra with tons of burn spells to cast. and i like the card draw
JaxsonBateman
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
As has been mentioned... colorless sign in blood for 1 more, plus proliferate, which can even 'nullify' that extra mana cost if you have as little as an Everflowing Chalice.
If you don't realise how much potential this card has, work on your card rating skills. ^^
metalevolence
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
What watermark do you give tezzeret's spell? I guess phyrexian fits better than mirran, but it still seems odd.
Sironos
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Colourless card draw, oh yeah!
kiseki
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@metalevolence There are two very good reasons to give this the phyrexian watermark: 1) proliferate is a phyrexian ability 2) phyrexian mana is a phyrexian ability There is no question whatsoever, as it fits perfectly.
bluemaxx
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@kiseki I guess what metalevolence meant is Tezzeret, being neutral for Mirran and Phyrexian, seems odd to have a spell like this. IMO, this card should have a different name. A name that has nothing to do with Tezzeret. The name, art and the actual ability of this card contradicts each other.
the name - seems to me the name suggest that this is Tezzeret's special unique spell but why does it have proliferate the art - it looks like he's hiding or spying against the phyrexian machine priests. are they imposing a threat to tezzeret? is he in pursuit and in danger with those priests? then again, why proliferate? the mechanic - draw a card - not very tezzeret to me. thirst for knowledge seems to be a better 'tezzeret's gambit' for me. proliferate? again a phyrexian original mechanic. why give it to tezzeret who is currently agent of bolas ?
so @kiseki, yes you're right. this deserves a phyrexian watermark, but IMO, doesn't deserve a 'tezzeret's...' name in it.
Wanderer25
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Interesting. The effect is exactly the same as playing an Ichor Wellspring and saccing it to Throne of Geth. Very strong card, it'll definitely find a home in my (mostly casual) Lux Cannon control deck.
Dabir
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(22 votes)
OK, the way I interpret it is this.
Tezzeret isn't hiding, he's leaving an audience with the Phyrexians, each watching the other suspiciously. He's just done a deal with them. He gets information out of it (the 'draw 2') and they get to spread their influence that little bit further (the proliferate). Each gets to further their own plans in their own way; the 'Gambit' is because Tezzeret is taking the risk that they might profit more than him. We get both benefits because we're not Tezzeret or Phyrexia.
infernox10
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(7 votes)
I cannot foresee a time when somebody will wait till T4 to play this, even in blue.
So, T3, draw two cards, proliferate the abundance of things blue has to proliferate,
Even a poison counter from a well-placed Inkmoth Nexus or Blighted Agent.
I personally believe every infect deck should use this, and many other decks that love counters.
Now, as far as Standard goes:
This is infect-control's bff.
The amount of advantage this card gives (+1 card, possibly +1 infect and +1 any other counters of importance) cannot be ignored.
I guess this one will go nicely in my mono white Tempered Steel deck. I get to draw two cards AND put another +1/+1 counter on each of my creatures thanks to Steel Overseer and Ajani Goldmane. All this for three colorless mana!
This card will fit nicely in any deck that doesn't care about it's own life total that much (aggro anyone?) and could use some more cards and has some use for proliferate.
tcollins
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gam-bit: /'gambit/ Noun: -(in chess) An opening in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating advantage. -A device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage.
I think the latter definition is more suitable in this case, card draw in any colour (assuming you're always willing to pay the 2 life) is astounding. The fact that its {3} for 3 effects (2 cards + 1 proliferate) is icing on the cake.
scumbling1
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This is a card that I'm going to need at least two playsets of. Sign in Blood in Red or White casual decks? More like "sign me up". (ugh... sorry) With cards that use some form of counters becoming ever more prevelant, most decks should be able to capitalize on Proliferate and justify the additional one mana over Sign in Blood. If not, that's the price you pay for having solid card draw off-color.
I really hope to see this card put to rest the notion that Browbeat is a valid choice for a mono-red deck. I strongly doubt it, but a man can dream...
Studoku
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sign in Blood for 3 instead of BB. The proliferation is just gravy.
Paleopaladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@scumbling, you're right about this card and wrong about Browbeat.
BTW, with Chandra, the Firebrand this goes from "good" to "Would you like to concede now?"
BTW, is it just me or is this card harder to come across than many rares out there???
Artan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Chandra, The Firebrand
Who said card-drawing was for blue?
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Best use of this card: kept in binder where I was going to put Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, because the dude looks awesome. Cost of buying Agent of Bolas for the art: something like $8, meh. Cost of this card, with the same cool arm thing going on: negligible, got a copy in a pack! :)
Cool art >> all. I don't even mind if this never sees play.
Heck, I don't even mind that I have no understanding of what Tezzeret's "gambit" actually is -- a gambit is a chancy strategy you employ to accomplish a particular task, which I guess is "get past the guard people or whoever it is walking by, unnoticed" -- how drawing cards or proliferating helps with that, I'm not sure... so ok, the flavor of this card is a little "orange mint lavender hibiscus whatever" incoherent. It's a mess. It has a guy with an electrified glowing pink arm and torso attempting to be sneaky on it. Art trumps all!
made4ipod
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I enjoy the Proliferate Mechanic. I enjoy drawing cards. I just enjoy this card overall.
SarpNasty
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(10 votes)
The best socery card for mono-red in the entire block. 5/5
Vedalken_Arbiter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like to think of this as Tezzeret's Planeswalker Signature Spell.
Purple_Shrimp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
its mana
Philosophy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A great replacement to Foresee in Standard, instead of having to stick with Divination. Perfect for infect control.
shotoku64
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think cutting yourself for 2 to give your opponent another poison counter is about an equal trade
MagnaLynx21
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best hand reloading spell in this block. It's perfect in so many situations.
"Before you even learned to SPELL YOUR NAME, I was being trained, TO CONQUER GALAXIES!" -Tezzeret, Battlefield Earth
Exclaimer999
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's funny, with every single spell with Phyrexian mana, that people keep saying it's the "best spell in (random color)."
But yeah, being able to draw cards out of blue is insane. Plus proliferate.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
card draw, awesome!
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Whenever I draft a deck list, this is usually the main source of draw power,
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why does Gruul need card draw this efficient!?
4/5 Stars
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you have trouble meeting {B}{B} in a multicolor deck, run this instead. Also, if you're going with any counter-based strategy (graft, unleash, undying, wither, infect, artifacts, modular, the list goes on..) it's worth considering just for that.
Steady progress is great in blue for the above, but in a deck like I'm attempting: "Blackguard Aggro." Between the Unleash creatures, Oona's Blackguard giving possible discard options, and a few critters like Slitherhead, Llannowar reborn, and any that just enter with +1/+1 counters; it gets quite aggressive. It runs best when you drop a volt charge turning a pair of 2/2s into 3/3s at instant speed, and demolishing half of someone's life total T3.
That said, when I realized that sign in blood was giving me casting issues and that the deck thrives so well on the proliferate from Charge and Grim Affliction, I remembered this card. Sign in blood left the deck to make way for this, and now my card advantage comes with board advantage! I also don't get screwed by the occasional double mountains.
Comments (49)
As good as I think this card is, I can't get past the fact that Tezzeret is try to hide. The guy with the huge glowing orb of random sparks and lightning running through his arm is trying to hide. I'm guessing things didn't go well.
Proliferate: {(U/P)}? Holy crap! It's Vampire Nighthawk all over again!
Anyway, it does remind me of Sign in Blood. Awesome that it can be played in any color. If you can make use of the proliferate it's a great card.
If you don't realise how much potential this card has, work on your card rating skills. ^^
There are two very good reasons to give this the phyrexian watermark:
1) proliferate is a phyrexian ability
2) phyrexian mana is a phyrexian ability
There is no question whatsoever, as it fits perfectly.
I guess what metalevolence meant is Tezzeret, being neutral for Mirran and Phyrexian, seems odd to have a spell like this. IMO, this card should have a different name. A name that has nothing to do with Tezzeret. The name, art and the actual ability of this card contradicts each other.
the name - seems to me the name suggest that this is Tezzeret's special unique spell but why does it have proliferate
the art - it looks like he's hiding or spying against the phyrexian machine priests. are they imposing a threat to tezzeret? is he in pursuit and in danger with those priests? then again, why proliferate?
the mechanic - draw a card - not very tezzeret to me. thirst for knowledge seems to be a better 'tezzeret's gambit' for me. proliferate? again a phyrexian original mechanic. why give it to tezzeret who is currently agent of bolas ?
so @kiseki, yes you're right. this deserves a phyrexian watermark, but IMO, doesn't deserve a 'tezzeret's...' name in it.
Tezzeret isn't hiding, he's leaving an audience with the Phyrexians, each watching the other suspiciously. He's just done a deal with them. He gets information out of it (the 'draw 2') and they get to spread their influence that little bit further (the proliferate). Each gets to further their own plans in their own way; the 'Gambit' is because Tezzeret is taking the risk that they might profit more than him. We get both benefits because we're not Tezzeret or Phyrexia.
So, T3, draw two cards, proliferate the abundance of things blue has to proliferate,
Even a poison counter from a well-placed Inkmoth Nexus or Blighted Agent.
I personally believe every infect deck should use this, and many other decks that love counters.
Now, as far as Standard goes:
This is infect-control's bff.
The amount of advantage this card gives (+1 card, possibly +1 infect and +1 any other counters of importance) cannot be ignored.
just wow
I like
This card will fit nicely in any deck that doesn't care about it's own life total that much (aggro anyone?) and could use some more cards and has some use for proliferate.
-(in chess) An opening in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating advantage.
-A device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage.
I think the latter definition is more suitable in this case, card draw in any colour (assuming you're always willing to pay the 2 life) is astounding. The fact that its {3} for 3 effects (2 cards + 1 proliferate) is icing on the cake.
I really hope to see this card put to rest the notion that Browbeat is a valid choice for a mono-red deck. I strongly doubt it, but a man can dream...
BTW, with Chandra, the Firebrand this goes from "good" to "Would you like to concede now?"
BTW, is it just me or is this card harder to come across than many rares out there???
Who said card-drawing was for blue?
Cool art >> all. I don't even mind if this never sees play.
Heck, I don't even mind that I have no understanding of what Tezzeret's "gambit" actually is -- a gambit is a chancy strategy you employ to accomplish a particular task, which I guess is "get past the guard people or whoever it is walking by, unnoticed" -- how drawing cards or proliferating helps with that, I'm not sure... so ok, the flavor of this card is a little "orange mint lavender hibiscus whatever" incoherent. It's a mess. It has a guy with an electrified glowing pink arm and torso attempting to be sneaky on it. Art trumps all!
I enjoy drawing cards.
I just enjoy this card overall.
But yeah, being able to draw cards out of blue is insane. Plus proliferate.
4/5 Stars
Steady progress is great in blue for the above, but in a deck like I'm attempting: "Blackguard Aggro." Between the Unleash creatures, Oona's Blackguard giving possible discard options, and a few critters like Slitherhead, Llannowar reborn, and any that just enter with +1/+1 counters; it gets quite aggressive. It runs best when you drop a volt charge turning a pair of 2/2s into 3/3s at instant speed, and demolishing half of someone's life total T3.
That said, when I realized that sign in blood was giving me casting issues and that the deck thrives so well on the proliferate from Charge and Grim Affliction, I remembered this card. Sign in blood left the deck to make way for this, and now my card advantage comes with board advantage! I also don't get screwed by the occasional double mountains.