To the comment that this creature is technically a 6/4, that's incorrect - this card would be WAY better if so.
As someone else reference Tornado Elemental, you can cite ruling for the very same wording of "assign its damage as if it weren't blocked":
"When assigning combat damage, you choose whether you want to assign all damage to blocking creatures, or if you want to assign all of it to the defending player or planeswalker. You can't split the damage assignment between them."
While this isn't the technical way it works, it's essentially like damage reassignment, you assign the 3 damage it would do to the blocking creature to, instead, the defending player - you don't get to do both.
This card is "okay" but the effect is more of a novelty and it's really a bit overcosted for a 3/4. It's a decent finisher in an infect deck, but Phyrexian Swarmlord probably trumps it as a finisher - particularly considering that they cost the same mana cost and color requirement.
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pump and equipment really loves this one.
SarpNasty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Two Giant Growths are easy to get with this guy. That's 9 poison in one swing. I like to Birthing Pod my Putrefax into this guy.
Ricster24
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
SO BASICALLY OPTIONAL UNBLOCKABLE?
Splizer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Wait, "Spinebiter"? That mouth does not look very well designed for the purpose of biting someone's spine!
Arachibutyrophobia
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(5 votes)
why the *** did they make it a 3/4
fuckers
should be 4/3
WateryMind
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
This thing sees your desperate attempts at blocking.
He just doesn't care.
BrunoV
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Just got this card, amazing with my green infect deck especially combined with a Primal Bellow or two...
StephenF
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so it delivers poison counters whether it gets through or whether it get blocked? If it is blocked by a First/Double Striker what happens?
NeedADispenserHere
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
YOU CALL THAT BREAKING MY SPINE?! You red team ladies wouldn't know how to break a spine if- *cracking sound* MY SPINE!
Tezz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ splizer - that mouth does look great for leaving behind the upper or lower halves of bodies, but it still makes no sense with supertrample.
Hackworthy
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@ Arachibutryophobia: Probably so he doesn't get instantly Lightning Bolted off the field. No one wants to see something with infect that gives no fucks about blocking.
DoragonShinzui
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It's hilarious how many people don't understand how this card works.
It isn't "unblockable." It can still be blocked, you can still kill it, and that's its weakness. For six mana, this is a rather small creature.
Its advantage is that it's practically a 3 poison counter sorcery. While it can be killed, it can't be prevented. And since it goes through so well, if you've been having trouble breaking through an opponent's defenses (Which would be pitiful with Phyrexian but oh well...), you can use this to seed them and proliferate the rest of the way.
As for it's abilities in relation to what it does? I'm guessing it fires the many "spines" in it's mouth at your opponent from across the battlefield. But that's just my guess.
Comments (35)
Maybe some control will give you time to get them out.
Hmmm...
As someone else reference Tornado Elemental, you can cite ruling for the very same wording of "assign its damage as if it weren't blocked":
"When assigning combat damage, you choose whether you want to assign all damage to blocking creatures, or if you want to assign all of it to the defending player or planeswalker. You can't split the damage assignment between them."
While this isn't the technical way it works, it's essentially like damage reassignment, you assign the 3 damage it would do to the blocking creature to, instead, the defending player - you don't get to do both.
This card is "okay" but the effect is more of a novelty and it's really a bit overcosted for a 3/4. It's a decent finisher in an infect deck, but Phyrexian Swarmlord probably trumps it as a finisher - particularly considering that they cost the same mana cost and color requirement.
fuckers
should be 4/3
He just doesn't care.
You red team ladies wouldn't know how to break a spine if-
*cracking sound*
MY SPINE!
It isn't "unblockable." It can still be blocked, you can still kill it, and that's its weakness. For six mana, this is a rather small creature.
Its advantage is that it's practically a 3 poison counter sorcery. While it can be killed, it can't be prevented. And since it goes through so well, if you've been having trouble breaking through an opponent's defenses (Which would be pitiful with Phyrexian but oh well...), you can use this to seed them and proliferate the rest of the way.
As for it's abilities in relation to what it does? I'm guessing it fires the many "spines" in it's mouth at your opponent from across the battlefield. But that's just my guess.
invigorate
Fireshrieker
Might of Old Krosa