This is seriously all the Vampires have to say about where they live? You should be ashamed if this is all your hose can do for this big a mana investment.
ChozoGhost
★★★☆☆ (4.0/5.0)(11 votes)
Anyone who thinks the effect is too expensive is missing the point. This card doesn't take up a spell slot in your deck. You play it as a land and you only activate it on turns when you have nothing else to do, like when you topdeck a land later in the game. It's a bonus. The only downside is that it doesn't tap for colored mana. If your B/R deck can function with a couple lands that provide colorless mana there's no reason not to run a couple copies.
dudecow
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
I agree with Chozo, this is perfectly acceptable, even good as a 2-of. If Grixis-colored control becomes good again then this will be a roleplayer. Always being able to do something even if you can't play a spell is invaluable. This is kinda like Barbarian Ring.
thebroodwarjc
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(3 votes)
This card definitely has hidden potential.
Gaffy00
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(6 votes)
>Rare Land >Produces mana and has an extra ability >Has a clock
If Grixis is viable again, this will NOT be relevant. You're playing three colors and you're not including a marginally useful colorless land. The amount of times that this two damage will matter is far outweighed by the amount of times that you'll draw this land instead of the color you need.
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(5 votes)
So, I managed to win a single booster at the Innistrad pre-relase (thanks to a really good draw), and this was the rare in that booster.
DO NOT WANT! :/
One of the worst rares in the entire set...
OmegaSerris
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Not bad. Not the best of the cycle, though. Any nonbasic that 1) taps for mana and 2) doesn't come into play tapped, deserves a second look in my book. The makes this ability cost , for those of you just glancing at it. Little steep even if it is repeatable, colorless damage. Maybe "creature or player" could have redeemed it a bit.
People who think this is bad are dumb. It's two damage a turn, every turn. Late in the game when you're in top deck mode and you draw a land, you can still spend your mana to deal 2 damage to your opponent. This inevitably draws the game closer to the end with 2 guaranteed damage every turn.
Worst rare? This isn't even the worst rare land.
BuffJittePLZ
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Anyone who says things like "Late in the game when you're in top deck mode and you draw a land, you can still spend your mana to deal 2 damage to your opponent" understand very little about that kind of situation; if you are top-decking and have nothing else to play, you are probably dead. Cards are not good because they are only useful when you have nothing else to play, as that should never happen in a finely tuned deck.
This land costs 6 mana (including tapping itself) to do 2 damage, only to a player. + This ability is only useful if you have nothing else to play, i.e. you are in trouble. + Add to that the fact that it taps for colorless and drawing it early may hurt your mana base.
= One of the worst cards from the Innistrad set.
Atali
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@BuffJittePLZ
Hardly. Yes it's a bit weak in constructed, but in limited this can virtually win games. Additionally, it provides an outlet for your excess mana when you deliberately don't want to cast any spells (for example when you're trying to transform your werewolves).
Motion2Dismiss
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is actually a pretty solid role player. I'm running 1x in my Grixis Tezzeret deck for extra reach, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. Most of the time, I will only be draining them 10-14, so being able to get in those extra few points is incredibly useful.
Yes, the ability is expensive. But it's not a card for the early game, when I'd rather be dropping color-producing lands or Inkmoths anyway. Where this card is really useful is in the late game, after I've already established board control and can activate it EOT.
NeoKoda
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Got it in a fat pack. Feels bad man.
isaacboyd
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Does anyone else feel like this should do more for that cost? Like maybe the life is lost instead of damage? Or more damage? Or damage a creature or player? Or life gain as well?
I don't think the card is exactly bad, just not very good. I'd throw 1-2 into BE Vampires.
SkaerKrow
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Would have been an acceptable card if it could target creatures and players, or if the ability was about two mana cheaper. As written, it's a really underwhelming card. I plan on running a couple in my Black/Red Vampire Weenie deck just because I don't need lots of land to get the job done. The hope is that, if I've managed to survive to late game (spoiler alert: I won't), I'll be able to use these to keep the pressure on my opponent even after I'm top-decking.
bfellow
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
4 out of the 5 new special rare lands are being used in Standard constructed. Guess which one isn't being used!?! The highest costing one!
Hayw00d0909
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Standard: Whatever you guys do, DO NOT let them deal 3 damage.
Modern: Right this way sir.
Vandarringa
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Not bad, especially as a sideboard card against permission decks. It's a long-term threat that most decks like that don't have a way to deal with: can't be countered, can't be bounced profitably. If you have a really aggressive deck but can't get past a board full of creatures after 7 or 8 turns, this might be a nice ace in the hole to deal that final damage. That's a pretty outside scenario, though. In that scenario you'd probably be better off drawing a burn spell.
GlucosePrime
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I suppose in a RB weenie Bloodthirst deck, this card could certainly be useful as a just in case card. Still, that high of a cost for 2 damage seems a little overpriced.
Mattmedia
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Remember that this land is 6 mana to activate, although i see most people are bagging this land already, but please remember if this land was any cheaper it would be getting close to broken, as 2 damage to a player or planes walker is a fair bit in the grand scheme of things. If a Grixis Control Deck was to happen, with some tri-lands (other wise never), this would be a pretty decent finisher, as milling people can be counter productive.
Definitely the worst of the cycle.
htgtmd
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
should just say deals 2 damage to target planeswalker
Superllama12
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've pulled three of these. While they're not the greatest, they do have their uses in a super slow control deck. I have mine in a B/R discard build, and while it's not great, I've managed to kill some people with it. However, I don't think it would have broken it to deal damage to a creature or player, or to make the activation cheaper...but still, not bad, definitely better than the 2.5 star rating it has right now.
Narim
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At first, I was like:"Cool, reusable colorless damage is always good to get rid of those pesky B/R protection creatures..."
I was sooooooo disappointed later. Targeting only player really hurt this card.
gongshowninja
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Why the hate? Expensive ability, but keeps planeswalkers in check. Uncounterable in standard.
Panaroid
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great card in draft. amazing when used with Curse of the Pierced Heart and Bump in the Night. ESPECIALLY in the mirror match
Luke_BPC
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Topdecking doesn't mean you're losing. RDW and now the more common Red/Black direct damage decks usually run out of steam by turn 4-5, sometimes needing just a little push to make it through. This can definitely be it, and it's nearly impossible to answer reliably in standard and modern, save perhaps by Ghost Quarter and similars. All in all, I still like it more than Nephalia Drownyard, because the milling is usually less relevant than 2 damage, specially with so much Phyrexian mana around.
arcaneimperator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Like htgtmd and gongshowninja allude to - this wipes 2 loyalty counters off of a planeswalker. If it included creatures, it would be broken
Dolorosa
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
A 6 mana shock. Oh my good lord, why. Why? Compared to every other land in this series, why?
luca_barelli
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
repeatable, free to play, unpreventable shock (albeit more expensive and unable to target creatures). Not a bad source of damage, but not great either.
Richochet_Shaman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Do you know how bad this card is? Do you want to know how bad this card is?
There are groups, online, on the book of faces, that are set up just for trading via mail. It's an understood rule that when someone sends a card late, to make up for it, we send a bonus card.
Stensia Bloodhall is that "bonus card". its the card you have a $#itload of that you don't want anymore, and since you have to give someone a bonus card for making them wait, but they're not really your friend, you send this card instead.
It is the Roy Rogers of Spell lands: overpriced, not very flavorful, and ultimately, unsatisfying. It's unsatisfying from the moment you open the pack to the moment receive it in the mail from a late trade.
And you know what? I can guarantee you, you will get it in a late mail trade!! Do you know why? because I've given out 4 of these things, to 4 different people, and thought "hey! since I'm doing buying innistrad cards and I got rid of all these lands via trade, I'm not gonna see them ever again!" But you know what? No! It doesn't work that way! Because like a dog with an infected ribcage wound that you gave pity chicken to ONE TIME, it comes back to you, and you have to put up with it and it's constant whining for pity chicken.
So congratulations, R&D! I'd never thought, never, in the 17 and a half years I've been playing this game, that I'd see a spell land that was the equivalent of the regifted Christmas Sweater, but by God, when you set out to do something, do you do it right.
Opaque
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Got 1 of these and a foil one in the same pack and threw the whole thing out the window. Bad juju. Should have given the user 2 life, but that's not red's bag.
HowardTreesong
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Far too overpriced for what it does. Five mana to do just two damage to a player, and not even the possibility to direct the damage to a creature. By the time you can cast up five mana from mixed colours I would hope to be doing something more effective.
ziggefranz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I use this card to push illicit substances around on my illicit substance tray....
that's what this was released for, right?
Silence9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
JC people you're hard on cards. A land that smashes Mug doesn't deserve this ***-poor of a rating.. ='(
DritzD27
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Did Wizards learn nothing from Orzhova, the Church of Deals? Still not a terrible card as more or less uncounterable damage on a land entering untapped is pretty sweet.
(Although this is a rarity higher. It could likely have costed 1 less on activation. :P)
alphagprime
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I have seen a lot of comments on here I agree with. I have to say though that I can completely see why R&D built the card the way they did. That reason is Inkmoth Nexus. Inkmoth Nexus, at the same rarity, activates for (essentially) the same effect. Now you may say, "OMFG obv you can't read n00b." Infect counters take 10 to kill you. Inkmoth does 1/10th of the necessary lethal damage. This also does 1/10 (2/20)th of the required damage to the player. Inkmoth was arguably extremely broken. In order to prevent a repeat they dramatically increased the cost of the activation for this ability.
Do I think they are very different cards? Yes. The differences are glaring. Do I think this would have been perfectly playable and costed as {2}{R}{B}, {TA}: Deal 2 damage to target creature or player? Heck yes (essentially evening it out a 5cmc activation instead of 6) or even {1}{R}{B} for an effective 4cmc. But when players are so quick to abuse the obviously abusable cards like Inkmoth Nexus its no wonder cards like this appear.
Of course all that being said in a {B}/{R} burn deck I think you would be dumb to not run a few of these. The activation is optional so you have it when you need it and ignore it when you don't. Late game when you start to run dry and you're top decking more mana this gives you options and that's never a bad thing.
TheWrathofShane
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Guys, I dont think you realize how good this is. In mid-ranged radakos aggro, when you start running out of steam this can finish you off pretty quick.
I just played a game, got through his onslaught of creatures and burn, with 6 life left. This sucker finished me off in three turns.
miilkshake
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Those complaining about the cost have more than likely never actually played with this card.
TiredTofu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Most of the people here who are saying that this is a terrible card are just plain wrong. Sure, of Wizards printed if an instant spell that Shocked a player for 6 mana, it'd be terrible.
But that's not what they made. They made a card that can sub in for a 1-2 lands in your deck, and act as an emergency win-con. If you've run out of gas, or your opponent is keeping your board locked up with Detention Spheres, Tamiyo-s, and board wipes, you suddenly have a reusable shock that you can cast for one a turn for free any time you don't have something else better to burn your mana on.
Plus, it hits Walkers, which is kinda a big deal right now.
Don't look at this as a Shock for 6 mana. It's not. It's a late game win-con/Planeswalker Removal which you get for next to nothing (Read: Card Advantage). If you're in these colors, I see few reasons why you wouldn't run this in the current standard environment.
Easily a 4/5.
orisiti
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
hmmm... I see your guys' point... obviously any well made RDW deck would never run out of things to play. You're pretty smart, i'm going to try to play my deck only playing one spell a turn, that'll be the best aggro strategy ever.
I would like to thank you all for making this card well within my modest magic budget for my Rakdos deck.
I'm not saying it's omg broken, but it is niche card that fills a nice gap.
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Could've been just 1 CMC cheaper for the ability, but I wouldn't throw it out the window. I'd take this over those annoying dual lands that you really need 4 of to properly feel the benefit, since those are really only good in tournament settings...
MaedreTheFlame
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Pulling this as your rare foil in a booster box is one of the worst feelings known to man. This is a terribad card, absolutely craptastic.
RedAtrocitus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
People defending this card? Really? It only taps for colorless mana and it requires you to play 2 colors to get use out of it. If I'm building a deck and I'm going to have at least 2 colors in it, any land I play that doesn't produce colored mana better have a solid upside. Drownyard is only played in decks that use it as an engine or a win condition. Lighthouse and Stronghold have seen some play, though usually with lackluster results. The Haunt gets a bit of play too. Refuge is a cool card that is used occasionally to do awesome things. Vault and Wolf Run have proven to have the most utility, with Wolf Run proving so awesome some decks actually splash another color to play it! This one? Well, it won't do anything until you have 6 mana and even then it requires tapping you out to do a measly 2 damage. I'd way, way rather have a dependable basic or dual land.
This could have been costed similar to Drownyard, {1}{B}{R},{T}, and then it would have been a cool card that could have been used as a win condition like Drownyard when the game is under control or even for more aggressive decks that maybe fall short of their last couple points of damage. My guess is R&D nerfed this card into oblivion, fearing it would be too powerful. (Granted, it takes just 10 activations of this to win while Drownyard takes about 15.) Maybe they feared Jund would be made too powerful? (Maybe they shouldn't have printed Liliana then :P) I doubt that, Jund has access to Wolf Run which I still would think is a better card than this. But Grixis Control would have been so fun! Oh, wait, sorry, getting lost in Magical Christmas Land here. Just saying, this could have been a decent card, but as it sees print, it is clearly one of the worst, though Grim Backwoods is pretty awful, too.
Manite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Instead of my usual attempts at wit, I'd like to provide some analysis for this intriguing megacycle of lands from Innistrad, namely how said lands fit into the overall design of the block.
Analysis: Of the Innistrad utility lands, the Bloodhall here seems the least impressive in design. Innistrad's Vampires put a focus on two things: Creature death and combat damage to players. Black vampires mainly centered around creature sacrifice and occasionally death triggers while red vampires primarily featured a combat damage trigger that gives them extra +1/+1 counters and the occasional panic or evasion ability. Stensia Bloodhall unfortunately does not support either of these strategies, at least not directly.
Damage dealt to players does assist the already aggressive Vampires deck but does little to help enable it. Had the Bloodhall been able to target a creature it could have acted as removal for chump blockers, or it could have granted a combat damage bonus similar to that of the red vampires to a target creature. But perhaps that was believed to be too good, even at the cost of ? To my memory Innistrad does not put a great deal of focus on noncombat damage being dealt to players or on life loss itself barring the odd card like Exquisite Blood. It's worth noting though that both of the flashback cards, Bump in the Night and Fires of Undeath, can cause players to lose life, as can Blood Artist and Falkenrath Noble.
The presence of a lifeloss subtheme is likely due to the original intended mechanic for the Rakdos guild in RTR, Paincast, which would cheapen spells based on how much life opponents have lost that turn. The mechanic only appeared on a single card in the final printing on Rakdos, Lord of Riots himself, leaving the life loss subtheme of Innistrad rather isolated. However, the +1/+1 counters common amongst Innistrad Vampires does have slight resonance with Rakdos's RTR mechanic, Unleash.
Aremath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If the deck you're playing has few color restrictions it's worth it, especially since RB doesn't often have a lot of reach. Unfortunately, its very expensive, and doesn't do enough damage to justify its inclusion in most decks. As an example from Innistrad block, the number of times you miss an activation of Olivia Voldaren because of this is sadly more relevant.
ZaisConsultant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like how Rogue's Passage costs less to use, is generally much more effective, and is uncommon instead of rare. If they reduced this to 4 mana to use and let you target creatures with it as well, it would be so MUCH better. Oh that's too powerful? No, that's rare powerful. They seem to be content to make Gavony Township, so it just seems fair...
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think people are failing to notice that this (without any help from the opponent) is basically a 2/2 manland that has "unblockable, hexproof, indestructible" for 5. Yeah it's steep; but it's a win con on a land when you're stuck topdecking or you're out of options. It's not too bad to have a land that can win the game on it's own.
It's hard for me to decide between this and shivan gorge, and keldon megaliths. This kills much faster; but Gorge costs a full two lands less to activate..
Petertracy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm pretty sure this card would have excelled in some kind of Grixis permission build in standard, but I can see why people wouldn't like it. Also, that art is gorgeous, really nicely done.
Comments (50)
>Produces mana and has an extra ability
>Has a clock
*dodges thrown shoes*
DO NOT WANT! :/
One of the worst rares in the entire set...
For anyone that wants to see the whole cycle:
Gavony Township
Kessig Wolf Run
Moorland Haunt
Nephalia Drownyard
Stensia Bloodhall
Worst rare? This isn't even the worst rare land.
This land costs 6 mana (including tapping itself) to do 2 damage, only to a player.
+
This ability is only useful if you have nothing else to play, i.e. you are in trouble.
+
Add to that the fact that it taps for colorless and drawing it early may hurt your mana base.
= One of the worst cards from the Innistrad set.
Hardly. Yes it's a bit weak in constructed, but in limited this can virtually win games. Additionally, it provides an outlet for your excess mana when you deliberately don't want to cast any spells (for example when you're trying to transform your werewolves).
Yes, the ability is expensive. But it's not a card for the early game, when I'd rather be dropping color-producing lands or Inkmoths anyway. Where this card is really useful is in the late game, after I've already established board control and can activate it EOT.
I don't think the card is exactly bad, just not very good. I'd throw 1-2 into BE Vampires.
Modern: Right this way sir.
Definitely the worst of the cycle.
I was sooooooo disappointed later. Targeting only player really hurt this card.
There are groups, online, on the book of faces, that are set up just for trading via mail. It's an understood rule that when someone sends a card late, to make up for it, we send a bonus card.
Stensia Bloodhall is that "bonus card". its the card you have a $#itload of that you don't want anymore, and since you have to give someone a bonus card for making them wait, but they're not really your friend, you send this card instead.
It is the Roy Rogers of Spell lands: overpriced, not very flavorful, and ultimately, unsatisfying. It's unsatisfying from the moment you open the pack to the moment receive it in the mail from a late trade.
And you know what? I can guarantee you, you will get it in a late mail trade!! Do you know why? because I've given out 4 of these things, to 4 different people, and thought "hey! since I'm doing buying innistrad cards and I got rid of all these lands via trade, I'm not gonna see them ever again!" But you know what? No! It doesn't work that way! Because like a dog with an infected ribcage wound that you gave pity chicken to ONE TIME, it comes back to you, and you have to put up with it and it's constant whining for pity chicken.
So congratulations, R&D! I'd never thought, never, in the 17 and a half years I've been playing this game, that I'd see a spell land that was the equivalent of the regifted Christmas Sweater, but by God, when you set out to do something, do you do it right.
that's what this was released for, right?
(Although this is a rarity higher. It could likely have costed 1 less on activation. :P)
Do I think they are very different cards? Yes. The differences are glaring. Do I think this would have been perfectly playable and costed as {2}{R}{B}, {TA}: Deal 2 damage to target creature or player? Heck yes (essentially evening it out a 5cmc activation instead of 6) or even {1}{R}{B} for an effective 4cmc. But when players are so quick to abuse the obviously abusable cards like Inkmoth Nexus its no wonder cards like this appear.
Of course all that being said in a {B}/{R} burn deck I think you would be dumb to not run a few of these. The activation is optional so you have it when you need it and ignore it when you don't. Late game when you start to run dry and you're top decking more mana this gives you options and that's never a bad thing.
I just played a game, got through his onslaught of creatures and burn, with 6 life left. This sucker finished me off in three turns.
But that's not what they made. They made a card that can sub in for a 1-2 lands in your deck, and act as an emergency win-con. If you've run out of gas, or your opponent is keeping your board locked up with Detention Spheres, Tamiyo-s, and board wipes, you suddenly have a reusable shock that you can cast for one a turn for free any time you don't have something else better to burn your mana on.
Plus, it hits Walkers, which is kinda a big deal right now.
Don't look at this as a Shock for 6 mana. It's not. It's a late game win-con/Planeswalker Removal which you get for next to nothing (Read: Card Advantage). If you're in these colors, I see few reasons why you wouldn't run this in the current standard environment.
Easily a 4/5.
hmmm... I see your guys' point... obviously any well made RDW deck would never run out of things to play. You're pretty smart, i'm going to try to play my deck only playing one spell a turn, that'll be the best aggro strategy ever.
I would like to thank you all for making this card well within my modest magic budget for my Rakdos deck.
I'm not saying it's omg broken, but it is niche card that fills a nice gap.
This could have been costed similar to Drownyard, {1}{B}{R},{T}, and then it would have been a cool card that could have been used as a win condition like Drownyard when the game is under control or even for more aggressive decks that maybe fall short of their last couple points of damage. My guess is R&D nerfed this card into oblivion, fearing it would be too powerful. (Granted, it takes just 10 activations of this to win while Drownyard takes about 15.) Maybe they feared Jund would be made too powerful? (Maybe they shouldn't have printed Liliana then :P) I doubt that, Jund has access to Wolf Run which I still would think is a better card than this. But Grixis Control would have been so fun! Oh, wait, sorry, getting lost in Magical Christmas Land here. Just saying, this could have been a decent card, but as it sees print, it is clearly one of the worst, though Grim Backwoods is pretty awful, too.
Analysis: Of the Innistrad utility lands, the Bloodhall here seems the least impressive in design. Innistrad's
Damage dealt to players does assist the already aggressive Vampires deck but does little to help enable it. Had the Bloodhall been able to target a creature it could have acted as removal for chump blockers, or it could have granted a combat damage bonus similar to that of the red vampires to a target creature. But perhaps that was believed to be too good, even at the cost of
The presence of a lifeloss subtheme is likely due to the original intended mechanic for the Rakdos guild in RTR, Paincast, which would cheapen spells based on how much life opponents have lost that turn. The mechanic only appeared on a single card in the final printing on Rakdos, Lord of Riots himself, leaving the life loss subtheme of Innistrad rather isolated. However, the +1/+1 counters common amongst Innistrad Vampires does have slight resonance with Rakdos's RTR mechanic, Unleash.
It's hard for me to decide between this and shivan gorge, and keldon megaliths. This kills much faster; but Gorge costs a full two lands less to activate..
Also, that art is gorgeous, really nicely done.