There's so much value going on in this card. For AVR sealed, it would be unlikely to lose once you drop him, if you have a deck tailored to him. Unfortunately he doesn't synergize too well with other in-set Demons (who need to be alone in the first place to work, thus making it difficult to have enough creatures out to not mind saccing this one). Seems like he would run well in an aggressive R/B build with Thatcher Revolt and whatnot.
Trygon_Predator
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Try not to get him flickered when he's alone on the field...
Ghostmyth
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Really good black card. Probably going to see a lot of play in mono black. Fits best in undying deck.
JackNSwindle
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Don't forget that you have to sac another creature when undying triggers and he comes back into play.
RAV0004
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
He's going to rip up sealed, but I doubt he'll make it in any other format. The repeated sacrifice you need to use him is going to break his usefulness.
A0602
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Not too many evasive and aggressive four-drops. This has a place in my B/G Token Birthing Pod deck. Only going to run one, but this guy is going to do wonders for me.
Splash in Killing Wave to wipe the board/hurt opponents, while sacrificing your undying creatures to make them bigger (Blood Artist may win it for you right there). Swing with fatties.
infinitely better with a good token engine. giving Persist to THIS Undying creature won't work without tokens, but might be a hoop worth jumping through for the reward...
MANABURNWASGOOD
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
good in undying & persist decks, the sac ability could be useful if there are other cards to take advantage of that, but could be a drawback. In a demon / human themed deck, it could be a lot of fun.
heirbauj
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
great card for heartless summoning in mono-black: play it for just two black mana, choose not to sacrifice another creature, undiyng triggers: you have a 5/4 flying for a mere two black mana...sac another undying critter the second time it enters the battlefield to optimize its drawback...
Feralsymphony
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Don't forget that if he's your only creature you don't have to sac anything.
people, people, when he etb if you don't sac a dude, he gets EXILED. you can't play him, not sac a dude, trigger undying, and then sac a dude to get a 6/5.
i disagree that he isnt useful hes sure as hell better that the bloodgift demon now isnt he? and costs less too. heres the obvious answer, in the avacyn set there are multiple black cards with undying that cost less than this, so put them out the turn before, then put ashmouth out and sac them, thus you now have demonlord and a (well, most likely a) spirit creature that now has a +1/+1 counter, or the even more obvious running two ashmouths, and using the first to do the last example with the spirit or zombie, and then putting the second ashmouth out to sac the first making the first a 6/5, i managed to do all of that at the avacyn restored pre release, i pulled two ashmouths and a bunch of spirits, and on a side note some kid in a later match didnt read my card and used some sorcery to destroy it making it a bigger problem for himself, lesson being, never underestimate this card i give it 4/5
Alluceanot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This loses so very hard to Vapor Snag :(
dontmess17
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
or, T2 Skirsdag High Priest, T3 Lingering Souls, T4 demonlord. two 5 power demons on turn 4. and one's got undying, like a bauss. holy crap.
atemu1234
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Is he a smoker?
branwithoutclaws
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I am sort of confused about undying. Must another creature be sacrificed to have him come back with undying? He never really leaves does he? I've seen a few people talk about this but who knows if they are correct.
Haelthor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Originally posted By: heirbauj "great card for heartless summoning in mono-black: play it for just two black mana, choose not to sacrifice another creature, undiyng triggers: you have a 5/4 flying for a mere two black mana...sac another undying critter the second time it enters the battlefield to optimize its drawback... "
Except that Demonlord's second ability tells you to exile him :( so it doesn't trigger it's own Undying ability.
I'm gonna try the risky thing of just running him with Bond Beetle and Timberland Guide as sacrifice fodder...why those two? Well, they put counters on Treacherous Pit-Dweller. My other main option is Vile Rebirth (stops the Dweller from backfiring, provides a sac dork), and if you don't want to sac a second creature you can always hit him with Altar's Reap after he undies and still get a card out of him. (This is also a handy solution to the pit dweller). I think I'll need a few more creatures, probably some token generation, but it could work.
Also, amusingly, if you have two non-undead ones, you can sac one to the other after board wipes.
Feralsymphony says; "Don't forget that if he's your only creature you don't have to sac anything."
This is correct; however if you do not sacrifice a creature you must exile him. If you have no other creatures in play when you cast him, you cannot then sacrifice a creature and he is therefore exiled.
AnonymousPerson
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not bad in the Solitary Fiends deck.
Smithereen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
T4 your opponent plays Rakdos, Lord of Riots. T5 you play Act of Treason, swing for six flying trample, then drop this guy for {BB} thanks to Rakdo's ability, sacing him.
jimbob123432
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
2 of these + Everlasting Torment + Blood Artist + Aether Flash = WEEEEEEEEEE!
Will his ETB ability fizzle, making you NOT have to sacrifice another creature you control? Or would the ability still resolve, making you sacrifice despite Demonlord of Ashmouth not being on the battlefield anymore?
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Markov: I don't even know what you're asking. If he's targeted by Selesnya Charm, he's already entered play, which means you HAVE to have sacrificed a creature. That's like asking if you have to pay mana for a creature that's been Murdered.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think him with Treacherous Pit-Dweller and Torpor Orb may be fun. They both have undying, they both have detriments that only occur when they enter play, and they both are huge for their cost..
..and they're both demons!
@Doragon No, the charm is at instant speed
@Markov Yes, abilities on the stack exist independently of their cards; thus when he's exiled you still have an ability that says "sacrifice a creature " waiting to resolve.
Paleopaladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey Abyssal Persecutor: Take a nap. I got this! Wait, where'd everyone go?
jonrds
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Unless you really build around it, most decks are better off with a Desecration Demon.
Comments (33)
T2: Blood Artist/Butcher Ghoul.
T3: Geralf's Messenger, or Soulcage Fiend for the more casual.
T4: Demonlord of Ashmouth, sac Messenger.
T5: Vorapede
T6: Soul of the Harvest/Harvester of Souls.
Splash in Killing Wave to wipe the board/hurt opponents, while sacrificing your undying creatures to make them bigger (Blood Artist may win it for you right there). Swing with fatties.
Tragic Slip and Caravan Vigil make great support cards here.
Demonlord of Ashmouth +Flayer of the hatebound + Blood Artist + whatever choice undying support
two 5 power demons on turn 4. and one's got undying, like a bauss.
holy crap.
Except that Demonlord's second ability tells you to exile him :( so it doesn't trigger it's own Undying ability.
Also, amusingly, if you have two non-undead ones, you can sac one to the other after board wipes.
This is correct; however if you do not sacrifice a creature you must exile him. If you have no other creatures in play when you cast him, you cannot then sacrifice a creature and he is therefore exiled.
T5 you play Act of Treason, swing for six flying trample, then drop this guy for {BB} thanks to Rakdo's ability, sacing him.
Will his ETB ability fizzle, making you NOT have to sacrifice another creature you control? Or would the ability still resolve, making you sacrifice despite Demonlord of Ashmouth not being on the battlefield anymore?
..and they're both demons!
@Doragon
No, the charm is at instant speed
@Markov
Yes, abilities on the stack exist independently of their cards; thus when he's exiled you still have an ability that says "sacrifice a creature " waiting to resolve.