This card is soooo bad. Takes 8 to bring out, and then you have to sac 2 swamps so he doesn't wreck you. At 5/7 it's meh and even it's ability is meh. Problem is... this guy sucked in an environment with hardly any mana accel and sucked even harder when people started playing with Maze of Ith.
Opponent drop this and says "Go" then I drop Maze and say "Good Game?" AND the Sac is a MUST.. you have no choice... if you have 2 swamps in play you MUST sac them to this monstrosity.
Such a bad, bad card.
Plantboy81
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sooo not worth it. When I pulled this as a rare in an Ice Age starter deck I was not happy.
brunsbr103
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I beg to differ, Eon Hub, anyone? if you've got that out, then this guy owns
Sironos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Anything that makes me sacrifice 2 lands each turn had better be... better than this guy.
piezocuttlefish
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Very nice in a Bazaar Trader deck. Why, yes, I'll gain control of one creature of yours per turn for free.
Semptimilius
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Zuul, Maze of Ith would only affect this thing if it attacks.
achilleselbow
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Yea, like many other creatures from Ice Age, Eon Hub is the way to go with this guy. Though a more fun way to play him is to just not play any other creatures. Then when you don't pay his upkeep, the worst your opponent will be able to do is get back one of his creatures that you've stolen...unless he decides to gain control of the Denizen and deal with that headache himself :-) And yea, Drew Tucker's style is not my cup of tea, but I kind of miss the days when Magic cards looked less cartoonish and more like serious art.
Kirbster
★★☆☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(11 votes)
But hey guys, the art is so stellar. I'm sure Drew Tucker put at least 15 minutes into this thing. Well... 10, for sure.
Radagast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Makes Sorrow's Path look like a good card. At least the Path can sit there, quietly, doing nothing... this thing comes out way too late to matter, cannot be safely cheated into play (thanks to the upkeep cost), is a mish-mash of stats and abilities (why would a creature that is designed to tap to steal things need to be stupid-huge?!), and it's upkeep cost will probably cost you the game.
Junk... at least the artwork is... okay, nevermind.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Even if u use Eon Hub, you get a 5/7 for 8 mana if u hardcast it. There are much better demons than that. I would much rather play Xathrid Demon than this junk.
tavaritz
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Use this in an oherwise creatureless deck that has no swamps. It's only one black mana, so easily splashable. Then kave Skull Catapult out before you summon him against black mage.
You can have all kind of token generators for the catapult. Be careful though that you can sling the token the minute it is created in case the black mage opted to take control of this.
Bad card, but I like to work with bad cards.
NatalyNeeSama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Use Necrotic Ooze with him, so you can have only his ability, not his annoying downback =3
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Modern Day Controlling Demon {6}{B}{B} Creature- Demon (rare) Flying {T}; Gain control of target creature. 7/7
That's how I imagine they would make this card today. Or, they'd make it a mythic and make it cost {4}{B}{B}{B} with "{T}; Gain control of all of target player's creatures. Sacrifice them at end of turn."
EpicBroccoli
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The artwork is kinda cool in a surreal way. It's as though it's so terrifying and mysterious, you can't really perceive it in this dimension.
Interesting concept but terrible execution. either make it a better fatty (7/7 flample) or make it smaller an cheaper. The drawback is ok, Demons gotta hurt.
Diachronos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Any card that lets you give him to somebody else (Donate and Bazaar Trader come to mind) will make him quite decent even for his cost.
But this combo truly shines against other Black decks. I mean, sure, you won't be stealing their creatures right away (and you have to deal with them taking your stuff, which is why a sac engine or source of shroud/hexproof is pretty much required if you go with the Trader), but you'll be gradually shutting down their mana base.
Could also work with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth.
SarcasmElemental
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You Philistines know nothing of art.
LordOfTheFlies87
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
All you Drew Tucker haters are strange. Do you only want photo-realism? Water-colour/abstractions are beautiful. They really let he mind wander/imagine.
For the artwork....Magic now uses a mix of photo-realism and some abstractness for certain subject matters (enchantments, blue cards in general, lands actually, spirits, angels, demons, avatars, incarnations, elementals, i dunno....mostly enchantments and blue, though) I think Terese Nielson does some of the best work to make Magic still look like Magic without looking too boring. Abstractness has its place DEFINITELY, but some of these old cards are so abstract it's hard for the imagination to know what else to think at all-- sometimes, there is 'just a face and some smoke'- but the face has some definite expression to it, and there's good detail on the fangs, and that can suggest the rest of the monster hiding in the cave to you. In this artwork, and in some really old D&D stuff too, there is sometimes too much abstractness.
Actually, while looking at it, a shape finally does come to me. But art is relative, and it's not the best thing for game-art to rely on how well people can appreciate it for there to even be any shape at all to the creatures. I think people agree that subtlety in art can be the most beautiful thing ever, and too much photo-realism is....well, the art equivalent of Baneslayer Angel? Maybe it IS impressive the first time you see it- but it is not going to be appreciated years later because it's a bit too simple and obvious. Whenever the subtle and abstract "works" for you because you can see what isn't completely obvious in your face, that usually becomes a piece of art you REALLY love, but whenever it doesn't work because you can never get that picture to 'be' anything to you, you usually DON'T like that art because it feels completely boring, the exact opposite of the feeling you get when your mind is really going to work interpreting the good abstract arts.
In addition to Eon Hub shenanigans, it also makes awesome Necrotic Ooze gravefiller.
Aquillion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's simply too expensive -- there are ways to make it useful, but for eight mana you can get much more powerful things that don't require that kind of finessing.
One interesting note, though: You can use its ability even if you fail to pay the upkeep by activating it in response to the trigger. This is less useful than it seems, because the sacrifice is not optional, but it's good to know. It's also something to be very wary about if you plan on giving him to your opponent -- remember, they can still tap him during their upkeep in response to the trigger, and use his ability to take your creatures (or whatever you took last turn.)
Comments (21)
Opponent drop this and says "Go" then I drop Maze and say "Good Game?" AND the Sac is a MUST.. you have no choice... if you have 2 swamps in play you MUST sac them to this monstrosity.
Such a bad, bad card.
And yea, Drew Tucker's style is not my cup of tea, but I kind of miss the days when Magic cards looked less cartoonish and more like serious art.
Junk... at least the artwork is... okay, nevermind.
You can have all kind of token generators for the catapult. Be careful though that you can sling the token the minute it is created in case the black mage opted to take control of this.
Bad card, but I like to work with bad cards.
Creature- Demon (rare)
Flying
{T}; Gain control of target creature.
7/7
That's how I imagine they would make this card today.
Or, they'd make it a mythic and make it cost {4}{B}{B}{B} with "{T}; Gain control of all of target player's creatures. Sacrifice them at end of turn."
Also Eon Hub.
But this combo truly shines against other Black decks. I mean, sure, you won't be stealing their creatures right away (and you have to deal with them taking your stuff, which is why a sac engine or source of shroud/hexproof is pretty much required if you go with the Trader), but you'll be gradually shutting down their mana base.
Could also work with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth.
Do you only want photo-realism?
Water-colour/abstractions are beautiful.
They really let he mind wander/imagine.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
I DOUBLE DARE you to try and make it work, if you're man enough ;)
Cowards' Tip: Crucible of Worlds if you're just that wimpy.
For the artwork....Magic now uses a mix of photo-realism and some abstractness for certain subject matters (enchantments, blue cards in general, lands actually, spirits, angels, demons, avatars, incarnations, elementals, i dunno....mostly enchantments and blue, though)
I think Terese Nielson does some of the best work to make Magic still look like Magic without looking too boring. Abstractness has its place DEFINITELY, but some of these old cards are so abstract it's hard for the imagination to know what else to think at all-- sometimes, there is 'just a face and some smoke'- but the face has some definite expression to it, and there's good detail on the fangs, and that can suggest the rest of the monster hiding in the cave to you. In this artwork, and in some really old D&D stuff too, there is sometimes too much abstractness.
Actually, while looking at it, a shape finally does come to me. But art is relative, and it's not the best thing for game-art to rely on how well people can appreciate it for there to even be any shape at all to the creatures. I think people agree that subtlety in art can be the most beautiful thing ever, and too much photo-realism is....well, the art equivalent of Baneslayer Angel? Maybe it IS impressive the first time you see it- but it is not going to be appreciated years later because it's a bit too simple and obvious. Whenever the subtle and abstract "works" for you because you can see what isn't completely obvious in your face, that usually becomes a piece of art you REALLY love, but whenever it doesn't work because you can never get that picture to 'be' anything to you, you usually DON'T like that art because it feels completely boring, the exact opposite of the feeling you get when your mind is really going to work interpreting the good abstract arts.
As for "Modern Controlling Demon":
Check out Captivating Vampire and Conquering Manticore
One interesting note, though: You can use its ability even if you fail to pay the upkeep by activating it in response to the trigger. This is less useful than it seems, because the sacrifice is not optional, but it's good to know. It's also something to be very wary about if you plan on giving him to your opponent -- remember, they can still tap him during their upkeep in response to the trigger, and use his ability to take your creatures (or whatever you took last turn.)