All I have to say is who made this card, and why do they hate M:TG?
RowanKeltizar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I'm giving Windfall a 5/5 Why?
Hand-cycling is the core and foundation my Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind EDH deck. And in that deck, Windfall is a star player.
Hand-cycling in and of itself is very powerful, under-utilized, and under-rated. It allows you to cycle through your deck and play the cards you need at that specific point in the game. At its best it's almost like having your whole deck in your hand at once (and many times you actually do).
So what's so great about Windfall?
There are two distinct types of hand-cycling. Draw 7 and replacement.
The draw 7's allow you to refill your hand quickly after casting a bunch of spells. They are excellent cards to have in your starting hand and very nice early draws (the cheaper ones). In addition to refilling your own hand, they tend to screw up your opponents carefully mulliganed and tutored hands. They aren't so great in late game because you'll already have a large hand. Without Sphinx in play you will be netting less cards. The most well known draw 7 is Timetwister
Replacement hand-cycling is great in combo with Niv because you'll likely deal the most damage. With one red mana you can cast Winds of Change and deal a ton of damage to some very unfortunate critters or players. They are great to have in your hand late game, but not as good early game.
Windfall is actually a hybrid between the two types and is unique as far as I know (aside from Jace's Archivist. Early game it usually re-fills your hand just like Wheel of Fortune. Late-game it can deal a ton of damage with Niv in play when you have a larger hand... and you get to keep that hand-size. With Consecrated Sphinx in play it's just ridiculous.
Mudbutt_on
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I just love powering out mana artifacts and extra lands, emptying my hand in the process, and then casting this.
Averyck
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
banned in it's own block and legal in commander... i am amused
ParallaxtheRevan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Windfall is one of The Best 'draw cards' effects in the game- yet, it's two-sided, and while it certainly allows shenanigans in any deck that can touch its own graveyard (graveyard manipulation is best when you can hit your own as well, relying on your opponent's graveyard for anything other than Tarmogoyf is probably not a safe gamble), at the same time, it seems pretty well balanced- Not an Instant, and OUTSIDE shenanigans, 'really big Loot' is fair and cool.
M12 brought us this ability on a stick at Rare- actually, that card is a little worse than this because in addition to being countered, creatures' abilities can be turned off, and they can be killed, forced to block, fight, exiled...oh Jace's Archivist is good, but it's not what they call ''consistent''.
I have a dangerous question: Is Windfall safe to put on a Planeswalker? NOT for 0, obviously- but- maybe for -2? -3? I liked the idea of a tricky, not-just Draw ability on a Planeswalker when Jace 2 came out. Development is who failed there, not Design. Who thinks Windfall should be a Planeswalker ability?
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I guess its fine for EDH.
Salient
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Soon to be Standard-legal, Legacy-legal, and Vintage-unrestricted, for a measly extra: Whispering Madness.
Not only that--if you have an early Dark Confidant or Delver of Secrets out, you might be able to cast the new Windfall twice in one turn. (You play the second copy when your creature does combat damage to a player; it's the new Dimir ability.) I've never seen a Storm deck that runs Delver, but it might work...
(The Whispering Madness link won't go live until Gatecrash is on Gatherer. It's googleable.)
MikeR.
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like to combo this with Megrim / Liliana's Caress / Underworld Dreams. :D
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I always thought that the black guy was rubbing the white guys head, and his arm was mystriously white...
Comments (18)
Hand-cycling is the core and foundation my Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind EDH deck. And in that deck, Windfall is a star player.
Hand-cycling in and of itself is very powerful, under-utilized, and under-rated. It allows you to cycle through your deck and play the cards you need at that specific point in the game. At its best it's almost like having your whole deck in your hand at once (and many times you actually do).
So what's so great about Windfall?
There are two distinct types of hand-cycling. Draw 7 and replacement.
The draw 7's allow you to refill your hand quickly after casting a bunch of spells. They are excellent cards to have in your starting hand and very nice early draws (the cheaper ones). In addition to refilling your own hand, they tend to screw up your opponents carefully mulliganed and tutored hands. They aren't so great in late game because you'll already have a large hand. Without Sphinx in play you will be netting less cards. The most well known draw 7 is Timetwister
Replacement hand-cycling is great in combo with Niv because you'll likely deal the most damage. With one red mana you can cast Winds of Change and deal a ton of damage to some very unfortunate critters or players. They are great to have in your hand late game, but not as good early game.
Windfall is actually a hybrid between the two types and is unique as far as I know (aside from Jace's Archivist. Early game it usually re-fills your hand just like Wheel of Fortune. Late-game it can deal a ton of damage with Niv in play when you have a larger hand... and you get to keep that hand-size. With Consecrated Sphinx in play it's just ridiculous.
M12 brought us this ability on a stick at Rare- actually, that card is a little worse than this because in addition to being countered, creatures' abilities can be turned off, and they can be killed, forced to block, fight, exiled...oh Jace's Archivist is good, but it's not what they call ''consistent''.
I have a dangerous question: Is Windfall safe to put on a Planeswalker? NOT for 0, obviously- but- maybe for -2? -3? I liked the idea of a tricky, not-just Draw ability on a Planeswalker when Jace 2 came out. Development is who failed there, not Design. Who thinks Windfall should be a Planeswalker ability?
Not only that--if you have an early Dark Confidant or Delver of Secrets out, you might be able to cast the new Windfall twice in one turn. (You play the second copy when your creature does combat damage to a player; it's the new Dimir ability.) I've never seen a Storm deck that runs Delver, but it might work...
(The Whispering Madness link won't go live until Gatecrash is on Gatherer. It's googleable.)
4/5 Stars
Barrin is also their teacher at the Tolarian Academy, and can be see on Opposition (Urza's Destiny version) along with Urza =)