"I-I swear officer, It's not mine! I-I'm just holding it f-for a friend!"
Cyberium
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Given the life gain benefit, one would want to cast it early, but W/U decks usually want to keep those mana open early on, would've been better if it's instant.
lorendorky
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Flavor text doesn't line up with his plain looking leather backpack.
Trygon_Predator
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The Viashino Racketeer thought he had eluded the Orzhov, only to get arrested by an Azorius cop.
Just not Gitaxian Probe. In fact I don't think I like this new take on Azorius at all. - It seems with many of their cards they've just taken blue spells - increased the cost. And then added a little white lifegain. - Just seems lazy and well... boring. I suppose I could missing something - But I doubt it.
Lotsofpoopy
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(8 votes)
This could be devastating in the hands of a pro like me because if we see your hand....well I guess it wouldn't matter because we are pros, we already had a good educational guess of your hand. You wouldn't be able to handle pros like me gaining the life though.
Eternal_Blue
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
If you play this turn two, there's a strong likelihood you can come out with an 8-10 lifepoint lead. Of course, any other time than that you'll find yourself wishing you had drawn something more useful.
DoragonShinzui
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
Potentially a lot of life, at the very least a bit of scouting. Remember, you can cast it on yourself if you're desperate. Azorius is going to have a fully hand for a while, always has.
Still, cantripping probably wouldn't have broken this card.
ZeoStar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
So... it says "target player"... I wonder how this would work with Venser's Journal targeting yourself?
nirvava
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hoping there's one more card like this in the future to help out my planned Nevermore / Pithing Needle deck.
Ferlord
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Not bad, but the second colour doesn't make this worth it.
If there was a Rakdos equivalent that dealt damage instead of gained it, it would be 4.5/5 stars.
But to conclude, here's the flavour I can understand:
The guard is checking the viashino's bag. Normally, if I were a guard who noticed something weird, I'd confiscate it (aka discard a target non-land, non-creature spell).
However, you're gaining life, and life (as seen on High Market and Tavern Swindler) can be flavourfully converted into money. THEREFORE, the guard is getting bribed to turn the other cheek.
AZORIUS, THE DEFENDERS OF THE LAND, PEOPLE!
captainsealed
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
"It's because I'm green, isn't it?"
Kratos1810
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Nice card to open up with, especially early when you can gain as much as seven life startng out. Not bad for only the casting cost of 2. It also helps when facing another control deck, seeing what they have in store for you
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card really wants to be an instant. And at sorcery speed its wondering why its not at least drawing a card. I really want to like it, but at and a 7 life sorcery speed maximum, I am rather displeased.
I think that this card is underrated. My brother used this on me on turn 2. He learned of my hand and got 7 life in the process. Not to mention that if you play this in multiplayer, all the players will see your cards. You can target yourself as well, if you're in a pinch. It does become somewhat of a dead draw later on, though, but it's effect is helpful early-game. An overall good card 4.0/5
Manite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This isn't so bad with Vizkopa Guildmage. Five mana to nail each opponent for 3 to 7 life is not a bad deal. You can even target yourself with the spell in case you have the most cards in hand. Hint: Righteous Authority refills your hand quickly.
DmitryM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1.8?
is there something strictly better than this?
being able to see opponent's hand in blue white without splashing black is important...
life gain also synergizes well with many white, green cards, allowing you to make interesting white/blue/green decks.
This deserves 5/5...
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@DoragonShinzui: sorry but I have to disagree. Although this card is currently weak, if it were to cantrip it would have been overpowered. It would routinely give you 5-6 life and a card on turn two, and because of the cantrip you can run four main deck, as it isn't a dead card against control. This means aggro would mostly disappear as an archetype.
Compare Renewed Faith, most often used for its cycling mode. A cantripping "gain 2 life" for 1w would already be a very playable card today.
Comments (20)
In fact I don't think I like this new take on Azorius at all.
- It seems with many of their cards they've just taken blue spells - increased the cost.
And then added a little white lifegain. - Just seems lazy and well... boring.
I suppose I could missing something - But I doubt it.
Still, cantripping probably wouldn't have broken this card.
If there was a Rakdos equivalent that dealt damage instead of gained it, it would be 4.5/5 stars.
But to conclude, here's the flavour I can understand:
The guard is checking the viashino's bag. Normally, if I were a guard who noticed something weird, I'd confiscate it (aka discard a target non-land, non-creature spell).
However, you're gaining life, and life (as seen on High Market and Tavern Swindler) can be flavourfully converted into money. THEREFORE, the guard is getting bribed to turn the other cheek.
AZORIUS, THE DEFENDERS OF THE LAND, PEOPLE!
is there something strictly better than this?
being able to see opponent's hand in blue white without splashing black is important...
life gain also synergizes well with many white, green cards, allowing you to make interesting white/blue/green decks.
This deserves 5/5...
Compare Renewed Faith, most often used for its cycling mode. A cantripping "gain 2 life" for 1w would already be a very playable card today.