I think the best part about this card is that it was illustrated by Chase "Stone".
LordOfTheFlies87
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Flavor. Mmmm.
ThisisSakon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
DEFENDER'd!
Averyck
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Stopped Emrakul in a casual game i was playing at the pre-release. Gets 5 stars from me
alphagprime
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Anyone else think she was an odd choice to add to the W/B Exalted Intro Pack deck? Otherwise cool card. I'd like to see some cool strategies with this card.
Priz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
3/6 deathtouch is pretty pimp on its own. Add in the petrification and you've got yourself a pretty serious bit of control. It's a solid 4/5
N3wtn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A new Gorgon, and one that turns other creatures to stone no less. Awesome. And as if that weren't good enough, she also fits perfectly into a Sisters of Stone Death EDH deck keeping your opponent's creatures untapped waiting to be lured and exiled. I'm going to say it again, because I feel it bares repeating. Awesome.
MechaKraken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I wasn't able to go to the prerelease because I was broke, so I missed out on this card. I guess I will be buying my promo from ebay... (sigh) =/
SyntheticDreamer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is actually a great card for EDH. Try using its ability on your opponent's general. They won't be happy.
majinara
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Haven't quite made up my mind on this.
On the one hand, you pay 9 mana over two turns to disable one creature. Or 12 mana over three turns to disable two creatures. That's a ton of mana. And it's quite slow. And you get a guy with 3 power, for 6 mana. :|
On the other hand...
Wurmcaller
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've been thinking of using this in my ramp deck in combo with Overgrown Battlement. Either taking control of opponent creatures, creating tokens, or just using it on creatures I wouldn't attack with anyway. Great way to keep green mana coming if I need it badly. Plus I love the promo art.
Radagast
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Could see some use in Commander since it handles Indestructible creatures to some extent... they still stick around, but they become nothing but walls. Still, it is rather large, slow, and costly.
zerosavant
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
So what's the counter for? I mean, I can see someone in the future wasting a spell to remove some petrification counter from one of their creatures only to find out that it doesn't do anything.
somegeek
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Put a petrification counter on your opponent's creature and follow up with your favorite artifact destruction.
JimmyNoobPlayer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"The effects of Xathrid Gorgon's ability don't depend on the petrification counter. If that counter is removed, the creature remains a colorless artifact with defender, and so on."
I wonder how many counters have been taken off with Hex Parasite only to have the creature remain a defender. I guess the designers thought the counter was a useful reminder?
fullmetalfan32
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is awesome. Use it as the only ground troop in a deck full of fliers, and leave them with a bunch of fatty defenders that can't even block your creatures.
Appleguard
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@majinara She doesn't need a lot of power though, does she? She can't attack and petrify on the same turn, so blocking would be more her speed. She's a blocker with deathtouch.
Alternatively, her ability can be used to counter Intimidate by generating artifact creatures (albeit giving them Defender. It's not a perfect plan).
Skericide
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Obviously not the best card out there, but there is just so much flavor!
Tivoko
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Seen many a limited game get won with this card; while she may be too slow for constructed standard, she's great for casual games. I love giving my opponent a field of statues to play with.
teamfireyleader
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
So, Doran just got some neat removal. Seems like a nice card there, even if it IS only a 6/6 there. Still, quite powerful removal, though slow.
alzabo
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is how a cmc=6 creature should be. She doesn't outright win you the game, but your opponent needs to deal with her quickly or it'll get out of hand. The flavor is nice, but what I'd really like to see is a turn-to-stone ability more like, "Whenever a creature blocks or is blocked by GORGAN, exile that creature."
myztikrice
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@ alzabo Statues can still block. Exiling doesn't make sense.
SNIKT
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Not better than her fellow Gorgon sister. Visara, the Dreadful. Her tap ability gets strait to the point and "Destroys target creature." Can't regenerate either.
infernox10
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
So... A flying creature is still in the air when turned to stone...? A creature with first strike can still... STRIKE FIRST when turned to stone...? (Did my creature run smack-dab into the thing's lance/whatever?) Iunno. Seems off. xD I like the card though. Fun to use.
Lotsofpoopy
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
She is awesome and can really make an impact on the board.
mbauer8286
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I've been able to use this card fairly well in my Heartless Summoning casual deck.
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Inversely analogous to Dark Imposter
RiftenBlack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This isn't the best card in the world, but against a slower, beefier creature deck, you can basically them down entirely with just with this card. It's very anti-green honestly. I wouldn't recommend for competitive play though, but in Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013, this card can win you the game against a lot of the decks in that format just on its own.
P-Slice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Since when is imobilizing a creature and making it an arifact black? The ability should cost 2.
James00086
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What exactly is the petrification counter there for? It doesn't do anything other than remind you that the creature is "petrified." Still, 4/5 for flavor.
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The guy to the left's like, "FLAVO-"
Shadowstar108
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combos well with Vandalblast for a boardwipe, although too slow for multiplayer. A fun card for casual and limited, but nothing else. 4/5.
Mistralis
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've killed Eldrazi with this. This thing is ridiculous. It's only 3/6, but who the hell cares? It's deathtouch! Could've been a 1/6.
Style Points awarded for using vs Keyrunes! Also for a very expensive combo Hellkite Tyrant petrify then steal their fatty, then blink it to unpetrify it! Or in Dimir Colours using Hidden Strings to untap her and spare mana to petrify again!
Earthdawn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I agree that turning something to stone should get rid of Flying.
TheWrathofShane
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
So according to the ruling, the counter does nothing, just for show. I am surprised there is no ruling on what happens when she leaves the battlefield. I am assuming the creatures are permanently stuck as colorless defenders who cant activate abilities even if they kill her.
Also funny situation, you can use her ability on herself to block a protection from black creature.
clippedin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My favorite card
Bazooka99
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Well, beyond reminding players that the creature is petrified, the counters can also be used alongside Kulrath Knight to prevent them from even blocking. And yes, they stay petrified even after the gorgon leaves.
I think the reason people are confused by this card is because of Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer, who has a similar ability, but is different in that both Gwafa and the counter are required to pacify enemy creatures.
Crawling_Chaos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Creates a field of sitting ducks.
RustyKeyes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
While exceedingly cool, I'm disappointed in the execution of this design for having two abilities that are each interpretations of the same basic concept. What happened to elegance in simplicity? It seems like it would be cleaner to just focus it all into one ability that turns them into noncreature artifacts with no abilities, instead of the mess of giving them defender but leaving flying or first strike and needing extra reminder text. Also what gives with being able to petrify herself?
Comments (45)
She just got her own story:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/ur/202
I'm going to say it again, because I feel it bares repeating. Awesome.
On the one hand, you pay 9 mana over two turns to disable one creature. Or 12 mana over three turns to disable two creatures. That's a ton of mana. And it's quite slow. And you get a guy with 3 power, for 6 mana. :|
On the other hand...
I wonder how many counters have been taken off with Hex Parasite only to have the creature remain a defender. I guess the designers thought the counter was a useful reminder?
She doesn't need a lot of power though, does she? She can't attack and petrify on the same turn, so blocking would be more her speed. She's a blocker with deathtouch.
Alternatively, her ability can be used to counter Intimidate by generating artifact creatures (albeit giving them Defender. It's not a perfect plan).
A flying creature is still in the air when turned to stone...?
A creature with first strike can still... STRIKE FIRST when turned to stone...? (Did my creature run smack-dab into the thing's lance/whatever?)
Iunno. Seems off. xD
I like the card though. Fun to use.
It's only 3/6, but who the hell cares? It's deathtouch! Could've been a 1/6.
Also funny situation, you can use her ability on herself to block a protection from black creature.
I think the reason people are confused by this card is because of Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer, who has a similar ability, but is different in that both Gwafa and the counter are required to pacify enemy creatures.
Also sad to see it missing the classic "for as long as" templating of Aven Mimeomancer, Liege of the Tangle, Makeshift Mannequin, Obsidian Fireheart, etc.