Not even steeply priced with green's ability to ramp. Should make the germ tokens produced by all the Scars block living weapons ridiculous. Too bad Necropouncer is the only one with haste.
BioPrince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Genesis Wave!!!!!!!!!
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ensure all mana creatures left in your deck to be useful.
This will NOT work with Avenger of Zendikar, the Avenger will enter the battlefield as a copy of the Essence, and its EtB effect will not trigger.
I'm on the fence about this card. It's color-heavy, so the obvious way to utilize it, as already mentioned, is with living weapons. In your basic mono-green stompy it's a double-edged sword. Sure, your end-game Llanowar Elves will now be 6/6, but you could as well draw your win condition creature instead, and chances are it will be useless to you as a pseudo-vanilla 6/6.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I like it but it has its weaknesses, such as Arrest.
.Blaze.
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
As said, this will be insane with Living Weapon. Side from that, any mass token makers like Elspeth Tirel should be a lot of fun with this.
Aun
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
How Gaffy said, this is absolutely ridicolous in a ramp deck with batterskull.
roguepariah
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So if I play Cryptoplasm first, then Essence of the Wild, then copy the Essence with the Crypto, I have a creature with the abilities of both cards? Then if I put a token into play which does it enter play as? the original Essence? or the modified CryptoEssence? or do I get to choose?
@rougepariah: I think this was in the faq, but... Yes, and you get to choose.
sonorhC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't know... The obvious use is with tokens, but most good token-makers are creatures themselves, and would get turned off with this. I think I'd rather have abilities.
ICEFANG13
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(5 votes)
I'm not too impressed, green players don't often enjoy a 6/6 for 6 with no abilities right?
So now you can make all your creatures that way! I mean, if it said may, or let them keep its abilities, it would be crazy, but if this card's effect started for you each game, take some of your decks, how many of them got a lot worse?
It does do well where it does, but I don't know a lot of players that will be satisfied beating face with a bunch of 6/6 ... weegees.
Haha I can see people don't like how I don't like this card, that's fine, you can use it then.
DragonicSphinx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm going to get a hearty chuckle at the prerelease when this gets devistated by the one guy who gets Sever the Bloodline or Evil Twin
If only it's abillity were optional when a creature entered the battlefield... then it would be stupidly AMAZING.
Telltalereaper
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@jsttu I dont' feel the downside is "well-hidden", it's pretty obvious...this card isn't an auto-include in any green deck, it's something you build a deck around. use Lanowar Elves Birds of Paradise and other mana producing greed one drops along with the already stated Living Weapon guys, and ramp to him. Every guy you draw after he's out is a 6/6 for one. limited appeal, and will lose to most control decks, but a potential turn 3 6/6 in standard is pretty scary...especially when he foreshadows more, cheaper 6/6's.
Nayban
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Keep in mind that even if someone kills this one, every creature you played to be a copy still force other creatures to be copys as well. Could be helpful, could be a huge problem. Also, as others have pointed out, these copys become very vulnerable to some of the cards printed in this set. So you better run something to counter those spells. And everyone saying "Evil twin!" Yea, they can kill your creatures easily, but they just put them selves in the same position your in. everything enters as a copy of this and they had better hope you dont have any thing to kill mass creatures too. or take it from them.
guitargamer79
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awakening Zone.......I now pronouce you husband and wife. :)
Wraique
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At the prerelease I got Parallel Lives and Gutter Grime. I pulled Essence of the Wild from a prize pack and also bought the Trample Civilization Underfoot Archenemy deck that day. That deck had a light token theme. It now has a very very heavy token theme.
...and you will still have a bunch of big creatures without trample or any abilities
Nagoragama
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
I'd rather play my utility creatures and powerful game enders than have them become vanilla 6/6's. If you build a token deck around it, if it doesn't hit the field, or gets removed right away, you're left with a bunch of weak token creatures. Just not worth it. Play real creatures.
Vandarringa
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(9 votes)
I don't like the flavor of this card. The "Essence of the Wild" is anything but uniformity. A bunch of vanilla 6/6 creatures doesn't seem too wild to me.
Another flat-out silly, yet practical card. Why, yes - I would like to have all my little tokens turn into 6'6 creatures! Admittedly, that may break certain mechanics with the tokens since they won't count as zombies, saprolings, or whatever anymore, but if you get enough of them, does it really matter?
Best part? It can all be with Green Mana, the color known for having enough to pull it off. EDH, destroyed.
Son_Of_Khaine
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@Gcrudaplaneswalker, um no. Arrest doesn't stop his ability from happening, as it's triggered not activated.
Personally, Sever the bloodline aside, how can you not like this guy? Especially considering how many new token generators have debuted in Innistrad, along with Doubling season's little brother, Parallel Lives,
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Precursor Golem because if im reading everything correctly it and the tokens will become 6/6's with no draw back. With playing green you can rap your mana fast. Its not standard deck but it could be very fun. Throw an Overrun and its a minimum of 4 9/9's with trample
pjlizard
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Batterskull anyone? 12/12 lifelink vigilance that keeps coming back. sounds good to me.
Antares2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have to agree that the flavor of this card is a bit off, but it is an awesome build-around card.
If you want to play with this card, don't try to get too cute. Just try to build your deck in a way that you can reliantly put out one copy of him, when he comes into play. So use cheap accelerators like Birds of Paradise, Avacyn's Pilgrim and Llanowar Elves. Also, you need a plan B - for example Gavony Township.
Fun story: The other day, I had an Essence of the Wild and a Birds of Paradise, that was copying it, out and I played a Memnite. In response, my opponent Beast Within both my Essences. He didn't realize that it doesn't work the way he wants :D.
for reliability stop trying to figure out how to get 50 copies. we're talking 6/6, you can do with considerably less. essence works wonders in a standard fatty/ramp deck with creatures for ramp.
Listen, i can't stress this enough... Living weapon deck. Batterskull. 5 drop 10/10 vigilance lifelink. In the immortal words of Gir... doom doom doom doom doom doom DOOOOM
AncientTimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Now here's some innovation! Just a little bit too restrictive ability for the high cost but a good try.
WateryMind
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(9 votes)
This card seems too lulzy to be anything but mythic.
PD2525
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Endless Swarm and this = LOL!
TheKingSalami
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sorry for the nooberific question, but the "creature you control that enters the battlefield as a copy" is considered a "token" thus is doubled by parallel lives?
Ertai69
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
I pulled one of these in my second pack after having drafted Kessig Cagebreakers from my first pack. Unfortunately, I was only using the Magic draft simulator. :( :( :( :( :(
IcedJack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So if you have Parallel Lives out and you play another Essence when you already have one out, do you get one or two?
Judgemaster_Rolan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kill this thing early or you'll regret it, because remember, everything it converts STILL has its ability, so even if the original dies, the copies can still make convert more creatures.
Negated
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I went and grafted this into an Extended Fresh Meat deck. I've forced SO MANY opponents to use that Day of Judgement that they've been holding, waiting for me to cast a Fresh Meat, then sacrificing the spawn in response and paying up FOR the fresh meat, that people have actually started holding onto their day of judgements when I land this. It's made me want to play some Gitaxian Probe so that I can tell "Is he holding a DOJ, or is he not?" So i can find out if it's worth it to cast that fresh meat and bash with 10 6/6 creatures next turn.
Oh, and to the Endless Ranks of the Dead guy: That doesn't work, because you never control any Zombies because all your creatures are Essence of the Wild. You'd need a Conspiracy too.
Shadrakh_Yehochanan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=124471 If you think you have enough lands.
absolutely brutal, this card will love the token mini-theme of the block, and once you have copied a creature it will almost require a board wipe to eliminate the infestation. as infemox10 pointed out, sever the bloodline seems to be tailor made to fight this card.
unfortunately, what i do not like is that any creature that comes into play as a copy of him no longer have their own abilities or p/t. I can foresee a situation where you need to get a utility creature out to defeat some enchantment or artifact whatever and you get a 6/6 vanilla, who is currently useless in the face of said obstacle. Very nice and likely a game ender, but there is a well-hidden downside to this.
ChumleyX
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Say I had this out and I played a Dryad Arbor, making the Arbor a 6/6 Essence of the Wild. Is it still a land? And if not, would I be able to play a land for the turn since I technically already played my land?
Thanks in advance!
InkandNotes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can you spell B.R.O.K.E.N.?
kikon99
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Strangest combo ever: This and Cryptoplasm ENDLESS Shapeshifting
Salient
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(7 votes)
From the comments so far, I can tell you're all quite a lot more level-headed than I am. My reaction to pulling this from a pack was
"Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild."
WHAT
...
...
WHAAAT
...
Dear god do I ever love Innistrad block
RedJaron
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Question regarding this and Saproling Burst. After the tokens copy the Essence, are they still considered tokens tied to the Burst? Basically, when the Burst fades away, do those creatures go with it?
For more saproling shens, try adding Saproling Symbiosis or possibly Saproling Cluster ( great for getting cheaper use of your mid-game vanilla creature cards. )
And to anyone else listing creatures with EtB spawning effects, they don't combo with Essence. They are already a copy of Essence by the time they hit.
CaptainNinJoe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@Salient My reaction exactly! I went looking for combos with this card, and I found Requiem Angel. Cast Essence after the Angel is already in play, and as long as you can keep the Angel alive, creatures that enter the battlefield under your control become 6/6 with "If this creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control." Sacrifice engine, board wipe (taking special care to save the Angel), straight-up overrun... The possibilities are nearly endless. And that's only one combo.
@RedJaron: I would think that the tokens would die when Saproling Burst leaves play. The Burst 'keeps track' of the tokens put into play. Just because the tokens change doesn't mean the Burst no longer recognizes them. Now, if it were the tokens that kept track of the condition of the Burst, they would survive because Essence would overwrite them.
MindEcho
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With mimic vat or seance, would the tokens just become this guy, and never go away? Thanks! What about the static ability on mimic vat, will the creature still get haste?
Zhared
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This should be legendary. :)
Guildpact_Revived
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
When I saw this I immediately thought of my Mycoloth Saproling ramp w/ Blood Clock and Parallel Lives. Ramp to about 72 Saps a turn, then slam them with Essence. 72 6/6s each turn. With a pre-existing Essence Warden it becomes ridiculous! (Not that it wasn't already...)
Axelle
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Not a competitive Mythic, but very fun.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In Soviet Innistrad, forest cuts down you!....... and then turns you into itself. wat
kiseki
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The interesting thing about this is that is doesn't mess with the creatures that are already on the battlefield. Thus you can play creature mana generators at will in the same deck. You can maybe get away with 12 of them (if you get three in your opening hand, you can cast this turn 3). They accelerate you to 6, and future elves become 6/6s for . Not bad. After you have a few copies pumped out, it becomes difficult to mess with this short of taking out the whole board.
But no trample? Use the only instant that gives all your creatures trample: Stampede
Saproling_King
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Saproling Burst does not affect the saprolings cuz they become copies of "Essence". Therefore their power and toughness are not equal to the amount of fade counters on Saproling Burst. They have Essence of the Wild's power and toughness. I wanna know if the card that becomes the copy loses all abilities because Essence of the Wild does not have them. Ex. I play Devoted Druid does it become a 6/6 Essence with both of it's abilities
Daedylus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Two questions
1) When Essence of the Wild dies do the other creatures revert back to their real form or stay the same? If they stay the same then 2) When a creature enters the battlefield as a copy does it get the ability also?
Gremegity
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If i have a token enter my battlefield while i control this guy (say, from Bitterblossom), is the copy still considered as a token creature? I have a feeling it doesn't, but i'm not sure
A ruling question on this card, if you put tokens into play which copy essence are they still tokens? So they still get benefit from stuff like Intangible Virtue?
I assume token is like a metatype and copying essence doesn't change that, they just become 6/6 avatars with his ability and 0 converted mana cost?
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Good until Infinite Reflection. Now you can turn anything into a Essence-of-the-Wild, but with more abilities.
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Any Donate effect, then Evil Twin. I've been slapped for that before.
theoneandonlyjoseph
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
for those asking about tokens, if i remember correctly "token" is a physical aspect of a card that can not be altered by rules text, either to or from a token. so a token that became a copy of this would still be a token.
@ MarilynMonroe: Actually, if your EDH game has enough players, this happens:
1. Get Doubling Season and Parallel Lives on the field 2. Opponents start saving powerful spells 3. Get Essence of the Wild and start making 6/6 tokens minimum (they could be bigger; you're playing green) 4. Paint a huge target on yourself and get killed by the spells your opponents saved to deal with you
But yeah it's EDH gold
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Zirilan: then again, Akroma's Memorial is so powerful, it combos with just about anything at all that has creatures.
Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild.
Wander too far into the wild and it may take you for its own.
6 / 6
XaiviarNightwing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Nacatl War-Pride and Ancient Ooze on the field. Then this guy. Attack with the war pride and the Ooze Rancor of course. Put 6/6 cmc 6 tokens into play per creature. (706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, color indicator, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty)) The Ooze gets +6/+6 per creature. You get a 6/6 per creature. Green=mana ramp this should be easy to achieve.
OrgasmandTea
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Has nobody commented on just how creepy this card is? Imagine it... the loss of EVERYTHING you are, turned into a creature of the wild, with no choice in the matter, detachment from anything and everything you used to love, and even the memory of that old life slips away over time, until there's nothing left but the wild, the wild, the wild, nothing but the wild. Creepy.
thevegetable
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
sadly, this guy costs the same as feral thallid , the champion of the thallids some 18 years ago.
GordonFreechmen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card along with Garruk's Packleader basically means you get a permanent version of Glimpse of Nature. Of course both creatures can be destroyed, but that's besides the point that can happen with any creature combo. Who doesn't want 6/6s for 1 mana that also allow you to draw a card. In a cheap mana cost creature deck those two cards can win games. Of course it isn't the quickest method, nothing with Essence of the Wild will likely ever be that quick. I still love it though, just because of how silly it is.
EdgarPoeAllen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What no one seems to realize is that Increasing Devotion now gives you five 6/6es for 3WW Good enough for you?
I've had this happen twice in Ghave EDH: Turn 5: Ghave, Guru of Spores Turn 6: this Turn 7: remove all 5 +1/+1 counters from Ghave, which puts 5 Saprolings onto the battlefield (which all enter as copies of Essence of the Wild) Turn 8+: beat face
GrimjawxRULES
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Important to note that it only affects creatures that enter the battlefield after itself, so you can use stuff like Jade Mage to pump out 6/6 tokens.
Comments (109)
Batterskull 10/10 Vigilance Lifelinker for 5 isn't bad either.
:)
Army of the Damned, too.
Don't forget the non-standard Avenger of Zendikar.
I'm on the fence about this card. It's color-heavy, so the obvious way to utilize it, as already mentioned, is with living weapons. In your basic mono-green stompy it's a double-edged sword. Sure, your end-game Llanowar Elves will now be 6/6, but you could as well draw your win condition creature instead, and chances are it will be useless to you as a pseudo-vanilla 6/6.
Then if I put a token into play which does it enter play as? the original Essence? or the modified CryptoEssence? or do I get to choose?
Just hope your opponent doesn't play Evil Twin.
So now you can make all your creatures that way! I mean, if it said may, or let them keep its abilities, it would be crazy, but if this card's effect started for you each game, take some of your decks, how many of them got a lot worse?
It does do well where it does, but I don't know a lot of players that will be satisfied beating face with a bunch of 6/6 ... weegees.
Haha I can see people don't like how I don't like this card, that's fine, you can use it then.
Also, as others have pointed out, these copys become very vulnerable to some of the cards printed in this set. So you better run something to counter those spells.
And everyone saying "Evil twin!" Yea, they can kill your creatures easily, but they just put them selves in the same position your in. everything enters as a copy of this and they had better hope you dont have any thing to kill mass creatures too. or take it from them.
Oh what's that? It's not enough for you?
Add in Akroma's Memorial or Brawn or Primal Rage
Best part? It can all be with Green Mana, the color known for having enough to pull it off. EDH, destroyed.
Personally, Sever the bloodline aside, how can you not like this guy? Especially considering how many new token generators have debuted in Innistrad, along with Doubling season's little brother, Parallel Lives,
Shenanigans.
If you want to play with this card, don't try to get too cute. Just try to build your deck in a way that you can reliantly put out one copy of him, when he comes into play. So use cheap accelerators like Birds of Paradise, Avacyn's Pilgrim and Llanowar Elves. Also, you need a plan B - for example Gavony Township.
Fun story: The other day, I had an Essence of the Wild and a Birds of Paradise, that was copying it, out and I played a Memnite. In response, my opponent Beast Within both my Essences. He didn't realize that it doesn't work the way he wants :D.
t1 arbor elf
t2 overgrowth
t3 essence + 2 llanowar elves
t4 overwhelming stampede K.O.
Oh, and to the Endless Ranks of the Dead guy: That doesn't work, because you never control any Zombies because all your creatures are Essence of the Wild. You'd need a Conspiracy too.
If you think you have enough lands.
unfortunately, what i do not like is that any creature that comes into play as a copy of him no longer have their own abilities or p/t. I can foresee a situation where you need to get a utility creature out to defeat some enchantment or artifact whatever and you get a 6/6 vanilla, who is currently useless in the face of said obstacle. Very nice and likely a game ender, but there is a well-hidden downside to this.
Thanks in advance!
ENDLESS Shapeshifting
"Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild."
WHAT
...
...
WHAAAT
...
Dear god do I ever love Innistrad block
For more saproling shens, try adding Saproling Symbiosis or possibly Saproling Cluster ( great for getting cheaper use of your mid-game vanilla creature cards. )
And to anyone else listing creatures with EtB spawning effects, they don't combo with Essence. They are already a copy of Essence by the time they hit.
@RedJaron: I would think that the tokens would die when Saproling Burst leaves play. The Burst 'keeps track' of the tokens put into play. Just because the tokens change doesn't mean the Burst no longer recognizes them. Now, if it were the tokens that kept track of the condition of the Burst, they would survive because Essence would overwrite them.
Wurmcalling makes you 6/6s repeatably for just
But no trample? Use the only instant that gives all your creatures trample: Stampede
1) When Essence of the Wild dies do the other creatures revert back to their real form or stay the same? If they stay the same then 2) When a creature enters the battlefield as a copy does it get the ability also?
I assume token is like a metatype and copying essence doesn't change that, they just become 6/6 avatars with his ability and 0 converted mana cost?
I've been slapped for that before.
1. Get Doubling Season and Parallel Lives on the field
2. Opponents start saving powerful spells
3. Get Essence of the Wild and start making 6/6 tokens minimum (they could be bigger; you're playing green)
4. Paint a huge target on yourself and get killed by the spells your opponents saved to deal with you
But yeah it's EDH gold
Yeah, he'll be in my populate deck without a doubt.
Basically, at the beginning of his upkeep, he got a free Akroma.
And yet he didn't win that game in the end. Oh Magic, crazy times.
Does the Essence of the Wild token, that replaced the Angel token, stay after the attack phase ends?
But it needs other cards to do well. Otherwise its just a 6/6 vanilla for 6.
And vanilla creatures blow!
Essence of the Wild {3GGG}
Creature — Avatar
Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild.
Wander too far into the wild and it may take you for its own.
6 / 6
Then this guy.
Attack with the war pride and the Ooze Rancor of course.
Put 6/6 cmc 6 tokens into play per creature.
(706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether it was kicked, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, color indicator, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty))
The Ooze gets +6/+6 per creature.
You get a 6/6 per creature.
Green=mana ramp this should be easy to achieve.
Good enough for you?
Play this.
Get a couple tokens out Next turn.
Enter Search for tomorrow x2 - play Krenko's Command then Empty the Warrens = 10 6/6 creatures.
Turn 5: Ghave, Guru of Spores
Turn 6: this
Turn 7: remove all 5 +1/+1 counters from Ghave, which puts 5 Saprolings onto the battlefield (which all enter as copies of Essence of the Wild)
Turn 8+: beat face
Sounds like a big perfume shop.
I smell a Conspiracy, though.
EDIT: Mono-Green Devotion, anyone?
1) Use it in a squirrel EDH deck (infinite squirrels with squirrel nest and earthcraft all being 6/6, EPIC SQUIRRELS OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!)
2) Use it with living weapons artifacts (thet will enter as 6/6, not as 0/0)