Pointed Discussion

I like the planeshift battlemages, and this one has sweet art. The blue ability is nice in general, though "non-black" kills it in some situations. Red one is also hit-or-miss, but destroying the opponent's emeria is probably a good idea.
3/5

The most expensive Kickers in his cycles but it's also useful. Though the non-black part in the blue ability seems kind of strange.

Expensive, but powerful. Bouncing two creatures is strong anyway, and killing a land to make it harder for your opponent to replay them has nice synergy with it. Why you cant bounce black creatures? Well, play this guy with both kickers, while having something in play that changes his color, such as celestial dawn. Then destroy a land with the red ability, choose an opponents creature and himself with the blue ability, and return him this way back to hand. In short: you could keep destroying your opponents lands and bouncing his creatures over and over as much as you have mana.
Expensive? Yes. But the designers were obviously still worried enough about this possibility.

The non-black portion of this is so it can't bounce itself creating quiet the tempo machine. You could bounce their dude and himself and with red and enough mana lock them out of the game with just him.

Hello, ladies.
Look at your creatures,
Now back to me,
Now back at your creatures,
Now back to me,
Sadly your creatures aren’t there anymore,
But if they were black
They could still be there.
Look down, back up.
Where are you?
You are in a world of hurt, without your best creatures.
What’s that in your hand?
Back at me, you’ve had it.
It’s a Mind Rot robbing you of those two creatures you love,
Now look again, the creatures are now diamonds.
Everything is possible when you pay my kicker.
I’m on a horse.

@Malkin,

Most. Epic. Comment. Ever.

This was printed in the same set as Deadapult and Lord of the Undead. I think if it was meant to be a Zombie, it would have been printed as one.

I don't remember having a ", : Return two target nonblack creatures to their owners' hands" combo in Planeshift draft.*

*It actually cost .

Options. Tasty, tasty options.