Being generous say this card is worth about a 4/5. For a 1/1 shade for 3 is mediocre. This one on the other hand finds swamp, and not only basic. P.S. Also one extra point just cause I’m a Lili fanboy :D
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
makes using a shade in limited a bit more possible
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
EXCUSE me?!
Kori260 you are forgetting the plus-5-star bonus for art that looks EXACTLY like Nightmare Before Christmas! 9/5! And you call yourself a Lili fanboy.....
ZEvilMustache
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This is NUTS. Black is going land crazy in this set!
Eternal_Blue
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Justify it how you will, I will never support Black being able to tutor for Swamps. That really did seem to be an ability that should have been exclusively Green. Perhaps it's a one-time thing just to show how it relates with the newest version of Liliana. Either way, a 1/1 for 2BB that has fire-breathing and nets you a card is still probably one-mana too expensive to see any real play. Still, it could be decent in Limited if you have a way to protect it/way to get damage through.
LlanowarEmissary
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is complete trash. Its mana cost is just too prohibitive to see play in limited, let alone constructed. Overall, a disappointing addition to a tribe that really needs more love.
1/5
UncreativeNameMaker
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This isn't going to break the color pie. Like Hornet Sting it's underpowered due to being in the wrong color. Compare to Wood Elves, that cost one less and put the Forest directly into play.
blindthrall
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Nope. it's bad.
Radagast
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Mana ramp in black?!
Wow. once Dark Ritual and its lesser cousins vanished, that was it for black mana acceleration. Nice to see the old idea makes a return. Sure, this will probably only see play in mono-black or similar decks, but I like the idea.
vesterpop
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
For all those who think this card sucks, CARD ADVANTAGE. First thing's first, it's ability is NOT firebreathing because it also increases toughness, making this card a very flexible blocker or attacker (though probably you'll use this more to attack just because it puts so much pressure on the opponent to throw a blocker in front of it anyway).
And it replaces itself with a swamp in your hand, and that swamp is very relevant to it's shade ability and to many powerful mono-black abilities! Even more excellent is that there is one less swamp in your deck now, increasing the odds of drawing a useful spell later.
All I have to say is that shades win games all by themselves. Or they lure out a removal spell, which is fine considering you got the swamp to compensate.
DoragonShinzui
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
To everyone saying this cost is prohibitive, let me ask you something: Are you EVER, for ANY reason going to be using a shade in anything other than Mono-Black? No. No you are not.
Lotsofpoopy
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This is an all star in Mono-black. Mono-black control is looking very promising this set.
Eddie_Antilles
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Not the most Earth-shattering creature in the game, but the ability to tutor for a Swamp is definitely useful. Add to that the pump ability, and you have a good little creature. If nothing else, if you leave your lands all untapped going into combat, you can cause difficult decisions for your opponent- let through a saboteur or risk a big hit from the shade (and by the time you can attack with it, you are looking at having at least five lands on the table, with the potential to become a 6/6).
And let's not forget that RTR is bringing back the shock lands... ;-)
3/5
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is awesome. My only wish is that it cost , only because it would curve so sweetly into Liliana.
RiftenBlack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is not terrible. It is not a 5-star card, but it is decent enough. While I agree with some that the casting cost is 1 too much to be used in constructed, it is still a card that will probably give you a 2-for-1, which means this card is never going to be bad for you. You're going to get a swamp, which is very good for mono-black. Your opponent is probably going to use removal on it - or at least trade with it in some way. And hell, if he doesn't have removal and you have a lot of swamps, he's basically screwed anyway.
It's only drawback is the casting cost. There are better cards to play on turn 4. But that's no reason to give this card a poor rating. Any card that gives you card advantage and is a threat to your opponent is still decent. In Duels of Planeswalkers 2013, I run these in Obedient Dead as they are easily worth it in that deck. And so you know, it's one of the best decks in that format.
Comments (24)
P.S. Also one extra point just cause I’m a Lili fanboy :D
Kori260 you are forgetting the plus-5-star bonus for art that looks EXACTLY like Nightmare Before Christmas! 9/5! And you call yourself a Lili fanboy.....
1/5
Wow. once Dark Ritual and its lesser cousins vanished, that was it for black mana acceleration. Nice to see the old idea makes a return. Sure, this will probably only see play in mono-black or similar decks, but I like the idea.
And it replaces itself with a swamp in your hand, and that swamp is very relevant to it's shade ability and to many powerful mono-black abilities! Even more excellent is that there is one less swamp in your deck now, increasing the odds of drawing a useful spell later.
All I have to say is that shades win games all by themselves. Or they lure out a removal spell, which is fine considering you got the swamp to compensate.
Are you EVER, for ANY reason going to be using a shade in anything other than Mono-Black? No. No you are not.
And let's not forget that RTR is bringing back the shock lands... ;-)
3/5
It's only drawback is the casting cost. There are better cards to play on turn 4. But that's no reason to give this card a poor rating. Any card that gives you card advantage and is a threat to your opponent is still decent. In Duels of Planeswalkers 2013, I run these in Obedient Dead as they are easily worth it in that deck. And so you know, it's one of the best decks in that format.
Just continue making unplayable 4 cmc shades and waste black's most flavorful creature type, will you?
-Korlash, Heir to Blackblade (get more swamps)
-Cabal Coffers (+Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth of course)
-Nirkana Revenant (=
-Sword of Feast and Famine (untap your swamps, which happens ofter than you can imagine, due to the mechanic of attacking shades)
tap 10{B} and +10/+10 what is not to like?