Absolutely amazing. It has a good body for its cost and excellent types.
Oh yeah, I forgot his EPIC ability.
Combined with a Necrotic ooze neither of them will stay in the graveyard for long, and that is only the simplest of possibilities. The combinations this guy will create, not to mention his card advantage generation, will make him a very fearsome threat and a must kill in any deck he appears in. I'm looking forward to running him in EDH, where the recasting aspect will truly shine.
Overall, this guy is amazing, truly worthy of mythic status and something whose potential has barely been figured out yet. He will probably be a powerhouse.
htgtmd
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(6 votes)
Use on Avatar of Woe so she counts herself in the graveyard, then your Lich gets a free "Destroy target creature, it can't be regenerated"
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(6 votes)
SWEET MOTHER OF COMBOS, WHAT IS THIS!?!?!?!
Kryptnyt
★★☆☆☆ (2.4/5.0)(4 votes)
I wish you didn't have to cast the creature to gain the abilities. As is, he might as well not even gain their abilities, it is not likely you'll be able to emulate a Necrotic Ooze combo with him. He's unwieldy, but casting creatures from your graveyard is a good ability by itself. Goodish at the high end of an aggressive standard curve?
Having Snapcaster Mage in the same environment, this Lich is some serious power...
tahunuva
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Totally unfair with Snapcaster Mage. I could see him in Birthing Pod decks too; you can keep recurring, say, a 5-mana creature and roll out another titan every turn.
NinaNinja
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Probably my favorite card in the set but then I saw Grafdigger's Cage. You know what though. It's only 4 cards in a deck so who cares. Get this out as fast as you can. You have a clock ticking :)
BioPrince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
as the rules state: card text overrules the rules:::::::: rule one: you can only cast creatures anytime you could cast a sorcery.::::::::: card rule: you may cast target creature in a graveyard "this turn".(there is no "if able" clause)::::::::: I pay {1} on your turn and a creature in a graveyard gains flash:::::::::::: ARE YOU KIDDY ME!!!!! please let me know if i am wrong
drpvfx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of the most creative and deck-inspiring creatures ever printed.
Also try reanimating a Beguiler of Wills- Lich will inherit her incredible ability without her 1/1 body.
This is truly one of the most amazing combo pieces ever printed, unfortunately screwed over by the fact they also printed the strongest hoser ever, Grafdigger's Cage, in the same set.
Gee, thanks, Wizards- way to give us an awesome new toy and ruin it at the same time. Still, I hope this Lich sees the deck-building love it deserves. 5/5.
Great Johnny cards thanks to all the sweet interactions he has.
Also, relevant in standard thanks to Heartless Summoning.
This card does it all.
God_Of_The_Smurfs
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Strictly the best thing since sliced bread. 5/5 It's the snapcaster mage of creatures!
LandKraken
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Absotively Posolutely beautiful. Never has a more accessible, yet controlled, and combo-prone repeatable reanimation tactic been printed. He's what Sedris the Traitor King could have been were the "or whenever it dies" clause not included in the Unearth ability.
1x Heartless Summoning, 1x Snapcaster Mage, 1x Havengul Lich Spells in your graveyard have Flashback , where X is their casting cost.
Add Mentor of the Meek to any of these (if he can live with all the Heartless Summoning going on) to gain the option of paying an extra on each activation to draw a card.
Yeah, this guy seems pretty good. I want 22. "22" was actually a typo as I went to hit "4" but it seems true enough.
ignaeon
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(8 votes)
Notice how it does not exile the card, so you can cast your putrefax again. and again. and again. am i making myself clear here?
Yozuk
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Dralnu, Lich Lord's new pet. How could you not open a spot up in your Dralnu EDH deck for this amazing creature?
Nucleon
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Nabbed one at the prerelease, and good lord. The sheer POWER of this thing cannot be overstated. The ability to recur a chump blocker (like say, Typhoid Rats) over and over is amazing already. Doing it with ETB creatures or anything with Undying? This thing isn't just a lich, it's the best "necromancer" creature card I've ever seen.
Although he had a habit of getting murdered by my Reaper of the Abyss (I was a lucky boy this morning) over and over. That thing's ability isn't a "may" effect!
RAV0004
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Played with at the prerelease. ...and it wasn't that good. The slow grinding card advantage you get from his ability is irrelevant compared to the other bombs in the format. Putting him in an edh deck right now, but Im unsure if he'll pull more weight than he did at the prerelease.
Here's the deal: the 1 mana cost seriously undermines his value. The only things you can power out are going to be 1-2cmc, IF that. You're going to be spending literally all of your mana working his magic, but in the end its just really not going to do much. You have two standard usable targets in a graveyard:
1: cards that have a relevant tap ability 2: cards that have a relevant etb trigger
in the former case, his 4/4 body is going to have much much more benefit smashing your opponent's face in then any possible tap ability you could think of, and the creature you do put in play isnt going to have haste. In the latter case, you dont benefit (twice) from the etb trigger since the lich is already in play.
He probably is going to see some super shenanigans with combo, but not in standard, not in legacy, and certainly not in limited.
witheringsanity
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@am208g @BioPrince
no, this card does not "overwrite the rules". no card does anything more than what is stated. all cards tell you exactly what you can do, within the confines of all other rules.
Havengul Lich does NOT allow you to cast non-flash creatures at instant speed. it allows you to cast creatures "from a graveyard". thats ALL it does (plus the ability-gaining). any other rules that are not stated to be replaced or changed (i.e. casting cost, and timing) remain the same.
with that said, it's still a fairly cool card, though i doubt it will see much play in constructed. edh, on the other hand, LOOOOVES this guy
am802g
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I went to the pre-release and pulled this and Elbrus, The Binding Blade in the same pack. That was epic.
Okuu-chan
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
The Johnny in me wept tears of ecstasy when this was previewed. That moment I knew I wanted Dka. A pity I didn't pull one in the PR.
thepillow
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
i want to make a deck with this, carnival of souls, deathgreeter, death cultist, blood pet, training grounds, bitter ordeal, brain freeze, hindering touch, and spy network
WhiteyMcFly
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Something to note: Once the creature brought back from the grave is put back there, It is still targeted by the ability. In other words, you don't have to play that extra 1 mana again if you want to play the creature again. So, in other words, the Heartless Summoning + Perilous Myr + Lich combo is infinite damage, since you can continuously cast it without having to pay that 1 every time you wish to do so. Congratulations, Wizards. You created a turn 4 infinite damage combo in standard.
StarOutlaw
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
This thing deserves its spot and much more. Great art/color/ability/cost/durability. Your creatures only cost 1 more to activate. Heartless Summoning will now actually be a solid pick in draft or lucky in sealed if you get this thing. Though i think he is more fun I'll wait until later rather sell him now since people are really overpaying since they are eager. Just like Sorin. Liliana is an example of that.
blindthrall
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
GODLIKE.
65days
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As long as Grafdigger's Cage doesn't ruin the fun, this is an amazing and powerful card. The only one I need to finish my Thraximundar EDH. Combined with a sac engine, this will allow for some fun interactions.
ninjaboy05
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@WhiteyMcFly. You are mistaken good sir. When the myr hits the graveyard a second time it's counted as a different card.
blunt_shark
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
sooooo... when the card reads: "this turn" does that mean what i think it means? insanity!
RedAce
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is a boss. For one, if you run four, they can practically never die. Just keep recasting from your graveyard. The only thing that can stop his ability is Grafdigger's Cage, but even then, sideboard a few artifact destroy spells. Next, the creature can be cast from 'A' graveyard. Not just yours. This means you have access to all creatures. And, you can cast the creature spell as many times as you want. Over. And over. And over. This card will win you the game.
This card is truely what a mythic should be. I can see this card getting the ban hammer one day, because it's to over powered. 5/5, and it's so cheap to cast for it's ability.
Dr.Pingas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh, more, more fun for my Necrotic Ooze and Myr Propagator. And here, I thought he was a legendary at first glance. Just wait until Kraj joins the party, and then we'll have tons of fun! I just hate that he doesn't get the abilities until you cast the creature.
Duriele
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Now this guy combos with all "when x comes into play" and "when x dies". I find the best enabler with him is Heartless summoning; it helps getting him out earlier and makes for really nasty combos with perilous myr and Solemn Simulacrum, works fairly well with Spellskite for its activated ability for added possibility.
Personally i have him in a BGU deck with some Birthing pods, the above mentioned cards and Myr superion, Snapcaster mage, Accidic slime and one of each Titans to pod into for each situation i might encounter.
In a casual blue/black zombie with rooftop storm means all your zombies are not only free but they also are Gravecrawlers :)
Gets a solid 5 in my book.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This and Snapcaster, anyone?
dontmess17
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(6 votes)
love how it says cast from "A" graveyard. meaning your opponents' too.
opponent: i play Sun Titan then get back 2 Phantasmal Images from my graveyard to copy it
you: yeah im gonna bring back your Snapcaster Mage with my lich now and flashback my Mana Leak on your titan
opponent: awhaaaaaaaaaaaaa *reads lich's rule text, scoops*
Phyrexian_Boss
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
THIS CARD IS AMAZING!!!! wanting to pull one of these so bad
turtleknite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
feels like a b/u Experiment Kraj. I think that i still prefer kraj though.
seath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm running a RUB deck with this guy and burning vengeance... I would like my creature back, and here is 2 to the face. Plus blasphemous act for board wipes whenever I need them early on, to ensure that I live long enough to play this bad boy. It's a really weird deck, but its pretty nice for keeping in standard, and it's REALLY fun to play.
He also does a superb job of breaking the symmetry of Liliana of the Veil's +1 ability, since you can just discard and reanimate a creature. I haven't even started to explore the second sentence of his ability...
Squab
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If I did the search right, this is currently the 7th highest rated card on gatherer.
humansFTW
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This will hit meta VERY soon, and I think many players are going to pack Grafdigger's Cage in their sidedecks
firearasi
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
8 mana open and if I can survive an Inkmoth Nexus+Kessig Wolf Run desperate attack in opponents next turn I will win. In my graveyard, I have 4 important pieces: Unburial Rites,Havengul Lich,Snapcaster Mage and Tragic Slip. One minute later, I get my most epic win ever in my young MTG career. 4.5/5.0
Noob question: You can only cast targeted creature once, right? (Crosses fingers due to jerkass friend playing Perilous Myr for infinite damage.)
garganeraboy
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@withering insanity.
i beg to differ. this does allow you to cast creatures at instant speed. it clearly states that "you may cast target creature card from a graveyard THIS TURN."
if they wanted to restrict this ability with regards to creature summoning, they would have placed the "use this ability as a sorcery" text.
example:
me: Lich ability - paying 1 then targeting a creature, paying cost you: casting surgical extraction, activating nihil spellbomb, casting purify the graveyard targeting my creature. me: i can activate again the lich ability as a fast effect putting it on top of the stack.
Justin133Nivmizzet1
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Great card I like heartless blue / black lichsummoning with peilous myr myr supeiron mana leak doom blade consecrated sphinx rune scarred demo and sherolded whispering one and maybe splash red for priest of urabrask and devils play and grave Titan it could see some tier 1 play great casual card. Someone i forget his name had the first summoning deck that didn't suck. It got 6th place.Hoooray for heartless summoning being playable
Paladin85
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It will be quite good in a proper constructed or EDH deck but in limited its hosed down by 1 low costing card in this set
Grafdigger's Cage turns this creature into a mythic 5 mana 4/4 vanilla until you can get rid of it. And having to use his ability only on creatures you can cast (no stealing off colour stuff) and on your turn (ability does not state creature card has flash) means great planning must be done to get full use from this.
On the other hand, I have seen it do wonderful things. Undying cards a lot harder to deal with even if the Lich cannot gain any abilities, as your undying cards can come back for just 1 extra colourless in addition to the cast cost
Edit: For those who aren't sure about the ruling, have a look at Ornate Kanzashi, a card with a similar ability to 'cast' cards
@garganeraboy
No, Havengul Lich doesn't grant creature cards in graveyard flash . Using your wording, this would mean you can only play the Lich's ability during your turn, please look at Ornate Kanzashi as it has the same ability but with added Oracle text
Hearless Summoning will kill Priest of Urabrask when you cast her but gives you three mana for 2 mana (by Havengul skill and 1 red mana cc of Priest of Urabrask) now you use this 3 mana to regen both Perilous Myr Priest of Urabrask. You'll have 0 floating mana in the process but you'll deal 2 and have 3 mana again to cast the combo :> infinity!
poliem
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
this is bombish in limited and became a must kill for everyone i faced, i always got at least one use out of him and getting a farbog boneslinger back or beguiler of wills was just epic. me:activate ability to return beguiler, tap lich to steal creature
Nanosauromo
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(33 votes)
If you're Havengul problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a Lich ain't one.
netog121
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy is my favorite card from the set, just because he is a good fit in my commander deck
Griffyn16
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Does the Lich's ability allow you to cast target creature at instant speed? This came up during play at FNM. I thought it allowed you to cast target creature during any turn, at instant speed. Other player said you could only cast at sorcery speed. Who is right?
goldstar971
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
ridiculous and unrealistic combo but i have to say it. Perilous myr+ channel+ havengul lich+ fengren marauder+heartless summoning+ infinite mana, damage and life.
EMG81
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Findlesham: Yes, you can only cast a creature card in your graveyard -once- per time it is in your graveyard, if that wording makes sense. For example, your friend cannot cast five Perilous Myrs off of one instance in his 'yard.
ericsweb
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@Griffyn16 : To answer your question, no it's not instant speed. The key word in the card is cast. You can use the Lich's ability at any time. But whatever you target, you're still casting the creature and It still follows the rules of casting creatures. So you can't normally cast a creature at instant speed unless it has Flash.
Gasperson
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I've made a zombie deck using one of these it combos well with Fleshbag Marauder. just repeatedly - your opponent sacs a creature for 3B.
Knight-Master
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wait, infinite 1-cost reincarnations of anything you like, including as many each turn as you have the mana for? Attached to a vaguely Mimeoplasmic 4/4 for 5? Havengul Lich: MegaMegaMythic Rare.
To put in my two cents, since the argument seems to be about semantics anyway...it would let you cast creatures at instant speed, but only creatures with flash can be played at instant speed so you could flash in say...Shimmer Myr since you're probably playing Heartless Summoning anyway. Could be interesting at least.
Secondly, I'm currently playing grixis heartless Lich with this guy at the centre. With singleton burning vengeance and secrets of the dead it's too much card advantage for one deck. Until you blast him away. Small target on his head.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Everyone stop crying about Graftdigger's Cage. I swear it's not as doom and gloom for combo as it looks.
Remember folks, this is WIZARDS we're talking about. 10 cents says it backfires and becomes a key staple in Combo decks because something awful is going to get printed in Avacyn Restored. Like, you know, Avacyn.
This guy is the automatic second card in every The Mimeoplasm commander deck ever, btw.
EDIT: See? Griselbrand. What'd I tell you. -_- xD So Grafdigger's Cage isn't a combo piece- but Tormod's Crypt is back...and I still put my money on Griselbrand + this guy + Liliana of the Dark Realms doing some stupid stuff :D
McKnuty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So...Piracy? Use their mana to play their dead creatures? anyone?
Which is great, but it has targeting limitations...
LaLaLaidarR
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use buried alive to put 2 skeletal wurms and a fleshbag marauder in the graveyard (or mill or whatever just get them in there), diabolic tutor the havengul lich if you don't have him, play this guy, use his ability for the two skeletal wurms, pay one mana for each creature your opponent controls to summon and sac the fleshbag marauder until their field is gone, get a creature with at least 2 power on the field at some point and attack for 20.
And that is the story of why I have no friends.
OceanicSphinx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
all color mana ramp with green as the main part. set Yeva, Nature's Herald in there to flash in death touchers or your opponents dead green creatures, and remember, anything with a green symbol at the top is at least part green.
Pentavite625
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I pulled a foil of this just the other day. So awesome.
heavyterror
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card only got a five because its the coolest card I've ever seen hands down. Dimir doppelganger's big brother. I need to pull this.
Okay, now that I have a playset, its time to get down on some standard dimir control. We shall use the new azorius pet: Judge's Familiar. Look at that recurring daze effect baby.
Finally, a lich card that doesn't put you at serious risk of sacrificing your permanents or killing yourself. This is imo what a lich should be like, none of that indestructible crap unable to cast a single spell. This has been a long time coming, and I'm glad it's finally here.
One of the coolest effects ever made. Cast everything. I'm considering this guy for my horde deck as a huge boss to deal with, but he might be way too strong. He'd get all creatures from all graveyards and anything that dies would be stolen by him. I suppose with just 1 though, you just need to kill him and he's easier to kill than an enchantment or sorcery.
FaceClaimer
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Well that's a hell of a 4/4 for 5cmc.
TowerDefender
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combos with Chromatic Lantern so you can use Mana activated abilities, pesky Guildmages! Although in EDH you can't tap for mana outside your Commander's colours, you get colourless instead.
Zebra_Lord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At the point that it said "when you cast that card this turn, Havengul Lich..." I thought there was going to be some horrible drawback. Instead, it's another bonus xD
mdakw576
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's a cool card that is clearly not made for constructed.
Unlike your typical reanimation spell, you need to pay 5 mana just to get this guy in play, and then whenever you want to reanimate a creature, you don't get a mana discount on the fatties (for example, 5 mana for unburial rites on a 7-drop means you save 2 mana, while using the lich to get it would be 8). This guy puts you pretty far behind in tempo. While he is obviously powerful if he survives, as well as if he's built around (like heartless summoning), many mythics are in the same vein; they will win you the game if unanswered and supported. What separates the strong mythics from the weak ones are those that have an immediate impact on the game as well.
In EDH he's hilarious though. I stuck him in my progenitus deck because it's fun being able to grab any creature, and mana isn't as big a constraint as in constructed.
Manji187
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So...for maximum AWESOME, one should run it in an EDH 5 color mill deck along with Vedalken Orrery and Seedborn Muse?
TheMentalProdigy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm mildly surprised that nobody's mentioned Rooftop storm as a combo possibility with this guy. It makes the casting cost of all zombies 0 (for you). Combine that with this guy, and you can pull any zombie out of any graveyard for 1 mana. You won't see this happen in competitive games, but my god is it scary in casual.
cotf1692
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I mostly enjoy using him with dead clones rather than crazy combos.
Comments (79)
Oh yeah, I forgot his EPIC ability.
Combined with a Necrotic ooze neither of them will stay in the graveyard for long, and that is only the simplest of possibilities. The combinations this guy will create, not to mention his card advantage generation, will make him a very fearsome threat and a must kill in any deck he appears in. I'm looking forward to running him in EDH, where the recasting aspect will truly shine.
Overall, this guy is amazing, truly worthy of mythic status and something whose potential has barely been figured out yet. He will probably be a powerhouse.
He's unwieldy, but casting creatures from your graveyard is a good ability by itself. Goodish at the high end of an aggressive standard curve?
Shreikmaw
Mulldrifter
Perilous Myr + Heartless Summoning
Any other blue/black evoke creature does wonders.
rule one: you can only cast creatures anytime you could cast a sorcery.:::::::::
card rule: you may cast target creature in a graveyard "this turn".(there is no "if able" clause):::::::::
I pay {1} on your turn and a creature in a graveyard gains flash::::::::::::
ARE YOU KIDDY ME!!!!! please let me know if i am wrong
This + Heartless Summoning + Priest of Urabrask / Priest of Gix = infinite mana.
This + Heartless + Black Cat = you can force a random discard for 1B at sorcery speed- as much as you can afford.
Also try reanimating a Beguiler of Wills- Lich will inherit her incredible ability without her 1/1 body.
This is truly one of the most amazing combo pieces ever printed,
unfortunately screwed over by the fact they also printed the strongest hoser ever,
Grafdigger's Cage, in the same set.
Gee, thanks, Wizards- way to give us an awesome new toy and ruin it at the same time.
Still, I hope this Lich sees the deck-building love it deserves.
5/5.
Great Johnny cards thanks to all the sweet interactions he has.
Also, relevant in standard thanks to Heartless Summoning.
This card does it all.
5/5
It's the snapcaster mage of creatures!
Heartless Summoning
Great Whale
Phyrexian Altar
Warstorm Surge
With the optional safety net of Rune-Scarred Demon.
The most diverse, balanced, and fun card in the set.
1x Heartless Summoning, 1x Perilous Myr, 1x Havengul Lich
2x Heartless Summoning, 1x Slash Panther, 1x Rage Extractor, 1x Havengul Lich
2x Heartless Summoning, 1x Core Prowler, 1x Havengul Lich
1x Fiend Hunter, 1x Disciple of Griselbrand, 1x Havengul Lich
1x Heartless Summoning, 1x Snapcaster Mage, 1x Havengul Lich
Spells in your graveyard have Flashback
Add Mentor of the Meek to any of these (if he can live with all the Heartless Summoning going on) to gain the option of paying an extra
Yeah, this guy seems pretty good. I want 22. "22" was actually a typo as I went to hit "4" but it seems true enough.
and again.
and again.
am i making myself clear here?
Although he had a habit of getting murdered by my Reaper of the Abyss (I was a lucky boy this morning) over and over. That thing's ability isn't a "may" effect!
...and it wasn't that good. The slow grinding card advantage you get from his ability is irrelevant compared to the other bombs in the format. Putting him in an edh deck right now, but Im unsure if he'll pull more weight than he did at the prerelease.
Here's the deal: the 1 mana cost seriously undermines his value. The only things you can power out are going to be 1-2cmc, IF that. You're going to be spending literally all of your mana working his magic, but in the end its just really not going to do much. You have two standard usable targets in a graveyard:
1: cards that have a relevant tap ability
2: cards that have a relevant etb trigger
in the former case, his 4/4 body is going to have much much more benefit smashing your opponent's face in then any possible tap ability you could think of, and the creature you do put in play isnt going to have haste. In the latter case, you dont benefit (twice) from the etb trigger since the lich is already in play.
He probably is going to see some super shenanigans with combo, but not in standard, not in legacy, and certainly not in limited.
@BioPrince
no, this card does not "overwrite the rules". no card does anything more than what is stated. all cards tell you exactly what you can do, within the confines of all other rules.
Havengul Lich does NOT allow you to cast non-flash creatures at instant speed. it allows you to cast creatures "from a graveyard". thats ALL it does (plus the ability-gaining). any other rules that are not stated to be replaced or changed (i.e. casting cost, and timing) remain the same.
with that said, it's still a fairly cool card, though i doubt it will see much play in constructed. edh, on the other hand, LOOOOVES this guy
This card is truely what a mythic should be. I can see this card getting the ban hammer one day, because it's to over powered. 5/5, and it's so cheap to cast for it's ability.
Personally i have him in a BGU deck with some Birthing pods, the above mentioned cards and Myr superion, Snapcaster mage, Accidic slime and one of each Titans to pod into for each situation i might encounter.
In a casual blue/black zombie with rooftop storm means all your zombies are not only free but they also are Gravecrawlers :)
Gets a solid 5 in my book.
opponent: i play Sun Titan then get back 2 Phantasmal Images from my graveyard to copy it
you: yeah im gonna bring back your Snapcaster Mage with my lich now and flashback my Mana Leak on your titan
opponent: awhaaaaaaaaaaaaa *reads lich's rule text, scoops*
wanting to pull one of these so bad
(1) Heartless Summoning + Viridian Emissary = all-you-can-cast Rampant Growth buffet
(2) Acidic Slime + Grim Backwoods = removal/land destruction on a stick
(3) Rune-Scarred Demon + Grim Backwoods = tutor on a stick
(4) Wurmcoil Engine + Grim Backwoods = army on a stick
He also does a superb job of breaking the symmetry of Liliana of the Veil's +1 ability, since you can just discard and reanimate a creature. I haven't even started to explore the second sentence of his ability...
i beg to differ. this does allow you to cast creatures at instant speed. it clearly states that "you may cast target creature card from a graveyard THIS TURN."
if they wanted to restrict this ability with regards to creature summoning, they would have placed the "use this ability as a sorcery" text.
example:
me: Lich ability - paying 1 then targeting a creature, paying cost
you: casting surgical extraction, activating nihil spellbomb, casting purify the graveyard targeting my creature.
me: i can activate again the lich ability as a fast effect putting it on top of the stack.
Grafdigger's Cage turns this creature into a mythic 5 mana 4/4 vanilla until you can get rid of it. And having to use his ability only on creatures you can cast (no stealing off colour stuff) and on your turn (ability does not state creature card has flash) means great planning must be done to get full use from this.
On the other hand, I have seen it do wonderful things. Undying cards a lot harder to deal with even if the Lich cannot gain any abilities, as your undying cards can come back for just 1 extra colourless in addition to the cast cost
Edit: For those who aren't sure about the ruling, have a look at Ornate Kanzashi, a card with a similar ability to 'cast' cards
@garganeraboy
No, Havengul Lich doesn't grant creature cards in graveyard flash . Using your wording, this would mean you can only play the Lich's ability during your turn, please look at Ornate Kanzashi as it has the same ability but with added Oracle text
Hearless Summoning will kill Priest of Urabrask when you cast her but gives you three mana for 2 mana (by Havengul skill and 1 red mana cc of Priest of Urabrask) now you use this 3 mana to regen both Perilous Myr Priest of Urabrask. You'll have 0 floating mana in the process but you'll deal 2 and have 3 mana again to cast the combo :> infinity!
me:activate ability to return beguiler, tap lich to steal creature
Why yes, i am casting my general for
Secondly, I'm currently playing grixis heartless Lich with this guy at the centre. With singleton burning vengeance and secrets of the dead it's too much card advantage for one deck. Until you blast him away. Small target on his head.
Remember folks, this is WIZARDS we're talking about. 10 cents says it backfires and becomes a key staple in Combo decks because something awful is going to get printed in Avacyn Restored. Like, you know, Avacyn.
This guy is the automatic second card in every The Mimeoplasm commander deck ever, btw.
EDIT: See? Griselbrand. What'd I tell you. -_- xD So Grafdigger's Cage isn't a combo piece- but Tormod's Crypt is back...and I still put my money on Griselbrand + this guy + Liliana of the Dark Realms doing some stupid stuff :D
I'd like to see some other better ways to use him to cause repeatable creature control.
@A0602 suggested Shriekmaw
Which is great, but it has targeting limitations...
And that is the story of why I have no friends.
Okay, now that I have a playset, its time to get down on some standard dimir control. We shall use the new azorius pet: Judge's Familiar. Look at that recurring daze effect baby.
1, Perilous Myr : Shock
1, Solemn Simulacrum : Draw a card, then Rampant Growth
1U, Parasitic Strix : Syphon Life-ish
1B, Shriekmaw : Terror
1B, Fleshbag Marauder : Innocent Blood (caution: you won't be able to sacrifice the Fleshbag)
1GG, Acidic Slime : Creeping Mold
Unlike your typical reanimation spell, you need to pay 5 mana just to get this guy in play, and then whenever you want to reanimate a creature, you don't get a mana discount on the fatties (for example, 5 mana for unburial rites on a 7-drop means you save 2 mana, while using the lich to get it would be 8). This guy puts you pretty far behind in tempo. While he is obviously powerful if he survives, as well as if he's built around (like heartless summoning), many mythics are in the same vein; they will win you the game if unanswered and supported. What separates the strong mythics from the weak ones are those that have an immediate impact on the game as well.
In EDH he's hilarious though. I stuck him in my progenitus deck because it's fun being able to grab any creature, and mana isn't as big a constraint as in constructed.