I don't really see any use for this card. I mean, it does not even really work in lifegain decks!
Junk rare.
SyntheticDreamer
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
You better control a lot of permanents or else you'll be wishing you'd used that seven mana on something more useful.
WarioMan
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
"You'll never stop me and my life total at a whopping EIGHT!!!"
DarthParallax
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
tokens are permanents. i believe this is relevant. Talrand?
sarroth
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
The wording is interesting to me. Is there a rules reason why it wasn't printed as "At the beginning of your upkeep, your life total becomes equal to the number of permanents you control"? It seems that's how it would have been written on most other cards, and wouldn't have resulted in the instruction to count, which sounds silly to me because it'd be implied otherwise.
I guess this is white's latest counterpart to Lich?
Chamale
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is very boring. In constructed formats it's not likely to work, and in a slow limited format it can be used as a very slow stall. I played a deck with this card at the prerelease, and killed enough creatures that my opponent simply couldn't win the game. Eventually my opponent decked me by using Void Stalker on his own creatures a few times.
Your upkeep comes, ability from this goes on the stack. In response, opponent casts Quicken + Worldfire.
...oops
jsttu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
The quintessential junk rare of the set. Unless you are losing horribly (in which case this card will not help you as your board position likely is poor) this card will rarely be useful and will often be a dead draw due to not having more permanents than your current life total.
Additionally, since this is an enchantment your opponents will be able to interact with this, causing you to fear board wipes as it will hurt you severely. Oh, and forget about not using it once it is in play. The lack of the word may means that once this card is in play you WILL be dependent on the number of your permanents to survive, for good or for ill. I suppose you could keep a disenchant at the ready constantly, but that is serious card and tempo disadvantage.
A huge cost, a highly situational and often negative 'benefit', and the fact that it isn't optional means that i consider this the worst card in the set.
For one mana more i could have biorhythm, which is a one time thing that can be used as a win condition against your opponents. Would it be so much to ask for a reprint of that instead of this junk?
DytjeSaurr
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I agree that this card is bad in nearly every way, however, during the prerelease it was an insurmountable obstacle and won me many a game.
mrhardy12
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
People who are hating this card - keep in mind that some of the top decks in the competitive scene right now are token-based. This card DOES count your tokens, too. If you can constantly get out a high number of tokens, this is a good card.
Trygon_Predator
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
A horrid card to draw in LImited (I got two of them on the same night...), and useless in Constructed outside of some weird, involved combos. M13 introduced a lot of great new cards, including home-runs at lower rarities, but it also had some pretty lousy rares.
HowardTreesong
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
When you can cast seven mana you should be finishing off your opponent not playing rubbish like this. If you want to pay seven mana and mess about maintaining your life use Elderscale Wurm.
How often is the number of permanents on the table so much higher than your life total that this is worth playing? People suggesting it works in token decks... no you're just too vulnerable to Ratchet Bombs or Day of Judgment or any kind of wipe that will leave you with next to no life. If you had that many tokens, you should have played Overrun or Cleaver Riot or Predatory Rampage or I don't know, anything that would have actually won you the game two turns earlier.
Hanksingle
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
'THIS CARD IS HORRIBLE, EXCEPT FOR ALL THE GAMES IT WON ME IN LIMITED'
Limited is an actual format, folks, and this card is nuts in it.
kdraphael
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I agree that it's pretty bad.
I think the idea is that since you're paying 7 mana, you probably have at least 7 permanents (lands). Therefore, each turn your opponent would have to deal 7 (or more) damage to kill you, otherwise you're life will go back to 7 (or more) & they'll have to find some way to deal 7 damage or they can't finish you off. Since white has so many ways to prevent or redirect damage it could work, but at 7 mana it's just too expensive.
However, it could combo with Rhox Faithmender...
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I suppose this has potential, but mostly it seems it would be too little too late unless you built around it completely. For that reason, I prefer Worship or Biorhythm.
RedAtrocitus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With Boundless Realms, this thing can be almost insurmountable without enchantment removal or alt win conditions. Certainly not the best card, but underrated, I think.
Tr0uble
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The wording says "At the beginning of your upkeep, count the number of permanents you control. Your life total becomes that number." Does that include lands, tokens, other enchantments, and creatures? They are all considered permanents right? It does not say non-land permanents, so one would presume they mean all permanents. I almost want to make a white deck now.
Lotsofpoopy
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(9 votes)
This is a great enchantment. Pros like me have lots of permanents so this card would reward pros like me.
Morgaledh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Give this card time for people to figure it out. Those lands and tokens count too, you know, and as long as you have good blockers they are going to be a constant source of life for your unless you run into land destruction. Give it time.
When you consider the new populate mechanic this card goes from a horrible 1.5/5 to a mediocre 2.5/5
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This reminds me of Biorhythm (life-changing effect based on permanent count, high cost). The art isn't that different either (close-up on a face).
It's also similar to Elderscale Wurm in effect, except the life equalizing isn't done after damage is done. I suppose that's the difference between a rare and a mythic.
brandini
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So for 7 mana, your life total becomes at minimum 8 every turn? Could couple with Elderscale Wurm.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems like an interesting johnny card. Most decks win with damage, and this plus boundless realms will make you near invincible to a bunch of decks. Elderscale Wurm was another combo mentioned. Seems pretty decent for tabletop.
Sure, the mana cost on this is steep, but you're not playing it till late game anyway and, with cards like boundless realms and other land production, this card comes out sooner and stronger.
feedbacker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Interesting card, I initially though, oh wow this card is weak to Supreme Verdict and cards like those but I forgot that the card counts your lands and itself, so its a little similar to Elderscale Wurm, usually bringing to at least 8, but hopefully much higher as part of a combo which to me is probably how this card was designed.
Guest1888013255
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Tokens? Who needs tokens. I'll tell you what this card thrives on: enchantments! Ramp some enchants till you get a Sphere of Safety or two out, then toss this puppy into the mix and it's GG. Just kick back and automill or w/e.
Nothing funnier than beating burn decks with this thing xD.
Boring but effective!
chronacide
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
on top of that by the time you have 7 mana your health ismost likely less then 8, so what do you have to lose...
Comments (31)
I don't really see any use for this card. I mean, it does not even really work in lifegain decks!
Junk rare.
For Johnny, Combo Player, you could play this with Paradox Haze, Kaervek's Spite, Academy Rector, and a Near-Death Experience somewhere in the library for a glorious victory. Practically speaking, the card is bad.
In response, opponent casts Quicken + Worldfire.
...oops
Additionally, since this is an enchantment your opponents will be able to interact with this, causing you to fear board wipes as it will hurt you severely. Oh, and forget about not using it once it is in play. The lack of the word may means that once this card is in play you WILL be dependent on the number of your permanents to survive, for good or for ill. I suppose you could keep a disenchant at the ready constantly, but that is serious card and tempo disadvantage.
A huge cost, a highly situational and often negative 'benefit', and the fact that it isn't optional means that i consider this the worst card in the set.
For one mana more i could have biorhythm, which is a one time thing that can be used as a win condition against your opponents. Would it be so much to ask for a reprint of that instead of this junk?
How often is the number of permanents on the table so much higher than your life total that this is worth playing? People suggesting it works in token decks... no you're just too vulnerable to Ratchet Bombs or Day of Judgment or any kind of wipe that will leave you with next to no life. If you had that many tokens, you should have played Overrun or Cleaver Riot or Predatory Rampage or I don't know, anything that would have actually won you the game two turns earlier.
Limited is an actual format, folks, and this card is nuts in it.
I think the idea is that since you're paying 7 mana, you probably have at least 7 permanents (lands). Therefore, each turn your opponent would have to deal 7 (or more) damage to kill you, otherwise you're life will go back to 7 (or more) & they'll have to find some way to deal 7 damage or they can't finish you off. Since white has so many ways to prevent or redirect damage it could work, but at 7 mana it's just too expensive.
However, it could combo with Rhox Faithmender...
Anyway, for now:
Turn X: I play Touch of the Eternal from my
Turn Y: I play Decree of Annihilation
Turn Z: Wait....
It's also similar to Elderscale Wurm in effect, except the life equalizing isn't done after damage is done. I suppose that's the difference between a rare and a mythic.
- Boundless realms / Mana ramping /Kodama's Reach / Cultivate / Seek the Horizon
- Tokens
- Elspeth
- Phyrexian Unlife ---> + Melira, Sylvok Outcast (Which I'm aware works well on its own, but still) ---> Personal Sanctuary + Leeches
- Worship
- Indestructibility / Darksteel Plate
- Transcendence
Sure, the mana cost on this is steep, but you're not playing it till late game anyway and, with cards like boundless realms and other land production, this card comes out sooner and stronger.
Nothing funnier than beating burn decks with this thing xD.
Boring but effective!
Go ahead, try to beat my uncompromising 2 life total.