This is so evil, not only it hosts popular Snapcaster decks, it doesn't affect anything else, allow equipment/aura such as Rancor and Angelic Destiny to recur freely.
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Behold, another Snapcaster killer...and without Gut Shot to deal with this, it's going to be hard for those decks to remove permanently.
Also, 2/1 for 1.
SirMalkin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The art on this is a lot better than the special game day version. Her "hair" looks much less silly here.
Lotsofpoopy
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(7 votes)
Pros like me have also noticed that she is also a soldier. Soldiers are useful creature types to have these days.
RealmRPGer
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
There's so much about this card, it's unbelievable. Elite Vanguard was already one of the best one-cast soldiers out there. In many decks, this will become the new default choice. This is also green's first 2/1 for 1 with no drawbacks (usually). Absolutely amazing.
I don't understand why Wizards made so many anti-Snapcaster cards in this set. It makes it look like Snapcaster was an even bigger design mistake than it is.
adrian.malacoda
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(8 votes)
Not strictly better thanElite Vanguard. Not even better, period, just different (albeit more powerful).
* Vanguard is a human, Militant is a dryad. Humans have more tribal support. * Vanguard is monowhite, Militant is . This is a mixed blessing since not only does it have all the benefits of being both and it also has some downsides (hello Mirran Crusader). While making it more splashable in regular magic, it is less so in EDH, which may be a big deal to some. * Vanguard is vanilla, Militant is graveyard hate. Notably, it hates on your graveyard too, which means it has anti-synergy with flashback and Snapcaster.
LordRandomness
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I've gotta say, the Snapcaster hate in this set is not very subtle. I'm going through the set alphabetically and this is the third one I've seen, and the second that only costs one mana.
Mowagh
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the best uncommons I've seen in a looong time. 2/1 for 1 hybrid mana is good on its own, but add in her ability and bam! It doesn't hurt that the art is absolutely beautiful.
1337vanguard
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Awesome art. I would totally use this but it would spoil my Lingering Souls!
heavyterror
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Kills snapcaster and reanimator. Reanimator will never flashback an unburial rights again.
"We will defend the Standard from Snapcaster "progress" at any cost."
Valtiaal
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Rest In Peace is also in white.
Seems like overkill, although Militant will do well in more aggro-centric decks.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Dear Players:
Dredge was the most B.S. thing to happen since ever, Storm is not as broken as Dredge.
We are revisiting Golgari, and Orzhov is a graveyard-themed guild, and Innistrad Block just happened, AND Dimir is a mill-themed guild. And Self-Mill/Reanimator is...."not bad in Vintage" because of Ichorid. So we have every reason to do this:
If you think we hate counterspells, it's NOTHING to how we hate graveyards. There will be grave-hate in every set of both Blocks of Standard this season. Deal with it, a grave-hacking deck is still doing stupidly good. (Though not as good as before- and we hope to see that downturn continue into a spiraling crash of fiery death!)
-Signed, Wizards
ToAsTy42o
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
gee, thx for totally hosing my R/U flashback deck. oh wait, it gets burned for only 1. n/m
I understand trying to stop Snapcaster, i get that. But with all the other "hate" for snapcaster in ROR why dont they actually find a stopper for Delver. Lets face it, that has been the go to blue card.
Even if you were to say they are as "Good as" eachother, why only snap caster that gets hate, why not delver?
I never notice that she also a soldier. I guess soldiers aren't useful creature types to have these days since everyone plays with zombies, or trolls. You no understand what I say, I am ... as you say, novice to game here.
Numbahz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Merlin117 They did not anticipate Delver being so great and popular in the format. Since sets are finalized long before they are released, they couldn't react to it quick enough. I assume they knew how powerful Snapcaster was going to be.
pedrodyl
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Too bad this doesn't hose the Izzet at all
Sootoo
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This is one of the best 1 mana drop creatures, IMO. My personal favorite. Very good against Toshiro Umezawa, or Dralnu, Lich Lord decks, but also still great in general. Only complain I have is that she doesn´t have forestwalk. I think every dryad should have forestwalk, since it´s not really the most useful ability anyway. Apart from this it´s perfect.
Also magnificient art by Terese Nielsen again. Terese Nielsen and Rebecca Guay are really my favorite MTG artists. I really hope wizards make more awesome dryads like this in the future, until I finally can play a decent dryad tribal edh deck.
RedAtrocitus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Rated a bit high for what is just a solid sideboard card... and I love Elite Vanguard.
hottychick88
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Excellent maindeckable hoser.
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like this card, but it is strictly better than quite a few other cards. I have no problem with it though.
The best 2/1 one-drop in Green for me, maybe even in White.
Subtle_Kay
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is immediately better than Savannah Lions because of its more flexible mana cost and on top of that it has a great ability, which if you use it properly has only benefits for you.
5/5
xenohedron
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This is a great ability, obviously relevant to Snapcaster, but it's too strong. It really should have been a 1/1, then it would be balanced. As it is, there's little reason not to play it in .
sonorhC
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's not actually strictly better than anything, since it also prevents you from abusing your own graveyard. If you weren't planning on doing that anyway, though...
Ligerman30
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Fellow G/W Players, play this card w/ Thalia, Guardian of Thraben to beat reanimator it (Exiles Unburial Rites & Dread Return) and past in flames, this combo is also good against Lingering Souls which is actually a bit of a problem card for mono-green. Making Lingering souls never flash back seems like a major tempo boost and a must answer. Any control deck that likes to use cards like think twice will have a significantly harder time digging as well. People seriously underestimate the power of mainboardable cards like this. This is where our sideboard cards should be. Elegant, Simple, not impossible to deal with, but, most importantly hits something against more then one match-up. Also, it trades with all the crazy 2 toughness creatures in the format (that don't have first strike). I.E. Geist of Saint Traft, not to mention decks that need Snapcaster Mage to operate. I'm not sure this is worth a slot in modern, but in standard, I think it's definitely worth it, especially since the price of this card went down. Think of this as elite vanguard w/ upside if you can just side out all your flashback spells. Certainly not the greatest use of sideboard slots, but, it helps enable some 6-8 card trans-formative sideboard plans that have the potential to just wreck face. This applies to g/w just as much as it applies to heavy white decks. However, if you do go the route of U/W tempo or geist aggro, I'd probably chose judge's familiar over this in favor of staying in color. Both of these cards are extremely good with Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, it just depends on what match-ups are larger problems (plainswalker/tapout/bant control or past in flames/reanimator/lingering souls type decks). This card was overrated when it came out but, now I think it is at a more appropriate level. The power level of it's ability isn't even close to backbreaking. But, it's enough to help tip the scales just that much more in your favor. If this hits even a single flashback card or if they target it with removal, this is at least a 1 for 1 and more likely a 2 for 1 or better. Just think of it as Elite Vanguard that gives your opponent card disadvantage in certain match-ups.
Nagoragama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I certainly hope they dial back the power creep a bit, or games are going to be so fast, control won't be able to ever keep up. Of course, this could be exactly what they want.
Continue
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Soon we'll get non-legendary 2/2s for 1 without drawbacks. Brace yourselves. And yes, Goblin Guide has a drawback.
As it is, this is amazing in Standard. Flashback, especially with Snapcaster, is so widespread that an answer like this was inevitable. 5/5
edit: What the frig, this is hardly seeing play in sideboards, and pretty much none at all in maindecks. Is there something bad about a flexible 2/1 for 1 with upside other than the fact that it's a removal magnet?
Lord_Seth_02
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Continue
edit: What the frig, this is hardly seeing play in sideboards, and pretty much none at all in maindecks. Is there something bad about a flexible 2/1 for 1 with upside other than the fact that it's a removal magnet?
There are better choices for maindeck. Champion of the Parish can quickly get bigger than a 2/1, Avacyn's Pilgrim/Arbor Elf provides ramp, and Doomed Traveler is resistant to removal. These abilities, especially in the right decks, are more useful than what often amounts to a vanilla 2/1.
As for sideboard, here's the issue: Dryad Militant only stops flashback (and the occasional Runechanter's Pike). It does nothing against undying or Gravecrawler and while it does weaken Unburial Rites, it can't stop it from being hardcast. Cards like Grafdigger's Cage and Rest In Peace, on the other hand, stop flashback, undying, and reanimation (Rest In Peace also snares Rancor). If you're preparing graveyard hate, why play a card that only protects you against some of the graveyard? Why not instead play a card that's harder to remove *and* hits all graveyard strategies in one go?
It has its uses (heck, I play it sideboard), but there are reasons it doesn't see that much play.
ElCarl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This looks so fantastic in foil.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's a soldier, has a flexible mana cost, hates on powerful things in modern and legacy, as well as Vintage (yawgwin).
Comments (50)
1. Elite Vanguard for both white and green
2. Anti Snapcaster Mage.
Also, 2/1 for 1.
Blistercoil Weird
Dryad Militant
Judge's Familiar
Rakdos Cackler
Slitherhead
* Vanguard is a human, Militant is a dryad. Humans have more tribal support.
* Vanguard is monowhite, Militant is
* Vanguard is vanilla, Militant is graveyard hate. Notably, it hates on your graveyard too, which means it has anti-synergy with flashback and Snapcaster.
U mad?
Sincerely,
Dryad Militant
Snapcaster "progress" at any cost."
Seems like overkill, although Militant will do well in more aggro-centric decks.
Dredge was the most B.S. thing to happen since ever, Storm is not as broken as Dredge.
We are revisiting Golgari, and Orzhov is a graveyard-themed guild, and Innistrad Block just happened, AND Dimir is a mill-themed guild. And Self-Mill/Reanimator is...."not bad in Vintage" because of Ichorid. So we have every reason to do this:
Crypt Keeper, Curse of Oblivion, Dissipate, Graveyard Shovel, Gruesome Encore, Memory's Journey, Purify the Grave, Sever the Bloodline, Shimian Specter, Tormod's Crypt, Grafdigger's Cage, Thraben Heretic, Vile Rebirth, Worldfire, Dryad Militant, Cremate, Ash Zealot, Rest in Peace, Deathrite Shaman, and whatever else we've thrown in Gatecrash.
If you think we hate counterspells, it's NOTHING to how we hate graveyards. There will be grave-hate in every set of both Blocks of Standard this season. Deal with it, a grave-hacking deck is still doing stupidly good. (Though not as good as before- and we hope to see that downturn continue into a spiraling crash of fiery death!)
-Signed,
Wizards
It's damn good sideboard card in maindeck form.
Even if you were to say they are as "Good as" eachother, why only snap caster that gets hate, why not delver?
They did not anticipate Delver being so great and popular in the format. Since sets are finalized long before they are released, they couldn't react to it quick enough. I assume they knew how powerful Snapcaster was going to be.
Also magnificient art by Terese Nielsen again. Terese Nielsen and Rebecca Guay are really my favorite MTG artists. I really hope wizards make more awesome dryads like this in the future, until I finally can play a decent dryad tribal edh deck.
5/5
As it is, this is amazing in Standard. Flashback, especially with Snapcaster, is so widespread that an answer like this was inevitable. 5/5
edit: What the frig, this is hardly seeing play in sideboards, and pretty much none at all in maindecks. Is there something bad about a flexible 2/1 for 1 with upside other than the fact that it's a removal magnet?
edit: What the frig, this is hardly seeing play in sideboards, and pretty much none at all in maindecks. Is there something bad about a flexible 2/1 for 1 with upside other than the fact that it's a removal magnet?
There are better choices for maindeck. Champion of the Parish can quickly get bigger than a 2/1, Avacyn's Pilgrim/Arbor Elf provides ramp, and Doomed Traveler is resistant to removal. These abilities, especially in the right decks, are more useful than what often amounts to a vanilla 2/1.
As for sideboard, here's the issue: Dryad Militant only stops flashback (and the occasional Runechanter's Pike). It does nothing against undying or Gravecrawler and while it does weaken Unburial Rites, it can't stop it from being hardcast. Cards like Grafdigger's Cage and Rest In Peace, on the other hand, stop flashback, undying, and reanimation (Rest In Peace also snares Rancor). If you're preparing graveyard hate, why play a card that only protects you against some of the graveyard? Why not instead play a card that's harder to remove *and* hits all graveyard strategies in one go?
It has its uses (heck, I play it sideboard), but there are reasons it doesn't see that much play.
Great with Thalia in white weenie. Unfortunately in many decks it competes with other outstanding 1-drops, such as Mother of Runes or Devoted Caretaker in Legacy Death and Taxes decks, or with soldiers with neat abilities (doomed traveler, deftblade elite, boros elite, etc..)
4.5/5