Umm anyone can really tell me the point of this card?
Keegan__
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Needs firebreathing.
holgir
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@Qazior:
The point of the card is, that it was kind of overpowered as a 4/4 trampling and flying creature for at time of printing. So they added the crucial drawbacks.
spike_barnett
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@kowrip Lifelink will still work. You get life when it deals damage to you as well, thus a net gain. It's still a crappy card though.
kowrip
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(9 votes)
One of the worst cards in existance. I don't see any way to get around this drawback. If it at least dealt regular damage to you, then you could prevent it. I can't see any real use for this card.
Edits: Hand_Banana, yeah tell me what red or blue cards are going to give you lifelink. Didn't think so. Besides, wouldn't you rather GAIN life with lifelink instead of break even ? So, don't be so quick to slam others.
spike_barnett: No, it won't. Lifelink will only counter the 4 life you lose by giving you 4 for the damage your opponent takes. It will NOT give you a net of +4. Lifelink only gives you life for DAMAGE the creature deals. That last part is not the creature dealing damage to you, it's loss of life. They are completely different. If it had been worded "For each 1 point of damage dealt to an opponent, Emberwilde Caliph deals 1 damage to you", THEN lifelink would behave as you claim. As it's worded now, you'll just break even.
SlickDragon
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Good points Kow, but dont forget the near-staple Basilisk Collar.
@kowrip really? you cant find a way around it? uhh hello? its called lifelink retard...its a simple way around the drawback. didnt say it makes this card conventional though... edit: lots of artifacts do. and i didnt say it would be conventional but u act like theres NO possible way to negate such a simple drawback. didnt say "hey lifelink makes this card very good" did i???
zk3
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I don't see this card as begging for lifelink. It is in the same spirit of cards like Flame Rift (in RDW) or Hatred (in suicide black) in that they are very efficient at lowering life totals. It's basically the job of the rest of the deck to make sure your opponent's life total is lower than your's. I think the actual drawback is the blue in its casting cost, because we all know red burn decks can deal quick damage to put them ahead but often run out of steam (remember firebolt's flashback cost?).
NoobOfLore
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I think there's probably better ways to repeatedly deal equal damage to an opponent and yourself. Hurricane? Earthquake? Pestilence? All of these seem like better options. This guy's a blocker, but unless the attacker has a power of more than 4, you're still at a loss.
It has it's uses(Reducing the life total of both players), but there are better ways to accomplish this.
CometKing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is design fumbling with, "what do we do with Red and Blue?" - it's getting better, a clearer identity is coming thru in more modern Blue/Red cards.. but they've got to get into the spirit of red/blue - creation, the mixing of two opposite to produce something never seen before..
I'm hoping that the Chimera creature type will find a home in Red/Blue - an illusion with a punch..!
That's a great direction to take me thinks..
Goatllama
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Great flavor text! Though it is countered by that of Teferi's Realm.
TPmanW
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It will always deal at least as much damage to you as to your opponent. I guess it was meant to go in either aggro decks that could use the extra damage to close the deal before the opponent could mount an offense on your low life total, or else in decks that paired it with lifegain to offset the drawback (White deck with a UR splash?). Yah, this guy's drawback is a little excessive.
vesterpop
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
With the new fateful hour keyword, perhaps this card in combination with a Platinum Angel could actually turn the drop back into an advantage? But there are probably easier, safer ways of dealing damage to yourself...
Superllama12
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is not a great card, but it's not as bad as people seem to think. You're ; therefore, you have plenty of burn and bounce to clear the way for this guy! Attack a few times, bounce/burn any blockers (if they die, you will trample over all four damage), and once the opponent is at 4 or so, burn them to death! It's not a stellar card, especially now that creatures are more powerful, but it is in no way worth less than two stars.
Comments (15)
The point of the card is, that it was kind of overpowered as a 4/4 trampling and flying creature for
Lifelink will still work. You get life when it deals damage to you as well, thus a net gain. It's still a crappy card though.
Edits: Hand_Banana, yeah tell me what red or blue cards are going to give you lifelink. Didn't think so. Besides, wouldn't you rather GAIN life with lifelink instead of break even ? So, don't be so quick to slam others.
spike_barnett: No, it won't. Lifelink will only counter the 4 life you lose by giving you 4 for the damage your opponent takes. It will NOT give you a net of +4. Lifelink only gives you life for DAMAGE the creature deals. That last part is not the creature dealing damage to you, it's loss of life. They are completely different. If it had been worded "For each 1 point of damage dealt to an opponent, Emberwilde Caliph deals 1 damage to you", THEN lifelink would behave as you claim. As it's worded now, you'll just break even.
edit: lots of artifacts do. and i didnt say it would be conventional but u act like theres NO possible way to negate such a simple drawback. didnt say "hey lifelink makes this card very good" did i???
I think the actual drawback is the blue in its casting cost, because we all know red burn decks can deal quick damage to put them ahead but often run out of steam (remember firebolt's flashback cost?).
Hurricane?
Earthquake?
Pestilence?
All of these seem like better options. This guy's a blocker, but unless the attacker has a power of more than 4, you're still at a loss.
It has it's uses(Reducing the life total of both players), but there are better ways to accomplish this.
I'm hoping that the Chimera creature type will find a home in Red/Blue - an illusion with a punch..!
That's a great direction to take me thinks..
I guess it was meant to go in either aggro decks that could use the extra damage to close the deal before the opponent could mount an offense on your low life total, or else in decks that paired it with lifegain to offset the drawback (White deck with a UR splash?).
Yah, this guy's drawback is a little excessive.
2.5/5