Of all the cards in M14, this popped out at me the most. This set may bring about lifelink tempo decks, and this card says that louder than most. Other than that, the lack of a "may" clause can lead to this card being rather restrictive outside of formats with a higher health pool like EDH.
CopySix
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I completely Rootkit9208 - would have preferred a conditional 'may' draw card / lose life.
DaLucaray
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
Mmm, delicious. I like that there's no "May" clause- you have to be careful with it. Don't run too many creatures, and hope you don't run into Wrath effects.
blurrymadness
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Obviously best with sac outlets, run with a tiny bit of lifelink, this is probably a combo-player's dream somewhere. A great little card
Serecin
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I want to use this with Xathrid Necromancer and Deathgreeter. Oh, and tons of tasty humans.
Totema
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(10 votes)
Use with Blood Artist. Why should I pay life, when you can instead?
Even with the cost at {B}{B}{B}, the absolutely insane card advantage this buys you is amazing. Restock my hand as I run out of creatures? Instead of relying on having to topdeck one at a time, yes.
It will be fun forcing this into a multicolored deck :P I like a good mana balance challenge
anotherfan321
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like it, but I've never been fond of the triple-black as means of balancing things. It is just really hard to put in a deck without outrageous fixing.
Cyberium
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Personally, I like Phyrexian Arena better, mainly due to consistent card draw each turn. Dark Prophecy has potential but it requires creatures to die, which isn't always happening (blue can take control, white can use Arrest, etc). Besides, if too many creatures die at the same time you might lose more than you can chew.
However, I do find cards like this suits the risky flavor of Black really well, so it's a 4/5.
With all the sac outlets around, I hope Theros brings us some good zombies.
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
5/5 simple as that
d-101
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With so many ways to cheat around the "cost" of this card, it'll see play. Xathrid Necromancer works well with it (out of standard, the Necro and Conspiracy along with a sac engine essentially make this read "Sacrifice X creatures, pay X life and draw X cards"). This will be dangerous. 5/5
Exofori
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
THIS in EDH!
Skullclamp + Bitterblossom+This is a reliable 4 card draw per turn at the expense of 2 life and 1 generic mana. That's the shit!
majinara
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you are looking for a reliable draw engine, phyrexian arena is still vastly superior to this. You don't suddenly lose unpredictable amounts of life for a sudden, and you don't need certain combos to start drawing cards. Still, if you DO have the right combos around, then this is pretty good. The first card that came to my mind would be nim devourer, since you can keep saccing it to itself during your upkeep as often as you want as long as you got mana. Other options would be creatures with cumulative upkeep, since you can keep them around, and draw a card if you let them die. Or apprentice necromancer draws you two cards as well. Or travelling plague. If your opponent puts it on your creatures, you draw cards. Makes him think. :)
TrueKitsonga
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
And if they still insist on destroying your creatures, add Altar's Reap.
Opined_Fluke
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The art, name and effect don't line up for me - but I love the card mechanically.
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ugh, it smells in here. What is that smell? It smells like necropotence!
FaceClaimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just built my girlfriend a dredge deck with 2 of this and a playset of Golgari Brownscale and Varolz, the Scar-Striped. all i can say is.....WOW. all that advantage. all those options. it is truly scary that they all cost just 3 mana. even funnier is that it's so hard to remove them reliably. Varolz gets a regenerate shell every time you sac and the brownscale brings you up 1 life every time the loop completes. slowly but surely you mill yourself at a controlled rate and then drop the Deadbridge Chant. BOOM. ANSWER IT OR PREPARE YOURSELF FOR AN ASS WHOOPIN'.
IamjustnotCreative
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Although, yes, the mana cost does say Necropotence, the converted mana cost and effect scream 1-sided Fecundity.
DoragonShinzui
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
"May?" The hell would you want a "may" clause for? You're a black mage. If your creatures are dying, it's because YOU want the to! That's your "may" clause!
Zorgrath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I kind of wish it was targeted so you could use it with Notion Thief. Though really that is a minor complaint. Lovely card.
anondude87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This plus martyr's bond, blood artist, pawn of ulamog, and shirei, shizo's caretaker would be a nasty little combo
Zylo-
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ DaLucaray
Yea.. Because who would want to draw 7 cards right? I'm rolling my eyes at you.
there are so many cards that say "lose x life and draw x cards, they should give it a name like painthought. for example, this card would say "whenever a creature you control dies, painthought 1" and Griselbrand's activated ability would say "any time you want, you may painthought 7"
I won't get into all the shenanigans that him using counters upon entrance (though I will mention that corpsejack menace and Death's Presence shares the same standard) or just how broken dredge is. But this card breaks dredge even more.
Comments (42)
If you can't build around it, though, you might prefer Underworld Connections, though this still has its uses.
It will be fun forcing this into a multicolored deck :P I like a good mana balance challenge
However, I do find cards like this suits the risky flavor of Black really well, so it's a 4/5.
Goofy art.
Skullclamp + Bitterblossom+This is a reliable 4 card draw per turn at the expense of 2 life and 1 generic mana. That's the shit!
Still, if you DO have the right combos around, then this is pretty good. The first card that came to my mind would be nim devourer, since you can keep saccing it to itself during your upkeep as often as you want as long as you got mana.
Other options would be creatures with cumulative upkeep, since you can keep them around, and draw a card if you let them die. Or apprentice necromancer draws you two cards as well. Or travelling plague. If your opponent puts it on your creatures, you draw cards. Makes him think. :)
It smells like necropotence!
Yea.. Because who would want to draw 7 cards right? I'm rolling my eyes at you.
As long as Underworld Connections is in Standard, I'd rather run that.
Too bad they insist of playing it in a black deck,
Also, in German, this is DUNKLE PROPHEZEIUNG
and Griselbrand's activated ability would say "any time you want, you may painthought 7"
Gnawing Zombie, Gobbling Ooze, Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, Korozda Guildmage, or just using it for utility via Devour Flesh or Altar's Reap
I won't get into all the shenanigans that him using counters upon entrance (though I will mention that corpsejack menace and Death's Presence shares the same standard) or just how broken dredge is. But this card breaks dredge even more.