This card shows why Vorthos and Melvin are best buddies for life. Melvin would never have gotten such a unique and interesting mechanic if Vorthos hadn't asked for a nice Orpheus card.
The Vorthos in me wishes there could be a way for the first creature to turn back and whiff the rescue, but I'm still very pleased with this card. : )
Blasphemale
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is not just an average reanimator spell for the fair cost of 5, this is an INSTANT-SPEED reanimator spell! Enabling huge combos and interactions. Triggering and retriggering ETB and LTB effects. Also, I love how it punishes control: you're in the late-game and the control opponent is on the denial path. He taps out to countera small utility creature and this is your response. That's shattering Hope this will survive the torment of Scavenging Ooze and Rest in Peace in standard.
LordOfTheFlies87
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Holy shit. I love reanimating.
HotHit
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ignore for a moment the beautiful flavour of this card... I know, I can't either.
Anyway! The point I wanna make is this is an incredibly powerful card for value. On death, leave the battlefield and enter the battlefield triggers make it crazy. If an opponent uses any kind of removal or negative enchantment on your creature this dodges/removes it. Sac Thragtusk targetted Annihilate, bringing back restoration angel...
Unfortunately this isn't flash because they come back during the upkeep and have summoning sickness. But in a slower format, such as Theros block (or what it appears to be right now) that's not too terrible a thing. If you simply use it on two creatures with haste the downside is gone.
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This is a really fun take on reanimation that combines flavor and function, and at instant speed. Now Gerrard Capashen can go back and actually rescue Hanna, Ship's Navigator from an untimely demise!
Tiggurix
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wow! This is probably the most flavourful card in the entire set. And that's saying something!
thedevilmyself
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Now, my initial reaction is that this would go great in UB decks in limited. You cast this on your turn (for ETB effects w/e) and then follow it up with a Mnemonic Wall... If i'm understanding the rules on delayed triggers then because the Rescue isn't in the graveyard anymore it doesn't get exiled.
I know, i know, that's alot of mana to do both, but that would be pretty awesome.
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yeah new reanimation that doesn't suck! That alone makes me like it.
Dabok
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm not going to lie. When I first read this card I was like "Huh? It's an expensive reanimate, plus I need to sacrifice a creature?" Then I read the whole thing again. Since then my mind has been on an overdrive trying to brew a reanimator deck that profits most of ETB effects. 5/5 without a shadow of a doubt
Tapsa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sure, it's great with ETB effects, and sure, it's flavorful. But I don't get how people are hyping it up as instant speed reanimation. Sure you can cast it at instant speed but you won't get the creatures back until your next turn.
Lord_Ascapelion
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Awesome prerelease play I pulled off with this card:
I have a Loathsome Catoblepas out. On my opponent's turn, I cast this, saccing the Catoblepas and take out one of his guys. On my upkeep, I get the Catoblepas and Pharika's Mender back, who also gets me back a Reaper of the Wilds, which I have more than enough mana to pay for. That was just awesome!
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey, it's Black being a good guy! Defying death, yes, but overall good!
Wait a minute, the art is by Raymond Swanland. It's VERY nice to see that his art has become so diverse. It used to be really easy to tell which pieces were his, they all looked very similar. Cool, but similar. This is cool and unique and symbolic and AWESOME.
Ragamander
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1) Flavor home run. No, flavor grand slam. 2) Fantastic midrange response to removal. 3) Shenanigans with Body Snatcher.
5/5
BryceCarmony
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Great Flavor and super useful, get a free reuse on Enter Battlefield effects with your getting a card back? this is what Uncommons should be, interesting and fun.
thegreatsam
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Not enough to replace Victimize from my EDH decks, but still good enough to make me want to find the room to run both.
The instant speed is so good though.
moonmist103
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Whoever thinks that wizard's should make a wallpaper of this on the daily activity like this comment
Rasta_Viking29
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've googled this and can't find anything on the subject. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I Act of Treason'd an opponent's creature then sacrificed it to Rescue from the Underworld both creatures would both return to my control permanently. If this is true, expensive but powerful combo in draft/sealed.
Phelplan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I see I am not the only one to log on to mention the awesome flavor of this card. It is amazing. I also love that this card is black, but it is a "Rescue." I like it when the lines get blurred. Characters in stories don't have to be definitively good or evil.
youdeviant
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can someone help me out here? When exactly does the "Exile Rescue from the Underworld" part trigger? After you sac the creature and choose the target? OR after both the creatures come back to the battlefield? And if the latter, will for example an Archeomancer be able to grab Rescue before the exile kicks in? Thanks in advance!
More amazing art by Raymond Swanland, and is actually a solid replacement for unburial rites since rotation. I actually run a pretty good reanimator deck with this guy and 4 obzedats aid. I think the main thing about this card is the fact that it is an INSTANT SPELL. Not sorcery. Which basically says "oh you're swinging at me with boros reckoner? Imma just block with my lotleth troll and take the 3, OH WAIT I'll sack it and save me the damage entirely. My turn? Cool i'll just get back this Lotleth troll and angel of serenity, and exile your field and one ashen rider in my grave. Hey guess what? ANOTHER RESCUE." Just combos infinitely with ashen rider and angel of serenity to wipe their field and beef up Lotleth Troll to insane proportions. Only real threat to the deck atm is scavenging ooze and other cremate abilities. Easily one of my favorite cards from the set for the art, its versatility, and its oozing flavor. 5/5, easy.
MisterAction
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@youdeviant: I don't think Rescue from the Underworld ever hits the graveyard. The ability that exiles it happens at the same time as (and in place of) the normal rules that put instants and sorceries into the graveyard when they're done resolving.
Munchaus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The cool thing about this card is that it returns the sacrificed creature back to your control. Running a Crypt Ghast means that on turn 4 you can pop a Threaten-style effect from a Blood Crypt and then eat the creature with this card. You get the ETB effect of the creature, plus you keep it permanently. Getting your creature back from a graveyard is just icing on the cake.
I'm kinda glad you have to exile this card. Otherwise you could just reanimate every turn with an Eternal Witness.
wait
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Mnemonic Wall, Archaeomancer, izzet chronach, eternal witness & nucklavee. UNDERWORLD HERE WE COME!!
Petertracy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Okay so, not only is this an EOT instant speed Zombify, but there's also a super-secret Cloudshift stitched onto it for all your ETB shenanigan needs. Did I mention, this card is a flavor home run?
(MAN I can't wait to snapcast this thing)
MagnusMtG
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sac a Gray Merchant to rescue another Gray Merchant while using a mono-black devotion deck?
Aside from the beautiful flavor, it's actually not half bad.
Benreaper
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Guys! This lets you run ANY card, regardless of color, in a black/green deck. Just grab a couple Jarad's orders and a couple of these.fetch your desired creature & throw it in the grave, then use this to get it without paying its cost!
Polarious
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What happens if you use this to sacrifice an opponents creature (Act of Treason)?
Brawler_1337
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I desperately want to use this in my Karador sacrifice for value EDH deck. It sacs a creature, which works with Grave Pact, Martyr's Bond, Savra, Queen of the Golgari (if you sacrifice a black creature, mainly), and LTB effects like Solemn Simulacrum. And then it reanimates, which is great with ETBs like (again) Solemn Simulacrum, Angel of Despair, Ashen Rider, and Sylvan Primo—oh, wait. Problem is, I can't find room for it. I think this one may have to wait for now.
As it is, I'm pretty sure this and Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho are the only undying (rather than blink) effects that actually combo with Act of Treason effects (although the oathkeeper will probably need a Conspiracy). No wonder Polarious is confused.
cotf1692
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Remember people who are planning to flash it back or return it to your hand with your fancy blue wizards, it does get exiled afterwards.
Shiizu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great flavor and great card. Initially I thought this card was somewhat slow, but I didn't realize the in-set combo. What it lacks in speed, it makes up in persistence. This card was part of an amazing sealed deck of mine with a mnemonic wall.
It made all of my turns full of value. Every single turn I was able to reanimate my wall and another creature, and get the rescue from the underworld back of course. And my champion of stray souls made it even harder to stop this combo.
Excellent card. It's not fast, but it makes up for that by being generally awesome.
Superllama12
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just imagine this in Innistrad/M13/RTR standard when Unburial Rites-ing Thragtusk was all the rage
@Shiizu Rescue has a self exile clause, so Mnemonic Wall can't get it back.
Archimedes75
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use Athreos, God of Passage to fetch Odunos River Trawler, allowing for returning one (or two, if you immediately sacrifice it) enchantment creatures to your hand from your graveyard as well. Nice synergy and very thematic too!
When/if they enter the battlefield during my next upkeep, how many cards do I draw? - 2 (they enter at the same time, triggering only on their own constellations) - 3 (one enters first, triggering one constellation, and when the second enters, triggering both constellations) - 4 (they enter at the same time, triggering each other's constellations).
Comments (42)
If you want silliness, send Ashen Rider to get Angel of Despair.
Or just an Ashen Rider for another Ashen Rider. Just sayin.
Hm, sac a Tidehollow Sculler...
But, yeah, combos hard with Ashen Rider.
The Vorthos in me wishes there could be a way for the first creature to turn back and whiff the rescue, but I'm still very pleased with this card. : )
Anyway! The point I wanna make is this is an incredibly powerful card for value. On death, leave the battlefield and enter the battlefield triggers make it crazy. If an opponent uses any kind of removal or negative enchantment on your creature this dodges/removes it. Sac Thragtusk targetted Annihilate, bringing back restoration angel...
Unfortunately this isn't flash because they come back during the upkeep and have summoning sickness. But in a slower format, such as Theros block (or what it appears to be right now) that's not too terrible a thing. If you simply use it on two creatures with haste the downside is gone.
I know, i know, that's alot of mana to do both, but that would be pretty awesome.
Then I read the whole thing again.
Since then my mind has been on an overdrive trying to brew a reanimator deck that profits most of ETB effects.
5/5 without a shadow of a doubt
I have a Loathsome Catoblepas out. On my opponent's turn, I cast this, saccing the Catoblepas and take out one of his guys. On my upkeep, I get the Catoblepas and Pharika's Mender back, who also gets me back a Reaper of the Wilds, which I have more than enough mana to pay for. That was just awesome!
Wait a minute, the art is by Raymond Swanland. It's VERY nice to see that his art has become so diverse. It used to be really easy to tell which pieces were his, they all looked very similar. Cool, but similar. This is cool and unique and symbolic and AWESOME.
2) Fantastic midrange response to removal.
3) Shenanigans with Body Snatcher.
5/5
The instant speed is so good though.
Easily one of my favorite cards from the set for the art, its versatility, and its oozing flavor. 5/5, easy.
I'm kinda glad you have to exile this card. Otherwise you could just reanimate every turn with an Eternal Witness.
Did I mention, this card is a flavor home run?
(MAN I can't wait to snapcast this thing)
Yes.
And then Corrupt next turn.
Normally this effect is only seen on "fast blinks" like Cloudshift, Ghostly Flicker, Restoration Angel, Conjurer's Closet, and Deadeye Navigator, while "owner's control" is generally seen on "slow blinks" like Ghostway, Momentary Blink, Vanish into Memory, Voidwalk, Galepowder Mage, and even Obzedat, Ghost Council. The only exception I know of to this is Venser, the Sojourner.
There are a good number of ways to permanently steal creatures when they die (False Demise, Fool's Demise, Shade's Form, Adarkar Valkyrie, Grim Return, and kindof Debt of Loyalty), but this card is unusual in that you have to control the creature to sacrifice it and then the creature goes to "your control" and not "its owner's control". Compare this to most undying effects (Undying Evil, Angelic Renewal, Cauldron Haze, Faith's Reward, Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker, Colfenor's Urn, etc.), which all specify "your graveyard" or "owner's control".
As it is, I'm pretty sure this and Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho are the only undying (rather than blink) effects that actually combo with Act of Treason effects (although the oathkeeper will probably need a Conspiracy). No wonder Polarious is confused.
It made all of my turns full of value. Every single turn I was able to reanimate my wall and another creature, and get the rescue from the underworld back of course. And my champion of stray souls made it even harder to stop this combo.
Excellent card. It's not fast, but it makes up for that by being generally awesome.
"I sacrifice Thragtusk to Rescue from the Underworld targeting a Thragtusk in my graveyard in response to your Mizzium Mortars. Ooh, and I even get a 3/3 beast for my trouble!"
Rescue has a self exile clause, so Mnemonic Wall can't get it back.
When/if they enter the battlefield during my next upkeep, how many cards do I draw?
- 2 (they enter at the same time, triggering only on their own constellations)
- 3 (one enters first, triggering one constellation, and when the second enters, triggering both constellations)
- 4 (they enter at the same time, triggering each other's constellations).