only weakness is that black have few support spells
blurrymadness
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Virulent Swipe makes for a mean 5/2 attacker that costs the opponent at least two cards. I quite like this guy in G/B, I bet rancor would make him insanely scary, given that trample + deathtouch means blocking is nigh pointless.
Murmeldjuret
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Casual deck with Precursor Golem and Xenograft ?
Mode
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
"Only weakness is that black has few support spells."-- Sel3l3e
Remember that aside from Insants and Sorceries, Auras will trigger Heroic as well. And don't forget even creatures with Bestow can turn into Auras to trigger his effect. I'm sure Theros, being an Enchantment-based cycle, will probably have provided us with a great amount of Heroic triggers in any color once it's complete.
Also, just because the mana cost of this card is double black doesn't mean you're not allowed to add another color to your deck for the support spells you like ;)
SyntheticDreamer
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Seems pretty perfect in anything that has plenty of means of targeting this guy with spells. Putting Madcap Skills on him or casting Armed and/or Dangerous targeting him seems like it'd have good results.
A fused Armed // Dangerous on this guy can really wreck an opponent - they sac a creature, then deathtouch takes care of the rest.
Ladon---
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@Sel3l3e: I disagree with "few support spells." In a deck that takes advantage of this guy and Heroic, you've got a disgusting machine at your disposal. For example:
In color: Boon of Erebos, Scourgemark, Ordeal of Erebos. Even if they kill him in response to any of these spells, you're still at card parity and hopefully took something good out. It may not work as well against tokens but it works very well against hexproof and indestructibles.
Allied colors: Fate Foretold, and Aqueous Form, Ordeal of Porphorus. Outside of Theros, we have Madcap Skills and, my personal favorite, Hidden Strings. Yeah, that's right, repeatable destruction and evasion with a two card combo that keeps you at card parity.
Now, if you build a deck with other Heroics, well, the value just gets even crazier. Labyrinth Champion isn't as aggressively costed as this dapper fellow of ours, but he can hit players if he wants to, which is nothing if not worth noting. Arena Athlete or Wavecrash Triton clear the way for aggro, which has synergy with Hidden Strings. For more aggro you have Akroan Crusader and Tormented Hero.
I'm just scratching the surface here, people. I think this guy is damn good, and that's not just my love for assassins that's making me say this. Happy brewing!
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
so cool that the best hero is black
JovianHomarid
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(4 votes)
I am unable to rate this card... On first look, it seems good, but I am curious about what deck it would go in.
Presumably a black deck that likes to target its own creatures, but such a deck would run the risk of having a lot of heroic-enablers in hand and no heroes on the board. If the heroic-enablers could double up as filling other roles it could perhaps be viable, unfortunately, none of the black Ravnica-charms seem able to fill this role....Flesh // Blood in a B/G/R-deck perhaps...? Bestow seems too slow for constructed.
I dunno, my card-evaluation skills are not the greatest, but I make two predictions:
1-It will drop significantly from its current 4.633 rating.
2-It will be a bomb in any limited pool heavy in black, but will not see high level constructed play.
Let's see how wrong I am:-)
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I am the Agent of the Fates! Here to speak their will!
They see EVERYTHING mortals! Past! Present!
and Future....
(indoor plumbing. it's gonna be BIG. B|)
ssshhh!! don't tell anyone I said that!!
Purplerooster
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
You could target him with a flat out removal spell if you really have to take care of a lone creature with hexproof.
majinara
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Good card. In limited he is good anyway, as is about any creature with power equal to casting cost and without a drawback.
In Commander again... I doubt you'll have enough spells to make him trigger often enough.
Abl
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ironic that the agent is stronger than the Fates themselves.
Vogie
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
"Actually, we lied about the borrowed air thing. It is actually a loan. With a very high interest rate."
Majikthise
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(6 votes)
He makes Hidden Strings amazing. That's saying a lot. Stolen Identity makes for a persistent increasing and hard to block threat.
the_blind_pony
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Sleeper?
Kaizeischi
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
This is just one of those cards that makes you want to play black. The moment I saw this card, I knew it would F#%^ up every deck I play.
uclaswag
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Fun synergy with Hunger of the Howlpack in a Forbidden Forest (BG) themed modern deck. The Heroic ability goes on the stack after you play Hunger, so Hunger will always resolve in its morbid state.
Jedydier99
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great with voyages end.
master-blake
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Has combo potential, and the art is breathtaking (Pun intended).
So finally found a use for Orzhov Charm's bounce ability. Enchant this sucker up with aura's and if they try to remove it at some point, save him and all your sac triggers, along with another sac trigger as a goodbye present.
ethereal armor gives him first strike and Deathtouch... and gods willing scries 1 and flips their removal back on them
SilverstarWolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Enlarge. Opponent sacrifices a creature, then swing in for another dead creature and likely 9 trample damage.
Scribebat
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
My favorite card from Theros. Running him in Orzhov but plays well in a variety of decks. Nobody's yet mentioned Deviant Glee or my favorite, Ethereal Armor (great fun until Feb. '14). I prefer enchantments with Agent and there's a bunch of 'em available, but instants like Gods Willing can catch an opponent off guard. Lots of possibilities.
TowerDefender
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Meet Nighthowler opponents sac a creature and he gets a boost for each! Or Nighthowler does*. * Barring GY hate.
Craats
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Guys, what happens if this guy is in the graveyard, and I target him, will the heroic trigger?
Kodanshi
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This chap with Blade of the Bloodchief. Then target him with all the spells you want. Yummy.
Finally decided to make a deck using all the heroic stuff from Theros, it's mostly Orzhov with a bit of blue splashed in. Very first game with it, I was really struggling against an unexpected token army and as a kind of last resort, decided to use Rite of Replication on him. Had just enough mana to then use a Hex on all of them. My opponents were not happy with my gleeful destruction. Very fun, very good card. A 3/2 with deathtouch is already impressive for 3cmc. The heroic mechanic just makes him that much better, and at the very least screams for a deck to cater to him and other heroics, if not be built entirely on it. 4/5
Also, I got really excited at the thought of heroic triggering in graveyards, too. For those wondering, unfortunately heroic isn't that good... Or maybe that's a good thing. I can see a lot of abuse coming from that possibility.
B/G deck. Have the Agent out, alongside a Wild Defiance (the more, the merrier, of course). Cast a Rancor and Giant Growth, both targeting your Agent. What you've just done is pretty nasty: for two (G), you've made your opponent(s) sac two creatures, and you bumped your Agent up to a 9/8 trampler with deathtouch. Eww... Add a Viridian Claw to the mix, and welcome all the hugs and kisses from friends.
Drewskithelegend
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think it's funny how everyone keeps mentioning orzhov enchantment strategies. Seems more like a Dimir-y creature to me in terms of mechanics and flavor. Objectively, you'll be looking at an esper list to fully maximize this in standard. It passes the cost/effect test as a 3/2 deathtouch for 3 alone and black has the most (and arguably the best) support for devotion which is a plus. Doesn't die to some of the more common black destruction spells (like Doom Blade) but does, unfortunately, die to Shock. It seems like a sleeper to me, one that already has some value in constructed.
Comments (43)
Remember that aside from Insants and Sorceries, Auras will trigger Heroic as well.
And don't forget even creatures with Bestow can turn into Auras to trigger his effect.
I'm sure Theros, being an Enchantment-based cycle, will probably have provided us with a great amount of Heroic triggers in any color once it's complete.
Also, just because the mana cost of this card is double black doesn't mean you're not allowed to add another color to your deck for the support spells you like ;)
A fused Armed // Dangerous on this guy can really wreck an opponent - they sac a creature, then deathtouch takes care of the rest.
In color: Boon of Erebos, Scourgemark, Ordeal of Erebos. Even if they kill him in response to any of these spells, you're still at card parity and hopefully took something good out. It may not work as well against tokens but it works very well against hexproof and indestructibles.
Allied colors: Fate Foretold, and Aqueous Form, Ordeal of Porphorus. Outside of Theros, we have Madcap Skills and, my personal favorite, Hidden Strings. Yeah, that's right, repeatable destruction and evasion with a two card combo that keeps you at card parity.
Now, if you build a deck with other Heroics, well, the value just gets even crazier. Labyrinth Champion isn't as aggressively costed as this dapper fellow of ours, but he can hit players if he wants to, which is nothing if not worth noting. Arena Athlete or Wavecrash Triton clear the way for aggro, which has synergy with Hidden Strings. For more aggro you have Akroan Crusader and Tormented Hero.
Then, if you have a bunch of Heroic creatures in your deck, there's no reason for you not to be playing Cutthroat Maneuver, Coordinated Assault, or (the cheapest option) Triton Tactics.
I'm just scratching the surface here, people. I think this guy is damn good, and that's not just my love for assassins that's making me say this. Happy brewing!
Presumably a black deck that likes to target its own creatures, but such a deck would run the risk of having a lot of heroic-enablers in hand and no heroes on the board. If the heroic-enablers could double up as filling other roles it could perhaps be viable, unfortunately, none of the black Ravnica-charms seem able to fill this role....Flesh // Blood in a B/G/R-deck perhaps...? Bestow seems too slow for constructed.
I dunno, my card-evaluation skills are not the greatest, but I make two predictions:
1-It will drop significantly from its current 4.633 rating.
2-It will be a bomb in any limited pool heavy in black, but will not see high level constructed play.
Let's see how wrong I am:-)
They see EVERYTHING mortals! Past! Present!
and Future....
(indoor plumbing. it's gonna be BIG. B|)
ssshhh!! don't tell anyone I said that!!
In limited he is good anyway, as is about any creature with power equal to casting cost and without a drawback.
In Commander again... I doubt you'll have enough spells to make him trigger often enough.
Running him in Orzhov but plays well in a variety of decks.
Nobody's yet mentioned Deviant Glee or my favorite, Ethereal Armor (great fun until Feb. '14).
I prefer enchantments with Agent and there's a bunch of 'em available, but instants like Gods Willing can catch an opponent off guard.
Lots of possibilities.
Very fun, very good card. A 3/2 with deathtouch is already impressive for 3cmc. The heroic mechanic just makes him that much better, and at the very least screams for a deck to cater to him and other heroics, if not be built entirely on it.
4/5
Also, I got really excited at the thought of heroic triggering in graveyards, too. For those wondering, unfortunately heroic isn't that good... Or maybe that's a good thing. I can see a lot of abuse coming from that possibility.
"You are living borrowed time.“ sounds much better.
Formidable removal effects. Pondering whether or not he stays when I get a hold of that Phyrexian Obliterator.