I am a tad bit disappointed here. The Good is Azorius has great ways to enable devotion and the extra power at 6 is nice. The Bad is that I really am not in favor of her draw ability and I wish she had something different. Overall 3/5 for me.
CopySix
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(5 votes)
Solid card draw for current (RTR/M14/THS) standard. Suggested pairings with Brimaz, King of Kittehz
MrMonday
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
Honestly, I see this as going better with W/U's flickering shenanigans than anything else. It doesn't care how many creatures entered the battlefield, just if one did.
So, if you're abusing ETB effects already, you might as well combine it with this.
I love the subtlety of the art. Look how the clouds are darker over to one side, and her head is turned the other way, like she is trying to ignore the coming disaster from Xenagos's accession to godhood. Wonderful.
Purplerooster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sweet power, nice build-around-me ability, and works fantastically with flash creatures. There's no flash creatures in standard with 5 cmc right now, but nonetheless.
Kanra777
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
4/5 I didn't know what I wanted this god to do, but it wasn't this. At least it is stronger than I expected, but this won't work in my control U/W deck except as a finisher. Even then I prefer AEtherling over this.
edit: Oh wait, just realized, AEtherling allows for easy triggers each turn. A bit costly though.
BlakeHN
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Well hello there! Daxos wasn't really working out as my W/U flicker general... you interested in the job?
anotherfan321
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I love this. I love her vase, her earrings. Her general feel is great. The idea of all civilization as being a gift from her is pretty crazy.
She's also a pretty fun card advantage machine in decks that love playing dudes, making dudes, flashing in dudes and flickering dudes. All things I like!
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A creature enters the battlefield, not just casting it, which means all the non-spell token maker like Elspeth would gain huge card advantage. Hell, even Trading Post would suddenly become godly. Pun intended.
RAV0004
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The draw is powerful, but not as nearly as good as the other god abilities. Not at all nearly.
Cloudchaser.Kestrel
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
You can take Ephara's flavor a couple different ways - I enjoy them all.
Whenever a creature enters - this refers to the growth of the Polis, as babies are born Ephara gains power - she learns from each mortal as they grow and mature so that durring the next upkeep she has learned enough to draw you a card.
- Alternately this refers to whenever a creature comes of age and enters the polis as an adult - as we know parasophia is part of the Polis (gods I hope we get a Parasophia card) - and she learns from each new student as they explore and learn. Ephara is the embodiment of this learning and so draws you a card as new arguments enter the great conversation that is Meletis.
Really good. I mean, really good. Don't underestimate this.
James_Kernaghan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This will probably be the engine room of decks in its colours while its in standard. But decks running one colour but not both will not splash for it.
Jake1991
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(12 votes)
Dammit, Ephara! Stop pouring Nyx all over my house! It stains the rug!
Bagofmonkeys
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I think that what I like most about this card is that Wizards is pushing a creature based strategy with U/W instead of the typical control strategy.
Coolclaytony
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
While this card is undeniably awesome. Considering she is supposed to be the patron goddess of all the basic principles of civilization, I feel her ability should check for permanents rather than just creatures.
Mr.Freshness-Timmy
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Works well with prophet of kruphix, casting creatures every turn. Draw on each upkeep. Bant colours
lordchimera
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
She seem to resemble Aquarius with all that pitcher and flowing liquid. Of course said "liquid" is actually Nyx matter.
Kaizeischi
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm sure this has already been answered somewhere, but does a W/B mana symbol = 2 devotion? An example would be Judge's Familiar.
Lord_Skoonie
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Kaizeschi: No, Split mana only counts for one devotion. Judge's Familiar still only counts as one devotion.
Darkgoyfbadontcaster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
AWWW YEAH CREATURES WITH FLASH, REMOVAL AND COUNTERSPELLS, I'm just going to do the best possible play every single turn and i'll let their turn play out to find out what it is!
surewhynot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If it's true that the 'lesser' god weapons will be in the third set (and I have no idea if that is true), then what, exactly, is her weapon? Scroll of Ephara? Vase of Ephara? Mogis has an axe, Xenagos has a lantern/staff thing, hell even Karametra has a gnarly looking scythe! I'll admit that it appears Phenax has no weapon what-so-ever, but he's deceptive, so who knows.
Petertracy
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm not normally an big Azorius guy, but this is definitely my favorite dual god so far (at least until Kruphix and Pharika come out heheh) Very balanced, very powerful god that turns creatures into cantrips, and flash creatures into extra cantrips. Excellent synergy in Bant colors, or as I like to say, Simic weenies.
BorosGreengrocer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
What, this? This is my floating hat. I am a god, you know.
NickDay
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
F**k the Polis, f**k the Polis, f**k em!
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@K34: Drawing a card every upkeep for 4 mana would be insane. Making it indestructible and sometimes a creature? I suspect that would be banned or restricted in every major format. This triggers on every player's turn, not just yours. Mythic doesn't just mean powerful, it means unique and flashy. Its not an excuse to make a card broken.
I think this and Karametra are the two most powerful gods for EDH. Blue/white and flicker are already strong in EDH, and now I can draw a card on each of my opponent's turns as long as I can flicker or flash in a creature? I am sure my opponents are going to hate me, all you need to break this is a Deadeye Navigator and some ETB effects. Luminate Primordial anyone?
Aelvr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I feel like she would have been so much better flavorfully and mechanically if she triggered off of non-land permanents, instead of just creatures. I don't know, UW likes enchantments and artifacts or something. Right?
CosmicDragon
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Awesome! I wish there more cards like this to go with Traveling Philosopher and Sip of Hemlock so I can build my Plato's Republic themed deck.
MisterAction
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ooh, very tempting choice for a commander. As somebody who's had loads of fun with Sygg, River Cutthroat, I can personally attest to the satisfaction of playing with cards that challenge you to meet a certain condition every turn.
So what are the best ways to get creatures on your opponent's turn? Obviously Ephara loves flash creatures, but here are some other suggestions:
I was disappointed when I pulled this one. Seriously, at mythic ranking you'd think her ability would just say draw the card, not draw a card if you played a creature. Compare to soul of the harvest
I did get Mogis too, so it wasn't a total loss.
@enelysios I see the error of my ways, thanks for the lecture.
chrome_dome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
4/5.
gatorjunkie
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
To make your opponent really squirm play this with Norin the Wary. Neither of them are easy to remove, and you are going to be drawing a bunch of cards.
Matsumoto
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
what about trogen horse? that'll work nicely with the cantrip. I'm so glad they wrote "enters battlefield," and not "cast."
Puppetman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
As a duel commander general, she benefits from the support of as many creatures as possible to draw into only the most powerful control elements. Too many duel commander decks with this baby are littered with typical blue/white instants and not enough control creatures to really exploit her abilities both as a card drawing engine as well as an indestructible creature.
r2d2go
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled this in a draft with a few flash cards, which made it even stronger. Powerful card, even when not a creature.
MachineAge
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Synergy with . Flash in creatures to get an another card on your turn as well as the one on theirs. Would be good in commander I guess if you could flash in a creature every turn.
emlit
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ephara, Goddess of the Polis
TheWallinator74
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This doesn't feel W/U to me (seems more at home with Kruphix, God of Horizons IMO), but it does work well with a White Weenie strategy. Because we really needed Soldiers to potentially win quicker.
SAUS3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@TheWallinator74 I don't think this is for white weenie decks. You definitely want to run those style of creatures in a deck running this card, but it would ultimately be a slower deck. It'd probably feature more removal and control elements while running creatures that help control and also dish out damage - like lyev skyknight for example as well as maybe banisher priest.
Devotion would be important and some ways to get creatures into play on your opponent's turns would be handy. Ephara would act as a finisher and would keep your hand full while you continually drop threats and answers.
thedesertfox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants.
Comments (41)
Suggested pairings with Brimaz, King of Kittehz
So, if you're abusing ETB effects already, you might as well combine it with this.
I didn't know what I wanted this god to do, but it wasn't this. At least it is stronger than I expected, but this won't work in my control U/W deck except as a finisher. Even then I prefer AEtherling over this.
edit: Oh wait, just realized, AEtherling allows for easy triggers each turn. A bit costly though.
She's also a pretty fun card advantage machine in decks that love playing dudes, making dudes, flashing in dudes and flickering dudes. All things I like!
Whenever a creature enters - this refers to the growth of the Polis, as babies are born Ephara gains power - she learns from each mortal as they grow and mature so that durring the next upkeep she has learned enough to draw you a card.
- Alternately this refers to whenever a creature comes of age and enters the polis as an adult - as we know parasophia is part of the Polis (gods I hope we get a Parasophia card) - and she learns from each new student as they explore and learn. Ephara is the embodiment of this learning and so draws you a card as new arguments enter the great conversation that is Meletis.
I've been proxying this in my gift of immortality, sacrifice deck (burnished hart and trading post) and its beautiful.
Also note akroan horse, and heliod, god of the sun as consistent creature sources on your opponent's turn.
Very balanced, very powerful god that turns creatures into cantrips, and flash creatures into extra cantrips. Excellent synergy in Bant colors, or as I like to say, Simic weenies.
I think this and Karametra are the two most powerful gods for EDH. Blue/white and flicker are already strong in EDH, and now I can draw a card on each of my opponent's turns as long as I can flicker or flash in a creature? I am sure my opponents are going to hate me, all you need to break this is a Deadeye Navigator and some ETB effects. Luminate Primordial anyone?
So what are the best ways to get creatures on your opponent's turn? Obviously Ephara loves flash creatures, but here are some other suggestions:
Darien, King of Kjeldor, Reveillark, Brimaz, King of Oreskos (Come at me bro!)
Geist Snatch
Deadeye Navigator
Lullmage Mentor
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Pongify/Rapid Hybridization (Targeting Ephara)
Glen Elendra Archmage
I did get Mogis too, so it wasn't a total loss.
@enelysios
I see the error of my ways, thanks for the lecture.
I don't think this is for white weenie decks. You definitely want to run those style of creatures in a deck running this card, but it would ultimately be a slower deck. It'd probably feature more removal and control elements while running creatures that help control and also dish out damage - like lyev skyknight for example as well as maybe banisher priest.
Devotion would be important and some ways to get creatures into play on your opponent's turns would be handy. Ephara would act as a finisher and would keep your hand full while you continually drop threats and answers.
Because that's how you get ants.