The reason this card was printed was to "fizzle" buyback spells. If you sac the premanent the buyback spell is targeting then the spell does not return to the owners hand.
LeMaK
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
besides using it as rick said another good trick to do is gain control of 1 of your opponents cards, use it and then destroy it with the rats. of course its better if your usings a control spell that only works for 1 turn. otherwise theres no need to worry about destroying the card. but say your opponent finds some way to get their card back then just activate the rats before their spell resolves.
AXER
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use this in conjunction with cards that have "Gain control of target creature until end of turn" and such. It still isn't all that.
majinara
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Have it in my patron of the nezumi commander/EDH deck. First because it's a rat I can sac to reduce the patrons manacost. And second: if someone decides to steal the patron, or shuffle it into my library, or put a pacifism on it or something, I'll rather destroy him instead.
Drecon84
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Worst case scenario it's still a 2/1 for 2. Playable. Can be really good with certain cards like Ray of Command and such.
themlsna
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Sideboard at best.
rubber
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ok, play this, Donate it, sac Mindslaver, play Nightcreep. Probably not going to happen. However, since you'd want to be using this with Act of Treason effects anyway, and you'd want to play Bazaar Trader to make use of those effects further, you might as well throw in some Mindslavers or Sorin Markov for a severely unfun casual deck. If they're playing black it's a bonus.
Guest1381794618
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Combos with Skeleton Scavengers in a small way if you have a buttload of mana. Much better is Hatching Plans but even then, there's better ways to do that in color.
This is an interesting card to be sure, and maybe someday it will actually be good, but til then, its just a curiosity.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is black, and does something that's supposed to be bad to you. >.> ^This is my 'I am very suspicious of you.' face
SarcasmElemental
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is imperative to teach new magic players to consider things that at first appear illogical. It is as much a lesson in life as it is a +1 power bonus to your pestilence rats
Works great with Reya Dawnbringer and any creature that says 'when _____ enters the battlefield" that has a decent effect such as Fleshbag Marauder (which I have abused so badly that Im not allowed to play anymore).
Has anyone else ever wondered why they have Moai-shaped sewers on Rath?
Although originally meant for buyback spells, the effect can be useful in general to fizzle spells when you have means to regenerate the destroyed target. With Swarmyard for example, you can use this to fizzle any spells targeting your rats, which is pretty neat - including spells that would prevent regeneration, exile your creatures, or even take control of them or something similar.
I just wish the activation was free, this would give it a use similar to Greater Gargadon in some decks.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not needed in most decks, but if your running a lot of things with death triggers then having this guy is an option. I prefer Culling Dias even though that only works on creatures. But it can activate graveyard things, and soften up the punch of opponents removal for 0 mana, but only once a turn.
Comments (18)
This is an interesting card to be sure, and maybe someday it will actually be good, but til then, its just a curiosity.
>.>
^This is my 'I am very suspicious of you.' face
*Reads rest of card*
Well... I suppose there's always Spine of Ish Sah.
Although originally meant for buyback spells, the effect can be useful in general to fizzle spells when you have means to regenerate the destroyed target.
With Swarmyard for example, you can use this to fizzle any spells targeting your rats, which is pretty neat - including spells that would prevent regeneration, exile your creatures, or even take control of them or something similar.
I just wish the activation was free, this would give it a use similar to Greater Gargadon in some decks.