It seems I am the only one that understands the potential for this card, since everyone else doesn't seem to use it... Consider it a substitute for the now banned oath of druids in legacy.... you put one SUPER powerful creature in your deck (for me it is Progenetus) and use this card and BAM you get a free progenetus in play that your opponents cannot stop. how do you use its ability if you only have one creature in your deck you ask? simple, use lands or enchantments that turn into creatures (eg. fairie conclanve) and use proteus on them. Or you can use control magic on the oppontent's creatures and use it that way. Another underrated card.
themicronaut
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Not to mention you can use it to get rid of annoying creatures (although its a gamble), abuse really powerful coming-into-play abilities OR play in a deck with no creatures to stack your whole library (I'm thinking Goblin Charbelcher).
ToidiDiPuts
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Wabbajack
Lege
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
You can also target any tokens you might have in play to bring out a greater creature. It's super handy to get rid of enchantments on creatures, too. Great card.
lothrazar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Use with white instant spells that make you tokens, such as Raise the alarm or spiritual visit. Use blue arcane spells and counters for setup, maybe some more long term token generation like nuisance engine.
Has the potential for a turn three or four big fattie, depending how much mana acceleration you want.
And of course use on your opponents fatties too.
brap
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
this is a great and (IMO) underrated card. I agree with gangrenouskhan: progenitus as a sole creature + this card (I use polymorphs too), and you're all set. it's also a sick card in EDH (last I knew it was still legal in that format).
KicktheCAN
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(12 votes)
Play it with no creatures (except tokens) and just order your entire library.
blackjackz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hmmm I think the reason why this is undervalued is because Natural Order does the same, only better. It's cheaper and don't require that you build a deck around it. Just add 3-4x Natural Order and 1x Progenitus in your standard beat down / control deck and you're set. The deck becomes more consistent this way as you've only spent 4-5 slots on the combo. Instead of drawing a bunch of token cards that really aren't that good without the staff, you draw Tarmagoyf's, Rhox War Monk's and the likes.
Move over Progenitus, you're a has-been. Make way for Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. Turn 4 (single or multi-player) win without much effort:
Turn 1: Mutavault Turn 2: Island Turn 3: Proteus Staff Turn 4: activate Mutavault, swap for Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, take extra turn... Turn 5: Attack and swap Emrakul for 2nd Emrakul in your deck.
repeat step 5 until win
Musume
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@ Mudbutt: That's a pretty nice combo, but unless you cast Emrakul from your hand, you don't get the extra turn. And the extra turn only occurs once, not whenever he attacks.
Kryptnyt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Mudbutton; Emrakul only grants a time walk when you cast it, not as it enters the battlefield. If you read proteus staff carefully it says it puts it directly into play. Still, Emrakul is the shit for this kind of thing.
gcilley
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hey folks... I was just playing on MWS and a player who claimed he was a judge used this card to zap one of my creatures to the bottom of my library. I pulled cards off the top of my library and revealed a Aven Mindcensor. He said, "I respond to that coming into play" which I said was not possible as I did not cast the creature. He got angry and said that he could respond because he was allowed to respond to activated abilities because he had priority.
Any judge-types out there know the answer to this one?
ICEFANG13
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@ gcilley If I understand you right no he cannot the creature will be put into play he can't do anything the effect of Proteus Staff needs to finish. He used the ability and putting the Aven Mindcensor is part of the effect you can't play cards or abilities while an effect or spell is resolving only when abilities are activated or spells are cast.
1919
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Mudbutt_on
you would not get the extra turn because you arn't caasting him you are putting him into play
Qoid
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Besides all of the great combos, the art is unique and interesting :D 5/5
Tigt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Having trouble with making a creature light deck that uses this? Living Weapon!
axiobeta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
GTFO general :P 4.5/5, foil looks really nice
djflo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@gcilley - he cannot do anything until the ability finishes resolving - that is, until Aven Mindcensor is already in play. However, once it is in play, you can react, which is the same timing as responding to the ETB trigger.
In other words, the Aven's search your library lockdown will come into effect before he can do anything. If it were a Flametongue Kavu, the ability would go on the stack, but he could respond to that before it resolves.
Ryney
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Isn't this also a great defense against Emrakul? Seeing as how this is colorless, so you can put him on the bottom of it's owner's deck, no?
igniteice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Gcilley
If my understanding of the rules are correct, you can respond to only part of an activated ability. If he is responding to your Aven Mindcensor coming into play, then he is responding to the entire activated ability -- which is his ability. For instance, he can't play Counterspell or Cancel to prevent the creature coming into play, because you aren't casting a spell. He could play Stifle to prevent your creature coming into play, but that would also prevent your original creature from going to the bottom of your library, since he would have to respond to his own activated ability.
MrBarrelRoll
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
It's the Wabbajack.
stompfest
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this + bitterblossom/elspeth seems ok
Jamas
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ahh, look at all of those opposable digits!
Makuya
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MrBarrelRoll
"Wabbajack"? I don't get that reference.
El_Pared
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
make a deck with Proteus Staff, only 5 really awesome creatures, and 1 Phage the Untouchable. Magic's version of Russian Roulette :p
jimbob123432
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@gcriley - Hate to tell you, but that guy was a moron. You can't respond in the middle of the resolution of something. Otherwise, there would be more really broken combos out there.
Play it in a deck with no creatures (but with cards that become creatures or make tokens), save for a few copies of Darksteel Colossus.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Melek. Set up an epic instant/sorcery chain for just .
TheWrathofShane
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Polymorph is faster, but this is nifty.
Also something interesting. Mind Control there creature. Then when you use this on the mind controlled creature, it will go to the bottom of their library, but you reveal the top of yours and put a creature into play.
jonrds
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I would love to see a cross between this and birthing pod. Where the controller has to pay the difference in mana costs reduced by 2 or something like that (almost like a hallmark to flash). Would require you to run creatures instead of tokens.
Problem with this card is that it is too expensive to use legitimately (I.e. in a normal deck, using it on your weenies and their fatties). It has to be comboed, which generally makes for unfun decks.
I do like the idea of it though, and the randomness would be very cool if curbed by the anti-combo measure. A combination would have the potential to be faster than birthing pod and have good potential as an offensive weapon, but would be limited by its randomness.
Comments (36)
Has the potential for a turn three or four big fattie, depending how much mana acceleration you want.
And of course use on your opponents fatties too.
Turn 1: Mutavault
Turn 2: Island
Turn 3: Proteus Staff
Turn 4: activate Mutavault, swap for Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, take extra turn...
Turn 5: Attack and swap Emrakul for 2nd Emrakul in your deck.
repeat step 5 until win
If you read proteus staff carefully it says it puts it directly into play.
Still, Emrakul is the shit for this kind of thing.
Any judge-types out there know the answer to this one?
If I understand you right no he cannot the creature will be put into play he can't do anything the effect of Proteus Staff needs to finish. He used the ability and putting the Aven Mindcensor is part of the effect you can't play cards or abilities while an effect or spell is resolving only when abilities are activated or spells are cast.
you would not get the extra turn because you arn't caasting him you are putting him into play
4.5/5, foil looks really nice
In other words, the Aven's search your library lockdown will come into effect before he can do anything. If it were a Flametongue Kavu, the ability would go on the stack, but he could respond to that before it resolves.
If my understanding of the rules are correct, you can respond to only part of an activated ability. If he is responding to your Aven Mindcensor coming into play, then he is responding to the entire activated ability -- which is his ability. For instance, he can't play Counterspell or Cancel to prevent the creature coming into play, because you aren't casting a spell. He could play Stifle to prevent your creature coming into play, but that would also prevent your original creature from going to the bottom of your library, since he would have to respond to his own activated ability.
"Wabbajack"? I don't get that reference.
Also something interesting. Mind Control there creature. Then when you use this on the mind controlled creature, it will go to the bottom of their library, but you reveal the top of yours and put a creature into play.
Problem with this card is that it is too expensive to use legitimately (I.e. in a normal deck, using it on your weenies and their fatties). It has to be comboed, which generally makes for unfun decks.
I do like the idea of it though, and the randomness would be very cool if curbed by the anti-combo measure. A combination would have the potential to be faster than birthing pod and have good potential as an offensive weapon, but would be limited by its randomness.