Pointed Discussion

It's a 5/1 regenerator for 3 and a creature...what am I not getting?

The only trematode in Magic! The art is pretty cool --it just parasitized a Hollow Dogs and burst out of it (hence, the "sacrifice a creature") I've got to give it 3 stars (at least for the flavor and obscurity factor). Mechanics-wise it's meh.

FFFFS erata on Fluke. Since regen removes damage is asa good as a drudge skeleton. I drafted them on online and sucked like hell.

I think that this card can be amazing in the right suicide deck! you guys are not seeing its potential! It's the closest black has to a ball lightning lemme tell ya that!

I'm not even sure why, but I really, really like this guy.

Awww. The look on its face just says "ARGLBRGRRBKHGLRKBLKG"

Pretty nice. Regenerate makes it far better than it could have been, as a 5/1 with no defenses would suck. Badly. However, regenerate allows this thing to rip through all those 3 and 4 toughness creatures you'll probably be finding the turn it comes out.

One could conceive of a deck based on putting these guys out with defenses like Accorder's Shield and the like and watching them smash the heck out of the opposition... Real great card.

@Hulesz, blindthrall (and others): you didn't understand regeneration.

Declare attackers step: you attack with the fluke.
Declare blockers step: your opponent blocks the fluke with a 1/4 creature.
At the end of the declade blockers step: you activate the flukes regeneration ability. This puts a "regeneration shield" on the fluke. The shield does nothing right now, it just lingers on the fluke, waiting for it to be destroyed the next time that turn for any reason.
Combat damage is dealt: the 1/4 guy blocking the fluke is dealt 5 damage by the fluke, is destroyed, and put into it's owners graveyard. The fluke is dealt 1 damage by the blocker. The fluke says "screw you, I got a regeneration sield on me". The shield vanishes, and this is the moment the fluke regenerates. Damage dealt to it is prevented, the fluke is removed from combat, and tapped (if it ain't already). Fluke survives, 1/4 guy is dead.

This is how regeneration works. It allows the fluke to kill all kinds of creatures in combat, and itself to survive all kinds of damage or "destroy" effects.

Spined Fluke, you were my first uncommon in a time where I just thought ': Regenerate' was the bestest thing a card could do. I'll always have a soft spot for this little guy.

Majinara, good explanation for the most part, but the damage isn't prevented because of the shield. Instead, it takes the damage, then instead of dying, it lives, and the damage goes away. Similar, but things like Leyline of Punishment mean that it's different.

This thing is a high pick in any limited format ever. This thing rips shit. Hell a 5/1 with "{b} regenerate" for less than 7 or even 8 or less is playable in limited.

This is why I ignore the new regeneration rules.This is the one card I will always use, regardless of creep. It's that cool.

@majinara: I understand new regeneration fine. I just don't like it.

I like it how the flavor text hints at a card that interacted pretty well with it in it's block. Priest of Gix gets you both the mana and the creature you need to sack for it.

T2 - Keldon Maruaders
T3 - Attack, spined fluke

This may work well in a suicidal swing-n-fling. That said, this guys' inherent card disadvantage won't be as big of a problem given that he'll start trading with other creatures quickly. People will feed it to stave off that much damage.

Unfortunately, Black, Blue and to a lesser degree White all have *very* strong answers to this that are commonplace. I'd probably prefer Kjeldoran Dead for their ability to work as a one-drop.

They both work well with a leyline of anticipation as anti-removal.