This had some unnoticed years in the sun until damage left the stack recently.
febbstalicious42
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Awesome card. Vigilance and saving a guy at ANY TIME in unfavorable combat is overpowered. Especially because if your creature would die(b4 damage is assigned/dealt) then you can remove him and save him from damage while the other creature is still blocking! I see a deck brewing.
AlphaNumerical
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(5 votes)
An Enchantment one drop that costs absolutely nothing to activate as much as you want that acts as total vigilance, fallback protection and a very potent infinite combo enabler? What more could you possibly ask for?
5/5
mrredhatter
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
U-B-E-R Perfect combo with Archers.
GrimjawxRULES
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Basically turns all your creatures into Gustcloak creatures for mana. That's gotta be at least 4/5
Wow! A very useful yet underestimated combat trick, for only and free unlimited activations? Count me in!
Teufelhunden0311
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
You can't combo this with Knighthood and First Strike and Double Strike would be useless because the card clearly states that when you remove it from combat it neither receives nor deals combat damage.
Ideatog
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
And don't forget that First Strike and Double Strike create an extra combat step and therefore an extra round of priority to exploit. Combo this with Knighthood and run your creatures off after they've dealt their damage!
(Edit), @ Teufelhunden0311:
Qtd. in magic comprehensive rules,
702.7b If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
So, you can activate the reconnaissance ability after the combat damage is already dealt in the first step but before the second step. The ability doesn't prevent damage that has already been dealt, it just removes the creature from combat (after which it can't deal damage, hence the reminder text).
allmighty_abacus
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
"10/4/2004 Does not undo any effects which triggered on declaration of attackers or blockers."
I like this rule. Suddenly my Nemesis of Reason/ Preeminent Captain/ any other creature with similar triggers can use their ability every turn no matter what my opponent has on the field.
dark_hero
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Hello there Mirrodin Besieged. 'Battle cry' you say? Well then I guess I'll just Alpha strike and Gustcloak whoever I want out of combat. :D
Keino
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Yay for flanking!!!
Artscrafter
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
5/5 for versatility and low cost. They would never print a one-drop enchantment that says "creatures you control have vigilance" these days, even without all the other cool stuff you can do with this.
Pretty much every aggro deck ever will love this card since it basically lets you turn your entire board sideways every turn regardless of the enemy's board position.
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, here's how you use this card. Oh, and the fact that combat damage doesn't use the stack anymore makes pretty much not a lick of difference.
- Your creature is blocked unfavorably? Untap it to save it from being killed during the declare blockers step. - Your creature has first strike and you still want it to deal its damage without taking any in return? Untap it during the round of priority between combat damage steps. - Done dealing your damage with an unblocked or chump blocked creature? Untap it after damage has been dealt during the combat damage or end combat steps. (Players get priority during both of these.)
Note that the "doesn't deal or receive combat damage" reminder text is just that, reminder text. It assumes you're untapping the creature before the combat damage step. It doesn't go back and retroactively prevent damage that has already been dealt if you activate this after combat damage happens.
Nice with Kaalia of the vast. She can attack in safety and you effectively don't have to attack with the creature she brings in if you don't want to. As for this with an annihilate creatures; it somehow feels like cheating.
Crag-Hack
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I like Maze of Ith a little more because it can target all creatures and it's free and colorless..
Paladin85
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very powerful combat enchantment for just 1 mana. Your opponent will find it hard to block since you can just remove them from combat after the declare blockers step
5/5
penguinmage25
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
its underestimated its a really good card
samuribadger
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey wait wouldn't this go infinite with exalted? You declare your creature to be attacking untap and remove then wrinse and repeat. or am i missing something that would prevent that?
@samuribadger: No. Exalted abilities trigger when a creature is declared as an attacker, which you can usually do only once each turn. Reconnaissance does not allow you to declare attackers again.
Creatures with vigilance and cool abilities can play them twice per turn with this.
Attack, tap, recon, tap.
JimmyNoobPlayer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I thought at first you could create an easy infinite combo with any tapping ability, but I guess removing the creature from combat means it's not an attacker any more. Still seems very cool.
3045
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
white just have so much cool stuff on tactics...
Ligerman30
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is bull**** broken. No activation cost, lets you DOMINATE combat. And, it's an enchantment, which is of course a card type that has nearly no removal except for cards like Nauralize, Acidic Slime, and Erase. Lets you alpha strike every turn and not give a F***.
5/5
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a remarkable one drop. At first glance it looks very easy to abuse.
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Cephalid Breakfast enabler.
blurrymadness
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Yep; saw this and instantly said "Making a First Strike deck!" (knights.)
I love making Tribal decks that don't use lords. I feel so crafty..
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Okay for swinging with a bunch of weenies.
MojoVince
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Cool trick with Battalion ...
armogohma
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Due to the exact way this is worded, it basically functions as a Serra's Blessing stapled to a Dolmen Gate. For just {W}. And it only costs a quarter! 5/5
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
WAT.
Well, that negates Gustcloak Saviour a little huh?
And for ONE!? At uncommon?! How did no-one realise this basically let everything you control attack forever!?
Seriously, if you have one more creature than your opponent and there's no Palace Guard style shenanigans going on then you're pretty much guaranteed damage.
And it's in white too, just for you weenie lovers.
EDIT: Oh God, I never even saw the First Strike shenanigans...
Aquillion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Note that this card gives all your creatures vigilance, since they're still "attacking creatures" during the end of combat step and can be untapped then, after they've dealt damage -- they still do their damage and you get to untap them. See the relevant rule:
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see rule 505).
You can activate instant-speed effects during the end of combat step, and as that rule indicates, attacking creatures only get removed from combat at the end of that step; so during that step, you can use this card on a creature that has already dealt its damage to untap it, for free.
In other words, all your creatures effectively have vigilance (as long as they don't have shroud or protection from white or something else that would keep you from using this to untap them.)
volkiteSerpenta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Player 1: Right, so I'm going to attack with all my creatures... Player 2: Not so fast. *hits Overrun and three Righteousness* Try and attack me now. Player 1: Um... never mind. *untap* Player 2: D:
jonrds
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can see running archery training in the same deck as this. I'm not sure exactly what the synergy is, but I like it.
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
All kinds of new possibility with the new Inspired creatures from Born of the Gods expansion.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Recently given errata (recently as in between Born of the Gods and Journey Into Nyx) to restrict its usage; it can now only be used before the combat damage step. That's a shame; it used to be a combination of Serra's Blessing and Dolmen Gate, as armogohma pointed out.
RPJesus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How did it take me this long to pick up a playset of this? Even without being able to stack damage, your stuff basically can't lose at combat. Giant Growth? Gustcloak up in this mother. Oh, Stonewood Invocation has split second? Wait for it to resolve, k bai. You let him through? VIGILANCE LULZ!
Well huh, seems kind of vindictive to nerf this, especially when it flies in the face of clearly established precedents (See: Master of Arms and the mana burn cards i.e. Upwelling and Braid of Fire). But whatevs, still combos with Mage Masher- I mean, nope, now it's unplayable, definitely shouldn't be punched in the kidneys any more >_>.
Yukikah
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Honestly I love the errata: It really felt like a loophole that you could use the ability after damage (normal damage, not first strike) had been dealt, or at the least that it certainly didn't feel like the spirit of what Recon was trying to do. It still largely negates any of your opponent's combat schenanigans (giant growth, Heroic triggers, etc) and lets you attack with impunity if you have more creatures than your opponent. And, frankly, the most interesting interactions with this card aren't effected anyways.
1) Red/White swarm, attack with Raid Bombardment out then just untap anything that's blocked.
2) Green/White, attack each turn with any creature with a Lure effect and just remove the creature from combat each turn for reusable unblockable attacks.
3) Attack with impunity with your Battlecry creatures to pump your worthwhile attackers; even if they can block your Accorder Paladin with a 1/1 or such, you can just untap and save them.
4) Attack with even 0 power creatures to trigger Beastmaster Ascension to quickly pump your creatures.
The possibilities are endless really with attack triggers and many other things.
Comments (38)
5/5
Perfect combo with Archers.
(Edit), @ Teufelhunden0311:
Qtd. in magic comprehensive rules,
702.7b If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 702.4) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.
So, you can activate the reconnaissance ability after the combat damage is already dealt in the first step but before the second step. The ability doesn't prevent damage that has already been dealt, it just removes the creature from combat (after which it can't deal damage, hence the reminder text).
I like this rule. Suddenly my Nemesis of Reason/ Preeminent Captain/ any other creature with similar triggers can use their ability every turn no matter what my opponent has on the field.
Pretty much every aggro deck ever will love this card since it basically lets you turn your entire board sideways every turn regardless of the enemy's board position.
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, here's how you use this card. Oh, and the fact that combat damage doesn't use the stack anymore makes pretty much not a lick of difference.
- Your creature is blocked unfavorably? Untap it to save it from being killed during the declare blockers step.
- Your creature has first strike and you still want it to deal its damage without taking any in return? Untap it during the round of priority between combat damage steps.
- Done dealing your damage with an unblocked or chump blocked creature? Untap it after damage has been dealt during the combat damage or end combat steps. (Players get priority during both of these.)
Note that the "doesn't deal or receive combat damage" reminder text is just that, reminder text. It assumes you're untapping the creature before the combat damage step. It doesn't go back and retroactively prevent damage that has already been dealt if you activate this after combat damage happens.
5/5
@samuribadger: No. Exalted abilities trigger when a creature is declared as an attacker, which you can usually do only once each turn. Reconnaissance does not allow you to declare attackers again.
@Wizard-of-the-Toast: Good with Geist of Saint Traft for the same reason as Kaalia of the Vast.
Attack, tap, recon, tap.
5/5
I love making Tribal decks that don't use lords. I feel so crafty..
Well, that negates Gustcloak Saviour a little huh?
And for ONE!? At uncommon?! How did no-one realise this basically let everything you control attack forever!?
Seriously, if you have one more creature than your opponent and there's no Palace Guard style shenanigans going on then you're pretty much guaranteed damage.
And it's in white too, just for you weenie lovers.
EDIT: Oh God, I never even saw the First Strike shenanigans...
511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see rule 505).
You can activate instant-speed effects during the end of combat step, and as that rule indicates, attacking creatures only get removed from combat at the end of that step; so during that step, you can use this card on a creature that has already dealt its damage to untap it, for free.
In other words, all your creatures effectively have vigilance (as long as they don't have shroud or protection from white or something else that would keep you from using this to untap them.)
Player 2: Not so fast. *hits Overrun and three Righteousness* Try and attack me now.
Player 1: Um... never mind. *untap*
Player 2: D:
Well huh, seems kind of vindictive to nerf this, especially when it flies in the face of clearly established precedents (See: Master of Arms and the mana burn cards i.e. Upwelling and Braid of Fire). But whatevs, still combos with Mage Masher- I mean, nope, now it's unplayable, definitely shouldn't be punched in the kidneys any more >_>.
1) Red/White swarm, attack with Raid Bombardment out then just untap anything that's blocked.
2) Green/White, attack each turn with any creature with a Lure effect and just remove the creature from combat each turn for reusable unblockable attacks.
3) Attack with impunity with your Battlecry creatures to pump your worthwhile attackers; even if they can block your Accorder Paladin with a 1/1 or such, you can just untap and save them.
4) Attack with even 0 power creatures to trigger Beastmaster Ascension to quickly pump your creatures.
The possibilities are endless really with attack triggers and many other things.