I think this could have used a mana cost of . Of course or won't work with an effect like this, but for four mana it's a tough cost without combos. When used properly, it can of course be a lot of fun e.g. with Azorius Æthermage and/or the most useful cip/etb triggers like that from Chittering Rats. A creature with such an effect would also have been very interesting. But wizards apparently thinks the card is good as it is, at least when taking a look at Blood Clock.
For some reason, I really like the art on this card.
defenestrator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What happens if you have multiple Umbilici in play? Can you choose the same permanent for both or do you bounce two different permanents? Do you lose life if a permanent that you planned to bounce is destroyed first? Or do you choose what to bounce (I notice it doesn't say "target") on resolution?
Superllama12
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I'd rather associate returning permanents with something other than umbillical cords...
Duskdale_Wurm
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
@Superllama12
LOL! I thought of that too.
And nice, spooky art.
tavaritz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This used to be fantastic with those 'give opponent a token a turn cards' because those usually gave the token during your upkeep and the, because you owned them, could return them to your hand.
Alas, no more, as those tokens are owned by the opponent with todays rules.
So why not have your own token generator that you can activate at your opponents end step.
teekasdragon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a control deck built around this. It uses Ornithopter, Phyrexian Walker and Shield Sphere to pay for Umbilicus. Then I use Equilibrium when I re-play the creatures and use them with Tradewind Rider to return other permanents. It also has a good number counters and Boomerangs for extra return.
TPmanW
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm pretty sure that the hose that connects a diver to their ship on the surface is called an umbilicus. Just thought I'd clarify. Either way it works great with allies. You actually want to return them to your hand to play them again, so the card is all upside.
Blue_mana
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Superllama12 and @Duskdale_Wurm
The reason why the name umbilicus fits this ability perfectly, is because of commercal diving. Commercial divers gets their air through tubes called umbillicals. If a diver stays submerged for to long he, or she would get decompression sickness (DCS), so in order to prevent this the diver needs to return to the surface after a given amount of time.
However, the diver could stay under water for almost as long as he wants, but the duration of the dive decides how long he must have a 'decompression stop' to release nitrogen (nitrogen causes DCS) from his body. The duration of the dive, and depth, also increases the chanses for DCS.
If you wanted to add that option to this card it could be:
During each players' upkeep, that player pays 2 life, returns a permanent he or she controls to owner's hand or exiles target nonland permanent he or she controls with X time counters where X is the converted mana cost of the permanent and it gains suspend.
Comments (13)
Of course
A creature with such an effect would also have been very interesting.
But wizards apparently thinks the card is good as it is, at least when taking a look at Blood Clock.
Evoke, Vanishing, and Grixis among others gave us a few creatures that have "leaves play" triggers:
Mistbind Clique
Extractor Demon
Firemaw Kavu
Sludge Strider, Umbilicus also fits Esper's theme.
LOL! I thought of that too.
And nice, spooky art.
Alas, no more, as those tokens are owned by the opponent with todays rules.
So why not have your own token generator that you can activate at your opponents end step.
Either way it works great with allies. You actually want to return them to your hand to play them again, so the card is all upside.
The reason why the name umbilicus fits this ability perfectly, is because of commercal diving.
Commercial divers gets their air through tubes called umbillicals. If a diver stays submerged for to long he, or she would get decompression sickness (DCS), so in order to prevent this the diver needs to return to the surface after a given amount of time.
However, the diver could stay under water for almost as long as he wants, but the duration of the dive decides how long he must have a 'decompression stop' to release nitrogen (nitrogen causes DCS) from his body. The duration of the dive, and depth, also increases the chanses for DCS.
If you wanted to add that option to this card it could be:
During each players' upkeep, that player pays 2 life, returns a permanent he or she controls to owner's hand or exiles target nonland permanent he or she controls with X time counters where X is the converted mana cost of the permanent and it gains suspend.
sorry for the late info.