"There is a legend among present-day Dwarves that the Dwarves of Sarpadia will one day return to defend Dwarvenkind against a deadly peril."
This month, for the 95 tournament, I ran a Dwarven tribal deck I called "The Lollipop Guild". First to answer the question of the name. The Lollipop Guild is the name of the midgets that sing in the Hollywood classic of The Wizard of Oz. It's only appropriate that a deck composed of midgets, be named after midgets.
"We are the Lollipop Guild...."
While the deck did have a number of weaknesses, goblins hit harder, the deck nukes any hope of winning after I'm done shuffling, and dwarves don't fly, which means skies hit to well. However, there were a number of good plays I managed to do, and I won more then one game, even if I lost every match. This, in part, is due to the brave guild enforcers, the Dwarven Soldier.
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| Pay your dues or we will break your shins. |
Playability: Two power for two mana is pretty standard for the time. It lacks the one toughness of the Ironclaw Orc, but doesn't have the coward mechanic, and in a pinch, will bravely defend their planeswalker with their life. They have not just one relevant tribe, but actually two, since the GCU have the creature type Soldier, which not amazing, allows it to be synergize with both Fallen Empires lieutenants. The ability is almost relevant, as both Ironclaw Orcs and Orcish Artillery sees play in 94 proper, and Lumberjack sees play in 95. However, its more likely to be flavort ext then an actual mechanic. Playability: 3/5.
Art: The last card I did with multiple card arts was Brasssclaw Orcs, which I disliked due to how much work was behind it, and somehow, had completely avoided doing a card that fit that, from Fallen Empires, to Alliances. However, since it's my task to review the cards, including art. I shall do it, for my adoring public.
Douglas Shuler Art:
I always enjoyed how much this looked like Dwarven Warriors from the core set. After all, they were both drawn as Shuler. However, while this art has much going on with it, with some nice little details, it isn't as good looking as Warriors, nor is it Shulers best work. There is just alot going on in the art, and the color are drab, but that's part of it's charm, showing these are common soldiers, strong and steady. Art 3/5.
Randy Asplund Art:
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| "Orc must die, Orc must die... lets kill this dragon" |
Randy Asplund has a long history in medieval art, and it shows. He's the ideal type of artist for early Magic: the Gathering, and it shows perfectly. This piece is no exception, and while not necessarily purely medieval like some of his art, it's certainly an old school fantasy feel, which would be perfect in an old issue of Dragon Magazine, or in an AD&D module. The color is the best part of the piece. The blond hair, the green trees, the red dragon. Even the details are distinct. The notches in the chainmail, the braids of hair, the bones on the dragon, the clouds in the sky, and even the shadow on the ground. This is easily the best of the arts. 5/5
Rob Alexander Art:
This piece of art takes Alexander out of his usual comfort zone of large landscape pieces, and instead focuses on a creature. Well, he sure out did himself with this one. The mono-chrome looks as if he's in a tunnel, with a small light source. The barely visible background elements of ropes and and stands add to the atmosphere of this piece, and while it's not technically the art, this card has the most poignant flavor text of the three, which compliments the art very well.
"Let no one say we did not fight until the last . . . ."
—Headstone fragment from a mass grave found in the Crimson Peaks
The art helps us remember, that the Fallen Empires is meant to be a depressing set, as the end of civilizations, and this art reminds of us that. 5/5
Flavor: All the flavor texts are the same, showing the ultimately doomed dwarven civilization and it's belief that it will one day return to help present-day dwarves. The mechanics however are where it shines, being stronger fighting it's ancient enemy, the orc. The two power shows it's better training over it's warrior cousins, thanks to it's superior training. Finally, it's one toughness shows how it's ultimately doomed against it's superior enemies. 4/5
Overall (combining the average of the art) 4/5. While not the strongest card, it serves as a great common, to capture the imagination and establish a baseline. It's honestly a shame the orc/Goblin/Dwarf tribal rivalry didn't get to continue on, outside of this set. It would have been great, to establish the colors great identity. Instead in two years, dwarves and orcs were phased out of the game, and outside of one block, we wouldn't get any dwarves until a few years ago, and just two years prior for orcs. Alas, a missed opportunity. I will write another article on that.
The Lollipop Guild was happy to have their service in their ranks.
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