Red had Shivan Dragon, Green had Force of Nature, blue had Mahamoti, and Black had the infamous Lord of the Pit. Now some of you might say that Serra Angel is the white creature. No, white would be the flier for 5 cycle, but easily the best of them. No, the white creature is a forgotten underplayed favorite of mine:
Yes, that draw back is severe, but it is a 6/6 for 6, and is one of the only cards in the game that depict the Planeswalker in the art. In reality, unlike it's straightforward brethren this one requires a bit more tactic and skill to handle properly. Unlike it's cousin, you can't just charge in with it, and instead, it must be applied strategically.
As one friend once put it, while it's extremely frail to spot removal, it's nearly invincible to damage. It can in it's base form, absorb 5 damage, and then you take the damage instead. In this regard, combined with the power of a 6/6, he's actually a fairly efficent beater.
Sure, he's the biggest Terror target ever created, but that should be expected with such power. It's not different then running some of the other beaters of the format, they will be targeted and dealt with as much as possible.
However, there are a few ways to deal with his draw back. I had good effect of running this guy with Lich in my deck before the Winter Derby, since it made his draw back not be effected at all, and I could use it as a means to sac permanents I didn't need/want. Another trick for this format is to go a blue/white build and protect him with counterspells, or even green and run Regeneration.
Finally, there is the issue of giving him evasive abilities. In a format with Venom, Assassin, Cockatrice, and Basilisk, he can't always just run ahead on combat alone. If you are splashing the blue, I recommend Invisibility (which can also be used on your juggernaut), and possibly the occasional Jump. If you are feeling spicy, a Giant Growth into a Berserk could equal plenty of damage, but watch for a fog, because that would obviously be bad.
Fun Fact: This guy was reprinted until 5th, and even got a jumbo promo!
Well I hope I have inspired you to take a look at this underrated beater of yesteryear, and if not, well why are you even reading this?
No comments:
Post a Comment