Black Biggies (6+2, Rare, SOR)

[Shiro, Time Devourer]

Which one of these cards seems to be better?

Rise of the Fallen
6BB
Sorcery

Return all creature cards in your graveyard to play.


Maelstrom
6BB
Sorcery

As you play Maelstrom, each opponent may pay any amount of mana. If the amount of mana paid is lower than that player's life total, then that player's life total becomes the amount of mana they paid. Your life total becomes 8, minus 4 for each card in your hand fewer than four.

Covert Excursion
6BB
Sorcery

Discard your hand, then search your library for as many cards as you discarded this way and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your library.

 

[train]

The first one...

The last one is just too strong.... here, let me go get everything I need to beat you... and Black can do this faster than green...

 

[MrXarvox]

I like Maelstrom best, though as far as play value goes, the Rise of the Fallen is the best.
Covert Excursion is much too strong.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

I don't think Rise of the Fallen should be that much more expensive than Living Death. Maybe 4BB or 5BB.

Still I happen to like Maelstrom. It's fresh, edgy, and relevant to today's world.

 

[Shiro, Time Devourer]

Chainer: I like it because it actually makes pit fights go faster. And it puts people's mana to use.

Kamahl: I like it because it allows black to take a cue from green other than regeneration.

Laquatus: Allow Maelstrom to work for you.

I'm so sorry, but Thallid's comment made the card sound like a business company or a new brand of software. You just made my week.

BTW: Excursion does sound like something so crazy only R&D would actually consider using it. Before 1993, they had a prototype called 'Mana Clash' whick had the card, Insidious Tutor. It did the same thing as CE, but they panned it because it was too much. Keep in mind we're talking 1992, here.

 

[Jigglypuff]

Where did you get that information, Shiro? That's kind of interesting. Do you have any other information on early prototype cards? I wonder if they got the name Insidious Dreams (from Torment) from that Insidious Tutor card you mentioned.

And about the card Maelstrom. It just seems so likely to kill you since you pretty much have to empty your hand before you can play it or you'll die to it's second sentence.

(- Steve -)

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

You're welcome.
I was being sarcastic, but it does have a unique flavor that makes rares memorable.
Fortunately, emptying your hand by turn 8 isn't that hard. It seems to be costed fairly.

 

[Shiro, Time Devourer]

The reason for the "your life total becomes 8..." sentence is to prevent cheese like:

7
6 Black Lotus (BBB)
5 Dark Ritual Bx5
4 Dark Ritual Bx7
3 Dark Ritual bx9
2 Maelstrom (Thy hit points decreased by 20. *Dragon Warrior death tune* Thou art dead.)

On first turn. The black player has 7 life and no resistance.

7
6 Swamp
5 DR
4 DR
3 DR
2 DR
1 Maelstrom

is even less practical. Thanks for inquiring on that.

BTW: Inquest had a column on what MTG could have been. That is where I got the Insidious Tutor info. Yes, the Dreams was based on a Lite version of IT.

Jigglypuff: With Maelstrom, you shouldn't empty your hand. If you have less than two cards in your hand after you play it, Game Over. It's needed to have at least 3 cards in your hand other than Maelstrom.

You lose 4*b life, whereas b is (4 minus the number of cards in your hand) or 0, whichever is higher.

3 cards -> Lose 4 life
2 cards -> Lose 8 life (and the game)
< 2 cards Transcendence would be useful here.

 

[Jigglypuff]

Gotcha. The second sentence is bit confusing. Maybe it should read:

Your life total becomes 8. You lose (X*4) life, where X is 4 minus the number of cards in your hand.

It still works the same way and makes the sentence read easier.

(- Steve -)

 

[Shiro, Time Devourer]

I'll cost Rise at 5BB and make Maelstrom the Black Biggie. Plus, I'll post some of the Pure/Impure set cards on anycraze.