Underrated Cards
Standard forum
Posted on April 3, 2013, 2:01 p.m. by capriom85
So I was discussing the usefulness of Wild Beastmaster and decided to do a thread about some seldom used standard cards that should be shown some love. I really like how bloodrushingthe bestAster can give aggro a surprise turn 3 or 4 lethal swing when it didn't exist before. What are some cards we seldom see played in standard that have won some games for you or just make it fun to play with? This is all about giving the underdog some love today.
hiddengibbons says... #3
I think a deck with the Phylactery Lich and Moonsilver Spear would be interesting. Theres something kind of wrong about Liches and Angels working together. One of the most underrated cards I know of is Curse of the Pierced Heart .
April 3, 2013 2:21 p.m.
Love Ambush Viper and some of the curses are so good! I have shut control decks down with Curse of Echoes . I think the idea of the lich being used to make angels is both ironic and could prove effective. I pulled a lich a few months ago and traded it to my friend bc I hated it. He promptly added it to his deck and proceeded to beat on me with it bc I couldn't do a damn thing about his artifact. I run 2-3 artifact hate cards sideboard in all my decks just in case.
April 3, 2013 2:34 p.m.
perfidious says... #7
Phylactery Lich with a Stuffy Doll yep. I love the Ambush Viper as well.
April 3, 2013 3:08 p.m.
ResurrectedSage says... #8
I've done that before, but what's difficult to last til I get the 5 mana with nothing else. Or nothing else I had since I played mono-black.
April 3, 2013 3:11 p.m.
harrydemon117 says... #9
Deadbridge Goliath If Loxodon Smiter is good at 3 CMC for a 4/4, then why can't a 4 CMC for a 5/5 be good? It even gives you a turn 6 play to put +5/+5 onto another creature.
This card should be paired with Prime Speaker Zegana more...
April 3, 2013 3:32 p.m.
SupremeAlliesCommander says... #10
I'll give a shout-out to my buddy High Priest of Penance .
With burn decks making some noise and fast aggro still roaming the tabletops, this guy provides a handy bit of stall. He just doesn't have a deck to call home. His best shot at making a list is Esper Control, but that deck has better options.
April 3, 2013 4:08 p.m.
theemptyquiver says... #11
In my playgroup he is affectionately called "high priest of penis" because we are very mature MtG players.
April 3, 2013 4:10 p.m.
SupremeAlliesCommander says... #12
I'm sure you're not alone in that. LOL
I cast him once and had one player remark, "Oh, stoned and regretting it." Took me a few minutes before I figured it out.
April 3, 2013 4:16 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #14
I can't believe it doesn't see play. There has to be a control deck out there that can make use of it.
April 3, 2013 4:55 p.m.
theemptyquiver says... #15
jminute14 i think it is too slow.
i played against a deck once that used that and Heartless Summoning and some other graveyard antics, but it was just a bit slow and unwieldy overall.
April 3, 2013 4:57 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #16
I ran a grixis combo deck when Dark Ascension dropped with Heartless, Priest of Urabrask and Perilous Myr that could win on turn four, but now the support isn't there. I tried to build a new deck around him using everything from Snapcaster Mage and Vexing Devil to Slum Reaper and Black Cat , but yes...unwieldy, and casual at best. It's a nice multiplayer deck to slow roll everybody and blow away all their creatures late game...but that's all.
April 3, 2013 5:03 p.m.
@harrydemon117: The problem is he occupies the four CMC slot, which is usually taken by Huntmaster of the Fells Flip , Restoration Angel , and planeswalkers. It's not that he's bad at all (far from it!), he's just competing with everything else for that slot.
My vote goes towards Ulvenwald Tracker . Except for Thragtusk , I think he's the best mono-green creature in Standard right now. Once you get a large creature out or something that can survive the fight (regeneration or undying), he locks down the board against aggro decks. The best part is that he kills Knight of Glory and Knight of Infamy .
April 3, 2013 5:20 p.m.
I am a big fan of High Priest of Penance and Deadbridge Goliath . Kudos to all those cards.
April 3, 2013 5:44 p.m.
Shimian Specter . I run him in my main deck and people I play really don't know what he does until the folloowing turn when i look at their hand and start exiling all their wincons
April 3, 2013 6:05 p.m.
theemptyquiver says... #20
That is a good card. I kind of want to swap him out for my Desecration Demons sometimes.
April 3, 2013 6:08 p.m.
I really wish Shimian Specter was a 2/4 or 4/1 or cost less or something. He's like an uber Hypnotic Specter , but unfortunately dies to Restoration Angel (that will just flash in and kill him).
April 3, 2013 6:41 p.m.
just make him unblockable. its like unlimited Slaughter Games ... I think the ability to remove threats so effectively is worth putting extra work into protecting him and making it work. i am currently working on a dimir colored mill deck and I think I may run him as a 2 of in there.
April 3, 2013 7:32 p.m.
rtjaarda87 says... #23
This is an awesome card, i use it in my mono green fight deck and it's an all star. Target your Predator Ooze and go to town :)
April 3, 2013 7:34 p.m.
love me some Revenge of the Hunted . let's here it for turn 3 kills with smiters and silverblades!!!
April 3, 2013 7:40 p.m.
Xindlepete says... #25
Shimian Specter is fantastic, but my vote for underrated card goes to Dream Twist . Cheap as dirt, not a terrible turn 1 play for a mill deck by any means, and flashback. You know what people almost immediately forget once Consuming Aberration hits the field? How many Dream Twist you have sitting in the graveyard waiting to ruin their day. :) I have had great success with it in both of my mill decks: Grist for the Mill and Kill Mill, Vol. 1.
April 3, 2013 7:44 p.m.
Xindlepete says... #26
Shimian Specter is fantastic, but my vote goes to Dream Twist . Cheap as dirt, not a terrible turn 1 play for a mill deck by any means, and flashback. You know what opponents tend to forget as soon as Consuming Aberration hits the field? How many Dream Twist s are in your graveyard, waiting for their time to shine! I've had great success with it in both of my mill decks: Grist for the Mill and Kill Mill, Vol. 1.
April 3, 2013 8 p.m.
Xindlepete says... #27
Whoops! Sorry for repost, but I refreshed the page a bunch of times and the first one never showed up! :P
April 3, 2013 8:01 p.m.
detentionsphere says... #28
Deadbridge Goliath , Alms Beast , Disciple of Bolas , Aurelia's Fury , Clan Defiance , Devil's Play .
April 3, 2013 11:21 p.m.
A lot of people at the shop I go to call Aurelia's Fury a "poor man's bonfire" but I love it. It's not supposed to be a bonfire, it's meant to ensure you are clear for a big swing Nd your opponent can't stop it. Even more effective Aurelia herself swinging.
Clan Defiance , well, I love a way to deal with multis threats at I ce and hit the player too. Kind of like saying...yea I spent 7 mana to kill your thundermaw, but now your armada wurm can now join him, and oh yea, you can take 5 damage for yourself too. Spells just don't do stuff like that often and I love how this card works. It helped me keep Junk Rites at bay before.
April 4, 2013 7:14 a.m.
harrydemon117 says... #30
Another one is Chandra, the Firebrand . Nice combo piece to a LOT of other spells
April 4, 2013 9:54 a.m.
In the right deck, her power level is unparalleled.
April 4, 2013 1:25 p.m.
I have been killed for 6 with increasing confusion only to have it flashed back next turn for 12 doubled by chandrA. Milled half my deck in 2 turns....not to mention what other nasty stuff she can duplicate.
April 4, 2013 1:34 p.m.
Chandra + mind grind = possibly milling someone out in a single turn I the lands are positioned right
April 4, 2013 2:35 p.m.
Ok, lets face it. Chandra, the Firebrand is really an amazing card. There is no reason she is on the underrated list besides nobody sees the top 8 decks running her anymore. Her +1isn't a firework but her -2 is just perfect and the -6 is basically a better version or an overloaded mortar, which everyone uses now. She definitely deserves some more love than she is getting right now.
April 5, 2013 2:32 a.m.
KrazyCaley says... #37
I cannot say enough for Mystic Retrieval as a card advantage tool. I originally started using it as a cheap, but less-effective (as I thought) replacement for Snapcaster Mage , but now I wouldn't trade the Retrievals for the Snapcasters in the deck I use. A Mystic Retrieval is, much of the time I draw it, worth its maximum value, namely any two instants or sorceries that I want to have. It is flexible, it nets card advantage of 1, and it SELECTED card advantage. Snapcaster, though also allowing you to select, nets card advantage of 0 and requires you to cast the selected card that turn, while MR does not. In exchange, Snapcaster costs 2 less, is instant speed, and also gives you a 2/1 body, but I am finding that I much prefer Mystic in my matchups.
April 5, 2013 5:15 a.m.
Alvn_isnt_Low says... #38
Thatcher's Revolt + Battalion = surprise triggers.
Ambush Viper IS a card that I play at FNM... my "Jund Super Friends" deck used it as a way to flash pump Wolfir Silverheart or flash block. I've had a kid scoop in reaction to me flashing in an Ambush Viper at the end of his turn announcing that I was attempting to soulbond with Silverheart. Hilarious.
Undying Evil Is insane with Ambush Viper as well as Vexing Devil and/or Disentomb . One of my favorite 4 card combos. Cheap, Effective, and Efficient. And I should mention...opponents may get a little irritated. At which point hopefully you decided upon Immortal Servitude being included in your deck to return multiple creatures to the battlefield...
April 5, 2013 5:42 a.m.
Speaking of mystics, a lot of people in my area are talking about how good Mystic Genesis is in Bant. While not as good as Mystic Snake , it's amazing when it hits Thragtusk .
April 5, 2013 5:53 a.m.
harrydemon117 says... #40
I've been talking about Mystic Genesis in Prime Speaker Zegana bant for awhile now. It comes down right on curve, most of the time will give you a 4/4 or 5/5, and then PSZ hits and draws you more cards. Pretty much a blowout at that point
April 5, 2013 8:31 a.m.
I have a Yeva, Nature's Herald . I wanted to use her but I don't know where to stick her. Is she an aggro based creature or what is the deal? Where does she belong?
April 5, 2013 1:29 p.m.
harrydemon117 says... #42
Yeva, Nature's Herald belongs in any "beatdown" deck using green. Aggro is not usually for 4+ CMC creatures as they want to be established on the board well before then.
I think in a B/U/G deck would be good with Heartless Summoning
and other green creatures. Flash in a 3/3 for GG, and then after that you can flash in any other green creature you got!
Suprise Acidic Slime targeting a land when your opponent is tapped out? Or even Detention Sphere , sounds good to me :)
Not to mention you can pair her with Havengul Lich to bring creatures back out of the graveyard :)
April 5, 2013 1:39 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #43
huh...four mana for an Acidic Slime out of the yard at instant speed with heartless, yeva and The lich???
Interesting...lots of pieces though.
April 5, 2013 1:42 p.m.
Yeva, Nature's Herald is best in tempo.
Most decks I see that do significantly well in larger tournaments using her are nearly all RUG. They use her, Snapcaster Mage , Wolfir Avenger , and Huntmaster of the Fells Flip , and then cheap removal and countermagic.
April 5, 2013 2:29 p.m.
harrydemon117 says... #45
@ jminute14: Think of the possibilites though...turn 3 Thragtusk vs aggro. (sure he's only a 4/2 now, but still nets you 5 life and gives you a 2/2 after he dies).
The Havengul Lich + Yeva, Nature's Herald is for mid to late game strategies....but enough of hijacking this thread :)
April 5, 2013 2:38 p.m.
Alvn_isnt_Low says... #46
Use Yeva, Nature's Herald and cast a flash Huntmaster of the Fells Flip at the end of turn. then play land and then pass turn and he flips. Turns Green Beatdown into control style play when you cast all your spells on their turn. And she's no bad herself being a flash 4/4 for 4cmc
April 5, 2013 7:04 p.m.
ShadowLand says... #47
I think Undying Evil and Tragic Slip go to the top of my underrated cards list. I use them all the time and people are like, "why did I never think of that?"
April 6, 2013 1:01 a.m.
Alvn_isnt_Low says... #48
@harrydemon117- Why wait till turn 3 for a 4/2 Thragtusk when Infernal Plunge will get him on the board turn 2 as a 5/3?... Assuming you played a turn 1 mana dork such as Arbor Elf
April 6, 2013 9:28 a.m.
harrydemon117 says... #49
Because I have to use 2 cards to bring another one out. all it takes is something like Pacifism to render him useless and your opponent 3 for 1's you on it.
I have been working on a B/U/G Heartless Summoning deck ever since AVN was spoiled. I just included good old Tusky as he was a card that can come down turn 3 on the curve nicely vs aggro
April 8, 2013 8:59 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #50
Most of my meta game in my home town is rogue decks since people here seem to have an aversion to net-decking, and Wild Beastmaster plays a prominent role. Between a simple Rancor to soulbonding it to Wolfir Silverheart it can lead to some devastating attacks.
MinscAndBoo says... #2
Phylactery Lich . There's not a lot of artifact hate right now, so most of my opponents have a hard time dealing with him. Plus he's just plain awesome.
Deck: Budget Black Beaststicks
April 3, 2013 2:10 p.m.