Is master of cruelties good?
General forum
Posted on Nov. 5, 2014, 1:14 p.m. by hassankachal
I can't decide if he's good or not. 1 attack is all you need. But...
Sucks to Near-Death Experience, a much underused card, in my opinion.
So, is the Master good?
Khanye - It works even better than that. Attack with Kaalia of the Vast, drop Master of Cruelties into play. Master drops them to 1 with first strike damage, Kaalia does the rest.
November 5, 2014 2:44 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #6
Master doesn't drop them to 1 with first strike damage. He makes their life total equal one as a triggered ability on the declare blockers step if he is not blocked. If that ability triggers he does no combat damage.
This is part of the reason he is a bit mediocre. He is incapable of finishing someone, you have to have a way to direct damage to the player or another creature to deal the final 1 on the next combat (or if you cheat him in attacking, another unblocked creature). In EDH you can accomplish this, in other formats he is a bit slow.
November 5, 2014 3:16 p.m.
Gidgetimer - Those are semantics, Master essentially drops them to 1, unless they are somehow at negative life already via Phyrexian Unlife or a similar device.
November 5, 2014 3:42 p.m.
nighthawk101 says... #8
I wish he was competitive outside of EDH.
I think there are some brews with him and ninjitsu, but he is a five drop.
November 5, 2014 4:20 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #9
JWiley129- No, it is an integral part of how the ability works. I'm not saying that "He drops them to 1" is incorrect and you should say "He set their life to 1". Your timing is the problem. If you had Asha's Favor on Kalia she would still kill them since setting their life to 1 is a triggered ability when Master of Cruelties isn't blocked, it isn't a result of damage he deals.
MTG is a complex game highly dependent on the exact timing of things. There are things that are merely semantics that some people on here will always get up in arms about, "only triggered abilities trigger" when someone is obviously asking about a static ability applying but said "triggers" instead of "applies". Hell I have brought up semantics, but only to these same pedantic people.
Master of Cruelties setting their life to 1 in the declare blockers step, and not as a result of first strike damage isn't semantics, it is the way the ability works.
November 5, 2014 4:21 p.m.
TheNinjaJesus says... #10
"I cast Cryptborn Horror... for 16/16... OW! Hey why are you hitting me stop that's a legit play!"
November 5, 2014 5:50 p.m.
master is just too slow and easy to kill. path hits him, every removal spell that isn't Doom Blade or Terror or the like hits him, etc.
November 5, 2014 7:01 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #12
He's very good with Kaalia of the Vast in EDH, essentially a one hit kill since no one has blockers out by turn five lol. However, he seems to be outperformed in other formats.
Gidgetimer says... #2
Depends on the format. In EDH in a deck that can take advantage of him, he is great. In most other formats Master of Cruelties is just out classed by lower CMC or more efficient options.
November 5, 2014 1:22 p.m.