Tarmogoyf = ???
General forum
Posted on Oct. 21, 2012, 1:52 a.m. by GriffinRider
Tarmogoyf is being reprinted.
I've seen heaps of talk about this but I don't understand it.
Granted, I wan't on the magic scene when this first came out so I don't have any nostalgia for it, but even so. It appears to be on par with much more recent cards like Boneyard Wurm and Splinterfright , for relatively the same mana cost.
Could someone please explain why this is such a big deal?
Thanks.
Epochalyptik says... #3
It also outraces burn quite nicely, since Lightning Bolt ing a 2/3 Goyf with no instants in the yard means Goyf will turn into a 3/4 and live.
October 21, 2012 2:07 a.m.
Any self-respecting Legacy match-up will find nearly all (if not all) of the permanent types in the graveyard by the fourth or fifth turn, essentially making Goyf a 2-mana 6/7 or 7/8.
October 21, 2012 2:47 a.m.
UniTheDino says... #5
It is hard to understand why Tarmogoyf is so amazing if you've never actually seen it played. It is an incredible two drop that (usually) gets bigger the longer the game goes on, and it is easily splashed into any deck.
There is a reason that it is $90 card.
October 21, 2012 4:07 a.m.
Basically in agreement with Epochalyptik's first reference. While Tarmogoyf is more limited in how big it can grow on its own, it's not restricted to relying on a single card type in a graveyard to determine its power and toughness. Nor is it restricted to those cards being in your graveyard specifically. Instead its P/T is set by the number of card types in all graveyards.
In Legacy matches, as zandl said it's likely a 6/7 or 7/8 in the early to mid game for two mana. It's also potentially a 2/3 or 3/4 as early as turn 2. Without early removal that's a big problem sitting across the table.
Epochalyptik says... #2
The comparison to Boneyard Wurm made me cringe a bit, but it's because I have actually seen what Tarmogoyf does.
Consider that Goyf has a default toughness. It can be played and stay alive even with nothing in the graveyard. HOWEVER, in a Modern/Legacy game, there will always be stuff in the yard. Fetchlands, instants, and sorceries are often already in the yard by the time a Goyf lands. On top of that, Goyf grows when the first creature, artifact, or enchantment hits the yard.
Ultimately, Goyf is a great 2-drop tempo card that grows as a threat without requiring you to do anything extra (such as self-milling for Boneyard Wurm and Splinterfright ). If it doesn't get answered immediately, it grows out of control and ends up mashing someone's face as a 4/5 or (often) bigger.
October 21, 2012 2:06 a.m.