How does everyone feel about Call of the Herd?
Modern forum
Posted on Aug. 25, 2015, 2:34 p.m. by TheAnnihilator
The card:
So, I didn't know until just now that CotH was actually Modern Legal. But it is... Interesting...
So, apparently (looking back at old discussions on the card from the past) what prevented CotH from being played was the prevalence of Pod.
But Pod is gone now, and grindy, attrition based games are king to any midrange deck now more than ever. As a control player, the second most threatening card to me in a BGx deck is Lingering Souls, falling just behind Liliana of the Veil. So, CotH seems like a decent card to me.
So what do you think of Call of the Herd? Is it good, or is it unplayable junk?
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #3
Make it a 2/4 and I'll definitely play it. A 3/3 is a bit iffier though. Could be useful as a one-of in Rock perhaps.
August 25, 2015 2:50 p.m.
weisemanjohn says... #4
Looks like 2 vanilla 3/3s for 
. I don't see what is so intimidating. If it had instant speed, I could see why it would be valuable, but at sorcery, I have other things I'd rather be playing for those mana costs (Treetop Village is the easiest thing that comes to mind that would be comprabale in board presence that I'd rather play that isn't strictly for a variant of mono green aggro; Kalonian Tusker, Avatar of the Resolute, Leatherback Baloth, Dungrove Elder, Thrun, the Last Troll)
August 25, 2015 2:57 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #5
Then again, weisemanjohn, Lingering Souls is just 4 1/1s for 
at sorcery speed. Lingering sees a ton of play.
August 25, 2015 3 p.m.
weisemanjohn says... #6
4 flying creatures vs 2 on the ground is a significant difference when each is as easily susceptible to removal as the other. I would much rather have the fliers for their increased flexibility when it comes to attacking and blocking and the sheer numbers when cheap targeted removal is so prevalent.
August 25, 2015 3:07 p.m.
I think if you wanted a Junk Token build and not just another Abzan deck, that this would be great. Way better value if you put Intangible Virtue in the deck. Could be pretty cool. Put in a Trostani, Selesnya's Voice and populate mechanics. Voice of Resurgence and maybe Pack Rat?
August 25, 2015 3:11 p.m.
I have to agree, 6 power for is fine, but not in Modern. You would need some token shenanigans in order to really get the value you want out of it.
EDIT: It's also a powerful card, from Odyssey Standard. Now and days, I'm unsure if it would really see play.
August 25, 2015 3:39 p.m. Edited.
In most cases the fliers can get in for damage which makes your opponent often have to spend 4 cards in order to answer each one while you've only spent 1 card to put them in play. It's also tough to outrace the small fliers because Abzan decks tend to pack enough removal and hand disruption that getting a creature to stick on the board isn't always the easiest thing to do.
The same can't be said for Call of the Herd. While you still have the option of getting 2 creatures for the price of one card. These creatures are also easier to deal with than the evasive 1/1's. Also, you don't generate quite the same amount of card advantage making your opponent answer 2 elephants compared too the 4 fliers.
Call of the Herd isn't going to replace Lingering Souls in Abzan decks and I don't think it'd be worth it to cut any of the creatures or removal just for Call of the Herd. It may have been a viable option before, but there are just better options now and not enough room for both.
August 25, 2015 3:39 p.m.
electromancer says... #10
What type of favorable trades does Call of the Herd make?
Stuff I'd compare (comments regard to Call of the Herd matchup):
Tarmogoyf -nope
Goblin Guide -a bit late
Snapcaster Mage -I guess...
Delver of Secrets
Flip -not sure
Lingering Souls -your opponent has one less power, way more options
Lightning Bolt -descent, but less than perfect
Pyroclasm -perfect
Wurmcoil Engine -still requires removal and a bigger mana investment than 
Kird Ape, Loam Lion, Flinthoof Boar, old zoo stuff -perfect, I think this would be the matchup where Call of the Herd shines.
I'm sure there's more comparisons to be made, and mine may be flawed but I figure it's good approach.
August 25, 2015 4:15 p.m.
Wizard_of_the_Broke says... #11
I actually did spend a good bit of time trying to work out a Junk Tokens build (Junk Tokens. Now with more Pendelhaven! ), which should've been an ideal home for this card, if there is such a thing. I tried Call of the Herd, and just never really wanted to draw it. It's not terrible, it's just there are better cards that do similar things, while being cheaper, more flexible, and less susceptible to targeted removal (like Garruk Wildspeaker or other walkers, and obviously Lingering Souls). I could maybe see boarding it into a tokens deck after your opponent pulls out targeted removal, but it's still susceptible to stuff like Anger of the Gods, which seems to be getting popular due to the rise of Merfolk and Elves.
August 25, 2015 5:03 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #12
If you're willfully playing this card, you're better off playing Garruk Wildspeaker which kind of does the same thing but with added utility
August 25, 2015 6:30 p.m.
I agree with a lot of what others say. I'd rather be doing other things, but this is pretty cool for a token deck. Souls is better than this because they have flying, and the flashback is cheaper. Tokenz needs this!
TheAnnihilator says... #2
Figured you might want to continue this discussion, ChiefBell.
August 25, 2015 2:34 p.m.