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By: Kumagoro42, Gianluca Aicardi
Feb 06 2015 1:00pm
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I love this game. I love writing about it. Compiling lists about it. Evaluating it. Sometimes, I even play it. I'm an Accidental Player.

Craterhoof Behemoth

 The Tolarian Academy of Arcane Arts and Pictures presents: THE TOPDECK AWARDS!
 The best way to celebrate 20 long years of this silly game, by rewarding all those beloved cards that, at one point or another, starred in our personal tragicomedies and psychodramas.

 Today's category: Outstanding Trampler. When evasion is not available, trample is the next best thing on creatures that are supposed to connect with the opponent's life total. A staple of most green beaters since Alpha's War Mammoth and Force of Nature, then also of blue sea monsters, trample is possibly the Timmyest of all the abilities, conveying the images of towering, unstoppable colossi wreaking havoc on the battlefield (yes, everything in Pacific Rim has trample), or those of charging packs of wild beasts. Only creatures with natural trample ability have been considered for the award (so none of those who can acquire the ability later, like Primordial Hydra). Where possible, tramplers that aren't also flyers have been given priority. Multicolored creatures featuring green and a second color are listed under the second color's category. Otherwise, multicolored creatures have been considered as belonging to the category of the color that asks for more colored symbols in their cost. The nominations are divided into sub-categories and accompanied by a brief profile of the nominees, which are listed alphabetically. Winners will be published with the announcement of the next category. Last month's winners are here.

 And the voting duty, ladies and gentlemen, is all yours.

 But first, here's the X Hall of Fame. All the Hall of Famers aren't eligible for Awards.

   

  

> GO DIRECTLY TO THE BALLOTS <

> PREVIOUS CATEGORIES <


 Category A: Outstanding White Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Akroma, Angel of Wrath
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Legions
  • Reason for Nomination: Because she has everything AND trample.

 

2. 

  • Name: Armada Wurm
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Return to Ravnica
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the trampling Broodmate Dragon.

 

3. 

  • Name: Autochthon Wurm
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Ravnica: City of Guilds
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's still one of the biggest bodies in the game. And casting costs

 

4. 

  • Name: Bringer of the White Dawn
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Fifth Dawn
  • Reason for Nomination: Because sometimes tramplers even do combos.

 

5. 

  • Name: Elderwood Scion
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Planechase 2012
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the best midrange creature nobody's playing.

 

6. 

  • Name: Mirror-Sigil Sergeant
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Conflux
  • Reason for Nomination: Because two angry rhinos are better than one. And a geometric proliferation of angry rhinos is better than two.

 

7. 

  • Name: Phantom Nishoba
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Judgment
  • Reason for Nomination: Because if this thing were in Modern, it'd be a star.

> GO TO THE BALLOTS <


 Category B: Outstanding Blue Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Horizon Chimera
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Birthplace: Theros
  • Reason for Nomination: Because she does so many things, you may forget she's also a trampler.

 

2. 

  • Name: Leviathan
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: The Dark
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's so bad it's good! Okay, it's not. But at least, it's iconic!

 

3. 

  • Name: Sagu Mauler
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Khans of Tarkir
  • Reason for Nomination: Because when blue and green put their heads together, you're being overwhelmed by stuff you can't touch.

 

4. 

  • Name: Simic Sky Swallower
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Dissension
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's in the shortlist for Best Cheat-Into-Play Target Ever.

 

5. 

  • Name: Skaab Goliath
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Birthplace: Innistrad
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the largest Frankenstein's monster in the game.

 

6. 

  • Name: Taniwha
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Mirage
  • Reason for Nomination: Because you can do some Johnny shenanigans with this thing. I swear!

 

7. 

  • Name: Trench Gorger
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Commander
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it thins your deck while fatting itself.

> GO TO THE BALLOTS <


 Category C: Outstanding Black Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Deity of Scars
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Eventide
  • Reason for Nomination: Because, hey, it's a 7/7 trampler for 5!

 

2. 

  • Name: Doomgape
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Eventide
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's so hungry, it may end eating itself.

 

3. 

  • Name: Ebon Praetor
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Fallen Empires
  • Reason for Nomination: Because the depicted scene is a pure LSD-induced nightmare.

 

4. 

  • Name: Gallowbraid
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Weatherlight
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's an old-time star.

 

5. 

  • Name: Gleancrawler
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Ravnica: City of Guilds
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it really wants to be fetched via Natural Order.

 

6. 

  • Name: Hunted Troll
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Ravnica: City of Guilds
  • Reason for Nomination: Because, hey, it's a 7/7 trampler for 2!

 

7. 

  • Name: Lotleth Troll
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Return to Ravnica
  • Reason for Nomination: Because everything starts small.

 

8. 

  • Name: Mindleech Mass
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Ravnica: City of Guilds
  • Reason for Nomination: Because this effect is really at home on a trampler.

 

9. 

  • Name: Scion of Darkness
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Legions
  • Reason for Nomination: Because this effect is a TOTAL BLAST on a trampler.

 

10. 

  • Name: Thought Gorger
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Rise of the Eldrazi
  • Reason for Nomination: Because this is stealthily a great dredge enabler.

> GO TO THE BALLOTS <


 Category D: Outstanding Red Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Archetype of Aggression
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Birthplace: Born of the Gods
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the trampler that ends all trampling. For its opponents.

 

2. 

  • Name: Ball Lightning
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: The Dark
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it spawned many, many imitations.

 

3. 

  • Name: Boartusk Liege
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Shadowmoor
  • Reason for Nomination: Because he cares for his vassals' hitting power.

 

4. 

 

5. 

  • Name: Deus of Calamity
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Shadowmoor
  • Reason for Nomination: Because you really don't want to see this one cheated into play on an early turn.

 

6. 

  • Name: Fanatic of Xenagos
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Birthplace: Born of the Gods
  • Reason for Nomination: Because you don't need to be flashy to be a good trampler.

 

7. 

  • Name: Ghor-Clan Rampager
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Birthplace: Gatecrash
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's a selfless trampler that sacrifices itself to make someone else a better trampler.

 

8. 

  • Name: Prophetic Flamespeaker
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Journey into Nyx
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's up to you to make the best out of that single point of power.

 

9. 

  • Name: Shivan Wurm
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Planeshift
  • Reason for Nomination: Because back in the old times, it was very cost-efficient. And, you know what? It still is.

 

10. 

  • Name: Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Time Spiral
  • Reason for Nomination: Because he's the Trampler Lord.

> GO TO THE BALLOTS <


 Category E: Outstanding Mono-Green Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Khalni Hydra
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Rise of the Eldrazi
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's a Force of Nature for (potentially) free!

 

2. 

  • Name: Lifeblood Hydra
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Commander 2014
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's state-of-the-art hydra-tech.

 

3. 

  • Name: Rampaging Baloths
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Zendikar
  • Reason for Nomination: Because you get one big trampler, and its little friends.

 

4. 

 

5. 

  • Name: Soul of the Harvest
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Avacyn Restored
  • Reason for Nomination: Because modern green IS the color of massive card-drawing.

 

6. 

  • Name: Terravore
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Odyssey
  • Reason for Nomination: Because there are support groups for people who faced the deck named after this guy.

 

7. 

  • Name: Vigor
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Lorwyn
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it might be dorky, but it's still the ultimate combat weapon.

 

8. 

  • Name: Vorapede
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Dark Ascension
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the little Insect that could. And it's not so little.

 

9. 

  • Name: Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: New Phyrexia
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's the Praetor that sets up the most amazingly over-the-top Commander plays.

 

10. 

> GO TO THE BALLOTS <


 Category F: Outstanding Colorless Trampler

 The nominees are: 

1. 

  • Name: Bosh, Iron Golem
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Mirrodin
  • Reason for Nomination: Because he tramples so much, he directly hurls stuff past the red zone.

 

2. 

  • Name: Colossus of Sardia
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Antiquities
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it shaped the fantasy of the first generation of Timmies.

 

3. 

 

4. 

  • Name: Lodestone Myr
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Birthplace: Mirrodin
  • Reason for Nomination: Because you shouldn't underestimate its ability to grow.

 

5. 

  • Name: Soul of New Phyrexia
  • Rarity: Mythic Rare
  • Birthplace: Magic 2015
  • Reason for Nomination: Because it's a mechanical messiah.

Time to cast your vote!

 You can first review specific profiles here: White, Blue, Black, Red, Green, Colorless


And the winners are...!

 Outstanding Mono-White Flyer: Restoration Angel!

 Runner-up: Iona, Shield of Emeria

 Outstanding Mono-Blue Flyer: Mulldrifter!

 Runner-up: Consecrated Sphinx

 Outstanding Mono-Black Flyer: Griselbrand!

 Runner-up: Hypnotic Specter

 Outstanding Mono-Red Flyer: Thundermaw Hellkite!

 Runner-ups: Bogardan Hellkite, Stormbreath Dragon

 Outstanding Mono-Green Flyer: Birds of Paradise!

 Runner-up: Hornet Queen

 Outstanding Colorless Flyer: Steel Hellkite!

 Runner-ups: Ornithopter, Platinum Angel

 Outstanding Multicolored Flyer: Sigarda, Host of Herons and Sphinx of the Steel Wind!

 Runner-ups: Falkenrath Aristocrat, Olivia Voldaren

 

 Most Voted Cards: Griselbrand and Birds of Paradise!

 Runner-ups: Restoration Angel, Thundermaw Hellkite

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Check the complete statistics