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By: Hollow0n3, Jan Zemlin
Jan 01 2008 1:17am
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Welcome to another pretty late special of my now really irregular "12 Uncommons" series. For the ones that didn't read my previous specials, here a little explanation:

I will highlight 12 budget uncommons from a set or block that I like, enjoy and use. With some more or less witty comments on top even. Why only 12? Well... maybe the name of my articles gives away a little hint at that... *cough*

Don't expect me to list staples like Remand or Lightning Helix here, this is the cheap side of the site.
I guess that will be enough of a reintroduction into the specials.. the series itself will resume soon, so stay tuned. Let's directly dive into the pile of cards now.

Ravnica

 

Bathe in Light

Bathe in Light

Here we got a nice card that I love to use. Yes, it's a radiance card, but it is one of the best. It is flexible, you can use it to save your creatures from targeted removal or spells of any sort. Or you can just save it and use it to surprise the other players with a nice alphastrike that they can't block. You creatures need to have a color in common to make this one work, but honestly, who would run this and forget about that?

 

Clutch of the Undercity

Clutch of the Undercity

Here we got a real nice card, bounce and lifeloss in one nice package with a little tutoring on top. Notice how the controller of the bounced thing is the one that loses life? That means if they Confiscate your Vizzerdrix you can get it back and hurt them at the same time. Since it can grab any card with a converted casting cost of four it is a card that you really should not pass up easily. I am pretty sure that Gifts Ungiven and Damnation wouldnt mind to be clutched. I really don't need to point out that it's an instant.

 

Junktroller

Junktroller

For four mana and zero power, still this guy is one of my prefered toys. Stalls the ground and allows me to send a reanimation target at the bottom of a deck, or just simply gets me a card back into my deck. It doesn't sound like much, but I can't help myself. I less then three this one.

 

Nullmage Shepherd

Nullmage Shepherd

This one is here because I feel it is a card that needs a home. It screams combopiece to me, it's just one of those things that might never find a home outside of casual, or end up in a rogue deck that changes a metagame. Naturalize is good, beeing able to do it repeatedly is better. Tapping four of your creatures might seem like a high cost, but the shepherd can tap itself. Think about it.



I think I give a props to cards that almost became featured: Keening Banshee, Vigor Mortis, Mark of Eviction, Trophy Hunter, Flash Conscription, Oathsworn Giant, Devouring Light and Festival of the Guildpact. Honorable mentions and such things, I am sure you can figure out why I consider them playable.

Guildpact

Daggerclaw Imp

If you know me, you are not surprised to see this guy here. I like imps and this one is a three mana three power flyer. The low thoughness and that he can't block don't matter much to me. It's an imp with a mission, to find the best possible manicure, or die trying. Well, at least when you consider your opponents lifepoints a good way to trim his fingernails...

Daggerclaw Imp

 

Dryad Sophisticate

Back in the days of her prime, she was so hot.. wait, she is still hot, she just got cheap. Remember how everyone is playing with fancy lands since this block? She is your solution to lots of those. Someone plays a Svogthos, the Restless Tomb but you got what you need. Throw a scantly clad dryad at them., that will surely get their attention.

Dryad Sophisticate

 

Savage Twister

Poor mans wrath. Given enough mana you can kill almost anything that isn't part of the pro: red-club. It's one of the cards that you won't regret having in your collection, simply because it can go into almost any deck that can cast it. Against hordes of small fries you will want to use Pyroclasm, but what about bigger chunks of meat? Thats what this one is for.

Savage Twister

 

To Arms!

Cantrips rule, this one is marginal since it's simply untapping your creatures. But if you have read my previous articles you will know that this can be used for some nice tricks. Check my article "Bigger Bottoms" for details.

To Arms!



A quick rundown on the follow-ups: Hissing Miasma, Battering Wurm, Gristleback, Harrier Griffin, Schismotivate and Agent of Masks.

Dissension

Indrik Stomphowler

Indrik Stomphowler

This is a nice, efficient comes-into-play-creature, at 5 mana you get a good 4/4 body with a Naturalize on top. Other people said it, I say it again. This is a top card for budget players. Even when you are not on a budget it will find a home in your decks. The only way to make this one better would require to grant it the flash-ability. Scout's Warning anyone?


Novijen, Heart of Progress

Novijen, Heart of Progress

Tap this to put a +1/+1 counter on each token your combo generated this turn. Another combo piece card, I use it in a deck together with Spawning Pit, Doubling Season and Leafdrake Roost. Not fast, but it is a very fun thing to toy around with.


Rise/Fall

Rise/Fall

This is tricky to use because of it's casting costs, but its worth it. Rise is a mix of Unsummon and Raise Dead. Seems playable to me, of course it can be abused... you can target only your stuff with it. Pit Keeper might be your friend here. Fall is random discard. Say it with me, random discard. Do I need to say more? Okay.. it might annoy others, might be annoying to play against.. but it is so sweet to hit someone with it to protect your overly-complicated budget combo deck. Especially when they only got two cards in their hand.


Transguild Courier

Transguild Courier

This one is here because he is truelly unique. A Hill Giant that is all colors and can be cast with mana of any color. He will be the source of trivia questions for ages. Unless Wizards decides to suddenly create a set which uses his ability as a secondary keyword. Blessing of the Nephilim and Might of the Nephilim are his best buddies. You can go for a Coalition Victory with him too.



Well... I guess someone will be sad when I don't write about even more honorable mentions: Brain Pry, Flaring Flame-Kin, Mistral Charger, Hellhole Rats and Magewright's Stone almost made it into the upper half.

Well, this is it for this time, the next special will come after Time Spiral , Planar Chaos, Future Sight and their cold-blooded friend Coldsnap leave Standard. Oh, and do not worry, the article with the deck I hinted at last time is in the works and since I am a little less stressed at the moment it should be ready pretty soon.

Until next time,
- yours
Hollow

0 Comments

Typo by Hollow0n3 at Fri, 01/04/2008 - 08:57
Hollow0n3's picture

3rd, not 4th.

Hm, it seems the reply-buttom is borked with firefox again. 

Uhm. by Hollow0n3 at Fri, 01/04/2008 - 08:55
Hollow0n3's picture

....

Did you actually read the 2nd and 4rd paragraph? Just wondering.

Otherwise I always like it when people have to say something. =) 

by Anonymous (Unregistered) 12.47.110.206 (not verified) at Thu, 01/03/2008 - 18:10
Anonymous (Unregistered) 12.47.110.206's picture

Not sure what you are shooting for in this column, other than listing some of "your favorite cards" 

 

I would consider the following from Rav Uncommons worth picking up more so than the above. Most if not all fall in the budget catagory.  If they fall into the staples, then perhapse they should be mentioned in a "staples list" at the top of the set:

Staples:

Remand

L. Helix

Watchwolf

Putrify

 

I would try to pick up 4 of the following also:

B. Swiftblade

Carven Caryatid

Darkblast(prob. a staple)

Devouring Light

Rerout

Supression Field

Telling Time

-additionally the guild lands are all worth picking up(some more than others), all Guildmages, and all of the transmute cards(I esp. agree with Clutch)

 This is just Rav, may look at G&D if i get the time.

 

regards,

 

___helper_monkey on MTGO