Today we look at Stompy McStompers aka the Gruul Clans. Gruul has always ranked pretty low for me, not my least favorite guild, but near enough. This time out, they did get a few rather exciting cards, though.
Bloodrush is yet another combat focused mechanic that is unlikely to play well in EDH. In EDH, pump spells tend to look more like Titanic Ultimatum and less like Giant Growth.
This particular card is Limited Fodder. I don't even like it for 60-card.
I plan on trying this out in Stonebrow. That deck has tons of trample, but not much double strike. Casting it as a creatures seems fine, but the Bloodrush cost is a bit high. Overall this doesn't seem all that great to me, but it might fill a hole in a few decks.
This is a Giant Growth effect worthy of EDH, at least as far as scale goes. That said it seems a touch too costly to be desirable. Most decks would rather have Titanic Ultimatum or Overwhelming Stampede to pump their whole team.
This could actually be an interesting combat trick in multiplayer EDH. If timed correctly this can be a two-for-one for a single Green mana. The trick here is that you don't have to use it on YOUR attacking creature. Wait for two of your opponents to get into combat with each other and if you see a big guy blocking a little guy, hit the little guy with this and voila! 2-for-1!
Not a lot of green decks want an effect this subtle, but a few will.
This is at least better and more interesting than the original Borborygmos. He'll be replacing the original in my Stonebrow deck. As a general, he seems mediocre. His interesting and powerful abilities are tempered by a very high CMC. All in all I'm not that impressed and I doubt he'll become a massive hit with the EDH crowd, but he's all but guaranteed to see a bit of play.
This is one badass spell. You should basically always be able to get at least two modes to work for you, and frankly I think getting all three to go off is going to happen more often than not. Incredible spot removal, and potential card advantage, all rolled into one versatile package. Gruul decks should love this card.
A +1 that is pseudo-card-draw, a -2 that is pretty good removal, and an Ultimate that is like an Akroma's Memorial on bath salts? For 3 mana? Sign me up.
He's not going to be great in decks that don't run a TON of creatures, but most R/G decks do not skimp on that front.
I really hope this guy sees no constructed play, so he'll be cheap to acquire, but that doesn't seem likely to me.
Cool reprint, but a bit overcosted. I'd rather have Mwonvuli Acid-Moss.
Blargh! The one Bloodrush guy I'm seriously considering. A 4/4 Trampler for four seems okay in a Stonebrow deck, no? And the pump effect, while fleeting, is cheap enough to be compelling. If I'm being honest, though, this is more of a Limited card than an EDH card.
This seams like reasonable removal, especially in EDH. What green deck doesn't ramp? By the time your enemies are casting Consecrated Sphinxes and other bombs, you should easily have enough lands to effectively make this a Terminate.
Jund decks will scoff, surely, as they can run Terminate itself, and a whole host of superiour black-based removal. Naya decks will scoff because, well, Swords and Path.
But straight Gruul or URG decks should all be pretty happy to run this if they are needing to bolster their spot removal packages.
Weak ass charm is weak. It will undoubtedly find it's way into some decks, but I expect it will consistently disappoint and underwhelm.
Should have been Mythic and cost 6, but oh well. It's a very cool card and should see plenty of action. Mayael decks in particular should have a good time with this.Very playable, as long as you've got lots of big dudes.
This is pretty bad in token decks, obviously, yet I dream of having this guy out and then casting Hornet Queen. Good times.
Big vanilla beater with no evasion. Skip it.
Unreliable tutor that gives you 33% chance of getting what you want? Not sure why you'd play this in green, when you have many reliable ways to get what you want 100% of the time. If it at least put the other two guys in the graveyard I'd see it having potential as a sort of Intuition for RG, but it's not anywhere near playable as-is.
Meh. Not terrible but not great either. The mass-trample is cheap and useful, but the other ability is pretty iffy.
Another evasion-less fatty. Yawn.
Sweet art, though.
I'd likely have written this off, but Uvenwald Tracker has been exceeding my expectations as of late, and so the Fight mechanic has become something I pay much closer attention too.
That said, Prey Upon is virtually identical... EDIT: So, apparently Prey Upon is a Sorcery. 1-for-1 removal needs to be Instant speed to be playable, so I'd definitely recommend this over Prey Upon unless, of course you're in Mono-Green. I'm still not over-the-moon for this as you might sometimes 2-for-1 yourself if you need to trade a creature and this for an opponent's guy. But it isn't entirely without merit.
Yawn. This is either going to be part of some infinite mana or Storm combo, or it won't be used at all.
Love the art. Hate the card.
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