[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Garna, Bloodfist of Keld

[Crazy Monkey]

I think my favorite thing to do with this land is instant speed Life from the Loam if I didn't need to interact that turn cycle in Tasigur, the Golden Fang and don't really need a nonland back yet. Just a solid graveyard engine, now with instant speed [tm]. It's a relatively low opportunity cost inclusion during deckbuilding, even if the deck doesn't have a strong land recursion suite. Just having the option to cast a card within unexpected timing can be extremely powerful.

[TheGildedGoose]

In response to your counterspell, I win in response with Torment of Hailfire.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Get in the zone, Emergence Zone!

Edit: I've decided that the word zone is now uproariously funny. It's so proximal to cone in spelling, but can you imagine a conical zone? A cone zone? It's hilarious!

[Sinis]

I love Emergence Zone. It's not for every turn, but, it's great for that critical Living Death, or whatever. Being down a land is a big cost, but, getting a critical flash can be exceptional.

[RowanKeltizar]

Haven't played with either one. Would you prefer Winding Canyons over Emergence Zone ? Kind of a toss up for me. Losing a land can be... detrimental, but so can paying a tax of 2 mana. Zone does trigger The Gitrog Monster and can be brought back with land recursion effects, ala Crucible of Worlds or Ramunap Excavator.

[3drinks]

Winding Canyons only works with creatures though.

[3drinks]

Tuesday, July 5th, 2022; Mine Excavation

[Toshi]

That's pretty strong for such an old Common.

It has been on my mind for Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle for a long time, since Conspire doesn't care about Summoning Sickness. Could see it in Sharuum the Hegemon type builds as well.

[Mookie]

Mine Excavation is sweet - recurring two cards for two mana is pretty efficient, assuming you have some spare creatures to tap. That said, the narrow subset of recurrable cards (just artifacts and enchantments) does limit it somewhat - unless you're running a bunch of eggs or other cards that sacrifice themselves, you may not have two targets until later in the game. As a result, I'm not that convinced that it is that much better than Auramancer or Trusty Retriever.

...I'd pass on it for my Sharuum the Hegemon deck - I don't have nearly enough white creatures to conspire it.

[onering]

I think it's value depends on three variables, all of which have to align:

First and most obvious: how likely are you to have 2 artifacts/enchantments in your gy? This one is pretty easy to meet and it's almost certain you will have targets when you can conspire this if you are considering putting it in your deck.

Second: do you have enough white creatures to reliably conspire it? This limits it's usefulness in decks heavy on non colored artifact creatures, and in 3+ color decks. If you always have spare white critters lying around, this is a very efficient piece of recursion, but if that's not reliable it's just poor. You only want to cast it without conspiring in emergencies, so reliable in this case means almost every time you want to cast it you can conspire it.

Lastly, is the value of getting two cards from your yard for 2 mana better than the value of just getting one card plus a body for 3 or 4? There's enough creatures that recur these card types that you don't need to reach for this unless it's already better than running those creatures. There's something to be said for the fact that this hits either type while most of the creatures only hit one type, but most of the time decks running this will be built where they just want to grab artifacts OR enchantments back, because only decks that will reliably be able to have 2 targets would want to run this and those decks tend to lean heavily to one or the other (though if someone builds off of Neo Kamigawas artifacts AND enchantments theme this would be golden). What really sets the creatures ahead of this is all the synergies available for creatures, which can let them hit two or more targets via blink, bounce, or getting recurred themselves, even if their stats as creatures are never relevant. If your deck doesn't have ways to abuse creatures but has enough white creatures AND enough artifacts or enchantments to make this always a 2 mana 2 for 1, then it's pretty sweet. Otherwise, the creatures that recur artifacts or enchantments are better.

[hyalopterouslemur]

Token decks love artifacts and enchantments for various reasons. This card loves tokens, artifacts, and enchantments.

[DirkGently]

With how many things need to line up for this card to work, I think it's pretty bad tbh. Why are you working so hard to get +1 card? Just play a normal draw spell that doesn't have so many hoops.

[Guardman]

It's one of those things where it has a lot of conditions (i.e. running a lot of artifacts and/or enchantments, plus having a lot of white creatures that you don't mind tapping), but when it is good, it is great as far as card value goes, especially in mono-white or boros.

[illakunsaa]

I could see this in a Kykar deck.

[kirkusjones]

I could see this in a Kykar deck.

Argivian Find might be better, though.

[Guardman]

Another thing I always forget (but has come up before) is that you can regrow an artifact or enchantment for an opponent as well, which leads to some interesting political angles sometimes (or just letting someone else take care of a threat).

[Gentle Giant]

Yeah, whereas the conditions for this to shine might feel too heavy from a consistency perspective, I like the fact that:
-it's card advantage in white (although that's less of a special thing these days)
-it allows political shenanigans/cooperation as @Guardman also mentioned, and
-From a more thematic standpoint, it's as though your creatures are literally digging something up for you (plus the art is nice and conveys this story too).

Lastly, I like cards that ask things of you, hoops to jump through, instead of it being given on a silver platter (as most staples do). This fits that bill neatly 🙂

EDIT: bonus points for triggering magecraft twice in white!

[3drinks]

Wednesday, July 6th, 2022; Vilis, Broker of Blood

[TheGildedGoose]

A completely fair Magic card.

Reanimate + Vilis =

[Dunharrow]

I like it, design wise, more than Razaketh, the Foulblooded. You have to invest black mana or combo with another card in your deck. You get a great advantage, but not necessarily game-ending on the spot.
Razaketh ends the game too quickly.

[Melua]

Better in the 99 as it suffers from tax too much, but it will do work in K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth. It really feels like a Mythic, so I'm glad it's at rare. Nothing like bringing him back on a Command the Dreadhorde.

[Arebennian]

A completely fair Magic card.

Reanimate + Vilis =

Agreed. Final Parting is actually 6 mana sorcery that reads, 'Pay 8 life, draw 8 cards. Put Vilis, Broker of Blood onto the battlefield.'

[Arebennian]

Triple Post? Sorry!

[Arebennian]

Triple Post? Sorry!

[toctheyounger]

Super strong just on its own, without being necessarily broken. Probably the best demon we have at present in a universal sense.