[M21] Kaervek, the Spiteful - The Magic Arcanum preview

[Outcryqq]

Source: The Magic Arcanum

Kaervek, the Spiteful 2BB
Legendary Creature- Human Warlock
Other creatures get -1/-1.
"Defy me and I will burn the flesh from your bones. Betray me and I will steal the breath from your lungs.
3/2

Kaervek, the Spiteful from imgur

Sweet art. The card itself seems a bit of a letdown, unless I'm really missing something.

Edit: image not working, added attachment

[Guardman]

While it does seem a bit of a letdown from what I was expecting from a Kaervek card, I do remember Night of Souls' Betrayal being a pretty back breaking card against aggro decks back in the day. Four mana is a good rate for this effect. And him being a creature, not an enchantment is both a plus and a minus (easier to remove, but their are a lot more cool things you can do with Kaervek since he is a creature).

[Krishnath]

Kaervek kills weenie strategies dead.

[void_nothing]

The prophecy is true

[Krishnath]

So, we get all the three main players of the Mirage war on new cards.

To be honest, the one I am the most excited about is Jolrael. I love my nigh immortal jungle princess.

[Arkmer]

That 2 toughness is sooo deliberate... Black is all -2/-2 sweepers in all the recent sets. You can get the one time upgrade to -3/-3 now. You can still cheat the legend rule and get that -2/-2 by casting a second one though, I like that, was a fun trick with Betrayal.

I'm sorta disappointed that there's nothing additional on him. Every other creature seems like it has so much stapled to it but the second we get a card that looks a little more controlling that wants to slow the game a bit they suddenly decide that he has so much text on him already! I thought that being a creature was a disadvantage based on their recent R&D trends.

[The N82O Molecule]

im a little grindy about this kaervek because I really like the time spiral Kaervek the Merciless and I like it if they stay on direction which in this case would be damage on spells. I mean the lower costed writes itself, RB Kaervek, each spell does damage equal to its controller equal to the cmc

however I think think this is a well designed card. appropriate on many levels. though the stategy of this card is hard to find. . .its just so the wrong character. sometimes I fear they design a great card then name it all the wrong name for sake of continuity

im also really digging this warlock class type im not saying Kaervek is a warlock per say but if it fits

anyway I think I like this card cause its strategy is hard to find (like ins standard for example) and "against token strategies" seems unfun

[MonoRedMage]

I really like this card. Kaervek just seems hateful and omnicidal. So the ability fits.

I just wish he were monored! He could deal 1 damage to everything at the beginning of every upkeep instead.