Point Zero: Redefining Otaku

This post will be a personal ‘feel’ on that cards from the set of Worldwake. Considering that quite a mix comments were given for this set, especially compared to the previous block, Shards of Alara.

Generally speaking, being a set to stage after Zendikar, Worldwake feels like what it should be, a second set which reinforces the Main block’s theme. With a new take on ally mechanics, landfall interaction methods and also the “Upgrade” to Multi – Kicking mechanic, some spotlights should be granted to several cards in this set to bring out its prominent features.

Lets start off with the Multi – Kickers.

Apex Hawks is a fine card, a firm power/toughness along with flying, in limited his worth investing either earlier on for dishing damage or soaking up damage against heavy fliers late game.

Gnarlid Pack, more of a Vanilla with the Multikicker attached on. If you look at this creature in someway, it feels like the multikicker cost is as good as putting another 2 CMC vanilla 2 power/2 toughness on the field, but it just adds 1 +1/+1 counter instead.

Enclave Elite, 3 CMC for a 2/2, this time with evasion, I can imagine people playing this with Convincing Mirage or Spreading Seas, and on a turn 5 throw in this to make it a 3/3 to dish for damage. Good for Mono – Blue Merfolk decks which might run stuff like Merfolk Sovereign to give it a tougher build or evasion.

This my friend, is one of the few crazy ones. Vampire has alot of support from this block itself, 1 CMC for 1/1 with Swampwalk. Looking at it this card spells aggro from every single direction. I could play this any time during a game to enjoy its benefit of either a turn 3 2/2 Swamp walk, or a turn 1 1/1 Swamp walk or even at later games. Just try imagining it with a Vampire Nocturnus in play, turn 5 with full mana investment means a 5/4 flying, Swamp walk vampire.

Skitter of Lizards, I had an unfriendly introduction to this card which successfully beat me down from 6 to 0. 1 CMC for 1/1 with Haste, Comparing it with the other elemental (Hellspark Elemental, Spark Elemental etc), the ability to increase its own toughness as well is one of the reasons why this is better way off. But same as almost all “investing” spells, this requires alot of mana and patient, not throwing this out before the time has come is also a key factor. The only good side is that it stays, not killed at the end of turn like the other “One used elemental”.

Lightkeeper of Emeria, 4 CMC for 2/4 with flying. A solid blocker in my own opinion, but to harvest out the most for this creature from the additional benefit, maybe a Cradle of Vitality to match up to it, 1 kick will simply earn you 2 +1/+1, but that means atlease with 7 land out. Constructed might not see it as it takes too long to set it up.

Very solid card, 4 CMC for a 3/3 flier, people might play this as a beat down more in my opinion. Although the evasion it gives other creatures might give u a winning condition as well. Generally cool and seems fitting in most decks in limited.

Bloodhusk Ritualist, Yet again, another contender on the Mono – Black scene. I can imagine it to replace quite a few cards, someone mentioned to me that this card is practically a Mind Sludge with a 2/2 body. Ill beg to differ as this is more than just Mind Sludge with a body, as this card feels like a “Come in to Play Specter”.

Deathforge Shaman, notice something? It is a heavy cost 4 power creature, but the investment for it makes this rather a late gamer instead. This card can easily be used either as a finisher, or simply used to wither down enemy’s life for other cards in this sets, like Guul Draz Vampire and the new Ruthless Cullblade to gain its secondary advantage. This creature might be just 1 point out of bolt’s range, but its enough as a soaker to block out some of the nasty stuff we have in this set.

Of course, how can we miss out multikickers on spells. This however feels like another Into the Roil , the only difference is how much mana your gonna invest in it for the drawing effect. The counter effect however feels like a Spell Snip, where you might not really use it for that purpose. Plus in limited, there is a better drawing spell than this which I’ll touch on later in awhile.

An amazing piece of artifact, one of the few really playable in many decks, right when it is invested with good mana or with a good deck to go with. What is so fun about this card? It is the fact that it plays around with Charge counters. With a CMC of 0, it can come into play very easily, adding up to the affinity theme, plus playing around with charge counters will allow full manipulation of this card. Its just time before we see this card featured in one of the new extended decks.

Before I move on to the more not so “Colour Pie” Cards with multi kicker, Ill want to touch on this card. Wolfbriar Elemental. ITS A BOMB!!!! 4 CMC for a 4/4 which creates 2/2’s for 1 Green mana, I can imagine the madness this can pull out when you ramp up lands for this creature. Imagine combo this cards with land ramp spells (Explore, Khalni Heart Expedition, Rampant Growth.) Whats better than this? Oran-Rief, the Vastwood. All the 2/2 Tokens get a +1/+1 pump, including the Elemental itself, Master of the Wild Hunt joins in the fray, causing all your tokens to be used as removals. What more can someone do when you decided to play with a Overrun on your army of Wolfs?

Strength of the Tajuru, Its a fun card to an extend, While you give creatures +1/+1 counters, the only problem with it is how much? It might take heavy investment on this card to really reap the full effect, or merely a small amount to achieve the winning condition of Mayael’s Aria.

Marshal’s Anthem, Whats so wrong about this card. It is the fact that this card is more than just a Glorious Anthem +1 White, it is with the Multi Kick which gives it the wrong feel. Why so? In a heavy constructed theme deck, this could easily swoop players off the table in 1 game. Bringing back creatures like Captain of the Watch, or even the godly Bushwhacker to finish a game, I can even imagine playing this in an Ally deck, where people would not suspect that the Kazandu Blademaster would raise again. Not to mention Kabira Evangel.

Comet Storm, a Blaze with +1 or a Fireball without the divide factor. This card would be useful in multi – player concept, as the target is limited to different targets. Feels more of a Branching bolt, as its either player or creature (Note Planes walkers are not target-able by this card at all!) Might be fun in a deck which play copying effects (Twin Cast, Pyromancer Ascension) where you can legally target a single target twice.