Welcome all to the second week of preview season here on the Daily Dose of Dominaria!
Yesterday, I talked about four new Legendary creatures that are sure to make an impact on the Limited and Standard format. Today is no different, with another four new Legendary multicolour creatures that are looking to make their mark. Each of the creatures I’ll talk about today reward you for building your deck around them. By themselves, these creatures are fine at best, but with the right supporting cast, they could be the card you want to be slamming onto the battlefield to finish off your foe. Get your deckbuilding engines started, and let's dive in to four more of the upcoming Legendary multicolour creatures from Dominaria.
First off, we have a black-green creature that can flood your side of the battlefield with cute little plants. Let's take a look at Slimefoot, the Stowaway:
My first thought when viewing this card is wondering if there are enough Saproling token makers in Standard to have this card gain some value. The answer is not really.
Currently there are only two creatures that make Saproling tokens in Standard, Overgrown Armasaur and Tendershoot Dryad. It looks like Dominaria will bring a few more to the table, including a reprint of the Saproling token maker Verdant Force. But I’m just not sure if that's enough to make a deck out of it.
If I must look at Slimefoot, the Stowaway in a vacuum, it is a reasonable defending card. Each turn you can create a 1/1 Saproling token that can block and drain your opponent for one life. This is a great card in the later part of the game where you'll have mana to spare and can potentially even make two Saproling tokens each turn. You don’t want to be making these creatures on turns four through six, however. Otherwise your opponent can build up a stronger presence on the battlefield, while you make 1/1 tokens.
Next up we have a three-colour card with an ability akin to a super-sized Crucible of Worlds. Here is Muldrotha, the Gravetide:
This has one of the most powerful abilities I’ve seen on a creature in a long time. Muldrotha, the Gravetide allows you use your graveyard as a second hand each turn to help you put permanents back on the battlefield. Having this creature on the battlefield is almost like casting Yawgmoth’s Will or Past in Flames for your permanents. I'm okay bringing back a Land, Creature, Artifact, Enchantment and a Planeswalker to the battlefield! Do you have a heavy hitter in your graveyard? Now you can bring it back out to continue terrorizing your opponent. Plus, as a creature itself, you still get a great 6/6 body that will outpower most creatures on the battlefield.
Boros makes an appearance in this promo-only card that will not be appearing in Dominaria booster packs anytime soon. This is the Dominaria Buy-A-Box promo card, Firesong and Sunspeaker:
I find it interesting that they have decided to make this a promo only card. Personally, I would have loved to open this card up in Dominaria Limited formats.
Let’s first break down some of the possibilities for each ability in Standard. Having red instant and sorcery spells have lifelink makes all your burn spells into super spells! Lightning Strike becomes Lightning Helix. Flame Lash becomes Warleader’s Helix. Every point of damage you can do with a red spell gains you that much life. Sweltering Suns will allow you to gain life equal to three times the number of creatures on the battlefield.
Now, let’s look at the other ability that deals three damage to target creature or player if you have a white spell that gains you life. Approach of the Second Sun will now deal three damage to target creature or player on top of gaining you seven life the first time you cast it. Moment of Triumph becomes a white Lightning Bolt as you gain two life, pump a creature by +2/+2 and deal three damage to target creature or player. There aren’t many white spells that allow you to gain life now, but there are enough to make this ability interesting.
Lastly, I want to talk about the ultimate legendary lord. Forget pumping your creatures by only +1/+1. Here is Arvad the Cursed:
As you can tell, there are just a few Legendary creatures running around Dominaria. I’ve talked about three to four per day over the past week and a half, and that isn’t even all of them.
Arvad the Cursed rewards you for playing as many of those legendary creatures as possible by pumping them up by +2/+2. If you are wondering, it is very rare for a “lord” creature to give any subset of creatures +2/+2. Usually they get +1/+1 like with Lord of the Accursed, or +2/+1 in the rare occasion of Undead Warchief. Another comparison is to Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, who gave all your other creatures +2/+2. If you build your Limited or Standard deck around this card, it can make all your already powerful Legendary creatures that much better.
Arvad the Cursed also has deathtouch and lifelink. There have been only four other creatures in the history of Magic that have had those two abilities printed on the same card, including the likes of Vampire Nighthawk and Wurmcoil Engine.
Which of the multicolour legendary creatures is your favourite? I'm leaning towards Muldrotha, the Gravetide, myself. Being able to use your graveyard as your second hand each turn seems too powerful to pass up.
Thanks again for reading the Daily Dose of Dominaria. Tomorrow on the Daily Dose, I’ll be looking at some more Legendary cards, but not creatures. A trio of new Planeswalkers who are making their way to the forefront. I look forward to seeing you again then!
