| Author |
Message |
Rate this article!
| 5 (Best) |
| [ 1 ] 20% |
| |
| 4 |
| [ 1 ] 20% |
| |
| 3 |
| [ 1 ] 20% |
| |
| 2 |
| [ 1 ] 20% |
| |
| 1 (Worst) |
| [ 1 ] 20% |
| |
Total Votes : 5 |
|
| The First |
![]() Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:54 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 195
Location: Anderlecht, Belgium
|
--- description ---
In-depth analysis of a new MTG: Ravnica creature, the Dimir Doppelganger, with suggestions for using him against a variety of decktypes.
--- end description ---
Two weeks ago, at the Ravnica pre-release, the new set Ravnica conquered many hearts and filled countless heads with evil plottings concerning the abuse of the new cards and mechanics in this set. Last weekend was the Ravnica release event and in less than one week, Ravnica will be tournament legal.
I would like to use this article and the next five to ten minutes of your existence to discuss the powers of my favorite Ravnica card and outsider in this set, being the Dimir Doppelganger;
1UB
Creature – Shapeshifter
1UB: Remove target creature in a graveyard from the game. Dimir Doppelganger becomes a copy of that card and gains this ability.
Power / Toughness : 0/2
“Fear not. Your life will not go unlived.”
First, you have got to love the synergy between Blue and Black in his gametext. The targetted card is removed from the game and you get a copy of that card. Blue is master in copying things in the wonderful world of Magic: Twincast, Clone, Copy Enchantment… Same goes for stealing an opponent’s creature with Confiscate. Black is strong in reanimation and Graveyard removal themes. The Doppelganger combines those abilities and that is what makes him so versatile. You can both use him to put an end to reanimation cycles and to put a certain big and scary creature into play (which doesn’t have to be yours in the first place).
Second, notice the low cost of the creature; only 1UB. No double casting costs like the Firemane Angel (3WWR) and cheap. Same goes for the game text; 1UB. Confiscate has a cost of 6, Zombify / Vigor Mortis has a cost of 4. Both are more expensive than the Doppelganger’s game text and the Doppelganger doesn’t need to tap to use his ability which means that you can use the ability more than once a turn. Ok, you need the target creature to be in the Graveyard and you need to pay the cost of the Doppelganger himself, but the Doppelganger keeps his gametext and the Dimir Guild has lots of options to get the right cards into the desired Graveyard.
The Doppelganger versus popular T2 decks;
Gifts:
I play a Gifts deck and he, the Doppelganger, along with Samurai of the Pale Curtain, is a serious threath for my Graveyard recursion. I can’t leave my Hana Kami in the Graveyard for very long or he will be removed from the game. Use Gifts to fetch Meloku or Kagemaro? Risky! He might copy him before I can get him back from the Graveyard.
Golgari
The Grave-shell Scarab is one of this deck’s main threaths. A 4/4 for 5 mana that can be dredged for only 1 card. Or what if you copy a Vulturous Zomby. Every dredge is a few extra +1/+1 tokens (which remain on the Doppelganger, even if he uses his ability afterwards).
Boros / Searing Meditation
This deck will use 3-4 Firemane Angels. Why? Every upkeep, you will gain 1 for each Angel in play or Graveyard. Now multiply that by the number of searing meditations in play. That’s the number of times this deck can deal 2 damage to you or target creature. Better remove a few from the game and gain some life of your own.
The Doppelganger in mill decks;
I guess this is why the Doppelganger is created. Use him with a few Glimpse the Unthinkable and copy any creature you like. Can be a Birds of Paradise or a Kokusho or a Razia. The Sky is the limit.
The Doppelganger in limited;
Sealed:
Can be either good or bad. It is always useful to prevent a dredge in limited. It can be useful to copy a big flyer like Moroii (even your own copy). But this card won’t win you any games on its own. Powerful sideboard card though.
Draft:
He will become more useful to nuke specific strategies but he will remain a sideboard card, even though a more potent one than in sealed.
Block-constructed:
Should be in every Dimir deck IMHO. Can copy your Circu if needed or nuke Golgari or Boros Meditation. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| The First |
![]() Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:50 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 195
Location: Anderlecht, Belgium
|
Who is amusing him or herself with giving 1's to every article??
If I may ask? |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Guest |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:52 pm |
|
|
|
Joined:
Posts:
Location:
|
| did you see what happened on LOTR contest? there it was even worse... |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Cleston |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:54 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 10 Aug 2005
Posts: 110
Location: Brasil
|
Anonymous wrote: did you see what happened on LOTR contest? there it was even worse...
by the way, the guest here is me... |
- "If I die, your deck will crumble!"
Gandalf (any of them) |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Cobra |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:07 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 1202
Location: Austin, TX, USA
|
There's a somewhat difficult situation here. I am allowing writers to vote for each other's articles, because I think the spirit of community and ongoing discussion is important. On the other hand, there's a clear conflict of interest because the way you rate other people's articles might affect your own chances of winning.
I believe most players are mature enough to vote honestly -- but I will definitely be keeping an eye on things, and will remove any votes that were clearly cast in bad faith. (The LOTR TCG situation has already been solved.) Check the "Voting Guidelines" post for more about this policy. |
| http://cobracards.com -- Web's best deals on Trading Card Games. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| The First |
![]() Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:33 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 195
Location: Anderlecht, Belgium
|
Cleston wrote: Anonymous wrote: did you see what happened on LOTR contest? there it was even worse...
by the way, the guest here is me...
Yeah, it was worse at the LotR thread but from one day to another both of my articles got a 1. So I'm guessing that someone is giving everyone a 1 to increase his onw chances of winning. Ok, these articles of mine aren't THAT good but a 1 for both on the same day? |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Cleston |
![]() Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:42 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 10 Aug 2005
Posts: 110
Location: Brasil
|
i gave you a 3 because i really missed a cardlist. i'm no magic specialist (my main game is LOTR), and i found myself a bit frustrated. you convinced me the card is nice, but i'm not the kind of magic guy that finds out the whole deck in a moment, you know, i'm still learning about this game... (i started when i was a child, and now that i'm aware of what ido i was miles away from it).
i don't know, maybe make a deck around it (with a bit of discardings to bring a monster into opponent's grave then copy it). |
- "If I die, your deck will crumble!"
Gandalf (any of them) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Forum index » Magic: The Gathering » MTG Strategy Article Contest
