Mercadian Masques - a Complete Review (black)

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• black
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• green
• artifact
• land
• conclusion

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 2
It's not a bad card, but the reverse version of Hypnotic Specter they're trying to reach here just doesn't work. A player can always choose not to block a creature, but the nice thing about the Hyppie is that quite often the opponent just didn't have any fliers to block with. Most of the "when -this- becomes blocked" cards in this set really need to have one more point of power.

116 Black Market 3BB Enchantment R Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a charge counter on Black Market. At the start of your pre-combat main phase add B in your mana pool for each charge counter on Black Market.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 5
Note that it doesn't say to take off the charge counters after use. The effect is rather nice: you get more and more mana to work with as creatures die, but you do have to find a use for it. That's not very hard with a few regenerators, but it works even better if you have plenty of cards to work with, like from a Necro. Not T2, but still. It could turn out to be too slow, but it's worth a try.

117 Bog Smugglers 1BB Creature-Mercenary C 2/2. Swampwalk

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 1
Bland. I guess it being a mercenary is supposed to make a difference.

118 Bog Witch 2B Creature-Spellshaper C 1/1. B,T: Discard a card from your hand: Add BBB to your mana pool.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
It's too fragile to see serious play and there are better ways to get extra mana later in the game (like Bubbling Muck).

119 Cackling Witch 1B Creature-Spellshaper U 1/1. XB, T, Discard a card from your hand: Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 4
It can get pretty nasty, but playing with this, you're telegraphing your punches. It also takes too much mana to become really nasty, especially in a land-light weenie deck.

120 Cateran Brute 2B Creature - Mercenary C 2/2. 2, T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with a converted mana cost of 2 or less and put that card into play. Shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
The mercenaries suffer from the same problem as the rebels. They're overcosted, vanilla creatures with a special ability that takes too much mana. They're not even as fun as rebels, because rebels give white some form of carddrawing, which is pretty rare. Black on the other hand, has Yagmoth's Bargain and such.

121 Cateran Enforcer 3BB Creature-Mercenary U 4/3. Cateran Enforcer can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and black creatures. 4, T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 4 or less, and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3

122 Cateran Kidnappers 2BB Creature-Mercenary U 4/2. 3, T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with a converted mana cost of 2 or less and put that card into play. Shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3

123 Cateran Overlord 4BBB Creature-Mercenary R 7/5. Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate Cateran Overlord. 6,Tap: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 6 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 4
This one has more potential than the others, simply because of its size. This could turn out to be a damn good creature in a controlish black deck. If such a deck emerges.

124 Cateran Persuader BB Creature-Mercenary C 2/1. 1, T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 1 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
It's an ok creature, but are there even mercenaries to use the ability on?

125 Cateran Slaver 4BB Creature-Mercenary R 5/5. Swampwalk 5, T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 5 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 3
Again bonus points for size.

126 Cateran Summons B Sorcery U Search your library for a Mercenary card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

==> TOUR: 1 - FUN: 2
This doesn't do anything the mercenaries can't do by themselves. I guess this could get better if one of the next sets has a few good, situational mercenaries in it.

127 Conspiracy 3BB Enchantment R When Conspiracy comes into play, choose a creature type. All creatures you control and all creature cards in your graveyard, hand and library become the chosen type.

==> TOUR: 1 - FUN: 5
A 100% fun card. Only Donate could make it nice in tournaments, by Donating one of these set to Wall, but there are much better options for Donating, so that doesn't really count. It's a very fun card, though. Nice with Slivers or to be able to use mercenaries on anything.

128 Corrupt Official 4B Creature-Minion R 3/1. 2B: Regenerate Corrupt Official. Whenever Corrupt Official becomes blocked, defending player discards a card at random from his or her hand.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
Again, this just works out to a 3/1 unblockable with a very expensive regeneration ability. Not very exciting.

129 Dark Ritual B Instant C Add BBB to your mana pool.

==> TOUR: 5 - FUN: 3
Wallpaper.

130 Deathgazer 3B Creature-Lizard U 2/2. Whenever Deathgazer blocks or becomes blocked by a nonblack creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 3
It's ok, but too expensive to be good.

131 Deepwood Ghoul 2B Creature-Zombie C 2/1. Pay 2 life: Regenerate Deepwood Ghoul.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
Manaless regeneration is nice, but a 2/1 for 3 mana isn't.

132 Deepwood Legate 3B Creature-Shade U 1/1. If an opponent controls a forest and you control a swamp, you may play Deepwood Legate without paying its mana cost. B: +1/+1 until end of turn.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 3
This one is a bit nicer than the other free creatures, because it's pumpable and I could see it getting played maindeck as a kill card. Still, there are better cards available and black is traditionally a strong anti-green color, so I doubt it'll want this taking up space in its sideboard when Perish is available.

133 Delraich 6B Creature-Horror R 6/6. Trample. You may sacrifice three black creatures instead of paying Delraich's mana cost.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 4
A good finisher for black weenie, perhaps. If the weenies are held at bay by a knight or two, this will help.

134 Enslaved Horror 3B Creature-Horror R 4/4. When Enslaved Horror comes into play, each other player may return a creature card from his or her graveyard into play.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 2
It's cheap, but not cheap enough to be worth the risk of facing something nasty.

135 Extortion 3BB Sorcery R Look at target player's hand and choose up to two cards from it. That player discards those cards.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 4
A double Coercion isn't bad, but by the time you can cast this, you will face an empty hand or easily get it countered or Stupor would have been just as good.

136 Forced March XBBB Sorcery R Destroy all creature with converted mana cost of X or less.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 4
Like the Requiem, the effect is very strong, but it's just too expensive.

137 Ghoul's Feast 1B Instant C Target creature gets +X/+0, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 3
This could be good in a long game with black weenie. It won't be useful if you're still in the early beatdown fase of the game, but once your opponent starts to stabilize and gets rid of a few threats, this could provide the final punch you need. I can't be sure without playtesting though.

138 Haunted Crossroad 2B Enchantment U B:Put target creature card from your graveyard on top of your library.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 4
Volrath's Stronghold was pretty good, so this will probably see play as well. It's not as good, because it can be countered, but it's a way to improve your draws (get a Bone Shredder for that fattie or some rats to kill his Masticore).

139 Highway Robber 2BB Creature-Mercenary C 2/2. When Highway Robber comes into play, you gain 2 life and target opponent loses 2 life.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 3
Two reasonably small effects (a 2/2 and a drain for 2) don't seem that strong together, but as this is loss of life, it's pretty good against Worship (and cheaper than Soul Feast).

140 Instigator 1B Creature-Spellshaper R 1/1. 1BB, T, Discard a card from your hand: Creatures target player controls that can attack this turn must do so.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 4
In serious play, most of the time your opponent won't need encouraging to attack you. Still, it's a fun card in a Vampiric theme deck (Sengir Bats, Vampiric Embrace, Sengir Vampire).

141 Insubordination BB Enchant Creature C At the end of the turn of enchanted creature's controller, Insubordination deals 2 damage to that player unless enchanted creature attacked this turn.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 2
Festering Wound is just better, this is too dependent on your opponent having a creature which can't attack.

142 Intimidation 2BBB Enchantment U Creatures you control can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and black creatures.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 2
Not bad, but too expensive. Black weenie won't get to five mana and controlish decks don't need this. It's also an "I win!"-card, which aren't very popular in fun play.

143 Larceny 3BB Enchantment U Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, that opponent chooses and discards a card.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 4
The opposite of the blue one. The effect is strong, but once your opponent's hand is empty, this becomes useless. And that hand may get empty before you even get a chance to cast this.

144 Liability 1BB Enchantment R Whenever a card is put into a player's graveyard, that player loses 1 life.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 4
You can't really prevent cards from entering your graveyard, so you're pretty much forced to play with a bit of lifegain. Still, this is a first turn play (with ritual) which should make blue mages sweat. Can't Keg it, stealing it won't do any good and Capsizes rotate out with Tempest.

145 Maggot Therapy 2B Enchant Creature C You may play Maggot Therapy anytime you could play an instant. Enchanted creature gets +2/-2.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
The multiple purpose of pumping your creatures or killing your opponent's is nice, but there aren't a lot of black weenies that can survive this, so the use is limited. It also doesn't work as a surprise "gotcha!" during combat, because you'll often loose your creature too.

146 Midnight Ritual X2B Sorcery R Remove X target creature cards in your graveyard from the game. For each creature removed put a 2/2 Zombie token in play under your control.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 4
Too expensive, but it's fun. A black Goblin Offensive, except that they're zombies and bigger.

147 Misshapen Fiend 1B Creature-Mercenary C 1/1. Flying

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 1
A Bog Imp by any other name, does it still smell as rotten?

148 Molting Harpy B Creature-Mercenary U 2/1. Flying. At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Molting Harpy unless you pay 2.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 2
A black Spindrift Drake, but the 1 extra upkeep makes it a lot worse. I guess it works once you've run out of things to cast each turn, but by that time you could play Skittering Skirge or any number of other cards as well.

149 Nether Spirit 1BB Creature-Spirit R 2/2. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Nether Spirit is the only creature card in your graveyard you may return Nether Spirit to play.

==> TOUR: 5 - FUN: 4
This works ok in a creature deck if you're able to use something like Necratog to keep your graveyard empty. I can't think of any T2 cards that are similar, but there are bound to be some. If necessary, use Haunted Crossroads. A better use could be in a creature light deck with a Contamination lock or Attrition or some other use to put a sacrificial creature to.

150 Notorious Assassin 3B Creature-Spellshaper R 2/2. 2B, T, Discard a card from your hand: Destroy target non-black creature. It can't be regenerated.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
Black has plenty of assassins already and most of them are better than this.

151 Pretender's Claim 1B Enchant Creature U Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked, tap all lands defending player controls.

==> TOUR: 1 - FUN: 3
It's original, but it's still strictly worse than making the creature unblockable. And most decks would have no trouble blocking the creature anyway.

152 Primeval Shambler 4B Creature-Mercenary U 3/3. B: Primal Shambler gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 3
This doesn't suffer from the usual problem of black pumpables, that they are too fragile at 1 or 2 toughness. By the time it gets around to attacking, this could be an 8/8.

153 Putrefaction 4B Enchantment U Whenever a player plays a white spell or a green spell, that player discards a card from his or her hand.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 4
A multi-hoser which is a bit more useful than the others, but the casting cost is prohibitive. It doesn't help that the target colors are the only two that can deal with enchantments relatively easily.

154 Quagmire Lamprey 2B Creature-Fish U 1/1. Whenever Quagmire Lamprey becomes blocked by a creature, put a -1/-1 counter on that creature.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
A black fish. Interesting. It's too expensive for a piddly 1/1, even if it is almost-but-not-quite unblockable.

155 Rain of Tears 1BB Sorcery U Destroy target land.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 2
Land destruction is no fun, but this one has proven its worth.

156 Rampart Crawler B Creature-Mercenary C 1/1. Rampart Crawler cannot be blocked by walls.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 2
Renamed Bog Rats. Hey, at least it can get past a Wall of Glare.

157 Rouse 1B Instant C If you control a swamp, you may pay 2 life instead of paying Rouse's mana cost. Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 2
It can be used to punch through a high toughness creature or just to get in two more damage.

158 Scandalmonger 3B Creature-Monger U 3/3. 2: Target player discards a card from his or her hand. Any player may play this ability but only if he or she could play a sorcery.

==> TOUR: 5 - FUN: 5
It's Terror-proof, Shock-proof and has a pretty good ability. This could take the place of Bottomless Pit against control, although the 1 extra casting cost makes it a turn 2 play, where Persecute is already kicking bottom. Still, this is main deck material, so I'm still giving it full marks. This opens up a lot of possibilities for fun deck as well. Maindeck Sand Golems and Metrognomes anyone?

159 Sever Soul 3BB Sorcery C Destroy target non-black creature. It can't be regenerated. You gain life equal to its toughness.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
The lifegain is nice, but not worth the extra mana. It being a sorcery kills it.

160 Silent Assassin BB Creature-Mercenary R 2/1. 3B: Destroy target blocking creature at the end of combat.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 2
It's an ok weenie early on and if it survives it can help you get through blockers.

161 Skulking Fugitive 2B Creature-Mercenary C 3/4. When Skulking Fugitive becomes the target of spell or ability, sacrifice Skulking Fugitive.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 2
Tar Pit Warrior. It is just too vulnerable, even green can just Giant Growth it to get rid of it.

162 Snuff Out 3B Instant C If you control a swamp, you may pay 4 life instead of paying Snuff Out's mana cost. Destroy target non-black creature. It can't be regenerated.

==> TOUR: 5 - FUN: 4
Almost as good as Swords to Plowshares. The life is worth it.

163 Soul Channeling 2B Enchant Creature C Pay 2 life: Regenerate enchanted creature.

==> TOUR: 1 - FUN: 1
Expensive. I can't remember a single regeneration enchantment which saw any play and this is probably the most expensive one amongst them.

164 Specter's Wail 1B Sorcery C Target player discards a card at random from his hand.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 2
Give me Duress any day, this doesn't have anything to make it good. Hymn and Stupor are cardadvantage, Coercion and Duress allow you to pick and choose. At least Ravenous Rats gets you a 1/1 in the bargain.

165 Strongarm Thug 2B Creature-Mercenary U 1/1. When Strongarm Thug comes into play, you may return a Mercenary card from your graveyard into your hand.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
The usefulness is rather limited. This is no Gravedigger, but I guess it'll fit in Mercenary theme decks.

166 Thrashing Wumpus 3BB Creature-Beast R 3/3. B: Thrashing Wumpus deals 1 damage to each creature and player.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 4
Pestilence on legs is a nice idea, but it has the inherent problem of killing itself as soon as you want to get rid of some bigger creatures. 5 mana is probably a bit too much as well.

167 Undertaker 1B Creature-Spellshaper C 1/1. B, T, Discard a card from your hand: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 4
Tortured Existence never saw play, but this might. Turning extra land draws into creatures is pretty strong, especially as it means you can reuse Bone Shredders, Ravenous Rats, Ticking Gnomes etc. It's fragile though.

168 Unmask 3B Sorcery R You may remove a black card from your hand instead of paying Unmask's mana cost. Look at target player's hand and choose a non-land card. That player discards it.

==> TOUR: 5 - FUN: 3
This is golden against combo, but the carddisadvantage will likely keep it a second choice to Duress. Still, should see plenty of play in decks that already pack 4 Duress.

169 Unnatural Hunger 3BB Enchant Creature R At the beginning of enchanted creature's controller's upkeep, Unnatural Hunger deals to that player damage equals to its power, unless he or she sacrifices a creature other than enchanted creature.

==> TOUR: 2 - FUN: 3
Very situational, because casting it on a weenie is a bit of a waste and large creatures are better Terrored. Another card ruined by its casting cost.

170 Vendetta B Instant C Destroy target non-black creature. It can't be regenerated. You lose life equal to that creature's toughness.

==> TOUR: 4 - FUN: 3
This would be a very good card if Snuff Out didn't exist. Now it just plays second fiddle to it. Some strong black removal in this set. Hopefully that won't make big creatures unviable.

171 Wall of Distortion 2BB Creature-Wall C 1/3. 2B, T: Target player discards a card from his or her hand. Play this ability only if you could play a sorcery.

==> TOUR: 3 - FUN: 4
Not a bad card, but Cat Burglar never saw play either and that's pretty similar.