Card of the Day Home

Decks to Beat - Tournament Winning Decks!

Card of the Day - A single card reviewed by several members of our crew.  Updated 5 days per week!

Card Price Guide

Featured Writers  
Judge Bill
DeQuan Watson
Ray Powers - Monk's Corner
Jeff Zandi
Jonathan Pechon
Chrstine Gerhardt
Jason Chapman
- on Peasant Magic

Deck Garage
Jason's Deck Garage

MTG Fan Articles
Deck Tips & Strategies
Peasant Magic
Tourney Reports 
Featured Articles  
Single Card Strategy

Magic Quizzes & Polls

Community
Message Board 
Chat
Magic League

Contact Us

Pojo's Book Reviews

Links

 


Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


Image from Wizards.com

Bringer of the Black Dawn 
Fifth Dawn Rare


Reviewed May 10, 2004

Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 3.9
Limited: 3.31

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Card of the Day Reviews 


Scott
Gerhardt
* Game Store owner in CA, ShuffleAndCut

* Played on that Pro Tour thing a few times.

Okay.  New cards tend to make me come out of a shell and talk a little bit.  Actually, since I've started working on Pojo's Marvel site, I've gotten more back into the swing of this whole Card of the Day thing.  So...my two cents?  Sure - why not.

First of all, I have to say this.  Overall, I'm furiously pissed off at Wizards of the Coast.  Some of you know why, most of you have no clue, and the people at Wizards sure know why I am, and know I have every right to be.  Whatever - that's not what I'm writing about.  I'm simply setting a tone:

Wizards did something right!!!!

Well, I don't know if this is a completely true statement, but my overall current resentment for the company as a whole, it takes a lot for me to say something like this.  I should probably mostly be giving props to MaRo and his design team, but I figure since it was a couple of individuals that made me hate WotC, it can be a few individuals that make me give them props.

"So Scott - why are you giving Wizards props?  Any good reason or are you just bored?"

A fast (I'll keep it brief) story time is in order:

Mercadian Masques made me hate Magic.  The block was dumb, the format was dumb, and it made Magic incredibly stupid for almost a year.  This is the only time I ever claim to have "quit" Magic.  Well, technically, I started quitting Magic after GP-Kansas City 1999 when it was Extended, and I felt like the only decks were High Tide (combo) and Forbidian (control).  Magic sucked rocks.  Masques made it suck larger, more painful rocks.   Now, while I "quit" Magic, I actually Top 8ed a PTQ, won a Mox Ruby in a tournament, and at the end, qualified for PT-NY 2000, but that's yet another bad story.

"So what changed things for you Scott?  Why did you 'get back into' Magic?"

Simple - Invasion.  This set was fun.  It reminded me why I played the game, and why I loved the game.  I am a serious, professional player who is DEFINITELY a Spike at heart.  I hate playing Tier 1 decks when I can whip Tier 1 with Tier 3.  I played a GP-Trial and went 0-2 (getting a game win in both games in extended) by casting COALITION VICTORY!  Yes - drop Shyft (Ice Age blue rare - look it up) on turn 4, cast Victory on turn 5.  God I loved to see the look on their faces.  It was priceless.  DAMN Magic was fun then.

"Okay Scott - you've been blabbing on for about a page now about stupid nonsense.  Get to your point, okay?"

Gotcha - Fifth Dawn gives me the same feeling Invasion did.  It's fun...REALLY fun.  It makes Spike all warm and fuzzy inside.  Even as much time as I spend playing with Super Heroes these days, this set is keeping my attention hardcore.  Probably one the reasons you're even reading this right now.

So.....Bringer of the Black Dawn.  This is an awesome cycle of cards.  They are NOT overcost.  Yeah, if you have to pay 9 for them, they are.  You don't pay 9 for them.  That's there just because.  There are a sick number of ways to produce 5 colors, and often before turn 5.  Ingots, City of Brass, Glimmervoid, Birds of Paradise, that AWESOME new rare Joiner Adept.  Don't let the cost get you - it won't get anyone else.

Get used to it.  9 casting cost creatures WILL see play, they will see play fast, and they will kick your ass if you're not ready for it.

In this case, paying 2 life a turn to control your deck for the rest of the game is quite well worth it.  Remember, a turn 4 5/5 Trample won't keep a game going for long anyway.  Controlling your draw past that is WELL worth 2 life - especially if it brings out other bringers. :)

I have no idea what my fellow reviewers think of this card, but I have a feeling that most of the bringers are going to be between 3.5 and 4.5 in constructed.  This one is the higher end of that.  Remember - COLOR IS DAMN NEAR INCONSEQUENTIAL IN THIS SET.

In limited, it's almost as easy.  Talismans, Myr, and a host of other things make this thing quite castable for 5 colors.  Even if it's not, I'll pay 9 for this in limited.  The tutor ability is a virtual game lock in limited.

Moral of the story:  Release your inner Spike, and kick some butt, Bringer-style

Constructed: 4.5
Limited: 4.5


Chris
Gerhardt

* game store owner in CA, ShuffleAndCut

Domain... turning out to be sooo interesting in Fifth Dawn.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term, Domain refers to decks that utilize 5 colors in a synergetic way.  The last time Domain was truly viable was when Invasion was still legal, and you actually did see a few domain decks roaming competitively.  While I am still skeptical about its chances in the current environment, you never know. It may find its place in the rogue field, but this will all depend on how well it is supported by the rest of Fifth Dawn.  Later this week we'll give you a review of Joiner Adept, a huge step towards mana smoothing for Domain or any multicolor that includes Green.  While Joiner is an amazing card, there will need to be more support to truly make multi-color viable in this set.  We shall soon see.

The ability of Bringer is amazing...grab what you need and draw it with your next draw. Amazing. This cards biggest problem is its mana costs.  9 is stupidly not even considerable in competitive constructed.  It's alternate cc of WUBRG isn't very manageable either in the current environment.  Unless something else amazing shows up in Fifth Dawn, you probably won't see this on the Pro Tour.  BUT.....

....In casual, I can see this as having huge potential for abuse.  Taking advantage of various older sets, especially Invasion block, Casual players can have a field day with this card. Tutor, tutor, tutor...draw what you want, when you want it. This ability is so powerful, that Casual mages should not be able to resist the chance to abuse it.  Should make for some fun decks. Look for some of the following Domain cards to possibly find new life in casual decks: Global Ruin, Legacy Weapon, Allied Strategies, Collective Restraint, Collapsing Borders.

In limited, it's a difficult call.  We're not sure at the time of publishing what other and how many Fifth Dawn cards besides Joiner Adept will support multicolor.  If you get enough in your card pool, run it. Otherwise, 9 casting cost is steep.  If you're going black, I'd still include it in case of a stand off.

Constructed: 2
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 3.5
  
   Current Price:
Bringer of the Black Dawn - Fifth Dawn - TBA

   Combos Well With:
Global Ruin - Invasion - $2.30
Legacy Weapon - Apocalypse - $3.54
Allied Strategies - Planeshift - $0.87
Collective Restraint
- Invasion - $2.30
Collapsing Borders - Invasion - $1.62

 


Judge Bill

*Level 2
MTG Judge

*game store employee

A repeatable Vampiric Tutor on a stick. For 9 mana, shouldn't you have already won the game? Even if you pay the "one of each mana" cost, you've set up your deck with rather unnecessary cards to get the Bringers out. A great card for limited, and will probably see some play in casual. I just don't think it's any good in competitive constructed, because of its high mana cost.
 
Constructed: 1
Casual: 3
Limited: 4.5
 

Ray "Monk"
Powers
* Level 3 DCI Judge
*DCI Tournament Organizer
*Game Store Owner (Gamer's Edge)

Bringer of the Black Dawn

 

I am officially naming this guy “Luke Cage, Hero for Hire.” He’s big, he’s black, and if you pay him enough, he’ll get you anything you want. The alternate cost is going to make him fun to play in Type Dan Gray, my favorite casual format. If you play Type Dan Gray, he’s a must.

 

In Draft, for this block, it’s just going to be too hard to play him. He costs too much and is over costed at his normal casting cost, but the block does not have enough mana fixers to make the five color cost feasible. Maybe if you are playing black and green with the Joiner (reviewed later on this week).

 

In Constructed, same deal. You can build a deck around him, but it won’t be tier one. All the same, I think its still a fun card I’ll be using in casual play.

 

Constructed:                 2

Casual:                         4

Limited:                        1

 
Jonathan
Pechon


2 Grand Prix Top 8's

Multiple Pro Tour appearances

Bringer of the Black Dawn

 

A new mechanic brings about some good cards, right?  I really hope that this ends up being one of them…though I just have to say that I don’t think that it’s likely.  I’d like to thank Wizards for printing fun cards in the same block with yet another painfully fast and powerful mechanic (Affinity) as to hose up the entire field and make cards that are just “good” virtually unplayable unless they have the specific purpose of wrecking said mechanic.  A  decent card, but not good enough to make a dent in competition.

 

I can definitely see just about anything with this mechanic having practical use in any form of casual play, from prismatic to group games to good ol’ fun decks.  This guy is definitely going to be on the top tier of those cards.  I mean, who doesn’t want the option of casting Vampiric Tutor every upkeep?  This isn’t to mention the sizable body with an evasion ability attached to it.  Mana-cost makes it nigh-impossible to play in Mental.

 

I don’t see the Sunburst mechanic making too much of a splash in draft; therefore, the nine mana that could use on this would probably be best spent on two or three other, more efficient cards.

 

Constructed:  2.5

Casual:  3.5

Limited:  2.0

 


Jeff Zandi

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Level 2 Judge

Bringer of the Black Dawn
5/5 Trampler with amazing ability to Tutor for whatever card you want during
your upkeep each turn. What's the downside? Mostly the casting cost. The
regular cost of 7BB is very high, playable as an expensive bomb in limited,
I suppose, with lots of Myr and Talisman cards. It is extremely interesting
to have the alternate cost of one of each color of mana. In limited, it's
pretty hard to get all five colors of mana. Even in decks designed to get
multiple colors of mana, you might be able to pay the 7BB cost by the time
you have the five mana alternate, supposedly cheaper, available to you.
There can be no doubt that this card is extremely powerful once it's in
play, which makes it SOMEHOW useful in constructed. *shrug* Giant mana cost
for a big creature with a powerful ability, sounds like a card for the old
Reanimator deck to me. Obviously great in casual decks that still have
access to tournament-banned goodies like Lake of the Dead and Dark Ritual.
CONSTRUCTED: 3.0
CASUAL:            3.5
LIMITED:             3.5
Chase

Secret Squirrel on the Pojo.com
Message
Boards

Bringer of the Black Dawn

Wow.  Vampiric Tutor every turn for 9 mana, 5 toughness, and trample.
Although it is expensive.  9 mana for continuous tutor might not be the best
way to play with your life.  I just don't think this fits into any current
deck as decks are just so fast..  This should be a good rule of thumb for
most constructed decks.  Very cool for casual.

I could see this getting played in limited.  If and when you cast this, you
get another bomb next turn.  That is to say if, as you will never play a 5
color limited deck.  9 mana can be gotten but it is not that desirable.

Constructed: 2
Casual: 4
Limited: 3.5
 

Jason
Chapman
Bringer of the Black Dawn is one of those cards that I should hate. At 9 mana, or even 5 with alternate casting cost, I would normally argue that it has to win the game for you as soon as it comes down but the ability to fetch a needed card each and every turn counts for a lot. While I still think it is overrated this card can see some abuse especially with creative ways to get it in play fast.

Constructed - Slow but a game breaker if only because it lets you find the gamebreaker - 3.0

Limited - Possible as it would make sure you draw the perfect card for every situation - 3.0

Casual - A great card for casual games where it is fairly balanced - 3.5

 
 

 

 

 

Pojo.com

Copyright 2001 Pojo.com

   

Magic the Gathering is a Registered Trademark of Wizards of the Coast.
This site is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast and is not an Official Site.