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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded
Image from Wizards.com

Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded
Avacyn Restored

Reviewed May 7, 2012

Constructed: 3.80
Casual: 3.75
Limited: 3.70
Multiplayer: 3.75

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 of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded

I've said in the past that planeswalkers who cost more than four mana have a tough time of it because they just don't hit the board fast enough to make a significant difference. Tibalt costs a mere two, the cheapest any planeswalker's ever been, so by that reasoning he should be the best planeswalker ever printed, right? Wrong. You'll notice Jace the Mind Sculptor was more powerful than Jace Beleren despite being one mana more. Let's talk this out.
Tibalt is two loyalty for two mana. He's also double red, so he really needs to be in a mostly-red deck. If you didn't have a one-drop and your opponent did, you may find yourself losing Tibalt to one swing. The +1 ability helps, meaning Tibalt will have 3 on him before your opponent can really react. But the ability is "draw a card, then discard a card at random". Deck filtering is only good if you get to keep the cards you filter! If you intend to use Tibalt's +1 any number of times, you have to pretty much give up on the ability to plan your strategy more than a turn or two in advance, and you're heavily incentivized to immediately play any good card you see. Pure red, right?

Ability two: Sudden Impact for four loyalty. Sure, it can end a game outright in the right situation (like right after a Wheel of Fate?) but it seems like a lot of loyalty to spend on something that doesn't actually impact the board. Is that really what you discarded all those cards at random for? A fancy Lava Axe?
Tibalt's Ultimate is where things really get intriguing. Insurrection for zero mana, meaning you can spend your mana on something like Rally the Forces to further make the alpha swing hurt. This is even more ridiculous if you have a sack outlet like Soulblast. But can you get yourself up to that kind of loyalty? It seems like a deck with Tibalt would want to be full of cheap spells to maximize the ability to actually play the ones you want before you have to pitch them to his +1, but you'd also need some means of protecting Tibalt. He'll be glorious when he works, but I'm worried he won't work enough.

Constructed- 3
Casual- 3.5
Limited- 3
Multiplayer- 4


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded
 
Haven't I met this guy when he was using a different name? Philip Traum, perhaps? Vergil something? Asmodeus - no, wait, he had a snake tail. Well, whatever it was, they say the devil takes care of his own, and as such you can't go wrong with Tibalt. Not only does his low mana cost let him enter the field before opponents have a chance to set up, it also goes well with his card-drawing ability later in the game, making it easier for you to cast anything you draw from him. Discarding randomly almost doesn't feel like a disadvantage, considering how many cards with flashback there are now, and you can even dip into the Alara block for creatures with unearth for even more interactions. They say it's better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven, and Tibalt shows just how true that can be.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5


Paul

Welcome back readers todays card of the day is the first two mana planeswalker and I feel it lives up to the hype. The +1 ability making you discard ad random is not something I am a fan of would regular looting have been to powerful? I can’t say but it still allows you to fill your deck with flashback cards that you don’t mind discarding. The minus ability while expensive allows you to deal a fair amount of damage to opponents based on their hand sizes, the ultimate is insurrection gaining control of all creatures and granting them haste is a powerful finisher. In standard I can see mono red possibly or at best in a blue/ red deck that utilizes flashback to a degree making it a source of card filtering and possible finisher. In extended and modern the same concept applies there is a lot more madness and flashback cards to work with also making this a potent planeswalker. In legacy and vintage I can’t see this seeing much play but it is cheap enough and in vintage you can cast it turn one off a mox or other mana accelerant. In casual and multiplayer it comes down early so opponents may not be able to mess with it much and allow you to gain advantage or go for an early ultimate or hitting a player for a large amount of damage early. In limited this is a money rare and a powerful bomb. Overall a powerful card that will see extensive constructed play.
 
Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3.5
Multiplayer: 3.0

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Tibalt, the Fiend Blooded which is a two Red mana planeswalker with two loyalty.  The +1 of drawing a card and discarding a card at random is not particularly noteworthy, but isn't overly detrimental in a small hand and is necessary to power into the remaining abilities.  The -4 is not likely to do a great deal of damage against decks that aren't draw engines or being forced to draw though your own effects.  It may work as a situational finisher though doesn't really compare to Red's other options for burn.  The -6 however is very impressive and should end just about any game it is used in.  Overall a reasonable design for the first two mana planeswalker and may see some play in hopes of using the ultimate.
 
For Limited the double Red may keep Tibalt from entering play in the earlier stages of the game where the -4 is most beneficial.  The format often promotes topdeck situations and small hand sizes, though it also is heavily creature based making the final ability a huge threat.  If he can be protected for a few turns he will win games and for that he deserves to be drafted first, followed by removal and a focus on anything that can block for him.   A Sealed built will have a tougher time managing the mono-Red this most benefits from, yet he'll work well enough if Red is the primary color.
 
In Multiplayer including any kind of sacrifice engine makes gaining control of all creatures an incredible play that should lock down the game after the major attack it enables.  Protecting him from all opponents won't be an easy task and a deck using him should consider options for increasing the counters on him or defensive spells.
 
Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 3.5
Multiplayer: 3.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

      Welcome to a new week of card of the day reviews here at Pojo.com! We are beginning our look at Avacyn Restored this week. Kicking things off we are taking a look at Tibalt the Fiend-Blooded! Tibalt the Fiend-Blooded is a mythic rare red planeswalker that costs two red mana. Tibalt enters the battlefield with two loyalty counters. He has three abilities. His first ability adds one loyalty counter and says Draw a card, then discard a card at random. His second ability is a minus four, and deals damage to target player equal to the number of cards in his/her hand. His final ability is a minus six, and you gain control of all creatures, untao them, and they gain haste until end of turn.

      Tibalt the Fiend-Blooded is simply amazing. I love what he does, and everything that he can do. Sure, it may seem harsh having to pitch a random card, but think of the end game, but more importantly, think of how to exploit it! I am building a Madness deck around Tibalt for two reasons. The first is, I think Tibalt is VERY Rakdos themed, and since we are going back to Ravnica this fall, I find it important to be prepared. Second, when pitching random cards, it is always nice to be able to cast them while they are being pitched, is it not? His second ability is amazing if you add Tibalt to a card draw deck, fattening your opponents hand, playing keep away from Tibalt, and then Sudden Impact! The final is the game ender in most scenarios. Insurrection always had a way of doing that, and that is what Tibalt’s final is, Insurrection. Gaining control of all your opponents creatures means that they are wide open, and you will likely end the game, since your creatures are free to attack then too. Plus it is nice just to have say a Blood Connoisseur out to eat all of your opponents creatures when you are done, just in case.  

Limited: 5/5
Constructed: 5/5
Casual: 5/5
Multiplayer: 5/5


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