This card has been making some noise as the "one
drop" in a Modern-legal token aggro deck. Most
of the cards in that deck are from Innistrad
block, so a Standard variant could be viable.
The biggest problem is that Beckon Apparition
isn't just a Suntail Hawk token-- it needs a
card in a graveyard to target. In Modern, a
first-turn Surgical Extraction or Gitaxian Probe
could provide a target, but a Standard version
would have no such option.
Of course, Beckon Apparition still works as a
means of removing cards from an opponent's
graveyard. While Debtors' Knell was not in fact
reprinted and Scavenge has yet to live up to
Dredge's legacy, Flashback is still out there
and Beckon Apparition at instant speed can
thwart a Morbid return.
As an on-curve evasive token and a potential
answer to a hard-to-answer class of cards, this
definitely earns a place in any deck that can
cast it... or at least in the sideboard.
Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Beckon
Apparition
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
the interesting Beckon Apparition a solid
graveyard hosing card. In standard this card can
perfectly foil some reanimation strategies as
well as making Snapcaster Mage’s flashback
granting ability worthless, it also provides an
early drop for token based decks. Overall in
standard I could see this card seeing some
serious sideboard play to counter some powerful
things in the format. In modern graveyard hate
is more powerful and I don’t see this card
finding its niche. In other eternal formats I
don’t suspect this card has the power to
compete. In casual and multiplayer it can have
some niche uses but overall is not worthy of
inclusion in a deck outside of specific
circumstances as their exists much better token
generators and graveyard hate. In limited it’s
all right but not highly abusable and more of a
sideboard card. Overall an underwhelming card
with some sideboard applications.
Today's card of the day is Beckon Apparition
which is a one mana Black or White instant that
exiles target card from a graveyard and puts a
1/1 White and Black spirit token with Flying
into play. This is an excellent card that
can be a surprise defender, evasive threat, part
of a token or spirit theme, and response to
graveyard targeting. Many decks can
benefit from this and it is sure to be popular
now that it has returned to Standard.
In Limited this is works much like it does in
Constructed as a response, blocker, or evasive
threat. As a card that creates an evasive
1/1 for one it should always be included in
Black or White decks in Sealed and is well worth
a fairly early pick in Booster.
I'm honestly surprised there wasn't
a non-hybrid variant of this card in
the Innistrad block. Surely it fits.
Actually, shouldn't Vile Rebirth
also (or instead) have been in
Innistrad? Who was in charge of
that, anyway? Well, at least Beckon
Apparition is here now, and you'd be
surprised how many decks can get
wrecked by having a single key card
removed from their graveyard (the
Angel of Glory's Rise combo deck
comes to mind). Some of those decks
don't have much action after that
key card is gone either, meaning
that the Spirit token will ride to
victory a surprising proportion of
the time. And even if you're not
facing a deck like that, you can use
it as a 1/1 flying creature with
flash.
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5
John Shultis
Welcome to another week of new
card of the day reviews here at
Pojo.com! We begin our week looking
at Beckon Apparition from Gatecrash!
Beckon Apparition is a common hybrid
black/white instant that costs one
hybrid white or black mana. Beckon
Apparition says exile target card
from a graveyard. Put a 1/1 black
and white spirit creature token with
flying onto the battlefield.
Beckon Apparition is in my
opinion the most under-utilized
common from Gatecrash. But, I
have a feeling that is going to
change. Beckon Apparition is
great because it can go in such
a wide variety of decks, and
serves a purpose in so many of
them. Exiling something, and
gaining the token yourself is so
advantageous.
The reason I say this is
under utilized is simple. Some
of the top deck types right now
involve graveyard exploitation.
This simple one mana spell can
quite easily thwart their
efforts. Decks that use
Snapcaster Mage's to flashback
can find the target of the
Snapcaster exiled, and now
unable to counter your spell, or
some other spell. And right now
a major contender in top decks
is the reanimators. This card is
so perfect for playing against
those. The reason, wait for
target selection, respond, now
their reanimated creature has
been exiled, their spell will be
countered upon resolution, and
you gain a creature advantage,
and most likely, board
advantage.
Especially for Boros decks,
I cannot understand why we don't
see these in sideboards. You
would be able to gain another
attacker for the Battalion
ability, and help ensure some of
the trickier decks are unable to
do their thing.
I truly love Beckon
Apparition, and if any of you
readers are having trouble with
the aforementioned decks where
you play, your answer is before
you, Beckon Apparition.
