Argentum Masticore – Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2023
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.63
Casual: 4.13
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.25
Commander [EDH]: 3.50
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Argentum was New Phyrexia’s name before its name was Mirrodin – the name Karn gave to his creation at the start, some kind of reflection of its artificial but living soul. And given how strong New Phyrexia is right now, it’s perhaps fitting that this creature is now on their side too. It definitely hits all the features you expect of masticores, but the repeatable Vindicate effect is a somewhat unique variation on their reputation for destroying things quickly. While it does seem a little slow compared to the creatures with lists of triggered abilities and stuff, I think it’s better than it looks. All you need is one or two things that take advantage of putting more stuff in your graveyard, and you’ve got a minor engine going; and in the meantime, it’s also destroying people in combat.
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
An occasional creature type famous for being quite vicious in days past, masticores return upon our return to Phyrexia, this time with a Phyrexian Masticore. Masticores have always been known for being fairly efficient and for requiring discard fodder to keep going, and Argentum Masticore is no different. Protection from multicolored is interesting enough, especially paired with a 5/5 first strike body; while a lot of the removal that would hit this is not usually multicolored, having some protection on your big, lethal threat is nice. The discard angle is an interesting one, because you can use this to blow up a lot of things, though this makes for an interesting wrinkle of not wanting to just bin excess lands. There will definitely be times where the price of Argentum Masticore is a bit too high, but being able to pop a warm body and swing through is excellent, particularly for colors that struggle with specific card types, like black and blue. I think Argentum Masticore won’t be a dominant threat, but it should see some play as a tech option, thanks to a solid body on top of removal, and it should carry its weight if you can make the discard work for you.
Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
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