Evolved Spinoderm – Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2023
Ratings:
Constructed: 2.75
Casual: 3.75
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.00
Commander [EDH]: 3.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
I’m a little surprised by the hexproof on recently-revealed permanent cards – and I count Evolved Spinoderm among them, because All Will Be One really wasn’t as long ago as the internet treadmill might suggest to us. When there’s been basically zero for years, two or three cards will stand out, especially when some are big creatures like this guy.
The Spinoderm is, of course, a riff on Blastoderm, which was a Standard staple in the age of Fires of Yavimaya. The main problem with Blastoderm has always been that it gets blocked by tokens or other throwaway creatures, and the Spinoderm’s ability to gain trample definitely addresses that, but it’s late in the card’s natural use cycle. And if you’re planning to use proliferate to shore it up (as you probably are, since it’s in the same set), you’ll note that you can’t make it have hexproof and trample at the same time. On the other hand, this means that a repeatable proliferate ability would let you keep it at a level that suits the current game state or the opponent. I don’t think this will be a top-tier tournament card, but it definitely has its uses, and is a fun callback to a legendary card either way.
Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 3
Evolved Spinoderm feels like a bit of a riff on the famous Blastoderm of yesteryear, a decently efficient creature with a healthy bit of pop to it. It keeps the four-mama 5/5 body, but it swaps it out for hexproof early and trample late. It’s likely to at least live to start attacking, and it represents a decent clock, though it only has trample when it loses its hexproof. That said, this is still a solid enough body that can do some damage if you let it, and while it will usually only get to attack thrice, proliferate and the other oil counter support of Phyrexia: All Will Be One both go a ways towards letting it keep smashing.
Constructed: 3
Casual: 4
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 3
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