Pojo's Magic The Gathering news, tips, strategies and more!

Pojo's MTG
MTG Home
Message Board
News & Archives
Deck Garage
BMoor Dolf BeJoSe

Columnists
Paul's Perspective
Jeff Zandi
DeQuan Watson
Jordon Kronick
IQ
Aburame Shino
Rare Hunter
Tim Stoltzfus
WiCkEd
Judge Bill's Corner


Trading Card
Game

Card of the Day
Guide for Newbies
Decks to Beat
Featured Articles
Peasant Magic
Fan Tips
Tourney Reports


Other
Color Chart
Book Reviews
Online Play
MTG Links
Staff



This Space
For Rent

Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day


Image from Wizards.com
 

Clutch of the Undercity
Ravnica


Reviewed October 27, 2005

Constructed: 2.15
Casual: 2.35
Limited: 2.65

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 


Jeff Zandi

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Clutch of the Undercity

This is an expensive bounce spell, there's no getting around this important fact. On the other hand, it bounces any permanent and causes a opponent to lose three life. In limited, this is a very good card for the blue/black mill deck that needs a way to slow down or remove an important creature from the other side of the board, even if only temporarily. The fact that you can Transmute this card into some other four casting card in your deck only helps to make Clutch of the Undercity an even more useful accessory to any blue/black limited deck. Constructed? Too expensive unless the Transmute abiility is particularly useful with the other cards in your deck. Saw some in blue/black constructed decks this past weekend in State Championships, so I guess this card has a future in constructed.

CONSTRUCTED: 3.0
CASUAL: 3.5
LIMITED: 3.5
 


DeQuan
Watson

* Game Store Owner

Clutch of the Undercity

I think at first glance this card is really deceiving. It appears to be really good. However, the card costs one too many for me to really like it. The cool part about it though, is that it does target ANY permanent. That makes a big difference. You can definitely use it in limited play for either three damage or to try and get an enchantment off of a creature. There are several uses. I'm unsure of if it's fast enough for constructed play.

Constructed: 2
Casual: 3
Limited: 2.5
 

Paul Hagan

Clutch of the Undercity

Argh, this card was so close to being constructed-worthy, but it couldn't quite make it. I like the effect well enough -- who doesn't like bouncing permanents? Who doesn't like making their opponent lose life? Who doesn't like the ability to transmute up a more relevant card if this card is dead? However, the biggest problem: who likes to pay four for this card? Maybe if it was only UUB instead of 1UUB it would see play, but as is, there are just too many better cards for four mana. I like my spot removal early, thank you.

Unlike Darkblast earlier this week (I know, even reading that word hurts your eyes), this card does fall under the "any removal is good removal" rule for limited. If you are in blue and black and see this card, you should probably scoop it with intent to play at least one copy.

Constructed Rating: 2.0
Casual Rating: 2.0
Limited Rating: 2.5
 


Christine
Gerhardt

Clutch of the Undercity

Scott likes this card a LOT more than I do. Blue is very weak as a color in limited RAV formats, unless you're using it in a mill based deck, in which case you don't give a crap about loss of life. It's also too expensive for constructed play, and it's not in a theme that anyone playing casual much cares about. So Clutch is relegated to the orphan category of cards that probably aren't that bad, but no one wants to play.

Constructed - 2
Casual - 1.5
Limited - 2
 
Copyright© 1998-2005 pojo.com
This site is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with any of the companies or products featured on this site. This is not an Official Site.