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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day


Image from Wizards.com

Whitemane Lion
Planar Chaos


Reviewed February 12, 2007

Constructed: 3.13
Casual: 2.50
Limited: 3.63

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 


DeQuan
Watson

* Game Store Owner

Whitemane Lion

I really want to like this card. I just think it might have trouble finding it's way into a lot of decks. I do love it in limited play though. You can effectively keep a creature from being targeted while not giving up your board advantage.

Also, it can allow you to be tricky with cards that have "comes into play" effects. It's a very simple common that's easy to overlook, but has some strong plus sides in tight situations.

Constructed: 3
Casual: 2
Limited: 3.5
 

BMoor

Whitemane Lion

A very impressive combat trick. I'd love to see this return a Savannah Lions about to take lethal damage as a show of pride loyalty or something. I might be disproportionately amused by 2/2's with flash for 2, especially ones that act as "counterspells" to protect your creature, but this one really looks good.

Constructed- 3.5
casual- 4
Limited- 3.9
 

KC MetroGnome

Whitemane Lion

Does anyone play Mystic Snake? This card costs less, is in a color that likes 2/2s for 2, and only counters spells targetting your creatures. That's not bad at all. It's a good play in limited (although I wouldn't switch to white for it) and I could see it fitting nicely into some constructed decks that just need ways to protect their best creature (or one of their myriad 2/x creatures) while replacing it with another warm body. This will probably see play in casual formats as well, where everyone at the table is gunning for your creatures (not just one opponent). Let alone if you find a way to abuse comes-into-play effects with this creature (and his friends).

Constructed - 4
Casual - 3+
Limited - 4
 


Gackley Ferguson

Whitemane Lion...as you may or may not know the lion is the "king of the jungle" so does the card live up to its title? Let's look at the pros and cons.

Pros:
Flash- anything that lets you play it on your opponents turn is always a plus
Casting Cost-1W is pretty cheap for a 2/2

Cons:
Power/Toughness: A 2/2 is nice, but you'll see from the second
effect why I'm not so thrilled bout this one.
Come into play effect: You essentially have to trade a creature for this one...now if you have another card in play that has a halfway decent come into play effect go for it...but I don't like having to give up something to get something.

The Verdict?

Constructed: 2/5- With Kamigawa rotated out Samurai of the Pale Curtain or Konda, Hound of Ishmaru would be better...but this card is so/so

Casual: 1.5/5- Unless you use the afore mentioned block limitations in your games use something else

Limited: 3/5- Probably the strongest category since you don't have all the options you'd otherwise have.
 

Aethereal

Whitemane Lion

A very tricky creature indeed. In some ways he's like a cheaper white Mystic Snake, as you can bounce something that's about to get hit with a removal spell or something. The body itself, without the ability, is acceptable as a 2/2 for 2, but throw in Flash and Gating and you have a very useful card. Unfortunately I don't see it getting a lot of use in constructed as there are few decks that could use it.

In casual, only if you have good stuff to bounce.

In limited, he's great. He counters removal and can bounce back your morphs for re-use. He especially goes well with Thursday's card, but more on that Thursday.

Constructed - 2.5
Casual - 2.5
Limited - 3.5
 


Jordan Kronick

Whitemane Lion - I was a big fan of gating tricks back in Planeshift. Now the set with the surprisingly similar name brings us some more in white. Whitemane Lion is pretty huge. As good as Ashcoat Bears were in green, this is good in white. The chances that you'll be stuck without anything to play this to bounce are pretty minimal. And with cool kicker creatures back in Planar Chaos as well, this thing will get a lot of use in the same way as those old gating cards - reusing effects to your benefit.

Constructed Rating - 2.3
Casual Rating - 2.5
Limited Rating - 2.9
 
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