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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!


Image from Wizards.com

Ichor Rats
Scars of Mirrodin

Reviewed October 12, 2010

Constructed: 3.13
Casual: 3.63
Limited: 3.60
Multiplayer: 3.60

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 of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Ichor Rats

The first poison counter is immediate and unpreventable. And then you start swinging with it for 2 more counters a turn. Being a 2/1 is a pretty big downside, since any blocker outside of maybe Wall of Omens will kill it. But because infect deals in -1/-1 counters as well as poison counters, any creature that blocks Ichor Rats becomes permanently -2/-2. And later in the game, that first poison counter up front may prove to be the fatal one, and there'll be nothing your opponent can do.

Constructed- 3
Casual- 3.5
Limited- 3.75
Multiplayer- 4

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Ichor Rats
 
Ichor Rats is one of the best partners for yesterday's reviewed card, and arguably one of the better infect creatures in general. Opponents who can't block it are out of the game in short order, and the ability to poison someone directly - and sometimes kill them even after they've found lots of blockers - is even scarier. I expect Ichor Rats to be one of the centerpieces of infect-based decks in any format.
 
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 3/5

Paul

Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Ichor Rats
 
Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is a powerful addition to poison decks, Ichor Rats. Simply by casting this card you can load players up with poison counters for proliferate shenanigans as well as just swarming with your infected horde. In standard this is one of the better in infect cards alongside Skittles and Hand of the Praetors, if infect hits the big time this card may hitch along for the ride. In extended the same concept applies if an infect deck takes off this card could be an integral part as of now Ichor rats has had little to no effect on the format. In extended and eternal no chance, not powerful enough compared to the cards available. In casual rats are quite popular and something tells me the infect mechanic will be as well; casual players will either love or hate this card. In limited Infect is a legitimate strategy and if you are wanting to go Infect pick this highly. Overall a powerful Infect card demonstrating the power of the new mechanic.

Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4.0
Multiplayer: 3.5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Ichor Rats which is a three mana 2/1 with the Infect mechanic that also gives each player a poison counter when it comes into play.  This makes it a nice card in multiplayer, especially when partnered with yesterday's card Hand of the Praetor for two counters, but otherwise it is quite a bit weaker.  Without the support of Hand or Proliferate the 2/1 doesn't do too much and the double Black in the cost may make it a bit slower in a Green/Black or Blue/Black build depending on the mana base.  Taking a poison counter yourself is a small risk and if your opponent is playing Infect as well this card is probably going to wind up in the sideboard for the second game of the match.
 
For Limited this is a weaker Infect option that is hurt even more by the double Black and single point of toughness.  Risking a poison counter is even more likely to cause problems as your opponent is just as likely to be using Infect or even Proliferate as well.  If you have a very good Infect pool in Sealed this is worth including, but otherwise it doesn't stand up well by itself at all and should be left out of most decks. 

For Booster this isn't a high priority to be drafted and there are similar threats in the format with a better survival rate such as Contagious Nim.
 
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 2.5
Multiplayer: 4.0


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