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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Delver of Secrets
Insectile Aberration
Image from Wizards.com

Countdown: Top 10 MTG Cards of 2011 -

#4
Delver of Secrets / Insectile Aberration

Innistrad

Reviewed January 3, 2012

Constructed: 4.13
Casual: 4.00
Limited: 3.50
Multiplayer: 3.25

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

Delver of Secrets

This is clearly one of the most powerful cards out of Innistrad, and one of the most chilling if you've read the Metamorphosis. I can't even look at the art of Insectile Abberation without Gregor Samsa flashbacks. Which is unfortunate, as Delver and its tragic tale are one of only two cards that can attack for three on turn two. The other, Reckless Waif, doesn't have flying and is much more dependent on what your opponent does on his or her first turn to transform so early, while you have a modicum of control. The fact that both Delver of Secrets and Insectile Abberation are Human, besides serving as a heartbreaking reminder of the rational creature that still lives in that mantis's body, means that the spillover interaction with Moonmist can create some interesting game states. Some enterprising souls are running Delver alongside Mayor of Avabruck, who confers his bonus to the Delver both before and after its Kafka-inspired nightmare. Further, an unflipped Delver of yours can discourage opponents from casting Moonmist... but an Insectile Abberation can be restored to the man of science it once was by it! Perhaps there's hope yet... except that you're bound to flip an instant or sorcery sooner or later and thus the Delver is doomed to repeat his mistakes all over again. What hath science wrought?

Constructed- 4.0
Casual- 3.5
Limited- 3.5
Multiplayer- 3.75

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Delver of Secrets
 
How does a common from Innistrad become a major player in Legacy within a few weeks of its release? Here's the secret: be blue, and thus arguably the most popular color in eternal formats; interact with instants and sorceries, arguably the most popular card types in eternal formats; cost one, so that your opponent is forced to play spells and you can sit back. Pretty simple when you think about it - wait, simple? Are you sure this is a blue card?
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 2/5
Multiplayer: 2/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's number four card of 2011 is Delver of Secrets which is a one mana 1/1 that transforms into a 3/2 Flying when you reveal an instant or sorcery from the top of your library at the beginning of your upkeep. 
The potential for a 3/2 with evasion attacking on the second turn makes this one of the most aggressive first turn plays available and it will see competitive play as a result.  It may not always trigger, but Blue's penchant for running instants makes it likely enough and library manipulation can increase the chances on later turns.
 
For Limited if your pool includes playable instant and sorcery spells this is a fantastic common that should be played in Sealed whenever Blue mana is used.  A one mana 1/1 is useful enough, so the chance of turning it into a serious threat for no real cost can't be ignored.  Booster drafts can make getting spells to trigger the effect a bit more reliable and Delver can be drafted fairly aggressively in the expectation of picking support later.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

      Welcome to the card of the day section, where we are continuing our countdown of the top cards of 2011. Today’s card is Delver of Secrets from Innistrad. Delver of Secrets is a 1/1 common creature human wizard that costs only one blue mana. Delver of Secrets says that at the beginning of your upkeep, look at the top card of your library. You may reveal it. If it is an instant or sorcery card you reveal, you transform Delver of Secrets. Delver of Secrets becomes Insectile Aberration, which is a 3/2 creature insect human that has flying.

     Easily the best one mana drop creature in a very long time, especially since blue deals so heavily with instants and sorceries. The fact that there well could be one on the next turn means the potential for a turn two 3/2 flyer that will become very problematic very fast for an unprepared opponent. However, with only two toughness, it is also very easily handled.

      While I agree that Delver of Secrets is a very good card, and in fact can be a great card in the proper situation, I have not settled on it being an impact card. And I certainly did not expect it top be number four on our top 10 list. But, it is deserving of its position.
 
Limited: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Constructed: 4/5
Multiplayer: 2/5


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