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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Chandra's Phoenix
Image from Wizards.com

Countdown: Top 10 MTG Cards of 2011 - #8
Chandra's Phoenix

Magic 2012

Reviewed December 28, 2011

Constructed: 4.40
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4.13
Multiplayer: 3.75

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

Chandra's Phoenix

The best creatures are those that can in some way trivialize their deaths. Some are nigh impossible to dispatch, some have a leaves-play trigger, and others do their best work in the graveyard, or return from it. In a dedicated burn deck, Chandra's Phoenix is simple to bring back into play, making it the ideal creature in a deck that wants as few as possible. Even a few copies of Geistflame can turn this 2/2 into the threat that wouldn't die, if you're prepared to aim them at your opponent's face instead of his creatures. In a deck with Chandra herself, you can save the burn spells for taking out any creatures that swing at her and simply use her to regrow the Phoenix.

Constructed- 4.5
Casual- 4.25
Limited- 4
Multiplayer- 3.75


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Chandra's Phoenix
 
The latest in a long line of creatures that act more like direct damage spells, and also among the strongest of those. Resurrection is one of the few abilities that appears in every color except blue, and Chandra's Phoenix has a take on it that is designed to synergize with other cards in its color, most notably its namesake. The cost is low enough to make multiple attacks over the course of turns, and to allow multiple plays in one turn, and opponents can't fight it with "conventional" means - a lot of white removal spells exile, though, so watch out for that. Despite that, though, it's a good card via its keywords and greatly improves any red decks chances against Doom Blade guys and counterspell decks. 
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 3/5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's number eight on the top ten of 2011 is Chandra's Phoenix which is a three mana Red 2/2 Flying with Haste and returns to your hand from the graveyard whenever an instant, sorcery, or planeswalker you control deals damage to an opponent.  The cost is aggressive for a 2/2 with Flying and Haste, particularly in a color with few examples of Flying or evasion in general.  The card advantage of it returning to play and being able to attack the same turn if the damage is dealt before an attack makes it valuable to just about any deck with spell or planeswalker sources of burn.  One of the more interesting and beneficial additions to Red's toolbox and something that will be played for the foreseeable future.
 
In Limited this is an easy first pick in Booster that obviously benefits greatly from drafting as many sources of burn as possible during the draft.  Even without burn a three mana 2/2 with Flying and Haste is a fantastic card, though the double Red in the casting cost is a bit of a concern when playing multiple colors and in Sealed.  Despite that drawback it should be played whenever your pool supports a primarily Red theme and can potentially be the biggest source of damage over the course of a game.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

TDogg

Number 8 is Geist of Saint Traft.  This guy was the reason haunted humans was so popular.  He is hexproof and people have abused the heck out of that.  He can't be burned or target by removal spells, while he can still be enchanted or equipped.  Angelic Blessing is the one that sticks out the most.  Honestly I feel like both those card complimented each other.  He puts a temporary attacker on the field.  That attacker has flying and dies at the end of combat.  This means that killing that flyer has no value.  This guy is a big threat, the only reason I think he isn't higher is because its hard to get value out of him without some help.  So without a lawkeepr to tap creatures or an Angelic Blessing he becomes a littler underwhelming.
 
Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4.0
Multiplayer: 2.5


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