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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Grim Lavamancer
Image from Wizards.com

Grim Lavamancer
M12

Reviewed July 20, 2011

Constructed: 4.00
Casual: 4.00
Limited: 4.00
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

Grim Lavamancer

I came into Magic: the Gathering too late to see Grim Lavamancer in his original heyday, but this card was notorious back in its day, and it's not hard to see why. A pinger that hits for 2, with a converted mana cost of only one, is a strong contender and a solid repeatable kill spell. There's just the little matter of having enough cards in your graveyard to pay the cost. In Red, the easiest way to pull that off would be lots of cheap burn spells that you can fire off and exile. In theory, you could Millstone yourself, but now you're paying 2R for every Shock. Perhaps the Lavamancer is best exploited in the late game-- simply cast him on any turn when you have an extra mana available, then go for your aggro strategy, and use the Lavamancer once you've had enough Goblins or whatnot go to the graveyard. Will the Lavamancer be able to reclaim its former glory in the face of the competition-- Goblin Bangchuckers and all the other option today's Red Mages have to choose from? Only time will tell.

Constructed- 4
Casual- 4
Limited- 4
Multiplayer- 4

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Grim Lavamancer

This card's only been printed in three different sets, and of those only two were legal in tournament play. And yet, it's developed a well-deserved reputation as one of the greatest red damage sources in competitive Magic. It's no slouch in casual Magic either - the cost is ridiculously low, and in a land where some decks have access to 28 cheap counterspells (seriously, why would you bother?), turning used burn spells and dead creatures into Shocks is like giving every card in your deck a form of super-flashback with split second. Yeah. Fetchlands or no, graveyard block or no, Standard or casual or limited, Grim Lavamancer remains one of the best cards in Magic.

Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5

Paul

Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is one of the most powerful reprints in Magic 2012, Grim Lavamancer. For the mere price of one mana you can turn your entire graveyard into shocks providing a cheap renewable source of creature kill and damage to throw at players. Grim Lavamancer is one of the best red cards ever printed and will see extensive play in every format its legal in. In standard it may be hard for red to squeeze in another powerful one drop but this will see play in all competitive red deck. It provides inevitability and a powerful way to burn players and takes care of a lot of relevant creatures.  In extended it will see a lot of play due to power, in legacy it already see’s a large amount of play so that will continue. In casual and multiplayer it is a powerful utility creature and will see a fair amount of play. In limited its removal which is fantastic and can be played  with a splash of red a powerful card. Overall this is one of the most powerful cards reprinted in a while welcome to the Red Summer and enjoy your stay.
 
Constructed: 5.0
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.0

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Grim Lavamancer which is a one mana 1/1 which can deal two damage to a target creature or player for a cost of one, tapping, and exiling two cards from your graveyard.  The low casting and activation cost plus decent damage this deals is an excellent addition to any burn deck plus exiling cards from the graveyard is generally a negligible price.  This can speed the game along by repeatedly burning the opponent, destroying smaller creatures, or doing the last few points of damage to larger creatures to support other burn cards or after battle.  Even if it is just used as a basic one drop it is a welcome return from the Torment set and should be a big part of most Red torunament decks for a long time.
 
In Limited most single mana 1/1 creatures are a good investment and one that also works as reusable removal is an absolute steal.  A very easy first pick that can give you a big advantage in games where it enters the battlefield early if you can get some cards in the graveyard to activate the effect.  Entering the game later works just as well as you should have a supply of cards to exile for destroying any smaller creatures or burning your opponent directly.  It should always be included in a Sealed build if Red is your main or secondary color and is either a start of your deck for Booster or hate draft worthy at the very least.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

     Welcome to today’s card of the day here at Pojo.com. For this review we are looking at the Grim Lavamancer from M12. Grim Lavavmancer costs one red mana for a 1/1 Human Wizard. The Grim Lavamancer has an ability that says tap one red mana, tap the Grim Lavamancer, Exile two cards from your graveyard: deal two damage to target creature or player.

     Not the first time that Grim Lavamacer has been printed. We originally saw Grim Lavamancer back in Torment, but more recently in the Premium Fire and Lightning Deck. Grim Lavamancer is a good card, although t goes about exiling cards from  your graveyard. But, I guess since they are there, you may as well put them to use as well. Definitely better against mill decks, since you can pop the cards they mill out for some extra damage. The other deck it is good to be centered around is an old fashioned burn deck. Since once you burn they are done, you may as well earn another Shock for the two you already played.

    Not some huge staple for me, but a fun card to mess around with.
 
Limited: 3/5
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Multiplayer: 1/5


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