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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Etched Monstrosity
Image from Wizards.com

Etched Monstrosity
New Phyrexia

Reviewed June 2, 2011

Constructed: 2.60
Casual: 3.40
Limited: 3.00
Multiplayer: 3.40

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

Etched Monstrosity

For five colorless, you get a 5/5. But if you can muster WUBRG, you get to draw three cards and your 5/5 becomes a 10/10! This will be a very nice card for 5-color decks, as it has a lot of power and utility, but it's castable even in you don't have all your colors assembled yet. Proliferate opens up a whole new avenue of utility, since you could in theory use the card draw ability multiple times if you had a means of putting more counters on. Or you could just use the ability once and get a 10/10 out of the deal, and be grateful for the three cards.

Constructed- 2.5
Casual- 3.5
Limited- 2
Multiplayer- 3.5

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Etched Monstrosity
 
I was rooting for the Mirrans during the Scars of Mirrodin block's story arc, so in one sense this card makes me a little sad, as it's a clear signpost of how what was once theirs has fallen. But in terms of gameplay, I started looking at Etched Monstrosity's potential the moment I first laid eyes on it. You can get a 10/10 if you have access to all five colors; you can turn it into a card-drawing engine if you can find a way to get more -1/-1 counters on it; and if all else fails, you have a 5/5 for five, which is far from useless. I'll spare a thought for the lost Mirran cause, but I'll still try at least one of these things with this card; I recommend you do too.
 
Constructed: 2/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 4/5

Paul

Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is one of my favorite cards Etched Monstrocity not only a throwback to Etched Oracle it also a golem and has a large power and toughness. This card obviously works in a five color deck or a deck that can manipulate counters or a deck with Melira for a 10/10 or Vampire Hexmage although I believe drawing the cards is a powerful effect. In standard, extended, eternal  I don’t foresee this card seeing much play at all a 5/5 for five mana and a potential upside is not good enough to warrant inclusions in decks the five color requirement to get the  most out of this card  is another strike against it. In casual and multiplayer this card will see some play in five color decks its already found a home in my 5 color EDH deck, the potential shenanigans with this card are numerous. In limited it’s at least a 5/5 body for five  mana not the worst deal the five color aspect should never come up as making a  five color deck in limited is asking for trouble. Overall a card with great casual applications but not much tournament potential.
 
Constructed: 1.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited:  3.0
Multiplayer: 3.0

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Etched Monstrosity which is a five mana 10/10 that comes into play with five -1/-1 counters on it which can be removed by paying one mana of each color then a target player draws three cards.  Ignoring the effect you get a five mana 5/5 which is a bit weak, so some kind of trick is needed to get use out of this.  A variety of effects exist for getting your choice of five mana, removing all counters, preventing them from being placed, or even moving counters from one permanent to another which can allow this to work well enough to be viable.  Any deck running a half of a potential combo with this can easily play the golem as well without major adjustment as it is colorless.  Overall with a wide variety of options for dealing with the counters this is a card that can see play in a surprisingly large number of decks and may make appearances in more decks than might at first be expected.
 
In Limited the choices aren't as widespread, but some people play five colors and even a five mana 5/5 is useful in the format.  As a mythic and large colorless creature it can be a first pick in Booster that can be used in any deck and should be played in any Sealed just as a large threat.  If an option is seen for dealing with the counters such as an unlikely Hex Parasite then by all means play both, otherwise there's little reason to pass it to another player.
 
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3.0
Multiplayer: 3.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

    Welcome to the card of the day here at Pojo.com. Today we are looking at Etched Monstrosity from New Phyrexia. Etched Monstrosity costs only five generic mana for a 10/10. The only catch is that it comes into play with five -5/-5 counters. You can pay WUBRG (white, blue, blak, red, and green) mana to remove five counters and draw 3 cards.

    The risk in using the Etched Monstrosity is the Proliferate these days. Too easily could someone kill off the Etched Monstrosity before you gain the advantage of the 10/10. But the fact you have a 5/5 for five mana is still pretty decent. In standard play the ability to produce the WUBRG is pretty easy using either the two color mana lands and the Myr.

    The funnest way of using the Etched Monstrosity is probably by combining it with cards from the Lorwyn block. The cards from Shadowmoor and Eventide that remove -1/-1 counters for some added benefit could be more useful than drawing three cards.

    All in all a great mythic that is sure to see action in lots of varied decks for different reasons.
 
Limited: 4/5
Casual: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5
Constructed: 4/5


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