Why is this card's creature type Ogre? I mean,
look at the guy. He's clearly a yeti. Or perhaps
a sasquatch, but they're more common in
Pathfinder than in Magic.
The third ability stands out as the odd one out,
considering how specific his mana cost is (will
you always have an extra red mana?), but it's
the first two you really have to watch out for.
They make it an absolute terror against most
creature decks, and if you're careful it can
even dodge Journey to Nowhere and Terror. It's
the sort of creature you play Cavern of Souls
just to be sure of casting. (Even if said Cavern
should have required naming Yeti. Or Sasquatch.)
Today's card of the day is Savage Knuckleblade
which is a three mana Blue, Red, and Green 4/4
with three effects. For two mana and a
Green it gets +2/+2 until end of turn which can
be activated only once a turn and while decent
is a little high as a two mana cost would equal
the typical investment. The two and a Blue
return to hand effect probably has to be set at
that cost, though the situational usage or it
being more of a deterrent balance it out. The
one Red mana to give it Haste is better than the
effect usually is as it combines with the second
effect to be potentially beneficial more than
once in a game. Overall this isn't a bad
creature and earns a place in decks using the
three colors as a recurring threat that is
difficult to oppose, provided there's enough
mana to fuel multiple effects.
In Limited this does lock in the three colors,
but the effects are very strong in the format
and leaving mana open just to fuel it is far
less damaging to tempo. A solid first pick
in Booster or starting point for Sealed as the
third color can be splashed into decks without
too much difficulty.
Wow - a 4/4 for 3 mana that's great! 3.5 of 5
stars!
Oh, wait - you can pay three mana to pump it up
to a 6/6? Even better. 4 of 5 stars!
And you can pay 3 mana to return him to your
hand? Not sure how often I'll use that, but nice
to have options. Still 4 of 5 stars.
That's still not all? You can pay a single red
to give it haste? Good grief. 4.5 of 5 stars!
This guy's so aggressive it's hard not to put
him in a Temur deck. Turn 1 Elvish Mystic, turn
2 4/4? Not many opponents will be prepared to
handle that. Only tough part is having the three
colors of mana quickly enough to get full use of
him.
