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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!


Image from Wizards.com

Countdown:
Top 10 MTG Cards of 2008

#9 - Cruel Ultimatum 
Shards of Alara

Reviewed January 6, 2009

Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 3,.75
Limited: 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 our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Cruel Ultimatum

DeQuan said it best in his latest article-- it wasn't long ago that one look at that mana cost would render a card unplayable. But today, you might actually scrape together UUBBBRR, perhaps even on turn seven. And when you do? Is there any way you could lose the game after resolving such a backbreaking spell? You cripple your opponent's resources on three different fronts while simultaneously bolstering your own. Now, this isn't a spell to be added to your deck lightly, by any means-- especially considering that it doesn't share a color with such mana accelerants as Birds, Rampant Growth, or any other of the green classics. But if your deck's manabase can handle it, your opponent almost never will.

Constructed- 3.5
Casual- 4.5
Limited- 4.5

Aethereal

Tuesday - Cruel Ultimatum

A really, really powerful control card. It is expensive, and the color requirements are ridiculous, but both of these are mere stumbling blocks when you consider that a) we have tons of color fixing available these days, and b) this card will win the game for you if you resolve it. The edict ability isn't really that great, but the rest of them will decimate your opponent and give you an insurmountable advantage, especially if you use the raise dead ability to recurse something like Mulldrifter to draw even more cards.

In limited, it'll still win the game for you, but getting those mana requirements might be a bit tougher than in constructed. Still, if you're in the colors, this is a high pick.

Constructed - 4
Casual - 3
Limited - 3.5
Miguel

Tuesday 1-6-09

 

Cruel Ultimatum

 

This card is a great card for any format. I pick it a little higher, but that is my personal pick. I have not personally used the card yet, but it has been used against me. I think I was able to come back once after it had be used against me. Limited this card is one of the best in Shards. Casual, not so good because it only targets one opponent. Maybe I will throw all of the Ultimatums in my Kaboom! deck.

 

Have fun.

 

Constructed: 4

Casual: 2

Limited: 4

 

Miguel

BeJose 9: Cruel Ultimatum

Really only useful in 5CC in standard. When it goes off, its basically game. It gives massive advantage, hence the massive cost. This is hard to play in Limited, but if your in Grixis definatly play this for the late-game potential. Not really much else to say

Constructed 3/5
Casual 3/5
Limited 2.5/5

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