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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Garruk, Apex Predator
Image from Wizards.com

Top 10 Cards of 2014

#4 - Garruk, Apex Predator
- M15

Reviewed Dec. 26, 2014

Constructed: 4.17
Casual: 4.17
Limited: 4.25
Multiplayer: 4.25

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale:
1 - Horrible  3 - Average.  5 - Awesome

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Garruk, Apex Predator
 
For seven mana, we've come to expect a massive impact on the game (and possibly the secondary market too), and Garruk does not disappoint. Considering that by the time you reach seven mana, the table is probably pretty well developed, his abilities can all be seen as variants of killing things, either directly or in roundabout ways (counting his 3/3 beast token as a blocker). However, the spread of ways he does so makes him more flexible than it appears at first glance, and when other control decks are relying on planeswalkers as late-game cards, he can be quite difficult to deal with short of playing him yourself.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

The number four card of the year is Garruk, Apex Predator which is a seven mana Black and Green planeswalker with five loyalty.  The first effect of +1 that destroys target planeswalker is very situational, but when it can be activated it is a huge benefit with the only possible drawback being one less usage of the other +1. The second effect for +1 gives you a 3/3 with Deathtouch, which is an excellent effect to use as even two tokens from it justifies the seven mana cost.  The -3 of destroying a target creature and gaining life equal to the toughness isn't bad, removal with another benefit is efficient, but unless the creature is a major threat that can't be handled by the 3/3 Deathtouch tokens it is much better to build up to the ultimate.  The -8 is fantastic, particularly in Multiplayer, as it makes any attack a serious threat and any player can take advantage of it.  Overall this is a very strong card in slower formats, though the higher mana cost will keep it from seeing much play outside of Commander and Multiplayer.
 
In Limited this is a clear first pick in Booster even as a two color card and one can be splashed to support the other.  3/3 creatures each turn alone is enough to win games and the biggest threat an opponent may have can be handled by the -3 or other +1 if a planeswalker.  In Sealed it is a card to build your deck around and barring a truly atrocious Black and Green selection it should be the cornerstone to a winning build more often than not.
 
For Multiplayer, the emblem produced by the -8 may be the single most effective bargaining chip in the entire game as the threat of it and inability to remove it once applied should concern almost any opponent.
 
Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 4.0
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

BMoor Had this at #3 on his Top 10 List
Mattedesa

Garruk, Apex Predator
 
At 7 mana, this version of Garruk is quite an investment. Most of the time planeswalkers are valuable because you can get them out relatively early and use their abilities multiple times. But when it takes 7 mana to get him out, its immediate impact should be pretty big. His immediate +1 of either destroying a planeswalker or making a 3/3 deathtouching beast do fit the bill. Or, you could get rid of that problematic creature before someone has the chance to take out Garruk  - because, make no mistake - once you get Garruk out, someone will be doing anything they can to take him out, because if he's left to use his ultimate, the game's over. 
 
If you can manage to get him out in a timely fashion and someone doesn't kill him immediately, he's right up there with Nicol Bolas as the most powerful planeswalker. But to me, I'd usually rather play a less expensive planeswalker and get more early use out of him. The Apex Predator, unfortunately, is going to rot in your hand far too often.
 
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 5.0
Limited: 4.0
Multiplayer: 4.0


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