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BMoor |
Northern Paladin
I've heard that when this was printed in Seventh
Edition, there was some sort of "core set
storyline" involving the four Cardinal Paladins.
I don't know what it was about, but it seems
that even back then, Wizards knew that the Core
Set needed work. And back then, this card could
destroy black creatures or black enchantments,
and that was it unless you wanted to play
something like the old black version of
Chaoslace-- not worth it. It isn't worth much
more now, but it should be noted that we now
have black artifacts from Esper and black
planeswalkers. The Northern Paladin still needs
your opponent to be playing black for him to be
any good-- 3/3's for 2WW were of questionable
worth even in Seventh Edition. If you are up
against a black deck, he's great... as long as
he lives.
Constructed- 2.5
Casual- 3.5
Limited- 4
Multiplayer- 3.7
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David Fanany
Player since
1995 |
Northern Paladin
This was the first rare I ever opened in a
booster pack, back in 1995. It technically
wasn't among the first cards I owned - my sister
and I were introduced to the game by a Fourth
Edition starter set that was a gift from my
grandmother. It came in a box whose cover looked
like the back of a Magic card, and included a
starter deck and some other miscellaneous cards,
approximately enough for two decks assuming you
just grabbed every card of two colors and
shuffled them together with some basic lands.
That was exactly what we did back then. While
Northern Paladin was not technically my first
rare, entering my collection a few weeks later,
he was the first that I ever sat up and took
notice of. He was the rare that was most
responsible for lighting a fire for Magic in my
mind: I wanted to know who he was, what the Book
of Tal was, how he related to the other
characters and places on the cards.
I didn't play much with him at first; I was
always most drawn to red and green, even in
those days. Besides, my starter had, by sheer
luck, contained slightly fewer Plains than other
basic land types. Nowadays, people feel they
can't put a Standard deck together unless they
have exactly the right number of dual land
variants. Now imagine having to borrow basic
lands from your friends, or trade for them.
Either way, I tried white slightly later than
other colors, but when I did, Northern Paladin
soon became one of the most feared cards in
family games (my sister liked, and still likes,
blue and black). But it wasn't until I was
exposed to more of the Fourth Edition that I saw
his potential. Abomination, Animate Dead, Bad
Moon, Deathgrip, Gloom, Hypnotic Specter,
Nightmare, Pestilence, Rag Man, Sengir Vampire,
Sorceress Queen, and Zombie Master ruined
people's days on a regular basis, and a reusable
answer that also attacked and blocked for three
(and more with Crusade) became public enemy
number one to black's many early fans.
You'd think this guy would have held up
better over the years, as there are black cards
in every set. I feel he did, for a while, until
they decided that black's main constructed-level
ability would be ripping apart the opponent's
hand on turn one. And this was after Dark Ritual
and Hymn to Tourach were long gone from
Extended. Even so, this guy may still have a
role to play in certain decks. Multiplayer
settings that value the "rattlesnake" factor and
get less value out of one-for-one exchanges can
use him. And to me he will always represent
Magic's potential: its depth, its mystery, its
wonder.
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5
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Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno |
Today's card of the day is Northern Paladin
which is a four mana White
3/3 that for two White can tap to destroy target
Black permanent. This is one of the
original sidedeck cards and it works very well
in that regard as a low cost reusable source of
removal. It actually has gained some flexibility
by adding planeswalkers to the list of targets
it can destroy. There are other options in
most formats, but for what this is it is not bad
and could even see play in Casual, Commander, or
Multiplayer formats though primarily as a
response to the local metagame or in a sidedeck
role.
In a Limited format with this it is at worst a
3/3 body for four with some color dedication and
at best is a serious threat for an opponent
using Black. Definitely worth playing then
siding out if needed which makes it a top pick
in Booster and automatic inclusion in Sealed if
running at least half of the mana as White.
The double symbol in the casting and effect
costs is a drawback, but the low cost for the
potential advantage outweighs it more often than
not.
Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4.0
Multiplayer: 3.5
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