I would have considered playing this card even
if it didn't have that "extra" text that turned
its drawback into an engine of sorts. It would a
significant drawback, but it's highly efficient
even by the standards of creatures with
drawbacks (and come on, it's a giant frog). As
things stand, though, there are a lot of
deceptively strong things to do with this guy:
multiple landfall triggers, getting card
advantage from Evolving Wilds, and negating
Elusive Tormentor's activation cost so long as
you manage your hand carefully. And that's even
before you get into formats with Peace of Mind
or Crucible of Worlds.
I really like this card, mainly for its subtle
"hidden synergies". Sure, we already know that
there are a lot of cards in the format that ask
you to sacrifice creatures or lands, but there
are also a lot of ways to discard cards. If you
don't have a Madness card to cast, then the next
best candidate is usually a land. Also, remember
that the last block took place of Zendikar and
contained land creatures, who may go to the
graveyard from attacking or blocking.
The real question is, why does a 6/6 have
deathtouch? What is it blocking or getting
blocked by that six power wouldn't have killed?
Are we just making it easier for people who want
to give a creature deathtouch, trample, and
lure?
