Pojo's Magic The Gathering news, tips, strategies and more!

Pojo's MTG
MTG Home
Message Board
News & Archives
Deck Garage
BMoor Dolf BeJoSe

Columnists
Paul's Perspective
Jeff Zandi
DeQuan Watson
Jordon Kronick
IQ
Aburame Shino
Rare Hunter
Tim Stoltzfus
WiCkEd
Judge Bill's Corner


Trading Card
Game

Card of the Day
Guide for Newbies
Decks to Beat
Featured Articles
Peasant Magic
Fan Tips
Tourney Reports


Other
Color Chart
Book Reviews
Online Play
MTG Links
Staff



This Space
For Rent

Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Combustible Gearhulk
Image from Wizards.com

Combustible Gearhulk
- Kaladesh

Reviewed Oct. 13, 2016

Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 4.88
Limited: 5
Multiplayer: 3.75
Commander [EDH]: 4

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

Combustible Gearhulk
 
This is already one of my favorite iterations of the famous "punisher" abilities. If the Gearhulk manages to hit play, your opponent has fewer good options than with a lot of punishers. Its combat stats make it hard to deal with, and while it might look like an easy choice to never let your opponent draw the cards, you have to consider that a huge amount of damage coming straight at you (depending on what exactly is in their deck) might be worth a lot more than three cards. For a lot of decks, having things in their graveyard - having the right things in their graveyard - is definitely worth a lot more than three cards.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 5/5
Limited: 5/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
EDH/Commander: 4/5
James H. Combustible Gearhulk
 
Out of the thus-reviewed Gearhulks, Combustible Gearhulk may be the best one in combat. 6/6 with first strike means it beats the other Gearhulks we’ve seen so far, and it makes it really hard to kill. For that reason, it's pretty powerful.
 
The effect is a bit weirder. Few sane opponents would want you to draw three cards off of the Gearhulk entering (unless they'd be at risk of dying), so you'll rely on this being a 6/6 with added burn. The burn mode is very variant, though; as much as one might like to mill three more Gearhulks and light them up for 18, that's unlikely, and you're looking at this being a 4-7 damage swing in most cases.
 
I think the effect has potential, but even if it doesn't, it's still a 6 mana 6/6 with first strike. And that's a decent place to be.
 
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4.75
Limited: 5
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander: 4

Copyright© 1998-2016 pojo.com - Magic the Gathering Card Reviews
This site is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with any of the companies or products featured on this site. This is not an Official Site.