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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Bontu's Last Reckoning
Image from Wizards.com

Bontu's Last Reckoning
- Hour of Devastation

Reviewed August 10, 2017

Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 4.0
Limited: 3.75
Multiplayer: 3.75
Commander [EDH]: 3.88

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

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Card of the Day Reviews 


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Bontu's Last Reckoning
 
I don't want to get too deep into the theological discussion in this space, but I think it's curious how they seem to have conceptualized Amonkhet's gods as essentially physical beings, unlike Theros' who were also enchantments to signify that intangible or transmundane aspect. I also question whether that fits with cultural frameworks and ideas that already exist. Consider even a figure like King Arthur, who while not a god does come from a period in history with a cultural milieu that in some ways was very different from now. Is Arthur really "gone"? In truth, he's suffused and influenced the imagination of English-speaking societies to such a degree that he is, in a sense, omnipresent. 
 
Perhaps that's hard to represent on a Magic card. I personally think it's easier than it sounds, but regardless, Bontu's Last Reckoning is the first true Wrath of God effect at this cost that isn't conditional or easily counteracted (Breaking Point). I say that because it's flexible enough that you can leave other answers up in case your opponent tries to punish you, and specific enough in its drawback that you can use artifacts or creatures to generate the mana and mitigate missing your untap step. That makes it worth considering for decks far beyond Hour of Devastation, and perhaps that will make Bontu as transmundane and omnipresent as King Arthur.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
EDH/Commander: 4/5 
James H. Bontu's Last Reckoning
 
One of our first three-mana board wipes, and this one is certainly a doozy. You get to blow up creatures across the board, but the price of admission is not untapping your lands during your next turn. Make no mistake, this is a large cost on top of the three mana, but it's one that may be worth it. Again, three mana is sort of that soft break point in older formats, and the lower cost lets you try to set up for a game-winning push on your next turn. If you whiff, though, it could well come back to haunt you, and this may be a board sweeper that isn't as good when you're behind. But if you can make use of this with mana rocks and dudes, it's a way to ease the cost of not untapping lands.
 
It's powerful, that's for sure. I just question if it is powerful enough to see play in spite of its cost.
 
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 3.5
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander: 3.75

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