This week we’ll begin with a 2 mana water spell that appears to be very promising.  Unfortunately the card is being used infrequently and very few people have attempted to give this card a second glance.  So is it tournament worthy?  Let’s take a look.

Emergency Typhoon

Cost: 2

Civilization: Water

Type: Spell

Rules Text:

·         Shield trigger

·         Draw up to 2 cards then discard a card from your hand.

What makes this card so viable is the super cheap mana cost.  For only two mana you get to draw 2 cards and then discard a card.  Sounds great, right?  Although the effect is spectacular, let’s be realistic.  You’re playing one card to draw two and then discard one.  In actuality you just sent two cards to the graveyard (Emergency Typhoon and the discard) in order to draw two.  So this basically means that you end up with the same number of cards that you started with…  But that’s not really a bad thing.

The greatest aspect is the fact that you get to manipulate your own hand, thus making it easier to mold the outcome of the duel.  It’s easy to compare Emergency Typhoon to Emeral, our favorite turn 2 creature that allows us to fix a bad hand and gain some momentum.  Although Emergency Typhoon doesn’t allow us to manipulate shields, it can still give us a superior advantage because we get to tailor/fix our hand in the beginning of the duel.  I’m not suggesting that either card is better than the other, but Emergency Typhoon can really get you out of a jam.  What’s even more amazing is the fact that it’s a shield trigger.  Therefore if your opponent activates it you have a great opportunity to fix your hand right before your turn starts.  It’s like predicting the future.

Emergency Typhoon is also a fabulous combo card.  What if your opponent smacked into this card and activated it as a trigger while you have Dava Torey in your hand?  You basically get to discard Dava Torey during your opponent’s turn, which then summons it to the battle zone for free!  On top of that you get 2 free cards!  Let’s also add graveyard manipulation as another combo possibility.  Just cast Emergency Typhoon, drop your fattie, and then dig him out later with a Corpse Charger or a morbid medicine.  Heck, why not even do Abzo Dolba a favor and drop some darkness cards into your graveyard?

Just remember… almost every drawback can be abused.  You just have to be creative.  If your deck seems slow and you need a change of pace, or if you want to dazzle your opponent with some crazy combos, then look no further than this card.  At only 2 mana you get an arsenal of possibilities.

***I just have to make a special mention.  Take a close look at the beautiful artwork.  You’ll see that the water civilization is in fact kicking the light civilization’s butt.  What’s going on with this alliance?***

The Good:  Speed up the deck, manipulate your hand, and develop some game-winning combos!

The Bad:  If you topdeck this then it’s just as good as drawing the next card.

The Ugly:  N/A  (It’s a wonderful card!)

Constructed Rating: 4.5/5 – This is an incredible utility card and will help you manipulate your way into victory.  You can chain some deadly combos and position your hand so that your opponent doesn’t stand a chance.  At only two mana it can give you an unfair advantage.

Limited Rating: 4.5/5 – Limited is one of those things where sometimes you draw terrible hands.  Emergency Typhoon will help your deck to quickly come together and give you an advantage over your opponent.

Please feel free to post your comments, questions, and/or objections on the Message Board and I’ll be more than happy to respond.  Happy dueling!

- DRY 1337