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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


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Wirewood Symbiote 
Scourge


Reviewed December 28, 2004

Constructed: 2.50
Casual: 3.25
Limited: 2.13

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

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Card of the Day Reviews 


Judge Bill

*Level 2
MTG Judge

*game store employee

Tuesday - Wirewood Symbiote
 
So I get back home Monday morning, and see Bill has picked cards from an old type 2 deck, Elf and Nail. We're in for some interesting choices this week.
 
And yet our first 2 cards this week are creatures that aren't elves. How funny.

(Pojo Bill Note:  We had looked at most the elves previously, so I picked some cards I found in a few elf decks as support cards  ;-)

 
This insect must have been separated from his elven parents at birth, though, as he is really only good in an elf deck.
 
What's that? You say you should get more than 5 life from your Wellwisher with 5 elves out? OK, I guess I can give you 9 life instead?
 
Dan Paskins trying to fry one too many of your elves? Save it with this guy.
 
Seeing as how this guy can play both offense and defense with his ability, and considering it's basically "free" (as a 1/1 would cost 1 mana anyway), he can be quite good in a casual elf deck. Unfortunately, there is no good elf deck in Extended these days.
 
This guy was OK if you had a few elves in limited. Not too good, though.
 
Constructed: 1.5
Casual: 4
Limited: 2.5


Jeff Zandi

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Wirewood Symbiote

Perhaps the most sophisticated tool in the Elf deck, Wirewood Symbiote allows you to return an Elf to your hand to untap a creature. Of course, the amazing tech behind this card is NOT the effect of untapping a creature (even though that can be very useful), the AMAZING part is being able to return an Elf to your hand. Using the Symbiote's ability returns an Elf to your hand AS PART OF THE COST of the Symbiote's ability, and can't be stopped or responded to by your opponents for the most part.

CONSTRUCTED: 2.5 (only good in the Elf deck)
CASUAL: 3.0
LIMITED: 2.5

Ray "Monk"
Powers
* Level 3 DCI Judge
*DCI Tournament Organizer
Wirewood Symbiote

This card just screams combo combo comb, and Tooth and Nail has been using it as such, playing Wood Elves by paying with a Llanowar or Bird, then returning the Wood Elf to untap the mana creature, doing some super fast mana ramping. While quite easily killed, he normally can do the job he's set to do, but he's lacking in versatility and fun for casual and limited events.

Constructed: 3
Casual: 2
Limited: 2


DeQuan
Watson

* game store owner (The Game Closet - Waco,TX)

 Tuesday - Wirewood Symbiote

This guy is one of the elves you must play in every elf deck. I mean, really. Think about it. It keeps your elves from dying. It makes some elves and/or abilities reusable.

Oh wait. What's that you say? He's not an elf. FOR SHAME!

Ah well. He's still a must have.

Constructed: 3
Casual: 4
Limited: 1.5

Paul
Hagan

Wirewood Symbiote --

I don't really have any complaints whatsoever about Wirewood Symbiote. It has an efficient cost, a great ability, and is an appropriate size. The fact that you actually have two benefits from its one ability makes it all the more useful. I tend to use the bounce ability to save my creatures more than I use the untap ability, if only because there are already two cards that untap elves -- Seeker of Skybreak and Wirewood Lodge.

In limited, the Symbiote loses a lot of its effectiveness. You have to draft a lot of elves to make it even halfway playable, and you have to draft up a lot of elves with decent abilities to make it good. I rarely play Symbiote in limited.

Constructed Rating: 3.0
Casual Rating: 3.0
Limited Rating: 1.5
 

 

 

 

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