I really want to like this card. I just think it
might have trouble finding it's way into a lot
of decks. I do love it in limited play though.
You can effectively keep a creature from being
targeted while not giving up your board
advantage.
Also, it can allow you to be tricky with cards
that have "comes into play" effects. It's a very
simple common that's easy to overlook, but has
some strong plus sides in tight situations.
A very impressive combat trick. I'd love to see
this return a Savannah Lions about to take
lethal damage as a show of pride loyalty or
something. I might be disproportionately amused
by 2/2's with flash for 2, especially ones that
act as "counterspells" to protect your creature,
but this one really looks good.
Constructed- 3.5
casual- 4
Limited- 3.9
KC MetroGnome
Whitemane Lion
Does anyone play Mystic Snake? This card costs
less, is in a color that likes 2/2s for 2, and
only counters spells targetting your creatures.
That's not bad at all. It's a good play in
limited (although I wouldn't switch to white for
it) and I could see it fitting nicely into some
constructed decks that just need ways to protect
their best creature (or one of their myriad 2/x
creatures) while replacing it with another warm
body. This will probably see play in casual
formats as well, where everyone at the table is
gunning for your creatures (not just one
opponent). Let alone if you find a way to abuse
comes-into-play effects with this creature (and
his friends).
Constructed - 4
Casual - 3+
Limited - 4
Gackley Ferguson
Whitemane
Lion...as you may or may not know the lion is
the "king of the jungle" so does the card live
up to its title? Let's look at the pros and
cons.
Pros:
Flash- anything that lets you play it on your
opponents turn is always a plus
Casting Cost-1W is pretty cheap for a 2/2
Cons:
Power/Toughness: A 2/2 is nice, but you'll see
from the second
effect why I'm not so thrilled bout this one.
Come into play effect: You essentially have to
trade a creature for this one...now if you have
another card in play that has a halfway decent
come into play effect go for it...but I don't
like having to give up something to get
something.
The Verdict?
Constructed: 2/5- With Kamigawa rotated out
Samurai of the Pale Curtain or Konda, Hound of
Ishmaru would be better...but this card is so/so
Casual: 1.5/5- Unless you use the afore
mentioned block limitations in your games use
something else
Limited: 3/5- Probably the strongest category
since you don't have all the options you'd
otherwise have.
Aethereal
Whitemane Lion
A very tricky creature indeed. In some ways he's
like a cheaper white Mystic Snake, as you can
bounce something that's about to get hit with a
removal spell or something. The body itself,
without the ability, is acceptable as a 2/2 for
2, but throw in Flash and Gating and you have a
very useful card. Unfortunately I don't see it
getting a lot of use in constructed as there are
few decks that could use it.
In casual, only if you have good stuff to
bounce.
In limited, he's great. He counters removal and
can bounce back your morphs for re-use. He
especially goes well with Thursday's card, but
more on that Thursday.
Whitemane Lion
- I was a big fan of gating tricks back in
Planeshift. Now the set with the surprisingly
similar name brings us some more in white.
Whitemane Lion is pretty huge. As good as
Ashcoat Bears were in green, this is good in
white. The chances that you'll be stuck without
anything to play this to bounce are pretty
minimal. And with cool kicker creatures back in
Planar Chaos as well, this thing will get a lot
of use in the same way as those old gating cards
- reusing effects to your benefit.
