Rampaging Baloths is one of those rarest of
gems: a card that everyone can like. It's a
solid threat even in very streamlined
competitive decks, as it simply gets out of hand
if left unanswered. It's a neat puzzle for
casual players (how many times can you trigger
it in one turn?). Overall, a powerful and fun
addition to green's menagerie.
Constructed: To much spot removal for
big dudes like this one. The trample makes it a
okay card, but not for main tournament play.
Casual & Multiplayer:
This fits in with the big green creatures decks.
And as a bonus it can make big creatures to.
Limited: This is a fantastic card
for limited play. The ability to make a
creature every time you put a land into play is
the best. Good thing it does not have shroud.
Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is
another mythic rare from Zendikar. Rampaging
Baloth’s is a 6/6 creature with trample for six
mana. A decently priced creature in that regard
its landfall ability is also an added incentive
whenever you play a land you get a 4/4 green
beast token. Landfall is an amazing mechanic it
rewards players for doing what they do normally
throughout the course of a game make land drops.
The only problem with Rampaging Baloths is by
the time you can realistically play it how many
more land drops can you make during the game?
Even one of two additional lands after playing
Baloths can make a noticeable difference in
field presence allowing you to form a small army
by only dropping lands onto the field. In
standard this card may see some play as a part
of ramp decks, the evasion is good but Rampaging
Baloth’s paints a large target on its head
merely by entering the field. In extended this
card could possibly see some play in interesting
ramp based decks although there are faster cards
to contend with this card may not make the cut.
In eternal format’s no possible way this would
see play. In casual and multiplayer this card
shines at the table, dropping this creature
early and following it up with fetchland or even
something like Terramorphic Expanse can be quite
deadly allows you to pump a big board of
creatures without overcommiting more threats in
case of a Wrath of God or Day of Judgment. In
limited its an expensive bomb card, if your
heavy in green I can see this guy working hard
for you if you have cards to search for lands or
mana ramp into it. Overall a powerful card that
will see casual play but its impact on
constructed may or may not be seen.
Today's card of the day is Rampaging Baloths a
6/6 with Trample for six mana that also produces
respectably large 4/4 tokens whenever a land
enters the battlefield under your control.
With cards like Harrow and Oracle of Mul Daya
around this card can create an impressive level
of field presence in short order. Playing
the Baloth as soon as possible may not be the
best move depending on the situation as saving
it long enough to play a land on the same turn
helps mitigate the threat of removal on your
opponent's turn.
For Constructed, Casual, and Multiplayer this
can be a good choice in a fast mana deck as it
gives another use for lands later in the game
and is well-costed even without factoring in the
Landfall ability. If the deck is designed
to play this relatively early and generally have
a land or two to play on most turns there isn't
much that can hold off the combined threat of a
6/6 with Trample and swarming 4/4s.
Naturally the Baloths themselves are vulnerable
to removal from Black, White, and counterspells
from Blue, though out of range of most of Red's
burn arsenal. Some additional protection
or reasonable safety precautions for the 6/6 are
recommended if the swarm is a goal as opposed to
Trample damage.
With Limited I consistently say that tokens
equal card advantage and this is no exception.
A 6/6 for six alone is tempting, with Trample is
almost a given in a Green deck, but with
Landfall this is a clear choice and should never
be passed in Booster. Even if this is the
second pack it may be possible to run two colors
with Green's wealth of mana fixing options.
If not, you certainly don't want the Green
opponent to your side adding this to their deck
and it should be hate drafted with extreme
prejudice. In Sealed if there is any mana
fixing available in your pool running this is
recommended as little else in the format can
withstand 6/6 on offense or defense.
(Terra Stomper, Iona, and Lorthos being the
unmodified creatures that can slay Rampaging
Baloths and live while Halo Hunter can trade.)
