Scute Mob
This is a very elegant solution to the age-old
problem of early drops-- if you don't draw them
early enough, they lose their relevance as you
get mana to cast bigger and bigger creatures.
Once you hit five lands, this grows to a 5/5,
then a 9/9, and so on. For a single mana, that's
very impressive.
The only trouble is, before you hit five lands,
it's a 1/1. Just a 1/1, for one mana. It's been
a long, long time since Mons' Goblin Raiders was
playable. Heck, Fugitive Wizard was never
playable, and that's in a color known for having
weaker creatures. So oddly enough, this is one
1-mana card you'd rather topdeck in the late
game than drop turn one.
As any biologist will tell you, insects are the
backbone of the ecosystem. And as any Magic
player will tell you, insects have also been the
backbone of some of the best decks throughout
history: Giant Solifuge terrorized Standard for
two full years, Living Hive showed countless
kitchen tables fear in a single red ant, and
Xantid Swarm stared down some of the most
degenerate decks in Vintage. Those are big shoes
to fill, but these cute little beetles just
might be up to the challenge. They have green's
natural affinity (no pun intended) for lands on
their side, and a rate of growth unrivalled even
by the likes of Tarmogoyf. There is no fear.
There is no mercy. There is only the Mob.
-Balding
for just over 5 years
-Playing MTG for just over 10
Scute Mob
Wow. Not to often I get a card to review, and a
POJO exclusive at that, that leaves me really
scratching my head. This is a real unusual card.
Can't beat the CC. Now, this little bug must
live a round beyond it's casting. However, once
it does, it is away from burn range and makes
for a nice beatstick. Two rounds go by and Wow.
One thing we know is that Mana does funky things
in this set. Landfall has already been spoiled
and so I would expect we are soon to see some
cards that get lands out quicker. If that
occurs, this could be a real hot card. In
limited, this is going to be great. Very fun in
the casual room as well. Slinging counters
around... this guy will give you some to sling.
In multiplayer, I wonder if someone will use a
crucial spell to get rid of this guy early.
Chances are he may actually get to stay around
for at least one round of pump. I just wish he
had some form of evasion or protection. Without,
the rest of the set being spoiled will establish
the value of this card.
I am very excited and cannot wait for Zendikar
to come out. It looks to be a great set, with a
alot of cool cards to play, or cast, with. I am
honored to review a brand spanking new card from
Zendikar. So here we go.
Constructed:
Just like real life insects if you give them
some food, water and time, they can turn into
real monsters. But lucky us we have Raid 2009,
Volcanic Fallout. Minty fresh version.
Casual &
Multiplayer:
Add a little of trample, flying or unblockable
to push threw. Make a blue green Time Warp deck
or maybe even Time Sieve with blue black and
green. Take a extra turn, watch your insects
grow. Interesting...
Limited:
At first glance without knowing all of the cards
in Zendikar, this looks to be a ok pick for a
one drop. Depending on the availablity of
removal and other stuff, this will just be a one
drop to get some early beats or for chump
blocking. Mid to late game the ability to get
bigger each turn is going to be a real threat if
there is no direct answers to it.
Overall a great card with some good flavor.
Constructed: 3
Casual: 4
Multiplayer: 3
Limited: 3
Later
Miguel
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno
Today's card of the day is quite exciting for me
to review as it is a Pojo Exclusive and quite a
nice one at that. Scute Mob is a one mana
1/1 that gets four +1/+1 counters if you have
five or more lands at the beginning of your
upkeep steps. This is a versatile little card
that can be played early for pressure, but still
be a late game threat making it a decent draw
most of the time. It is quite vulnerable to
removal, especially before your next upkeep
after being played, and has no evasive ability
which keeps it from being overpowered.
In Constructed this can be a good support and
finisher for a deck featuring Landfall or the
newly revealed Oracle of Mul Daya. Not enough of
the set is known yet, but I expect to see the
Mob being tested out in at least a few
competitive designs.
For Casual a one mana that can gain power and
toughness every turn is certainly a fun idea and
easily worked with. The only real problem is it
being a rare, but otherwise it can fit in a
number of designs.
To Limited this is an easy choice to pick and
likely to point you towards at least splashing
Green. A one mana 1/1 is generally useful in
this format, destruction is more limited, and
the games last longer which all benefit this
card. There is absolutely no reason to pass this
around in Booster Draft and I would be hard
pressed to see a deck in Sealed this shouldn't
be played in. However, I do advise putting some
thought into when you play Scute Mob against an
unknown deck. Early destruction is a big concern
if dealing with a high number of creature
removal and in this format you generally won't
get a second chance to play this in a single
game. When this hits the field you want it to
stick around, so it may be a matter of playing
it early against Blue before they can counter,
or against an empty handed Red and five lands
already in play on your field. Use as a direct
threat is more about skill and intuition than
just brute force, but Scute Mob can also be a
low cost bait to draw out a reprisal before
playing a higher mana card.
Your mileage may vary, but definitely play it if
you get one.
With Multiplayer there are more opponents and
more chances for the Mob to fall before your
upkeep. The added vulnerable time doesn't change
the versatility, but it does make it a target
whenever enough lands are in play.
Welcome back readers today’s card of the day
happens to be a brand new exclusive card from
Zendikar. Scute Mob. An interesting creature at
the beginning of your upkeep you put four +1/+1
counters on it if you control five or more
lands. Now without trample or evasion of any
kind regardless of how big it is it may get
chump blocked, the chances of it surviving until
you have five lands when you drop it early,
which Is when you want to drop it. Late game it
could prove to be a contender brought in to wipe
up the board, topdecking this card late game is
not normally a bad thing as if it survives to
your next upkeep it can start swinging. In
standard post rotation I don’t see a deck
adopting this card it’s a generic vanilla
creature albeit a big one, it can hit the board
early but has no effect until later in the game.
In extended and eternal formats I don’t see it
making much of an impact. In casual and
multiplayer it can shine it’s a big threat and
most casual and multiplayer games can go for a
while making this card a must deal with threat.
In limited possibly if you’re in color you can
nab this card I don’t know how effective it will
be it has the potential to be huge but can be
taken down by anyone packing removal.
