Why is Primeval the best of the 5 Titans?
Shouldn't it be Inferno, who can shoot down
blockers and breathe fire? Or Sun, who can bring
back permanents from the graveyard and generate
massive card advantage as it attacks and blocks
for 6 apiece? All Primeval does is mana ramp,
and once you've dropped a six-mana Titan, how
much more mana do you need?
Primeval is the best because of Valakut, the
Molten Pinnacle. Every time it attacks, it
fetches two Mountains and gets two Lightning
Bolt blasts, before combat damage. Honorary
Mention goes to Eldrazi Temple, which is also
fetchable by Primeval and enables ridiculously
early Eldrazi titans, and to Destructive Force,
which Primeval can survive as well as rebuild
your land base from. But mostly it's all about
Valakut. But Valakut was printed in '09 and thus
ineligible for the Top 10 this year, so #2 goes
to Primeval Titan.
In European folklore, a green man represents
rebirth and rejuvenation, the triumph of the
light over winter and death. In Magic, this
particular green man represents a year in which
his particular section of the color wheel
did things almost as crazy as what blue did in
previous years, to the point where some people
cried broken and others danced in the streets
because green was finally as strong as blue.
Even if those crazy things aren't really quite
as broken as the first group of people claimed
and the power gap wasn't really quite as huge as
the second group says, Primeval Titan is, on its
face, one of the most powerful cards in Magic.
With few exceptions, every deck needs lands, and
any deck that can get as far ahead on lands as
the Titan puts it is in very, very good shape
indeed.
Today's card number two of 2010 is Primeval
Titan which like the other titans is a six mana
6/6 Giant with a comes into play and attacks
ability. For Green it allows the
controller to search their library for two
lands, note that they do not have to be basic,
and place them into the battlefield tapped.
This combined with the first ability of Trample
makes this quite useful and at worst thins out
the deck somewhat and provides a trampling
threat to the opponent. Certainly
playable, but Green has no shortage of large
creatures to choose from.
For Limited this is an excellent card that
should be placed in the center of a Green
acceleration deck and supported with any number
of available options to power it out sooner.
An easy first choice in Booster draft and
barring a very bad Sealed pool almost always
worth including in that format as well.
The extra lands may not be needed by that stage
of the game, but they do remove them as
potential draws and increase the odds of pulling
a game winning card.
Back in the beginning years,
cards in Magic were high cost for not much
result. A few years ago, Magic had a phase of
“getting what you paid for.” That of course
largely meant getting a 7/7 for seven or a 2/2
for two. These days however, it would seem Magic
has become more about getting what you paid for,
with interest. Take for instance Primeval Titan.
For six mana, you get a 6/6 trample, great but
previous standards. But, in today’s era, still
not done. You also get the benefit of when this
guy hits play, you get two lands into play
tapped from your library. Good right? Still not
complete. When he attacks, you get two more
lands from your library into play tapped. Now we
are talking.
This guy can get quickly out of control in the right hands.
And with decks that utilize Summoning Trap,
there is always a danger to countering that one
card you may not like. In standard formats,
constructed, etc. this guy is straight up
amazing. In a nutshell, this guy was MADE for
standard play, and I am amazed that there aren’t
more pro players taking advantage of this guy.
Matter of fact, only one deck in the Worlds Top
8 even played this guy. Primeval Titan is all
about lands, and therefore landfall. And with
the Zendikar block standard legal, who wouldn’t
want some lands with perks. Lead off with a
Rampaging Baloth and then play the Titan for at
least two 4/4 beasts, more if you played you
land for the turn following dropping the Titan.
Grazing Gladeheart’s would grant a bunch of
life. Oh, and need I mention that simply adding
an Amulet of Vigor means that you could search
for two Evolving Wilds, and use their ability to
get two more lands? Imagine the look on your
opponents face when THAT happens with a Baloth
Woodcrasher out.
I think this guy is so great in standard alone that going into depth
is just me spinning my heels. If being badass in
standard isn’t good enough for you players out
there, I don’t know how else to describe the
Primeval Titan. Primeval Titan is definitely
worthy of the number 2 spot on the Top 10 of
2010.
Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Primeval
Titan
Welcome back reader we continue today with out
number two card, the format defining Primeval
Titan. For a measly six mana you get a 6/6
trampler and immediately get two lands and
another two whenever you attack. In standard
Primeval Titan has invaded most decks playing
green and has powered up Valkulet Ramp decks
into a disgustingly powerful archetype, in
extended it sees play in most decks utilizing
green due to its sheer strength. In eternal its
a little expensive and slow like the rest of the
titans so I dont think it cuts the mustard. In
casual and multiplayer its scary, a 6/6 trampler
and free man lands or just thinning lands from
your deck is a powerful ability not to mention
it can attack and just wreck opponents. In
limited it grabs the land out of your deck
allowing you to get to the good stuff faster,
and is a legitimate threat in its own right its
also a money card. Overall Primeval Titan has
had a profound impact on most of Magic and is
one of the more powerful Titans a great card.
