Wait, didn't this card use to be black?
Sometimes I really can't keep up with what the
color definitions are. Regardless of that,
you'll notice that Fiend Hunter fits perfectly
with my Dark Confidant Rule - namely, that any
effect that's good becomes very good when you
put it on a creature. Sure, your opponent can
get their fiend back by killing the hunter, and
in a lot of ways that's easier than it's ever
been, but if they don't happen to have the right
spell on hand, they're going to get hit. And
have you ever tried to recur an enchantment with
Reveillark? That, as they say on Chapek 9, does
not compute, but Fiend Hunter most certainly
does.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
a Journey to Nowhere on legs. In standard Fiend
Hunter has a decent sized body allowing it to
block and swing in for some damage when
necessary it is a powerful answer to problem
creatures for white weenie decks making it an
excellent card. The fact the creature returns if
Fiend Hunter dies is problematic but sometimes
all you need to do is remove a blocker for a
turn to get in there. In extended and modern
this card is still good in white weenie decks
making it a solid choice for creature removal.
In eternal formats I don’t think this card has
the speed or power necessary, that being said I
could see testing it in a white weenie aka death
and taxes build as a solid creature that holds
back most aggressive early creatures and can be
Aether Vialed in. In casual and multiplayer it
can deal with Blightsteel Collosus at least for
a little bit making it powerful in my book. In
limited it is solid creature removal in a
fashion but requires heavy white however it does
fit into any white deck making it a powerful
addition. Overall a powerful white weenie card
that will see a ton of casual and tournament
play.
Today's card of the day is Fiend Hunter which
as a three mana White 1/3 with the ability to
exile a creature is a nice addition to the
Oblivion Ring theme of removal White has been
known for in recent sets. Being a creature
makes it more vulnerable than the enchantments,
but having the option to attack or block are
useful and makes this more aggressive.
Many White decks are likely to run this with or
without other exile choices and overall this is
a great choice for White weenie style builds.
For Limited this being both a creature and
removal make is a high pick, even with the
double White in the casting cost, as entering
play later doesn't prevent it from exiling
larger threats. Removal is less available
which improves the odds for survival, though
blocking should be done with caution as at least
seven Instants in Innistrad alone can make a
smaller attacking creature lethal to a 1/3.
A Sealed deck should always run this as long as
White is one of the primary colors and Booster
can make a primarily White build stronger with
Fiend Hunter being a potential response to an
opponent's bomb creature.
The card of the day is Fiend Hunter. He
is 3 for a 1/3 creature that acts a Journey to
Nowhere. Personally I think this guy is
bomb, with all the support humans have right now
I would definitely play him. Especially
since Lightning Bolt is out, I would really play
him. Against a red deck he takes out the
threats, the only way they can really kill him
is to Brimstone Volley or Volt Charge him.
In most cases I don't like running creatures
with the Oblivion Ring effect, but he gets so
much support that he is worth playing. On
top of removing a creature he is also an
attacking creature. In limited he is even
better because he is so hard to remove.
Welcome to another great card of the day
review. Hope everyone had a fun and safe
Halloween. But now, it is time to hunt the
fiends, and therefore, today, we bring to you
Fiend Hunter, from Innistrad! Fiend Hunter is an
uncommon white creature human cleric. He is a
1/3 for just one generic and two white mana.
When he enters the battlefield, he exiles target
creature. Then when he leaves the battlefield,
return the exiled creature to play under its
owners control.
I love this card, mostly for just one
reason, it is an updated version of one of my
favorite creatures, the Faceless Butcher! I love
exiling, and I love that if given the proper
motivation, it can be permanent. Running say a
white/black control deck, you could (if you have
the mana) play the Fiend Hunter, and then in
response to his first ability, destroy him,
which would not allow for his second ability to
ever trigger with nothing exiled, resolves
returning nothing, dies, then exiles whatever
forever. This trick can be handy if facing
Blightsteel Colossus. However, outside of that,
it is a waste to go through all the effort. In
modern or extended, it is just as easy to use
Path to Exile. And if the creature isn’t
indestructible, there are plenty of removal
spells. And if it has shroud, none of those
options would work anyways.
The best thing is in standard, it is
removal and a creature, therefore a lot of board
advantage. And with the things that pump humans,
this guy could be a real threat, and at just
three mana.
Love the card, love what he was based off
of, and hope to see more in the future.
White's habit of exiling something only to
return it to play when the exiling agent is
dealt with have been very hit-or-miss. Oblivion
Ring was celebrated highly due to its
versatility of targets and the comparative
rarity of enchantment destruction--few
permanents were safe from it, and few players
could rescue their permanent from under it.
Journey to Nowhere was received much less
favorably due to only targeting creatures... and
for sharing a Standard environment with Path to
Exile. Fiend Hunter I fear may fare even worse,
since it has the restrictions of Journey to
Nowhere coupled with the relative weakness of
being a creature. Many decks don't bother with
enchantment removal, but everyone can deal with
a creature, even if only through combat. And as
a 1/3 for three mana, Fiend Hunter is
unimpressive as a creature.
There's hope for Fiend Hunter yet, though. After
all, casting the Hunter is a temporary 2-for-1,
as your opponent's army loses a member and yours
gains one in one fell swoop, granting you tempo.
And while being a creature may be seen as a
weakness in some respects, it is also a
strength, as the Fiend Hunter can wear
Equipment, attack or block. Cleric decks of
yesteryear would surely welcome Fiend Hunter
into their fold. And because a Fiend Hunter can
target another Fiend Hunter, having three of
them allows you to chain their abiilities to
endlessly exile each other. A Soul's Attendant
who bore witness to this would generate an
infinite life combo, and if this chain occurred
in a Warstorm Surge, you could claim victory on
the spot. I eagerly await history's judgment of
this 1/3 for 1WW.
