The Spite half looks pretty flimsy when you
compare it to Negate, and the Malice half is
similarly twice the price of Doom Blade, and one
more than Dark Banishing. But what you're paying
for here is the versatility. If you've got a
black/blue deck and four mana up, you can pretty
much deal with anything. If you don't need a
kill spell, you've got a counterspell, and vice
versa. I would never run it in any deck that
couldn't use both halves-- I'd use Negate or
Doom Blade accordingly-- but in a blue/back deck
I'd give it a hard look.
It's funny to think that there are cards in
recent sets with the exact same game text as
both halves of this card but that cost half as
much. I know these may look drastically
overcosted (not to me - I actually think Doom
Blade is drastically undercosted), but what you
really get with a card like this is the option
to have either when you need it most. It's like
a Charm, of Visions and Alara fame, and it's
also useful: after all, every non-land card in
the game is either a creature or not a creature!
Welcome back readers continuing our theme for
this week today’s card of the day is Spite/
Malice an interesting split card. In
standard once again it is not legal but the card
provides a nice if overpriced Negate and a form
of creature kill making it versatile but also
expensive. In other constructed formats modern,
extended and eternal formats it is overcosted
and outclassed, having a split card to fill dual
roles is pretty nice but not worth the
price of admission. In casual and multiplayer
this card is amazing especially in Commander It
fills dual roles and is more often than not
never a dead card, the fact it has dual uses
means you have more opportunities to utilize it
to the maximum potential. In multiplayer
versatility is a key component of evaluating
cards and most of the split cards this being no
exception is powerful. In limited it would be
expensive removal and counter magic rolled into
one card a high pick where applicable. Overall a
powerful split card design that is versatile and
fun.
Today's card of the day is Spite/Malice which
is a four mana Blue or Black spell that can
counter a non-creature spell or destroy a
non-Black creature which then can't be
regenerated. Both sides are double the
cost of similar effects and even though it is
more versatile by being on one card, the mana
cost and fact that only Blue/Black decks have
use for this really hinder any playability.
Other options exist and it is just mediocre as
is.
For Limited both parts are playable, if weak,
and can find a home in a Blue, Black, or
Blue/Black deck. In Sealed either color
can run it, while in Booster it can be drafted
after the better cards in the pack have been
taken.
