I've said in the past that planeswalkers who
cost more than four mana have a tough time of it
because they just don't hit the board fast
enough to make a significant difference. Tibalt
costs a mere two, the cheapest any
planeswalker's ever been, so by that reasoning
he should be the best planeswalker ever printed,
right? Wrong. You'll notice Jace the Mind
Sculptor was more powerful than Jace Beleren
despite being one mana more. Let's talk this
out.
Tibalt is two loyalty for two mana. He's also
double red, so he really needs to be in a
mostly-red deck. If you didn't have a one-drop
and your opponent did, you may find yourself
losing Tibalt to one swing. The +1 ability
helps, meaning Tibalt will have 3 on him before
your opponent can really react. But the ability
is "draw a card, then discard a card at random".
Deck filtering is only good if you get to keep
the cards you filter! If you intend to use
Tibalt's +1 any number of times, you have to
pretty much give up on the ability to plan your
strategy more than a turn or two in advance, and
you're heavily incentivized to immediately play
any good card you see. Pure red, right?
Ability two: Sudden Impact for four loyalty.
Sure, it can end a game outright in the right
situation (like right after a Wheel of Fate?)
but it seems like a lot of loyalty to spend on
something that doesn't actually impact the
board. Is that really what you discarded all
those cards at random for? A fancy Lava Axe?
Tibalt's Ultimate is where things really get
intriguing. Insurrection for zero mana, meaning
you can spend your mana on something like Rally
the Forces to further make the alpha swing hurt.
This is even more ridiculous if you have a sack
outlet like Soulblast. But can you get yourself
up to that kind of loyalty? It seems like a deck
with Tibalt would want to be full of cheap
spells to maximize the ability to actually play
the ones you want before you have to pitch them
to his +1, but you'd also need some means of
protecting Tibalt. He'll be glorious when he
works, but I'm worried he won't work enough.
Haven't I met this guy when he was using a
different name? Philip Traum, perhaps? Vergil
something? Asmodeus - no, wait, he had a snake
tail. Well, whatever it was, they say the devil
takes care of his own, and as such you can't go
wrong with Tibalt. Not only does his low mana
cost let him enter the field before opponents
have a chance to set up, it also goes well with
his card-drawing ability later in the game,
making it easier for you to cast anything you
draw from him. Discarding randomly almost
doesn't feel like a disadvantage, considering
how many cards with flashback there are now, and
you can even dip into the Alara block for
creatures with unearth for even more
interactions. They say it's better to rule in
hell than to serve in heaven, and Tibalt shows
just how true that can be.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
the first two mana planeswalker and I feel it
lives up to the hype. The +1 ability making you
discard ad random is not something I am a fan of
would regular looting have been to powerful? I
can’t say but it still allows you to fill your
deck with flashback cards that you don’t mind
discarding. The minus ability while expensive
allows you to deal a fair amount of damage to
opponents based on their hand sizes, the
ultimate is insurrection gaining control of all
creatures and granting them haste is a powerful
finisher. In standard I can see mono red
possibly or at best in a blue/ red deck that
utilizes flashback to a degree making it a
source of card filtering and possible finisher.
In extended and modern the same concept applies
there is a lot more madness and flashback cards
to work with also making this a potent
planeswalker. In legacy and vintage I can’t see
this seeing much play but it is cheap enough and
in vintage you can cast it turn one off a mox or
other mana accelerant. In casual and multiplayer
it comes down early so opponents may not be able
to mess with it much and allow you to gain
advantage or go for an early ultimate or hitting
a player for a large amount of damage early. In
limited this is a money rare and a powerful
bomb. Overall a powerful card that will see
extensive constructed play.
Today's card of the day is Tibalt, the Fiend
Blooded which is a two Red mana planeswalker
with two loyalty. The +1 of drawing a card
and discarding a card at random is not
particularly noteworthy, but isn't overly
detrimental in a small hand and is necessary to
power into the remaining abilities. The -4
is not likely to do a great deal of damage
against decks that aren't draw engines or being
forced to draw though your own effects. It
may work as a situational finisher though
doesn't really compare to Red's other options
for burn. The -6 however is very
impressive and should end just about any game it
is used in. Overall a reasonable design
for the first two mana planeswalker and may see
some play in hopes of using the ultimate.
For Limited the double Red may keep Tibalt from
entering play in the earlier stages of the game
where the -4 is most beneficial. The
format often promotes topdeck situations and
small hand sizes, though it also is heavily
creature based making the final ability a huge
threat. If he can be protected for a few
turns he will win games and for that he deserves
to be drafted first, followed by removal and a
focus on anything that can block for him.
A Sealed built will have a tougher time managing
the mono-Red this most benefits from, yet he'll
work well enough if Red is the primary color.
In Multiplayer including any kind of sacrifice
engine makes gaining control of all creatures an
incredible play that should lock down the game
after the major attack it enables.
Protecting him from all opponents won't be an
easy task and a deck using him should consider
options for increasing the counters on him or
defensive spells.
Welcome to a new week of card of the day
reviews here at Pojo.com! We are beginning our
look at Avacyn Restored this week. Kicking
things off we are taking a look at Tibalt the
Fiend-Blooded! Tibalt the Fiend-Blooded is a
mythic rare red planeswalker that costs two red
mana. Tibalt enters the battlefield with two
loyalty counters. He has three abilities. His
first ability adds one loyalty counter and says
Draw a card, then discard a card at random. His
second ability is a minus four, and deals damage
to target player equal to the number of cards in
his/her hand. His final ability is a minus six,
and you gain control of all creatures, untao
them, and they gain haste until end of turn.
Tibalt the Fiend-Blooded is simply
amazing. I love what he does, and everything
that he can do. Sure, it may seem harsh having
to pitch a random card, but think of the end
game, but more importantly, think of how to
exploit it! I am building a Madness deck around
Tibalt for two reasons. The first is, I think
Tibalt is VERY Rakdos themed, and since we are
going back to Ravnica this fall, I find it
important to be prepared. Second, when pitching
random cards, it is always nice to be able to
cast them while they are being pitched, is it
not? His second ability is amazing if you add
Tibalt to a card draw deck, fattening your
opponents hand, playing keep away from Tibalt,
and then Sudden Impact! The final is the game
ender in most scenarios. Insurrection always had
a way of doing that, and that is what Tibalt’s
final is, Insurrection. Gaining control of all
your opponents creatures means that they are
wide open, and you will likely end the game,
since your creatures are free to attack then
too. Plus it is nice just to have say a Blood
Connoisseur out to eat all of your opponents
creatures when you are done, just in case.
