Six mana for a one-sided Smallpox. A NERFED
one-sided Smallpox. I guess it has to be
expensive because it's a potentially repeatable
effect. What was the name of that 1/1 for B that
can't block or be blocked? Wouldn't that be the
perfect Cipher candidate? Is ti still in
Standard? I guess the possibility of hitting a
player with this every turn makes it pretty
bombastic in Limited. In Multiplayer I like that
you can attack one player and Plague another,
thus spreading the hate and wearing down
multiple opponents at once (but encouraging the
table that you're the big threat in the
process). Still, you have to play this via
Cipher at least twice to get your mana's worth.
Good luck!
I don't mean to get on a soapbox right now,
but cards like this are the poster child for why
cipher cards are much more expensive than older
non-cipher cards with similar effects. As it is
now, Undercity Plague is more a card that
prevents an opponent from getting back into a
game later on than one that locks them out
early, at least assuming you can get to the end
game and they don't disrupt it (that's why it's
called a strategy game, folks). Fortunately,
you're in black and you also have your own
disruptive spells. If this cost even one mana
less, I'd be frightened of it; at six, I really
think it's still playable.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
Undercity Plague another six mana cipher spell
this one however provides a slower less
immediate impact on the board and its effect is
more cumulative. It’s a hard to evaluate card as
its effect is quite powerful but its asking
price mana and a creature is a turn off. In
standard as opposed to yesterday’s card I don’t
foresee this one having a profound impact
repeatable smallpox however is nothing to
dismiss but it would take a ridiculous
circumstance for this card to see some action
perhaps in a slow control matchup this card
could shine but maybe that’s wishful thinking.
In modern and eternal formats this card is too
expensive and slow and relies to heavily on a
creature to be effective. In casual this card
could prove powerful with evasive creatures. In
multiplayer cipher is nice as it allows you to
repeat spells and not suffer card disadvantage
by doing so, this card however targets a
specific player leaving the others in the game
unaffected this may be good for political
reasons and can cripple a threatening player but
leaves other opponents unscathed for better or
worse. In limited this card given a few turns
can totally turn the tide of the game as long as
its strapped to an evasive creature or played at
a critical time. Overall a card that fills a
niche but in casual, multiplayer or constructed
formats its place remains to be seen.
Today's card of the day is Undercity Plague
which is a six mana Black with Cipher that has
target player lose one life, discard a card, and
sacrifice a permanent. The cost is very
high outside of a control theme and it really
requires an evasive target to have an impact.
Forcing the double sacrifice one turn is a
decent enough play, but if the opponent doesn't
have worthwhile cards in hand they may just lose
two life and two lands. Overall this just
isn't strong enough for a competitive format and
probably won't see much play.
In Limited this can be used with something
evasive to apply pressure to the opponent, but
for the cost it is fairly weak and not nearly as
strong as other many rares in the set. It
can be a first pick in booster if Dimir is what
you want to aim for or included in Sealed,
though it is more often an annoyance than a
serious threat.
Welcome to the Pojo.com card of the day section.
Today we are looking at Undercity PLague from
Gatecrash. Undercity Plague is a rare black
sorcery that costs four generic and two black
mana. Undercity Plague says target player loses
1 life, discards a card, and then sacrifices a
permanent. Undercity Plague also has Cipher.
Now, six mana may seem like a lot of mana for
this spell, and you might be right. But the
benefits of casting Undercity Plague are worth
it. Being able to force all of the on your
opponent, and then Cipher it onto a potentially
unblockable creature, which would allow you to
cast it again are very much worth it to me. And
Tormented Soul would be a great target for this
card in a mono-black deck, let alone all the
potential blue creatures if you wish to fully
exploit the Dimir Cipher ability.
All in all, a solid card if you get to six mana. Of course in
older formats Dark Rituals are always there to
get this out second turn on a first turn drop
Tormented Soul.
