A 2/3 flyer for four isn't impressive enough for
Constructed, but would be good in Limited. The
mill effect is erratic, and can't really be
relied on to mill anything important unless
you've got some sort of Excommunicate effect.
This is part of the reason Treasure Hunt never
caught on outside of weird combos that could
exploit it. "Until you hit a land" just isn't
statistically enough to be reliable, and usually
isn't very much at all. Attaching the effect to
a mediocre creature doesn't help much either.
Some people look at cards like this and say "It
seems pretty random." And yes, sometimes you'll
only flip one card and that will probably make
you feel bad. Of course, for each time you do
that, there will be at least one time your
opponent's deck is randomized in an odd (not in
a cheating sense) way and you flip twenty cards.
Heck, if they recently cast Boundless Realms,
Balustrade Spy probably wins you the game on the
spot. And either way, it's a 2/3 flying
creature, which has always been just fine.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
pretty interesting mostly due to the fact it is
seeing legacy play in the oops no spells deck.
In standard this card is at this time unexciting
and simply a small flying vampire that may see
some combo potential in the future. In modern
the same concept applies the tools to make the
combo work don’t exist and otherwise this is
just a unexciting creature. In legacy this card
is used alongside Undercity Informer to mill an
entire deck that contains no lands and then
proceed to assemble a graveyard based combo
utilizing Laboratory Maniac and Azami Lady of
Scrolls to win, the printing of a new card
leading to a new deck to shake up legacy is
indeed a big deal but otherwise this card falls
flat and is just unimpressive. In casual and
multiplayer some mill decks could utilize him as
he is a body and can be somewhat abused with
enter the battlefield effects but that doesn’t
seem like the most effective use of deck space.
In limited he is a solid flying creature with a
relevant ability making him a solid choice.
Overall this card is a lynchpin in a new combo
deck and provides an exciting new deck type and
a solid limited player.
Today's card of the day is Balustrade Spy which
is a four mana Black 2/3 with Flying with a
comes into play ability that has target player
reveal cards in their library until they reveal
a land then puts them into the graveyard.
Outside of very specific one turn kill decks in
older formats this is a fairly mediocre card
outside of mill decks in which it is a little
better.
For Limited this is an evasive creature with a
decent toughness and the somewhat useful Rogue
type that is not badly priced if the comes into
play ability is considered a benefit. A
2/3 Flying for Black is very playable even at
four mana and this is a good card to add in
Sealed builds and well worth drafting third or
fourth in Booster.
Welcome back to the Pojo.com card of the day
section. We close this week out by looking at
the Balustrade Spy from Gatecrash. Balustrade
Spy is a common creature vampire rogue that
costs three generic and one black mana and is a
2/3. Balustrade Spy has flying, and also says
that when it enters the battlefield, target
player reveals cards from the top of his or her
library until they reveal a land card, and then
puts those cards into his or her graveyard.
Milling is all the rage in some circles, and is a common
strategy for depriving your opponent valuable
resources. In Gatecrash we have certainly seen
many cards that have effectively made Milling a
more successful ability. Balustrade Spy
certainly continues the trend and offers yet
another great milling card.
A 2/3 flier with this ability is certainly nice, and at a
common, likely to be seen often. The Balustrade
Spy becomes even more problematic when combined
with Deadeye Navigator. Soulbond the two of
these guys together and really watch the fun.
Now, for one blue and one generic, you can
Flicker the Balustrade Spy in and out as many
times as you have mana for, and your opponent
will have to mill until they hit a land as many
times as you have paid for. That can definitely
turn the game in your favor. And with all the
cards that assist in your milling efforts, this
can end the game, in the Flicker of an eye.
