The red entry in the "bestow with a drawback"
cycle. Honestly, attacking each turn if able is
hardly a drawback. One of the biggest mistakes
newer players make is not attacking when they
should, and creatures that have to are a
valuable part of the game because they help show
those players that attacking into another
creature isn't as scary as they might think. I
like the Warhound especially because it's a mere
2R to bestow, when most Bestow costs are more
like five or six mana. Compare this to
Spearpoint Oread, for example. As nice as first
strike is, I think I like this one better.
I still haven't quite gotten used to the fact
that Cerberus (Cerberi?) is/are a species on
Theros. I grew up reading D'Aulaire's Greek
myths, which made it very clear that Cerberus
was a unique character (and he'd probably have
class levels if he were a Dungeons and Dragons
adversary). It's even odder when you consider
that the hekantonkheires, which were in fact a
species or group, only have one representative
in Theros.
Mechanically, this is about as red as a
creature is capable of being without being a
phoenix or a dragon. I like, though, that its
bestow ability adds a level of subtlety that not
all red creatures get. You can use it as a
potent offensive creature or boost, and that
"drawback" is no such thing in any real red
deck. And like some bestow creatures in other
colors, you can use it as a way to mess with
opposing blockers - while it doesn't give you
the potential for an immediate alpha strike the
way some do, the "drawback" may be more
significant for opponents, especially if they
aren't in red. That's even before you start
using it as a political tool in multiplayer
settings. (Wizards, take note: desire for
political power is an emotion!)
Today's card of the day is Mogis's Warhound
which is a two mana Red 2/2 that attacks each
turn if able and has Bestow for three.
This is a Grizzly Bear with a drawback and an
unsupported type, aside from being an
enchantment, that can also be used as a three
mana boost for your own creatures or to possibly
force an opponent's creature to attack. It
has some versatility and isn't terrible, so it
may see some play in current formats as support
in aggro Red decks.
In Limited this is a solid creature for the same
reasons as Constructed with the added value from
having less competition in the format. The
single Red in the cost and flexibility to be
cast with or without a target makes this one of
the better early game creatures even with the
drawback and bestowing this on an evasive
attacker is a serious threat for any opponent.
The +2/+2 aura that turns into a 2/2 is the main
reason to play this and it should be included
whenever using Red in Sealed and drafted
relatively early in Booster.
I read somewhere a long time ago that cards like
this "teach you how to play". By this, they
meant that it puts a rule on the card that
requires you to do something you should be doing
anyway. In this case, if you're bestowing a
creature +2/+2 for 3 mana, it should probably be
on a creature that's already planning on turning
sideways.
The card teaches you how to play, but does it
teach you well? I'd say yes. It teaches us that
this is best suited in an aggressive deck -
something red does well. Three mana is a pretty
good price to bestow this guy. Unless you're in
a really tough place, the "must attack" drawback
is not going to be relevant very often.
Nothing too fancy, so not too popular for
casual, but good, solid power for limited or
possibly constructed. In multiplayer games,
being forced to attack each turn is a little
more of a drawback, but aggressive decks in
general aren't good in multiplayer.
Watch out, it's a bear! Or a dog. Or a...
bear-dog.
We think we've come so far, we think the game
has evolved with all the new cards and
game mechanics and power creep... and then
there's this guy, who basically feels like
a Grizzly Bears. Or not even a Grizzly Bears,
more like a Goblin Brigand.
I tease, but really this kind of downside is
only a downside if you're already losing.
Because what does an aggro red deck want to do
if NOT attack each turn? If it gets to the point
where you really don't want to or can't attack
into something anymore, you may have already
lost. So with that in mind..... no, it's
still just a 2/2 for 2.
I guess that's all there is to sa-wait, what's
that? Bestow for a mere 3 mana? Well now.
Out of the 34 "bestow" cards out there, only 3
others can do it for 3 mana or less. And all 3
of those bestows give smaller bonuses than
+2/+2. Mogis Warhound gives quite a bit of
value, then. Either he's a sub-par turn 2
attacker in a very aggressive deck, or he gives
whatever else you played on turn 2 a substantial
buff. The only thing better than attacking with
a 4/4 on turn 3 is attacking with a 4/4 that
will give you a 2/2 when it's killed.
This card isn't very subtle, there's no
master strategy involved with it. You put this
on something, and attack like crazy with it. And
it gives you a pretty good return on your 3-mana
investment when you do. While the option is
there, this isn't really a card you'd use as a
combat trick, forcing your opponent's creatures
to attack into a trap or something. Best save it
for your own guys.
He may not be much of a 2 drop, but he's a
decent 3 drop. A bestow creature without a
ridiculously high cost for that power and
toughness boost that he gives, plus all of the
other good things that comes from casting
bestow, like triggering heroic and not being at
a card disadvantage when your creature dies. Not
a spectacular card, but an efficient piece of
the puzzle.
Try it in an aggressive creature-heavy red deck,
and see how far this bear takes you. Er, dog.
Bear-dog.
