Quilled Greatwurm – Foundations
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2024
Ratings:
Constructed: 4.37
Casual: 5
Limited: 5
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4.25
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
One of the things that historically characterized Un-sets is unique designs and cards that don’t work under the current ruleset, ranging from ones that almost work to others that don’t work at all but can be explained in a way that lets you play them (ironically, like Alpha’s Animate Dead). There was a time when Quilled Greatwurm’s graveyard-casting ability would have been a candidate for an Un-set, though it’s close enough to established things that it doesn’t feel as transgressive as it might. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the word that comes to opponents’ minds when you cast it from the graveyard. I know a lot of attention is going to be drawn to the recursive element of the card, so we should be careful not to overlook the mass distributing of +1/+1 counters, because that will win as many games if not more. Not only does it feed the ability to cast the Greatwurm from the graveyard, it gives opponents a multiply-losing proposition: even if you manage to exile the creature, there might be at least as much power still on the table, and it gets worse if you can’t exile it.
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 5
Limited: 5
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Quilled Greatwurm is a pretty dangerous creature, though I’d argue it’s not purely for what the card says but also for what it doesn’t say. The particular ability that embiggens your creatures triggers off of combat damage…and it needn’t be to players. While it’s only going to be making them bigger on your turn, this also is fine, since this is a creature that encourages attacks…and as a 7/7 with trample that also benefits from its own ability, this can get out of hand very quickly on top of just being a creature that’s hard to permanently out. Recursive threats that make everything else exponentially more formidable will always get notice, and the pairing of an aggressive statline with a brutal ability wakes this a wurm of exceptional thickness and terrifying force.
Constructed: 4.25 (a phenomenal top-end threat that becomes more terrifying if paired with first/double strike)
Casual: 5
Limited: 5
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4.5
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