I think people are looking at this card the wrong way. Its not bad because it makes a wall, its good because green doesnt normally have anythign to deal with stuff. In every seal deck you play against there is always going to be a creature that you would say "Gee i wish that was a 0/4 wall instead of a Tim/Dragon/Akroma/Tidal kraken/Giant that throws things and has lifelink"
Turning a legendary creature like one of the Akromas or maybe Tefferi into a 0/4 Treefolk is especially good. It is about like playing a Faith's Fetters on an Umezawa's Jitte. Since the permanent is still in play with the same name, and still legendary, they can't just play out a second copy.
...
Not to mention that if you're playing treefolk, then that creature is now getting all the benefits that your treefolk are getting.
...
I believe all of the lord type cards in lorwyn say your creatures and not all creatures of said type like the old ones. Thus the creature does not recieve said bonuses.
Flavourful idea, though a bit counterproductive.
If there's one colour a 0/4 wall excells against, its' green and, seeing as all the treefolk we've seen are a bit... butt heavy, and not to airborne, you're just trading one problem for another. Unless you're sporting a LOT of creatures with 4+ power, or your opponent has rediculous bomb deck, and you have to sideboard this in, it's an extremely limited card. Of course if it was blue or white, it'd actually be quasi-decent.
Just because it's a Treefolk aura, you don't have to play it in a Treefolk deck, and green has a fair number of big hitters at the moment. You'd need to work in a Lure effect to be sure it doesn't just sit around blocking your Troll, though.
On the other hand, we don't yet know what benefits being a Treefolk will give this aura over, say, Heart of Light or Utopia Vow. When you play it you give Battlewand Oak +2/+2 for starters, and the aura is indestructible with the Protector in play (so of course its its target, but that's another problem...). I don't see Treefolk being constructed-playable, but then we're told the point of this block is to make different tribes that play in different ways (and are presumably suited to different formats). I'd guess there's more than a thematic reason for making this a Treefolk aura.
I like it, though I'm curious to know why they're bleeding removal into green and giving good removal to white. I'll wait to see more of the set before calling a ColorPie Foul, but this may warrant explanation down the road.
Why did green get Wing Snare and Whirlwind? Green can get removal when it's done in-theme, and turning creatures into trees seems pretty thematic for green. And remember all the complaints that mono-green struggles to work effectively - if the colour pie is so restrictive that a colour can't compete, clearly it needs a bigger slice of pie. Utility creatures have always been a hassle for green, with few answers other than provoke or arena effects, both of which are rarely printed. Green can get round (or at least through) a big wall much more easily than it can get round Teferi or Dark Confidant.
This spell is great in a color that, like green, likes to attack through the air.
I quite like it for draft: you can splash green and put these in a flier-based deck, but its limited use means you can grab it a bit later than proper removal. It adds some neat strategy to draft.
I love this card. Love love love it. Not because it's particularly powerful or anything, but like Oblivion Ring, I love that it opens up some new design space in a color that has really been beating its head against a ceiling. Green has needed a way to neutralize opposing creatures forever, and this isn't the best ever removal by far, but it does fit in with Green's ability to blow through things, even if it has to alter it a bit first.
If Utopia Vow and this are going to become the standard of Green's removal suite in the future, count me in. I can't wait to see where this goes. Good job, WotC (and thanks for the card Hydro).
I love this card. Love love love it. Not because it's particularly powerful or anything, but like Oblivion Ring, I love that it opens up some new design space in a color that has really been beating its head against a ceiling. Green has needed a way to neutralize opposing creatures forever, and this isn't the best ever removal by far, but it does fit in with Green's ability to blow through things, even if it has to alter it a bit first.
Full agreement. It's great to see R&D bow to reality (green and white need stronger removal suites) while still maintaining balance and flavor with great designs like these.
An excellent and long-needed card for green. Following on the 'removal with drawback' theme a la Utopia Vow... but this is much much better than Vow. Let us list the obvious and perhaps not-so-obvious uses of this card:
1) It turns an opponent's creature into a 0/4 creature with no abilities.
1a) This is the best removal monogreen has seen since, what, Twister? If your green deck cannot deal with a 0/4 creature, I might suggest you rework your deck. Yes, it makes something into a blocker for Ascetic. Well, maybe Ascetic won't be too good in post-Lorwyn. Besides, would you trade attacking with your Ascetic (but being available to block with it) for your opponent not smacking your face with his beatstick (say, a 'dragon' or Akroma)? I thought so. Cards that are in play in Standard that are affected by this card:
i) Teferi. His ability does nothing to the timing of this card, and this card shuts Teferi down. Not so often a green common can deal with an environment-warping blue rare.
ii) Any morph. Because Morph is a static ability, and paying the morph cost/flipping the Morph is ending that static ability, a Lignified Morph will lose his Morph ability, and thus cannot flip. (If I am wrong here, please let me know, and tell me why.) This means this shuts down Pickles.
iii) Dralnu. While I don't remember exactly how many people play his deck anymore, he is another 'deck pivot' that is brought down by this card.
Yes, all of the decks above generally play countermagic. Well, this card is just another threat (and one that Green can represent).
2) It can turn one of your creatures into a 0/4 creature.
While not as popular as the last function, this can be used in many ways to enhance one of your creatures. A lot of people don't play with vanilla creatures, but they play with creatures that have CIP abilities and are otherwise vanilla. An example of this is Ravenous Rats. This is most useful when you're fighting against aggro, and thus is a metagame decision. This would point to perhaps a green/black control deck that can use Lignify either offensively or defensively.
3) It can turn a creature into a Treefolk.
Sometimes the creature type can be more important than the stats on that creature--shocking, I know, in a tribal block. Other people have pointed out the synergy of this card with Timber Protector. Not only does the Aura gain Indestructibility, but so does the creature (assuming you place this on your own creature). Furthermore, for any card that cares about 'number of Treefolk you control' (if there are any), this card counts twice. Once for the Aura, and once for the creature.
This also isn't necessarily a factor when used on your own creature. If there is a card that you can play on your opponent's creature that cares if it's a Treefolk or not, then this has added utility.
All in all, Lignify is more impressive in Green than Oblivion Ring is in White, due to color pie considerations. It's definitely a high pick in Limited. I wouldn't be surprised if it sees play in Constructed as well.
All in all, Lignify is more impressive in Green than Oblivion Ring is in White, due to color pie considerations. It's definitely a high pick in Limited. I wouldn't be surprised if it sees play in Constructed as well.
I don't know if it'll see play in constructed but I guarantee that some variant that this spawns will. This card is green's version of Pacify.
Hey, I almost predicted this! Well, not exactly, but I had a similar idea back in May. My idea was "enchanted creature gains +2/+2 and loses all abilities" for 2G, less of a removal spell and more of a "come out and fight, you cowardly utility creature" kind of spell. I guess I was thinking too small.
The flavour is definitely weird for green. I like the card, but why does green want to make creatures that don't attack? Making creatures fight fairly, that I can buy as a green thing (and about time), but you can't fight fairly without fighting.
This card - with the exact same name!! - was published, ten years ago, in an Inquest Magazine in a "Fans Make the Cards" contest, and got some award...
Yes!! Lignify, green enchant cretures, becomes wall, etc... same card!!!!
So, we're starting to see all of MaRo's card's he's hinted at. Ironic? Only Alantis Morrisette would think so.
This is pretty good. In Limited, it's great, but in constructed, who knows. It might make an interesting splash in Extended (Mongrel, Goyf, Psychatog, Spiritmonger, Meddling Mage, etc...)
It's not that "removal" is out of flavor for green, it's just that making in flavor removal for green is hard. This and Utopia Vow are great examples of how to do it right and still be green in flavor.
Also, green is more than just the MGA decks you tend to see these days. Green can also play a Big Mana game with cards like Acidmoss, Gauntlet of Power, Verdeloth (who happens to be a treefolk...) Squall line and the like. It's actually a fun semi-competitive TSP block deck, which with cards like this could make the jump to Lorwyn Standard. Great for dealing with pesky evasion creatures with flying and shadow that Wall of Roots cant block.
Green limited needs cards like these so it can be viable without idiotic things like Sprout Swarm. Since when was printing limited bombs at common a good idea?
Not bad, not bad. It's always nice to see more green removal because green gets too little of it. In limited:
Its main use is obviously against your opponent's creatures, but there certainly can be situations where the correct play is to put it on your own creature to get a decent-toughness blocker.
Also, if you have enchantment removal, say your opponent has a 10/2 (remember, Maro promised there was going to be one), well you could slap this card on that creature and then attack with your 2/2 bear; once they block your 2/2 bear, use your enchantment removal after combat damage to kill your opponent's 10/2 creature while your bear survives.
This card - with the exact same name!! - was published, ten years ago, in an Inquest Magazine in a "Fans Make the Cards" contest, and got some award...
Yes!! Lignify, green enchant cretures, becomes wall, etc... same card!!!!
I'm gonna look up in my old issues to find it...
Is it possible this is a coincidence??
And again...
I'll bet a lot that you're remembering it wrong.
Come up with a scan before making claims as big as this kind.
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by the way...it seems we are discovering all the tidbits maro gave us...the white spell...theland...the green enchantment that prevents the 10/2 creature from hurting you etc etc etc
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"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking." Alfred Korzybski
Here I am, looking at Inquest, February 96 (don't now the number of issue, the cover has fallen out), at page 33, where ther's a gigantic:
Lignify - G
Enchant Creature
Target creature is now a wall
And some flavor.
Yep. Same name, same card.
I don't own a scanner and don't want to spend a buck using the one in the lan house across the street... unless R_Elf or Hydro ask me to do it... love these guys
Edit: And it also got a award in the contest among several others
It's not that "removal" is out of flavor for green, it's just that making in flavor removal for green is hard. This and Utopia Vow are great examples of how to do it right and still be green in flavor.
How do you think of Utopia Vow as being in flavour? Not to contest that; I really don't know how to think of that card. I would appreciate reading your thoughts.
Lignify is interesting. It's like "Whatever you were before doesn't matter. You are now a tree. BE TREE."
It's not entirely removal though. A 0/4 could be annoying, unless your deck is all Green fat.
Which takes us back to the theme: [that] Green either stoops to a support role for other colours (in the way of mana generation or providing fat), or has to be used Mono to work.
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Here I am, looking at Inquest, February 96 (don't now the number of issue, the cover has fallen out), at page 33, where ther's a gigantic:
Lignify - G
Enchant Creature
Target creature is now a wall
And some flavor.
Yep. Same name, same card.
I don't own a scanner and don't want to spend a buck using the one in the lan house across the street... unless R_Elf or Hydro ask me to do it... love these guys
That card is completely different than what we were given by Hydro. Same name, that's it. And the name fits the flavor, so it's easy to assume two people have named a green card after it.
Making a creature into a wall just gives it defender. That's all. What we were given hoses creatures like Teferi, and the creature can still attack if pumped. It's really not far-fetched that it happened, but good memory on your part for sure.
Just a mild coincidence.
Edit: Saw your edit about the card winning an award. Maybe it was a contest to help design a card. Regardless, thanks for the input.
Here I am, looking at Inquest, February 96 (don't now the number of issue, the cover has fallen out), at page 33, where ther's a gigantic:
Lignify - G
Enchant Creature
Target creature is now a wall
And some flavor.
Yep. Same name, same card.
I don't own a scanner and don't want to spend a buck using the one in the lan house across the street... unless R_Elf or Hydro ask me to do it... love these guys
Edit: And it also got a award in the contest among several others
Well, if true, I'll take back my earlier words and compliment you on your remarkable memory -- I'm impressed you can remember a card from an 11-year-old magazine.
I would still really like to see a scan, though, as proof. With a scan, this might turn out to be somewhat embarassing for Wizards of the Coast.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
- Jon Finkel Facts: (follow the link at left to see more Facts, or add more Facts!)
- Chuck Norris counted to infinity twice—because he was trying to count how much damage Jon Finkel deals in an average game.
- Jon Finkel believes in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. He gets all his fiber from eating Magic cards for breakfast, and all his protein from eating Magic players for lunch.
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Turning a legendary creature like one of the Akromas or maybe Tefferi into a 0/4 Treefolk is especially good. It is about like playing a Faith's Fetters on an Umezawa's Jitte. Since the permanent is still in play with the same name, and still legendary, they can't just play out a second copy.
I believe all of the lord type cards in lorwyn say your creatures and not all creatures of said type like the old ones. Thus the creature does not recieve said bonuses.
To bad it isn't enchant permanent...:-/
Just because it's a Treefolk aura, you don't have to play it in a Treefolk deck, and green has a fair number of big hitters at the moment. You'd need to work in a Lure effect to be sure it doesn't just sit around blocking your Troll, though.
On the other hand, we don't yet know what benefits being a Treefolk will give this aura over, say, Heart of Light or Utopia Vow. When you play it you give Battlewand Oak +2/+2 for starters, and the aura is indestructible with the Protector in play (so of course its its target, but that's another problem...). I don't see Treefolk being constructed-playable, but then we're told the point of this block is to make different tribes that play in different ways (and are presumably suited to different formats). I'd guess there's more than a thematic reason for making this a Treefolk aura.
Why did green get Wing Snare and Whirlwind? Green can get removal when it's done in-theme, and turning creatures into trees seems pretty thematic for green. And remember all the complaints that mono-green struggles to work effectively - if the colour pie is so restrictive that a colour can't compete, clearly it needs a bigger slice of pie. Utility creatures have always been a hassle for green, with few answers other than provoke or arena effects, both of which are rarely printed. Green can get round (or at least through) a big wall much more easily than it can get round Teferi or Dark Confidant.
Phil
@Soulflame: Is that spoiler true? If it is, that is quite intense...
I quite like it for draft: you can splash green and put these in a flier-based deck, but its limited use means you can grab it a bit later than proper removal. It adds some neat strategy to draft.
Here's hoping to more cards like this.
If Utopia Vow and this are going to become the standard of Green's removal suite in the future, count me in. I can't wait to see where this goes. Good job, WotC (and thanks for the card Hydro).
-E
Machius proudly supports R_E's right to Rumour!
Full agreement. It's great to see R&D bow to reality (green and white need stronger removal suites) while still maintaining balance and flavor with great designs like these.
1) It turns an opponent's creature into a 0/4 creature with no abilities.
1a) This is the best removal monogreen has seen since, what, Twister? If your green deck cannot deal with a 0/4 creature, I might suggest you rework your deck. Yes, it makes something into a blocker for Ascetic. Well, maybe Ascetic won't be too good in post-Lorwyn. Besides, would you trade attacking with your Ascetic (but being available to block with it) for your opponent not smacking your face with his beatstick (say, a 'dragon' or Akroma)? I thought so. Cards that are in play in Standard that are affected by this card:
i) Teferi. His ability does nothing to the timing of this card, and this card shuts Teferi down. Not so often a green common can deal with an environment-warping blue rare.
ii) Any morph. Because Morph is a static ability, and paying the morph cost/flipping the Morph is ending that static ability, a Lignified Morph will lose his Morph ability, and thus cannot flip. (If I am wrong here, please let me know, and tell me why.) This means this shuts down Pickles.
iii) Dralnu. While I don't remember exactly how many people play his deck anymore, he is another 'deck pivot' that is brought down by this card.
Yes, all of the decks above generally play countermagic. Well, this card is just another threat (and one that Green can represent).
2) It can turn one of your creatures into a 0/4 creature.
While not as popular as the last function, this can be used in many ways to enhance one of your creatures. A lot of people don't play with vanilla creatures, but they play with creatures that have CIP abilities and are otherwise vanilla. An example of this is Ravenous Rats. This is most useful when you're fighting against aggro, and thus is a metagame decision. This would point to perhaps a green/black control deck that can use Lignify either offensively or defensively.
3) It can turn a creature into a Treefolk.
Sometimes the creature type can be more important than the stats on that creature--shocking, I know, in a tribal block. Other people have pointed out the synergy of this card with Timber Protector. Not only does the Aura gain Indestructibility, but so does the creature (assuming you place this on your own creature). Furthermore, for any card that cares about 'number of Treefolk you control' (if there are any), this card counts twice. Once for the Aura, and once for the creature.
This also isn't necessarily a factor when used on your own creature. If there is a card that you can play on your opponent's creature that cares if it's a Treefolk or not, then this has added utility.
All in all, Lignify is more impressive in Green than Oblivion Ring is in White, due to color pie considerations. It's definitely a high pick in Limited. I wouldn't be surprised if it sees play in Constructed as well.
I don't know if it'll see play in constructed but I guarantee that some variant that this spawns will. This card is green's version of Pacify.
It's only 10 years late...
-E
The flavour is definitely weird for green. I like the card, but why does green want to make creatures that don't attack? Making creatures fight fairly, that I can buy as a green thing (and about time), but you can't fight fairly without fighting.
I have some very weird news !!
This card - with the exact same name!! - was published, ten years ago, in an Inquest Magazine in a "Fans Make the Cards" contest, and got some award...
Yes!! Lignify, green enchant cretures, becomes wall, etc... same card!!!!
I'm gonna look up in my old issues to find it...
Is it possible this is a coincidence??
And again...
This is pretty good. In Limited, it's great, but in constructed, who knows. It might make an interesting splash in Extended (Mongrel, Goyf, Psychatog, Spiritmonger, Meddling Mage, etc...)
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Also, green is more than just the MGA decks you tend to see these days. Green can also play a Big Mana game with cards like Acidmoss, Gauntlet of Power, Verdeloth (who happens to be a treefolk...) Squall line and the like. It's actually a fun semi-competitive TSP block deck, which with cards like this could make the jump to Lorwyn Standard. Great for dealing with pesky evasion creatures with flying and shadow that Wall of Roots cant block.
sigh. oh well.
Its main use is obviously against your opponent's creatures, but there certainly can be situations where the correct play is to put it on your own creature to get a decent-toughness blocker.
Also, if you have enchantment removal, say your opponent has a 10/2 (remember, Maro promised there was going to be one), well you could slap this card on that creature and then attack with your 2/2 bear; once they block your 2/2 bear, use your enchantment removal after combat damage to kill your opponent's 10/2 creature while your bear survives.
I'll bet a lot that you're remembering it wrong.
Come up with a scan before making claims as big as this kind.
- Jon Finkel believes in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. He gets all his fiber from eating Magic cards for breakfast, and all his protein from eating Magic players for lunch.
Nops, am not remembering wrong.
Here I am, looking at Inquest, February 96 (don't now the number of issue, the cover has fallen out), at page 33, where ther's a gigantic:
Lignify - G
Enchant Creature
Target creature is now a wall
And some flavor.
Yep. Same name, same card.
I don't own a scanner and don't want to spend a buck using the one in the lan house across the street... unless R_Elf or Hydro ask me to do it... love these guys
Edit: And it also got a award in the contest among several others
How do you think of Utopia Vow as being in flavour? Not to contest that; I really don't know how to think of that card. I would appreciate reading your thoughts.
Lignify is interesting. It's like "Whatever you were before doesn't matter. You are now a tree. BE TREE."
It's not entirely removal though. A 0/4 could be annoying, unless your deck is all Green fat.
Which takes us back to the theme: [that] Green either stoops to a support role for other colours (in the way of mana generation or providing fat), or has to be used Mono to work.
Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
That card is completely different than what we were given by Hydro. Same name, that's it. And the name fits the flavor, so it's easy to assume two people have named a green card after it.
Making a creature into a wall just gives it defender. That's all. What we were given hoses creatures like Teferi, and the creature can still attack if pumped. It's really not far-fetched that it happened, but good memory on your part for sure.
Just a mild coincidence.
Edit: Saw your edit about the card winning an award. Maybe it was a contest to help design a card. Regardless, thanks for the input.
Well, if true, I'll take back my earlier words and compliment you on your remarkable memory -- I'm impressed you can remember a card from an 11-year-old magazine.
I would still really like to see a scan, though, as proof. With a scan, this might turn out to be somewhat embarassing for Wizards of the Coast.
- Jon Finkel believes in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. He gets all his fiber from eating Magic cards for breakfast, and all his protein from eating Magic players for lunch.