CardShark Content - Alex Lee (10/10/2005)

No doubt many of you went to the Ravnica Prerelease, and I did. It was great; waiting in line for literally two hours in the rain, having a computer database error, me missing a game due to me not hearing that the pairings were up… Yup, good times. But this article isn’t about the prerelease; it’s about a rare I opened at it: Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

.

Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

4G
Enchantment
If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places that many counters instead.

Other than having one of the worst fantasy names ever, the card is pretty cool. And it combines REALLY well with a certain card: Orochi Hatchery

Orochi Hatchery
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 266 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Text: Orochi Hatchery comes into play with X charge counters on it. 5, T: Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play for each charge counter on Orochi Hatchery.

. If something put counters on the Hatchery, it would get twice as many counters, and when it made Snakes it would double that too. Go Quadrupling Season!

Here’s a quick deck emphasizing the Hatchery:

Hatching Season 1.0
Creatures: 17
4 Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

Sakura-Tribe Elder
	Set: Commander Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Snake Shaman Rarity: C Number: 169 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

4 Selesnya Guildmage

Selesnya Guildmage
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 10 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Wizard Rarity: U Number: 252 Artist: Mark Zug Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: (G/W can be paid with either G or W.) 3G: Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play. 3W: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.

2 Loxodon Hierarch

Loxodon Hierarch
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elephant Cleric Rarity: R Number: 214 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: When Loxodon Hierarch comes into play, you gain 4 life. GW, Sacrifice Loxodon Hierarch: Regenerate each creature you control.

2 Nullmage Shepherd

Nullmage Shepherd
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Shaman Rarity: U Number: 174 Artist: Stephen Tappin Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Tap four untapped creatures you control: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

1 Phytohydra

Phytohydra
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Plant Hydra Rarity: R Number: 218 Artist: Jim Murray Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: If damage would be dealt to Phytohydra, put that many +1/+1 counters on it instead.

Other Spells: 20
4 Orochi Hatchery

Orochi Hatchery
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 266 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Text: Orochi Hatchery comes into play with X charge counters on it. 5, T: Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play for each charge counter on Orochi Hatchery.

4 Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

4 Energy Chamber

Energy Chamber
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 117 Artist: Kev Walker Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one- Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, or put a charge counter on target noncreature artifact.

4 Enlightened Tutor

Enlightened Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 19 Artist: Dan Frazier Text: Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

1 Hour of Reckoning

Hour of Reckoning
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 21 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Destroy all nontoken creatures.

1 Overwhelm

Overwhelm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 175 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.

1 Magistrate’s Scepter
1 Darksteel Reactor

Darksteel Reactor
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 114 Artist: Kev Walker Text: Darksteel Reactor is indestructible. (Destroy effects and lethal damage don't destroy it.) At the beginning of your upkeep you may put a charge counter on Darksteel Reactor. When Darksteel Reactor has twenty or more charge counters on it you win the game.

Land: 23
4 Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree
10 Forest

Forest
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

9 Plains

Plains
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add W to your mana pool.

Yes, the deck seems pretty random, but it is completely based on cards that work well with Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

. An explanation of the cards:

Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

:
This was key in a charge counter deck before, so now it’s even better. Every turn it gives two counters to Hatchery, or if you get desperate you can sac it for four.

Sakura-Tribe Elder

Sakura-Tribe Elder
	Set: Commander Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Snake Shaman Rarity: C Number: 169 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

:
Erm, yeah, you probably know all about STE and how good he is, so no explanation needed.

Selesnya Guildmage

Selesnya Guildmage
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 10 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Wizard Rarity: U Number: 252 Artist: Mark Zug Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: (G/W can be paid with either G or W.) 3G: Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play. 3W: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.

:
One of the best cards in this deck. The guildmage comes out early, can make 1/1 tokens, and also pumps up every one of your gigantic Snake/Saproling

Saproling
	Set: Phyrexia vs. The Coalition Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Saproling Rarity: C Number: 3 Artist: Warren Mahy Power: 1 Toughness: 1

tokens to a 2/2 or a 3/3.

Loxodon Hierarch

Loxodon Hierarch
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elephant Cleric Rarity: R Number: 214 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: When Loxodon Hierarch comes into play, you gain 4 life. GW, Sacrifice Loxodon Hierarch: Regenerate each creature you control.

:
I personally like this card a lot, it reminds me of Ravenous Baloth

Ravenous Baloth
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: R Number: 278 Artist: Arnie Swekel Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Sacrifice a Beast: You gain 4 life.

with an extra Regeneration

Regeneration
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Text: G: Target creature regenerates.

ability. He can save all your tokens from a timely Pyroclasm

Pyroclasm
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: Pat Morrissey Text: Pyroclasm deals 2 damage to each creature.

, if need be.

Nullmage Shepherd

Nullmage Shepherd
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Shaman Rarity: U Number: 174 Artist: Stephen Tappin Power: 2 Toughness: 4 Text: Tap four untapped creatures you control: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

:
This deck gets out lots of creatures fast, but all of them would die to a Night of Soul’s Betrayal

Betrayal
	Set: Visions Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Gary Leach Text: Play only on a creature an opponent controls.If enchanted creature becomes tapped, draw a card.

or some other pesky enchantment. So use this to stop them quickly.

Phytohydra

Phytohydra
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Plant Hydra Rarity: R Number: 218 Artist: Jim Murray Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: If damage would be dealt to Phytohydra, put that many +1/+1 counters on it instead.

:
I get insane at just the thought of playing this and blocking something like a Darksteel Colossus

Darksteel Colossus
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 11 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Rarity: R Number: 109 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 11 Toughness: 11 Text: Trample. Darksteel Colossus is indestructible (Destroy effects and lethal damage don't destroy it.) If Darksteel Colossus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere reveal Darksteel Colossus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead.

while you have Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

in play. Anyway, it’s pretty cool.

Orochi Hatchery

Orochi Hatchery
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 266 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Text: Orochi Hatchery comes into play with X charge counters on it. 5, T: Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play for each charge counter on Orochi Hatchery.

:
The life and blood of the deck. After all, the goal of the deck is to play Hatchery, play anywhere from 10-1000 snakes, and smash. The amount of snakes you could get a turn is huge. Since with 1 Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

in play, you would 4 more snakes a turn. If you have an Energy Chamber

Energy Chamber
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 117 Artist: Kev Walker Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one- Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, or put a charge counter on target noncreature artifact.

as well, your numbers will climb impossibly fast.

Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

:
Obviously the key to the deck. I wonder which member of R&D was on crack when this was designed.

Energy Chamber

Energy Chamber
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: U Number: 117 Artist: Kev Walker Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one- Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, or put a charge counter on target noncreature artifact.

:
Similar to Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

in uses, but isn’t a fragile 1/1 artifact creature.

Enlightened Tutor

Enlightened Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 19 Artist: Dan Frazier Text: Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

:
You’ll need to regularly get out Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

, so the Tutor can search for that as well as other stuff. I even have one of the artifact lands if you get manascrewed.

Hour of Reckoning

Hour of Reckoning
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 21 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Destroy all nontoken creatures.

:
Like many of the other single cards in here, Hour of Reckoning

Hour of Reckoning
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 21 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Destroy all nontoken creatures.

is mostly just for fun. But it feels really good when you load your Hatchery with counters, then blow everything up except for your Snakes.

Overwhelm

Overwhelm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 175 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.

:
Convoke is some good in a deck with literally tons of creatures. If you have 20 or more tokens (an easy feat), then Overwhelm

Overwhelm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 7 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 175 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.

can end the game against multiple opponents at once.

Magistrate’s Scepter:
If you have just one Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

/Chamber and a Doubling Season

Doubling Season
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 158 Artist: Wayne Reynolds Text: If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead.

, you’ll get twice as many turns as your opponent. If you have two Coretapper

Coretapper
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: U Number: 107 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Put a charge counter on target artifact. Sacrifice Coretapper: Put two charge counters on target artifact.

s/Chambers, you’ll take infinite turns.

Darksteel Reactor

Darksteel Reactor
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 114 Artist: Kev Walker Text: Darksteel Reactor is indestructible. (Destroy effects and lethal damage don't destroy it.) At the beginning of your upkeep you may put a charge counter on Darksteel Reactor. When Darksteel Reactor has twenty or more charge counters on it you win the game.

:
In a deck like this, Reactor can become a very fast clock. This has the advantage of getting around cards like Worship

Worship
	Set: Urza's Saga Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 57 Artist: Mark Zug Text: Damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 instead reduces it to 1 if you control a creature.

.

Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree
I see almost no reason not to play this. The ability is similar to the Guildmage’s and it doesn’t cost you a card to get it.

I didn’t include the painlands and the guildlands for money reasons. While this deck is full of rares, they’re all ones that you could find in the Magic card bargain bin. I also didn’t put in Umezawa’s Jitte for money reasons, but it would be insane in here (+10/+10 anyone?)

So, there you have it, my strange, casual-friendly token deck. Of course, what would be even cooler is to splash Meloku, the Clouded Mirror and make 1/1 Flying tokens. But that’s for another article…

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