CardShark Content - Robert Hager (6/3/2006)

Previously I talked about the Azorius, the U/W guild, which has more control elements than Simic. With Simic you can use some of the same blue cards in Azorius. The Simic guild gives you about the same amount of counters for controlling the game as Azorius. What Simic has that Azorius doesn't is more tricks that can win you the game.

Assault Zeppelid

Assault Zeppelid
	Set: Dissension Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: C Number: 103 Artist: Jeremy Jarvis Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying, trample

The trample is probably not needed in this creature unless the opponent has a bunch of flyers. A 3/3 flying creature for 4 mana is pretty good. This is something you would probably pick first if you are going green or blue unless there is just something awesome for you. This works well as a splash creature.

Indrik Stomphowler

Indrik Stomphowler
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Carl Critchlow

A 4/4 creature for 5 mana is pretty good in limited. With the ability to destroy an artifact or enchantment, it’s even better. Most likely you will run into an enchantment that you want to kill instead of an artifact, as there aren’t many artifacts you would want to destroy.

Leafdrake Roost

Leafdrake Roost
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 116 Artist: Nick Percival

It might seem like 5 mana is expensive, but you can make a 2/2 flying creature each turn with this for only 2 mana. Some people might sideboard land destruction, but I wouldn't worry about this. This is something I would pick whether or not you’re going green, blue or any color.

Protean Hulk

Protean Hulk
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: R Number: 90 Artist: Matt Cavotta

Me say ´´Hulk Smash

Smash
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 69 Artist: Pete Venters Text: Destroy target artifact. Draw a card.

´´. A 6/6 for 7 is pretty good in the first place. Once this goes to graveyard, it makes it even better. You get to search for any number of creature cards with a total converted mana cost 6 or less. It has to be 6 or less, which limits the ability, but they get put into play, which makes it so good.

Simic Sky Swallower

Simic Sky Swallower
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: R Number: 130 Artist: rk post

This is much better than Kami of the North Tree was in Champs Block even though this more expensive. Cards like Omnibian

Omnibian
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: R Number: 119 Artist: Jim Nelson

are basically useless against this. This is a bomb rare. Doesn't matter if you can draft it or not just pick it anyways. You can probably still get 1 or 2 mana of either green or blue to splash for this in your draft deck.

Voidslime

Voidslime
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: R Number: 137 Artist: Jim Murray

Is this a first pick? This would probably be an early or first pick depending on what colors you’re going. This can do more than just counter things. This can also stop from someone using a Plague Boiler

Plague Boiler
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Number: 269 Artist: Mark Tedin Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, put a plague counter on Plague Boiler. 1BG: Put a plague counter on Plague Boiler or remove a plague counter from it. When Plague Boiler has three or more plague counters on it, sacrifice it. If you do, destroy all nonland permanents.

to kill off stuff. It does require 2 blue mana, so unless blue is one of your main draft colors you wouldn't want to pick this. If this was a FNMA you would most certainly pick this first since it is worth something.

Cytoplast Root-Kin
This works pretty well if you want to make some your creatures bigger when they come into play. When you are playing with this set there are many creatures with graft and other creatures that get bonuses from having +1/+1 counters on them. I would take this early on but not totally sure I would want to pick this first.

Flash Foliage

Flash Foliage
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: U Number: 85 Artist: Ron Spears

This is one of the better tricks out there. A 1/1 green saproling token isn't that great but it can block a much bigger creature. You also get to draw a card from this.

Loaming Shaman

Loaming Shaman
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: R Number: 87 Artist: Carl Critchlow

Loaming Shaman

Loaming Shaman
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: R Number: 87 Artist: Carl Critchlow

is the one card in this set that could make it hard for people to be decked. He is 3/2 for 3 mana, which makes him a pretty powerful creature in the first place. The Shaman is rare so don't expect to get more than 1 in draft if you do.

Omnibian

Omnibian
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: R Number: 119 Artist: Jim Nelson

Making a creature a 3/3 frog didn’t really seem that great when I first looked at it but it can be really powerful. Any big creatures such as Rumbling Slum

Rumbling Slum
	Set: Guildpact Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elemental Rarity: R Number: 126 Power: 5 Toughness: 5 Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, Rumbling Slum deals 1 damage to each player.

, Niv Mizzet, Golgari Rotwurm

Golgari Rotwurm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: C Number: 210 Artist: Wayne England Power: 5 Toughness: 4 Text: B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.

, Sky Hussar

Sky Hussar
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 131 Artist: Kev Walker

, etc. can be a pain. This makes just about any creature except a Simic Sky Swallower

Simic Sky Swallower
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: R Number: 130 Artist: rk post

into a 3/3 creature that is easily blockable and easy to kill.

Research/Development
The Development side of this cards isn't super good except for getting up to 3 3/1 tokens that could easily die or draw 3 cards like with Tidings

Tidings
	Set: Starter 1999 Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: Pete Venters Text: Draw four cards.

. With 3 colors we wouldn't want to use that ability. We would want to use the Research side of the card. This acts like a cunning wish except it is 4 cards instead of 1.

Shielding Plax

Shielding Plax
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: C Number: 147 Artist: Brian Hagan

You get to draw a card plus make a creature untargetable by opponents’ spells or abilities. If you’re looking for this for a first pick, there probably is either a bomb, a good creature or some good removal spell in your pack. Wait at least till your 3rd or 4th pick to draft this.

Thrive

Thrive
	Set: Prophecy Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 129 Artist: Mike Ploog Text: Put a +1/+1 counter on each of X target creatures.

This works really well if you want to make your creatures bigger. Just about any build could use this, especially a draft deck with token generators. The only problem with this is if you got a Thoughtpicker Witch

Thoughtpicker Witch
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: C Number: 109 Artist: Pete Venters Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: 1, Sacrifice a creature: Look at the top two cards of target opponent’s library, then remove one of them from the game.

or Golgari Rotwurm

Golgari Rotwurm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: C Number: 210 Artist: Wayne England Power: 5 Toughness: 4 Text: B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.

and all you really do with your creatures is sacrifice them. More for fun than a first pick but don't expect it to go around more than once or twice at your table.

Trygon Predator

Trygon Predator
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 133 Artist: Carl Critchlow

They are ravenous for mystic fuel? I think it should say in the flavor text ravenous for artifacts and enchantments. This can stop many enchantments or artifacts the opponent plays unless he plays something like Pillory or Faith Fetter's on this creature. A 2/3 flying creature for 3 mana is pretty good so I would expect to see this as a second, third pick card or maybe a middle pick card if there are many going around.

Vigean Intuition

Vigean Intuition
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 136 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli

You get to basically tutor the top 4 cards in hope you get something you need, which you will probably choose creatures as your card type. This might not be a first pick but I would pick early on as soon as possible since other people probably will want it also.

Biomantic Mastery

Biomantic Mastery
	Set: Dissension Cost: 16 Color: Multicolor Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 142 Artist: Dan Scott Text: ((G/U) can be paid with either G or U.) Draw a card for each creature target player controls, then draw a card for each creature another target player controls.

Not the best technique for drawing cards. I don't think this person mastered anything yet. This card is good for a person that is losing the creature wars. If your opponent has tokens or has ways of making tokens this could be to your advantage. You will be able to draws cards from all the creatures your opponent has, except you will only have 1 opponent. This is fairly expensive and might only net 2-3 for 7 mana so I wouldn't look forward to picking this until later, once the packs have gone around once or twice.

Might of the Nephilim

Might of the Nephilim
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: U Number: 88 Artist: Parente

This would make for a really powerful Nephilim. This will make you want to get many multicolored creatures since you could easily give a creature +4/+4 until end turn. This isn't too overpowered since it an uncommon.

Stomp and Howl

Stomp and Howl
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: U Number: 96 Artist: Carl Critchlow

This is a good spell for green since there can be many enchantments that you want to destroy. The problem is you also have to find an artifact to destroy, like a Signet, if you want to be able to use it. And it is a sorcery rather than an instant. You will probably find something in your first few picks that are better than this.

Street Savvy

Street Savvy
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: C Number: 97 Artist: Kev Walker

Being Street Savvy

Street Savvy
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: C Number: 97 Artist: Kev Walker

can be good but I don't see this as a good investment. There aren't many creatures out there to make this comes in handy unless you have a fear of a Dryad Sophisticate

Dryad Sophisticate
	Set: Guildpact Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Dryad Rarity: U Number: 83 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Nonbasic landwalk

, which is about it. It does give a creature +0/+2 for only 1 green mana though which doesn't make it the worst card to pick.

Simic Guildmage

Simic Guildmage
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 148 Artist: Aleksi Briclot

This isn't the best guildmage but it is still pretty good. You get to take cards with Graft and make some creatures even bigger. Golgari Rotwurm

Golgari Rotwurm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: C Number: 210 Artist: Wayne England Power: 5 Toughness: 4 Text: B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.

is another card that works well with this. You can also take cards like Pillory the Sleep

Sleep
	Set: Magic 2010 Color: Blue Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 71 Artist: Chris Rahn Text: Tap all creatures target player controls. Those creatures don't untap during that player's next untap step.

less, Faith Fetter's, or Plumes of Peace

Plumes of Peace
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: C Number: 124 Artist: Justin Sweet

and move them onto bigger creatures once they are played on other smaller creatures.

Now what is the best strategy for drafting Simic? If you’re drafting R/G/D you will want to take that Ravnica pack and look for Dimir or Gologari cards first and Selesnya last. With Dimir U/B you have a fair amount of good creatures like Snapping Drake

Snapping Drake
	Set: Starter 1999 Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Drake Rarity: C Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying

, Moroii

Moroii
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Vampire Rarity: U Number: 216 Artist: Dan Scott Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.

, Dimir Guildmage

Dimir Guildmage
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 10 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: U Number: 245 Artist: Adam Rex Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: (U/B can be paid with either U or B.) 3U: Target player draws a card. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery. 3B: Target player discards a card. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.

, Induce Paranoia

Induce Paranoia
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 56 Artist: Jim Murray Text: Counter target spell. If B was spent to play Induce Paranoia, that spell’s controller puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the spell’s converted mana cost.

, and Tidewater Minion

Tidewater Minion
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Elemental Rarity: C Number: 71 Artist: Tomas Giorello Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Defender (This creature can’t attack.) 4: Tidewater Minion loses defender until end of turn. T: Untap target permanent.

. You do get some mill cards but this isn't a very good strategy except for getting rid some the good cards the opponent could use from his deck.

Golgari B/G has some good creatures like Golgari Rotwurm

Golgari Rotwurm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: C Number: 210 Artist: Wayne England Power: 5 Toughness: 4 Text: B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.

, Vulturous Zombie

Vulturous Zombie
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Plant Zombie Rarity: R Number: 238 Artist: Greg Staples Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying Whenever a card is put into an opponent’s graveyard from anywhere, put a +1/+1 counter on Vulturous Zombie.

and Shambling Shell

Shambling Shell

Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Plant Zombie Rarity: C Number: 230 Artist: Joel Thomas Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Shambling Shell: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly three cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)

. Creatures like Shambling Shell

Shambling Shell

Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Plant Zombie Rarity: C Number: 230 Artist: Joel Thomas Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Shambling Shell: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly three cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)

work good for grafting and cards like Simic Guildmage

Simic Guildmage
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 148 Artist: Aleksi Briclot

. With both guilds, with black you do get some removal cards like Stinkweed Imp

Stinkweed Imp

Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Imp Rarity: C Number: 107 Artist: Edward P. Beard, Jr. Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying Whenever Stinkweed Imp deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. Dredge 5 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly five cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)

, Ribbons of the Night, Brainspoil

Brainspoil
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 78 Artist: Tomas Giorello Text: Destroy target creature that isn’t enchanted. It can’t be regenerated. Transmute 1BB (1BB, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as this card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play only as a sorcery.)

, and Disembowl.

You can also try to lesser extent for Selesnya with cards like Watchwolf

Watchwolf
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 2 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Wolf Rarity: U Number: 239 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 3 Toughness: 3

or small creatures, Faith Fetter's or Devouring Light

Devouring Light
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 13 Artist: Pete Venters Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Remove target attacking or blocking creature from the game.

for removal and cards like Fist of the Ironwood or Scatter the Seeds

Scatter the Seeds
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 181 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature’s color.) Put three 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens into play.

for making tokens.

Next with the Guildpact pack you will be first looking for Gruul or Izzet cards mainly. You will want to try first for Izzet cards if you want some removal or control. You want to look for cards like Ogre Savant

Ogre Savant
	Set: Guildpact Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Ogre Wizard Rarity: C Number: 70 Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: When Ogre Savant comes into play, if U was spent to play Ogre Savant, return target creature to its owner’s hand.

, Steamcore Weird

Steamcore Weird
	Set: Guildpact Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Weird Rarity: C Number: 35 Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: When Steamcore Weird comes into play, if R was spent to play Steamcore Weird, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

, Gelectrode

Gelectrode
	Set: Guildpact Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Weird Rarity: U Number: 113 Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Gelectrode deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Whenever you play an instant or sorcery spell, you may untap Gelectrode.

, Hypervolt Grasp

Hypervolt Grasp
	Set: Guildpact Color: Red Type: Enchantment Sub Type: Aura Rarity: U Number: 67 Text: Enchant creature Enchanted creature has “T: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player.” 1U: Return Hypervolt Grasp to its owner’s hand.

, and Wee Dragonauts

Wee Dragonauts
	Set: Guildpact Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Faerie Wizard Rarity: C Number: 137 Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying Whenever you play an instant or sorcery spell, Wee Dragonauts gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

.

If you go with Gruul you preferably want to get some creatures with bloodthirst. Dealing damage so you can make bloodthirst creatures bigger is good but with Graft creatures you can make your bloodthirst creatures even bigger. You also might find a few good direct damage spells or tricks. You want to look for cards like Scab Clan Mauler

Scab Clan Mauler
	Set: Guildpact Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Berserker Rarity: C Number: 128 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Bloodthirst 2 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.) Trample

, Streetbreaker Wurm

Streetbreaker Wurm
	Set: Guildpact Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Wurm Rarity: C Number: 133 Power: 6 Toughness: 4

, Pyromatics

Pyromatics
	Set: Guildpact Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 72 Text: Replicate 1R (When you play this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.) Pyromatics deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

, Wildsize

Wildsize
	Set: Guildpact Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 98 Text: Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. Draw a card.

, Ghor Clan Salvage

Salvage
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Artist: Keith Parkinson Text: Take any one card from your graveyard and put that card on the top of your library.

and Gristleback

Gristleback
	Set: Guildpact Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: U Number: 87 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Bloodthirst 1 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.) Sacrifice Gristleback: You gain life equal to Gristleback’s power.

.

Once you open up your Dissension pack you will want to look for mainly U/G cards such as Assault Zeppelid

Assault Zeppelid
	Set: Dissension Cost: 4 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: C Number: 103 Artist: Jeremy Jarvis Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying, trample

, Indrik Stomphowler

Indrik Stomphowler
	Set: Dissension Color: Green Rarity: U Number: 86 Artist: Carl Critchlow

, Trygon Predator

Trygon Predator
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 133 Artist: Carl Critchlow

, Shielding Plax

Shielding Plax
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: C Number: 147 Artist: Brian Hagan

, and Simic Guildmage

Simic Guildmage
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: U Number: 148 Artist: Aleksi Briclot

. There are some other good cards more made for Azorius that can work with Simic. You will also want to look for: Minister of Impediments

Minister of Impediments
	Set: Dissension Color: Multicolor Rarity: C Number: 144 Artist: Brian Hagan

, Court Hussar

Court Hussar

Set: Dissension Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Vedalken Knight Rarity: U Number: 22 Artist: Ron Spears Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: Vigilance - When Court Hussar comes into play, look at the top three cards of your library, then put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. When Court Hussar comes into play, sacrifice it unless W was spent to play it.

, Spell Snare

Spell Snare
	Set: Dissension Color: Blue Rarity: U Number: 33 Artist: Hideaki Takamura

, Ocular Halo

Ocular Halo
	Set: Dissension Color: Blue Rarity: C Number: 28 Artist: Ralph Horsley

and Enigma Eidolon

Enigma Eidolon
	Set: Dissension Color: Blue Rarity: C Number: 24 Artist: Shishizaru

.

Once you get this all down you should be able to draft Simic. If you know how to pick the right cards then you should be able to make a good Simic Draft Deck. Next time I will look at the Radkos cards.

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