Sandsteppe Mastodon! Fate Reforged!
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Dec. 18, 2014, 3:14 a.m. by Haxxzor
Link
Can't find a bigger picture, found posted on an MTG group on Facebook
Sandsteppe Mastodon
Creature - Elephant
Reach
When Sandsteppe Mastodon enters the battlefield, Bolster 5 (Choose a creature with the least toughness or tied with the least toughness among creatures you control. Put 5 +1/+1 counters on it.)
KrosanTusker says... #3
Your link takes us to tumblr.
Can we have a link at least to the Facebook group, if not the actual picture?
December 18, 2014 3:21 a.m.
Hard to make out the mana cost, looks like 
? Yeesh!
December 18, 2014 3:23 a.m.
shinobigarth says... #6
its 7 for a 5/5 reacher with what seems like an....ok ability. 6/6 Elvish Mystic?
December 18, 2014 3:25 a.m.
It's 7 mana for 10 power, or potentially more relevant, 10 toughness. Half of that also has reach, which isn't terrible.
Mechanic is interesting. I don't have high hopes for Standard playability, but once we see it on cards that aren't the big limited bomb type card, I'll pass judgment. Could be interesting in Doran, the Siege Tower or something.
December 18, 2014 3:32 a.m.
Bolster would be very cool with flash... Putting +1/+1 counters on low-toughness flash guys like Boon Satyr or Horizon Chimera at instant speed stapled to a creature sounds cool.
Unfortunately, based on Sandsteppe (Sandsteppe Citadel) and the overall flavor of the mechanic, sounds like an Abzan card. I'd be very surprised to see anything flash-related there.
December 18, 2014 3:34 a.m.
This is clearly abzan and could be really, really good. Essentially you can play this as a way to win the game. Bolster a creature without summoning sickness to give it +X/+X, swing - win the game. I hope there's one that's like a permanent Giant Growth. This mechanic has the potential to be really dumb.
December 18, 2014 4:50 a.m.
I hope it branches out past Abzan. My first thought was a ramp deck utilizing this effect and Xenagos, God of Revels. Maybe one or more of the catds could be good enough for a 4 color deck (unlikely, but I can dream).
December 18, 2014 6:11 a.m.
lemmingllama says... #14
Well, it looks like limited will be mostly about who can get the largest creatures out. We have dragons, stealing things, killing big things, and making big things cards. I can see a lot of games with nothing happening turns 1-3 and then just bomb after bomb.
December 18, 2014 7:32 a.m.
They might support aggro though. We can't say anything yet from knowing like 4 cards.
December 18, 2014 7:45 a.m.
tim_swaggers says... #17
I'd love too put one of these in play with Whip of Erebos
December 18, 2014 8:24 a.m.
Death_The_Kid says... #18
Abzan aggro turn one Tormented Hero or Soldier of the Pantheon turn two some kind of creature with bolster whatever number Solider is now bigger and better. Bolster is going to be great in aggro decks if and only if there is a good turn two Bolster play to follow up the one drop
December 18, 2014 9:31 a.m.
A booster creature with flash would be so so hood.
December 18, 2014 9:37 a.m.
slovakattack says... #22
Topdeck that on an empty field, and it's a 10/10 reach for 7. Nice.
December 18, 2014 10:11 a.m.
"So hood" officially what I post now when +1ing decks.
December 18, 2014 10:29 a.m.
Hooded Hydra would like to have a few words with you, being the most hood creature in all of Magic.
December 18, 2014 10:38 a.m.
Apparently, every color in magic is at least a little bit hood!
December 18, 2014 10:48 a.m.
On a serious note though, new card is okay. We will probably see some much more usable creatures with the Bolster ability though. Ya know, that aren't 7 drops. I thought it was 5 at first and was pumped, then I realized.
December 18, 2014 11:01 a.m.
Rayenous - But Hooded Hydra is at least 5x as much hood as any other card. Also, relevant
December 18, 2014 11:06 a.m.
beakedbard says... #32
I assume that means all clans will be getting a new ability in this set. Makes me wonder what the new Jeskai and Sultai ones will be. Also the ability seems like it could be good but the card itself doesn't seem good.
December 18, 2014 11:16 a.m.
I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that all the clans in this set are centered on a different colour. Whilst abzan was centered around white in the last set, in this set its centered around a more green feel. Sultai instead of being black, will likely be based on blue.
I think that's the plan.
December 18, 2014 11:26 a.m.
Cos it's like tall.....
Also elephants can stand up on their back legs. True story.
December 18, 2014 11:36 a.m.
ChiefBell - That would make sense, but then Yasova wouldn't be Green. So I think that logic kindof falls through there. But I would imagine the center of each clan will likely shift once Dragons of Tarkir comes out.
December 18, 2014 11:39 a.m.
Force of Savagery will be in love with this card, and Bolster in general.
December 18, 2014 12:06 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #39
I like the mechanic on this card, the creature not so much.
December 18, 2014 12:36 p.m.
The question about this card's playability is what does it replace? What role does it fill? For a green 7-drop, I'd rather play Hornet Queen. 6 power with flying and deathtouch distributed among 5 different creatures is more resilient and more likely to push damage through than 10 power on two creatures with no evasion.
Standard is also a format right now where the best decks are playing really good removal...Crackling Doom, Murderous Cut, and Hero's Downfall are often played as 4-ofs.
You may wind up in Magical Christmas Land where you get to pump a Siege Rhino or a Wingmate Roc. More likely, you'll end up making a 7/9 Courser of Kruphix that gets blocked by Elspeth, Sun's Champion tokens all day.
In Limited, however, you first pick the shit out of this guy.
December 18, 2014 12:44 p.m.
selesvyaloverer8 says... #41
This makes outlast sooo much better b/c you dont need to take the tempo hit of outlasting to get first strike or lifelink etc.
December 18, 2014 12:47 p.m.
selesvyaloverer8 says... #42
That last comment made no sense. what i meant was the outlast guys that grant abilities like Abzan Battle Priest are much better not outlast itself
December 18, 2014 12:49 p.m.
MangoPunch says... #43
It is awesome to follow up your end End Hostilities with. Is also an awesome card when you are behind. 7 cmc is tough; I think it will start off being underrated but ultimately be a pretty dang high limited pick.
December 18, 2014 1:09 p.m.
Looks like it would do well in my Roon EDH deck. Blink it a few times and pile on the +1/+1 counters.
December 18, 2014 7:20 p.m.
Animar, Soul of Elements has been waiting for this guy..! And this Ability in general!
December 18, 2014 9:29 p.m.
BlastercoolWeird says... #47
worth noting that Bolster also works really REALLY nicely with Yasova Dragonclaw: It buffs her low toughness and is likely to be able to hit her, her ability is based on power, AND she has trample to capitalize on the counters.
December 19, 2014 12:03 a.m.
shinobigarth says... #48
i kinda like Yasova Dragonclaw. I'm trying to build a deck that steals creatures and sacs them but its Mardu colors so its sad that Yasova costs green. i dunno if a separate set of lands just for Yasova would be even profitable at all for the sweet recurring creature stealing. or Mana Confluence if it ever drops to below $7 ish.
December 19, 2014 1:32 a.m.
Some green cards that would work well with her. Birthing Pod, Deranged Outcast (provided they are using human creatures), Feed the Pack, Greater Good, Life's Legacy, Momentous Fall, Ooze Garden, and Scourge of Skola Vale. I'm ignoring all of the devour creatures, but that would give you two or three more green cards to play with.
December 19, 2014 11:31 a.m.
VictorSilvertome says... #50
Cruel Sadist makes this guy look nice, Abzan Shenanigans
VampireArmy says... #2
Mana cost?
December 18, 2014 3:20 a.m.