Why are people sold on Polukranos, World Eater
Standard forum
Posted on Jan. 12, 2014, 6:49 p.m. by ifarar
i just can wrap my head around the fact that besides being a 4 drop its monstrosity is kinda terrible
PlainsAngels says... #3
I'm with you, I don't understand it. I thought about picking up a playset, but decided against it for now.
January 12, 2014 6:57 p.m.
Its Monstrosity ability may not seem game-breaking (turn 4 or 5 Monstrousity for 2, kill an X/2, and swing with a 7/7? Still not bad...), but any deck that plays him well is going to have a massive amount of mana-ramp leading up to him. It's not uncommon to be able to pump him up by 5 through Monstrosity between Burning-Tree Emissary , Voyaging Satyr , Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx , and Elvish Mystic . At that point, you're killing 90% of the blockers in the format and you now have a 10/10. He can also kill multiple creatures at once. Imagine if your opponent has Judge's Familiar , Master of Waves , and a Nightveil Specter . Now all that shit's dead and so are the Elemental tokens - and none of that even cost the full value of 1 spell.
I wasn't totally sold on Polukranos, World Eater either, but after playing with him extensively and seeing just how powerful he is, I get it.
January 12, 2014 6:59 p.m.
He's great against other creature based decks. Azorius and Esper control don't care what color your fatty is, black, green or red, it just removes it.
But Polly versus something like a w/x aggro deck with Daring Skyjek and Banisher Priest and Precinct Captain are all very vulnerable to Polly's monstrous ability.
January 12, 2014 7:25 p.m.
Dalektable says... #7
A 5/5 for four mana is good alone, throw an awesome ability onto that and you've got a good creature.Just is base self is above the vanilla scale (like 1/1 for one or a 2/2 for two)
January 12, 2014 7:35 p.m.
KayeTheWild says... #8
I think he's liked for two reasons:
One: He's an absolute monster in draft/limited. He's nearly always an auto-pick when you pull him or when he gets passed to you. In draft, which can be relatively slow with lots of mana buildup, the turn after you get him out he'll clear your opponent's board and then you can swing for massive amounts of damage. A total bomb in a format without much great removal besides Hero's Downfall .
Two: He's a great part of a good deck. In constructed he's average on his own, but when you place him in a deck like Mono-green Devotion, he becomes gold. Mono-green devotion is packing two important things that fuel Polly-wanna-cracker, and those two things are Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx , and huge amounts of mana-ramp. Without those two things supporting him he's average at best, but factor in those two things and he goes from okay to great.
January 12, 2014 7:51 p.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #9
Never underestimate the value of a single large threat in Magic. A 5/5 beater is nothing to scoff at, and when it can come out easily on turn 3 opposing decks can have a real problem on their hands.
It's Monstrosity effect is also pure upside. So what if it's not OP like Stoneforge Mystic , it's still better than a vanilla creature. And when you attach ANY bonus ability on a 5/5 for 4, you've got a good creature.
January 12, 2014 8:04 p.m.
He's great, but he's competing with Kalonian Hydra right now. Which can win games far faster for 1 mana, built in Trample, and swings as an 8/8.
January 12, 2014 8:49 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #11
Moved to Standard, since this discussion is relevant almost exclusively to Standard.
January 12, 2014 8:50 p.m.
ok explain his monstrosity to me cause i must have not understood it
January 12, 2014 9:01 p.m.
KayeTheWild says... #13
Basically, his monstrosity works like this.
" XXG: Monstrosity X. (If this creature isnt monstrous, put X +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.) When Polukranos, World Eater becomes monstrous, [i]it deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures[/i] your opponents control. Each of those creatures deals damage equal to its power to Polukranos."
When it deals X damage, you can divide it up. Say your opponent has three 2/2s out on the board, and you just spent four mana to give Polukranos 2 counters. He becomes a 7/7, and then you can deal 3 damage to each of those creatures, effectively clearing your opponent's board for you to attack unblocked.
January 12, 2014 9:06 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #14
It works exactly as written. Because the activation cost is XXG, you declare what X is, then pay twice that amount (and a green). When the ability resolves, Polukranos, World Eater gets X (NOT XX) +1/+1 counters.
Then, the triggered ability triggers, and Polukranos, World Eater deals X (NOT XX) damage total to any number of target creatures. You choose when you put the ability onto the stack what the targets are and how the damage is divided among them. Each target must be assigned at least 1 damage. Those targets deal damage equal to their power back to Polukranos, World Eater
January 12, 2014 9:07 p.m.
The worst part about this is that any creature that has Deathtouch will destroy Polukranos, World Eater with his own monstrous Trigger. So no sweeping those Sedge Scorpion .
January 12, 2014 9:11 p.m.
if you kill the creature will the damage still be dealt
January 12, 2014 9:12 p.m.
KayeTheWild says... #19
Sedge Scorpion is way, way too broken. I see a ban in the near future when no one can deal with that format-warping monster.
January 12, 2014 9:19 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #20
@ifarar: Yes. The damage is dealt regardless, and the creatures don't even die until state-based actions are checked, which happens only after the ability fully resolves.
January 12, 2014 9:24 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #21
From Gatherer: "9/15/2013 As Polukranoss triggered ability resolves, Polukranos deals damage first, then the target creatures do. Although no creature will die until after the ability finishes resolving, the order could matter if Polukranos has wither or infect."
erabel says... #2
It can be a one-sided board wipe in green ramp decks. Pay enough into X, wipe their board and make him too big to get killed back. Give him deathtouch, which is actually pretty easy with Bow of Nylea , and he's an even cheaper boardwipe. In green.
January 12, 2014 6:51 p.m.