this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
2 points (100.0% liked)

Magic: The Gathering

1104 readers
1 users here now

/c/mtg

News and discussion about Magic: The Gathering, the tabletop and digital card trading card game! Join us discussing news, tournaments, gameplay, deckbuilding, strategy, lore, and more.

Rules

  1. Please show common courtesy and be kind to all
  2. Please keep posts related to the card game

Resources and Related Communities

/r/magicTCG

Trans MTG Discord Server

/r/traaagicthegathering

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Have you seen this PW before, or used it yourself? At 3 mana, she is fairly cheap. There are two options:

  • +1: target creature gains vigilance and reach until your next turn
  • -2: Exile one of the top 3 cards of your library face down. If it's a creature, you can cast it from exile even if Vivien is gone.

Her passive: You may cast creatures as though they had flash.


Of course, she doesn't make much sense if you have lots of noncreature cards. You cannot choose to not exile a card for -2.

But since many decks are heavy on creatures, why isn't she used more?

Stashing creatures into exile is nice. AFAIK they are safe from whatever your opponent could do, until you choose to bring them out.

Casting creatures with flash though, is literally a game changer. It essentially gives your creatures haste. Makes countering them much harder. And dodges sorcery-speed removal, if only for one turn. And of course, you can destroy combos by having a rule-changing creature jump in at instant speed (like Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines, which disables entering effects for your opponents)

Other creatures become much more versatile and powerful through V, CotW. Maybe the best example is Yorion, Sky Nomad (on enter, exile any number of other permanents you control and return them at the next end step). If your army would get wiped, or Vivien herself removed, flash Yorion in, pack all your stuff in a neat box, and unpack everything once the threat has gone. If you can return Yori to your hand, that's similar to a reusable Teferi's Protection.

Also worth mentioning, opponent's greed and combat tricks. Most people will attack Vivien with just enough to get her killed, and otherwise attack your life. Between declare attackers and declare blockers, you can throw in more creatures and completely screw their attack.

So ... cheap, versatile, powerful, and kind of unique. Is she underrated or what are your thoughts/reasons for why she shouldn't be used?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] mos@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I want cheap planeswalkers like these to work but I find that if they don’t do anything to protect themselves when they come out or something significant like removal (ie Liliana) they aren’t competitive enough.

[–] Spzi@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

Fair point, thanks. I feel even if she gets removed by a spell right away, that's okay, because we just traded one card each. If she soaks up damage by immediately dying from an attack, that's like getting 5 HP for 3 mana, which I consider an okish deal. That could be said for any PW. Your point still stands though.