In multiplayer, there probably isn’t a color that’s as fun as green. Giant creatures trampling around without any of the mess of white and blue telling you what you can and can’t do, Green is a blast to throw down at the kitchen table and Magic 2012 provides plenty of new toys.
Magic 2012 Reviews
White | Blue | Black | Red | Green | Artifact & Land
Arachnus Spinner
I’m still not sure what to think of this card. Being a 5/7 with reach means it will keep you safe from plenty of dragons and angels, but it won’t be killing as many of them as I would like. As for searching for Arachnus Web, that’s awesome when you can run 4 of them but in Commander, this giant spider isn’t worth it.
Arachnus Web
Against blue, this is a great way to shut down pesky utility creatures. But all the other colors are usually able to pump creatures. The only benefit I see is with Arachnus Spinner on the battlefield, you can perpetually keep tapping him to web up something big turn after turn. But a single Scour will completely ruin your plan.
Carnage Wurm
A 9/9 trampler for seven certainly has potential. He’s big, he loves proliferation and wins most ground battles. Is he great? Nope, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as throwing down a giant, bloodsoaked wurm.
Doubling Chant
This isn’t Doubling Season. In Commander, this is awful and useless. In multiplayer casual, I would just run Thrumming Stone in my Relentless Rats deck instead. There are ways to break this, but it’s going to take a lot of work.
Dungrove Elder
Toss a Rancor on this guy and win. In Commander where land destruction is few and far between, this is a powerhouse in mono-Green. The hexproof and variable power/toughness make him a serious threat that reminds me of Chameleon Colossus. A great card that will be a staple green beater for years, I just want to apologize to Gaea’s Liege now.
Garruk, Primal Hunter
I loved Garruk Wildspeaker as a Planeswalker. Sure, there was some dissonance with his design but a card that allowed for great mana fixing, beast making or Overrunning in times of need made him a wonderful utility card. Primal Hunter here though cranks Garruk up to 11.
While he won’t help your mana, making a 3/3 each turn for 5 seems like a solid bargain on its own. Being able to cast Soul’s Majesty on a whim is another amazing way for green to draw some cards besides Harmonize. And that final ability? Talk about game ending! And I thought Worm Harvest could get out of hand.
In Commander, Garruk, Primal Hunter is an auto-include is any mono-green deck. But if you’re running a few colors, don’t be afraid of the GGG in his casting cost, he’s worth it.
Garruk’s Horde
I really want to have Garruk’s Horde out with an Oracle of Mul Daya and Mul Daya Channelers. Maybe with Rowen and Sylvan Library for good deck stacking measures. As a seven drop, this horde can really help you keep the pressure on turn after turn. You’re going to need some manipulation like Mirri’s Guile to make it work, but isn’t that what multiplayer Magic is all about?
Gladecover Scout
It’s half a Slippery Bogel! A solid upgrade over Elvish Lookout.
Hunter’s Insight
More green card drawing? This is great for green mages everywhere. Hitting once with a Craw Wurm refills your hand but this card gets really crazy with Double Strike or multiple combat phases. Just a warning, you have to draw the cards. I can’t wait for it to get cast and then have the rest of the table pump the creature so the player decks himself.
Jade Mage
Move over Selesnya Guildmage, Green just got a new favorite token generator! Being able to convert any excess mana into 1/1 is a deal and being able to do it over and over again makes me giddy with excitement. Awakening is all this card needs to really get crazy.
Lurking Crocodile
I’d rather have River Boa or Mire Boa almost every time.
Primordial Hydra
Any time cards can grow exponentially, I’m a big fan. To get really absurd, combine with Doubling Season. Or toss down a Paradox Haze or three to really get him big. Just make sure he’s wearing some good boots for protection.
Skinshifter
Now this is the Green Morphling (sorry Thornling), sending in a 1/1 and waiting to see if they block before swinging for 4 or 2 in the air, or maybe just making him a 0/8 to survive. Where I see this guy shining though is in a Doran, the Siege Tower deck. Yes, he turns into a giant plant but he never gains defender. A fantastic card.
Stingfling Spider
There’s usually a flier on the board by turn 5 and being able to kill one and get a body makes this a solid deal. He isn’t flashy, but this spider fills his role very, very well.
Titanic Growth
Not sure why you would ever want this over Vines of Vastwood, Giant Growth or Invigorate in multiplayer, unless you’re doing Green-Infect in Commander, then go for it.
Trollhide
Wizards must really dislike the nickname “troll-shroud” for Hexproof, because they made a card made of troll skin that doesn’t give hexproof! As an aura, this isn’t that great unless you can afford to always keep two mana open.
Notable reprints
Birds of Paradise return again, so everyone should finally have a playset or two. Elvish Archdruid is back to fulfill his role of being removal bait in any elf deck. Primeval Titan returns with his kin as a terrifying Crop Rotating monster. Rites of Flourishing also makes it debut in the core set combining Exploration and Howling Mine into a very weird enchantment that I love in multiplayer.
Magic 2012 Reviews
White | Blue | Black | Red | Green | Artifact & Land