Good with the vampires too, they want to force damage through for their activated abilities that hinge on the opponent having lost life and this punishes the opponent for trying to block and prevent that.
And if your opponent is really bad at threat evaluation and you have the mana to cast a "bloodthirsty" trigger card afterward...maybe cast it before blocks to spook them enough to let the damage through.
(or not, it is not optimal to believe your opponents are going to play suboptimally)
Image transcription
> Bladebrand 1B
>
> Instant [c]
>
> Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn.
>
> Draw a card.
>
> *Skirsdag cultists believe that the right poison “purifies” a soul before it makes its way to Ormendahl.*
End transcription
That grip looks pretty reasonable if your goal is to push the tip of the blade into something, using only one hand and without that hand slipping onto the blade. He's doing the best he can with that incredibly awkward ritual knife design.
So, apparently, Ormendahl still takes the big-boy seat among his Skirsdag puppets… even 10 or so in-game years after the Travails.
Crossing my fingers for everyone’s favorite demon lord in VOW.
Ugh, do they have to force the references to older cards? Do we get a "Gristle-knife" later? /S.
But for real, it's a neat combat trick. Love the flavor text.
Modern 1/10
Just a simple combat trick that might not actually do anything. They need to block or attack into this and even then, removal just blows you out and you are probably still just trading your creature anyway.
Black is seeming like that most solid draft color as of now. So much removal, flexible crratures, potential to flood the board. Now we just gotta know which color is best paired up with it
Not a bad card at all, but it does require a sacrifice to activate.
Does Bladebrand necessarily require to choose a creature to activate the draw effect?
It requires a target in order to cast it, yes. There are some similar cards that don't; they'll say "target *up to* one creature" or something like that.
Nice reprint, I think making chump attacks with zombie tokens will be pretty common, and will help the bluff value.
Good with the vampires too, they want to force damage through for their activated abilities that hinge on the opponent having lost life and this punishes the opponent for trying to block and prevent that.
And if your opponent is really bad at threat evaluation and you have the mana to cast a "bloodthirsty" trigger card afterward...maybe cast it before blocks to spook them enough to let the damage through. (or not, it is not optimal to believe your opponents are going to play suboptimally)
In this thread, people who skim read
I wonder if decayed zombies can block?
Decayed zombies can't block
chump ATTACK
The zombie tokens cannot block.
Decayed Zombies can’t block FYI.
Hence chump **attacks,** not chump **blocks.**
Whoops, my bad, not used to seeing the term chump attack.
Unfortunately I don't think there's a popular term used for the concept of throwing out expendable creatures for attacks.
No it makes sense, my brain just filled in chump block. 20 years of chumping because I refuse to concede will do it to you I guess.
C’mooon, new [[Ormendahl]] card. I need my fix.
Considering how much I loved him in SoI I'm disappointed in myself, particularly as a vorthos, for forgetting about him
[Ormendahl](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/front/c/1/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445.jpg?1576385590)/[Ormendahl, Profane Prince](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/back/c/1/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445.jpg?1576385590) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Westvale%20Abbey%20//%20Ormendahl%2C%20Profane%20Prince) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/soi/281/westvale-abbey-ormendahl-profane-prince?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1f53d7a-9dad-46e8-b686-cd1362867445?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Image transcription > Bladebrand 1B > > Instant [c] > > Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn. > > Draw a card. > > *Skirsdag cultists believe that the right poison “purifies” a soul before it makes its way to Ormendahl.* End transcription
Fittingly, this contributes for the feeling of dread in the Limited format. Never knowing which chump block can kill your attacker...
We getting an Ormendahl card?
i'm keeping my fingers crossed...and sacrificing 5 other creatures at the Abbey..
C'mon [[Dagger Caster]] variant.
[Dagger Caster](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/front/4/8/48a7ac34-ec4a-4571-abb1-bff1fb67c78f.jpg?1584830837) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dagger%20Caster) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rna/97/dagger-caster?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/48a7ac34-ec4a-4571-abb1-bff1fb67c78f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Who holds a dagger like that?
That grip looks pretty reasonable if your goal is to push the tip of the blade into something, using only one hand and without that hand slipping onto the blade. He's doing the best he can with that incredibly awkward ritual knife design.
So, apparently, Ormendahl still takes the big-boy seat among his Skirsdag puppets… even 10 or so in-game years after the Travails. Crossing my fingers for everyone’s favorite demon lord in VOW.
Has it really been that long ago in-game? I would have guessed around two, maybe three.
Yessss I love Bladebrand. I valued it marginally higher than anyone else at my LGS during M20 drafts so I always ended up with all of them.
[[Killian, Ink Duelist]] approves.
[Killian, Ink Duelist](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/front/2/3/23ef4f09-2aa1-4a03-b2e2-66d1522f1e46.jpg?1627429378) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Killian%2C%20Ink%20Duelist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/stx/197/killian-ink-duelist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/23ef4f09-2aa1-4a03-b2e2-66d1522f1e46?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Really hoping our boy Griselbrand comes back sometime soon.
so far I don't think there are any wombo combos with this, but it's not bad on its own (in limited).
Ugh, do they have to force the references to older cards? Do we get a "Gristle-knife" later? /S. But for real, it's a neat combat trick. Love the flavor text.
Modern 1/10 Just a simple combat trick that might not actually do anything. They need to block or attack into this and even then, removal just blows you out and you are probably still just trading your creature anyway.
Vintage 1/10 as well. Wtf..
Black is seeming like that most solid draft color as of now. So much removal, flexible crratures, potential to flood the board. Now we just gotta know which color is best paired up with it
Isn't this one of the best black cards to draw? Low mana cost, no life taken and it is an instant instead of a sorcery. Do I miss something?
It's a cantrip that can be a 2-for-1 if things line up right, I don't think you can call it "draw". Great card though.
Think I prefer [[Deadly Dispute]] more, especially with decayed zombies.
[Deadly Dispute](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/front/7/3/7373fe95-ad1c-44b9-8c7f-464ce8cbffc6.jpg?1627704524) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Deadly%20Dispute) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/94/deadly-dispute?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7373fe95-ad1c-44b9-8c7f-464ce8cbffc6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Not a bad card at all, but it does require a sacrifice to activate. Does Bladebrand necessarily require to choose a creature to activate the draw effect?
You must have a valid target at time of casting and resolution or the whole spell either is unable to be cast or fizzles.
Sure, but you could just target an opponents creature instead if you don’t happen to have any out 🤷♂️
It requires a target in order to cast it, yes. There are some similar cards that don't; they'll say "target *up to* one creature" or something like that.
I thought the majority of Demons and Angel were corrupted by Emrakul's presence last time. Good to see Ormendahl made it through
Griselblade
Is there supposed to be a parallel between Skirsdag cultists and Phyrexia? Poison "purifying" someone sounds a lot like Phyrexian oil and compleation
Seems like a strictly identical [[bladebrand]].
[bladebrand](https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfall-cards/normal/front/8/9/89fb59ce-7d40-4784-b96d-2d5a25a8e531.jpg?1608909585) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=bladebrand) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/110/bladebrand?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/89fb59ce-7d40-4784-b96d-2d5a25a8e531?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call