There are 2 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #2 by Helium's members.
Every player of magic the gathering wants to draw extra cards and as you learn the value of this nearly every new player of magic the gathering falls in to the howling mine trap. There are a few cards like this but howling mine is the most clear. They are abilities that give a bonus to all players, but because they happen at the beginning of the turn your opponent gains the advantage first. In the case of howling mine you cast it and then your opponent draws a card, then if you are in a tournament there is an excellent chance that after he has drawn that card he disenchants the howling mine leaving you having gained nothing.
Rites of Flourishing is a rare enchantment from the future sight expansion set of magic the gathering which costs one green and two colorless and has the exact same problem as howling mine but is even worse. This cards reads "At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional card. Each player may play an additional land on each of his or her turns."
This leads to the same issue as with howling mine, likely even using the same disenchant spell, the only difference is that now the opponent not only draws a card but plays two lands before he disenchants this spell ensuring that you gain nothing from it putting you even farther behind.
Is there any advantage in using this spell then? Not much , though if you have built your own deck to take advantage of the spell there is at least a reasonable chance that your opponent will not immediately have access to the disenchant spell and so while you will not gain anything specifically from this card you might be able to find some way to draw some small advantage.
One of the places that this card would likely be fun is in the chaos magic game. This is a game in which there is a third deck of cards which is a pile of random effects which change game play. Often done in large multiplayer games I would think that this would be a generally popular card and one that because it didn't take a card from anyone's hand would have no negative effect on anyone. Other than that though simply look for better ways to draw extra cards such as the green creatures that let you draw when they hurt an opponent.
Learn more about this author, Elton Gahr.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:
Add your voice
Know something about Magic the Gathering card analysis: Rites of Flourishing?
We want to hear your view.
Write now!
Cast your vote!
Click for your side.
Featured Partner
Washington, D.C. Masons, members of the Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, D.C. Freemasonry is first and foremos...more
hide