Untapped Potential – Lhurgoyfs in Innistrad?

August 15, 2011

Categories: YuGiOh!

by Wilson J Laboy

Rumors of a potential Tarmogoyf reprint within Innistrad block has been circulating around the internet these past few days. With the announcement of Modern as well as Innistrad being a "graveyard-based block", I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Tarmogoyf did get a reprint of some sort. Now, I know some of you will think I am crazy for thinking Tarmogoyf will get a reprint, give me a few minutes to explain.

I come home one night and see the brand new ban list for Modern as well as the change up of the format for Pro Tour Philadelphia, going from Extended to the now fresh Modern. There were seeds being planted before this announcement about Extended getting the axe and Modern replacing it but I was not expecting it to happen so soon. However, I did know something was going to change really soon when I seen a particular card appear in M12.

It was a late night and I was doing my usual digging for new information in Magic when I read that Grim Lavamancer was getting a reprint in the upcoming Core Set. Almost every red mage was ecstatic when this news spread around the world. Everybody was screaming about how good Red was looking for the summer but I knew something was up.

Modern was said to be a format where you can only use cards that are in the new “modern” card frame. From 8^th Edition and Mirrodin block forward was going to be the card pool, meaning that Grim Lavamancer wasn't playable in Modern since he was printed in Torment, way before the new frames. However, it got me thinking about what else could possible get reprinted to make Modern a hit sensation that Extended failed to be.

Tarmogoyf is already a Legacy staple and is seen play in almost every deck archetype, mostly control and aggro. Being the Legacy staple that he is, Tarmogoyf’s average price as of right now is a whopping $79 a pop. If Tarmogoyf did get this rumored reprint, the price wouldn't be as high as it is now, even with the differences in card frames. I could be wrong about that simply because the Future Sight Tarmogoyf is in a very odd and very different frame than we are accustomed to and almost everyone would want the old frame over the new frame. I mean, ask the Sad Robot, Solemn Simulacrum.

Solemn Simulacrum was also reprinted in M12, not because he wasn't Modern legal already, but because it was the perfect fit in the future artifact-based Standard that SOM-INN standard will become. Right now, an M12 Solemn is $2-4 less than a Mirrodin Solemn, which makes me believe a new Tarmogoyf wouldn't be the same price as what he is right now.

“But what about the power level that Tarmogoyf will bring in Standard?”

Everybody who has played Standard in the past year already knows the awesome power level that Jace was on and knows he will NEVER see a reprint any time soon. When Jace, the Mind Sculptor was in Standard, he peaked at $120 a pop but now, he’s not even playable in Standard or Modern because of the updated ban list. He’s just that good. Can the same be said about Tarmogoyf if he was in Standard right now? I don’t think so.

Let’s say Tarmogoyf was in Standard right now, how good would he be with cards like Doom Blade, Go for the Throat and even Dismember in the format? Think about how awkward he’d be facing our favorite Titans as well as monstrosities like Phyrexian Obliterator. A resolved Phyrexian Obliterator is an unbelievable beating that even Goyf couldn't compare too. That is why New Phyrexia also brought a very useful uncommon in Dismember, completely neutering Phyrexian Obliterators all over the globe.

Speaking of Innistrad, it has been said to be a “graveyard-based” block with the Flashback mechanic being brought back. There are already cards that interact with the graveyard right now in Standard, such as Pyromancer Ascension, Visions of Beyond and again, Grim Lavamancer. Visions of Beyond and Lavamancer were all a preview as to what Innistrad will bring to the Standard format. Who else interacts with the graveyard as well as the star of this entire article? With Innistrad being graveyard-based, of course there will be checks and balances within the sets to make sure nothing gets too out of hand. Cards like Nihil Spellbomb will probably see A LOT of play in the upcoming year as well as whatever cards that will be printed to keep everything in check.

It’s almost as if the stars are pointing in the perfect position for our somewhat friendly neighborhood Lhurgoyf seeing another season under the Standard format lights. I honestly believe, Tarmogoyf wouldn’t be as insanely powerful that he was then if he were reprinted, but then again, this is all speculation and anticipation for the upcoming block in Innistrad.

I honestly just can't wait for Innistrad.