Special Review: Toma Pain Magnet
by Popeclone
4/9/07
At first, it was believed by this author, that his brother had set him up. "Would you like to write a review for an unrevealed card?" he said. Knowing my brothers love of the game, I immediately responded with "Sure." Nich's cards are always so inventive, creative, fun and exciting. I would be an idiot/asshole not to want to review a card!
Then my brother, who until this point I assumed had no sense of humor, dropped this humungeous terd on me.
My brother has a sense of humor after all.
This is not a Timmy card. This is not a Spike card. This is a Johnny card and I am not a Johnny. I am sure there are awesome decks one could make with this card. Red decks, Fast Black decks; these are the most valid candidates for TPM. Were I to acquire this common in a pack and be forced at gunpoint to make a deck using it, I would probably spread out all the cards I could think of that reap it's benefits.
The Pain Lands. There are about three to four different types of pain lands all of which could provide you with the AWESOME benefit of TPM. City of Brass for example could be the clutch card for getting you that 1 generic mana.
It's a cheap, common artifact. Easily sacrifcable to much better cards, such as Arcbound Ravager or Atog. However, if you own a Ravager, odds are you own much better one to cast artifacts. (Like the Spellbombs from Mirrodin or Metallic Sliver... Ravagers love eating Slivers)
However, it does provide mana without an activation cost. It is actually the only one to cast, common artifact that does so. It has filled the void. I'm just not sure that this void needed to be filled in this way. WIthout the "Play this ability only if a player has been dealt damage this turn" line, this card would be restricted. as is the case with Sol Ring. With it, this card needs to be built around. It is not my first choice in a draft and without seeing the rest of what Conquest has to offer, it's not my tenth either.
Since it says "...has been dealt damage..." Instead of "...has lost life..." it does not work very well with much of the cards in Wastelands. Attack and deal damage, or dealing damage directly are your only options. Sunlocus Throne works with it pretty well, as does Sunstroke Glare, Duststorm, Crested Sunmage and Cone of Flame.
I leave it to the Johnnys of the world to decide this cards fate. If Psychic Venom is your thing look into a four set of TPM.