RCotD #42

Random Card of the Day #42:

Steam Spitter - 4G
Creature - Spider
Reach
{R}: Steam Spitter gains +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/5

Initial thoughts:

Alright. I know Lolzor has a thing for spiders. However, the most balanced spider, at least in my opinion, is Giant Spider. Canopy Spider is also really good but Deadly Recluse is the least situational--probably enough to maindeck. It depends on the spider for it's power level. Typically the higher cost the spider the less worth it is playing. This one is a five-cost and is only applicable if your are also playing Red.

Canopy Spider is about where it should be. a 2-cost 1/3 is average but you put reach on to it and it's an above-average card. It stops a lot of swarm and can kill smaller things. It's a little like the green Storm Crow. Giant Spider is a 4-cost 2/4 with reach. Not as powerful but it kills larger fliers and has a pretty big body. It's numbers may be below average but it can stall a game pretty efficiently.

However, by the time you hit 5-cost, even in a green deck, this is not exactly the spider you would want to be playing. I think that creatures with a high toughness are early game creatures that stop swarm decks, or to get you into mid/late game. At 5 mana you are already in mid game so you should be playing something better. On the other hand, it's easily splashable and relies a lot of red so if you're deck was mainly red this could be a decent card for when red starts to burn out. Somewhat highly situational, but it could work.

At a 5 converted mana cost there are just too many better cards than a 1/5 firebreather. Not a very wanted card but it certainly won't set you back. 2/5