Twisted roots and brambles, rotten stumps and fallen logs, nothing slowed the progress of the beast which crashed through the undergrowth. The Necromancer stood his ground, tapping his foot with impatience as the immense toad lurched towards him with incredible leaps. "Darby, it really would be best if you could exercise some small measure of control over your ... pets." The toad sat before Canticle, bulbous eyes devoid of understanding. A muffled shout could be heard from within the toad, and a small, weathered hand forced open the creatures mouth. Darby appeared moments later, pipe still clenched in his teeth, hands holding open the toad's mouth. "Sweet mother o' Eire! Took me by surprise he did! Unpredictable, he be, this here... Chub Toad! A, creature costing 1. Green and 2 Colorless mana to call forth, the Chub Toad uses its natural abilities to fullest advantage. If the Toad is blocking, or is blocked, it gains +2/+2. Clearly, such an ability can be used to fullest effect in a wide variety of situations. Apart from the obvious applications with Norrit the Nettling Imp, and Siren's Call, the Toad can be put to more eclectic uses as well. A well-constructed Green deck should be able to summon a Chub Toad by the second turn. Tossing Armor of Faith or an Unholy Strength on the Toad at this point can create real problems for your opponents. Getting the creature through, he or she takes damage. However, blocking it at an early point in the duel will almost guarantee destruction of the defending creature. And on the defensive, a Chub Toad with one simple Enchantment can be a frightening prospect, With Unholy Strength, for all intents and purposes, you have a 5/4 defender for a total cost of 4 mana. Not only will this protect the Toad from the depredations of the Prodigal Sorcerer and Rod of Ruin, but it also forces your opponent to deal with a problem while you create new ones. Another Enchantment which can prove quite useful with Chub Toad is a Prismatic Ward geared to the color used by an opponent. Not only will you be able to deal a significant amount of damage on the defensive, but you will also secure the safety of the Toad. If the duty of the Toad is also offensive in nature, the various Scarabs are a wise choice. On the attack, the Toad will either get through and deal three damage, or mete out five to a blocking creature. On the defensive, a 5/5 blocker is not a pleasant thing for an attacker to deal with. If you can't decide where to place it, attack or defense, use the Fyndhorn Brownie or Jandor's Saddlebags and use it for both. While not as obvious, there are other situations where the ability of the Toad can prove worthwhile. Since the bonus lasts until the end of the turn, a Toad can block something insignificant, and then be sacrificed to the Diamond Valley for a quick three life. Since the Diamond Valley can be utilized after block has been declared, there is nothing to prevent a Chub Toad from declaring a block, and once the boost has taken place, tossing itself into the Valley. Pulling at the edges of his vest, damp and sticky from its time in the Toad, Darby stabbed a thumb to the West. "Hrm, delayed enough I was, sure an' we were. Time it was we'd best get movin', or we'll foind our puir wee melons buggered up roight and proper... " Canticle shook his head. The Leprechaun had a painful habit of failing to get to the point. He was about to say something when the earth shook slightly, and a tremendous crack echoed off the trees. A smudge of greasy black smoke puffed out over the tree tops, and the Chub Toad fled in panic, bowling over the Leprechaun. "Och, in for it now we are... A gleaming metal disk smashed into the earth where the toad had been, churning up mud and filth. High above, a giggling orc worked feverishly at the controls of his machine, barely maintaining control of a mechanical arm. A buzzsaw whirred into life at the end of the arm cutting into the trunk of a nearby oak. The Scarwood was being worked by an.. Orcish Lumberjack! At 1 Red mana, this 1/1 creature is an excellent investment. The ecological naivete of the Lumberjack allows it to sacrifice a forest to provide 3 mana to its controller, in any combination of red or green that is desired. The most gruesome use of this creature is apparent to any who have dabbled extensively in magic. A kill of an opposing Mage can be guaranteed on the second turn, using nothing more than rudimentary spells. On the first turn, tap a mountain to summon the Lumberjack. On the second, put a forest into play, and have the Lumberjack sacrifice it for Green mana. Now, you have three green mana and an untapped Mountain. Cast Channel, use 19 life, and then cast Fireball. Your opponent will not be amused. This use underlines the greatest aspect of the Lumberjack: speed. The sacrifice of one simple forest to gain three mana is an investment well worth making to gain the upper hand in a duel. A prudent mage can summon a Tor Giant on the second turn, bringing out a 3/3 while an opponent is still struggling to garner mana. Since the sacrifice has to be a forest, worse things can be done. Bring out a Forest, tap it to summon Fyndhorn Elves, and from that point on, Forests can be used to power the Lumberjack. It allows a Mage who utilizes Red and Green to access a slightly more costly Dark Ritual, adding to the already rapid nature of Green magicks. With Wild Growth and Llanowar Elves, the possibility of a third turn Shivan Dragon is not only realistic, but probable. For example, a first turn Forest, Llanowar Elf combination, with a second turn Mountain, Orcish Lumberjack, Wild Growth gives you a potential six mana by the third turn. The potential this creates is immense, and can only. be touched on in such a brief treatise. Sacrificing a single forest to bring, out creatures which would otherwise arrive later in the duel is almost always a wise investment. Lands can be replenihed later in the duel, and the potential 6enefits of a second turn Radjan. Spirit or Elder Druid. cannot be underestimated. In addition to the early turn benefits which can be provided by the Lumberjack, it still serves a purpose later in the duel. In a pinch, the Lumberjack's power can be used to pump up a Dragon Whelp, Fireball, Firebreathing or Shivan Dragon to provide that duel ending punch. If you're faced with a Power Sink, the extra mana provided by the Lumberjack can be a lifesaver. And for the truly desperate, one could sacrifice all of one's forests for use in a Stream of Life. Another benefit of using the Lumberjack becomes apparent when you realize that it is an Orc. Under the auspices of an Orcish General, it can be boosted along with the other Orcs under your command ... or it can be sacrificed to provide that boost. When it is no longer serving a useful function, you can sacrifice it to the Raiding Party, or take a chance using the Orcish Captain. When you're using the colors of Red and Green, the inclusion of Orcish Lumberjack is something which should be given serious consideration. Back to Shadis #20 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com