CardsplainThe Mountain-king's Return
(As this enters and after your draw step, add a . after III.)
I — . (Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature .)
II — Return target creature card with 3 or less from your to the battlefield.
III — Put a on up to one target creature.
Grade A- Grade from the win rate
Win rate when drawn 61.1% +4.9 vs average 29,924 games
Win rates and picks
- 57.8% 56,694 games
- Average pick ()
- 3.6
By deck
- Draw Two 62.4% 16,352 games
- Dwarves & Equipment 60.4% 9,458 games
- Removal Midrange 56.8% 942 games
Win rates from , 323,114 games. This card is compared with the set average (56.2%).
Reviews
The fact that you can use the ability from the first chapter to discard the creature you want to reanimate with the second makes this a very neat little design. Basically, if you have a in hand, then by playing The Mountain-king's Return instead, you ultimately get that 3-drop alongside a 1/1 , an extra card, and a . That's perfectly fine, though the setup cost might hinder it a bit in practice.
One of several cards worth mentioning that goes off withMirkwood Nurturer. You can set up a pseudo-loop in which The Mountain-king's Return gets Nurturer back, which brings back the saga, which brings another Nurturer back, and so on.And even if you can't actually loop it, you're still getting Nurturer and another , which is pretty excellent. I love this card, and I've had success both it and playing it in base white decks.
How to draft it
One of the 20 cards to memorize. A 3-mana that recruits, then returns a creature card with 3 or less from your , then adds a +1/+1 counter .
Roles in each deck
Dwarves & Equipment Gets you extra cards
Chapter I of The Mountain-king's Return recruits, chapter II returns a creature card with 3 or less from your to the battlefield, and chapter III puts a +1/+1 counter on up to one creature. Discard a to the and you get the 1/1 now and that creature back next turn. The is a piece until it is .
How to play it
Learn the Dwarves & Equipment deckDori (a new ), Dáin Ironfoot (a new Axe) and Dáin's Company (another look at four cards) are the discards that pay twice. With nothing worth discarding, make sure a creature with 3 or less is already in your before chapter II. The chapter III counter goes on your best attacker, or on Dwarven Mauler wearing .
Draw Two Gets you extra cards
Discard a to chapter I's and you get the Soldier now and the creature back next turn, since chapter II returns a creature card with 3 or less from your to the battlefield. Chapter III adds a +1/+1 counter to up to one creature.
How to play it
Learn the Draw Two deckChapter I happens as the enters, so cast it after your draw step and its is card two. Patient Instructor and Bilbo Baggins, Burglar are the discards to aim for, because each one's enter ability gives you card two again when chapter II brings it back. With no good discard, chapter II can still return a creature that in combat.
Removal Midrange Gets you extra cards
Its value depends on what chapter II can bring back. The best targets have "enters" abilities that work again, such as Iron Hills Blacksmith, Stony-Voiced Goblins and Patient Instructor, and with one of them in the the is a draw and discard, a , a creature and a +1/+1 counter for 3 mana.
How to play it
Learn the Removal Midrange deckCast it once a cheap creature has , or when you hold one to discard to chapter I. With an empty and no creature to discard, chapter II does nothing, so hold the .
Patchwork Midrange Gets you extra cards
Chapter II is the reason to play it here, because Mirkwood Pathmaker, Attercop, Iron Hills Blacksmith and Nasty Little Rabbit all have 3 or less and come back from your to the battlefield. Chapter I's can discard one of them to set it up, and chapter III adds a +1/+1 counter .
How to play it
Learn the Patchwork Midrange deckCast it with a good creature card already in your , or with one in hand to discard to chapter I. Chapter II comes after your draw step next turn, and the returned creature can't attack that turn. Aim chapter III at a 3-power Nasty Little Rabbit to give it the 4 power it needs to grow on its own.