Doesn't look like much, does it?
I never played a game of sealed Magic using Shadowmoor, but if I had, I bet I would have seen at least a little Goldenglow Moth. With the revelation that this weird glowy bug is making an appearance in the new core set, I feel the need to reveal what few insights I have on this critter.
True, I never played with or against the moth in PAPER magic. But in the electronic realm, we are old enemies…picking up our weapons and charging against each other with a practiced, deeply in-grained ease. I have never had a Magic Online account, but I do play Duels of the Planeswalkers (now available via Steam!).
Within the odd corridors of the pre-made Duels of the Planeswakers decks, Goldenglow Moth is a vicious exercise in life-gaining frustration.
It may be only 0/1, but the darn thing flies…and there's the life gain to think about. The "Elspeth" opponent absolutely loves this guy and its easy to see why.
Absolute worst case scenario…you get 1 chump block and 4 life for 1 mana. That's not bad. Here's how it gets worse.
Elspeth uses Glorious Anthem. She has about 10 of them. With one Anthem, Goldenglow Moth turns into a real contender. Suddenly, you can't attack with any of your own 1/1's any more. If you have a 1/1 and a 1/1, Elspeth gains more life than you would take. If you have a 1/1 and a 3/3, you still can't attack with the 1/1 because she'll still come out ahead. And heaven help you if she gets Holy Strength (or…gulp…Serra's Embrace) on one of those antennae-decked suckers.
And she has plenty of the other "white weenie" style creatures attacking you at the same time, rest assured.
Goldenglow Moth slows the game down to a crawl, allowing the Elspeth character to eventually start dropping big fat angels and win the game. If I get any in my prerelease pool, you can be assured I will jump in that bus, instead of trying to fight it.
Let someone else bang their head against the wall.
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