Wraith of Loss

So, I read Goblin Artisans pretty regularly and they have a weekend design contest based on a piece of art. This week it was Pavel Lagutin's "Day Watch" game poster. It's a pretty cool picture.

Anyway, the prompt was to build something post-apocalyptic, so I wanted something that would survive and apocalypse. My first run through of Wraith of Loss was this:

I really wanted to see if the timing triggers for get-a-second-combat-phase cards like Act of Aggression would look okay with another ability. While it wouldn't be a good idea to have "blink" effects--exile and return immediately, exile and return at end of turn, and exile not immediately, but before the end of turn--it's a headspace that entertains me.

The simpler iteration is:

The difference is that while both WOLs can deftly side-step things that fuck all the creatures on the board (your Merciless Evictions, your Black Sun's Zeniths), WOL 1 can sidestep something as innocuous as Sleep and still block incoming 8/8s. Meanwhile, WOL 1.2 will cower at the first one mana sorcery that lets your gently massage the top two cards of their library, allowing enemies to waltz in. In short, the second will survive, while the first will survive for a fucking purpose.

Then again, this guy dies pretty easily to a simple 3/3 swinging in. And all his vigilance and brooding over losts civilizations falls a bit flat when he can't even stop a fluttering moth from battering his controller to death with its gossamer wings. Ergo:

He cares about sorceries coming and going. He no longer shrugs off Sleeps or mass-exile rubbish, but he has understandable timing, encourages you to play your sorceries, disincentivizes your opponents playing sorceries, and gets right into combat.

Of course, White/Green creatures having flight is pretty rare, which is why WOL 2's flight is so conditional. On the other hand, reach is more common:

Look at that clean shit. I think it loses a lot in ruggedness and flavor at this point, but it's a clear, potent card that keeps pace with other white/green creatures. He's going to be standing after a few Days of Judgement and Slagstorms. He might not be blocking on those particular days, but he'll still be up.

Finally, I thought about going in another direction with him. Something more aggressive.

He's similar to the High Priest of Penance who lets you destroy something every time he takes damage, but WOL 3 creates a vortex of destruction, surviving massive devastation and causing more until he is the last thing standing (May or may not be actual last thing standing.). The alternative is life loss, as planeswalkers sacrifice of themselves, becoming part of the scenery Wraith of Loss is destroying.

I dunno. While WOL 3 is pretty cool, it can create some shitty game states and should probably cost a bit more. On the other hand, WOL 2.2 is probably the best one. It's got a decent trade-off of flavor, fun, and potence.