Question About Crypt Rats

[thedaringpastry]

Here is the card Crypt Rats http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewCard_Popup.aspx?CardName=Crypt%20Rats&Edition=7ED&Print=1

Say I equip him with Basilisk Collar http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewCard_Popup.aspx?CardName=Basilisk%20Collar&Edition=WWK&Print=1

Say im playing a person that has 20 health and 2 2/2 creatures on his side. I use Crypt Rat's ability and hit everything for 5 health, including myself. Im guessing the life loss and life gain from the equipment negates each other and I stay the same health. Since it has lifelink, will I gain 5 + 2 + 2 health? or will my full 5 points of damage on the rats against the 2 2/2 creatures and the player be 5 +5 +5 ? Im asking if you overkill a creature do you gain the benefits? Also if the crypt rats had trample would that work or do they actually have to be tapped attacking for damage to run through to the player? But since they have death touch I only have to deal one point of damage to kill a target, even if an ability deals it? I'm thinking about using this with Scythe of the wretched. So vs token decks that my friends have and just any deck I can turn their cards completely against them and dominate the board? I hope this works, because I have an idea for a killer black/artifact deck that can gain some killer life and be a pain in the butt. Throw in a few draw cards as well and cabal coffers :D yummm

Im also wanting to protect the rats with whispersilk cloak and they will be just wow..If I do that are the cards with whispersilk immune to Crypt Rats ability??? If so, im going to be very happy lol..Im not sure if it does because it says "each creature" and not "target creature" so that means it's a field spell?

Here is the Scythe http://www.mtgvault.com/ViewCard_Popup.aspx?CardName=Scythe%20of%20the%20W retched&Edition=MRD&Print=1

Thanks for your time

[Seth]

- Crypt Rats will deal the full X damage to each player and creature regardless of creature toughness. So you will deal 5 damage to a 2/2 and gain 5 life.
- Crypt Rats doesn't target anything so shroud (whispersilk cloak) doesn't protect from crypt rats.
- Crypt Rats kills itself and all of your own creatures don't forget that so there is no point in protecting it with whispersilk cloak. Also poeple can still respond to you equipping whispersilk cloak and use and instant to kill the rat. Terminate, lighting bolt, Path to exile you name it. It's a waste of mana that you can better invest into blowing stuff up.
- Trample only works when you attack
- playing the Scythe though mana intensive seems like a neat little combo, go for it. If Crypt Rats is equipped with the Scythe and kills itself it would return to play with the Scythe attached, and if multiple creatures die you get them all and you can choose to have the Scythe attach itself to crypt rats instead of one of the other creatures.
- damn, now I wanne play this stupid combo :)

[thedaringpastry]

But even if the rat dies while i have the cloak on, it will still protect it from other plays instants and other abilities. I can also put on the equipment card that put +1/+1 for every single card in my hand..so i could have a buffed up crypt rat with 10 cards in hand and not have to kill it during the round. Using draw card like promise of power and all the others.

The artifact spellbook allows me to have unlimited cards in hand...Mono black with cabal coffers can generate a ton of mana.

The other day i stayed int he game long enough to beat a guy with a 42 hit combo with death grasp and all the mana from cabal coffers. i had like 19 mana on the board that I was able to get floating mana from due to the legendary land that makes everything swamps. SO i had 19 floating and then I tapped a bunch to end up making him 2 and me like 56. he used beacon of immortality earlier in the game :P It was awesome...

Oh, so that means if I'm playing a crappy lil token deck I gain vs 5 1/1 creates 25 health if I so happen to hit them with 5 and lifelink...NASTY...i like this idea!

What are some good draw cards? to get through my deck

Also if I use crypt rats and I hit a player for 10 and me for 10 but I have lifelink on my rats, does that negate my damage taken to 0? Like nothing happened

[Seth]

Also if I use crypt rats and I hit a player for 10 and me for 10 but I have lifelink on my rats, does that negate my damage taken to 0? Like nothing happened

It doesn't negate, first you gain life then you loose life. This makes a difference as there are cards that depend on damage or loss of life.

[Seras]

to clarify: both effect trigger(ie: you've gained 10 life AND you've lost 10 life) but they happen simultaneously.

which means if you were at 9 life, you don't lose the game at any point.

[thedaringpastry]

ok, that's perfect! THat's what I wanted to know. I was worried the loss of 10 life would kill me before the +10 activated, but you said they happen at the exact same time. OMG, this deck is going to be brutal. Can anyone tell me black creature cards that gernerate some mana. There is only one I am thinking of...it is a zombie shaman and the picture is it has its hand out with a multicolor flame in it's hand. Tap for any color but take one point of damage?

If I were to put an artifact on crypt rats that cause doublestrike as in fireshrieker. Do abilities hit twice or only when attacking?

[Seras]

it's not affected by doublestrike, it's an activated ability that has nothing to do with combat

[scumbling1]

- damn, now I wanne play this stupid combo :)

I've done it. And yes, you should too! I recommend everyone try it once in their multiplayer career. Also try out Thrasing Wumpus and Plague Spitter.