M11 Cyclops Gladiator

A fresh and feisty spoiler from TCGplayer.com today from Magic: The Gathering's 2011 Core Set, the rare Cyclops Gladiator.  Cyclops Gladiator is a randy red warrior featuring the "arena" effect when he attacks, making this aggressive brawler perfect for plowing down defenses.

Cyclops Gladiator
1RRR
Creature – Cyclops Warrior Rare
Whenever Cyclops Gladiator attacks, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature defending player controls. If you do, that creature deals damage equal to its power to Cyclops Gladiator.
4/4

Cyclops Gladiator's double-edged attack is useful for a wide variety of situations: 

Smashing those annoying mana creatures like Birds of Paradise, Lotus Cobra, and Joraga Treespeaker.

Rolling over card-advantage defenses like Sea Gate Oracle and Wall of Omens.

Taking out functional assets like Enclave Cryptologist or Oracle of Mul Daya.

Cyclops Gladiator isn't without drawbacks, it takes a significant commitment to red to be able to play, and it isn't very much of a threat looking in at a Baneslayer Angel - although it can set the angel up for some direct damage removal.

In Limited there's no doubt that Cyclops Gladiator is a powerhouse truck, where a simple Giant Growth can eliminate your opponent's best creature and still bring 7 points of damage rolling over.  However, it's going to take some heavy red commitment to field Cyclops Gladiator and playing him in anything outside a 2 color deck is downright insane.  

With RRR in the casting cost, heavy or even mono-red is advisable if you plan to have Cyclops Gladiator out and ready to rock on turn four, when Cyclops Gladiator will be at top notch board strength (If the opponent is slow to start, Cyclops Gladiator's presence on the board is a very difficult position to recover from without a hard removal spell).

Face off against Cyclops Gladiator in the fun filled arena known as the Magic: The Gathering 2011 Core Set prerelease next weekend as July brings M11 to Magic: The Gathering!

Spoilers incoming! Check out the latest spoilers and news on Magic: The Gathering's M11 Core Set!

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