Comments from Aaron Forsythe

Because we have a three-pronged vote this week, Matt and I are dragging fellow developer Mike Turian into the mix to defend, ahem, Erhnam Djinn. Best of luck there, Mike.

Troll Ascetic is one of those creatures that redefines what a creature is capable of. Not only is he costed aggressively for his size—three power for three mana is a great deal… not only does he regenerate, making sure he never dies in combat… but he has the best kind of untargetability we've ever used in the game. “Can't be targeted by opponents” is such an absurdly greedy ability. YOU get to enchant and equip your guy, but your opponent is completely stymied. Talk about the best of both worlds…

Troll Ascetic was a powerhouse when Mirrodin was in Standard and he's still a staple in Extended. He's probably neck-and-neck with Eternal Witness for the best three-mana green creature ever printed. How could you not want this guy back.

Comments from Mike Turian

Bring on Erhnam Djinn! Straight out of Arabian Nights, Judgment, Chronicles and the Beatdown Box Set, the meanest green creature to ever see print in Magic needs your vote to make it into Tenth Edition.

Erhnam Djinn belongs in 10th because he represents the ideal green creature. Give one of your opponent's dorks forestwalk while you beat them over the head with that beefy 4/5 creature. Magic players from any era remember playing with Erhnam Djinn. Whether it was Erhnam-Geddon or Erhnam and Burn'em, Erhnam Djinn has represented green for ten years. Show him the respect this icon of Magic deserves! Like Serra Angel, Sengir Vampire, Mahamoti Djinn, or Shivan Dragon, let every kid that's never seen green's iconic fatty crack one in a booster and be wowed by the most awesome green creature in Magic: The Gathering, the classic, Erhnam Djinn!

Comments from Matt Place

I love it when the best big ground creature is green. Often the top ground pounders in standard are creatures with drawbacks. And more often than not, those creatures are red or black. Arc-Slogger, Goblin Goon, Yukora, the Prisoner and to some extent Phyrexian Scuta and Grinning Demon are good examples of this. I am a huge fan of the green creatures that claim the title of “best ground pounder” and do so in a “green way” and without disadvantages. Ravenous Baloth and Troll Ascetic both have the potential to claim that title in any standard format (sorry Mike!), but I would prefer to see Ravenous Baloth win this vote.

Ravenous Baloth is my pick for 10th Edition because it allows green to fulfill its rightful role in standard, and that is to DEMOLISH weenie decks. I like to see control decks lose to the red/green or mono red beatdown decks, but if the weenie decks are also beating green medium size creatures something is wrong. Like Loxodon Hierarch, Ravenous Baloth swings the match heavily in favor of the green deck when facing weenie beats and that is the way it should be.

Overall I am a big fan of both the Troll and the Baloth, but with Loxodon Hierarch rotating out of standard about the same Tenth Edition is released, we need to make sure green is still the color that punishes weenie beatdown decks with its beefier beaters.