[Shadowmoor] Grim Poppet vs Trike

[BruiZar]

Not much is known about Shadowmoor yet, but according to salvation we'll be seeing this card soon:

Grim Poppet   
Artifact Creature - Scarecrow   Rare
Grim Poppet comes into play with three -1/-1 counters on it.
Remove a -1/-1 counter from Grim Poppet: Put a -1/-1 counter on another target creature.
Beware a scarecrow bearing gifts - especially sloshing vessels of acid.
Illus. Kev Walker      4/4

What are your opinions on this card versus Trike? A few differences made me take a good look at this card.

Pro's
This card becomes stronger when you remove counters (-1/-1 instead of +1/+1 counters on Trike)
This card can save you from a DSC (put 3* 1-1 and block with 4 defense), weld it back do it again until it's either dead or small.)
The -1/-1 counters are permanent whereas Trike damage disappears the next turn.
It's a scarecrow

Cons
This card can't damage players
7 Mana
There have to be creatures to dump counters on in order to make him a beatstick

[Lemnear]

Lets take a serious look ... without any opponent creatures it's 1/1 for 7 colorless!? It's inverted to Trike in basic to ping creatures and gett'n weaker and weaker instead it becomes stonger. Without facing creatures it's pretty, pretty bad mana investment. Trike could beat and blow itself into opponents face if needed. Grim Poppet is limited to it's huge advantage (a daysaver vs. Dryads and Goyfs) against creatures especially with welders but I guess it's too limited in play.

[Elfrago]

The cons overweight the pros way too much. I'll stick with Trike.

[captreynolds]

You would have to remove enough -1/-1 counters (11 total) to send DSC away, as Indestructible still applies, and negates damage!  The best solution for DSC is to bounce it, or Remove from game i.e. Swords to Plowshares.

Grim Poppet would be useful against weenie decks, or aggro.  Blow up the little ones and get a fat blocker, or make something small then block it!  Otherwise stick with Trike.  Even Pentavus is better, you can make a flying dude & with damage on the stack return the counter to pentavus to give it +1/+1 to keep it from dying!

[dawgie]

Trike finishes games if needed. Trike wins for me.

[wiley]

I can't kill my opponent with -1/-1 counters (lol personal incarnation), so the scarecrow has no place in this format.

[RJ]

You would have to remove enough -1/-1 counters (11 total) to send DSC away, as Indestructible still applies, and negates damage!  The best solution for DSC is to bounce it, or Remove from game i.e. Swords to Plowshares.

Grim Poppet would be useful against weenie decks, or aggro.  Blow up the little ones and get a fat blocker, or make something small then block it!  Otherwise stick with Trike.  Even Pentavus is better, you can make a flying dude & with damage on the stack return the counter to pentavus to give it +1/+1 to keep it from dying!

DSC would be removed if it had 11 -1/-1 counters on it.  Indestructible only applies to damage, not 0 toughness.  That said this could be a sideboard card, but not a replacement for Trike.

[playkenny]

Scarecrow only beats for one when the opp has no dudes...hawt! So not in the legue of trisky

As for DSC, Isn't dupe just better if you expect DSC than painstakingly put -1/-1? I know its an option, but...

[Mantis]

So have a 4/4 for 7 mana against his 8/8 indestructible trampler for 2U? Bad trade says I. This creature is terrible against Colossus. Remember it can only remove the 3 -1/-1 counters it has when it comes into play. Or are you going to remove the counters and switch it with Welder or something? I would just weld the Colossus in that case.

I mean seriously this card is terrible and won't see any play in any format, especially not in Vintage (well perhaps Ext. Tron will run it).

[Raibar]

On the other hand, this (Poppet) handles aggro (I'm thinking Tarmogoyf) better than Trike, shrinking and then blocking.
MHO.

[BruiZar]

It seems Reaper King actually made the fact that Poppet is a scarecrow alot more useful. Weld in a poppet and vindicate for free

[Lemnear]

But first of all you have to weld-in the King first and that is a 2-card-combo that is pretty bad without an active welder

[Hellsing293]

I'm thinking of Poppet when you have a board full of little creatures.  Poppet could clear the board then swing from 4.Trike on the other hand, would clear the board and swing for one.

Also, Poppet can take out an 7/7 by transferring 3 -1/-1 counters then blocking for 4 damage.  Poppet could neutralize a big (not max) Goyf if needed.  Trike can only take out a maximum size of 4/4.

My conclusion is: Poppet>aggro
                       Trike>Non aggro