It currently sits at 0.906/5 on Gatherer, where it's updated wording can be found;
"Choose two target blocking creatures an opponent controls. If each of those creatures could block all creatures that the other is blocking, remove both of them from combat. Each one then blocks all creatures the other was blocking.
Whenever Sorrow's Path becomes tapped, it deals 2 damage to you and each creature you control."
It also has these rulings;
| 2/1/2009 | This has two abilities. The second ability triggers any time it becomes tapped, whether to pay for its ability or not. |
| 10/1/2009 | The first ability can target any two blocking creatures a single opponent controls. Whether those creatures could block all creatures the other is blocking isn’t determined until the ability resolves. |
| 10/1/2009 | A “blocking creature” is one that has been declared as a blocker this combat, or one that was put onto the battlefield blocking this combat. Unless that creature leaves combat, it continues to be a blocking creature through the end of combat step, even if the creature or creatures that it was blocking are no longer on the battlefield or have otherwise left combat by then. |
| 10/1/2009 | When Sorrow’s Path’s first ability is activated, its second ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of the first ability. The second ability resolves first, and may cause some of the attacking creatures to be dealt lethal damage. |
| 10/1/2009 | When determining whether a creature could block all creatures the other is blocking, take into account evasion abilities (like flying), protection abilities, and other blocking restrictions, as well as abilities that allow a creature to block multiple creatures or block as though a certain condition were true. Take into account whether those creatures are tapped, but not whether they have costs to block (since those apply only as blockers are declared). |
| 10/1/2009 | When the first ability resolves, if all the creatures that one of the targeted creatures was blocking have left combat, then the other targeted creature is considered to be able to block all creatures the first creature is blocking. If the ability has its full effect, the second creature will be removed from combat but not returned to combat; it doesn’t block anything. |
| 10/1/2009 | Abilities that trigger whenever one of the targeted creatures blocks will trigger when the first ability resolves, because those creatures will change from not blocking (since they’re removed from combat) to blocking. It doesn’t matter if those abilities triggered when those creatures blocked the first time. Abilities that trigger whenever one of the attacking creatures becomes blocked will not trigger again, because they never stopped being blocked creatures. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature blocks one of the attacking creatures will trigger again, though; those kinds of abilities trigger once for each creature that blocks. |
TL, DR - It is a Land that doesn't produce any Mana. It has an ability that is highly situational and probably unwanted. Finally, if it becomes tapped for ANY reason, it deals 2 damage to you and all of your creatures.
Previous "Uses"
- A trading challenge, as it's been considered terrible for so long that it almost never appears in Trade Folders
- Something to mock, it's long been the butt of jokes in publications such as Inquest
- Giving it to your opponent via cards such as Donate and then tapping it every turn with effects like Icy Manipulator
- Making somebody's blocks worse in a Multiplayer game, at the cost of 2 damage to you and your creatures
"New and Improved"
I now present to you the case for elevating this card to the heights of playability;
Enrage, from Ixalan block.
Dinosaurs with this ability trigger when they take damage. Each one does something different, but as a whole start to build towards an insurmountable Dino-army. There are 16 of these Dinosaurs, so let's go through them.
Bellowing Aegisaur - puts a +1/+1 counter on all of your creatures. This not only makes the Dinosaurs better in combat but allows them to more easily survive Sorrow's Path activations.
Cacophodon - untaps a permanent. This can lead to multiple Sorrow's Path activations in a turn if you can tap it several times. Even allows you to use the land naturally in every opponent's turn, when the activation conditions are met.
Frilled Deathspitter - deals 2 damage to target opponent. Sorrow's Path damages you, might as well share the love to an opponent.
Imperial Ceratops - gains you 2 life. Take away the downside of Sorrow's Path entirely.
Needletooth Raptor - deals 5 damage to target opposing creature. Start removing opposing creatures. 5 damage is a pretty good amount.
Overgrown Armasaur - creates a 1/1 Saproling. Not so great, as they will die to subsequent Sorrow's Path activations. Still, you could add a sacrifice engine to take advantage of these free creatures.
Polyraptor - creates a token that's a copy of Polyraptor. Every time you activate Sorrow's Path, you get a Polyraptor for each Polyraptor you already control. If your opponents can't deal with them, that will get out of hand pretty quick.
Ranging Raptors - searches your deck for a Basic Land and puts it into play tapped. Ramps you up to the mana for your bigger Dinosaurs and thins your deck.
Raptor Hatchling - creates a 3/3 Dinosaur with Trample. Make more Dinosaurs for your Dinosaur deck.
Ravenous Daggertooth - gains you 2 life. More lifegain, for redundancy in deck building, or actual positive life gain if you have this and Imperial Ceratops out.
Ripjaw Raptor - draws you a card. Card draw is always welcome.
Siegehorn Ceratops - gets two +1/+1 counters. Once it survives the initial activation, it just keeps getting bigger.
Silverclad Ferocidons - each opponent sacrifices a permanent. Start whittling their boards away, even through Indestructible.
Snapping Sailback - gets one +1/+1 counter. Doesn't grow as quickly as the Siegehorn Ceratops, but survives the initial Sorrow's Path activation without any outside help.
Sun-Crowned Hunters - deals 3 damage to target opponent. Combined with the Frilled Deathspitter and combat via large Dinosaurs, this can end the game at a reasonable pace.
Trapjaw Tyrant - exiles target opposing creature until the Tyrant leaves play. Between this, Silverclad Ferocidons and Needletooth Raptor; you have a better chance of getting your attackers through or limiting the ability to counterattack.
Special mention goes to Cherished Hatchling to allow you to flash Dinosaurs in when it dies to the Sorrow's Path and Temple Altisaur to reduce the damage dealt to your other Dinosaurs to 1.
Choose a suitable 3 colour Commander, either Zacama, Primal Calamity or Gishath, Sun's Avatar. Throw in the rest of the White/Red/Green Dinosaurs. Sprinkle with some Tribal support. Create a suitable mana base.
Finally put in Sorrow's Path, a couple of cards to Tutor it out of the deck and a couple of cards that help Tap it. You won't be disappointed. Just be wary of Wrath effects, as usual.
Bonus points if someone considers Sorrow's Path enough of a threat to target it with removal.
No Card is Truly Terrible
I feel I've put forth a convincing argument why Sorrow's Path is no longer a terrible card. It just goes to show you that as Magic the Gathering enters its 25th year, the card pool is getting so large that there is potentially a use for any card.
With that said, what do you belive now wears the crown of "Worst Magic Card"?
