For the one extra mana, he is a real threat on the board, instead of just a 2/2. Both hit Bob, Hypnotic Specter, Phrexian Negator, Disciple of the Vault, and etc; but FtK also gets Arcbound Ravager, does a better job against Goyfs, Nantuko Shade, Negator, unthreshed Mystic Enforcers (rare, but it is a toolbox), Myr Enforcer, and some other creatures.

You can play Fire Imp in that spot with very little drawback and a lower casting cost, but every once in a while Kavu kills things Fire Imp can't. On the other hand, Kavu is better on the board. While both can kill a Goyf that chumped your Goyf, having a 4/2 on the board is twice as aggressive as a 2/2.

In a list with Quirion Rangers, which are great at protecting the duals in a four color version, Masticore is worth looking into. Masticore would pretty easily slip in to the Kavu slot. He is an artifact that can be Survivaled up to make Goyf bigger, and that has proved relevant on numerous occasions. He's also obviously better against some decks if you can get to the point where you untap with him in play. Hmm, another reason to run three or four Rofellos.


While I would call my above post the "Core of Survival", you can certainly play with cards in it. The cards in the removal suite are especially flexible. I feel like the fourth removal creature is extra, but Big Game Hunter is probably the weakest of those four creatures, and he is amazing with Survival. Especially if you have either (or both!) Swords or Wish, you can play with some of the slots in that list.