Chris Taylor
Contributor
I wonder if ancestral blade would be that strong if it was +2/+0
Card/Deck Elite Equipments
- Thread starter TrainmasterGT
- Start date
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I mean TBH bonesplitter hasn't really been that strong in my cube.
I think this is the kinda thing I launch at equip 1 and nerf to equip 2 if necessary
I think this is the kinda thing I launch at equip 1 and nerf to equip 2 if necessary
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Isn't that a 3/2 for 1w?
I just think if you attach that Bonesplitter to a 1/1 to get that 3/1 you get a ton of value just by having a decent body to pressure life totals and trade away without going down a card. Ancestral Blade is just the safe spot they settled on I guess. It's a little surprising that BS hasn't been that strong for you seeing as your list is running multiple Bloodsoaked Champion to take advantage of it. Maybe I'm thinking more along the Gravecrawler suicide aggro axis?
It's been decently strong in my environment from the very start. Not a game-warper or anything, much more tame than something like Grafted Wargear, but I've never been unhappy to slot it into aggro decks or deploy on curve.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Okay yes, but also like wotc hasn't done that yet, let alone done that with upside
WotC hasn't done a lot of stuff that gets pushed through the custom cards thread that I find far above their current power comfort zone. This seems very tame compared to some. Still an essentially vanilla creature that leaves behind a middling equipment and can be interacted with on both the creature and artifact axes.
The average cube (even the riptide signature synergy and deck focused designs) are mostly full with cards that Wizards’ development probably considers mistakes anyway, or at least too strong for present standard.
I’d probably be happy to draft and play the card if it made a germ token, but it’s more exciting as a 3/2 and in most cube formats the difference between 2 toughness and 1 toughness is usually just “can block random tokens” (although I’m sure there are cube designs where pinging is integral and this would be an important distinction.
I actually trialed sharpied ancestral bone splitter for a little while and it felt very fair, even if I eventually went back to a retail card. I agree that most cubes could handle trusty machete version even if it’s about 1 mana cheaper than wizards usually makes their 3/2’s with upside.
I’d probably be happy to draft and play the card if it made a germ token, but it’s more exciting as a 3/2 and in most cube formats the difference between 2 toughness and 1 toughness is usually just “can block random tokens” (although I’m sure there are cube designs where pinging is integral and this would be an important distinction.
I actually trialed sharpied ancestral bone splitter for a little while and it felt very fair, even if I eventually went back to a retail card. I agree that most cubes could handle trusty machete version even if it’s about 1 mana cheaper than wizards usually makes their 3/2’s with upside.
I made a slight revision to this thread today. I removed a portion where I called Sword of Body and Mind's combat damage trigger the worst in the sword cycle. While I believe it is much lower impact than many people are giving it credit for, I think it's probably closer to the middle of the pack. Both Sword of Truth and Justice and Sword of Light and Shadow have weaker triggers, and there are a couple of others that have arguably lower impact. I still think the rest of the cycle is generally going to be better than Sword of Body and Mind in an average game as the protections they provide are more relevant. However, I should not have equated this to the power of the combat damage trigger.
I might do another part to this article once Kaldheim drops. Zendikar rising's snap-on equipments, specifically Maul of the Skyclaves, gives this deck more life than it previously had. I'm not sure ZNR's offerings are enough to make the deck into a full color-pair archetype as almost all of the direct support pieces are still extremely weak, but I think we are closer than previously. Kaldheim is looking to have a pretty major equipment theme, at least in White/Red, so perhaps some of these juicy new Norse cards will provide the pieces we needed to turn this subtheme into a fully-fledged archetype.
I might do another part to this article once Kaldheim drops. Zendikar rising's snap-on equipments, specifically Maul of the Skyclaves, gives this deck more life than it previously had. I'm not sure ZNR's offerings are enough to make the deck into a full color-pair archetype as almost all of the direct support pieces are still extremely weak, but I think we are closer than previously. Kaldheim is looking to have a pretty major equipment theme, at least in White/Red, so perhaps some of these juicy new Norse cards will provide the pieces we needed to turn this subtheme into a fully-fledged archetype.
It's fine but not great. I'd consider it if I were running a dedicated equipment strategy but it's not close to where it needs to be for it to be worthwhile over other equipments in a non-dedicated deck in my view.How are we feeling about this bad boy these days? Sweet mirror-breaker or GRBS?
really? Interesting. In all my testing, it is quite problematic for an opponent. Moveable lifelink is a powerful tool. What equipment would you run over it in a rando deck?
It really depends on what the deck is. Usually, I my players tend to put equipments in aggressively slanted decks, where having higher stats is beneficial over extra keywords.
For colorless equipments, I prefer the following:
Bloodforged Battle-Axe is actually a card I've cut for power level before. It can snowball a lot faster than it has any right to
.I think the majority of these cards decrease in value outside of aggressive strategies (except for Heirloom Blade- that card is good in most creature decks). Shadowspear increases in value in midrange strategies, so if those are the main types of decks in your environment, it could be a good option. However, the decks in my cube that prioritize equipment would rather have a Bonesplitter.
Interesting. I only have very limited play with it so far, so it's hard to tell one way or the other, and I don't have any experience with it in a truly "aggro" deck thus far.
Curious to see Vulshok Morningstar in your list. Would aggressive decks not almost always favor trusty machete?
Curious to see Vulshok Morningstar in your list. Would aggressive decks not almost always favor trusty machete?
You know, they probably would, I just keep forgetting that card exists
. It's been in my shopping cart to buy like three times but whenever I go to place my order from my LGS, they're miraculously sold out of it. I need to get a copy one of these days .Vulshok Morningstar is still a good card to have around, hence why I haven't cut it. It upgrades a Savannah Lions into something which can't be Shocked, and a Grizzly Bears into something that can't be Bolted. Just a nice boost all around.
It's ok, I've forgotten a large majority of the lexicon of MTG cards in the 3-ish years since I've been seriously involved.You know, they probably would, I just keep forgetting that card exists
Vulshok Morningstar is still a good card to have around, hence why I haven't cut it. It upgrades a Savannah Lions into something which can't be Shocked, and a Grizzly Bears into something that can't be Bolted. Just a nice boost all around.
This little back-and-forth prompted me to scroll through type:equipment on scryfall. Lots of interesting ones out there, but by and large chaff, which is unfortunate. One thing I hope they continue the trend of is equipment that attach themselves on entry. Allows for another dial to tweak that can result in equipment that fit into moderate power levels better.
Even though I really like trusty machete, I'm tempted to add Vulshok Morningstar to the equipment curve for a couple reasons:
Lions: turns the Lion into a 4/3. In my previous cube environment, and likely in my new one, 4/3 is an optimized P/T for pushing past blockers.
Recruit: It comes down and equips on curve after a 3CMC double striker, pushing their first attack to 8 damage (at least).
Besides the fact that it's one of relatively few "extremely simple" equipment's. That is it gives a P/T boost and nothing else. I really like straightforward cards like that.