Very nice card. There's rarely a reason to NOT want this in your deck, as lifegain is useful, and trample helps get damage through. Most people will see it as the threat it is though, so you need to be ready to lose it pretty fast if you can't protect it.
Good for voltron but voltron is bad. Plus it's only like the 11th best equip since it offers no protection, fairly weak evasion, and life gain is a pretty mediocre value add. So this is pretty meh imo, haven't run it in a long time.
It's a nice equipment, but there are a few better ones. The fact that it has the pre-lifelink wording makes it obscene with Heartless Hidetsugu though. It also works wonders with Purphoros, God of the Forge, but with the latter you run into the issue that it can be hard to maintain the devotion necessary to keep Purphoros a creature.
It's decently powerful once on a creature, yes, but I feel 3 to both play and equip is that little bit too much, what with the Swords of X and Y going around. Especially when combined with the lack of toughness on it, meaning that it often fails to open up any attacks you didn't already have, unless I really need the lifelink, it rarely makes the cut in my lists (compare O-Naginata for how much mana you save to drop the lifelink).
Off the top of my head, the only deck I run it in is Nahiri, the Lithomancer, because she dodges the equip cost, and I generally don't mind the tokens dying as I can always make another.
An old stand by, a true relic of an era far past it's prime in today's climate. Should only see play in metagames where you're playing like "no rares or mythics" else generally you're going to be underwhelmed. Still, it is a better include than certain awful equips I see around (looking at you, Argentum Armor, Sword of Vengeance).
This remains one of the more powerful equipment, just in its gross violation of color identity.
This remains one of the more powerful equipment, just in its gross violation of color identity.
It's an artifact. Color identity matters less for colorless cards. The only rule is What Design Is Comfortable Printing In The Color Least Fitting (in this case, blue has access to neither keyword).
This was intended to be the artifact version of Armadillo Cloak, a popular aura from Invasion; Behemoth Sledge from Alara Reborn is a more direct reference. Besides being potent in Voltron and any deck running primevals, it's really funny in Oloro, where this and the two white swords can be on my Invisible Stalker and I get three Oloro/Drogskol Reaver triggers.
And yes, it's lifelink. It was reprinted during that brief period when lifelink was the same as Spirit Link (never mind that Spirit Link used to be a way to screw Juzám Djinn but good), so it was errata'd to lifelink. The errata never left.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
It's a great card, if you don't have sword of Feast and Famine, Fire and Ice, or possibly even Light and Shadow or War and Peace. And you don't have any other of the better equipment to tutor for. Otherwise, it's for decks were you need to have lots of equipment.
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Forgotten Ancient
I really enjoy this card in EDH. I've played with it, I've played against it, and it generally makes for some fun situations. It's interactive but not overpowered. Fun card!
For a measly G, I can have my opponents' spells do my work for Animar as well (okay granted it needs to survive but considering how Animar itself usually makes any creature board state look threatening, I wouldn't say it's drastically much more in danger).
Really glad Conspiracy 2 brought it back, never had luck finding a foil locally before that (because the only other foil is the original Scourge, every other reprint was nonfoil).
All in all, a fine card. While I wouldn't call it weak in a vacuum, it's likely legitimately outclassed by plenty of things when without any synergy but at least gets recognition by most players when they do build around +1/+1 counters at least and likewise recognized as a powerful card (and threat depending on scenario) when opponents face it in the right shell.
For a self contained threat, Managorger Hydra is better thanks to the evasion. But if you've consistently got creatures that can benefit from having counters put on them, this is a pretty good card.
A one time all star, still a great card in counters matter strategies. Pretty decent in any creature based green deck really. The real draw here is obviously that he can give his counters to another creature, like something with invasion or infect, and things that effect counters work coming and going (so doubling season doubles the counters placed on him and doubles them again when they are moved). There's lots of effects that work off a creatures power or toughness, and he's a great way to buff creatures with those effects. 5 stars, strong and a classic.
Private Mod Note
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
For a self contained threat, Managorger Hydra is better thanks to the evasion. But if you've consistently got creatures that can benefit from having counters put on them, this is a pretty good card.
Well, trample more than evasion. The hydra can still be blocked; it just won't matter much. (Except for something like deathtouch.) Of course, green has like, three different cards to give all creatures with +1/+1 counters on them trample, so...
I'd say toughness matters decks would prefer Ancient, but most of them would just prefer to run Meekstone. (Then again, that makes Ancient's ability into a sorta Royal Assassin for things Meekstone doesn't hit naturally, just that combo leaves tapped creatures tapped instead of killing them outright.)
Forgotten Ancient is still an all-star in Ghave, Marath, Animar, Ulasht, Kraj, basically any deck that wants a lot of +1/+1 counters and wants them now. I guess even Atraxa could use it.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I think the card is pretty decent in certain shells. In my K&T list i have lots of ways to untap permanents so sometimes I target opponents creatures with willbender out. It's pretty cute with Nin, the pain artist. Usually just stealing a creature at a critical point is good enough value.
Combos with a lot of the same things Horobi, Death's Wail does, but you can't really build a deck around it in Commander like you can with Horobi. Then again, Cauldron of Souls does a better job of keeping this one alive. It's a lot like Roil Elemental in that it steals creatures but only until someone says "hey, maybe I should kill this thing."
This is a card I wish was legendary so I could actually build around it, as there's clearly a good bit of power there, it's just kinda awkward to take advantage of. There are a good number of effects that synergise extremely well with Willbreaker; however they often not the kind of cards you just put into any blue deck. Most of the targeted effects you run are going to prevent this card working thanks to the target leaving the battlefield.
Amazing in a Lorthos, the Tidemaker deck though (for those that don't know, you still target 8 things even if you don't pay the 8....)
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EDH decks: 1. RGWMayael's Big BeatsRETIRED!
2. BUWMerieke Ri Berit and the 40 Thieves
3. URNiv's Wheeling and Dealing!
4. BURThe Walking Dead
5. GWSisay's Legends of Tomorrow
6. RWBRise of Markov
7. GElvez and stuffz(W)
8. RCrush your enemies(W)
9. BSign right here...(W)
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Amazing in limited though.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Off the top of my head, the only deck I run it in is Nahiri, the Lithomancer, because she dodges the equip cost, and I generally don't mind the tokens dying as I can always make another.
More people need to heed this because it is true.
https://scryfall.com/card/cm2/199/loxodon-warhammer
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
It's an artifact. Color identity matters less for colorless cards. The only rule is What Design Is Comfortable Printing In The Color Least Fitting (in this case, blue has access to neither keyword).
This was intended to be the artifact version of Armadillo Cloak, a popular aura from Invasion; Behemoth Sledge from Alara Reborn is a more direct reference. Besides being potent in Voltron and any deck running primevals, it's really funny in Oloro, where this and the two white swords can be on my Invisible Stalker and I get three Oloro/Drogskol Reaver triggers.
And yes, it's lifelink. It was reprinted during that brief period when lifelink was the same as Spirit Link (never mind that Spirit Link used to be a way to screw Juzám Djinn but good), so it was errata'd to lifelink. The errata never left.
On phasing:
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Another all star from back in the day.
This design definitely seemed bizarre before graft was introduced. Also, all I can think of with that art now is Moss_Elemental.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I really enjoy this card in EDH. I've played with it, I've played against it, and it generally makes for some fun situations. It's interactive but not overpowered. Fun card!
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsReally glad Conspiracy 2 brought it back, never had luck finding a foil locally before that (because the only other foil is the original Scourge, every other reprint was nonfoil).
All in all, a fine card. While I wouldn't call it weak in a vacuum, it's likely legitimately outclassed by plenty of things when without any synergy but at least gets recognition by most players when they do build around +1/+1 counters at least and likewise recognized as a powerful card (and threat depending on scenario) when opponents face it in the right shell.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Well, trample more than evasion. The hydra can still be blocked; it just won't matter much. (Except for something like deathtouch.) Of course, green has like, three different cards to give all creatures with +1/+1 counters on them trample, so...
I'd say toughness matters decks would prefer Ancient, but most of them would just prefer to run Meekstone. (Then again, that makes Ancient's ability into a sorta Royal Assassin for things Meekstone doesn't hit naturally, just that combo leaves tapped creatures tapped instead of killing them outright.)
Forgotten Ancient is still an all-star in Ghave, Marath, Animar, Ulasht, Kraj, basically any deck that wants a lot of +1/+1 counters and wants them now. I guess even Atraxa could use it.
On phasing:
I'll have one of everything on the menu, please.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I'm in love with Void_Nothing's comment tho
Amazing in a Lorthos, the Tidemaker deck though (for those that don't know, you still target 8 things even if you don't pay the 8....)