Yeah, I'll be finding space for this card. Can hit for 3 on empty boards and when things get tough he can still get in as a 4/4 lifelinker. And not even double white! This is a pushed 2 drop.
I'm torn on this one...Its floor is Blade of the Sixth Pride and its ceiling is 2x Ajani's Sunstriker, but when you need the life, you probably need a blocker even more so. So when I need to exert it for life gain, I might prefer to just have a 2/2 with lifelink. The balance is just a little weird for me. I'm only ever going to choose to exert when I...need life but no blockers for the following turn--maybe post-combat wrath?
Idk...if I had to cut from my 360, I'd put it in Soltari Trooper's place, since I'd never be blocking with that anyway. This thing just doesn't carry equipment as well.
I'm torn on this one...Its floor is Blade of the Sixth Pride and its ceiling is 2x Ajani's Sunstriker, but when you need the life, you probably need a blocker even more so. So when I need to exert it for life gain, I might prefer to just have a 2/2 with lifelink. The balance is just a little weird for me. I'm only ever going to choose to exert when I...need life but no blockers for the following turn--maybe post-combat wrath?
Idk...if I had to cut from my 360, I'd put it in Soltari Trooper's place, since I'd never be blocking with that anyway. This thing just doesn't carry equipment as well.
Exerting doesn't necessarily mean you need the life, it means you need to swing through a Wall of Omens.
I'm torn on this one...Its floor is Blade of the Sixth Pride and its ceiling is 2x Ajani's Sunstriker, but when you need the life, you probably need a blocker even more so. So when I need to exert it for life gain, I might prefer to just have a 2/2 with lifelink. The balance is just a little weird for me. I'm only ever going to choose to exert when I...need life but no blockers for the following turn--maybe post-combat wrath?
Idk...if I had to cut from my 360, I'd put it in Soltari Trooper's place, since I'd never be blocking with that anyway. This thing just doesn't carry equipment as well.
Exerting doesn't necessarily mean you need the life, it means you need to swing through a Wall of Omens.
Or a Kari Zev. Or even a Falkenrath Gorger. Being a 4/4 helps you get through, the lifelink helps you win the race despite attacking half as often.
Wow, while being simple, this card is so nice. At 630 of size, we were definitly in the market for a good new white aggro 2-drop and I think we've just got it. It swing for 3 damage on turn 2 and by its own counterbalances its lack of thoughness by having that powerful exert ability. Swing for 4 is really strong for a 2-drop and that also comes with some additionnal lifegain. Seems interesting in the aggro mirror match as well. None-red aggro decks just got a real buff in the format.
With the additional upside of giving this thing vigilance, blinking it, or untapping it, things could get really good. Ajani Goldmane and Restoration Angel come to mine. In my cube Aurelia Warleader is really good with these exert cards.
I really like its exert ability here, which offsets the vulnerability of the 3/1 body. The 4 extra life could break aggro mirrors, 4 power is super relevant against midrange's tougher creatures and walls, and the 3 power on a two-drop is something nice in the control match.
This is a really good creature, IMO. And I feel it really showcases how exert should be done. When you get a free attack in, you can clip for 3. When the board is too congested for a X/1 to safely attack, you can bash with a 4/4 lifelink. I like this creature, even for small cubes. One of my favorite 1W beaters!
I really didn't like the card at first but I might have undervalued the ability to force through big blockers. The point is that its cut, Soltari Trooper, still passes every time through blockers, so I don't get the point to make the swap
More damage on a clear board, and life gain can be super relevant in the mirror. Seems worth losing unblockable over?
I really didn't like the card at first but I might have undervalued the ability to force through big blockers. The point is that its cut, Soltari Trooper, still passes every time through blockers, so I don't get the point to make the swap
More damage on a clear board, and life gain can be super relevant in the mirror. Seems worth losing unblockable over?
If you're consistently swinging through with either creature, it should work out that on average this will do more damage than soltari. This doesn't account for your opponent chump blocking, but that's where the life gain making up for that comes into play I feel.
More damage on a clear board, and life gain can be super relevant in the mirror, and the option to block if necessary. Seems worth losing unblockable over?
More damage on a clear board, and life gain can be super relevant in the mirror, and the option to block if necessary. Seems worth losing unblockable over?
It's rare, but I've definitely had instances in mirrors or what not where Soltari isn't blocking. It's not the biggest strike by any means due to the nature of the cards, but it's a real thing.
Potential 4/4 life linker on attack when you need to get through a blocker or get as much damage in ASAP, this seems pretty strong.
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Idk...if I had to cut from my 360, I'd put it in Soltari Trooper's place, since I'd never be blocking with that anyway. This thing just doesn't carry equipment as well.
Exerting doesn't necessarily mean you need the life, it means you need to swing through a Wall of Omens.
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Or a Kari Zev. Or even a Falkenrath Gorger. Being a 4/4 helps you get through, the lifelink helps you win the race despite attacking half as often.
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More damage on a clear board, and life gain can be super relevant in the mirror. Seems worth losing unblockable over?
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
If you're consistently swinging through with either creature, it should work out that on average this will do more damage than soltari. This doesn't account for your opponent chump blocking, but that's where the life gain making up for that comes into play I feel.
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It's rare, but I've definitely had instances in mirrors or what not where Soltari isn't blocking. It's not the biggest strike by any means due to the nature of the cards, but it's a real thing.
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