This seems like a way less flexible Walking Ballista to me, and I think it's below the line for my cube. I don't think that its cost is flexible either - it enters based on the number of colors spent to cast it, so the X is a trick here.
It can only ping one thing per turn cycle, has sunburst so it's not the best mana sink for redundant colors (as noted above), can't add counters otherwise, and due to that, has a hard cap of being a 5/5. The only way I'm interested in jamming this is if I can recur it, and 5-color decks don't come together in my cube that often. Even if they did, I'm not sure what the 5-color deck would look like that would utilize this.
I mean, in a deck that's reliably 3-colors, it's not a bad 3/3 for 3. But if I'm playing a 2-color deck, I just don't think it's worthwhile. Not sure how to feel about it yet. My gut says it's not good enough though. Walking Ballista this is not.
I am currently playing crystalline crawler , and I think the sentry is not even close in power level to that. I think I would rather play a trike variant. Having to spend mana and tap to activate it seems way too rough. And one of the best parts of ballista is being able to add counters.
Not being able to replenish the counters or add to the initial number to keep the damage going is a huge detriment to this type of creature. It can't be blinked or reanimated. I don't think it's bad per se, but I think it's just short of good enough to keep it out of most cubes.
I'm interested enough to test, but only because of whacky duplicates allow for more 3-5 color decks than would be seen in most cubes.
I don't think I would test it otherwise...
Much like with walking ballista when it was first spoiled, I think it's easy to underestimate the value of a creature that can kill multiple X'1s, even if it is over a few turns. Pinging is an incredibly powerful effect in magic. Casting this for 2 mana, getting a 2/2, that can later burn the opponent for 2, or take out 2 x/1's is actually a reasonably competitive rate.
Walking ballista is much better overall, and has a wayyyyyyy higher ceiling.. But in a beatdown deck that has access to 3 colors of mana and isn't ramping, I actually think this card is slightly better. It's a more efficient rate as a beater, without the ceiling.
While there aren't enough ways to put +1/+1 counters on creatures in most cubes, that interaction is a thing that would make it better than it's color cost makes it obvious... Verderous gearhulk, Nissa voice of zendikar etc. Could be relevant for people with more fringe cubes who are considering this card, or if some more competitive cards that move +1/+1 counters are printed soon.
I predict this has a low chance of sticking in my cube, but I refuse to sleep on an X spell artifact, even if it is domain rather than colorless mana.
I have an an artifact cube and this fits right in because:
- 5 color is achievable
- it fills any spot on the curve (well, until 5).. likely either 1 or 3.
- Artifact interactions
- +1/+1 counter interactions
- recursion
Up front this is more efficient than Walkinb Ballista. The issue with this card is having to tap and pay X to use its ability. The beauty of Walking Ballista is being able to do that for free. Dodging control magic effects and pinging in response to removal means you're always going to get some value out of Ballista.
At face value this is quite low but I wonder if the cost flexibility + useful ability (+ artifact type) can make up for it.
Sadly the last ability is almost flavor text...
It can only ping one thing per turn cycle, has sunburst so it's not the best mana sink for redundant colors (as noted above), can't add counters otherwise, and due to that, has a hard cap of being a 5/5. The only way I'm interested in jamming this is if I can recur it, and 5-color decks don't come together in my cube that often. Even if they did, I'm not sure what the 5-color deck would look like that would utilize this.
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I don't think I would test it otherwise...
Much like with walking ballista when it was first spoiled, I think it's easy to underestimate the value of a creature that can kill multiple X'1s, even if it is over a few turns. Pinging is an incredibly powerful effect in magic. Casting this for 2 mana, getting a 2/2, that can later burn the opponent for 2, or take out 2 x/1's is actually a reasonably competitive rate.
Walking ballista is much better overall, and has a wayyyyyyy higher ceiling.. But in a beatdown deck that has access to 3 colors of mana and isn't ramping, I actually think this card is slightly better. It's a more efficient rate as a beater, without the ceiling.
While there aren't enough ways to put +1/+1 counters on creatures in most cubes, that interaction is a thing that would make it better than it's color cost makes it obvious... Verderous gearhulk, Nissa voice of zendikar etc. Could be relevant for people with more fringe cubes who are considering this card, or if some more competitive cards that move +1/+1 counters are printed soon.
I predict this has a low chance of sticking in my cube, but I refuse to sleep on an X spell artifact, even if it is domain rather than colorless mana.
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- 5 color is achievable
- it fills any spot on the curve (well, until 5).. likely either 1 or 3.
- Artifact interactions
- +1/+1 counter interactions
- recursion
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