So, I know that Skulk probably isn't going anywhere for a while, which is a shame, because with a small addition to the rules text they could've made the keyword more restrictive than Unblockable, which is what they wanted all along.
"Creatures you control with Skulk can't be equipped or enchanted by you."
That's all it would've taken. What do you think? Agree or disagree?
I'm having a very hard time understanding what you think your saying. So I'll respond to what is obvious, Skulk with that added text doesn't make any sense. It already provides the function you want from this effect by making a stronger(equipped/enchanted) creature blockable. Adding that extra line of text would be confusing and horribly complex for almost zero gain. Skulks problem was that it only wanted to go on small creatures, which made it usually just results in unblockable, and it didn't play nice with other keywords.
Skulk granting Shroud would not really make sense, and would really seem arbitrary.
What would make more since is "Effects that change this creature's power change its toughness instead," but that would be confusing.
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On the reserved list: Wizards won't remove it. Only we can. In other words: Play Modern, Pauper, or No-RL Eternal.
Skulk was introduced because Wizards didn't like the idea of Unblockable being just that - a creature that couldn't be blocked. As people were using these unblockable creatures in conjunction with artifacts, enchantments, or just plain pump spells, something had to be done. These creatures were too efficient, too good at what they did.
So what did they do? Skulk. Which, unfortunately, is not a good keyword. Your creature is only unblockable to a point, and that point is easily reached. The bigger you make your creature, the easier it is to block. Which is unfortunate in the extreme, because it defeats the purpose of playing a creature like that.
My alternative is this: Have the creature be unblockable, but don't allow it to be enchanted or equipped. No swords. No auras. It's not Shroud, not totally - I'd say it's a fair compromise to use "until end of turn" effects on creatures like that.
The point of Skulk IS to make a very powerful creature that IS unblockable. There are a lot of counters in Modern and Standard that destroys Skulk. Here are some examples: Hero's Downfall, Go for the Throat, Stasis Snare, etc.
So, I know that Skulk probably isn't going anywhere for a while, which is a shame, because with a small addition to the rules text they could've made the keyword more restrictive than Unblockable, which is what they wanted all along.
"Creatures you control with Skulk can't be equipped or enchanted by you."
That's all it would've taken. What do you think? Agree or disagree?
First of all, while skulk was a mechanic in shadows over innistrad and eldritch moon, it is not in Kaladesh, also it has not been confirmed as an evergreen mechanic, or a mechanic that will be used in a future block. You're assume that skullk probably isn't going anywhere for a while hasn't been confirmed, and at least for the next block there won't be any skulk. I don't know what the future holds, but it could be that skulk stays around and it could be that it just didn't play well enough to try again for wizards.
Also I think you are overestimating the power of one shot effects with unblockable creatures, and while I agree that skulk was a variant of unblockable I don't think that it is just a fixed unblockable. What your version of skulk misses is the things that they could do with it which they can't do with unblockable. A good example of this is Wharf Infiltrator, the entire point of the card is to create a subgame where the opponent has to find some way to block the card or it just gains value, and spews out threats. I think it is a fun part of the card in limited, but that just doesn't happen if it just had unblockable light.
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All you have to do with skulk is pump up your creature's defense and add deathtouch, first strike, double strike, or on the other side lifelink... Then your skulk creatures can't be killed in non-spell-assisted combat (simple creature to creature power/toughness battle), and your skulk creature gets to kill without dieing, or go unblocked, and maybe use lifelink... You just have to have a higher toughness than power...
All you have to do with skulk is pump up your creature's defense and add deathtouch, first strike, double strike, or on the other side lifelink... Then your skulk creatures can't be killed in non-spell-assisted combat (simple creature to creature power/toughness battle), and your skulk creature gets to kill without dieing, or go unblocked, and maybe use lifelink... You just have to have a higher toughness than power...
or the blocker is pumpable with a Firebreathing effect, or has protection of whatever color is the Skulk attacker, or the blocker also has deathtouch, or the opponent doesnt even care to block your little 1 power deathtouch skulk rat or whatever, or the opponent has enough low power blockers to kill your high toughness skulker. Skulk isn't nearly as powerful as this op makes it out to be. in most cases I'd just rather have a high power flying creature.
Just an update, skulk is not evergreen, which means that while it might be in another block, it will not be in every (or almost every) magic set. Here is an article which confirms this, and this is a reference giving the reasoning.
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Graham from Loading Ready Run
Main problem with Skulk, its a terrible name, super not intuitive and it plays bad.
A 1/1 Skulk is just going to get blocked by a 1/1, which is a terrible form of evasion.
If they have a giant creature, you very very likely wont attack with your tiny power creature as you cannot win the race by "skulk" alone.
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Anything skulk does is just bad, flying is superior to it and downright unblockable does the job way better (and even that is hardly "too good").
Gameplay wise the best skulk are the creatures with MORE thoughness than power, like a 1/3 , that is as good as unblockable, as blocking it with a 1/1 is fairly pointless.
That being said, skulk is a very terrible mechanic and i wonder how they came up with such a bad implementation gameplay wise , it just plays soooooo bad, the mechanic simply doesnt work at all almost all the time and it even less often matters.
Its especially terrible on anything with 3+ power.
Its almost like Intimidate on multicolor creatures ... (which is almost as terrible).
"Creatures you control with Skulk can't be equipped or enchanted by you."
That's all it would've taken. What do you think? Agree or disagree?
What would make more since is "Effects that change this creature's power change its toughness instead," but that would be confusing.
WMy other, WIP casual deck: Zero to Hero
Protection from Will-O'-the-Wisps, Ali-from-Cairos, and Uncle-Istvans
Legendary snow landwalk
---------------------------------------
On the reserved list: Wizards won't remove it. Only we can. In other words: Play Modern, Pauper, or No-RL Eternal.
So what did they do? Skulk. Which, unfortunately, is not a good keyword. Your creature is only unblockable to a point, and that point is easily reached. The bigger you make your creature, the easier it is to block. Which is unfortunate in the extreme, because it defeats the purpose of playing a creature like that.
My alternative is this: Have the creature be unblockable, but don't allow it to be enchanted or equipped. No swords. No auras. It's not Shroud, not totally - I'd say it's a fair compromise to use "until end of turn" effects on creatures like that.
First of all, while skulk was a mechanic in shadows over innistrad and eldritch moon, it is not in Kaladesh, also it has not been confirmed as an evergreen mechanic, or a mechanic that will be used in a future block. You're assume that skullk probably isn't going anywhere for a while hasn't been confirmed, and at least for the next block there won't be any skulk. I don't know what the future holds, but it could be that skulk stays around and it could be that it just didn't play well enough to try again for wizards.
Also I think you are overestimating the power of one shot effects with unblockable creatures, and while I agree that skulk was a variant of unblockable I don't think that it is just a fixed unblockable. What your version of skulk misses is the things that they could do with it which they can't do with unblockable. A good example of this is Wharf Infiltrator, the entire point of the card is to create a subgame where the opponent has to find some way to block the card or it just gains value, and spews out threats. I think it is a fun part of the card in limited, but that just doesn't happen if it just had unblockable light.
Graham from Loading Ready Run
or the blocker is pumpable with a Firebreathing effect, or has protection of whatever color is the Skulk attacker, or the blocker also has deathtouch, or the opponent doesnt even care to block your little 1 power deathtouch skulk rat or whatever, or the opponent has enough low power blockers to kill your high toughness skulker. Skulk isn't nearly as powerful as this op makes it out to be. in most cases I'd just rather have a high power flying creature.
Graham from Loading Ready Run
A 1/1 Skulk is just going to get blocked by a 1/1, which is a terrible form of evasion.
If they have a giant creature, you very very likely wont attack with your tiny power creature as you cannot win the race by "skulk" alone.
----
Anything skulk does is just bad, flying is superior to it and downright unblockable does the job way better (and even that is hardly "too good").
Gameplay wise the best skulk are the creatures with MORE thoughness than power, like a 1/3 , that is as good as unblockable, as blocking it with a 1/1 is fairly pointless.
That being said, skulk is a very terrible mechanic and i wonder how they came up with such a bad implementation gameplay wise , it just plays soooooo bad, the mechanic simply doesnt work at all almost all the time and it even less often matters.
Its especially terrible on anything with 3+ power.
Its almost like Intimidate on multicolor creatures ... (which is almost as terrible).
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