Simic or Temur ramp, get this out onto the battlefield by turn 5, then use it--this is still a viable strategy even if the casting cost is more than originally expected. Definitely a game-winner in Sealed/Limited, and probably Standard, as well. Attack with this + Fraying Sanity is still an auto-win.
So Anointed Procession + Ruthless Knave is an infinite mana engine as long as you provide fodder. Is there anything in standard that could be abused for this? A creature that recurs, or the like? I can't think of anything, but the potential to be a mana engine and a draw engine is mildly intriguing.
No, there is nothing which we could abuse at this time. Panharmonicon can double some of the treasure tokens a few pirates generate upon entering the battlefield and the procession can double those but there isn't a way to abuse the interaction. You would need Solemnity and any creature with undying or persist to generate an arbitrarily large number of treasure tokens.
The Demon of Dark Schemes can generate E when the creature is sacrificed and then you can sacrifice the tokens and spend another EEE to bring it back, but this still won't lead to abuse.
hrm...wait...hypothetically speaking, the demon + Aether Theorist + Anointed Procession + Ruthless Knave could result in spend 2B, sac the Theorist, get four treasure tokens and one energy, spend the energy you got from the Theorist's etb and its subsequent death plus sac three tokens to bring it back, netting you three energy and you would end up at your starting position netting only one treasure token. No, you would need two Processions--conclusion: not possible (or at least so unlikely that we can dismiss it as effectively impossible).
Alternatively, if you had enough artifacts so that Metalwork Colossus costs you 0 to cast then Procession + Ruthless Knave = spend 2B to sac the colossus, get four treasure tokens, sacrifice two treasures to bring the Colossus back to your hand, then summon it again for free = net gain of two Treasure tokens. No, once again you would need two Processions--again, this is not likely to occur. If, in the unlikely event that it did occur, then sacrificing the Colossus would generate eight treasure tokens--sac two to bring it back to hand, cast it for free, sac three to offer it to the Knave for a net gain of three tokens per iteration.
In summary, it is possible but it will probably never happen so I wouldn't worry about it.
The restriction on Castaways isn't a problem because treasure tokens are going to be so easy to attain--decent stats for a common ground creature. The Hoarder...well, it's a pirate and if it dies then at least you get something for it--this one will actually be better in Standard because it enables revolt push. Same for the Buccaneers--it is a pirate and when it explores I would rather put the counter on it for a hasty 3/3 to enable raid.
Skulduggery...*sigh* I like the card but I am having a difficult time getting past the fact that it is misspelled.
Too many people are taking other people's assessments of cards far too personally these days; this is a course of action which makes no sense.
This is a very solid creature--it is still a 4/4 menace with deathtouch--and in some instances it will win you a game. If your own life loss is a problem then follow up next turn with Battle at the Bridge for 4 or 5 and you probably regained all the life you lost. On the other hand, in some instances it won't matter if you play it--as noted, you play Ravager, you both lose some life, opponent plays Glorybringer, attack/exert, kills the orc, and does 4 to you, in which case you are much closer to losing than they are.
In other words, it is trivial to envision scenarios where this card is not only a win condition but sometimes win more but at the same time it is trivial to envision scenarios where this card is bad. Narrow, situational analysis is irrelevant just like analysis in a vacuum is irrelevant. This creature will absolutely win games in Sealed/Limited, it will be quite good in Standard, but it won't show up in older formats unless someone is being weird with their Reanimator deck.
No, you are not wrong. The only clear drawback the Crew has is that you can't use it the turn you play it...oh, and Lightning Strike. After that, though, your opponent probably has a difficult time winning as you take their best creature every turn.
Quiz time! Suppose you are playing BR, it is your turn 6, and you have both Dire Fleet Ravager and Shock in hand. Which one do you cast first to maximize the impact?
You may work it out for yourself but the answer is Ravager then Shock--the etb effect is less effective than burning 2 directly off the life total. (note: if your opponent's life total is a multiple of 3 then it doesn't matter which way you play those cards--the end result will be the same)
It is a good thing this is a 5-drop so that we may Panharmonicon on turn 4 because that artifact always makes everything better.
No, there is nothing which we could abuse at this time. Panharmonicon can double some of the treasure tokens a few pirates generate upon entering the battlefield and the procession can double those but there isn't a way to abuse the interaction. You would need Solemnity and any creature with undying or persist to generate an arbitrarily large number of treasure tokens.
The Demon of Dark Schemes can generate E when the creature is sacrificed and then you can sacrifice the tokens and spend another EEE to bring it back, but this still won't lead to abuse.
hrm...wait...hypothetically speaking, the demon + Aether Theorist + Anointed Procession + Ruthless Knave could result in spend 2B, sac the Theorist, get four treasure tokens and one energy, spend the energy you got from the Theorist's etb and its subsequent death plus sac three tokens to bring it back, netting you three energy and you would end up at your starting position netting only one treasure token. No, you would need two Processions--conclusion: not possible (or at least so unlikely that we can dismiss it as effectively impossible).
Alternatively, if you had enough artifacts so that Metalwork Colossus costs you 0 to cast then Procession + Ruthless Knave = spend 2B to sac the colossus, get four treasure tokens, sacrifice two treasures to bring the Colossus back to your hand, then summon it again for free = net gain of two Treasure tokens. No, once again you would need two Processions--again, this is not likely to occur. If, in the unlikely event that it did occur, then sacrificing the Colossus would generate eight treasure tokens--sac two to bring it back to hand, cast it for free, sac three to offer it to the Knave for a net gain of three tokens per iteration.
In summary, it is possible but it will probably never happen so I wouldn't worry about it.
Then Claim to bring the Hoarder back.
I apologize but I couldn't help it--it immediately jumped out at me.
Skulduggery...*sigh* I like the card but I am having a difficult time getting past the fact that it is misspelled.
Lightning-Rig Crew should generally ping your opponent(s) for 2 each turn and dodges most damage-based removal.
Rigging Runner seems decent on/after turn 3 when it etb as a 2/2.
All are solid options for pirate tribal deck.
This is a very solid creature--it is still a 4/4 menace with deathtouch--and in some instances it will win you a game. If your own life loss is a problem then follow up next turn with Battle at the Bridge for 4 or 5 and you probably regained all the life you lost. On the other hand, in some instances it won't matter if you play it--as noted, you play Ravager, you both lose some life, opponent plays Glorybringer, attack/exert, kills the orc, and does 4 to you, in which case you are much closer to losing than they are.
In other words, it is trivial to envision scenarios where this card is not only a win condition but sometimes win more but at the same time it is trivial to envision scenarios where this card is bad. Narrow, situational analysis is irrelevant just like analysis in a vacuum is irrelevant. This creature will absolutely win games in Sealed/Limited, it will be quite good in Standard, but it won't show up in older formats unless someone is being weird with their Reanimator deck.
You may work it out for yourself but the answer is Ravager then Shock--the etb effect is less effective than burning 2 directly off the life total. (note: if your opponent's life total is a multiple of 3 then it doesn't matter which way you play those cards--the end result will be the same)
It is a good thing this is a 5-drop so that we may Panharmonicon on turn 4 because that artifact always makes everything better.