You pass the turn back to your opponent, who has four land, a 2/2, 1/3, and a 1/2 Goblin pinger in play. Seems safe, right? They then untap and spend all four of their mana – and it can be any color mana – on the card they drew this turn. It pretty much destroys your board position.
And it’s just a one-mana artifact. Oh yeah – and it isn’t Cursed Scroll.
Okay, here’s how it works. They play a Bonesplitter:
Bonesplitter
1
Artifact – Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+0
Equip: 1
They then equip it to their Goblin pinger:
Spikeshot Goblin
2R
Creature – Goblin Shaman
R, T: Spikeshot Goblin deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
1/2
‘Cept he’s not much of a pinger right now – more like an oncoming bus. Whatever the best creature with a toughness less than four you had in play just took a ride on the number 22 to Yardstown. Maybe that still leaves you with some other guys, though, so he now pays one mana again, and equips the Splitter to his 2/2:
Skyhunter Cub
2W
Creature – Cat Knight
As long as Skyhunter Cub is equipped, it gets +1/+1 and has flying.
2/2
‘Cept it’s not much of a 2/2 right now – more like a 5/3 Flyering bus. And he’s coming over. You know, 5/3 Flyering buses don’t need to tag you too often before you’re catching that number 22 yourself.
K, but, so like, maybe you can swing back over with your groundpounders in a grade-A, alpha-type strike. Try and maybe make a game of it. ‘Cept he’s not much of a bad player right now, he’s gone and paid 1 last mana to equip the Splitter to his 1/3.
Leonin Den-Guard
1W
Creature – Cat Soldier
As long as Leonin Den-Guard is equipped, Leonin Den-Guard gets +1/+1 and attacking doesn’t cause Leonin Den-Guard to tap.
1/3
Yeah, that’s a 4/4 parked bus if ever I saw one. Bet you just can’t wait ’till his next turn, where he starts playing”pass the axe” all over again, huh?
(The Bonesplitter is a big ol’ rusty axe, or somink. Check out the links if you haven’t already.)
Oh yeah, and all four of those cards I mentioned there are common too. In fact, any card where I tell you what’s on the card is either common, or will be noted of its uncommon status.
And that’s basically what I’m here to tell you about, the commons and a few of the uncommons that will shape the pace of play for you this coming weekend.
The Set
Now you probably know this already – but imagine for a second if you didn’t and nobody told you? You’d feel like a right twit when you got to the prerelease and found that almost half of the set comes with a gray border.
First off, that means some very strange things: Two commons from Alpha have been reprinted, but have had their roles somewhat switched. Terror now has a paltry few targets, and Shatter is as close to an instant-speed Desert Twister as you’ll see for some time. You might think this makes Terror dip to new depths of uselessness yet untouched by Squires, Okks, and Yu-Gi-Oh cards… But remember those creatures in the example above? And I’m thinking in particular of Spikeshot Goblin. It’s guys like that who make Terror well worth the effort.
But that said, artifact removal is now no longer one of those things you’re happy to have in the sideboard for a rainy day. It’s pouring outside and I suggest you bring that umbrella. Yes, when I say umbrella, I do mean maindeck artifact destruction.
(Sheesh, you people and your babysteps! Sometimes I just don’t know…)
Removal
Removal has always been good, and now it’s bizarro world out there. Black has Terror, which is specialized targets only, please, we’re British, and a –X/-X spell for each artifact you have in the form of Irradiate. The weird bit is how green keeps up in the removal stakes as it naturally has artifact removal in the common and uncommon slots. Sure it doesn’t hit the creatures with colored mana symbols in their mana cost, but it will hit a fair share of the important ones.
Creatures
So you’re used to the Gray Ogreness that was Onslaught block limited? Hopefully the general all-round 2/3ness of Mirrodin won’t take you by surprise. But what might get you is the fact that things are just a bit fatter than they seem. When you first browse through the spoiler, it’s the fancy creatures that leap out at slap you about the nostrils. The”I tap to do this” cards, and the”equip me to see that” cards, and of course the”Don’t I remind you of a card you once saw your big brother play back in ’82?” cards.
What you may not have noticed are the fat artifact creatures that are going to run you into the ground while you’re still trying to tap your thing to see her equipment. See, the thing with artifacts is, anyone can run them – and everyone will.
(Actually, they’ll have to if they want a deck with at any more than seven or eight cards in it…)
Goblin War Wagon
4
Artifact Creature
Goblin War Wagon Doesn’t untap during your untap step. At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 2. If you do, untap Goblin War Wagon.
3/3
Hematite Golem
4
Artifact Creature – Golem
1R: Hematite Golem gets +2/+0 until end of turn
1/4
Obviously, the Hematite Golem is only truly fat if you have red mana – but what a horse he becomes if you do! The Wagon and the Enforcer seem a bit lame – but trust me, they’re as solid as the imaginary steel they’re made out of. The Wagon only asks you to pay if you want to untap it, and you only want to untap it if you’ve attacked with it or somehow got it tapped before combat. You’ll only attack with it if it’s going to squish a critter or head up your opponent’s nose in an offensive manner. So with that in mind, paying two to squish a chump or come in for three isn’t too much of an ask at all.
Myr Enforcer
7
Artifact Creature – Myr
Affinity for artifacts
4/4
(Affinity = One mana less for each artifact you have in play.)
Iron Myr
2
Artifact Creature – Myr
T: Add R to your mana pool.
1/1
Sure, the Myr Enforcer costs seven. But if you have a single Myr mana tapperer in play, and there’s one for each color, it can come down on turn 5. You can probably guess that I’m liking the synergy that can be found within a second-turn Myr tapperer, third-turn Goblin War Wagon, and a fourth-turn Myr Enforcer.
Now, Wirewood Elf was an excellent draft pick in Onslaught block – and let me assure you it was not because it had a toughness of two. The only problem was you seldom got more than one, and you were lucky to get the first if you did. The are now five different-but-somewhat-the-same little guys lying around waiting to be picked. It doesn’t matter if it taps for a color you’re planning on ever using – you want those little nosy bathtubs in your deck. I would play as many as five of them in a forty-card deck if I could, and maybe even six if the deck was equipment heavy. But these days, I’m not usually credited for being buttered on the sane side of the bread, if you catch my drift.
(Ahem.)
*Looks left and then right before continuing*
The Best Cards In Each Color
…Or at least the cards I feel that I need to mention anyway. Generally, if you are playing the color and the card is in your card pool, you’ll want to play it.
Skyhunter Cub
2W
Creature – Cat Knight
As long as Skyhunter Cub is equipped, it gets +1/+1 and has flying.
2/2
I like the Cub better than the 1/3 going on 2/4 Leonin Den-Guard, just because potentially flying over for four or five makes me go all shivery. Either way, the pair of them make for a very speedy W/X equipment based deck in limited. Try to pair them with red for the Spikeshot Goblin and its many powerful red non-creature cards if you can, but blue fliers and tricks will work just as well.
Arrest
2W
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be played.
Good solid removal that stops the Spikeshot.
Somber Hoverguard
5U
Creature – Drone
Flying
Affinity for artifacts
3/2
Here is the first hint that blue is not actually that amazing in this set. But of course, don’t be fooled, as two of these on turns 4 and 5 will make short work of you if unopposed.
Inertia Bubble
1U
Enchant Artifact
Enchanted artifact doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Usually such spells are a bit meh, and a bit heh. But when half of the monsters out there are artifact creatures, this becomes frightfully useful.
Moriok Scavenger
3B
Creature – Human Rogue
When Moriok Scavenger comes into play, you may return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/3
Slightly better than Gravedigger in the sense that it can actually participate in combat more than once. Slightly worse because it can only get back artifact creatures. That evens out nicely into a strong card, so how can you go wrong?
Terror
1B
Instant
Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. It can’t be regenerated.
Just because it’s worse than it used to be doesn’t mean it’s bad.
RED
Spikeshot Goblin
2R
Creature – Goblin Shaman
R, T: Spikeshot Goblin deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
1/2
Just like a Sparksmith, only painless. Okay, not the same – but just as good.
Electrostatic Bolt
R
Instant
Electrostatic Bolt deals two damage to target creature. If it is an artifact creature, Electrostatic Bolt deals four damage to it instead.
It’s a Shock, and that’s great. It also kills big machines, and that’s better. Not that red needs it, but it can rejoice in its redundancy. I feel the Bolt edges out Incite War due to its pure efficiency.
(Incite War later.)
Fangren Hunter
3GG
Creature – Beast
Trample
4/4
Why get fancy when you can just get violent and effective? The best thing about green is the fact that you can now play fat creatures, and still have removal available. Pair green with red, and you have a real smashery house on the go.
Deconstruct
2G
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact. Add GGG to your mana pool.
Why be a color that can’t remove creatures when you can be a color that can remove every second guy in your way?
I listed my picks for the great artifact creatures above, and because there are just so many artifacts I’m letting myself get away with listing more than one.
Bonesplitter
1
Artifact – Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+0
Equip: 1
It’s quite similar to Rancor, and that’s bad for everyone in general. Don’t make the mistake of not playing or drafting this card; it’s just plain beating on a stick. There is also a card called Leonin Scimitar, which gives +1/+1 instead of +2/+0 – that isn’t nearly as silly, but is still quite good.
Pyrite Spellbomb
1
Artifact
R, Sacrifice Pyrite Spellbomb: Pyrite Spellbomb deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
1, Sacrifice Pyrite Spellbomb: Draw a card.
Um, if you don’t want to Shock something, you can cycle it away. Err, if you’re still unsure of why it’s good, go directly to jail, do not pass go and do not collect $200.
Viridian Longbow
1
Artifact – Equipment
Equipped creature has”T: This creature deals one damage to target creature or player.”
Equip 3
This one’s a bit subtler – well, perhaps not that subtle. When 2/3s bounce off of other 2/3s, and this will happen quite frequently, the Bow will come in very handy indeed.
Tricks
These are what win games. You play cards for a while, and then your opponent smashes you with some nasty instant. Or you walk into something you would otherwise have known about if you had only had the chance to play the format another half-a-dozen times! The following is a list of cards to prepare for mentally, and to be wary of when necessary. And into categories they go!
Removal
There are quite a few here, the first part being the most affordable and therefor most like to spring out of nowhere.
Electrostatic Bolt
R
Instant
Electrostatic Bolt deals two damage to target creature. If it is an artifact creature, Electrostatic Bolt deals four damage to it instead.
Terror
1B
Instant
Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. It can’t be regenerated.
Shatter
1R
Instant
Destroy target artifact.
Shrapnel Blast
1R
Instant
As an additional cost to play Shrapnel Blast, sacrifice an artifact.
Shrapnel Blast deals 5 damage to target creature or player.
Uncommon
Then there are ones that cost four mana or more to pull off – in other words, the ones that they telegraph to you by not playing and passing the turn back to you with untapped lands.
Wail of the Nim
2B
Instant
Choose one – Regenerate each creature you control; or Wail of the Nim deals 1 damage to each creature and each player.
Entwine B
Irradiate
3B
Instant
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each artifact you control.
Betrayal of Flesh
5B
Instant
Choose one – Destroy target creature; or return target creature card from your graveyard to play.
Entwine: Sacrifice three lands.
Uncommon
Soul Nova
3WW
Instant
Remove target attacking creature and all Equipment attached to it from the game.
Uncommon
Grab the Reins
3R
Instant
Choose one – Until end of turn, you gain control of target creature and it gains haste; or sacrifice a creature, then Grab the Reins deals damage equal to that creature’s power to target creature or player.
Entwine 2R
Uncommon
Leonin Bladetrap
3
Artifact
You may play Leonin Bladetrap any time you could play an instant.
2, Sacrifice Leonin Bladetrap: Leonin Bladetrap deals 2 damage to each attacking creature without flying.
Uncommon
The next two are sorcery-based, but worth noting because they can still be of some inconvenience. Don’t lead with your best guys in the early game into the Barter, and don’t go thinking there is no need for enchantment removal. That said, they are only uncommons and not that brutal…
Domineer
1UU
Enchant Artifact Creature
You control enchanted creature.
Uncommon
Barter in Blood
2BB
Sorcery
Each player sacrifices two creatures.
Uncommon
Combat Tricks
If it seems like too good a deal in combat, or even perhaps a”fair” trade, it could be that it’s being underwritten by one of the following spells. The first few will often just be one-for-one effects.
Battlegrowth
G
Instant
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Regress
2U
Instant
Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
Awe Strike
W
Instant
The next time target creature would deal damage this turn, prevent that damage. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way.
But the following cards could result in two-for-ones…. Such as Razor Barrier on my Arrested guy and then he eats your attacker in a most unfair block, or Disarm/Turn to Dust your equipment card and also mash the bearer with my handy blocker.
Predator’s Strike
1G
Instant
Target Creature gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn.
Disarm
U
Instant
Unattach all Equipment from target creature.
Turn to Dust
G
Instant
Destroy target Equipment. Then add G to your mana pool.
Razor Barrier
1W
Instant
Target permanent you control gains protection from artifacts or from the color of your choice until end of turn
Scale of Chiss-Goria
3
Artifact
Affinity for artifacts
You may play Scale of Chiss-Goria any time you could play an instant.
T: Target creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
Tooth of Chiss-Goria
3
Artifact
Affinity for artifacts
You may play Tooth of Chiss-Goria any time you could play an instant.
T: Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
The following combat tricks cost four or more, and aren’t as likely to surprise you. (Okay, the Roar of the Kha may work at a lesser price in parts, but it will be much more effective for four mana.)
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4R
Instant
As an additional cost to play Forge[/author] Armor”][author name="Forge"]Forge[/author] Armor, sacrifice an Artifact.
Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature, where X is the sacrificed artifact’s cc.
Uncommon
Needlebug
4
Artifact Creature – Insect
Protection from artifacts
You may play Needlebug any time you could play an instant.
2/2
Uncommon
Roar of the Kha
1W
Instant
Choose one: Creatures you control get +1/+1 or untap all creatures you control.
Entwine 1W
Uncommon
Galvanic Key
2
Artifact
You may play Galvanic Key at any time you could play an instant.
3, T: Untap target artifact
Counters
The most obvious is Annul, which is able to counter around half of the cards in this set for one mana – so unfair! The others are not so efficient, but worth keeping your eyes peeled for. (Unless of course, you like getting your spells countered. Then by all means, leap in headfirst.)
Annul
U
Instant
Counter target artifact or enchantment spell.
Override
2U
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1 for each artifact you control.
Assert Authority
5UU
Instant
Affinity for artifacts
Counter target spell. If it’s countered this way, remove it from the game.
Uncommon
The Killers
These ones are the spells that put your math out by that all-important turn. No wait, Nigel. You’re dead now, not later. The Blinding Beam and Incite War can be used as Falters – or, for those of you not used to archaic Urza’s Block cards, you will not be blocking me now, thank you and good night. The Fists of the Anvil will just come on through for the win when you least expect it.
Fists of the Anvil
1R
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+0 until end of turn
Incite War
2R
Instant
Choose one – Creatures target player controls attack this turn if able; or creatures you control gain first strike until end of turn.
Entwine 2
Blinding Beam
2W
Instant
Choose one – Tap two target creatures; or creatures don’t untap during target player’s next untap step.
Entwine 1
Recap
I’m sure you’ll be fine if you’ve read this far; it shows you care enough not to suck too much. The set is not as strange as it looks at first. There will be creatures crashing into other creatures, and there will be bigger creatures making things hard for you until you get your big guys into play. My only words of advice are, don’t get bogged down by the pretty pictures and funky abilities – just swing your bodies sideways until your opponent stops twitching.
Have fun – and most importantly, send me all of your money!
(Just kidding about the money…)
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