Obviously this is an amazing card for ally decks, maybe even a staple, but it's also pretty sweet for white weenie soldiers. 4 of him and 4 Kazandu Blademasters work wonders.
Posted By:
surewhynot
(10/25/2010 10:15:28 PM)
@ddde: No, the-unbeliever is right. There's a subtle difference between this card and abilities like modular or graft. Arcbound Worker hits the field with the +1/+1 counter. From the game's perspective, there is never a point in time that it is on the battlefield without a counter. (Triggers that look for creatures with a specific P/T entering the field will even see it as a 1/1.)
By comparison, this has an ability that is triggered when it hits the field. That ability uses the stack, and state-based actions are checked as soon as the ability is on the stack. If it were a 0/0 right then, it would die.
Sure, they could have changed the effect slightly to make it start as a 1/1 in some way, but it would have to be one of the following, all of which are needlessly complicated or inconsistent with how the rest of allies work:
0/0
Enters the field with a +1/+1 counter
Whenever another Ally you control, etc.
1/1
Whenever another Ally you control, etc.
0/1
Whenever t... (see all)
Posted By:
Artscrafter
(3/2/2011 2:15:52 PM)
I don't care! :O
I will call him "wing-man" :P
now i will need a "sky scraper" card
Posted By:
iSlapTrees
(5/24/2011 10:49:15 PM)
I swapped out my elite vanguards for this in my soldier deck. Also dropped my Veteran Armorsmith for Kazandu Blademaster. The deck has become so much more potent, it's unbelievable. I'm now trying to finagle a few Join the Ranks for even more shenanigans.
Posted By:
endersblade
(5/28/2011 11:12:54 AM)
My soldier deck has this, Kazandu Blademaster, and Cenn's Tactician. Hada and Kazandu can automatically block 2 creatures each with her on the field. Get multiples and pump your Kazandu up and he can block entire armies without a scratch.
Posted By:
tachiKC
(6/13/2011 11:18:40 AM)
Totally awesome. He is good enough that I will use him in my soldier deck instead of Elite Vanguard. He is less offensive, but will be much better late-game as he can enable Kazandu Blademaster and himself.
In allies it's just a ton better :)
Posted By:
RHS
(1/30/2010 3:22:45 PM)
@Tezz: No, they couldn't have.
If any creature is ever at zero toughness, it is destroyed. This is a state-based action, meaning it doesn't use the stack, meaning the freeblade would get destroyed before it got its +1/+1 counter. They COULD have made a one-drop ally that started at 1/1 and got +1/+1 with every ally played, but the text would be very wordy and somewhat complicated to follow, as well as being the ONLY ally with text different than "whenever or another ally enters the battlefield..."
Yes, it would have been more balanced, but Wizards is more concerned with making money than game balance, and while game balance helps their marketing, needlessly complicated cards (especially at uncommon) hurts their marketing far more than the SLIGHT imbalance the extra 1 toughness grants this card. When people can't understand what their cards do (and trust me, not everybody who plays magic is a rules whiz like some of you), their interest in the game goes down, thus wizard... (see all)
Posted By:
the-unbeliever
(5/2/2010 6:41:00 PM)
i like this card for early, mid and late game, he is a very nice card, and i can see a soldier/ally deck being build somewhere
Posted By:
wolfv
(1/29/2010 4:02:46 PM)
Poor Elite Vanguard. Apparently he and Kazandu Blademaster couldn't work it out, so the Blademaster moved on to bigger and better things.
Wait, a 2/3 on turn 2? That just gets bigger? Yeah, if you're wondering why this is uncommon, it's because it can jump right over the curve incredibly fast if you can support it. Like every other Ally out there.
Monowhite Allies might have a chance, and this guy is their ideal 1-drop.
Posted By:
DonRoyale
(1/29/2010 1:30:04 PM)
Not much to say that hasn't already been said. The guy is a terrific 1 drop in the current block, and has excellent synergy with other white allies. Between him and the Makindi Shieldmate, you're going to have a tough time getting past white's early defenders.
I love the artwork and thematic feel of the card as well; it is very Zendikar.
4/5
Posted By:
Gaussgoat
(2/10/2010 6:56:50 AM)