Before equipment, this was one of two ways it was tried. Fyndhorn Bow is similar. (The other way was tap to activate, "you may choose not to untap" artifacts like Tawnos's Weaponry).
The modern player is better off thinking of it as roughly:
Equip {3} (equip/activation costs matching CMC are pretty common during this period.)
Equipped creature has "{T}: deal damage to target attacking or blocking flying creature" (traditional archer "rangestrike")
Unattach ~ at end of turn.
Thinking of it that way, the problem is not the equip/activation cost. The problem is that they worried the ability is so good that the equipment needed to "fall off" after one use. So what's the alternative? The logical choices are to remove the restriction on fliers, or remove the restriction on creatures in combat. Doing the former means that any good creature that the opponent into combat will unerringly be done X damage before any other damage is as... (see all)
Posted By:
longwinded
(11/8/2011 7:26:50 AM)
Bad card.
You need: a) enough mana to activate it, b) a creature with flying that is attacking you, c) a creature that must be untapped and have a power higher or equal than the attacking creatures toughness. It's just far to narrow to be of any use.
Posted By:
majinara
(2/12/2009 11:57:40 AM)
A fair cost for this would be 2 to play, 1 to tap. Or even 1 to play. It still wouldn't be good.
Posted By:
rubber
(10/14/2009 12:15:01 PM)
Why did it have to be flying specific? That's the real nail in the coffin for me, I already don't expectold cards to be mana efficient.
Posted By:
TPmanW
(4/9/2011 11:57:12 PM)
Odd card.
You need: a) Dark Ritual, b) something to give your opponent's creatures flying, c) Emrakul, The Aeons Torn. Expensive combo to be of any use.
Posted By:
DarthMetool
(5/28/2013 9:08:12 AM)
I like the concept of this card however the restrictions and requirements move it out of sideboardability
Posted By:
phoenixfire666
(10/6/2013 9:35:50 AM)
I still don't understand, from a flavour standpoint, why some missile weapons in Magic can only be used against flying creatures. See Bow of Nylea for the most recent example.
Posted By:
Tiggurix
(1/27/2014 2:08:41 PM)
I hear Venomspout Brackus carries one of these.
Posted By:
HuntingDrake
(4/20/2014 10:54:20 PM)