While it is a slower card then Dark Favor, you get life gain which is a nice bonus to a decent card. In limited, this is pretty annoying. It's an enchantment though, so you lose card advantage if they use removal. Even so, you are at 23 life on turn 2.
Think of it like this.
Turn 1: Plains, Elite Vanguard(for example)
Turn 2: Plains, Divine Favor (gain 3 life), and swing in with a 3/4.
Seems like a strong opening to me. It's not turn 1 delver, turn 2 flip. But, that card is just *whoo*.
There are so many better options out there, but, for a casual deck or limited, this pretty much gets the job done. I think people just hate on life gain/white a lot just because it is a white or life gain card. I'd totally be willing to Cloudshift my Thragtusk in constructed or sideboard in a playset of Elixir of Immortality. You ... (see all)
Posted By:
Ligerman30
(8/4/2012 2:20:20 PM)
@TheWrathofShane: Funny thing about auras: They do things. If you actually happened to read past the text box, you'd notice it gives a creature +1/+3. Do you know what that means?
3 more toughness. Any creature enchanted with this can survive a Lightning Bolt.
Posted By:
DoragonShinzui
(6/13/2013 12:43:03 PM)
Got told this card was awful in a small recent M13 sealed event. Then smashed that guy in straight games. Solid common
Posted By:
psyklone
(6/24/2013 11:35:51 PM)
Under-rated
Life gain and makes your creature +3 tougher for 2?
Summon a 1/1 on turn 1
play this turn 2. you have a 2/4 that your opponent WILL have to prioritize a head of time, unless he/she don't want to summon anything until he/she gets a card with 3+ toughness, which is 70% of the time by turn 3 or later. You use this on Elite Vanguard, Bushi Tenderfoot, Caravan Escort, Champion of the Parish, Figure of Destiny, Goldenglow Moth, Goldmeadow Dodger and many others i wont even list for combos with 1 cost creatures and this card to make a monster by turn 2.
How people rate cards on this site is stupid. if the only cards you play with/rate high are crazy, 8/8 killers or better, Magic will go the way of Yu-gi-oh.
Posted By:
DarkShinobi93
(7/17/2012 4:32:45 PM)
Strong card for the cost. You beef up a card (+3 toughness? how is that ever bad?) and you gain life, which while not the strongest mechanic, is almost never a bad thing. All for 
? This is a good card.
Also the art is nice, and flavorful for the power (+3 toughness, and 3 shields). it seems like one Rebecca Guay would have illustrated. I wonder what she would have done with it? I'd love to know.
Posted By:
Morgaledh
(9/8/2012 2:00:16 PM)
This is a solid aura. Boosts your creature and gains you life? Solid.
Posted By:
Lotsofpoopy
(9/2/2012 3:09:59 PM)
Auras like these should just have the subtype 'Limited' because that's the only place they'll ever be played.
Posted By:
Eternal_Blue
(7/6/2012 3:00:17 AM)
Define limted card. If you said, cards you play with because you have no other option, you are close. Ask yourself, would you pay for 3 life? Because that's what this card does. Its almost guaranteed that an aura will get 2 for 1 unless its Rancor.
Posted By:
TheWrathofShane
(10/10/2012 2:33:46 AM)
Temple Acolyte without a body
Posted By:
SemperNemo
(9/29/2012 12:36:09 AM)