Pojo's Magic The Gathering news, tips, strategies and more!

Pojo's MTG
MTG Home
Message Board
News & Archives
Deck Garage
BMoor Dolf BeJoSe

Columnists
Paul's Perspective
Jeff Zandi
DeQuan Watson
Jordon Kronick
IQ
Aburame Shino
Rare Hunter
Tim Stoltzfus
WiCkEd
Judge Bill's Corner


Trading Card
Game

Card of the Day
Guide for Newbies
Decks to Beat
Featured Articles
Peasant Magic
Fan Tips
Tourney Reports


Other
Color Chart
Book Reviews
Online Play
MTG Links
Staff



This Space
For Rent

Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Stoneforge Mystic
Image from Wizards.com

Stoneforge Mystic
Worldwake

Reviewed April 5, 2012

Constructed: 4.40
Casual: 4.40
Limited: 4.33
Multiplayer: 4.12

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Stoneforge Mystic

I'm a little surprised to even see this one on Card of the Day at this point. It was banned in Standard, that's how good it is. And unlike all the other cards we've reviewed this week, it's rotated out of Standard even without the bannings. But it has not, as far as I know, been banned in Modern yet despite that format having a banned list as long as the line to get into the Helvault. So I guess this is as good a time as any to take a fresh look at Stoneforge Mystic through the lens of the formats it is now legal in.

Personally, I can't even talk about Modern. This is a format where turn four Emrakul is considered moderate to sub-par. I think Mystic would probably be good, especially if there's a combo involving an Equipment that I'm not thinking of just now, but if Batterskull is the best it can go get, well, that's not good enough anymore.

Casual formats, on the other hand, would love this. People love to build decks full of all sorts of Equipment, and the Mystic lets you go get whichever one you want. In Commander, it'd be a great tutor. The fact that it also puts Equipment into play from your hand isn't so overpowered as people think. You still have to pay 1W to do that, and you still have to pay to Equip it. Most Equipment that costs much more than 2 or 3 has an Equip cost to match. Going and fetching Argentum Armor may sound awesome, until you remember that you still have to wait until you get six mana to actually use the Armor. So really, the only card that this gets nuts with is Elbrus, the Binding Blade, and that just sounds like enough fun that I'm not worried. I'd recommend Stoneforge Mystic to anyone who has the cash to pick up a copy.

Constructed- 2.5
Casual- 4
Limited- 3.75
Multiplayer- 4

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Stoneforge Mystic
 
I honestly can't believe we've never reviewed this card before. I'm guessing perhaps the reason is because a lot of the things that can be said about this lady were said in other places already. While it's considered a truism that anything that tutors and reduces cost, like she does, is "inherently" broken, it's also true that there are a lot of more innocent uses for this card, unlike others that appeared in Caw-Blade. Yes, she's the most powerful equipment tutor in Magic so far, possibly the most powerful ever assuming that Wizards of the Coast wants to avoid Caw-Blade-style fiascos in the future. But because of the nature of equipment, a lot of her power comes from the environment. If your deck has Trailblazer's Boots and Adventuring Gear, she's cute. If it has Behemoth Sledge and Sword of Vengeance, she's strong. If it has Batterskull and Umezawa's Jitte, you're probably playing Legacy. She's either the most broken card in Magic or the most fun card in Magic, and which one is entirely up to you - I don't think you can say that about any other card that exists!
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is one I'm surprised we haven't reviewed yet as it is undeniable powerful and the only non-Blue card currently banned in Extended in addition to being banned in Modern and Singleton formats. 
The card is of course Stoneforge Mystic which is a two mana White 1/2 that can tap for two to put an equipment from your hand into the battlefield and allows you to search your library for an equipment card to add to your hand when it comes into play.  The potential for bypassing the drawbacks of higher casting cost equipment cards is a huge force to contend with and even without the search aspect the Mystic can drastically accelerate an offensive.  It takes quite a bit to join cards like Jace, the Mind Sculptor on a banned list which leaves Stoneforge Mystic as a card that will be played where legal for a long time.
 
Unlike some of the other formats, Stoneforge Mystic is legal in Limited and a first pick bomb provided it is supported by any decent equipment cards that become available.  Equipment cards are already powerful in a format driven by creatures and multicolor decks benefit from their colorless nature, so support like this is even more useful.  This is not a card to pass in Booster even if it isn't in your colors and Sealed should seriously consider White whenever this is in the pool alongside even a small number of equipment choices.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

       Welcome to the Pojo.com Card of the Day section. Today, we are looking at Stoneforge Mystic from Worldwake. Stoneforge Mystic is a rare white creature kor artificer that costs one generic and one white mana for a 1/2. Stoneforge Mystic says when it enters the battlefield, you search your library for an equipment card, reveal it, and put it into your hand, the shuffle your library. Stoneforge Mystic also has an ability that says pay one generic and one white mana, tap, put an equipment card from your hand onto the battlefield.

     Ah, the good old Stoneforge Mystic. One of the most loved cards for a specific deck, Caw-Blade. Well, that was right up until it was banned. And rightfully so. Such a powerful card, even by today’s standards. Imagine being able to fetch Elbrus the Binding Blade turn two, then turn three have it on the field and equipped to say, a Suntail Hawk you dropped first turn. You would no doubt have a 13/13 out following that swing. And at that point, your opponent will likely scoop, or put up a decent fight before succumbing. But the real purpose was used to fetch your swords, and then really put the hurt on.

      Such a good card. It was a shame that so many people decided to run copy-cat decks that the Mystic ended up being banned. I would have liked to see her utilized in other kinds of decks. But now, I suppose since she is not in Standard anymore, we could still see her in action yet again!

Limited: 5/5
Casual: 5/5
Constructed: 5/5
Multiplayer: 4/5


Copyright© 1998-2012 pojo.com
This site is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with any of the companies or products featured on this site. This is not an Official Site.