This isn't the first Sliver to grant double
strike-- that honor goes to Fury Sliver. But
Fury cost six mana for a 3/3, while this is four
mana for a 2/2. It's also in white instead of
red. Since white seems to have a better
selection of Slivers than red, and this costs
less for what is basically the saem ability, I'd
definitely choose this one. The only drawback is
that it's a bit smaller (and in Shock range).
That may be important for Limited play (where
there are Shocks) but in Casual you're bound to
have a Sinew, Watcher, Lymph, or even
Crystalline Sliver to keep Bonescythe safe.
In my opinion, the question of which creature
ability is the strongest in the abstract comes
down to a choice between an evasive ability
(flying, shadow, whatever you call Silhana
Ledgewalker's ability) or double strike. On a
normal creature, double strike gives you a
ridiculous offensive clock and makes your
opponent reluctant to attack with anything that
costs less than twice what your creature does.
On this card, it all but ensures that the
opponent is about to be attacked by a herd of
winged, lifelinking, vigilant, regenerating,
possibly poisonous insectile carnivores. Yeah.
Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Bonscythe
Sliver
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
the upgrade and cheaper version of Fury Sliver.
In standard being white aids this sliver
dramatically, making it an easy addition to Naya
colored sliver decks and a powerful tool to make
sure your slivers dominate combat and are able
to push through for damage. A mana cost of four
while lower than the previous double strike
sliver still is about at the top of the curve
and may be unnecessary and a dash of win more,
or it could be the finishing blow needed to push
your deck over the top depending on your sliver
composition. In modern there exists a wider
variety of slivers but this creature may still
provide solid work for decks looking to dominate
combat. In legacy cheaper and more effective
slivers are the name of the game limiting this
creature’s usefulness. In casual and multiplayer
a strict upgrade to the previous double strike
granting sliver, double strike is quite a scary
ability and combined with the other combat
boosting effects of slivers will unquestionably
allow you to dominate combat. In limited this
card is powerful but requires dedicated support
and slivers, it leads you down the path of
drafting slivers but also there’s worse things
than a 2/2 double strike for four mana providing
a solid body as well. Overall a powerful upgrade
to a past sliver and a card sure to see casual
play and possibly some play elsewhere.
Today's card of the day is Bonescythe Sliver
which is a four mana White
2/2 that gives Double Strike to your slivers.
This is the key threat to Standard slivers and
can even see play in older formats as a fairly
low cost source of a very powerful effect.
White already offers some valid options to a
sliver build and this almost demands being
played as it makes any sliver nearly twice as
effective. Overall this is a definitive card for
Standard slivers and will see play in most
sliver builds barring one excluding White for
some reason.
In Limited this is a bomb provided it can be
supported with other slivers. An absolute
first pick, as a hate draft if necessary, as an
opponent with even a small number of slivers on
board with this may be far too much to defeat.
In Sealed this is easily supported by the common
Hive Stirrings and Sentinel Sliver even if other
colors aren't factored in, which makes it a top
choice for nearly every White build.
This card and Hive Stirrings makes white a
key component of a successful standard sliver
deck. It gives all of your Slivers Double
Strike. I mean what else can you say about that?
You're looking across the table and you see a
field full of Slivers. You'd be pretty scared
right? Unless you're holding board wipe you
should be. Now those Slivers have double strike.
Twice as scary.
