In order for an Aura to really impress, it has
to either be a removal-Aura, or have some
built-in mechanic that alleviates the inherent
card disadvantage of Auras. Unholy Strength,
dating back to Alpha, doesn't have either
because it was designed before anyone really
understood "card disadvantage". If all you want
is a few extra points of damage, or to protect a
two-toughness creature from your own Pyroclasm,
then by all means. It is a pretty efficient
Aura, giving +2/+1 for a single mana, and after
all, the other guy doesn't always have the
Lightning Bolt and mana to cast it, but I'd
still be wary. This can turn even a lowly
Viscera Seer into a credible threat, and an
evasive creature like Liliana's Specter into a
beatstick to be feared. I suppose if you play
this on a mediocre creature, you could in theory
draw the opponent's ire away from the creature
you actually want to save, but outside of
Limited you'd be better off just playing better
creatures.
Amazingly, we have a second card being reviewed
for the first time this week - and amazingly,
it's Unholy Strength, one of the best-known
cards in the entire game. Part of the reason
it's so famous is because it's been part of a
balancing act with Holy Strength for such a long
time, and because of its amazing art that
reflects that duality. In gameplay, it doesn't
often show up in top-level decks, where Auras
are not usually very popular and where black
decks often don't have space after adding lots
of discard spells. Still, it's an option for
further strengthening creatures like Black
Knight or Vampire Hexmage, who are already solid
but occasionally lack a little bit of punch
against white or green creatures.
Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Unholy
Strength
Welcome back readers today's card of the day is
once again as old as Magic itself, Unholy
Strength. Aura's never get enough respect what
with the inherent disadvantage its only recently
that totem armor has lent strength to the card
type. In standard there is not small black
weenie deck and this card wont be utilized in
vampires, it doesn't have many combo
possibilities so its out in extended and eternal
as well. Barring some sort of small weenie black
deck I suggest casual players stay away from
this card. In limited this card can buff your
creatures if your in black or just splashing.
Overall a classic card whose applications have
fallen by the wayside, nevertheless a history
lesson in Magic and fundamental cards and
concepts, from a time when a pentagram on a card
led to a lack of demons. How far we have come.
Today's card of the day is Unholy Strength
which has been around since the beginning of
Magic and missed only sixth edition for a run at
all of the core sets. One mana for +2/+1
is a fair deal, but doesn't protect the target
from much in the way of removal or even
blocking. Used on something with evasion
this can be decent and if it deals even two
damage you get the card's value in when compared
to Shock, though needing a creature makes it
slightly less useful as a topdeck. Like
any aura getting more than one swing at the
opponent adds to the value, but it is difficult
to rely on that in any constructed format and
auras are inherently weak here.
For Limited this is a solid card to pick up that
has most of the offensive power of Giant Growth,
without the Instant benefit, that can remain in
play for multiple attacks. Costing only
one Black doesn't tie you down too deeply into
the color which allows it to be used in a two or
three color deck easily as well. A good
choice to pick after primary creatures and
removal that can help change the face of an
otherwise evenly matched battlefield into one in
your favor. Naturally suited to creatures
with Flying, Vigilance, First Strike, or higher
toughness to either take full advantage of the
added power or mitigate the minimal increase to
survival.
