First strike is a very handy ability, and with
this in play, your creatures will ALWAYS go
first. Suddenly, trading creatures isn't an
option-- your opponent either has something
definitively bigger or can't even afford to
engage in combat. Gang blocking also becomes a
much more viable option or all your 1/1
weenies can kill a larger creature without you
losing any of them. Some pessimistic folks may
point out that your opponents' creatures can
still have double strike. To that I respond:
when was the last time you saw a creature with
double strike and lost to it? If double strike
were a more common ability, there might be merit
to that counter-argument, but as vanishingly
rare as it is, guaranteed first strike that can
never be matched for your entire team pretty
much means you rule the battlefield.
Much as I complain that these flavor (trope)
based blocks run out of tropes too quickly, I
actually feel like these Archetype creatures fit
pretty well in a Greek world. Remember those
passages from the Iliad where Achilles or Hector
set enemies to flight just by showing up in
their distinctive armor? In gameplay terms, I'm
not sure how often you'll be desperate to take
first strike away from your opponent's creatures
(although Black Knight is a threat to creatures
from any world or mythology), but giving your
own creatures first strike can be really, really
annoying for anyone trying to punch through your
lines. It means that if you have enough
creatures, they won't always be able to rely on
something larger like Polukranos or Polis
Crusher to just stomp through.
Today's card of the day is Archetype of Courage
which is a three mana White 2/2 enchantment
creature that gives all creatures you control
First Strike and prevents all opposing creatures
from having or gaining it. A three mana
2/2 with First Strike is not very useful, but
giving that to all of your creatures and having
supported types like human and soldier adds a
great deal of value. The opponent having much in
the way of First Strike is unlikely, though
higher in Multiplayer, and the benefits in
combat are mainly in avoiding otherwise even
trades. For that purpose the single extra
mana to play this alongside a soldier or human
deck is well worth it and it will be popular in
creature based White decks for the overall
advantage it provides.
In Limited the double White is a drawback, but
having First Strike in the format is a big edge
and even one other creature to make use of it
far outweighs any concerns with casting. A
strong second or third pick in Booster after a
White rare and in Sealed this should be played
whenever at least half of the deck is White.
Support should lean towards higher power
creatures, such as Elite Skirmisher or Loyal
Pegasus to take full advantage of the effects.
D(jk2m2389/Z2zVHU0rFN_EN.jpg)
