Pointed Discussion

You'd be better off using Diamond Valley with Preacher as opposed to Swords to Plowshares.

Yes, this is not for life-gain. This is amazing white removal.

A cheaper alternative to the Diamond Valley in that combo with Preacher could be City of Shadows which would give you reusable mana instead of life.

Incredible card, 5/5. It can either obliterate a major threat or juice your own life total for 1W! This hits every white deck I build.

The best spot removal I've ever seen and played with. Actually I don't remember not playing white (mainly for these, Balance and Disenchant) and not miss this card. It has been in every deck I made with white. So good. For one mana, at instant, get rid of a creature permanently. Yeah it's screwed by shroud and protection, but so can be said of any spot removal... and who cares about the opponent gaining life when you can get rid of an indestructible creature, a regenerating one, or an annoying one that keeps coming back from the graveyard for a reason or another, for one single mana? 5 stars as a spot removal. AND if you're really stuck in a bad position, you could target your own creature to gain life and get around a dangereous situation.

this was so *** awesome with 'preacher'

... I didnt have money for diamond valley. Besides, you remove their creature and then snag another one. Whose control it was under at the moment is arbitrary in the grand scheme if youve already got preacher or something similar in play.

Diamond valley might sound better in theory, but its really not. You can only really use diamond valley for that one purpose, whereas swords is versatile...

Very nice with abyssal persecutor.

This should've cost....... who am I kidding, this card is pretty much perfect.

Absolutely excellent. Path to Exile is a close second to this, but has a significant drawback. There is no such issue here.

Just gos to show how much value they put on lfiegain in early MTG.