Easily one of the best commons in the Invasion Block. I re-read this card twice when I opened it in a pack, thinking I was misunderstanding it.
majinara
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
One of the few good auras. Costs only half as much mana to use as the Loxodon Warhammer, and can (unlike equipment) be played on your teammates creatures in team games, or on opponents creatures (in desperate cases), using the lifelink to even out the creatures damage. Risk for card diadvantage though, like with most auras.
Significant-Backlash
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Armidillo cloak + Krosan Vorine!
Weretarrasque
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Simply one of the best enchantments in the game. Use it in any deck with G/W.
Turn 1: Turn 2: cast Watchwolf Turn 3: cast Armadillo Cloak on the Watchwolf, attack for 5!
10 point life swing on turn 3. NICE!
Or if you want until turn 4 to give your opponent a chance:
Turn 1: Turn 2: cast Watchwolf Turn 3: Attack for 3 with the Watchwolf, cast Woolly Thoctar Turn 4: cast Armadillo Cloak on the Woolly Thoctar, attack for 10! (7 from the Thoctar and 3 from the Watchwolf)
That'll get you a 20 point life swing on turn 4. Hard to beat that!
This card has not been revised to use the lifelink keyword, so it appears that you can stack this with Loxodon Warhammer and Behemoth Sledge
Tanaka348
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
One of the very few beneficial Auras that becomes a really good card just by being that good, rather than somehow trying to offset the 2-for-1 potential.
pacifism is one of the best auras? you can do the same with the Cloak!
and armadillo cloak can't be re-written for lifelink as it would alter the functionality of the card. You can use this on the oponent's card, and you wouldn't be able to do so with Lifelink
Gomorrah
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pantheon- in the second situation, it's a 17 point swing (Watchwolf has no lifelink), but it's still a good play.
Clavat99
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Probably one of my most favorite cards. I love throwing it onto another players huge creature just so it cant do damage to me.
MasterOfEtherium
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I Like ARMADILLO'S
blurrymadness
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
When i was a to'al nub I found this card and thought "That's... ridiculous." I bought a set and... they're ridiculous. It sucks when you lose a creature with these attached but outside of getting trample and a meagre boost, the life gain makes it insane. Combine this with a CliffRunner behemoth or similar and you're getting 12+ life back.
Often I'd end up with 2 or 3 and I'd keep buffing the same creature, if only for the near exponential benefit you get for them. I remember in my *very* casual days I managed three of these on a suntail hawk with a few other enchanments. Was gaining something like 30+ life a turn off of that one bird. Even better I had a turn where I took over 100 damage, sitting at a mere 80 something. The good ol' days...
Still holds a good place in my heart even when I don't find a place for it in my decks.
Is it okay if I cackle while playing this card and looking at my opponent's face?
Lueseto
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
When it resolves, it's goddamn harsh. I hate when turn two Knight of meadowgrain comes followed up by this on turn three, and as armodillo cloak grants no lifelink, that's 8 life for the controller.
Definitely one of the best auras ever printed, in terms of power and fun. Even with the potential card disadvantage, the massive swing in life difference can often make it worth it. This was a popular and fun card in my playgroup for years.
docstorm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is nuts in an Enchantress deck. I love running it with Umbra Mystic. 4/5
Doghealer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
From a rules advisor:
The last ability IS NOT "Enchanted creature has lifelink." Lifelink is a static ability that adds an automatic additional effect to damage from the source its on, causing you to gain that much life. Multiple instances of lifelink on the same object are redundant.
This ability is simply "Whenever enchanted creature deals damage, you gain that much life." This is a triggered ability and nothing more. The effect is similar, but the methods are not.
What this means:
-Lifelink is not a triggered ability. Its effects happen instantly. This is best demonstrated by MTGO, where, when you swing with a lifelinker, (sometimes) no objects go on the stack, because lifelink isn't a trigger.
-This card's ability IS a trigger. Before you gain life, the triggered ability goes on the stack and can be responded to. This means, for example, you could be burned to death before the life gain resolves and saves you. It also means the life gain can be prevented entirely by countering the triggered ability.
-Lifelink doesn't stack. You can put lifelink on a creature fives times, but you still only get 1 life per point of damage.
-This ability DOES stack. If you enchant the same creature four times, when it deals damage, the trigger hits the stack four times. Assuming they all resolve, you gain life equal to four times the damage dealt. If it was combat damage, that's probably a lot of life, since it also has a total of +8/+8.
-This ability stacks with lifelink. If you enchant a lifelinker with this, when it deals damage, you'll first immediately gain life equal to the damage dealt from lifelink, then gain that much life again when (or if) the trigger resolves.
LONG STORY SHORT: This card can _usually_ be written off as "just gives lifelink", but there ARE key differences that CAN matter.
SkyknightXi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Further cementing the fact that this isn't with lifelink--The existence of Unflinching Courage. Suffice to say that if this WAS lifelink, there wouldn't have been much of a Vorthos reason not to just use this in Dragon's Maze.
PlanesMoyza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is so Selesnya, that I wonder why never get a reprint in neither of the Ravnica blocks.
MattLynn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rancor for trample, is arguably better due to CMC and the repeatable ability to cast because it returns to your hand. Of course, the toughness boost, lifelink and being a white aura helps in certain cases infinitely more. If there was a CMC 4 dillo cloak that bounced to your hand...I could only wish...
Aquillion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It really, really does work. This card is so much fun. And since it's not lifelink, in a real pinch you can drop it on your opponent's creature to make them incapable of damaging you -- obviously not an ideal use for it, but a good option to have.
(Note that cards that grant lifelink don't let you do that, since the creature's controller gains the life in this case. With this card, you do, even if you cast it on an opponent's creature for some reason, or the creature changes controllers or whatever.)
Comments (30)
1. Rancor 2. Pacifism 3. Treachery 4. Blanchwood Armor 5.Armadillo Cloak 6. Faith's Fetters 7. Spirit Link 8. Control Magic 9. Pillory of the Sleepless 10. Soul Link
These are in no particular order. Also, they have garnered at least 4 star ratings.
You need to add in Armored Ascension to your top 10 list.
Turn 2:
Turn 3:
10 point life swing on turn 3. NICE!
Or if you want until turn 4 to give your opponent a chance:
Turn 1:
Turn 2:
Turn 3:
Turn 4: cast Armadillo Cloak on the Woolly Thoctar, attack for 10! (7 from the Thoctar and 3 from the Watchwolf)
That'll get you a 20 point life swing on turn 4. Hard to beat that!
What about Serra's Embrace for the top ten list?
Agreeable cost, awesome buff, all-around-good
Add shield of the oversoul on watchwolf for a 7/7 Flying, indestructible, lifelink, trampling wolf
and armadillo cloak can't be re-written for lifelink as it would alter the functionality of the card.
You can use this on the oponent's card, and you wouldn't be able to do so with Lifelink
Often I'd end up with 2 or 3 and I'd keep buffing the same creature, if only for the near exponential benefit you get for them. I remember in my *very* casual days I managed three of these on a suntail hawk with a few other enchanments. Was gaining something like 30+ life a turn off of that one bird. Even better I had a turn where I took over 100 damage, sitting at a mere 80 something. The good ol' days...
Still holds a good place in my heart even when I don't find a place for it in my decks.
Pacifism rather than Kirtar's Desire?
Spirit Link but not Vampiric Link?
Diplomatic Immunity not mentioned?
I have some issues with your "Top 10" liir007
If you got no removal, god you are screwed.
The last ability IS NOT "Enchanted creature has lifelink." Lifelink is a static ability that adds an automatic additional effect to damage from the source its on, causing you to gain that much life. Multiple instances of lifelink on the same object are redundant.
This ability is simply "Whenever enchanted creature deals damage, you gain that much life." This is a triggered ability and nothing more. The effect is similar, but the methods are not.
What this means:
-Lifelink is not a triggered ability. Its effects happen instantly. This is best demonstrated by MTGO, where, when you swing with a lifelinker, (sometimes) no objects go on the stack, because lifelink isn't a trigger.
-This card's ability IS a trigger. Before you gain life, the triggered ability goes on the stack and can be responded to. This means, for example, you could be burned to death before the life gain resolves and saves you. It also means the life gain can be prevented entirely by countering the triggered ability.
-Lifelink doesn't stack. You can put lifelink on a creature fives times, but you still only get 1 life per point of damage.
-This ability DOES stack. If you enchant the same creature four times, when it deals damage, the trigger hits the stack four times. Assuming they all resolve, you gain life equal to four times the damage dealt. If it was combat damage, that's probably a lot of life, since it also has a total of +8/+8.
-This ability stacks with lifelink. If you enchant a lifelinker with this, when it deals damage, you'll first immediately gain life equal to the damage dealt from lifelink, then gain that much life again when (or if) the trigger resolves.
LONG STORY SHORT: This card can _usually_ be written off as "just gives lifelink", but there ARE key differences that CAN matter.
(Note that cards that grant lifelink don't let you do that, since the creature's controller gains the life in this case. With this card, you do, even if you cast it on an opponent's creature for some reason, or the creature changes controllers or whatever.)