This will serve perfectly as win condition for my Counterspell deck.
Tommy9898
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
Don't forget that it will always give first strike. Feel free to put it in a limited deck if you think the mana is worth just first strike even if you have few sorceries and instants.
Nins_cupholder
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
@ JFM2796
That would be the epitome of a blue lame and funny deck. Preferably equip the +counterspell equipment to a Storm Crow.
jsttu
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Has potential, use an invisible stalker as the carrier and have lots of counters, bounce and overall disruption. meanwhile your creature will get steadily stronger and will relentlessly hit your opponent for increased damage each spell you cast. I could totally see it happening.
Singe
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is good to use with Sorcery and Instants that draw. Tutor spells that are Sorcery and Instant also help. The most notable one is Sorcery and Instants that add mana to the mana pool.
Nayban
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Wasnt sure about this card, but having come here, and seeing the other comments, I think I may run it with a Blue black creature removal deck.
Lyoncet
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
The fact that it always gives First Strike for a reasonable cost (too much for just that on its own, but decent with the pump) makes me consider running this. Pretty much every color has ways of getting plenty of cards into their graveyard without losing card advantage, so it could end up getting a little play. If nothing else, it can lead to some fun times, and a combat math headache for your opponent if you're running combat tricks!
For 30¢ a piece, I'll take a playset! :D
Necroci
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I can see this being run as the win condition in a control deck filled with counters and draw. Simply counter or bounce every threat you opponent throws at you until you draw this and the Stalker. Swing for the win a turn or two later.
Uhhsam
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
this card reads really boring, for some reason, but in practice, it can be really strong. even with only a couple spells in the yard, +2/+0 and first strike is nothing to sneeze at. when you start adding combat tricks to the mix, this thing will just chew right through any defenses your opponent thinks they have and they'll be forced to spend removal on some random one-drop of yours just to make the pain stop until you equip it onto some other random one-drop and resume the beating.
even though it flavorfully seems blue, i find it works best in any kind of green deck featuring trampling creatures and as many combat tricks as you can manage. i'm a big fan of the 'prey upon your dude pre-combat, then bash for huge' technique.
some might call that 'win more', but i definitely see it as 'fun more'!
Attract
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Pretty awesome card in a pump spell infect deck. The first strike is huge, and it obviously benefits from used titanic growths and assault strobes. This card and livewire lash are great for pump infect decks.
Hylebos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's a shame it doesn't also count Enchantments, but that might make it a tad too strong. But it would make sense, runes are practically enchantments that you engrave into various objects, why wouldn't a Runechanter's Pike also count enchantments?
Ah well. Great card none the less, my Flying Fortress Crab wielded it like a boss in my Suicide Mill Deck that I drafted. It might eventually find a home in a Burning Vengeance deck that I'm designing.
Shrubbery88
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Works well in a blue/white or blue/black control deck with Inkmoth Nexus as the win condition. Stall stall stall until you can hook this onto inkmoth for a 1-2 turn win.
SarpNasty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Honestly though. Invisblade conrtol should be crazy good in this set...
the_sixth_degree
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
After seeing my friend run this in his draw engine/counterspell deck and getting hit in the face by a 17/5 Sturmgeist, I now realize just how scary this card can be.
Tiemuuu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In a limited game, my opponent put this on a Homicidal Brute. I lost in two turns. It added insult to injury, that he bounced my Balefire Dragon TWICE to my hand.
If I only had remembered that Geistglame in my graveyard at the time...
Why I specifically chose infect creatures there is a mystery to me too, to be honest :$
MagnaLynx21
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This could quite easily get there. I'm amazed the blue red Delver decks don't make use of this. It adds another use to the Ponder, Gut Shot and other burny' card advantagy' spells in there.
badmalloc
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Equip this on Geist of Saint Traft. Now he can survive a blocker. Also run lots of bounce, to remove blockers and grow bigger.
Durendal857
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is so insanely powerful. Been running it in UB Infect since it hit standard. Between all the cantrips Ponder and Probe. And all your removal you can kill with one hit after the intial touch of a Virulent Wound or Inkmoth. I have won a suprising number of games off of turn 1 Probe by paying life, if they have a slow draw drop Inkmoth and then animate it turn 2. Proliferate here and there, blah blah, the. When they over extend you tack the pike on anything, and slam in for 8 with anViral Drake or Skith.
Even in non poison decks, this was a sleeper card, over looked by Swords and such. The first strike is what breaks it to me. That you can swing in with a Snapcaster for 9 and stuff titan is nasty and just wrong.
Shadoflaam
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Wow I REALLY underrated this. It's pretty resilient.
KingJCa
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The poor man's sword :D
rainbowdash
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
really, this is rated under 4 stars? do you guys not realize that multiple delver decks have won tournaments with this as a 3 or 4 of in their deck?
BonniePrinceCharlie
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I even like Viridian Claw, but this thing is very close to a strictly better swap-out for the Claw in most cases. Nice card.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Switch this card's rarity with Trepanation Blade and Innistrad is perfect. Or at least if it weren't for Snapcaster.
HedronMyr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This thing is amazing in blue and especially in something like Delver. Its use tapers down considerably in certain colors, making it just shy of five stars for me, but this can win a game for the right deck almost on its own.
CrimsonAssassin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Green buff spells such as Titanic/Giant Growth would be nice to further fortify your creature if you have several other instant/sorceries in your graveyard!
Green/Blue w/Stalker seems like a viable option for this weapon!
Ntrox2x
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I personally love this card. Threw four of em in my B/G control deathtouch deck and it works wonders. While I'm keeping my opponent at bay with murder, dismember, victim of the night, etc... My typhoid rats, recluses, and Vampire nighthawks just beef up...and I don't know about anyone else but deathtouch plus first strike is up there in my books.
Zylo-
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is solid in any deck with a few sorcery and instants. It is an absolute bomb in a deck that runs lots of sorcery and instant spells. It can be more powerful than sword of feast and famine... If your creature was battling an opponents creature and you could choose which creature had which piece of equipment.... Which would you want..... I'd equip the pike to mine every time... First strike and more power....
If there were no opposing blockers the sword is better but there's usually blockers.... Runechanter's Pike all the way
mangara137
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
After a quiet long game with my mono blue control deck, I equipped this to my only creature on the battlefield, Augur of Bolas and swinged for 18. :D Absolutely gorgeous card!
10/22/11: shouldn't have been rare. only really devastating if you mill yourself. and poor choice milling someone with this in play. edit: i take back all that i said. i run one in a draw-to-burn deck and by turn 5 this is usually giving my goblin electromancer +9/+0.
Since there's only one Delver of Secrets mention so far, I guess I'll add another. This card is Vintage playable in competitive Delver decks. It can end the game for .
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jeleva EDH
21+ power first strike flying commanders are no joke.
MRK1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
5/5 for sexy art and playability. Look closely, you can see Snapcaster Mage is holding something...
Comments (36)
That would be the epitome of a blue lame and funny deck. Preferably equip the +counterspell equipment to a Storm Crow.
For 30¢ a piece, I'll take a playset! :D
even though it flavorfully seems blue, i find it works best in any kind of green deck featuring trampling creatures and as many combat tricks as you can manage. i'm a big fan of the 'prey upon your dude pre-combat, then bash for huge' technique.
some might call that 'win more', but i definitely see it as 'fun more'!
Ah well. Great card none the less, my Flying Fortress Crab wielded it like a boss in my Suicide Mill Deck that I drafted. It might eventually find a home in a Burning Vengeance deck that I'm designing.
If I only had remembered that Geistglame in my graveyard at the time...
Why I specifically chose infect creatures there is a mystery to me too, to be honest :$
Even in non poison decks, this was a sleeper card, over looked by Swords and such. The first strike is what breaks it to me. That you can swing in with a Snapcaster for 9 and stuff titan is nasty and just wrong.
Green/Blue w/Stalker seems like a viable option for this weapon!
If there were no opposing blockers the sword is better but there's usually blockers.... Runechanter's Pike all the way
Oh well, goes great with Kamahl, Pit Fighter especially.
edit: i take back all that i said. i run one in a draw-to-burn deck and by turn 5 this is usually giving my goblin electromancer +9/+0.
21+ power first strike flying commanders are no joke.