Because goblins needed a repeatable instant-speed 4-damage Goblin Grenade...
.Blaze.
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This is'nt goblin grenade. That cost 1 mana and can win you the game. This costs 5 mana to play and use right away and can't actually kill the opponent. Really, this just lets you make a bunch of 1 for 1 trades. Still, that is still a strong effect and I wonder if this will have an impact on standard.
majinara
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
As Blaze said, Goblin Grenade is in a far different league. I'm not sure about this guy. With cards that return goblins to play, you got recurring removal. On the other hand, it's a 1/1 for 3 mana, which is bad. And it's a 1/1 that does nothing unless you pay a total of 5 mana. For which I can already get a siege gang commander.
SkyknightXi
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
...I think I'd rather do my arms shopping in Mercadia.
sVs
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Very good... he doesn't even have to tap.
ilovealara
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The thing that makes this so good is that it is recurring removal. Most goblins are 1/1 or 2/2, and this can take out anything with toughness less that 5. I cannot stress how much this helped me at the prerelease. It takes out Serra Angel, Captain of the Watch, and many others. With Krenko's Command, it gets out of hand.
blindthrall
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This guy has won so many games for me...for some reason people ignore him, even as they're asking what killed all their creatures.
marmaris74
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Yes, this isn't Goblin Grenade. But this guy has endless possibilities, especially when you can use him with Krenko, Mob Boss. If you have enough tokens, this card will be a huge pain for your opponent.
In Standard we have Krenko, Mob Boss and Krenko's Command. Go further back and we also have Dragon Fodder and Empty The Warrens; loads of token (ammunition)-making goodness. Boggart Shenanigans from Lorwyn also lets you share the joy with your opponent. It doesn't require a tap to use, and a well-executed Goblin deck should be able to spare the mana in the later game to blow a massive hole in your opponent's defences to allow the remainder of your forces through for the win. And as for it being 1/1, there are more than enough goblin Lords or other pump cards.
Defiunite 4.5/5.
Halfhound
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is great. I've killed a 7/7, 10/10, and an 8/8 in one game with this and Krenko, Mob Boss. He had no chance to use them and didn't know how I could do so much damage with just this card
In short, this card is the equivalent to throwing a bunch of token cards at your opponent
Weisse
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
An easily underestimated, but very versatile card. Block a 10/10 with it then sac it and kill the other 4/4 attacker.
I don't think Illusionist's Bracers works with Arms Dealer because the Dealer's ability is a mana ability. The bracers seem to only work for tap abilities.
manaderp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
That's... Not what a mana ability is. From the CR:
605.1a An activated ability is a mana ability if it meets three criteria: it doesn't have a target, it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves, and it's not a loyalty ability. (See rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities.")
605.1b A triggered ability without a target that triggers from activating a mana ability and could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability.
Comments (24)
Defiunite 4.5/5.
In short, this card is the equivalent to throwing a bunch of token cards at your opponent
4.5/5
"Arms" dealer, get it? =D
I don't think Illusionist's Bracers works with Arms Dealer because the Dealer's ability is a mana ability. The bracers seem to only work for tap abilities.
605.1a An activated ability is a mana ability if it meets three criteria: it doesn't have a target, it could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves, and it's not a loyalty ability. (See rule 606, "Loyalty Abilities.")
605.1b A triggered ability without a target that triggers from activating a mana ability and could put mana into a player's mana pool when it resolves is a mana ability.
Illusionist's Bracers won't get you GG out of an Avacyn's Pilgrim, but it will get you eight damage out of this guy.