Not being able to play it as an instant dropped it from 4 to 2.5. Its not an amazing card, but its not bad either. Amazing against mono-color, of course. Plus it lets you hose opponent's aura cards (by attaching this card to them then bouncing it back to your hand), which raises it from 2.5 to its final score of 3/5.
... I think you exspect too much. VERY few, IF any (as far as I've seen) in the enchantment area have been playable as an instant. We're talking about an enchantment or permenent protection til the game ends or the enchantment or creature it's attached to go away, now if it was a temperary thing, yeah, it better come in the form of an instant or 'play any time' ability. But as is it seems perfect as is.
This card is pretty cool! Love the idea of being able to arm a creature with protection from which ever color I choose! XD
DarthYoshi888
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
This + Wall of Glare = you are basically indestructable against any creatures that don't have flying, shadow, fear, etc.
Ace8792
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
My token spawning is mental with this and Sigil of the Empty Thorne, and Double Season. For 1 white mana i get 2 4/4 flying angels. For 3 mana i get 4 4/4 flying angles.
A3Kitsune
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Lol at that this had to be erata'd to ensure it stayed on if it gave a creature Pro-White.
SleetFox
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is great. Even when you're not comboing it (as Mr. Redhatter and Darth Yoshi have exemplified), it's cheap unblockability against single-color decks, an indestructible blocker against a troublesome creature, and often multicolored decks make it pretty obvious which color has the removal (white/black is the tricky one; pray for Vindicate or Unmake). Sure, you can't play it reactively via flash, but with a little planning this can save a creature's tail for a whole game. And if it does die, you can always get your card back for 1 mana.
Also, I feel like it's unnecessary to say, considering how many applications Doubling Season's little brother has, but Painter's Servant works with this.
Robert_G
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I don't think most people have the first clue how huge the implications of this card are. The combo's are absolutely endless.
I wouldn't be suprised to see it banned in the future.
5/5....no questions asked.
mdakw576
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's 1 mana to give protection from any color AND you can bounce it back to your hand to prevent any serious card disadvantage (one big problem with enchantments). The very cheap bounce also lets you abuse any enter the battlefield effects.
Being legacy/vintage, however, I doubt it sees much play. I'm certain that when tempest was in standard it was popular, as well as casual.
bijart_dauth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
at first i thought this card was bad, horible even. however, once i looked at it a bit more, i realised that it was cheeper than most protection spell i know that protect from a single color. and bounce affects on an aura would be good anyway (so if your creature dies you can keep it for another one), but a cheep bounce efect on a cheep card that also has a choose as it comes into play effect is awsome. i'd say an easy 4/5. plus the combo with the sigle makes 4/4 flying angles for {W}{W}
achilleselbow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you want the same effect as an instant, there's Ward of Lights. This is infinitely better though.
BlueCorona
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One question, when it says return the card back to the owner's hand, does it include if the card is in the graveyard or only when its in play?
BetrayerKol
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I really love the enchantments with the return to hand effect, as it helps negate card disadvantage. This is the best one of the set, by far - I'd love to see it return some time.
Evermint
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card needs to be reprinted with the appropriate text so people can stop asking me if Ward falls off after granting a creature pro-white.
Also, should be a rare.
Rudyolph
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Personally I love to play this on my Mounted Archers card. One creature to block them all...
Gaussgoat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is an incredible 1-drop enchantment for White. It effectively gives you a ward that is removable at instant speed. Holy smokes.
EASILY a 5/5.
WhiteyMcFly
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If only this card had flash. A guy can only dream I guess.
Bowshewicz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@BlueCorona: The return ability only functions on the battlefield, but you can activate in response to a removal spell, so no need to worry about losing it if it or the creature it enchants is destroyed. If Flickering Ward is countered, or if your opponent responds by killing your creature, you're out of luck.
Neolexus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is fun to play with Wall of Glare.
Ava_Adore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
very solid card, use it to kill enchantments on other creatures. or use it to punish onocolor decks, and you can save it at instant speed.
Superllama12
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Strictly better than all the other colored wards
AngelPhoenix
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is honestly one of the most powerful cards I've had the pleasure of owning. The only situation I've found where this backfires is that someone has a kill spell waiting and they take the creature out from under this as you cast it.
A good way to compensate for that though is to cast it on a weak creature initially and, if they're running anything that doesn't have any (or much) enchantment destrcution, they'll likely be propted to use a kill spell on that weak creature just to get rid of this, freeing you up to throw down something big.
Barring that, once this is out, it's nearly impossible to get rid of and obviously the fantastic ability of being able to return it to your hand and recast it to pick a different color cannot be overstated.
tcollins
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The flexibility of this card is astounding! For {W} at uncommon you can use it to:
-Give your creature protection from your opponent's removal spells. -Give your creature the ability to block their creatures without taking damage -Make your creature more evasive, it can't be blocked by the colour you choose. -Remove unwanted enchantments from your own creatures (such as Pacifism by choosing {W} or Clinging Darkness by choosing {B})
-Give your opponent's creature protection from his own spells and abilties by enchanting one of their creatures with it. -Remove your opponent's enchantments from their own creatures (such as Angelic Destiny by choosing {W} or Rancor by choosing {G}) -Make your opponent's creature unblockable (giving it protection from {W} when all of your creatures are {W}, useful against Lure effects or against a Prized Unicorn)
Lastly if the enchanted creature bites the dust, for {W} you can keep recurring Flickering Ward for more shenanigans!
Asmodi0000
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It might seem redundant playing this alongside Eight-and-a-half-tails, but beyond giving him protection that doesn't require mana input, you can also use his ability to turn your opponent's equipments white and then use this card to remove them from creatures/prevent them from being equipped.
Just another thing that can be done with this versatile card.
Hugo1
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
This totally annihilates mono-blue decks, they cant do a shit about it.
astrolet
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It becomes even better with Roo***er Shaman.
vesterpop
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
The bouncing effect could also be helpful against werewolves!
BongRipper420
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It's no Mother of Runes, but it has it's advantages. Also lol at the errata.
Comments (37)
... I think you exspect too much. VERY few, IF any (as far as I've seen) in the enchantment area have been playable as an instant. We're talking about an enchantment or permenent protection til the game ends or the enchantment or creature it's attached to go away, now if it was a temperary thing, yeah, it better come in the form of an instant or 'play any time' ability. But as is it seems perfect as is.
This card is pretty cool! Love the idea of being able to arm a creature with protection from which ever color I choose! XD
Also, I feel like it's unnecessary to say, considering how many applications Doubling Season's little brother has, but Painter's Servant works with this.
I wouldn't be suprised to see it banned in the future.
5/5....no questions asked.
Being legacy/vintage, however, I doubt it sees much play. I'm certain that when tempest was in standard it was popular, as well as casual.
Also, should be a rare.
EASILY a 5/5.
A good way to compensate for that though is to cast it on a weak creature initially and, if they're running anything that doesn't have any (or much) enchantment destrcution, they'll likely be propted to use a kill spell on that weak creature just to get rid of this, freeing you up to throw down something big.
Barring that, once this is out, it's nearly impossible to get rid of and obviously the fantastic ability of being able to return it to your hand and recast it to pick a different color cannot be overstated.
-Give your creature protection from your opponent's removal spells.
-Give your creature the ability to block their creatures without taking damage
-Make your creature more evasive, it can't be blocked by the colour you choose.
-Remove unwanted enchantments from your own creatures (such as Pacifism by choosing {W} or Clinging Darkness by choosing {B})
-Give your opponent's creature protection from his own spells and abilties by enchanting one of their creatures with it.
-Remove your opponent's enchantments from their own creatures (such as Angelic Destiny by choosing {W} or Rancor by choosing {G})
-Make your opponent's creature unblockable (giving it protection from {W} when all of your creatures are {W}, useful against Lure effects or against a Prized Unicorn)
Lastly if the enchanted creature bites the dust, for {W} you can keep recurring Flickering Ward for more shenanigans!
Just another thing that can be done with this versatile card.
4.5/5
Amusing misreads aside, this is pretty good, especially since you can bounce it.
3/5 Stars
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need.
I need a hero!
{W}{W}: Trigger anything that goes off when an enchantment is cast
Honestly, this would be playable if it just came into play and didn't do anything.