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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


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Auriok Steelshaper 
 


Reviewed March 4, 2004

Constructed: 3
Casual: 3.1
Limited: 2.4

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

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Card of the Day Reviews 


Chris
Gerhardt

* game store owner in CA, ShuffleAndCut.com

While Auriok Steelshaper seemed innocuous when it was released in Mirrodin, Darksteel has brought out the best in it by releasing a card that has incredible synergy with it, Leonin Shikari.  You only have to see the two in play together once to understand the true beauty of it.  Shikari lets you move your equipment at instant speed instead of sorcery. Steelshaper makes it cost one less. Two Steelshapers make it cost 2 less. Mmmm... Lightning Greaves, Bonesplitters, Skullclamp and many other equipments suddenly start flying across the board.  Protecting creatures, pumping some before damage, then moving to pump and save another creature after damage. It's quite poetic, actually, when you see it working in a tuned White Weenie deck.

The question here is, is it competitive?  Many people think so, and I've seen it showing up in Top 8 in 50+ man tourneys.  I really hope it is.  Anyone that has read my reviews with regularity knows I love WW.

In Casual, I know a lot of people think this thing won't fly, but I disagree.  I think that there are some great White Weenie builds for casual, and this card could truly be fun with the Shikari combo.

In limited, there are few decks that would make this card really worth the space.  You would have to pick up a GOOD number of decent equipments to make it worthwhile, and be going white to boot.

Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 2
Current Price:
Auriok Steelshaper $5.48
Lightning Greaves $4.50
Bonesplitter $0.44
Skullclamp $6.99
 


Judge Bill

*Level 2
MTG Judge

*game store employee

Thursday - Auriok Steelshaper
 
Now we step out of Darksteel and go back to Mirrodin, to a card that has great synergy with a card from Darksteel, Leonin Shikari. The bonus to Soldiers and Knights is OK, but the real bonus comes in the reducing of the equip cost. Being able to move around Bonesplitters and Skullclamps for free (and at instant speed, if you have Shikari out) is very strong. It allows you to spend your mana to play creatures instead of having to worry about paying equip costs.
 
In limited, this gets much weaker. You typically will only play 3-4 equipment cards, and unless you happen to get the tribal theme in Mirrodin (which is possible playing white, but unlikely), the bonus doesn't help much either. This would probably be pool dependent on whether I would play this or not.
 
In casual, the fun factor of the Steelshaper/Shikari deck goes way up, and it is just as effective there.
 
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 1.5


DeQuan
Watson

* game store owner (The Game Closet - Waco,TX)

* pro tour player

* Scrye writer since 2002

Thursday - Auriok Steelshaper
 
Some days I like this guy.  Other days, I don't like this guy.  Some people seem to want to force this card into heir white weenie decks and I'm not sure that is the best place for this creature.  I'll admit that you can get some really neat tricks with the help of Auriok Steelshaper and Leonin Shikari, but it may not always be worth it.  I would like him a lot more if he were even a 2/2 creature.
 
In casual games where you get all day to do things, this guy can give your army a real boost.  In limited, I not too sure this guys stock has any weight.  It's rare that you can get enough knights or soldiers to really abuse it. 
 
Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 3
Limited: 2


Jeff Zand
i

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Level 2 Judge

Auriok Steelshaper
In limited, this guy is very good in the mostly white decks, particularly
the decks with lots of Cub Scouts and Den-Guards and lots of equipment. I
don't play this guy if I have only a little white or only a little equipment
in a deck. I like this guy in some white weenie decks with equipment, but
his role in that deck is limted.
CONSTRUCTED: 2.5
CASUAL:           2.5
LIMITED:            3.5

Ray "Monk"
Powers
* Level 3 DCI Judge
*DCI Tournament Organizer
*Game Store Owner (Gamer's Edge)
Auriok Steelshaper

This is one of those cards that you think is strong, seems good, but just is too situational. First, its 1W for a 1/1. Second, it gives its ability only to soldiers and knights, and there's only so many good one's of those. Third, it requires another card (equipment), which means more cost, and if they kill the Steelshaper in response to equipping, the tempo loss is horrible.

For 1W you can run Crusade or for 1WW Glorious Anthem which gives all your creatures +1/+1 with no restrictions. I'd say run those instead.

Casual: 2
Constructed: 2
Limited: 2
Jason
Matthews


* Level 1 DCI Judge

*game store employee

* gaming for over 15 years
Thursday-Auriok Steelshaper

Not the most impressive of the white creature to come out of Mirrodin block. The cost reduction of the equip cost is nice but most of the equipment that is worth playing has to have a low cost so this ability just isn’t that good to me. The second ability is by far the better of the two since you can really build around it. Most of the good creatures in white are becoming soldier and Black Knight and Silver Knight are great at two power so three power makes them a force to be reckoned with. In limited he is a decent pick and in casual play he can be fun in a soldier deck. Best thing about him is at least he isn’t a legend.

Constructed 2.5

Limited 2.5

Casual 3

Jonathan
Pechon


2 Grand Prix Top 8's

Multiple Pro Tour appearances

Auriok Steelshaper

 

Nobody seems to be able to decide whether they really like the Steelshaper in the white weenie deck.  Personally, I think being able to ‘clamp and ‘splitter for free is pretty nice, and his bonus is pretty groovy.  Combine him with the Shikari and you’re all set for a good time on the beach.

 

In limited, you really need about 5+ pieces of equipment to really make this guy work out.  It’s better if those pieces of equipment are stuff like Sword of Kaldra and other expensive stuff.  You need to be paying attention to what kind of creatures you have in your deck before you look to drafting this guy highly.

 

This guy was more created for serious constructed decks; he doesn’t bring a lot of fun to casual play.  Again, it comes back to the idea that most equipment doesn’t have a place in casual games, unless you’re doing silly things with Triskelion and Scythe of the Wretched.  Unusable in Mental Magic.

 

Constructed:  3.5

Limited:  2.5

Casual:  2.0

Chase
Auriok Steelshaper

Duh! WW and equipment. It s sickening in those decks. Equip Bonesplitter to this for 0 mana, and all of a sudden you have a 4/2 that gives other bonuses to your army. Should go in most WW decks. Gives these decks a lot of surprise too. Bad on paper, but excellent in play testing.

In Casual, as I've said before, you can t take that much advantage of equipment as there hasn't been that much released. After Earth, we'll see more equipment and it'll make this more playable. For now, we'll be stuck with a deck pretty close to the current Type 2 version.

In Limited, I d take it of I was already going white, but it wouldn't make me switch to white as he s going to be very vulnerable.

Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3
 

 

 

 

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