I like this theme of "fixing" older cards that
should be reprinted, but can be improved or
simplified first. Silence and Cultivate were the
best examples, but this is a nice one too. While
Lightning Greaves cost two to equip and made it
impossible to add more equipment, this costs a
mere 1 to equip and grants hexproof instead of
shroud. Cards that grant haste to creatures need
to be cheap, at least on the turn you use them.
A 2/2 with haste just isn't impressive if you
spent five mana on it. And hexproof helps the
creature dodge kill spells while still being
able to pick up more equipment. I have no doubt
this will find its way into many an
Equipment-based, or even a creature-based, deck.
An update to Lightning Greaves . . . wait, what?
Was anybody out there actually reluctant to play
creatures with shroud because they couldn't
target them with Giant Growth? I suppose you
could argue that Swiftfoot Boots is intended for
small creatures or ones you might want to target
in general, and Lightning Greaves is for large
creatures or ones you don't need to target in
general, and that there's a place for both of
them in the game. It's unfortunate that
Swiftfoot Boots will be sharing a tournament
rotation with Sword of Feast and Famine (sadly,
that card's made some people discard a lot more
than cards), and might be overshadowed in
competitive environments somewhat. Still, a card
as powerful as this is certain to be adopted. If
nothing else, Commander decks will never stop
wanting ways to protect their general; and timed
right, it makes the comment "But the Titans die
to Doom Blade" seem just a little silly.
Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is
Swiftfoot Boots an upgrade to Lighting Greaves.
In standard, extended and eternal I don’t think
Greaves saw much play and I am inclined to think
this wont either, it moderately turns threats
into hasty untargetable threats although I don’t
know any decks that would want to play these
main deck nor sideboard, its not that it’s not a
great card it’s just it doesn’t fit into any
existing deck types. In casual and multiplayer
this card is leagues better, in commander it
provides another set of lighting greaves and a
way to protect your general from the hate that
gets thrown at them, it also provides a layer or
protection for important creatures and haste is
a decent ability as well. In limited its
equipment and should be drafted highly not a
first pick by any means but solid. Overall a
solid multiplayer and commander card with a few
applications for constructed.
Today's card of the day is Swiftfoot Boots which
is a two mana equipment with an equip cost of
one that gives Haste and Hexproof. The low
cost to play and attach make this a very
effective choice for many decks that feature
effect based or specific aggressive creatures.
As a replacement to Lightning Greaves it is
slightly weaker with the added equip cost and
improved by not being Shroud, though this is a
relatively small drawback to have the effects in
the modern format. Overall this is a good
defensive and potentially offensive choice that
will definitely see play in decks that heavily
rely on a particular creature.
For Limited the Haste can be a benefit if used
on a topdecked creature, but the Hexproof is
incredibly useful in the format and makes this
one of the best uncommons in the set.
Every Sealed deck should use this as even with
the lower amount of removal in Limited there is
enough to make it valuable in many situations.
For Booster it is almost worth a first pick
depending on the rare as it will work in any
color deck, though it is fairly easy to choose
as second or third choice.
