Today's card of the day is Haunted Plate Mail
which is a four mana equipment with an equip
cost of four that gives +4/+4 and if there are
no creatures under your control for 0 can become
a 4/4 creature until end of turn. The equip cost
is fairly high for a vanilla effect, though
combined with equipment support, evasive, or
other useful effects this isn't bad. It really
shines when no creatures are in play and
alongside other activated creatures like
Mutavault that can become creatures after it. A
theme with that and mass removal is interesting
and potentially viable, though it may not reach
the higher levels of competitive play.
Dodging non-instant speed removal is a benefit
as well and the zero cost allows it to be used
on any turn without leaving mana untapped, which
is particularly useful in Multiplayer.
In Limited this avoids the typical drawbacks
of topdecking an equipment with no creatures in
play or having any targets get removed. As a 4/4
for four colorless it is efficient and
aggressive for any multicolor deck and should
always be included in Sealed and makes for a
good non-committal first pick in Booster to
leave color choices open. The actual equip cost
is still somewhat high, though that is lessened
in the format as the mana should be available
more often than not.
I went to the bar last night and bumped into
Supreme Verdict in the parking lot. I walked
into the bar and I saw Mutavault and Haunted
Plate Mail having a great time! This equipment
could easily be used in every format. Haunted
Plate Mail is a versatile card that can buff up
a creature, be a beat stick or a simple blocker.
Players that love board control will at least
think about using Haunted Plate Mail. When it’s
all said and done, Haunted Plate Mail may never
make it into your deck but it will find a home
somewhere.
I really liked having two weeks planned out.
The more advanced notice I have the easier it is
for me to write reviews.
Four is the magic number for Haunted Plate
Mail.
Casting cost of 4
Equip cost of 4
Gives a creature +4/+4
Turns into a 4/4 creature if you don't have any
other creatures on the field.
This is an easy first pick in draft. It pumps up
your creatures and is devastating when equipped
to anything with evasion. Now in M14 there is a
lot of artifact hate, Smelt, Demolish,
Naturalize, Artificer's Hex, etc. Upside is that
there is practically no strong targets for those
cards in draft so mostly likely they will be in
your opponent's side board for at least your
first match. Since its a rare odds are you've
only pulled one of these in drafts, so if your
opponent sides in 3 smelts in place of 3 shocks
you've just given their deck a good two dead
draws.
It also reminds me of the classic hidden knight
in armor from Scooby-Doo, so clearly that alone
makes it a good card.
