This is an incredible boon to any green deck.
The static ability makes blocking very hard for
your opponent to feel good about, even if
they've got the better creatures on the table.
And the activated ability gives you your choice
of four effects, so you've always got a good one
to choose from. The only real downside here is
the potential for choice overload. Do you go for
the +1/+1 counter to save a blocked creature, or
let the creature die so you can put the counter
on a better creature, or shoot down a flyer? If
your opponent can't block profitably, he may as
well attack all-out, so you might need that 3
life as well! And so forth. Using the Bow to its
potential, much like a real bow, will test your
skill, but it can be amazingly powerful if you
can do it.
I have to point out that this is technically
an enchantment that taps for an effect, a la
Witch's Mist from Future Sight. Granted, it's
also an artifact, but still. I know that Wizards
of the Coast's official line is that we're
always supposed to be looking (and spending our
money) forward, not back; but frankly, my way is
just more fun. On that note, when is the last
time you ever saw a modal spell or ability with
four options? Even if I missed one, I don't
think I've ever seen one where all of the
abilities can take over a game by themselves.
Historically, if you wanted your deck to be able
to permanently buff creatures and shoot down
flocks of Illusions or Faeries or stall burn
decks infinitely or reuse your graveyard at
will, it would have taken up so many spaces you
couldn't really do anything else. No more.
Today's card of the day is Bow of Nylea which
is a Legendary three mana Green artifact
enchantment that grants attacking creatures you
control Deathtouch. For two mana it can
tap for one of several effects with varying
value depending on the situation. The
attacking Deathtouch can be useful, but not
working for blocking or damage effects reduces
it noticeably. Reuseable burn for Flying
and counter production are both solid for the
low mana cost and one or the other should be
used whenever possible. The tap effects of
gaining three life and placing cards from the
graveyard at the bottom of your library are
rarely worth using compared to the other
effects, though combinations with other cards
that trigger from life gain or search the
library increase their priority.
Overall this is a decent card with a variety of
effects for almost any scenario that will see at
least some play across most formats for the
versatility, even if no one effect is truly a
showstopper.
In Limited this is a flexible and powerful card
that should usually provide a serious advantage
when it is in play, though as a topdeck it is
not particularly strong. At least one
effect should be beneficial on any given turn
and the Deathtouch at least makes blocking
decisions far more difficult for the opponent.
The double Green is a drawback, though even with
that it is a worthwhile first pick in Booster
that doesn't require specific support while in
Sealed it belongs in any deck with a base of
Green.
Bow of Nylea is the Swiss Army knife of Theros
block. This legendary artifact enchantment does
5 different things! Let me repeat that. Bow of
Nylea does 5 different things! This is an
amazing Draft card. Green players will be hard
pressed not to use Bow of Nylea in any format.
This multi-tool can help any creature in
Standard format, from Kalonian Hydra to
Archangel of Thune. Bow of Nylea can slow down
mil decks and pop small flying creatures! I
would honestly love to know how the creators of
this card decided on the abilities. Compared to
the other legendary weapons, Bow of Nylea seems
like a lazy throw together. Overall, Bow of
Nylea is good because it does so many things!
