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Thread: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

  1. #1

    [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Surrakar Spellblade

    He combos with another card recently printed in the set RoE, Distortion Strike. He could also be used with the equipment card Trailblazer's Boots or Whispersilk Cloak. I have found through a little bit of testing that if he conncects and you cast an instant/sorcery or two (which is easy with blue due to cantrips like Ponder and Brainstorm), he gives an absurd amount of card advantage. The problem is getting him to connect, what with decks like Zoo running a lot of burn or Goblins having a large number of chump blockers. Also, a 2/1 isn't very impressive for a top-deck.

    A Legacy deck that is currently using him: R/U Aggro.

    I want to get more discussion in that thread about the U/R aggro deck in general, but could spellblade find home in some other Legacy deck? Or is spellblade too janky and I'm making him out to be something he isn't?

  2. #2
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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    He's cute I give you that, but as far as this creature goes i believe that Cold-Eyed Selkie does the same as you want this creature to do, with the difference that he does it better and have evasion.

    I also believe that the synergy with exalted (or random pump) is better then the synergy with playing lots of spells.

    Now if Gush would have been allowed...
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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    How about pairing him with viridian longbow? I mean, it was like my first 4-of I got in mirrodin (through packs no less).
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  4. #4

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by bowvamp View Post
    How about pairing him with viridian longbow? I mean, it was like my first 4-of I got in mirrodin (through packs no less).
    "Whenever Surrakar Spellblade deals combat damage to a player, ..."

  5. #5

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    I think he would work well in combo with cards that make 1 and 2 power creatures unblockable (there is a blue 1cc enchantment that does just this) and other creatures that give card advantage and do mean stuff when they connect...


    Dimir Cutpurse
    Hypnotic Specter
    Cold-eyed Selkie
    The 3cc Green White Snake From Two Sets Ago
    Ophidian
    The various ninjas that bounce back creatures and such when they connect


    Seems like a solid tempo deck.

  6. #6

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by cjva View Post
    He's cute I give you that, but as far as this creature goes i believe that Cold-Eyed Selkie does the same as you want this creature to do, with the difference that he does it better and have evasion.

    I also believe that the synergy with exalted (or random pump) is better then the synergy with playing lots of spells.

    Now if Gush would have been allowed...
    It seems like if your game plan revolved around one, it would do better with both. As for getting them through, instead of not-that-good evasion-giving cards, I'd rather use the old Forbiddian plan: Counter/bounce/kill their guys, plink them for a few, refill and do it again. Basically your usual MUC stuff, but with your card draw and wincon slots devoted to guys that both draw a few and hit for a few (which is one advantage over the original Ophidian, which could either ping or draw but not both at once).

    Is it viable? Probably not, but then again most things aren't.

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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tilde View Post
    It seems like if your game plan revolved around one, it would do better with both. As for getting them through, instead of not-that-good evasion-giving cards, I'd rather use the old Forbiddian plan: Counter/bounce/kill their guys, plink them for a few, refill and do it again. Basically your usual MUC stuff, but with your card draw and wincon slots devoted to guys that both draw a few and hit for a few (which is one advantage over the original Ophidian, which could either ping or draw but not both at once).

    Is it viable? Probably not, but then again most things aren't.
    I for sure see how you should use it, if you opt to use this card. But i discuss from a viability standpoint. As it is now, not even Selki (that I truly believe is the better of the two) see's play in legacy. And when was the last time Ophidian was a viable card? Somewhere around the same time as "the deck" was the deck to beat.
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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    I don't think its that great. You will spend all the resources you draw protecting it from removal and clearing the way of blockers. I agree with cjva. Selkie is much better. Why play something bad like Distortion strike to give it evasion, when Selkie already has evasion?
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  9. #9

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by cjva View Post
    I for sure see how you should use it, if you opt to use this card. But i discuss from a viability standpoint. As it is now, not even Selki (that I truly believe is the better of the two) see's play in legacy. And when was the last time Ophidian was a viable card? Somewhere around the same time as "the deck" was the deck to beat.
    I'm definitely with you on Selkie being better. But having eight slots for dudes that can beat and draw one or more cards, and the rest devoted to control, is mighty tempting. I doubt it's a better way to go than any of the other slow control decks, though.

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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    I really liked this card when it was spoiled as well, but my thought for it was a Miracle-Gro shell, replacing Werebear. So I was running Dryad, Spellblade and Tarmogoyf in a heavy counter/cantrip shell. It was ineffective at best. I think that Spellblade is a good card, but it's such a niche card that there's no good way to use it right now. Any deck you run him in, you want to pack with instants. But in order for him to stay on the board, you need to be packing plenty of other targets that will soak removal spells. It's a tough dichotomy to balance, since he's heavy blue and that generally means running counters, but he has no evasion, meaning you need lots of removal. It pulls the deck in too many different directions, and for him to be playable, you need a perfect storm of cards to create the shell to fit him in. 5 years ago, he'd have been a chase rare, but the speed of Legacy today...

    The rebound spell and Whispersilk might be cute in T2, however.
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  11. #11

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    since when did [SCD] suddenly stand for suboptimal card discussion.



  12. #12
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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by denial View Post
    since when did [SCD] suddenly stand for suboptimal card discussion.
    Well this thread is already about discussing optimal cards so a little digression is nice.
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  13. #13

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vacrix View Post
    Well this thread is already about discussing optimal cards so a little digression is nice.
    I havent read about a single optimal card in this thread at all.

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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by denial View Post
    since when did [SCD] suddenly stand for suboptimal card discussion.


    One might need to discuss suboptimal cards in order to realise that tey are suboptimal.
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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by denial View Post
    I havent read about a single optimal card in this thread at all.
    My bad I didn't realize that Brainstorm and Ponder were suboptimal cards.

    No seriously, I was trolling.


    There have actually been discussions of optimal cards on these SCDs. Weathered Wayfarer was a good example.

    I was thinking about starting one myself at some point, but less of a single card discussion and more of a 1 card vs. 1 card discussion (ie. Doomsday vs. Ad Nauseum).

    I agree with cjva. Just because people aren't playing a card doesn't mean its suboptimal. By discussing supposedly suboptimal cards we might come to a conclusion about that card finding its place in legacy.

    In context of this thread, we have concluded that Selkie does Surrakar's job only better. At some point, there might be a cool interaction with Surrakar, in which case we will necro this thread and prove the doubters wrong.
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  16. #16

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Does the ability trigger twice if you give it double strike with Double Cleave? Mostly, it seems like Surrakar Spellblade is too slow. (Just like Selkie which, AFAIK doesn't see much play either.) I find myself thinking that the Spellblade is more like Kiln Fiend,Gelectrode or Wee Dragonauts than Cold-Eyed Selkie though.

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    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Eh it not really like Kiln Fiend, Gelectrode, etc because it doesn't do absurd amonnts of damage, it just draws absurd amounts of cards. But yes, if Selkie doesn't see play then Spellblade likely won't either.
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  18. #18

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    Quote Originally Posted by denial View Post
    since when did [SCD] suddenly stand for suboptimal card discussion.


    Generally, cards that are known to be optimal have already proven themselves in specific viable decks, which have their own threads for discussion. Additionally, cards that are considered optimal but aren't are likely to be proven as such in testing and tournament results, whereas cards that appear suboptimal aren't going to simply reveal themselves as optimal (as some of them may be) if nobody is playing them or talking about them. Since in a tournament environment few people are going to play cards they believe to be suboptimal.

    TLDR version: In the best of all possible SCD threads, all is for the best.

  19. #19

    Re: [SCD] Surrakar Spellblade.

    I think you would want to play him in a pure control deck reminicant of the U/r phid decks from old type 1. Becuase once you hit for 2 with spellblade in a control deck your oppeonent has lost. By trying to beatdown in u/r aggro you are taking away the fact that the spell blade gains power later in the game when your opponent is low on answers. I would look into a u/b or u/r control deck as basis. something like this but it probably needs more removal.

    3 tombstalker
    4 spellblade

    4 bs
    3 ponder
    3 spell snare
    4 top
    3 counterbalance
    4 fow
    4 thoughtseize
    3 counterspell
    4 diobloic edict

    8 fetch
    4 sea
    3 swamp
    6 island

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