[SCD] Infiltration Lens

[(nameless one)]

Infiltration Lens

Artifact - Equipment (SoM uncommon)

Whenever equiped creature gets blocked, you may draw two cards.

Equip

When I saw this, the first thing that came to my mind is Skullclamp. Although the card has reminsence of Skullclamp, it is by all mean not as broken as its predecessor (and will not be bringing back that old Crazy Eights.dec).


Yes, having your opponent chose (in a sense) is somewhat frowned upon but its two hard choices the opponent has to deal with. Would he rather let a 5/6 Goyf through or chumpblock it and have you draw two cards?

That said, could Zoo use this card as a source of card advantage? Could other aggro decks utilize this? Maybe this will push Aggro Elves to tier 1.5 (not like we're scared of that)

Also, the card is fetchable by both Stephanie (aka Stoneforge Mystic) and Trinket Mage

So, is this card a passable tempo card in a tempo oriented format? Will it see play in Legacy? Which decks could utilize this equipment?

[alderon666]

This card reminds me of Browbeat.

Just throwing this cards in a random deck is just not gonna work. You have make so that either taking the hit or blocking the creature are equally bad for the opponent. IDK how you're going to do that. Options that come to my mind are: fast aggro/burn, tempo, creatures with "When deal damage to an opponent...".

[jhhdk]

Infect & pump seems like a natural fit, ie. do i let this sucker through risk lethal pump or let opponent draw more pump?

[Humphrey]

looks ok on goyf for me

[sco0ter]

Best use for it is probably with Provoke or Lure effects.

[Vacrix]

It has great synergy with Infect, but Infect looks like a mechanic thats too weak for Legacy. Even Berserk Stompy which has the best chance of abusing Infect probably won't bother with it.

I must say though, its a low investment both to play and equip, meaning it certainly has the potential to be played in Legacy. The main problem I see with this card is that if your opponent is forced to block this creature then he is likely already in a losing position in the first place, meaning that its win more. You'd have to play it with creatures that you want to attack unblocked, in which case you are likely just trading with the opponent.. unless of course you are playing something like Maze of Ith. Maybe Provoke creatures plus Maze of Ith? Maybe this could be played in Soldiers, which often already runs Deftblade Elite. Hell, you don't even need Maze of Ith with Deftblade Elite as it already has that ability built in. Looks like a pretty sick engine actually.

[arebennian]

Just throwing this cards in a random deck is just not gonna work. You have make so that either taking the hit or blocking the creature are equally bad for the opponent.

Goblins has 12 such creatures...

Here is my post from the goblins thread:
I was as thinking about Infiltration Lens, as perhaps a 2 or 3 of in a list with 4 Lackeys, 4 Instigators and 4 Piledrivers. While often the opponent will just Burn, Exile or Destroy them, often I find my opponent just sits a big green creature (or two) infront of them. They are happy to trade the creature (if blocking piledriver) or kill it (Lackeys).

With the equipment, they are boned either way.

I realise that you can simply destroy them with a wierding, stingscourger or gempalm, but often those forms of removal are, someone, conditional.
The equipment is also conditional, as it allows the opponent to decide which action will have the least amount of impact on them (to block or not to block), but it is a 'your screwed' either way. However, I do realise that this is also the problem which plagues 'punisher mechanic' cards.

I think costing 1, and 1 to equip, it doesn't take away a huge amount of tempo and I would like to hear others thoughts...

[Humphrey]

I think the discussion belongs to the goblin thread, but a deck with 4 instigators and 2-3 lenses looks worse than decks with mwm, chieftain and such

[Puzzle]

Would you consider playing Neurok Hoversail, because for one more to equip, it doesn't give the opponent the choice whether to block or not ?

Thought not...

[Sigar]

Lol? One more mana to equip is huge! Turn 1 lackey, turn 2 play lens, equip and attack. And flying creatures do exist.

[coraz86]

I must say though, its a low investment both to play and equip, meaning it certainly has the potential to be played in Legacy. The main problem I see with this card is that if your opponent is forced to block this creature then he is likely already in a losing position in the first place, meaning that its win more. You'd have to play it with creatures that you want to attack unblocked, in which case you are likely just trading with the opponent.. unless of course you are playing something like Maze of Ith. Maybe Provoke creatures plus Maze of Ith? Maybe this could be played in Soldiers, which often already runs Deftblade Elite. Hell, you don't even need Maze of Ith with Deftblade Elite as it already has that ability built in. Looks like a pretty sick engine actually.

This.

A large part of what made Skullcllamp retarded was that you could just sit around and use it; the sweet dew-bejeweled goodness of Skullclamp depended on how you built your deck and what you did with it, not how your opponent reacted to it. For reference, this is the difference between Thirst for Knowledge and Browbeat. I'm sure this card has homes in other formats, and there are decks I will certainly test it in for Legacy, but I don't think there's any obvious archetype to just toss them into or an obviously optimal number even in decks it fits neatly into.

[Puzzle]

Lol? One more mana to equip is huge! Turn 1 lackey, turn 2 play lens, equip and attack. And flying creatures do exist.

I accept that this argument may have some validity if Neurok Hoversail was anywhere near playable...

1 mana is also the difference between Browbeat and Concentrate. Guess what : neither gets played.

[perm]

I accept that this argument may have some validity if Neurok Hoversail was anywhere near playable...

1 mana is also the difference between Browbeat and Concentrate. Guess what : neither gets played.

A bad card that is 1 less than a bad card doesn't get played?? You sir are the great thinker of our time.