Baleful Strix

[klaus]

I must admit, I'm pretty intrigued by that card. Stoneforge Mystic + Vial semi-break it for obvious reasons.
Strix is comparable to Snapcaster Mage on several levels: replaces itself, can serve as creature removal, with the exception that it can take down 3+ toughness creatures AND replace itself. Its -1 power is balanced out by the ability to conveniently fly over your opponents' forces, which is especially nice for Stoneforge shells - in fact Snappy would probably be even more broken as a 1/1 flyer.
I'm not implying that Strix will be format warping, but I'm sure it will see play in UWB shells. Below is a list off the top of my head for reference.

UWB Trix

4 Vial

4 Strix
4 SFM
4 Sprite
4 Dark Confidant
3 Snapcaster
3 Vendilion Clique

1 sofi
1 Jitte

4 STP
4 FOW
4 Brainstorm

4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Marsh Flats
4 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
1 Scrubland
1 Island
1 Plains
3 Wasteland

SB:
2 Disenchant
2 Extirpate
2 Surgical Extraction
3 Creature hate (Ghastly Demise / Perish / etc..)
2 Jace, the Mindsculptor
3 Spell Pierce
1 flex slot

Cards that didn't make it into the MD, but are feasible nevertheless: Daze, Vindicate, Bitterblossom, Serra Avenger, Grunt, Cavern of Souls, Mother of Runes, Chrome Mox (tempting with 19 creatures basically replacing themselves)
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What are your thoughts on that Owl?
..Discuss!

[Kich867]

I don't really understand why SFM breaks this card, are you just implying that equipping a flying deathtouch creature is useful?

[Aggro_zombies]

I feel like "replaces itself" is what it takes to make this card not horrible, as opposed to "good enough to see play in Legacy." Tidehollow Strix already exists and is just bad; trading a point of power for a cantrip does not seem like enough of an upgrade to me. Why play a mediocre removal spell stapled onto a mediocre cantrip plus a mediocre body when you could run good cards? Like, say, Lingering Souls?

[Arsenal]

In UWB Stoneforge shells, there are much better options (Lingering Souls, Bitterblossom, hell I'd even want Squadron Hawk over this Strix guy) to run that serve the same purpose; card advantage/parity flyer that can carry equipment like a champ.

[klaus]

meh you no liky me ideaz


But seriously: Tidehollow Strix and Baleful Strix are miles apart. It's like comparing Silvergil Adept to a 2/1 Ogre - and Strix doesn't even require creatures in your hand.
Hawks require a huge setup, Lingering Souls are extremely mana hungry and none of the aforementioned can take out Goyfs, Knights, and friends out
I'm sure time will tell.

@Kich867:
Yes, I'm implying that because SFM transforms Strix from a defense guy into an evasive threat.

[Tao]

I think it could see play. Creating card advantage and pitching to FoW seems solid.

it also discards to Thirst for Knowledge, so there you go

[(nameless one)]

Aluren.dec anyone for this bird or is Coiling Oracle good enough?

[Aggro_zombies]

meh you no liky me ideaz


But seriously: Tidehollow Strix and Baleful Strix are miles apart.
Hawks require a huge setup, Lingering Souls are extremely mana hungry and none of the aforementioned can take out Goyfs, Knights, and friends out
I'm sure time will tell.

I'd rather take out Goyfs, Knights, and friends with extra StP effects. Strix isn't really a removal spell; if it were, its text would be:

Destroy a creature that's attacking you and which can be blocked by a flying blue/black creature. An opponent may counter this ability by casting Swords to Plowshares, Punishing Fire, Path to Exile, Lightning Bolt, or Forked Bolt; or by activating a Grim Lavamancer, Qasali Pridemage, or removing a charge counter from Umezawa's Jitte.

Seems not so hot to me.

[klaus]

I think it could see play. Creating card advantage and pitching to FoW seems solid.

it also discards to Thirst for Knowledge, so there you go

It's Tezz-colored too

Edit:
@ AggroZombies:
Snapcaster requires STP in the yard and is a 3CMC spell. I'm pretty sure you're underestimating Strix.

[Dark Ritual]

If they waste removal on strix you should be happy because you just 0 for 1'ed them due to the cantrip ability.

It is interesting in tezz builds to be sure though. I guess time will tell with this card whether it will see play.

[Aggro_zombies]

If they waste removal on strix you should be happy because you just 0 for 1'ed them due to the cantrip ability.

It is interesting in tezz builds to be sure though. I guess time will tell with this card whether it will see play.

I can see it being decent in a Tezzeret deck as well, but it doesn't excite me anywhere else. The card is pretty mediocre IMO.

[Arsenal]

meh you no liky me ideaz


But seriously: Tidehollow Strix and Baleful Strix are miles apart. It's like comparing Silvergil Adept to a 2/1 Ogre - and Strix doesn't even require creatures in your hand.
Hawks require a huge setup, Lingering Souls are extremely mana hungry and none of the aforementioned can take out Goyfs, Knights, and friends out
I'm sure time will tell.

@Kich867:
Yes, I'm implying that because SFM transforms Strix from a defense guy into an evasive threat.

RE: Hawk, what "huge setup" are you referring to? Resolving it? Once resolves, you go fill your hand with 3 more Hawks. From there, your options can be mundane and unexciting (cast the 3 Hawks) to AWESOME (Brainstorm/fetchland) shenanigans. Mind you, I'm not advocating any UWB Stoneforge shell running Hawk, but his practical applications seems better than what you're arguing Strix for.

[The Wolf]

This triggers the sword of the meek you discarded to thirst. Soooo much value

[lordofthepit]

I like this in Aluren and Tezzeret Stompy builds. Not sure it sees play anywhere else, but it's borderline if it does.

[kiblast]

This card seems way better than Wall of Blossoms in non Recruiter Aluren. Blocks and kills everything, but most important, blocks Delver. Also, higher blue count for Fow. And lastly, you can effectively go off with this+ Harpy (for obvious reasons you can't with Wall of Blossoms, unless you have a Man o War out). Aluren has become a little more consistent

[Vacrix]

When this was first spoiled the first things I thought of were:

Academy Ruins
Trade with your opponent's creatures, then return it EoT to trade with another.. and without losing your draw because you put Strix on top. Also, Academy Ruins is good outside of this synergy so its not a dead card when you don't have Strix.

Esperzoa
Use it as a draw engine when you don't have a creature to trade with. I'd say its one of the better Esperzoa bounce options atm.


On closer examination though.. this card is still a bit too weak for legacy. Its unlikely your opponent will waste a removal spell on it and when they don't its congruent to a Terminate with a cantrip (which I would play).. but I'd say it falls into the Vexing Devil category of giving your opponents too much choice over the cards you play. When you really need Strix to be a removal spell its probably just going to be a creature and die to a removal spell.

[rxavage]

If it had flash and hexproof I would be excited... and I have a Tezzaffintiy build. I think its an ok card for a few reasons previously mentioned but by no means is it the next delver. I liked the comparison with vexing devil, cause more oft than not its going to eat a bolt before you get a chance to block goyf, goose,delver etc. But imo vexing devil is better.

[klaus]

"In the test bunker".
So far Strixdoes just what I expect from it and I enjoy playing with it.
The build above could probably trade the Bobs for 2-3 Flickerwisps and 1-2 Grunts for a little more oomph [has plenty of C/A already].

Edit:

RE: Hawk, what "huge setup" are you referring to? Resolving it? Once resolves, you go fill your hand with 3 more Hawks. From there, your options can be mundane and unexciting (cast the 3 Hawks) to AWESOME (Brainstorm/fetchland) shenanigans. Mind you, I'm not advocating any UWB Stoneforge shell running Hawk, but his practical applications seems better than what you're arguing Strix for.

Hawks as shown by Hawk Cartel require 4 Ponders to find Brainstorms and Jaces for additional BS effects, this is card offers a completely different approach, namely AggroControl.

I'm curious to hear someone who has actually tested Strix in Blade shells.

[luckme10]

It has all the conditions to be run in affinity.
-Artifact creature in Tezzeret colors
-Cantrips without drawback
-flying and deathtouch
-Aggressive casting cost

What silvergill adept is for merfolk, this is for affinity. Although it has one less power, there's no drawback for cantripping and it contains flying and deathtouch. As someone who played merfolk, I can honestly say the value of replacing itself and providing a synergistic body shouldn't be frowned upon.

Decks like affinity need as much can tripping as possible because their card draws have a greater chance of drawlng dead. I doubt i'd ever feel unhappy to draw it. It'll probably replace vault skirge or something. It may also contribute to the return of a slower, lord heavy, affinity build.

Now onto really scary thought:
Consider the miminum amount of blue cards to run Force of Will. Now take a look at this list:
4 Baleful Strix
4 Master of Etherium
4 Thoughtcast
3 Tezzeret
4 Force of Will

I don't think I need to mention that an affinity build that can consistently pull off Force of Will adds considerable resilience to sideboard hate.

[alderon666]

Looks good in my Affinity deck. Adds removal for big stuff, counts towards Metalcraft/Plating and is flier to carry my equipament.

Costing double colored mana is kinda of a pain, but oh well.