georgjorge
01-20-2009, 06:57 PM
So, when the set came out, we all were disappointed that it only copied activated abilites, and thus the combo with Kiki-Jiki became a full turn slower. But I still think that it's a powerful card, and wonder if it couldn't spawn some new decks.
Skill Borrower 2U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard
1/3
Play with the top card of your library revealed. As long
as the top card of your library is an artifact or creature card,
Skill Borrower has all activated abilities of that card.
(If any of the abilities use that card's name, use this creature's name instead.)
Obvious synergy: Using the top card of your library fits it right in decks running Brainstorm and Top (which would probably mean CBalance as well). Top is especially good, protecting from removal when it loses summoning sickness (by putting Top on top, having Borrower copy it's ability, and using it to put itself on Top), and allowing you to re-use the top card. The enablers could be Worldly Tutor or Congregation at Dawn (which can get Borrower + the other pieces in one go). It also uses few "dead" cards, as Tutor can be used for other (utility) creatures.
But what can we get ?
As far as I see it, we could still go for the Kiki-Jiki kill (at the opponent's end of turn, Borrower copies itself a few times since it's not legendary. With tokens staying in play until the end of your turn, you untap and attack with all the copies). Getting a Congregation stack of Borrower + Cephalid Inkshroud/Sylvan Safekeeper + Kiki allows for the Borrower to protect itself while it has summoning sickness. So you get the whole combo with one card (for six mana). Of course, if you already have Borrower, Worldly Tutor will do nicely.
Another way would be just to get creatures/artifacts with very powerful effects. A possible candidate would be Infernal Denizen, allowing Borrower to tap to gain control of any creature (I think Denizen's leave-play effect doesn't trigger when Borrower changes to something else...?). There's also Godsire, with Borrower tapping to create 8/8 tokens. Both of these would be quiet nice with Top (or using Congregation for both of them). And of course there's Nevynirrals Disk with Top in play - use Disk, in response put Top on top (after putting Disk one card down) and then Skill Borrower itself. This allows you a Disk effect every second turn ! Mindslaver would also be nice, but not reusable.
With these first ideas out, maybe we can get something going...
Skill Borrower 2U
Artifact Creature - Human Wizard
1/3
Play with the top card of your library revealed. As long
as the top card of your library is an artifact or creature card,
Skill Borrower has all activated abilities of that card.
(If any of the abilities use that card's name, use this creature's name instead.)
Obvious synergy: Using the top card of your library fits it right in decks running Brainstorm and Top (which would probably mean CBalance as well). Top is especially good, protecting from removal when it loses summoning sickness (by putting Top on top, having Borrower copy it's ability, and using it to put itself on Top), and allowing you to re-use the top card. The enablers could be Worldly Tutor or Congregation at Dawn (which can get Borrower + the other pieces in one go). It also uses few "dead" cards, as Tutor can be used for other (utility) creatures.
But what can we get ?
As far as I see it, we could still go for the Kiki-Jiki kill (at the opponent's end of turn, Borrower copies itself a few times since it's not legendary. With tokens staying in play until the end of your turn, you untap and attack with all the copies). Getting a Congregation stack of Borrower + Cephalid Inkshroud/Sylvan Safekeeper + Kiki allows for the Borrower to protect itself while it has summoning sickness. So you get the whole combo with one card (for six mana). Of course, if you already have Borrower, Worldly Tutor will do nicely.
Another way would be just to get creatures/artifacts with very powerful effects. A possible candidate would be Infernal Denizen, allowing Borrower to tap to gain control of any creature (I think Denizen's leave-play effect doesn't trigger when Borrower changes to something else...?). There's also Godsire, with Borrower tapping to create 8/8 tokens. Both of these would be quiet nice with Top (or using Congregation for both of them). And of course there's Nevynirrals Disk with Top in play - use Disk, in response put Top on top (after putting Disk one card down) and then Skill Borrower itself. This allows you a Disk effect every second turn ! Mindslaver would also be nice, but not reusable.
With these first ideas out, maybe we can get something going...