I'm surprised there isn't a thread for this card yet. This card is on everyone's radar for Standard, yet no one talks about it for Legacy.

Batterskull is a great card because it makes your Stoneforge Mystics much better than they were. There are plenty of decks that only run 3 SFM's and Batterskull is the best excuse to run the 4th SFM.

The reason why you play with only 3 SFM's is because you never want to see more than 1 Sword per game. The equip cost is just too great and it sucks to have an equipped creature catch creature removal because you just wasted a lot of mana. Now imagine if you have 2 Swords to equip. One of them will most likely be dead. Therefore, the rationale of only running 3 SFM's is solid.

But Batterskull changes this all. Stoneforge Mystic is one of the most powerful creature cards in magic, right now. He is to white, what tarmogoyf is to green. The correct number of Tarmogoyfs, if you play them, is usually 4 and so is the correct number of Stoneforge Mystics. They are just too good not to play. Batterskull improves your second Stoneforge Mystic, because you can now tutor up a body instead of an extra sword.

Batterskull gives you a tutorable 4/4 lifelink vigilance body for 1W. If Tarmogoyf is good enough for Legacy, a 4/4 lifelink vigilance that can
  • Return itself to hand after it has died, to give you a new 4/4 body
  • Return itself to hand to destroy bridge from belows
  • Has synergy with other equipment because of vigilance and lifelink
  • Provides you with an extra blocker (One with lifelink, so you can actually survive a lot more)


is playable as well.

Imagine being able to play with a Splicer that reads
1W
1W, Tap: Put into play a 3/3Golem, you may only have 1 Golem in play at the same time. Golems you control get +1/+1, Vigilance, Lifelink and has `3: Return this card to your hand after it has died`


The critics probably want to tell us that

5 mana is way too much to pay for this card, and that the game is long over by then.
This criticism sucks, donīt believe it. Stoneforge Mystic is like Tinker or Natural Order. If Vintage decks can play a 12 mana Blightsteel Colossus, and if Legacy decks can play a 10 mana Progenitus, you can surely play a 5 mana equipment. You donīt plan on casting it, you simply cheat it into play.

But what if they plowshares my Mystic?
First, You can get a Sword first and use your second SFM to get Batterskull, now they have to plowshare 2 SFMīs to make Batterskull useless. Chances are, if heīs plowing 1/2īs he wonīt have much removal left for your real threats.

Second, you can clear the way with discard effects

Third, if they donīt answer SFM in 1 turn, they are officially dead. Once Batterskull hits the battlefield, they have a serious problem. They now need 2 plowshares to survive. One for the germ, and another for the SFM.
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My conclusion is that Batterskull greatly improves SFM in multiples. Running Batterskull allows you to get more value out of running a full playset of Stoneforge Mystics, and Stoneforge Mystic is a busted card. I believe this card is like Vengevine. A great standard and legacy card, that only gets love in standard. It takes a while for the legacy community to catch on but it will eventually embrace it.