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Skullclamp: The Banning

I already know what you are all thinking. 'Oh great, just what the Internet needs! Another article discussing the banning of Skullclamp in Type 2 and Block Constructed. Another rant saying 'Good it's gone!' Yawn...'

There is a difference here however. I am a player who has yet to play Skullclamp in a Type 2 deck (even though I own 4) but I believe banning Skullclamp was a bad idea.

'What are you saying? Skullclamp was nuts! It should have never been printed!' you all scream at me, 'You have no idea!'

In fact I do have an idea of what it can do.

At the Regionals in 6 rounds I faced 2 Ravager Affinity decks both using Skullclamp. I was playing Suicide Black. In the early game I had both Ravager Affinity decks against the wall and playing pure defensive (as Suicide Black should do) and I will admit it was Skullclamp that allowed the decks to recover to take the win.

My single or double Phyrexian Arenas on the table were no match for the card drawing and modular tricks a single Skullclamp enabled.

But how did they win?

I can tell you it wasn't by attacking with creatures. They were needed to block or their owner would die.

My suicide stuff did lower my life but usually no more than about 10 life points a game and I had plenty of removal/chump blocking power for overlarge ravagers

The cards that killed me were Disciple of the Vault and to some degree Shrapnel Blast.

A lot of discussion has gone on before the banning discussing which card or cards will get banned. Skullclamp was definitely up there. People knew it would be some card from Ravager Affinity as that was the broken deck that needed to be tamed. Disciple of the Vault was discussed and to a lesser degree Shrapnel Blast (5 damage for 2 mana instant speed is pretty insane). Even talk of banning Arcbound Ravager itself came into play.

In the end it was easily a toss up between Disciple of the Vault and Skullclamp.

Why ban Skullclamp?

1. It was the most played card at Regionals time. If you didn't play it, you were geared to hose it.
2. It helped Ravager Affinity get a consistent fast kill
3. It allows a creature deck to recover very quickly from mass destruction (Skullclamp was designed to hose stuff like Wrath of God to begin with)
4. Apparently there are cards in Fifth Dawn that will break Skullclamp even more (Krark Clan Ironworks for example)

Why ban Disciple of the Vault?

1. It allows Ravager Affinity to deal unconditional loss of life that is unstoppable and at instant speed. No other deck can do this and be as consistent in winning games on turns 3-5

The result of banning Skullclamp

1. Decks like White Weenie, Elves and other not-so-playable decks are now useless. This narrows the playing field in Type 2
2. Control decks now have a much better chance at hosing creature decks. Skullclamp was printed to shift the balance of power in creature decks' favour instead of the long-term dominating control decks
3. Ravager Affinity now runs alternative card draw (Thoughtcast, Serum Visions possibly) and may go to 3 colours. It is slowed down slightly but is still a powerhouse

Result of banning Disciple of the Vault

1. Ravager Affinity's potency is greatly reduced as it now has to attack for the win rather than saccing for it. The win condition is not at instant speed (Unless they beat opponent down to Shrapnel Blast range)

It seems that the aim of banning Skullclamp was not to slow down the most dominant deck in Type 2 but to take away everyone's favourite toy from multiple decks.

If Ravager Affinity was to be slowed down instead Disciple of the Vault would have gone instead.

That isn't to say Ravager Affinity is worse off however. Cranial Plating from Fifth Dawn will make Ravager Affinity even worse, possibly speeding up the kill even more.

Krark Clan Ironworks looks to be a heavily abusable combo card. People even discussed a pre-emptive banning!

It seems the powers that be like the idea of Artifact decks dominating the tournament scene. I hope for their sake and the good of the game the banning of Skullclamp was the right decision.

If they were wrong there's always the next review and banning period in September. Only time will tell...

That's my opinion. Feel free to discuss it if you wish...

Joe Tobin (Aytakk2)