MTG Top 10: Equipment | Magic: the Gathering | Episode 436

[@NizzahonMagic]

SPOILERS: FAQ: How many points does Kaldra Compleat have? A: 17. It is too new to make the list, but certainly has the chance to make it eventually.

[@Janshevik]

yeah I expected it already on the list

[@reverendfatheruncleruckus]

@@Janshevik Same. It's been a powerhouse. When Nizzahon revists equipment in 2027 Kaldra compleat will be #1, unless something even more broken comes out soon.

[@czajda]

@@reverendfatheruncleruckus hmm i dont think so, because it is in the same decks as batterskull

[@reverendfatheruncleruckus]

@@czajda You're correct. Only reason I say that is, I rarely search up batterskull since Kaldra was printed. Kaldra will definetly be second though by the time top 10 equipment is done again.

[@BalldoTM]

@@reverendfatheruncleruckus yeah maybe not #1 but it will be very high or in a top position without a doubt! I love everything about kaldra... except the art... I felt it could have been so much better n more badass same goes for the sketch art variation!

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

Since this list continued to mention Stoneforge Mystic, this is probably the correct video to tell my only other magic related tale of prescience. When Worldwake came out, believe it or not, Stoneforge Mystic was not a popular card immediately. I liked the card, and traded for them, when they were considered bulk rares. I traded into 15 of them, when no one wanted them. Then, I went to an Extended PTQ, with a Boros deck, into which I stuck three Stoneforge Mystics, and three singleton pieces of equipment to tutor up, one of which I could only cheat into play with the Mystic. I played about 7 rounds (as best as I can recall), and in all but 2 rounds that I played, when I played Stoneforge Mystic, my opponent had to pick her up, and read the card, because they had never seen it before in their lives, and had no Idea what it did. Then I took a few months off of magic, and when I came back, Stoneforge Mystic was at about $20-$25 a piece, and I still had my 11 spare Mystics. In my own small way, I saw the power of Stoneforge Mystic before most other people did, and was one of the first people to play it in my area, when it was my “tech” in my Boros deck

[@ohuckabee]

Did you sell the spares before Mystic got (temporarily) banned?

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

@@ohuckabee yes, I traded a few and sold the others.

[@robertperry2596]

Mystic wasnever bulk

[@corey2232]

@@robertperry2596 Probably not less than a dollar "bulk," but under the radar & barely used, yes it was. That card was super cheap pre-Scars block. We didn't have any new Swords to play with in Standard, no Batterskull, & equipment available around the time wasn't of massive importance either.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

@@robertperry2596 I got A PLAYSET of them as a throw in on a trade. They were not valued at first. “Bulk” might be too strong of a word, it they were not valued as playable rares, which is what I define as bulk, or at the time “crap rares”

[@boots4snootin571]

nizza digging these revised lists. its nice to learn/hear u talk about more than just 10 cards

[@Dazllingston]

I think that for most lists, 10 is enough, because you almost always can see, what's the bottom line for the card to be competetive and what cards are busted and why. Maybe for some lists with big amount of cards (humans, elves) it's not enough, but tribal lists are better shown with the deck evolution in other type of Nizzahon's videos

[@slimyfister]

I had to double take that comment

[@hornydolphin1393]

@@slimyfister me too i’m like hmmm maybe not the best shortening of a name 😭

[@PM-ut6sy]

@@slimyfister I thought it was only me. That double G is way too close to “nizza” to feel alright.

[@theshadowking9626]

That does not seem like the best way to abbreviate his name....

[@matthewbrunell413]

What I find funny is how many players in Arena forget that Shadow Spear can turn off indestructible and lose their gods.

[@joshuaking7470]

Completely agree like there's decks I'll just sideboard Shadowspear for that ability alone

[@Sauvenil]

That's pretty saucy. I just pack exile spells for that typically. I got to nail Heliod with Eat to Extinction once he was animated, a bunch of times; that was always gratifying and sometimes was an instant win. Fun fact: World Tree summons all gods, and Maskwood Nexus makes all your creatures gods.

[@eirh]

Another reason for shadow spear getting a lot of points recently is that it's a very potent artifact to search out with Urza's Saga. It's really good with the tokens the saga spits out, and can massively improve some matchups, to the point where you often see 1 in the main deck.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

It is a shame that Skullclamp fell off of the list. It is my favorite equipment in Magic’s history! I remember when Darksteel came out, and Skullclamp was a preview card before the prerelease (which was only selected cards at the time). The first time I saw it as a preview card, I read it, and then stared at it. Then I read it again, and stared blinking. Then I read it a third time, and said, “That gets banned!” I got three of them at the prerelease, one in my deck, and two in prize packs. Suffice it to say, I was a big fan from the start!

[@TheHive616]

Was Skullclamp ever something you tutored up with Stoneforge? Or was it already banned by then? I wasn't playing at that point so I don't recall the overlap

[@Ceracio]

@@TheHive616 Skullclamp was 1- banned almost immediately (I think it was literally weeks), and Stoneforge only came out a few years later, so I think the cards never overlapped.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

@@TheHive616 no, Skullclamp was banned a few months after release. It was banned in every format, except vintage quickly. Stoneforge came out about 6 years later, give or take.

[@TheHive616]

@@jenniferwilliams9612 oh wow I hadn't realized the gap between those was six years. That makes me feel old, I kinda lump most of the first several years of the modern frame cards all together in my mind cause I missed out on several years worth of releases in that period.

[@Halesburg]

I was fortunate enough to be able to use it in a PTQ in San Jose (probably around 2004). It's too broken. Imagine turn one Cit, Orn, Mox, Clamp and a free frog. 😳 A 3/1 on turn two, that gets you two cards if it dies.

[@thrdudeman420]

Thanks just getting back after 18 years an honestly equipment was a new mechanic in the set i quite on…. Thanks for doing the work and hooking me up…

[@NizzahonMagic]

Glad to help

[@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor]

I had a feeling Batterskull would remain #1. Equipment is a fun series of cards that unfortunately suffered from some very busted members. Perhaps there may be some equipment on "Top 10 Vintage Cards (Minus Power 9)" even!

[@magnesium13]

Maybe "minus power 9, and restricted lands

[@velphidrow]

Brainstorm Ponder Force of will Force of negation Monastery mentor Mishra's workshop Lion's eye diamond Preordain Sol ring Flusterstorm

[@LukePackenham]

Lotus petal?

[@imperium3556]

@@velphidrow I don't think Sol Ring would be on the list, it's been banned in every format except Vintage for basically the entire history of competitive Magic. Sure, Vintage will give it a lot of points still but I'd bet on at least 10 other cards getting more.

[@velphidrow]

@@imperium3556 it says vintage cards so presumably all points would be based on vintage

[@TomGalonska]

The fact that Skullclamp is just 5 points shy of making the list, despite being banned everywhere but Vintage, just shows how absurdly powerful it is. oO (Kinda the same with Jitte, but that's legal in Legacy, at least :D)

[@jackpabich763]

I'm glad you're revisiting older videos!

[@NizzahonMagic]

Glad you like them!

[@rodrigoramos2583]

Batterskull still provides unparalelled value when built around. a 4/4 vigilant lifelinker for 5 is already pretty decent, but with everything else to bounce and cheat it into play, or attaching into other creatures makes it go to staple territory real fast. EDIT: I meant, like, when you are able to cheat it into play with stoneforge or similar things, otherwise it isn't that explosive. But casting a 4/4 blocker for 2 at instant speed is never gonna be a bad thing.

[@seilaoquemvc2]

Depends on what you call “pretty decent”, yeah it’s a good magic card reasonably costed and all, but it wouldn’t ever see competitive play without stoneforge mystic

[@TheSquareOnes]

@@seilaoquemvc2 Pretty decent as in you wouldn't put it in your deck to be that, but if you ever end up casting it as that in a particular match it won't feel like the end of the world. Having extra modes that are bad is still good, because extra modes are good.

[@seilaoquemvc2]

@@TheSquareOnes yeah, that's why I start my comment with "depends on what you call pretty decent". the card is powerful, sure. the whole point here is that it's simply not playable in modern or legacy if Stoneforge Mystic is not there. that being said, yes, if you end up somehow hardcasting it, it will still be alright. you'd just never use it on a competitive deck planning on doing that in a format with a larger than standard card pool. If your "pretty decent" line is drawn below cards that aren't playable by themselves, like reanimate targets and stuff like that, then sure, Batterskull is certainly up there.

[@NizzahonMagic]

This isn't entirely true. Was a sideboard card in modern even without the mystic.

[@seilaoquemvc2]

@@NizzahonMagic hmmm, I missed those hardcasted batterskulls in sideboards for competitive decks. Still main use will certainly always be with stoneforge

[@CraigPage85]

Glad you’re revisiting Equipment…and other lists in general! It’s interesting to see the movement over the years. I’ve got such a soft spot for Equipment. When I first started MTG I was obsessed with Enchant Creature cards (now Auras) until I realized how bad the 2-for-1 downside is when your creature is inevitably killed. These days, I’m a big fan of Equipment because that downside is mitigated and the cards stay on the battlefield. Some equip costs can be high but there are ways around that!

[@dr.tre90]

Gotta love the anomaly that's Loxodon Warhammer. So, the text on it is equal to lifelink? That was the first idea. But then they changed their minds, so stack-lifelink doesn't equal lifelink after all. So does the Warhammer lose lifelink? Nope, it's the one exception where stack-lifelink was actually erratad to lifelink. Good luck figuring this out....

[@09Dragonite]

Tbh, being perfectly fair to Skullclamp, if it were actually legal to play anywhere it'd probably be at least in the top two.

[@NizzahonMagic]

For sure.

[@andyspendlove1019]

I can’t really put my finger on it, but I feel like your content over the past several weeks has been especially good. Keep up the great work!

[@benwilson6256]

When I got a eldraine box I remember my first pack had a Charmed prince and foil Embercleave but I wasn't that excited cause didn't realize how awesome Embercleave would turn out to be.

[@johngleeman8347]

Top 10 cards to pair with Stoneforge Mystic. XD

[@AidanWR]

I think the previous equipment video was one of the first videos of yours that I saw. Can't believe it's been about four years that I've been watching your videos

[@yamael14]

Bonesplitter is the most op equipment, I like to put it on a vault skirge.

[@Fellturtle]

why would they print it so much if it wasn't good

[@anarchymatt]

top 10 best cards that would be interesting and fun to use if Stoneforge Mystic did not exist

[@Kmn483]

Eyy glad to see shadowspear on this list. My fav equipment, it's just so versatile for the decks it can fit in!

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

For a moment I could not believe that a powerhouse like Skullclamp no longer made the list, then I remembered that it is banned from pretty much every format. No big upsets at the top of the list I see, despite some of the broken card that WotC spat out uring their FIRE phase.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

Skullclamp is my favorite equipment. That card is great! It is a shame that it can only be played in vintage.

[@DimT670]

Fire had nothing to do with power level, and is still in effect to boot Not to menion most of the stuff here is broken as shit

[@maurygoldblat8982]

Skullclamp is the one true king. He's just been living in exile

[@Sauvenil]

So one time on Arena, they had an "Unlimited" format event. It was a 40 card format with no card limits and no banned cards. Does anyone remember that? I built a deck with 15x mountain, 12x fervent champion, 3x sword of feast and famine, 8x seize the spoils, and 2x mortarpod. The idea is pretty self-explanatory, but the fervent champion is a beast and the free equip with mortarpod makes it a decent finisher. It would probably also work better with the Sword of Fire and Ice, but I think it wasn't available at the time.

[@BaconJake14]

I know it won't happen, but how freaking crazy would it be if Umezawa's Jitte was reprinted in Neon Dynasty? Maybe in something similar to Strix's Mystical Archive

[@velphidrow]

Relics of the vault?

[@LukePackenham]

They will reprint the top far faster than the jitte

[@imperium3556]

The trouble is it's an absolutely miserable bomb in Limited, which means even if Neon Dynasty has some equivalent to the Archive, they won't put the Jitte there. I suppose it could go into one of the inevitable Commander precons? Or as one of the "set booster exclusive" cards perhaps.

[@velphidrow]

@@imperium3556 i mean... Did you see some of the shit in the strixhaven one?

[@ClexYoshi]

I feel like if this list had an extra year to brew, Kaldra Compleat would maybe have a shot at this list as well, given that it can be played in a lot of the same places you would see Batterskull.

[@marcoottina654]

10:00 don't forget the Tieme Sieve combo for infinite turns! Also, Ashnod Altar and Grand Architect are two valid alternatives for Urza

[@faerie7dragon]

Shadowspear has pretty much eclipsed Behemoth Sledge and Loxodon Warhammer in EDH too, outside of extreme low budget decks, of course. It has so much utility, you might as well run it if you run creatures that actually plan to attack, the ability to blank hexproof or indestructible is extremely good in EDH!

[@venkelos6996]

An impressive list, though I'm sad nothing Kaldra made it on. Mirrodin block was my intro into MtG, and the Kaldra set was probably my favorite things in it for sime time. Oh well, I'm not always a great judge of quality. ☺

[@saldiven2009]

I remember Mortarpod being brutal with Geralf's Messenger. Pay 3 Black and two any (for the equip), and you end up with a 4/3 zombie on the board, and you did 6 damage straight to your opponent.

[@MasterDoctorBenji]

Before watching: Jitte Sword of Fire/Ice Sword of Feast/Famine Batterskull Embercleave Cranial Plating Colossal Hammer Bonesplinter That EDH brain panel one.

[@czajda]

Shadowspear is good in modern and legacy only because of Urza's Saga. You could mention that :-)

[@NizzahonMagic]

Yep, I probably should have.

[@mrpinguimninja]

I just love runechanter's pike, I really like its design, along with strata scythe, scytheclaw and bone hoard are my favorite equips

[@chucklarock8010]

When kamigawa came out, I made a white weenie deck with jitte in it because people where throwing it away for some reason. I would put it on my white knight with first strike on, I ended up winning every single fnm for 3 month straight and a chapionship before people at my local store started to catch on.

[@88shwanerz]

Would love to see a history/lore on Sakashima. He is one of my favorite characters and really hope we're gonna see them in Neon. Love the channel and lists keep up the good work! 👍

[@alanthepyro]

Can't wait to see Kaldra Compleat start to rise in these rankings. I don't know if it has the strength to crack the top 10, but what can be said about SFM enabling these equipments can also be said about KC. I have been bulldozed by it enough times in modern to see it has some staying power.

[@Ceracio]

The only time I've played against Kaldra Compleat the chick playing it managed to also give it deathtouch, which was terrifying. Not because it auto-kills everything with first strike, that wasn't an issue because of the exile clause, but because it made Kaldra's Trample so much more painful.

[@BalldoTM]

Hmmmm Kaldra & Nettlecyst about to be in top spots on the list next time you look at it!!

[@charliemallonee2792]

Huh. Surprised Kaldra Compleat didn’t make the cut.

[@loszhor]

Thank you for the information.

[@gigawarman12]

Top 10 hybrid card type cards, Things like Artifact creatures. Enchantment artifacts, lane creature, etc, etc

[@necrocreature9117]

Before watching, here's my prediction, in no particular order: Swords of Fire and Ice, Feast/Famine, Batterskull, Jitte, Skullclamp, Colossus Hammer, Cranial Plating, Shadowspear? Embercleave, Sword of the Meek

[@necrocreature9117]

Dang, mostly right, nice.

[@Jaxomh]

I often feel like sideboard top 8’s should get half points. But really enjoy these lists anyways

[@jackcois6077]

what score would kaldra compleat have gotten out of curiosity?

[@Hinaguy749]

Probably just missed out and will most likely be on the list within a year.

[@raphaelm1786]

Does basilisk collar work with goblin sharpshooter?

[@NizzahonMagic]

Yep!

[@T4N7]

Curious where Kaldra Compleat would rank against these, like would it even make the top 20? Ita a great card but not good enough in a vacuum to play catchbup against so many of the other cards Stoneforge gives access to

[@eirh]

Kaldra is an amazing card with Stoneforge, I'm sure it'll make this list eventually, even if it never had the chance to get standard points. Arguably the best equipment to cheat out with your mystic, it's already proven itself to be good part of stoneforge packages. Lots of Legacy decks running Stoneforge Mystic have a Jitte, Batterskull, Kaldra package right now. It's particularly good at racing combo decks.

[@kjmergen]

Petition to ban all future @Nizz lists that include Umezawa's Jitte. 🤣

[@basicpigeonbee]

Well I was gonna sleep but saw this thanks niz

[@dtelad11]

Lots of Umezawa's Jitte in recent lists 🤔 inspired by Kamigawa Neon Dynasty?

[@NizzahonMagic]

Well, the Kamigawa ones were obviously! This one not so much

[@Duskrequim]

I look at Batterskull and I wonder why something like Kaldra Complete has not made it to the list as I would be running those instead of Batterskull.

[@NizzahonMagic]

Kaldra Compleat is too new, but I think you're also underestimating Batterskull.

[@UnholyWrath3277]

Stoneforge into kaldra compleat turn 3 is never a bad play

[@corey2232]

If it's not Jitte, it's gotta be Batterskull at #1 right? I have a feeling I'm forgetting some more recent cards, but those 2 always see play anywhere they're legal with Stoneforge. Edit: Derp... Didn't even remember it was #1 last time too 😅

[@rbash1985]

Great video and love the hat BOOMER!

[@christianhatke477]

Moral of the story: Stoneforge Mystic is a good card that is definitely not broken and meta-defining WHATSOEVER

[@robertbenefield901]

Love your content! Is there any way you could do "your" take on top 10 most busted cards in mtg? Like cards that were used in completely broken ways I suppose

[@XtraCrispy]

I miss mu Ember! love all your list! Im equipment guys

[@raedien]

Finally let go of my foil Batterskull. Every time I saw it in my hand I hated it. Why does it have lifelink? Vigilance? Why can it bounce itself at intant speed? It's a massive battering ram. Shouldn't it only be good on offense? And slow at that? I can excuse the lifelink I guess but I really wish vigilance was trample abd the bounce was making/equipping a new germ token.

[@samuelchan5895]

Any list that doesn't have Skullclamp at #1 is wrong

[@auntjemimadidnothingwrong9148]

Suprised that hammer of Skyclaves wasn't here

[@sain223]

Yet again like I said in your Hex proof list video. Where is Mirror Shield it should been in bother lists.

[@barnstorming4535]

Lol I love commander best format don't have to worry about stupid bans on all my favorite toys

[@lachlank.8270]

Skullclamp numero uno

[@marsgreekgod]

Too ten sideboard! You know you want to ;D Ok likely it would be annoying to calculate. But it would get clicks!

[@duyas1628]

Ah equipment, one of their best ideas.

[@BaronVonCount]

God I wish I couldve played limited with the Jitte

[@PokeBattlerJaze]

Batterskull, duh. Edit: GGEZ

[@originalusername295]

As an EDH player, I assumed it would be skullclamp

[@zackestin1368]

@@originalusername295 too banned for that

[@originalusername295]

@@zackestin1368 That's a first world problem if I've ever seen one. If skullclamp was a person, they would be like 'Oh nooo, I'm too good... How will anyone ever play me if I'm banned everywhere? It's so hard being me.'

[@Mrbananasgfan]

More like top 10 cards to pair with stoneforge mystic

[@jesterbomb123]

How many points did kaldra compleat have?

[@NizzahonMagic]

17

[@GoronRob]

i can’t remEMBER which equipment has the most impaCt to LEAVE

[@gigawarman12]

Top 10 Artificers

[@NizzahonMagic]

Already did it.

[@kwixkedem4398]

where is kaldra?

[@akitoemery8651]

This video was sponsored by stoneforge mystic

[@mumpizgaming5039]

If you click on the Link in the description below she will Take you to her Store and Lock you Up until all your Decks are full of Equipments

[@mikotagayuna8494]

It would be interesting and far more thematically consistent if WotC would make equipment that attaches to planeswalkers or to players instead of creatures. A mindless wurm wielding a jitte, a sword and plate mail while wearing a pair of greaves would elicit more guffaws than actual dread in our Commander games.

[@nathanl8622]

Not really? Most equipment is based around combat, and combat is conducted between creatures. Giving Jace a greatsword won't do anything, he's too busy casting spells from the sidelines. This is a game where a dragon can be felled by a sufficiently large flock of birds. Wurms with jittes is funny, but I wouldn't call it a problem. Equipment on planeswalkers could be interesting in small doses, though. Give them additional static effects or loyalty abilities or something.

[@charliemallonee2792]

What? You’ve got a problem with my giant tentacle eldritch horror wearing teeny tiny boots? Or my caustic caterpillar hefting a sword of the animist? Pfft.

[@brianwalters8641]

Embercleave was broken af

[@alessiofaustinelli7467]

what about kaldra?

[@NizzahonMagic]

See pinned comment

[@Calintares]

Is Kaldra Compleat on pace to make the list or is it a dud?

[@NizzahonMagic]

It has 17 points now, so it is pretty likely to make it if it continues at this pace.

[@cspeeds96]

Woooo

[@facepalmjesus1608]

no Helm of the Host!?!??! its my fav equipment

[@NizzahonMagic]

Nope. It is much clunkier than everything else on this list. Definitely a fun card though!

[@joserene-t5z]

With Jitte being on the thumbnail I assume that it's not at 1st place, how surprising.

[@joserene-t5z]

Also, Skullclamp falling of the list is very surprising

[@crooker23]

Sword of body and mind is a beast in the arena cube lmao

[@andresperez7476]

I dont have any of these cards 😔😁😅

[@notabene9804]

I've been magic for only a year and it's jitte. It's jitte. It has to be jitte, it can't be anything else but jitte.

[@notabene9804]

Edit: it's not jitte, fuckin wut?

[@NizzahonMagic]

Lawl

[@andygoody2599]

Is that an OU hat?

[@ryanwonderschool]

Jitte isn't a strong card anymore. Both in Modern and in Legacy. just sayin

[@NizzahonMagic]

Well, its banned in Modern and the evidence still says it is good in Legacy. Just sayin'.

[@davidk3849]

Clean your glasses dude.