Runesword

"A sword never jams, never has to be reloaded, is always ready. Its worst shortcoming is that it takes great skill and patient, loving practice to gain that skill; it can't be taught to raw recruits in weeks, nor even months..."--Robert Heinlein, Glory Road

 

 

 

Of all the original cards I used, Runesword remains one of the most fascinating that I owned. Despite it never once winning me a game, being a useful tool, or even staying in play very long, I've always very much enjoyed the card. After all, what child wouldn't like a mystical sword of power. No this wasn't the Zylon Sword that sat in a box, or Flame Sword, or Tawnos's Weaponry. No this was a weapon of POWER, the likes that He-Man. It took a little time, but I realized at 6 mana, this card was to expensive to possibly play, and two much of a glass cannon if it did. That didn't matter I still loved it. Even with the hair in the text box.

 

 

 

Interestingly enough, not all printings of Runesword from The Dark have the hair on it, but I am pretty certain the one I own does.

 

 

 

 

 

Playability: Don't let Runeswords text fool you. It effectively gives +2/+0, the ability to keep a troll down, and to remove it forever. If the creature wielding it leaves play (don't let the text on the version above confuse you), it's gone, buried in the yard. This includes dying in combat, and at a cost of 9 mana, it's an expensive proposition. However, a knight (or any first striker) wielding it could make for a good target, since it does get around regeneration, and is one of the few ways to remove a creature entirely from the game. Still, it's to frail, and two expensive to be much use, even with such 'power'.  The restriction to attacking creatures is the final nail in the coffin. 1/5.

 

 

Art: Christopher Rush would never disappoint, and this is no different. Though, not by any means his best piece, it more than gets the job done. The lack of objects in the art showcases the blade front and center, which is an obsidian blade with ruins. The bright red background makes a great contrast, not just for the blade, but the whole artifact itself. Particularly on the Dark version above. All in all, a memorable piece. 3/5.

 

 

 



Flavor: The flavor of this card is all over the place. While it's an obvious sword of power, it's mechanics are all over the place. Why does it pump only an attacking creature, is the walker wielding it, or the attacking creature, how come it disappears if the creature does as well. While I believe the idea of it's mechanics is it's eating the soul of the creature (similar to Whippoorwill in the same set), it doesn't change the fact that a unsummon can make this null and void (though the original simply said when it dies). I hate to do this, but 35 on flavor.

 

8/15=3/5 rounded up. Once again a card that serves it's purpose in the early days of Magic. While not the best card around, it gets the job done, and is interesting enough to spike some curiosity over it's value as a card.

 

 

 

 

 

I've always been convinced that is a runesword in the art.