Single Card Strategies- Compilation V (July 9th,1994)

ATOG			(RV)-New use added
DEATHLACE		(RV)-
FROZEN SHADE		(RV)-
CONVERSION		(RV)-Several new uses and combinations added
HYPERION BLACKSMITH	(LG)-Rules conflict removed
PRIEST OF YAWGMOTH	(AQ)-Several new uses and combinations added
METAMORPHOSIS		(AN)-New combination added
ANIMATE ARTIFACT	(RV)-
STAFF OF ZEGON		(AQ)-New combination added
GUARDIAN ANGEL		(RV)-

Single Card Strategies is (c)1994 to Jeff Franzmann, but he really doesn't
mind one iota if you copy these, distribute them, so on and so forth. Just
make sure that his name appears on it somewhere as the creator and
originator. He likes the attention :).
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ATOG!-How can anyone resist this cute little charmer, and that smile which
shows off his pearly whites? It's probably something to do with bad breath
or the like...all those Artifacts he munches just can't be good for dental
hygiene. After all, folks couldn't complain about his usefulness...there's
just so much he is capable of!
	To begin with, the casting cost to power ratio is fairly decent.
_2_ mana gets you a 1/2 creature with a rather impressive special ability.
For the low price of 1 artifact, you can add +2/+2 to the fellow, making
him a 3/4, a 5/6 or whatever you prefer for 1 turn. Impressive in itself,
this ability becomes even more frightening with practice.
	Use the Dwarven Warriors to make Atog unblockable, and then start
sacrificing all those Ornithopters and Brass Men that are hanging around,
accomplishing next to nothing :). Nothing makes an opponent
more...hmmm...agitated than watching a 7/8 Atog waltz through everything,
completely unblockable. It may only last a turn, but that may be all the
time in the world you need :).
	The best aspect of Atog is the fact that he can be fed the
creatures created by things like The Hive and Serpent Generator. No need
to get rid of a useful artifact, for the price of a little mana you can
keep Atog healthy and happy and ready to wreak havoc :). Another good way
to keep Atog plump and well fed is to use the Argivian
Archaeologist/Ornithopter method. Sacrifice the artifact to fill Atog's
face, then bring the Artifact back using the Argivian. Repeat until foe
bludgeons you with a rolled up newspaper.
	Atog can also be rendered immune to those dreadful Lightning Bolts
with the simple addition of Holy Armour. Better yet, put Ashnod's
Transmogrant on him and make him immune to that favourite creature killer
of folks like myself, Terror :). All these methods allow Atog to stick
around long enough to become a royal thorn in the side of any Mage.
	Taking care of Atog is a different matter. All of the common
critter crunchers (Terror, Swords to Plowshares, Lightning Bolt,
Disintegrate, etc) will work just fine on Atog as long as he doesn't have
too many enchantments on him. The super boost he gets from eating
artifacts only lasts a turn, so if you can be patient, he should get down
to his regular, manageable size long enough for you to bolt him. The best
thing to do against Atog is deny him those Artifacts he loves so much.
Take out the opponents Hive or Serpent Generator as soon as possible :). A
CoP:Red is always a nice investment.
	Nick Fang (fang@cse.ogi.edu) quite rightly points out than an
excellent card to use with Atog is Aladdin...grab your foes artifacts and
start force feeding them to Atog :). Old Man of the Sea and Steal Artifact
could also be used to the same devastating effect :).

DEATHLACE!-Due to popular demand, I've decided finally to discuss the
wonderful and intricate little secrets behind those ever so popular *lace
cards, beginning (of course) with the one which changes any card in play
to Black. Several folks have expressed their utter disdain for this
immensely useful ability (hmm, must be deluded, or under the effects of a
Psychic Blast or something), so I am hear to set things right :).
	First of all, one of the most basic uses for Deathlace is
defensive in nature. With a CoP:Black in play, or a Black Ward on some
pathetic, sacrificial 1/1 creature, you can wreak havoc on the attack.
When he decides to send the Force of Nature your way, use the Deathlace
and power up the CoP:Black. If you haven't got a CoP:Black or Black Ward
in play, that doesn't eliminate the usefulness of this gem.
	Another way to increase the potential of the 'lace is to utilize
it on your own non-Black creatures to render them immune to the rather
irritating effects of Terror. Black Mages (myself included) will really
not be too impressed if you turn that Island Fish Jasconious or whatever
into a Terror proof irritant :).
	If you play Green or White along with Black, Deathlace is an
excellent way to get around those miserable Legends cards like
Abomination. Whereas anything White or Green would normally be annihilated
by the wonderful little powers of an Abomination, a Deathlaced Fungusaur
will be able to ignore that problem, Trampling merrily over the defensive
line all the while :).
	Nick Fang (fang@cse.ogi.edu) offers up a few choice card
combinations for Deathlace, wonderful ways in which to wreak havoc with a
simple _1_ mana card. Use the 'lace along with either Northern Paladin or
Cleanse. It gives a whole new use to these two cards, making them useful
even against those who won't ever put a Swamp into play. Obviously, if
you're using Deathlace, you've got Black Creatures...so how to protect
them? Use Heaven's Gate in conjuction with Deathlace and Cleanse for a
truly painful combination...Deathlace his creatures, Heaven's Gate your
own, and then bring out Cleanse.
	Another excellent use for the Deathlace was suggested by Eric
Robert Jablow (erjablow@cais.cais.com). One of the most infuriating cards
a Black Mage can come up against is the White Knight...that Protection
from Black, First Strike 2/2 critter is one of the most insufferably
noble, honourable cards a foe can put into play. Alone, you can usually
take 'em out with a Lightening Bolt or a Fireball...but then he plays Holy
Armour, Holy Strength and all sorts of other piddling enchantments. Easy
solution...Deathlace the Enchantments! For 1 mana, you can get rid of any
Enchantment placed on the White Weenie :)
	
FROZEN SHADE!-Granted, I'm probably biased, being a Black Mage and all,
but I think this is by far the most useful little 0/1 critter in all
Dominia. What reason could I possibly have for saying that? Well,I'll give
you a few :).
	First of all, although the casting cost of _3_ mana may seem
pretty steep, consider the offensive potential you're getting for that. It
may be a 1/1, but every swamp tapped gives Frosty the Snowshade +1/+1. It
won't be long before he becomes the furthest thing from a jolly, happy
soul :). Add this to the fact that he's immune to Terror (gotta love those
Black critters), and you have the makings of a great offence :).
	Dark Ritual is a must for use with the Frozen Shade...spending 1
more black mana on top of the original casting cost gives you a 3/4 Shade,
immune to lightning bolts and able to put up either a good offence or
defence. Not a bad deal for something that ends up costing about as much
as a War Mammoth. 
	The true potential of the Shade resides within it's 'pumpable'
ability. After an opponent has declared his attack, or his blockers, pull
out those Dark Rituals you have been saving up to make the Shade a 6/7
engine of destruction. Add to this mixture a Dwarven Warrior and you have
the potential for some rather disturbing attacks. Use the Warrior to make
the Shade unblockable, and then proceed to pump him up to the max...your
opponent will not be impressed with the result :).
	The Frozen Shade also has some excellent bluffing and/or tactical
uses. If you send a Shade in at 0/1 on the attack, your opponent will KNOW
you're up to something...but hasn't an idea what. If you're lucky, he or
she will count the swamps you have in play, and block with something that
will be able to take the damage...this is why Dark Rituals are such
wonderful creations :). Alternately, they may let the Shade through, not
wishing to lose a valuable blocker and hoping they can do something
against the Shade when it reverts back to 0/1 (always leave 2 or 3 Black
Mana in reserve to be tapped if your opponent looks like he might be
casting a lightening bolt or something equally unfriendly).
	Of course, stopping a Frozen Shade is as easy as pulling out the
ever present CoP:Black, or using a Lightning Bolt or Fireball against it
before he can be pumped. 0/1 folks are very vulnerable to this sort of
nastiness. Red Mages are so lacking in imagination *gryn*, but what they
do tends to be flashy and it tends to work. Of course, avoiding a Black
Ward or a CoP:Black is easier than most folks seems to think. Ashnod's
Transmogrant will make your Shade an Artifact Creature, +1/+1, with all
the same benefits as mentioned above...he's still immune to Terror as well :).

CONVERSION!-Truly the bane of the Red Mage, this wonderful little
Enchantment is a MUST for anyone playing against those folks who insist on
using the Red Cheese deck (Mountains, Lightning Bolts, Firebalss and
little else). While utilizing my Black/White/Blue deck (a new experiment),
I came up with some wonderful little ways in which the effectiveness of
this card can be increased.
	Obviously, just reading the card text provides you with the best
use for this card. Anything which changes all Mountains into basic plains
is an excellent addition to your arsenal. If an opponent is using a Red
deck, this card will immediately render it impotent, unable to perform
it's most basic duties :). The key to using this card effectively is
maximizing it's performance, and loading your deck with cards which can be
used in combination with it.
	Note that since it turns ALL Mountains into basic plains, this
card will have a disturbing effect on certain Multilands. Rather than
providing a Mountain or a whatever type of mana, that Mountain will now be
considered a Plain. This will immediately render Plateau useless, except
as a Basic Plain :).
	The best cards to use before putting conversion into play, however
are Phantasmal Terrains. Use these wonderful creations to turn any
non-Mountain basic lands on your opponent's side into Mountains, rendering
them susceptible to the effects of the Conversion. Again, since Conversion
is an Enchantment, you can play Phantasmal Terrain on any lands your foe
may play later to render them equally useless to him. At this point, your
opponent had better hope he's playing a Red/White deck :).
	Wait...there's more! Play Gloom right after you've played
Conversion! Now, even if your opponent plays Red/White, everything becomes
that much more expensive to play or use *evil gryn*. And while you're
playing Gloom, you may as well toss in Abomination to block anything he
may be able to send at you, and then bring out the worst possible card
your miserable little foe could possibly face at a time like this...the
Righteous Avengers! Yup, those 3/1 Plainswalkers will make life truly
miserable for the former Red mage...maybe he'll even decide to put some
effort into his deck the next time out :).
	Of course, while Conversion is in play, your foe may still have
one or two creatures out which he can try and use to whittle you down.
That's what the Repentant Blacksmith, Red Ward and CoP:Red are for :). 
	So what can a poor abused Red mage do about this truly wretched
turn of events? Not much, really, unless he plays White as well and has a
Disenchant on hand :). The Sunglasses of Urza are a nice way to avoid the
nasty effects of Conversion, but are susceptible to all the usuall
Artifact busting nastiness (Crumble, Artifact Blast, Shatter, etc).
	Speaking of the Sunglasses, Robert (stone@phoenix.cs.uga.edu)
suggest using them yourself when you have Conversion in play :). Your
Mountains and Plains are now free of the burdens placed on them by
Conversion, while your opponent simply doesn't have the same luxury.
	Better yet, after you've put down Conversion, use Boomerang,
Equinox or whatever Land/Card saving spells you have to draw your cards
back into your hand. Then use either a Celestial Prism or City of Brass to
provide the mana needed to cast...Flashfires. I once took out _21_ lands
of an opponents (all he had was Plains and Mountains), rendering him inert
for the rest of the game :).
	Grim Reaper (scythe@u.washington.edu) also has a wonderfully
malicious use for Conversion...when used with Magical Hack. One can use
the Hack to change the wording of Coversion to read Changes all (insert
choice here) to (insert other choice here) :). Change Mountains into
Swamps and play Karma...change Swamps into Plains and render that Black
Mage helpless...do whatever you want, it's guaranteed to give your foe
ulcers :).

HYPERION BLACKSMITH!-At first glance, this muscular chap may not appear to
be all that spectacular. For 3 Mana, you've got a 2/2 fellow with a so-so
special ability. After all, if you really want to tap an Artifact and keep
it out of play, why not use the Phyrexian Gremlins? There is more to the
Blacksmith than this, however.
	Obviously, at 2/2, the Hyperion's survivability is double that of
the Phyrexian Gremlins, a fact which should be taken into consideration.
Whereas the Gremlins can be toasted quite nicely by the Rod of Ruin,
Prodigal Sorcerer and what have you, the Blacksmith's can keep hammering
away :). 
	One of the simplest uses for the Blacksmith is to utilize his
ability on any artifact upon which you have played Artifact Possession.
This combination is far better than the Prodigal Sorcerer, since you are
not only doing _2_ damage to your opponent, you are taking out an Artifact
(at least, temporarily) at the same time :). This combination is
particularily nice to use on Artifact Creatures...use on the Colossus of
Sardia, then Tap with the Blacksmith. Not only does your opponent take
damage, his Creature is unable to untap without paying a heavy cost, and
is lost for attack and defence for the duration :).
	The Blacksmith is also a nice way to get out of those miserable
little cards like the Rack, Black Vice and Cursed Rack. Simply tap the
Blacksmith before your upkeep and tap those nasty little Artifacts before
their cheesy little abilities can come into play.
	A variation on this, put forward by The ELF
(mblack@mdw015.cc.monash.edu.au) is even more useful, although it requires
_2_ Blacksmiths in play. During your opponent's upkeep, use the
Blacksmith's ability on any Artifacts which effect both players (Howling
Mine/Winter Orbs/Weakstones/etc). This negates the use of the power for
your opponent during that turn. Before YOUR turn though, use the second
Blacksmith to UNTAP the Artifact, so that you can gain the benefits :). 
	You can also use this against a foe who insists on using the
Voodoo Doll. Since it does rather nasty damage to it's controller if it's
untapped at the end of a turn, let the poor sod use the doll...then untap
it with your ever present Blacksmiths :).

PRIEST OF YAWGMOTH!-Cool picture on this card by the way. It gives true
meaning to the adage,"It doesn't matter what you do as long as you look
good doing it" :). However, this card isn't only aesthetically pleasing,
it's got some genuine uses which some folks seem to overlook.
	Obviously, the biggest drawback folks see in this card is the
method by which one can gain Black Mana. The Priest offers up an amount of
Black Mana equal to the target artifact's casting cost. And that Artifact
is then sacrificed. Who wants to sacrifice an Artifact for Black Mana?
Well, I do for one, but let's see why :).
	In many situations, extra Black Mana can be the difference between
winning and losing. Take Drain Life for example...sacrificing something
like a Yotian Soldier (Casting Cost of 4) can allow you to do 4 more
damage with Drain Life, which in turn gives you 4 more Life Points. Hardly
a useless sacrifice of an Artifact. Place a Holy Armour on the Priest of
Yawgmoth, and you've replaced the sacrificed Yotian Soldier as well (OK,
so the Priest DOES tap when he attacks, but I use Yotian's on defence
anyhoos).
	Pestilence is another card where extra Black Mana can come quite
in handy. If you're like me, you pump small amounts of Mana into the
Pestilence at a time (First, make sure the Priest of Yawgmoth has a Black
Ward on for this trick). With my Regenerating Drudge Skeletons and Walking
Dead, I keep putting one into Pestilence, whittling down his beasts and
Regenerating my own. A few extra black mana can be the difference between
killing his defensive line or just softening it up :).
	With Legends, you can also use the Priest to help keep the Black
version of the Force of Nature happy. The Cosmic Horror has quite the
upkeep, and in a pinch, the Priest of Yawgmoth can be used to pay it off.
	The Priest of Yawgmoth aquires an all new significance when used
in conjuction with the Argivian Archaeologist. Any Artifact you sacrifice
for mana can be brought back simply by tapping the Argivian
Archaeologist...your Artifacts are now a renewable resource :). In the
game where I discovered the true significance of the Priest, the following
situation occured. There I was, down to 2 Lifepoints, with his Black Vise
about to kill me on my next turn. What's a Necromancer to do? I had far
more creatures out, and given time, would have destroyed him. His only
defence was a 7/7 Fungusaur. Not for long :). Tap the Priest of Yawgmoth,
sacrifice my Colossus of Sardia for _9_ Black Mana, and use that Mana to
cast Drain Life on his Fungusaur. His 7/7 dies, giving me 7 more life, and
enough of a boost to go on and WIN the game next round on an all out
assault :).
	Of course, if all else fails, the Priest is a relatively decent
defensive investment at 1/2 for _2_ Mana. In the early game, a 1/2 blocker
tends to stave off most attacks. And as with any low cost creature, he can
always be used to feed the Lord of the Pit :).
	Better yet, use your Aladdin, Old Man of the Sea or Steal Artifact
to grab an opponent's artifacts and and artifact creatures, and sacrifice
them to the Priest. Use the resulting mana to launch high damage spells at
your sorcerous foe, adding injury to insult :).
	You could also do as Paul Newman (newmanp@bronze.cs.indiana.edu)
suggests, and sacrifice that ever mystifying Su-Chi. The result is three
Black Mana and 4 Colourless mana with which you can do as you please...an
excellent way to get the mana you need to power up Streams of Life,
Fireballs or Alabaster Potions.

METAMORPHOSIS!-A truly wonderful little card, this 1 Mana sorcery allows
you to Sacrifice any creature of yours in play and receive Mana equal to
that creatures casting cost, and a bonus one to boot. Since this mana can
be of any colour, this card is useful in any colour deck. The only
restriction is that this mana must be used to summon creatures. So why
would one use this card at all?
	For the most part, this card is most useful when you're trying to
get out the big guns, but you just don't have the proper mana to do so.
You may have a Force of Nature, Fungusaur or Colossus of Sardia in your
hand, but not enough mana or mana of the right colour to put it down.
Metamorphosis can provide you with that extra little mana boost, although
the price of a critter may be a little high. So how do you get the most
mileage out of this Green Sorcery?
	Use your opponent's creatures :). How, you say? Well, for
starters; Old Man of the Sea, Aladdin and Steal Artifact can all be used
to take control of your oppoents Yotian Soldier or what have you. Control
Magic can be used on his other critters as well. There is nothing more
warming to the heart than watching a foe tear out hair in frustration as
you control something, and then proceed to sacrifice it for your own
purposes :). Not only will you be ridding your foe of a creature, you'll
be doing it to bring a creature of your own into play :).
	However, what if you don't have access to any of those theft
cards? Simple enough solution...use your own Artifact Creatures in
conjuction with Reconstruction and/or the Argivian Archaologist. After the
creature has been sacrificed, and you've brought your new beast into play,
tap the Archaologist to bring the sacrificed little monster back into the
game :). Reconstruction can serve the same purpose if you don't have
access to the Archaologist.
	A good example of how this card can be utlized in a game is as
follows: Your foe brings out a Yotian Soldier, something which effectively
prevents everything you have on the table from attacking without fear of
being blocked and/or dying. You need something with more kick in the game,
like a Craw Giant, but you're two Green mana short. Your options?
	(a)-Metamorphose any 1 casting cost creature on your side, which
will provide you with the 2 Green Mana you need.
	(b)-Steal his Yotian, Metamorphose it, and use the mana to bring
in your Giant anyways :).
	(c)-Metamorphose one of your creatures, then use Reconstruction to
bring him back :).
	In all cases, you end up either equal to or ahead of your opponent
in terms of offensive/defensive matching :).
	If you're hard pressed for mana, you can even use Metamorphosis on
your regular, every day creatures as opposed to your artifact creatures.
Raise Dead and Resurrection can be used to bring back anything blasted by
the Metamorphosis, so in the long run you're not really losing all that
much by sacrificing them :). Or, you can use Word of Command on an
opponent's critter, and choose a type of Mana that he cannot utilize...not
only is his creature gone, but he may be suceptible to Mana Burn as well :).

ANIMATE ARTIFACT!-Indeed, though hardly among the most common of spells,
this is one delightful little piece of magic which has found it's way into
many a book. This piece of magic allows a Mage, for 4 mana, to transmute
any Artifact into a Creature with both strength and defence equal to it's
original casting cost. A wonderfully useful little piece of
prestidigination (I do hope that's right...) if I do say so myself :).
	Obviously, this is an excellent spell to use if ever you are in a
tight situation which requires either more offensive punch, or a
strengthened defence. As the Artifact retains all it's previous abilities
in addition to becoming a creature, one can still use the Artifact for
it's original purposes. Consternation and fear will etch themselves upon
an opponent's features once you've Animated an Aladdin's Lamp to assist in
your cause....a 10/10 creature is nothing to sneeze at. If you wish to
utilize the Artifact abilities of the creature at some point, simply use a
Twiddle, or Jandor's Saddlebags to untap the Animated piece of arcana.
	Of course, there are far more devious uses for Animate Artifact.
Using it on an Opponent's prized Rod of Ruin, or his ever annoying Basalt
Monolith is one option. This leaves the Artifact open to things such as
Pestilence, the Prodigal Sorcerer or even Lightning Bolt. Using it on the
Moxes is another wonderful ploy...with a life force of 0, the Mox is sent
to the Graveyard :). What do you do with your foe once you've given him an
Artifact Creature? Why, Creature Bond it, and then proceed to Detonate or
Shatter it of course :). No more Artifact, and you've managed to inflict
damage on your opponent as well...much more entertaining than simply
Shattering the motionless Pyramids. Picture in your mind the sight as the
Pyramids begin to quake and move under the magics of the Animate Artifact,
and as the Creature Bond slips it's shackles around the peaks of those
Pyramids. And then the low rumble and sudden explosion as the Pyramids are
Detonated, sending shrapnel at your foe :). Truly a sight not to be missed :).
	Ofcourse, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. You
must be ever careful of Animating your own Artifacts, as the same damning
tricks can be utilized on you. If you'r eplaying a Green or White player,
you don't have as much to worry about in this department, but the Red and
Blue folks can wreak havoc on your Artifact Creatures. 
	As an Artifact Creature, your newly animated Artifact can also be
used in a more cruel fashion. If you have a one shot Artifact (Rocket
Launcher, Golgothian Sylex, City in a Bottle, etc), perform the following
bit of sorcery. Use Unstable Mutation on the newly animated Artifact and
proceed to attack with wild abandon. Shortly before the critter is ready
to expire, utilize the Artifact's ability. In this manner you not only get
to use the Artifact, but you managed to get an attacker in the bargain as
well :).

STAFF OF ZEGON!- Indeed, many of denigrated this wonderful little
device, simply due to it's rather expensive casting cost of _4_ Mana.
Granted, while this may be somewhat expensive, for what you're getting it
can be more than worth it. Consider the possibilities...
	While not as efficient in weakening beasties as that old Black
standby Weakness, the Staff of Zegon is far more flexible in application.
Whereas Weakness must be placed on a single creature and kept there, the
Staff of Zegon has the advantage of surprise. Use the Staff once your
opponent has declared his attack or his block, bring his more powerful
critters down to size. A favourite tactic of an opponent of mine is to
bring out the Serra Angel and use her to keep my Sengir Vampire at bay. If
the Vampire should happen to kill the Angel, he simply brings her back
with a Resurrection, and the 4 Damage done to the Vampire is enough to put
him out of action. With the Staff, you can pull the same stunt, but when
he assigns the Angel to Block, toss the Staff at her to make her 2/4...she
is still sent to the Graveyard, but provides 1 life for the Vampire in the
process :).
	Variations on this theme are the best way in which to utilize the
staff. When you are on the defensive, you can use your weaker 2/2's and
2/3's to block his 3/3's and 4/4's without fear of taking a hit. Simply
use the Staff after he has declared his attack. This can free up your
heavy duty blockers for more constructive use :).
	Peter Donald (neurolab@pavlov.psyc.queensu.ca) points out that one
card in particular which can be useful with the Staff of Zegon is that
crotchety Old Man of the Sea. Better yet, use these two cards in
conjuction with the Lord of the Pit, as suggested by Nick Fang. Use the
Staff, steal the creature with the Old Man, and then feed it to the Lord
of the Pit :).
	Another excellent way to use this work of the artificer Ashnod is
with other cards of similar ability. When used with Weakness, a creature
such as the Serra Angel can be reduced to a hollow shell of what it once
was...from 4/4 to 0/3 with the simple application of two cards...not a
happy thing indeed. Unless you're the one using the combination of course
:). By the same token, the Staff is an excellent way to render the
Enchantment Unholy Strength somewhat inert, cancelling out the nasty
offensive bonuses. Personally, this is my preferred use for the card,
using it on creatures which have been given Firebreathing or which are
'pumpable' in nature...it takes away from some of that sting :).
	Saul (jaffe@playfair.rutgers.edu) has another devious way in which
the staff can be used. Using the Staff on a 4/4 or better creature, and
then playing Transmutation can render those frightening folk just a little
less dangerous. For example, the 4/4 Serra Angel can be made a 2/4 with
the Staff, and then switched to a 4/2 using Transmutation. Now, she is
easily taken out with a Lightening Bolt, a lower strength Pestilence, or
even a Rod of Ruin/Prodigal Sorcere one/two :).

GUARDIAN ANGEL!-For the cost of _1_ White mana and an unspecified amount
of any other colour, this particular instant has the rather soothing
effect of preventing all damage to any one target. One can prevent damage
from various different sources as well, as long as one has the necessary
mana to expend. It's this ability which can be the most useful.
	First off, although the Alabaster Potion provides life, it costs
more to get out (2 White as opposed to 1) and is unable to prevent damage
more than once a turn as the Guardian Angel does. Consider this situation-
An opponent pumps his Pestilence for 4 points of damage, which would take
out your only flying defence against his Sengir Vampire (which he
regenerates after the Pestilence). You can either let the Angel die at
this point, or force the Alabaster Potion down her throat. Assume you use
the Alabaster Potion. Well and good, but then your opponent taps his last
two swamps...and pulls out a Dark Ritual, pumping ANOTHER four mana into
the Pestilence. Now you have a problem. If you rely on Alabaster Potions,
you are in trouble, since it can only be used the one time. If you had
played Guardian Angel, however, you could simply allot another 4 mana to
prevent the damage from the Pestilence. Variations on this theme will work
for Fireball and Lightning Bolt as well. In these cases, Guardian Angel is
far more flexible than the Alabaster Potion.
	Ahhh, but there is more. You can use the same tactic with Guardian
Angel upon yourself, especially in a Black/White deck. Using the Angel on
yourself, you can pump _1_ Black Mana into Pestilence at several different
times during the turn. Each time, you can use the Angel on yourself to
prevent the damage. Although you or your opponent could conceivably use
the Alabaster Potion to prevent this damage at the END of the turn, with
the Angel, you can avoid nasty surprises like Dark Ritual :). All this,
and the Angel is cheaper to put on the table to boot :).
	Another use for the Guardian Angel is upon your opponent! Huh?
That's right, in certain instances, using the Guardian Angel on your
opponent can be a rather beneficial thing to do. Allow me to explain :).
If your opponent does something rather annoying, like casting Reverse
Polarity or Reverse Damage after you have attacked. The timing aspect here
is rather tricky, but I believe it works-
	(1)-Damage Assesment after the attack
	(2)-Opponent uses Reverse Damage
	(3)-You cast Guardian Angel on Opponent
	(4)-No more fast effects
	(5)-Damage to opponent prevented by Guardian Angel
	(6)-Opponent's Reverse Damage takes effect...no damage to Reverse :).
	
	Of course, this old Mage could have his wires crossed, but I see
nothing particularily wrong with this tactic.
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Much thanks to the hundreds (literally) of people who have commented on,
critiqued and assisted with the Single Card Strategy series. The Thank You
list is now over 300 names long, and growing all the time :). If you've
e-mailed me, even if I was unable to respond, your input was appreciated
and in many cases acted upon. Without the gamers, this wouldn't be
possible. Big thanks all around :).







