Single Card Strategies- Compilation 7 (July 31st,1994)

LIFE CHISEL			(LG)-News uses added, rules conflict removed
HOLY ARMOR			(RV)-
AISLING LEPRECHAUN		(LG)-New use added
FEAR				(RV)-
MERCHANT SHIP			(AN)-New use added
DETONATE			(AQ)-
AVOID FATE			(LG)-Rules conflict removed
CIRCLE OF PROTECTION:BLACK	(RV)-New uses added
POWER LEAK			(RV)-
HURR JACKAL			(AN)-

Single Card Strategies is (c) 1994 to Jeff Franzmann. Of course, since he's
handing these things out for free and all, he doesn't mind if you
disseminate them yourself. Just make sure his name is on them and he is
cited as the creator. Danke :).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIFE CHISEL!-Truly, this is one of the greatest pieces of magic ever
forged. The illustrations of this work alone convey the feeling of despair
and gloom which befall so many when this artifact is brought out. And for
good reason, as you shall see.
	For the cost, this Artifact is probably one of the best mana for
function items out there. Once in play, all that is required is the
sacrifice of a creature to provide you with life equal to that creatures
toughness. A prized possession in any arsenal I should think :). Consider
the many different applications such a device has. In any situation where
you find yourself low on life, tossing a creature aside to provide you
with that extra push may be all you need...but how best to choose the
beast to be sacrificed?
	Truly, the Ornithopters ere created with the Chisel in mind. No
mana to bring out, once sacrificed, they provide an instant 2 life. Many
may consider this a waste of a creature, but consider the following
situation. A Tablet of Epityr and Urza's Chalice are in play, as is the
Life Chisel. Playing the Ornithopter and sacrificing it to the Life Chisel
grants an immediate four life. Now for the truly evil aspect of this
combination...play Reconstruction, bring back the Ornithopter, and repeat
the process during the next turn. Consider the possibilities when an
Argivian Archaeologist is in play. Every turn can garner you 4 life as you
repeatedly sacrifice the Ornithopter while the Tablet and Chalice are in play.
	Artifact creatures on your opponents side are particularily
vulnerable to the nastiness which can be inflicted with the Life Chisel.
Steal Artifact the Colossus of Sardia and sacrifice it...your foe loses an
incredible creature, you garner 9 life as a result. Aladdin and Old Man of
the Sea can also perform the same function, and more often, for the Life
Chisel. Nothing can match the feeling of dragging a creature away from
it's summoner, sacrificing it to the Chisel, and drawing upon it's
essence...that's power :).
	In dire situations, where you need all the creatures you can but
are in desperate need of life as well, the Chisel can be a life saver.
Once there was a duel in which I found myself down to 2 life points, and
the Red Mage no doubt was waiting only for the untapping of his Mountains
to launch that Lightning Bolt I knew he had. Thinking quickly, I threw
animate Artifact on Aladdin's Lamp, a device I had ceased to find useful
for that particular duel, and then proceeded to sacrifice the device to
the Chisel for 10 life...I went on to defeat the Mountain Mage :).
	Of course, the Chisel is by no means the perfect artifact. It is
open to all the usual nastiness which can terminate the functions of such
pieces of equipment. Crumble, Disenchant, and other such commonalities
will usually target this artifact once it's power has become apparent.
There is always the danger of having Aladdin steal it from your grasp and
utilize it's power for your foe. The Gremlins of Phyrexia may choose to
tap the thing, or you may find it Shattered. If one can avoid these common
dangers, however, the Chisel can serve you well.
	Jerrod Bloodwulf, a most esteemed colleague, suggests using the
Chisel to remove those beasts which are now proving to be more a
hinderance than a help. Wanderlust, Weakness, Paralyze and Venarian Gold
(especially when cast on the Erg Raiders) can all render your minions
harmful to yourself. The Life Chisel rids you of the problem, and at the
same time grants you life.
	Joshua Bluestein (wabe@ftp.com) notes that when used with Blazing
Effigy, the Chisel becomes an excellent offensive weapon, Sacrificed, the
Effigy gives you life, and at the same time can remove from the scene a
beast of your opponents.

HOLY ARMOR!-There can really be no debate over the actually usefulness of
this particular work...after all, anything which grants 0/+2 for a paltry
1 mana is something which can't be underlooked. And the ability to add
even more protection with the additional expenditure of mana is an
excellent way to create some rather incredible blockers. THere are many
other ways in which this particular ability can be utilized, however...
	Using Holy Armour is one of the best ways to protect your valuable
1/1 creatures from being taken out by the Prodigal Sorcerer, Cuombajj
Witches or any other such nuisance. Your own Sorcerer, Sorceress Queen and
the like can be granted immunity to these hazards for the sum of 1
mana...and an additional mana will render Lightning Bolt ineffective as
well. Since the 'pumpable' nature of the holy armour is a fast effect,
it's an excellent way to have an opponent throw away a Lightning Bolt as
well, if he or she isn't cautious. If one is foolish enough to toss a Bolt
at a creature with Holy Armour, simply add an additional /0+1 with the
expenditure of 1 additional mana...that 1/3 is now a 1/4, and safe from
electrocution :).
	The usefulness of Holy Armour does not end there, however. As
mentioned above, the 'pumpable' nature of the Holy Armour is a fast effect
(for those who may question this, the treatise on Magic contained within
all spellbooks given to apprentices contains the information on pg 37). On
the defence and offence this can be invaluable. When a creature is
blocking or being blocked, the Holy Armor allows it to suffer more damage
than it normally would be able to. Thus, a 1/3 Goblin Raider could
successful block a Hill Giant...and rather than being killed, the
expenditure of 1 extra mana will allow it to survive.
	Holy Armor, in conjuction with Black, can also serve a deadly
offensive purpose. After putting mana into the Holy Armor, one can create
some deadly creatures using Transmutation, that wonderful instant which
switches the power and toughness of the affected beast. Consider the
Moorish Cavalry, 3/3 tramplers. A holy Armour with three mana put into
them makes for 3/8 creature...with a Transmutation put down, it's now an
8/3 trampling creature...not something you'd want to be across from to be
certain :).
	Worse for your opponent, consider the applications of Holy Armour
with Creature Bond. It's always wonderful to place a beneficial
Enchantment upon a foe and then use it against him :). Place the Armor on
a bonded creature, say a Hill Giant. Using the armour, the creature can be
turned into a 3/5, 3/8 or whatever you prefer. Casting a Terror or a
Disintegrate on the bonded beast will result in a great deal of damage to
your opponent :). Of course, with this method, one must be certain that
your foe cannot counter the destructive Magic, or you've just created a
rather nasty piece of offensive mayhem for your adversary. Use Ramses
Overdark...he's wonderful with enchanted creatures.
	Or Holy Armor the Rabid Wombat...for 1 White mana and the cost of
the beast, you've created a 2/5 rodent with a bad attitude :). You have to
admire a critter that just gets meaner and meaner as time goes by.
However, watch out for the Creature Bond...what's good for your opponent
is as good for you too. 

AISLING LEPRECHAUN!-Indeed, what is there that a leprechaun cannae do? A
single green mana'll call us forth, and for such a paltry sum, you receive
a 1/1 little beastie which has an ability that makes many others pale in
comparison. Any creature which blocks or is blocked by one of the wee
little folk immediately becomes a Green creature, and with such an
ability, a lot of damage can be done, let me tell you.
	The White Magics can make devastating use of the combination of
Lure and the Leprechaun. Every creature is thereby forced to focus it's
attention on the puir little fellow, and in the process be transformed
into a rather brilliant green hue. A simply regeneration will allow the
Leprechaun to recover from the devastating results of which a Lure so
often produces. Now, however, your foe is stuck with a horde of green
beasts...and as any good White Mage knows, a Circle of Protection:Green in
such a situation can prove invaluable :).
	Even pompous so and so's like me friend Canticle can derive
benefit from such a combination. Slap a Lure on a Leprechaun, and quite
suddenly that Abomination becomes the most feared thing your opponent has
ever seen. Nothing of his can atrack without fear of being destroyed. And
the Leprechaun can be brought back again and again through the use of
Regeneration or Raise Dead.
	The Lure certainly isn't a necessity to make use of the power of
us faerie folk, though, let me tell you. Regeneration can provide the same
benefit over time...every creature blocked will become Green, and the
Regeneration allows for the continually utilization of the
ability...wonderful thing, not being able to die, isn't it :).
	What of those puir fools who don't play Black or White, what are
they to do with a devilishly handsome fellow such as myself? Some Green
Magi, having far more power than they do brains, simply toss us into their
service as another cheap and easy creature to be thrown in front of a foe,
or worse, fed to that godawful chap, the Lord of the Pit. Granted, I
suppose, if you're lacking in conscience, such a tactic would be, well,
proper.
	Obviously, the best colours to use with folks such as myself are
White and Black. In this manner, the full range of our limitless potential
can be realized. White can wreak havoc on an enemy who finds that all of
his creatures have suddenly turned Green, especially with things like the
Green Ward and the Circle of Protection. Black need only possess the
Abomination to make a Leprechaun useful...and a Lure in either case is a
most definite bonus.
	Though it galls me to admit it, there are some drawbacks to the
Aisling Leprechauns...nothing serious mind you. Our delicate constitutions
make us most unfit for battle, and things like Pestilence, Fireball and
other assorted creature blasting nastiness has a rather profound effect on
our life expectancy. 
	Hmmm, seems this here Josh Smith (irilyth@osiris.ac.hmc.edu) has
his head put on right, to be sure. The boy suggests using a Green Ward on
the Leprechaun, thuse saving us the hassle of having to Regenerate again
and again ... nice to see that some folks have the decency to take the
concerns of us wee folk to heart.

FEAR!-Truly one of the most valued enchantments in a Necromancers arsenal,
there are far too many who believe this creation to be of limited use,
especially against fellow practicioners of the Black. THere are, however,
numerous reasons to bring Fear along with you into battle, and will shall
begin with the most basic.
	Fear gains the most utility when utilized against those fools who
insist on practicing but one colour of Magic. Against Red in particular, a
Feared creature is unstoppable. There is nothing within the arsenal of a
Red Mage which can remove the enchantment of Fear, and this reason alone
should convince anyone who toys around with Red Magic to add something
more to their repetoire. Placed on a Sengir Vampire, it will take at the
very least a Fireball to end the carnage such a beast can inflict.
	Of course, few are the Magi who utilize but one colour. Still,
against all but those who use Black, Fear can have tremendous value. Since
only those creatures which are Artifacts or are Black in nature can stand
before the howling terror which is a Feared creature, efforts must be made
to ensure such beasts do not stand in your way.
	Once Fear has been placed on a beast, precautions must be taken.
If a Black or Artifact creature is in play, they are quite obviously able
to take away the advantage provided by Fear. Crumble, Disenchant, Shatter
or what have you should be cast on the Artifact creatures before you go on
the attack, while Paralyze, Drain Life, or even Demonic Torment should be
used to neutralize the Black defenders. Though Demonic Torment still
allows a creature to block, it prevents any damage from being done to your
creatures. Once these methods are used to clear any obstacles, your Fear
wrapped creature can waltz in and do what it does best :).
	Other methods exist, however, to alleviate the problem caused by
Black and Artifact creatures. Fir the Black/Green Mage, including an
Aisling Leprechaun can be beneficial. Have the little fellow block any
Black or Artifact creature which attacks. Though it may kill him, that's
one less blocker able to stop a creature which has the power of Fear. The
various Lace cards can also perform the same function, and in a much more
efficient manner. Using Purelace on Black or Artifact creatures also opens
them up to Terror, and is therefore doubly useful...not only will they be
unable to block a Feared creature, but they are more vulnerable than ever.
	Sea King's Blessing is an excellent spell to utilize just before
the attack. Simple change all of an opponent's Black and Artifact
creatures into blue creatures. Though it lasts only the one turn, it
allows your Fear enchanted critters to roam through freely :).
	To maximize the effectiveness of fear, one should use it on Flying
creatures. Only the Clockwork Avian and Ornithopter are then able to block
it from amongst the Artifact Creatures. While Black has far more flying
beasts, this still cuts down on the numbers of potential blockers.
	One of deadliest combinations which can be used with Fear is to
place it upon the Infernal Medusa. Any Black or Artifact creature which
then chooses to block Medusa (apart from, say, a Wall of Bone or Wall of
Spears) will find itself destroyed. Nasty, indeed :).
	Of course, Fear itself can be overcome. As an Enchantment, it is
vulnerable to all the usual things which affect these types of spells.
Tranquility, Disenchant, and the like will all remove Fear from a
creature. If you are unable to take Fear off, possession of a Wall of
Shadows or Wall of Putrid Flesh will minimize the risk from such a
creature. Neither one will take any damage from creature enchanted by
Fear. The creature itself can be targeted with all sorts of nastiness
which could end it's life and with it the Enchantment. All in all, while
extraordinarily useful, Fear is also very vulnerable. Getting it out
early, however, can be the difference between a long and a short duel.

MERCHANT SHIP!-Of the many powers which Blue may bring to bear, one area
in which they are lacking is the power to garner life. There are few
spells and enchantments which allow the ocean going mage to replenish his
life supply. Here, the Merchant Ship can be absolutely invaluable. And it
has uses beyond this as well.
	The Merchant Ship costs a mere 1 mana to bring out, and is an 0/2
creature. In order to gain any benefit, you must keep islands in play on
your side...for a Blue Mage, this should be of little difficulty. Of
course, the biggest restriction place upon the vessel is the fact that the
opponent must have islands in play in order for the Merchant Ship to
attack. If your foe does not play Blue, though, you are not finished.
Either Phantasmal Terrain his lands into Islands, or utilize the 0/2 Ship
as a cheap defender. Either way, paying 1 mana for the Ship is hardly a
wasted expenditure :).
	On the attack, the Merchant Ship is invaluable. It does no damage,
but should it make it through without being blocked, you've gained 2 life.
Since it deals no damage, few Magi take the time to utilize the Merchant
Ship...anything on the table can block it without fear, and therefore deny
you the life you seek. There are so many ways around this...
	THe easiest method of getting the Merchant Ship through is with
the Dwarven Warriors. Tapping the Warriors to make the Ship unblockable
guarantees you 2 Life every turn...after all, who wants to stop a ship
swarming with stunted little dwarves ready to lop off your head? This
particular combination is not only annoying, but exremely useful :).
	Of course, there are other methods of getting the Ship through to
it's destination. Using Holy or Unholy Strength will allow the Ship to
inflict damage with the simple expenditure of one more mana. In the early
stages of a game, when your opponent isn't very likely to have many
powerful creatures out, this poses a serious quandry ... do you block the
Ship and have your critter killed, or do you let it through, take the
damage AND allow the 2 life to be given. Not a happy scenario for an
opponent to be sure :). Of course, you can still use Holy Strength or
Unholy Strength, AND the Dwarven Warriors...now you have a 2/3 or 1/4,
unblockable Ship which deals damage and gives you 2 life every turn...this
just keeps getting better, doesn't it?
	There's more! Use Fear on the Merchant Ship if you have none of
the above methods available...now the Ship need only beware Artifact
Creatures and the beasts of Black. This can gain you 2 or 4 life early on
in a game when those you duel aren't likely to have many creatures out yet.
	Unstable Mutation and Giant Growth are two other, less reliable
methods which can be used upon the Merchant Ship to allow it safe passage.
Though the Mutation will cause it's ultimate demise, the combination costs
a mere 2 blue mana to get out on the table. And that 2 mana creates a 3/5
creature which will cause serious damage AND transfer life into your pool
for close to 3 turns. Giant Growth is an excellent way to make it
intimidating enough to get through freely, but it only lasts one turn and
is therefore more limited in scope.
	Against a mage who plays Mountains, one can grant Burrowing to the
Merchant Ship...from the waves it leaps to grind through the mountain
passes, and end up at the very feet of your enemy :). 
	There are so many ways in which the Merchant Ship can be led
through the perils placed by an opponent, that it's usefulness should not
even be debated. There are, however, methods of stopping it.
	Unlike so many other useful creatures, the Merchant Ship is not
susceptible to the pokes and prods of the Prodigal Sorcer or the Rod of
Ruin. However, it's as vulnerable to Lightning Bolt, Pestilence, and
Fireball as much as any other creature. Terror will still destroy it
without much debate, and both Paralyze and Demonic Torment will keep it in
place. If you have no islands in play, those Merchant Ships you face are
useful only as blockers, though you had best beware the power of
Phantasmal Terrain.
	In any Blue spellbook, however, the Merchant Ship has a place.
Even if your foe has not a single Island to his or her name, the Ship is
still a cheap 0/2 creature which can serve well as a blocker early in the
game. Only the Ornithopter provides a better service for less mana
expenditure.
	Ulrich Schade (scahde@lili.uni-bielefld.de) presents a most
ingenious use for the Merchant Ship in a multi mage duel. Should you find
yourself allied with another, form an agreement with that individual, and
send your ship through to gather supplies. Your ally will allow it to
pass, and you can garner the life freely.

DETONATE!-An inspiring spell to be sure. Any artifact targetted by
Detonate will explode, sending burning, magical shrapnel into the
controller. Not only will the artifact cease to be, but damage equivalent
to the casting cost of the artifact will be inflicted.
	The most obvious benefit of Detonate lies within this ability.
While Shatterstorm, Disenchant and Shatter will all rid you of an
artifact, none of them damage your opponent at the same time. Worse,
Crumble grants life to your opponent equivalent to the casting cost. The
one drawback is the mana cost of Detonate...to do the damage, one must
have mana.
	Detonate is probably most useful against Artifact Creatures and
artifacts which directly affect the controller. It's a wonderful thing
indeed to blow Yotian Soldiers into millions of tiny fragments, ridding
you of a nuisance and at the same time causing three damage :). Better
yet, utilize this sorcery on those truly abominable Rod's of Ruin and Icy
Manipulators.
	There are some Magi, however, who do not utilize artifacts...what
can be done with them? For this purpose, Ashnod's Transmogrant was
created...place the artifact upon a creature which is causing you no end
of difficulties, and you've created an entirely new target to be Detonated
:). Placed upon a Fungusaur, you not only get rid of that ever growing
nuisance, but also manage to get your digs in on the foe as well. Used on
Regenerating beasties, you take away their one advantage...Detonated
Artifact critters cannot be regenerated :).
	To maximize the pain and suffering one can inflict with Detonate,
toss a Creature Bond on the beast about to be blasted into smithereens.
Imagine a scenario in which a Creature Bonded Colossus of Sardia is
Detonated...that's 18 points of Damage to the unfortunate soul who was in
control of that creation. Not something you want happening to you, to be
certain.
	How does one avoid such a nasty fate? Beyond the usual interrupts
and what not, there really isn't much. It's my understanding that a
CoP:Red will defend against the damage caused by the spell, simply due to
the wording,"...and Detonate does X points of damage...". Since the source
of the damage is the Red spell, a CoP:Red should prevent it. Reverse
Damage might help in the situation, but you still have one very broken
artifact on your hands.
	Detonate is also an excellent deterrent. If your foe knows you
utilize such a spell, he or she will be loathe to place powerful Artifacts
where you will be able to affect them. Sometimes, even the rumours of
strength can be equal to the strength itself.

AVOID FATE!-One thing which the magic of the forests is sorely lacking is
a means by which a Green Mage can counter spells. In a limited fashion,
Avoid Fate does just that. Though not nearly as diverse in it's
applications as, say, a Spell Blast, Avoid Fate gives options to Magi who
may not otherwise have them.
	Costing a single green mana, Avoid Fate allows one to interrupt a
foes casting, and will counter any other interrupt or enchantment. This
allows the Green Mage to overcome many of the difficulties he may once
have faced. Consider the following...
	Facing one such as myself, a practicioner of Black magicks, an
opponent without counterspells is at a tremendous disadvantage. Weakness lays
waste to the strongest of warriors and beasts, Paralyze will render warriors
born inert and inept, while Demonic Torment tears at the souls of even the
bravest men. Black, when it comes to debilitating Enchantments, has no
equal. All can be countered in rapid fashion by the powers of Avoid Fate.
	It isn't only the mages of the marsh that need watch for a Green
Mage avoiding fate. Against Blue, some tactics which are commonly used
will fall prey to Avoid Fate. Psychic Venom and Phantasmal Terrain are
commonly used to render your own lands useless to you, but can be avoided
with the use of this spell. In some situations, it may even result in a
detrimental result for your foe. If an opponent declares an attack with a
walker, and then Phantasmal Terrains one of your lands into an appropriate
land type (say a Lost Soul attacks, and he Phantasmal Terrains a Forest
into a Swamp), you have the perfect counter. Avoid Fate will destroy the
Phantasmal Terrain, and the walker will be open to whatever defence you
choose :). Power Leak is another Enchantment of Blue which can be taken
out by means of Avoid Fate.
	The various 'lace spells are also wonderful things upon which the
caprcious hand of fate can play it's tricks. A necromancer may Purelace a
black creature to make it open to terror, others may Deathlace your cards
to make them open to attack by the Northern Paladin. A Mountain Mage may
use a 'lace to make a creature vulnerable to the Spinal Villain. In all
cases, you can avoid the nastiness by means of this charming spell.
	Best of all, this spell has the advantage of surprise. Few expect
those who utilize Green magicks to have counterspells or the means ot
avoid such nastiness as land enchantments. With Avoid Fate, you have both.

CIRCLE OF PROTECTION:BLACK!-One of the most common means by which the
White Mage will protect himself. Cheap to cast and utilize, it will
prevent all damage to your person from a Black source, as long as you have
the mana to maintain such protection. It's been said elsewhere that the
Circle of Protection:Black is of lesser value when compared to the other
Circles, but having faced them many a time, I can assure you that this is
simply not so. Consider the many applications...
	Black does not have much in the way of direct damage spells. There
is nothing in the swamp which rivals a Mountain Lords lightning bolt or
fireball, to be certain. Pestilence is one means by which a Mage can
inflict some amount of direct damage upon an opponent. The Circle of
Protection:Black can serve as moderate defence against Pestilence. Though
your creatures wither and fall around you, the plague ridden touch of the
Enchantment will do you no harm. The danger in this method lies with the
nature of Pestilence. The Black Enchantment can be triggered one painful
sore at a time, and each time it is triggered, another mana will have to
be spent to prevent the damage using the CoP:Black. However ... the caster
will be taking damage at the very same time, and unless he has a Circle of
Protection himself, will be loathe to do damage to himself while doing
none to you.
	Drain Life is another Black spell which can be avoided using the
Circle of Protection. Simply having it on the table will prevent a
Necromancer from targetting you with the spell, and he may even go so far
as to cast it on some lesser creature to garner the life. In this manner,
the Circle of Protection is an excellent deterrent.
	The best aspect of the Circle, however, is against the creatures
of Black. The Khabal Ghoul and Sengir Vampire both are beasts which grow
ever more powerful with the death of each creature they encounter. The
fear they generate ceases to be a worry, however, if you manage to place a
CoP:Black. Even a 17/17 Khabal Ghoul (something I had the pleasure of
utilizing at one time) will be next to useless, save as a blocker, when
the CoP:Black is out. Should the your foe be fool enough to attack with
it, simply let it through and trigger the circle.
	The Legends of Black also suffer from the Circle. The fearsome
Abomination, which can cut a swathe through White defenders, is powerless
against the Circle. No longer will you have to sacrifice your creatures in
order to keep the Abomination off your back. Simply let it through and
trigger the Circle.
	The Circle is also useful against spells such as Artifact
Possession, which torment your mechanical creations. Since it clearly
states that 'Artifact Possession does 2 damage...', the Circle of
Protection:Black is an obvious way to defend against it. No longer will
your Rod of Ruin lay dormant with it's Thraxodaemon host ... use it with
abandon, ignoring the damage done by means of your Circle :).
	What of those dread visions of Underworld Dreams? Also easily
avoided by means of the CoP:Black. Again, one must look no further than
the statement contained upon the spell,'Underworld Dreams does one
damage...', hence, it's damage from a Black source :).
	Few are the Necromancers who go into battle with beasts of Black
alone, however, for many will employ the Magicks of White or Green to
augment their defensive and offensive capabilities. Even Green creatures
aren't safe from the CoP:Black. What!?! Well, the Green creature may be
safe, but once you've Deathlaced it to Black, well ...that's something
else entirely (some stripling will now no doubt say something to the
effect of 'Why not use a CoP:Green instead'. Sometimes, my friend, what we
wish to use is not available. When a Force of Nature is bearing down on
you, and that CoP:Green languishes on the bottom of your spellbook, you
will thank me for the advice).
	Of course, there are uses for the Circle even in the arsenal of
the Black Mage. Erg Raiders and the Hasran Ogress both are formidable
warriors, but if they fail to take their anger out on an opponent, they
may turn on you. With a Circle of Protection:Black in play, the danger
they present is minimal, and they can be used to best effect.
	The ELF, ever the one to assist a friend, points out that with
Pestilence, the Circle of Protection:Black can be invaluable to the owner
of the Enchantment. While laying waste to his hordes, you can safely pump
up the Circle and avoid the damage, all the while Regenerating your
Skeletons, Walls of Bone, and Scavenging Ghouls. And before the end of the
turn, should you play a Khabal Ghoul, you'll have your foe begging for mercy.

POWER LEAK!-A common enough Enchantment, this spell requires the
expenditure of only 2 mana, and has a rather wonderful benefit.
Enchantments which have this spell tacked onto them now require the
payment of 2 mana during upkeep. Should this mana not be paid, damage will
result. The benefits of such a spell are many.
	One thing which this Enchantment does rather well is deny mana to
your opponent. Rather than adding that extra 2 mana to the Fireball or
Stream of Life (which would be rather redundant, and a waste), your foe
will instead be forced to spend it on the maintainance of an enchantment.
Against the White Mage, this is particularily useful. With the Circles of
Protection, the White Mage has the means to avoid great amounts of damage
... however, a Power Leak will limit the ability of the Mage to choose.
Consider the following situation. A Circle of Protection:Black is in play,
and the controller has no defending creatures and three mana. His opponent
has 3 Black Creatures (Skeletons, Zombies, and the Walking Dead). In
normal circumstances, the Mage can power the Circle using the mana, and
avoid all damage. Place a Power Leak on the Circle, and the situation
becomes far more menacing. Now, the Circle's controller is in a bind.
Paying two mana means that 2 creatures will get through during the attack,
inflicting 2 damage. Not paying means that he will take 2 damage. A
wonderfully delicious double bind :).
	The fun doesn't stop there :). Power Leak is an excellent way to
get back at those Blue Magi who delight in the use of Psychic Venom and
Phantasmal Terrain. With Power Leak place on these Enchantments, you will
lessen the ability of your foe to use spells such as Power Sink or Spell
Blast. Either the Blue Mage upkeeps those Psychic Venoms, or he takes the
damage.  Upkeeping them means less mana available for Power Sink and the
like :).
	Power Leak is a key part of any spell book which is designed to
deny your opponent mana. Used in conjuction with Mana Short, Energy Flux
and other such nastiness, your opponent will be desperate for mana. Think
of it ... with only 1 Power Leak on any enchantment, and an Energy Flux on
an artifact, your opponent is required to pay 4 mana a round or suffer
serious consequences. This is not something to be laughed at. Multiple
Power Leaks can rapidly lead to defeat. In this way, spells such as
Alabaster Potion, Fireball, Stream of Life, and Disintegrate can all be
rendered less effective.
	As mentioned previously, Power Leak is an excellent way to make
Enchantments less than helpful to your opponent. Used on Holy Armour,
Unholy Strength, Weakness, Paralyze and so on, it can convince your enemy
to try and rid the table of all Enchantments. Once, I had four Power Leaks
in play, along with an Energy Flux. Rather than pay 10 mana a turn, he
brought out Tranquility ... not only did this rid him of the Power Leaks,
but also of his Circles of Protection, and his Wards as well. It was a
short duel thereafter.
HURR JACKAL!-In the arsenal of Red, this beast is the one which should
inspire true dread within the breast of a Necromancer. A 1 mana beast with
a mere 1/1, the special power of a Hurr Jackal prevents a target creature
from Regenerating for the remainder of the turn. Dreadful indeed...
	One of the most common tactics used by the Black Mage is to bring
out the low cost Regenerators as utility blockers. A Regenerating Drudge
Skeleton can be thrown with little concern in the path of a Craw Wurm, and
he will return to serve again. The Hurr Jackal denies a Black Mage this
greatest of advantages. Worse, the ability can be used to surprise the
Mage ... the attack begins, and the block is declared. Only then will the
mournful wail of the Jackal signal the spirits of the dead, denying them
access to the bodies they once inhabited. The Drudge Skeleton will be well
and truly dead.
	Consider the possibilities against a Black Mage. Drudge Skeletons,
the Walking Dead ... and worst of all, the Scavenging Ghoul. All those
carefully garnered tokens are useless should an opponent place a Hurr
Jackal in play.
	Black is not the only colour which need fear the Hurr Jackal.
Green can have one of it's most valued enchantments, Regeneration,
rendered useless by means of the Jackal. Hassan mentions in his treatise a
duel which once took place in an Oasis near his home. He faced a Mage of
Green, who had summoned forth many Ironroot Treefolk to his side. THis,
Hassan could deal with. When three had Regeneration placed upon them,
still he had confidence. He had been waiting for his opponent to tip his
hand ... the three Regenerations in play, Hassan summoned forth the Hurr
Jackal. He had been waiting for the Green Mage to play his hand all along.
	Red can be stung by the wail of the Jackal as well. The ever
popular Uthden Troll is no better than a Grey Ogre when facing off against
an opponent with the Hurr Jackal. And the Brute? The enchantment all but
worthless for the cost.
	And finally, White. If you are utilizing the Glasses of Urza, you
may be able to discern when a Death Ward comes into an opponent's hand.
And when it does, the Hurr Jackal can serve a purpose. When a creature
which has been providing excellent defence and service to a Mage of White,
but is destined to die, use the Hurr Jackal upon it. The creature is
unable to Regenerate, and the Death Ward will be useless. An excellent
combination with Lightning Bolt ... it assures that whatever creature you
target will NOT return from death to haunt you again. Short of Raise Dead,
the beast is buried.
	Indeed, the Hurr Jackal is an excellent addition to the arsenal of
a Red Mage. A quick creature to bring into the fray, it can serve a
purpose long into the later stages of a duel. It's usefulness, however, is
countered by all the usual dangers. Pestilence, Rod of Ruin, the Cuombajj
Witches, the Prodigal Sorcerer and other such nastiness will quite rapidly
end the life of a Jackal, and with little trouble. Terror may be
considered overkill, but it to will work, and with Regeneration being an
important aspect of Black, Terror might be just the thing a Necromancer
would use. Even in this manner, the Hurr Jackal serves a purpose. A Black
Magi may utilize a Terror against a Jackal rather than saving it for
something far more fearsome, simply to enable him to use the Regenerative
capabilities of his minions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks go out to all the folks who make Single Card Strategies a success.
There are literally hundreds of you, and my only regret is I can't thank
each and every one of you personally. Special thanks to Jerrod, Agbaar,
Anwyn, the ELF, Plaidius, and all the other roles which have been and will
continue to be played in the course of this series :).

