Jewel Thief
Casting Cost: {2}{G}
Card Type: Creature - Cat Rogue
Power/Toughness: 3/3
Card Text:
- Vigilance, trample
- When Jewel Thief enters the battlefield, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
Flavour Text:
"They can afford the loss. They build it into their prices."
Artist: Joe Slucher
Analysis:
Strengths:
-
Strong Keywords: Vigilance allows it to attack without tapping, making it useful both offensively and defensively. Trample ensures that excess combat damage is not wasted.
-
Mana Ramp: Provides a Treasure token upon entering the battlefield, giving you a one-time ramp or color fixing.
-
Cost-Efficient: A 3/3 creature with two relevant abilities for 3 mana is quite good.
Weaknesses:
-
One-Time Ramp: The Treasure token is a one-shot deal; it doesn't provide continuous ramp.
-
No Immediate Impact: While it provides a Treasure, it doesn't affect the board state in a significant way when it enters, beyond its own 3/3 body.
Potential Deck Placement:
- Jewel Thief could be a strong pick for green-based midrange decks, especially those looking to splash additional colors thanks to the Treasure token.
- It could also find a home in "Treasure-matters" decks or decks that benefit from artifacts entering the battlefield.
- The trample and vigilance make it a good candidate for decks with equipment or aura strategies that boost creature stats.
Flavour and Art:
The flavor text adds a Robin Hood-like element, taking from the rich who can afford the loss. This fits well with the Rogue archetype, and the art by Joe Slucher is likely to reflect this cunning and agile nature.
Overall Impression:
Jewel Thief offers a lot of utility and value for its cost. It fits into various strategies, from ramp to combat-focused decks. Its abilities make it relevant throughout the game, and the Treasure token can be particularly useful for multi-colored decks or for activating abilities.