@brianpk80 I think the normal use case for this card will be on your own creatures. Getting a 4/4 flier for 2 mana is really good, probably at least as good as a 5/5 non-flier for the same. But, having an artifact is easier than having a creature in Vintage, hence the prerequisite is harder.
It's got other modes too, of course. It's a counterspell of sorts too, so you have that extra mode. But if you use that mode you're not beating face. In a pinch, it's removal, but it's removal that probably puts you on a three turn clock, so not great. I like the card in general.
This is another version of Ensoul Artifact but with a harder prerequisite.
This kind of change is going to be more and more possible in the future as Magic shifts to digital formats. There, you can easily perform power level errata on cards. Bad Presidents indeed...
@smmenen Waaaait a minute here, Steven.
You've been all over people (like me!) who mis-use the term "Power Level Errata" in the past. Now you're mis-using it? Shame on you, brah.
Power-level errata, as the School of Menedian taught me, means issuing errata to change card text for the express purpose of reducing its power level. Now, usually it's misapplied by people who apply it to a change that is justified by original intent or original function but has the practical effect of reducing power level.
It seems like you're doing the same thing, but abusing a different part of the definition. Wizards is not issuing errata for card text like they did in the Power Level Errata era. Instead, they're changing rules. This is something that happens all the time. Hell, remember the Mulligan rule changes? Remember that cluster? Damage on the stack? Lotus-freaking-Vale? Rules changes are not the same thing as card errata and you know this.
I think the calm version of what I'm trying to say is that it's alarming to me to see someone who has always been so calm and clinical about the application of errata policy essentially break out the pitchforks over this one.
@desolutionist You let me play Whispers of the Muse out of my sideboard in exchange for one of my sideboard slots and you better believe I'd do it.
@protoaddict That's a good analysis and I think it correctly reflects how the less a Companion requires you to actually pay a cost in terms of deck building, the less the Companion Tax matters.
I also suspect this means we're getting more Companions... and quickly. Probably lots of them. We're entering a new era, everyone:
1994- 2007 - The Golden Age
2007 - 2020 - The Planesewalker Era
2020 - ???? - Every Format is EDH
A reverse wish that is always available and doesn't take a card in your hand. That's a very different animal from the usual wishes.
EDIT: @moorebrother1 Do you really think one sideboard slot is worth more than a 5/5 for 8 (spread over two turns) or Lurrs at 6 on tap could be? Assuming your deck otherwise has no changes needed to run the card? Seems like a stretch.
I don't think this actually addresses the problem with Companions, really. To be clear, it does make them all less generically powerful. But, it doesn't actually address the advantage they offer.
Consider this. Let's say your deck otherwise can run Jegantha. You didn't build your deck around it, you just happen to meet its conditions. Now, do you run Jegantha? Is it worth a sideboard slot to have a 5/5 for 5+3 sitting there for the late game?
I would argue it's still worth it. You're still getting access to an extra resource your opponent is not, and it's probably worth a sideboard slot.
To those comparing Companions to EDH: there's a big fat difference between the rise of EDH and this new nonsense. When EDH was invented as a community format, there were already dozens (hundreds?) of generals to choose from. It was a junk rare format, letting you pull out cards that you otherwise would not use, particularly old Legendary creatures, and put them to work.
Perhaps, if they printed 100 Companions, we could equate the two. But, they only printed ten of them and development will be slow on more. I don't think a format with so few commanders is fun to play and I bet most of you don't either. It's like if the college football teams all had to share ten mascots.
Uh... are you sure this is meant to be a story that actually happened? It seems pretty clear to me that it's just a fable being made to make a point.