Funny thing about this set is that it's encouraging me to do some very mean things. Oddly, this might be a sigh of relief for some players who like Skullclamp's ability, but feel bad for using it because it is too good. It's also fine for drafting. I'm also sure that some people will hate me for this one, though.

I like the flavor text. :)

Funny flavor text, but this equip cost is probably going to have to go up or you risk this thing dominating every game it appears in (Yes, skullclamp really is that good). I would imagine at least costing 4-5 for the equip.

This is the original cost and equip for skullclamp before they changed it to and . It sat in the Darksteel file a very long time, and no one seemed interested in poking it, so, as a very late change, in their effort to make equipment more exciting, they dropped Skullclamp to its current cost. Late in testing they got a whiff that they had made a terrible mistake... but by then they were too far in the process, and didn't have enough information on the card to know if the environment couldn't handle it. It couldn't.

I'm aware that skullclamp is a really good effect, but, when you increase its equip cost, there is a point when activating skulclamp isn't any better than activating Treasure Trove. Like Cursed Scroll to Magus of the Scroll, it seems to me that you don't need to do much to make the card not broken anymore. I could be wrong.

Only thing about comparing this to Treasure Trove is that TT requires 2UU for activation. That's what blue pays for pure card advantage on an enchantment. Theoretically, artifacts can be used by any color. So when an aggro deck comes across this and says 'I can throw away all my useless creatures once my opponent's stabilised on a better form of cycling for cheaper than Treasure Trove until I find my burn spells', that becomes a problem.

With the one or two drops that will be feeding this thing it's going to cost 2-3 + colored mana to activate (depending on the composition of your set of course), which is easier than TT

It's probably the horrible brokenness of skullclamp that is making my inner designer scream "Nerf it! NERF IT NOW!"

There is, obviously, some point at which this becomes sane and balanced. would be too high.

Is too low? Mmmmnotsure.

Me neither. That's why I'm testing it at . It seems the fairest thing to do. After testing, we'll see what needs to be done.

I am pleased to see, however, that even with this cost and activation, Skullclamp still registers an emotional response.

Heh, definitely. I'm pretty solidly in the camp you referred to in the first comment: I'd love to put Skullclamp in loads of decks, except I'd feel bad because it's way overpowered.