Pattern Recognition #83 - Bolster

Features Opinion Pattern Recognition

berryjon

13 September 2018

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Greeting and salutations! I'm berryjon, TappedOut.net's resident Old Fogey, purveyor of opinions contrite and contrary! Because I don't care about being right, I care about generating discussion and mutual understanding. Or maybe I'm just saying that because my Crystal Ball has failed me and I'm improvising.

Also I've now been doing this series for two years now! Aside from breaks and all that. Huzzah!

So, today's subject is the result of me trying some of the other ideas that have been suggested to me, and nothing really clicked with me at this time. That, and I've spent way too much time playing Spider-Man on the PS4 over the past two days. So. Uh. Yeah. Kinds distracting, that.

So I went back to my final standby, my redoubt of desperation.

I went to Wizard's Gatherer page and hit "Random Card".

Sandsteppe Scavenger was what I got.

OK. I can work with this.

Sandsteppe Scavenger, from Dragons of Tarkir, was part of the common level of cards that participated in the use of the "Bolster" mechanic for the Dromoka Clan in that set. Bolster, being a mechanic, was creature focused. Whenever a Bolster 'happened', the creature with the lowest toughness got a certain number of +1/+1 counters on it based on the Bolster in question.

Now, let's start with the card in a void (for the most part) before moving on to the mechanic as a larger whole.

Sandsteppe Scavenger is on first glance, a ridiculously expensive card. A 2/2 with no abilities is a bear, which I have lovingly described as the baseline for all creatures, and a template for the power of them across the game. However, it's the Bolster mechanic on the card that makes the difference. When this creature comes into play, the creature with the lowest toughness you control gets 2 +1/+1 counters on it.

But is that worth the extra on the card? I'm still not sure about it. It's definitely priced as a midrange card to help build up your forces, but depending on your board state, it could be a case where Sandsteppe Scavenger itself is the weakest card on the battlefield. And is a 4/4 for worth it?

Well, not in , that's for sure. We've got Bonebreaker Giant, Durkwood Boars (Really? Seriously?), Fomori Nomad (Please let the Viking plane come right after Bolas' arc is done!), Obsidian Giant, Stone Golem and Tobias Andrion. Huh. Wasn't expecting that last one.

So getting a blank 4/4 for is pretty rare, all things considered.

But here's the thing, Because Bolster only works on a creature with the lowest toughness, unless you're running around with a creature that has survived to turn 5 or later with 1 toughness still that hasn't been Bolsted by anything else you've done in the previous turns, it will probably turn out to be exactly this case of an underpowered creature for the cost.

And if I'm going to spend that much mana on a creature, I would rather have Serra Angel, thank you very much.

However, it's the +1/+1 counters that are the real power on the card, not the creature itself or the tactical applications of the mechanic. One of the side effects to Bolster, and its Khans of Tarkir predecessor/alternate timeline mechanic for the Abzan - Outlast - is the number of cards and creatures that care about +1/+1 counters. Such as Abzan Battle Priest and Ivorytusk Fortress.

And that's just in the Tarkir Block! Bolster, and by extension, Outlast played with giving everyone +1/+1 counters as they were able to go wide and tall! Outside of that block, you start to find yourself with synergy with the green half of the Simic guild out of Ravnica. Especially the game-breaking Doubling Season. Then there's Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, Ajani, Valiant Protector, and Ajani, Caller of the Pride to help with the counters.

I could go on, but it seems redundant at this point.

Go wide, go tall. That's what Bolster does.

But why?

Well, the answer to that lies in the themes of the Tarkir Block. Well, the answer to that lies in the structure and story of the block itself. To summarize it, Sarkhan the Mad shows up on Tarkir following a Tormenting Voice in his head. He finds the Tomb of the Spirit Dragon and sorta-accidentally uses it to travel back in time over a thousand years where he witnesses the final battle between Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. However, because of this, standing at the Nexus of Fate *list*, Sarkhan is able to save the life of Ugin, and prevent the extinction of the Dragons. Returning to his own time, he discovers that Dragons now rule the plane, and he is very happy.

One of the more subtle themes behind the two halves to the block, with the set Fate Reforged straddling both, was how things changed and how they stayed the same in the different timelines. It's article worthy, really. (Adds it to the pile.) As part of these changes, Outlast became Bolster, two mechanics that shared the identity.

What they both do, Outlast over time, and Bolster in the moment is something that both colours agree on.

They help the weak.

Bolster gives strength to those without it, or the least among their company. Everyone helps each other out to make sure there are no weak links, that everyone can pull their own weight. However, Bolster is a one-time event per card. It happens and that's it. Outlast can keep going as long as you have the time and patience for it.

It's very ... draconian I want to say? If you'll forgive the pun.

I mean, sure, It can be useful at instant speed, but most of the Bolster cards appear on creatures, so it's like help from your friends, rather than a gift from above as would come from instants or sorceries. I suppose this could be another small step in the whole "Make creatures viable" direction Wizards keeps trying to pull the game. Sure, they're trying, but this just seems like a tiny step in that direction.

Not expecting to see that mechanic again anytime soon.

Well, you may have thought this week was short, and it is. But that's because I wanted some more room to breathe after doing some pretty heavy writing over the past month and a half.

That, and I have a challenge for you all.

One of the requests I have received is to accept card creations - as in custom magic cards from you, my audience, and break them down and critique them, so I'm going to give that a try.

Here's how it's going to work. For the next two weeks - that's until the time this article goes up on the 27th, please post on my user wall your text only card creation. One card per person, and no images! At that time, I will look them all over, and start talking about the ones that I think are most interesting. I'll break them down, build them back up. Point out the good and the bad.

Oh, and no new mechanics on your cards. Established stuff only.

Join me next week when I talk about a mechanic I hope eternally would go evergreen. Or at least deciduous.

Until then, please consider donating to my Pattern Recognition Patreon. Yeah, I have a job, but more income is always better. I still have plans to do a audio Pattern Recognition at some point, or perhaps a Twitch stream. And you can bribe your way to the front of the line to have your questions, comments and observations answered!