Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Deck Tech Spotlight: The Double-Strike Artifact You Might Be Overlooking
When a rare colorless artifact sneaks into your collection with the promise of brutal combat math, you lean in with both curiosity and a spark of nostalgia. The artifact in question is a sturdy, five-mana engine that promises a rhythm we all secretly chase in commander and casual games alike: twist the combat step until you’re swinging twice, then swing again, and again, if you’re lucky. Its ability kit—Equipped creature gains double strike, and at the moment the equipped creature attacks if it’s the first combat phase, untap it and start an additional combat step—reads like a miniature action movie for your board state. Add an equip cost of three, and you’ve got a high-tempo, turn-kicking piece that rewards players who love to lean into aggression and mathy tempo. 🧙🔥💎
“I must say, I quite enjoy these tussles.” — flavor text on the card
From the Final Fantasy crossover set, this rare artifact, known for its clean, colorless identity, asks you to think in terms of sequences rather than a single big swing. It’s not about one heroic hit; it’s about chained, relentless assault, turning each combat phase into an opportunity to press your advantage. Elizabeth Peiró’s artwork gives the glove a striking mix of technomagic and veteran-warrior vibes, making it feel both ancient and futuristic at once—a perfect visual metaphor for a card that thrives on decades of design ethos colliding in the present. ⚔️🎨
What Influencers Are Saying
In the wild world of MTG content, deck-tech videos and influencer discussions often center on how a single card can redefine a deck archetype. This particular artifact has found a dedicated audience among players who love the “voltron” or pure-aggro flavor of commanders and three-colorless builds. Videos and live streams highlight the drama of expending mana for the initial five, then watching as your equipped creature rips through a first combat phase, untaps, and immediately returns to the fray for an extra swing. The math isn’t cute; it’s cinematic—two, three, or more consecutive combat steps can become a recurring motif as more mana, equipment, and draw engines join the orchestra. 🧙🔥
In previews and online discussions, creators often emphasize the card’s broad compatibility. Its colorless identity means it slots into nearly any deck that can field an equipped threat, and its ability to trigger an additional combat phase can synergize with “payoff” creatures, power-boosting auras, or artifacts that double your draw or ramp your mana. The card sits at a sweet spot where you gain a sizable tempo advantage for a mid-to-late game, and it rewards players who plan around multiple combat steps rather than a single, decisive blow. The art, the rarity, and the crossover branding have helped it become a talking point in influencer circles, elevating it from a curiosity to a genuine bridge between flavor and function. 🧠⚙️
Gameplay Mechanics: A Quick Breakdown
- Mana cost: {5} for a colorless Equipment. That puts it into a familiar tempo zone—not a ramp feat, but a robust engine once you’re already committing mana to a threat.
- Equipped creature: Gains double strike. The power of doubling your returns in combat cannot be overstated; two decisive strikes in one combat phase often translates to critical damage windows that opponents struggle to answer. 💥
- Trigger on attack: If the equipped creature attacks during the first combat phase of the turn, untap it and you get an additional combat phase after that first one. This is the core of the deck’s tempo engine—start the clock, and keep the momentum rolling as long as you have a threat to propel forward. ⏱️⚔️
- Equip cost: {3}. Reasonable for a weapon that can deliver multiple major swings, and it invites you to build around quick, efficient accelerants or protection to keep your hard-hitting threat online.
For formats where you’re looking to maximize the impact, the card’s broad legality across standard, modern, legacy, and commander circles means you can experiment in real, ongoing play environments. Its presence in Commander, in particular, is a reminder that colorless equipment can anchor a deck just as reliably as a legendary creature or a high-cost spell. The card’s price—hovering in a reasonable range for a rare from a crossover set—also makes it accessible for players who want to pilot a spicy build without breaking the bank. The market data hints at value and future potential, especially as players discover new lines of play that leverage the extra combat phase. 💎
Build Ideas: Where to slot this into a Deck
- Voltron-style Commanders: Equip a mighty commander with the glove and watch the math snowball. This archetype thrives on one or two big threats, and the added combat phase can create a multi-turn problem that’s hard to answer with instant-speed removal alone.
- Untap Synergy Grounds: Pair with generic untap strategies or creatures that benefit from repeated combat phases. The concept here is simple: you want to convert each attack into more than just a swing—it’s a sequence, a mini-game you’re winning through efficient sequencing.
- Protection and Evasion: Since you’re leaning into multiple combat steps, ensure your threats survive a round or two by boosting their follow-through with protective spells or damage-avoidance tricks. The goal is not just to hit hard once, but to stay on the battlefield long enough to exploit the extra swing cycles.
- Backup Draw and Ramp: Draw engines and mana rocks help you reach the critical mana threshold earlier, letting you deploy the glove’s potential in a single, explosive turn when the moment is right.
Lore, Design, and Cultural Flavor
The Final Fantasy crossover adds a layer of cross-cultural resonance that MTG players often crave: a blend of evergreen mechanical identity with a beloved IP. The glove itself reads as a relic of both martial prowess and technomagic, a fitting home for a card that rewards tactical aggression and relentless pressure. The flavor text gives the glove a personality, and Elizabeth Peiró’s illustration grounds the card in a visual narrative that feels at once fantastical and tangible. It’s the kind of piece that fans show off in sleeves and on the table, sparking conversations about best-in-class replays and the art of sequencing. 🎲🎨
Meanwhile, influencer-focused content around deck-tech videos continues to evolve into a rich ecosystem: players share exact lines of play, sideboard considerations, and budget-conscious upgrades that optimize a given build. The way a single card can spur varied interpretations—from a creature-centered beatdown to a cleaner, equipment-driven tempo—speaks to MTG’s enduring design philosophy: transparency, depth, and a dash of whimsy. This glove sits nicely in that dialogue, acting as both a centerpiece and a catalyst for discussion among fans who love the glow of a well-executed combat plan. 🧙♂️⚔️
Pricing, Availability, and Where to See the Brand of Builds
As of the latest market data, the card sits in a comfortable range for most collectors and players who want a tangible upgrade without stepping into high-dollar territory. The Final Fantasy set's rarity and the card’s universal appeal mean that it’s frequently discussed in price-tracking hubs and EDH/Pioneer-focused conversations. For fans who enjoy keeping a finger on the pulse of new releases and cross-brand collaborations, the card remains a frequent subject of review videos and open discussions about synergy, pacing, and deck archetypes. 💬
If you’re curious to see a broader collection of gear and gear-adjacent goodies that fans pair with MTG collection curation, there’s always a good entry point for cross-promo content and product pairings that keeps the vibe playful and practical. And speaking of cross-promo, if you’re browsing between playmats and premium sleeves, you might enjoy a modern, tech-forward accessory that neatly complements game-day logistics—a little something that travels well from the battlefield to your everyday carry. 🎲