What troubles me the most about this card is that it completely ignores all the design rules R&D had supposedly put in place the last few years to better differentiate between Enchantments and Artifacts. This card is an Artifact. It doesn't matter what it says on the card, the activated abilities and counter theme, by R&D's recent definition, is an artifact.
The only thing that can justify this as a colored Enchantment is the thought that maybe they were afraid of shenanigans being pulled with it being colorless and an artifact. Still, that seems like a very, very long shot.
This card is simply awkward.
This is the best criticism of this card I've read. You're exactly right. I think it suffered from being in this set, where allies are colored? But the hedrons are artifacts... Hm.
I really like this card. It's probably not great in eternal formats, but it seems a lot of fun. I'll keep looking for powerful cards, but this is a well designed card for the people like me who have "fun decks"
Once you have this, you are committed to pretty much only casting allies for the rest of the game. If it was scry 4, it would be fantastic. If it was scry 2, I think I'd like it better.
There is an end combat step which creatures can still be considered attacking so that ability would resolve during that phase but she has first strike so it would resolve before normal damage is done which means creatures attacking without first strike will get +1/+1 counter before they deal there damage.
End Combat doesn't apply here. The ability in question triggers off of damage done, so it would resolve during the appropriate Combat Damage step, in this case the first one due to First Strike.
End of Combat is rarely actually used. It more or less only gets attention when a card explicitly states "at the end of combat", and that seldom happens.
Everything which triggers on normal combat damage happens in the End of Combat step.
Read Maro's article about the creative decisions they made. If the Eldrazi have won, then there aren't likely to be many temples left. This is a world on the brink of annihilation, pun intended.
So scenario 1: 5 enemy-colored manlands in OGW -> most lilely the full set of 10 dual manlands in the expeditions set. Then the other 10 can likely be another full set of lands, like filterlands or checklands. Such an elegant solution.
I would LOVE this however, I just tried it out - and I don't think it would work. Unless Wizards is willing to go sub 8pt type on them, it just won't fit. Here's a mock-up withOUT using the normal half line between parts of the card (compare to Lavaclaw Reaches) On the original Lavaclaw Reaches, they used 8pt, and that's smaller than they normally go.
Strong point, but they may sneak the line up a little, or have some other trick up their sleeve to get all the text on.
Treachery
Hammerhead Shark
Jasmine Boreal
This is the best criticism of this card I've read. You're exactly right. I think it suffered from being in this set, where allies are colored? But the hedrons are artifacts... Hm.
Card: Good. I will enjoy this card.
Everything which triggers on normal combat damage happens in the End of Combat step.
Abbey Matron
Strong point, but they may sneak the line up a little, or have some other trick up their sleeve to get all the text on.
Mischievous Poltergeist
Archangel
Liliana in Tainted Remedy