Dire Flail (The Lost Caverns of Ixalan) Light Play

Swing and Craft

Dire Flail is a compact tool for an aggressive red deck that wants immediate pressure. Dire Flail gives the equipped creature a straight forward boost of +2/+0 while its Equip cost of 1 keeps it cheap to attach after the first play. In practice the card buys early tempo, trades effectively and slots into artifact synergies without asking for a heavy investment.

Where Dire Flail becomes interesting is its Craft ability. For {3}{R}{R} you can exile this artifact along with another artifact you control or one from your graveyard to return the card transformed under your control. That lets you convert a short term stat boost into a later board changing option while still fitting the Lost Caverns of Ixalan theme of scavenging relics. Play it when you want to push damage now and preserve a follow up plan for the mid game.

Card Details:

• Mana Cost – {R}
• Card Type – Artifact, Equipment
• Subtypes – Equipment
• Card Text / Rules Text (Printed) – Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Equip 1. Craft with artifact {3}{R}{R} ({3}{R}{R}, Exile this artifact, Exile another artifact you control or an artifact card from your graveyard: Return this card transformed under its owner's control. Craft only as a sorcery.)