Amy RoseAmy Rose | Ary by Evan Stanley

We're All Excited About the New Sonic the Hedgehog Secret Lair, But...

How playable are these new cards? Do they stand out? One that I'm particularly interested in is Amy RoseAmy Rose. Is she going to stack up to the Boros Voltron decks of the past few years?

The Stats

Before we can assess anything, we have to check out Amy's stats. Amy RoseAmy Rose is a Hedgehog Warrior. She's a 3/3 with haste and reads "Whenever Amy Rose attacks, attach up to one target Equipment to her. Then up to one other attacking creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is Amy Rose's power."

Initially, I read her and wondered why they focused heavily on Equipments. Most Voltron commanders usually have the option to dabble with Auras and Equipments, and for Arna Kennerüd, SkycaptainArna Kennerüd, Skycaptain, +1/+1 counters. Voltron strategies are usually glass cannons.

Typically, Voltron encourages an all-in mentality about damage. What I like here is that it encourages multiple creatures on the board, trying trigger her attacks more than once, to make a more divisible attack. I don't know if stacks up, though. We'll see...

The Equipment

I think Amy wants us to cheat. We want low-cost Equipment with outrageous equip costs that we can circumvent with her ability. We definitely want a Colossus HammerColossus Hammer.

Play the Hammer on turn one and try to swing with Amy Rose on turn four for 13 damage, and maybe 13 on a small creature body like Esper SentinelEsper Sentinel. Seems good, high damage is always the goal!

Equipment like Blackblade ReforgedBlackblade Reforged and Wrecking Ball ArmWrecking Ball Arm are perfect because they put out a ton of damage for low casting cost, which becomes a free equip on Amy. Cards like NettlecystNettlecyst will compound with value as you push out more low cost artifacts for more damage.

Excalibur, Sword of EdenExcalibur, Sword of Eden might be possible as well, later on, with the reduction of all the small Equipment, but maybe not. It's worth thinking about because it grants vigilance which Amy will need to adequately defend herself with.

High-Value Creatures for a Low Cost

It's going to be pivotal to get a lot of low-cost, value-engine creatures. We want creatures that'll survive after your opponents try to remove Amy. Resilience is the key that's often lost in Voltron strategies. The commander isn't everything.

I'm thinking card draw and interaction are going to be a big problem. They usually are a problem in Boros, Voltron, and combat-heavy decks. For card draw, we'll need to run something like Sram, Senior EdificerSram, Senior Edificer. Cast a low-cost Equipment and refill your hand with another card.

Puresteel PaladinPuresteel Paladin is another option for card draw. Every Equipment entering will trigger a draw. Additionally, it's low cost and could be a target for buffing from Amy. Be careful though, because Amy only provides power. Opportune blocks could kill your value engine.

Danitha Capashen, ParagonDanitha Capashen, Paragon is keyword soup which is perfect for Voltron. She also discounts the cost for Equipment, saving some mana for protection spells.

She's also low cost, so you can anticipate getting her out earlier than Amy and then choosing her as a target for buffing. First strike makes her power more relevant because she likely can be buffed and survive the lack of toughness added by Amy.

Ardenn, Intrepid ArchaeologistArdenn, Intrepid Archaeologist is another good target because he can attach multiple Equipment onto Amy or himself. It allows for a two-pronged attack.

Ardenn could buff himself with some Equipment, then Amy could take the last biggest artifact, forcing out two great attacks. He's low cost, too, so he's right on curve for a turn-four Amy with haste.

Stoneforge MysticStoneforge Mystic is so important for searching for the value Equipment you might need early game for the strongest lead. This gets the Colossus HammerColossus Hammer next turn. It's also low cost like all the creatures mentioned before which are great for early game damage output.

Esper SentinelEsper Sentinel is pretty great here too because of the passive card draw. It's a low cost, turn-one play that provides a decent amount of card advantage. That can get in for damage if coupled with Amy effectively.

Protection

One the biggest struggles here is going to be removal. Your opponents will probably wait until you attempt to enter combat to nuke Amy. I think the best way to survive this would be running Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots and Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves. They synergize with the deck's Equipment theme and can easily protect.

Boots and Greaves are consistent and telegraphed. However, I find protection is better when it comes out of nowhere. SunforgerSunforger's un-equip ability allows you to tutor for a Teferi's ProtectionTeferi's Protection, Boros CharmBoros Charm, or a Flawless ManeuverFlawless Maneuver. SunforgerSunforger is also an Equipment.

Another really sneaky protection spell is Clever ConcealmentClever Concealment because you can convoke to pay for it and phase out your board from destruction or exile effects like a FarewellFarewell. Galadriel's DismissalGaladriel's Dismissal is similar. It also works offensively to phase out your opponent's board for free swings.

The standard Dawn's TruceDawn's Truce, Loran's EscapeLoran's Escape, and Surge of SalvationSurge of Salvation are good here too because they're low cost protection spells you can cast out of nowhere. Mithril CoatMithril Coat is a similar.

Most removal will come in the form of destruction rather than exile so Mithril CoatMithril Coat can be an Equipment you can use like an instant-speed protection spell.

Lastly, I think just forcing people not to be able to interact on your turn might be best. Something like a Grand AbolisherGrand Abolisher or a Voice of VictoryVoice of Victory are great ways to ensure your combat shenanigans go unhindered.

Increased Damage

This deck strikes me as the kind that will like to win as fast as possible. We'll likely not be able to fight against slow, consistent engines. We'll have to burst in with damage and eliminate players before they can find the removal or interaction to stop us. How will we manage that?

Kediss, Emberclaw FamiliarKediss, Emberclaw Familiar is a good way. If we can stack Amy with a ton of damage we can deal that to other players if she connects. In the early game this can be very relevant.

Additional ways to make Amy hit harder, like Duelist's HeritageDuelist's Heritage, might get us there early as well. Alongside Kediss, this could be a huge lead early.

Anything that gives double strike will likely need to be included, like Legion Leadership // Legion StrongholdLegion Leadership // Legion Stronghold and Halvar, God of Battle // Sword of the RealmsHalvar, God of Battle // Sword of the Realms.

Later on in the game, things like City on FireCity on Fire and Fiery EmancipationFiery Emancipation might be viable to triple the damage Amy and friends can deal; it could be game-ending. Speaking of game-ending, Full ThrottleFull Throttle could be a very viable win con.

Three combats, three Amy triggers, three damage steps. Anything that gives multiple combats could work. Full ThrottleFull Throttle is very pricey, mana-wise, but it could end the game for someone. Akroma's WillAkroma's Will is another win con. It's just a crazy card. No notes.

Ramp and Draw

Some of the biggest struggles Boros has is land ramp. We have to push artifact ramp and hit our land drops every turn. We'll need tons of mana eventually.

I'd run Thran DynamoThran Dynamo, Talisman of ConvictionTalisman of Conviction, and Mind StoneMind Stone. We need to increase the number of artifacts we have on board while increasing our mana.

Another potential hot take: Inspiring StatuaryInspiring Statuary. Big spells, like Fiery EmancipationFiery Emancipation and Full ThrottleFull Throttle, could be paid for with the artifacts in play. It wouldn't help cast any of our Equipment, but it's a good way to ramp. A Land TaxLand Tax wouldn't hurt either to hit your land drops.

Obviously, if we can run Sword of the AnimistSword of the Animist for additional ramp on lands on damage, we should. Armored SkyhunterArmored Skyhunter also provides saved mana on Equipment and is kind of card advantage. Mask of MemoryMask of Memory also draws cards.

Conclusion

I've always had chip on my shoulder when I think about Voltron decks. It's usually an all-in strategy, low creature, high protection deck. I worry that it loses to too many other archetypes.

Wide strategies and combo seems to find a way to win against it. Without a way to give your creature vigilance, it's hard to protect yourself when you attack. It's a glass canon, shields-down strategy. I was hoping that Amy would be different.

In some ways she is. Spreading out the damage at least solves the problem of going all-in on one player at a time. She also free equips and can attack the turn she comes in, but it encourages attacking and zero blocking.

I worry about the crack back. Dealing high amounts of damage to one player simply rallies players against you when you often can't protect yourself against multiple different attacks. But maybe I'm playing Voltron wrong.

I like that in this deck it encourages you to have a board state with other creatures. It still is shields down but at least it gives your choices. I'm not sure it's much different from most Boros Voltron decks.

I would even suggest that it might detract from the central strategy that makes Voltron viable? I'm not sure. I'm conflicted as usual. Let me hear your thoughts. Is this viable? I'm @strixhavendropout on BlueSky.