Aura Shards or Nullmage Shepherd?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Dec. 27, 2021, 11:40 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
I have Aura Shards in my Ghired, Conclave Exile EDH deck, but I am contemplating replacing that card with Nullmage Shepherd, since that card is a creature and its ability can be used repeatedly. The shepherd is more expensive and also requires a greater amount of setup than does the enchantment, but the payoff is potentially greater, so I am having difficulty deciding whether or not I should make that replacement.
What does everyone else say about this? Should I replace Aura Shards with Nullmage Shepherd, or leave the enchantment in the deck?
I will say aura shards is a power house in any creature deck and if you can generate tokens yea I just quit playing my artifacts or enchantments until i remove the dam thing
December 28, 2021 12:24 a.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #4
Aura Shards is, as it happens, also repeatable; indeed, it's repeatable in a much more efficient way, and costs less than Shepherd. Unless you consistently run up against more enchantment removal than creature removal, I would keep Shards in.
December 28, 2021 12:29 a.m.
plakjekaas says... #5
Aura Shards is the much more oppressive effect, and will be hated out of the game by the decks that rely on their artifacts and enchantments to function, for reasons stated above. Nullmage Shepherd is a more safe pick, people will respect the effort of tapping 4 creatures and not being attacked by them, just to blow up a single target, way more than just: oh another creature etb, time to destroy something!
Shards will dominate the board, Shepherd will fly more under the radar and not draw hate from all other players. If you can reliably get 4 creatures to tap, the Shepherd is a way more subtle tool, a precision knife, where the Shards are a nuke that will exterminate everything close. Choose what fits your meta better. I've lost many games for having the menacing Aura Shards-type effect on board where people killed me for that, when all I needed it for is to blow up the single Rhystic Study where even a Fragmentize would have sufficed.
Yes, Aura Shards is the most powerful of the two. No, that doesn't mean it's the better choice in your deck that leads to more enjoyable games. Choose wisely.
December 28, 2021 7:18 a.m.
ShredderPM86 says... #6
Aura Shards is so powerful in a token or creature based deck. I highly recommend not replacing Aura Shards, its ability just happens by playing, the other has a cost associated. I'd say find a place for Nullmage Shepherd and leave Aura Shards in. I have an Atla Palani, Nest Tender that I use Aura Shards in, and it puts in some serious work. Feel free to check out my Naya tokens deck for ideas if you like.
December 28, 2021 8:29 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #7
The majority of users have voted for Aura Shards, so I shall keep that card in my deck; thank you for your feedback, everyone!
December 28, 2021 8:36 p.m.
Last_Laugh says... #8
Aura Shards hands down. Pair it with someone like Adeline, Resplendent Cathar or Avenger of Zendikar for maximum effect.
LordBlackblade says... #2
Aura Shards is a serious powerhouse. I honestly don't think that Nullmage Shepherd even comes close. If you are populating enough, then Aura Shards should basically ensure that no artifact or enchantment will ever stick on an opponent's board.
December 27, 2021 11:50 p.m. Edited.