The potential advantages it offers, particularly with cards like the Mirrodin Swords, initially drew me to it
You can only use each effect of Mirage Swordsman once per turn
Thryx's last ability doesn't apply to itself while it's a spell
As we already see with Dina, we can expect there will be new cards that pair both a sacrificial element with life gain
It is worth noting that Walking Ballista can create infinite damage and infinite life gain when paired with Heliod, the Sun-Crowned, another worthwhile inclusion in the Coven Counters deck if you have other coincidental life gain effects
Updated January 14, 2025, by Andrew Scariati: Following a huge run at the end of 2024, the best Sword & Shield sets have shifted massively in value, with two new additions joining the list