We have a couple ways that we can utilize our life-gain in the deck, and the two strategies work together, making this deck quite powerful in a variety of situations
OphidianOphidian in the command zone is sort of our worst-case scenario here, and once we start doing things like attaching Sword of Truth and JusticeSword of Truth and Justice or playing Malcolm, Alluring ScoundrelMalcolm, Alluring Scoundrel and RadstormRadstorm into Shackle SlingerShackle Slinger, it will quickly become apparent to the table that the Azorius player needs to be dealt with
Finally they create a key to describe the symbols they have used on their cards
And there's online play with friends and strangers, plus time-limited tournaments
New types, new colour combinations and new Leader effects can change the competitive environment, especially if OP-17 is designed to shake up the game during the anniversary period
Or, crucially, you can miss your two-drop due to unfortunate luck, but still retain the mana for a possible comeback play down the line, transforming this from a bad beat to a temporary resource disadvantage