Its not an early game-card, but that blue creatures some serious value in EDH, on top of being a huge flier
I wasnt trying to have the best deck in the room as much as I was trying to build the best Lowry deck
If that wasnt impressive enough, an early Grapple Shot can place your Battlemage on the same location as your opponents avatar dealing a free strike
The Ceruledge Illustration Rare card (not to be confused with Ceruledge ex, which is a separate card) is also absolutely stunning, with a painted, brooding look
Courtyard wins on pure selling economics for anyone comfortable operating out of a wallet
And if toughness is your goal, you need some of the highest-toughness cards out there like Unhallowed Phalanx, Charix, the Raging Isle, and Kharis & the Beholder (that last one not being legal for tournament play)