I remember telling everyone to buy them, but I couldnt remember how cheap the card was at that point
These cards just increases the mana cost of your opponent's spells, and while Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is a symmetrical effect (it affects you too), it is an extremely good card to drop in Turn 1 or 2 while your opponents are trying to play mana rocks or ramp their lands
The vigilance buff being the easiest to get is definitely nice since it lets you keep up a stable defense which prevents your life total from dropping in conjunction with your opponents
If a card would be put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
Given how game-winningly nasty that ultimate, might I suggest Green for the counter adding and manipulation of Doubling Season et all
Shanks also benefits from having a very clear crew identity, which makes the deck feel cohesive rather than just a pile of strong red cards