While the second mode is rarely worth using, for three life is hardly worth one additional mana, it's still nice to have the possibility for it to become a board-wide protection spell if you needed it
Admiral Brass, Unsinkable is the Pirate deck Commander
THE WANDERING EMPEROR NEO 316 The Wandering Emperor is one of the coolest additions to Magics canon, from her mysterious origins and flare for cutting-edge fabric and armor, to her talent for appearing (and disappearing!) right when you need her
Theres also the Historic Brawl variant as a slightly more powered version of the format
Preventing damage when you swing is a way to encourage you to bring the whole team into the fray without worrying about push-back and block-killing the things that had to get double blocked
Besides, isnt Tooth and Nail one of the best green tutors of all time