Pouncing Lynx

The condition on the first strike is what makes this a fighter's card rather than a defender's. First strike that only shows up during your turn means the 2/1 hits with the initiative in the combat you chose, then reverts to a naked 2/1 the moment an opponent swings back into it. The design splits the keyword down its natural asymmetry: first strike is worth the most when you are the attacker dictating the trade and worth the least when you are the blocker eating a bigger creature, so the card sells you exactly the half you want and none of the half that would justify a higher rate. A conventional first striker on this body would be pushed; this one is priced at the attacker's discount. On offense the first strike lets it kill a 2-toughness blocker before that blocker connects, walking away clean where a plain 2/1 would trade. Against anything tougher it still only deals 2, so the keyword buys initiative, not invincibility; on defense, blocking during an opponent's turn, it is a bare 2/1 that dies to whatever it stops. That is the whole bargain, and it is an honest one for aggressive white, where the plan is to be the one applying pressure and the toughness of 1 is a cost you were going to pay regardless.