Control. Removal. Disruption.
THIS IS THE STACK!
UNCLE LANDDROPS' PICK
Like Pongify or its Gatecrash counterpart, Rapid Hybridization, B-Dubz requires a little more desperation than your average Doom Blade, but when the Beast hits, you know.
Personally, I think this is the best card Wizards printed from our second trip to Mirrodin/New Phyrexia. "Destroy target permanent" is rules text R&D has given to a select few cards, and I dig the trade-off. Trading this for creatures always feels even, and getting a pesky enchantment or artifact off the table is usually good if you're desperate.
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
Would you look at the art on that one...I have never seen this printing before and I'm just glad I hadn't eaten recently. I am all for keepin' it real, but this interpretation is just a bit too literal for me. In the original iteration Phyrexia's creeping corrosion ate away at something and a new creature was born out of the re-purposed material. The amount of pain this poor dude is probably in is suitable for mature audiences only.
Also, play this card. It is awesome.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
I've stated before, i'm all for cards that, "taketh away" and "giveth something back." The more you think about Beast Within in green you see that it's far more one sided than it seems. It's awesome indeed, and I agree with GG- Play this card.
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
My favorite aspect of this card is its versatility. It is not just a creature remover, but it destroys any target permanent. I realize you can read the card, but I cannot stress how amazing that is. Planeswalkers? Hah! how about a nice beastie instead? Or you could be cruel and take out someone's duel land.
VENSER'S JOURNALIST'S PICK
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
Hooray for one-drop spells. With the exception of Hexproof creatures, this card has proven to be one of the most useful, reliable removal spells in my MTG history. It's one thing to destroy a creature, but then there's the chance of it coming back or coming back stronger even, but exiling is the more permanent solution. If one of your creatures is in danger of someone's Control Magic, pop this out and ramp up your mana!
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Surely one of the better spells, but it does come with a trade-off most people overlook. Because we're a society focused on big scores, giving a player an extra land instead of a threat can be a huge mistake. On the flip side, I've also used this card as a way to ramp, or get value out of an irrelevant creature on my side.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
The cheaper the better. This, Swords to Plowshares, Condemn, and Terminus, with that awesome Miracle cost, are what makes White amazing. Also as VJ has said, I too have used this to remove a creature I control to ramp up when i'm behind.
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
I find comedy in the strangest of places with Magic. This card is awesome and sees more play in Commander than any other format. Strange then, that the drawback is at its most significant here. Every deck has basics, every deck wants to accelerate on mana. Path is a go-to answer in Modern even though every deck packs basics simply because Bolt can't hit Scavenging Ooze or Goyf, which are both key targets even though they see play in very mana hungry decks who would love to have an extra land in play. People don't play Path in Legacy even though a minority of decks even have basics because "Swords is better." The life from Swords matters more in Legacy because almost every game is a foot race to see who can kill the fastest. The only decks that try to kill slowly are like...Lands and Countertop, who have no creatures anyway.
So what is my point? Path sees play in Modern, but would be better in Legacy. Swords sees play Legacy, but would be better in Modern...thanks Obama.
GRANDPA GROWTH'S PICK
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
The OG of "oh jeez I don't want that to happen." Counterspell has been there since the beginning. It has been declared too weak, too strong, and finally outdated. We live in strange times. The brave new world of 2013 saw a return of mono Blue, but without its trademark answer. We have seen updated versions of Terror, Wrath, and even modern printings of Lightning Bolt, but nothing that puts the crush on opposing dreams quite like Counterspell. Pour one out for my dead homie.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
Honestly, how can you not like this card? It's the poster boy of why most people hate Blue players and if used properly it's also the best political card on the table. Need evidence, you say? Even if Blue isn't in one of your general's colors, players will still look for a counter-effect spell they can play, albeit they can never get as strong as "Counter target spell" for only UU, but my point remains.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Last I checked I only have one deck with actual Double-Bluesy here in it. These days I'd just rather set myself up with Island and another color so I can coax an opponent into playing something I can counter with a Negate or Memory Lapse or possibly Foil. Not that it isn't good, but everyone can and should be able to see Island-Island, and know better.
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
It took me a year to realize that I needed multiple copies of Counterspell to put in all of my Blue decks. The classic response is certainly the best in my opinion, (next to Path, of course), and I don't mind the Island-Island so much. With enough dual lands and mana rocks, you can do anything.
JOHNNY CONFIDANT'S PICK
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
Everyone hates to love a good tuck spell and Unexpectedly Absent is the newcomer to this scene. Interestingly enough, this is one of the cheapest cards to cast in order to stop those pesky aggressive deck that come out swinging early.
The other great utilization that is unique to this card is the ability to stack it into the deck. I like the feeling of putting someones general 4-5 from the top and watch them ponder over whether to tutor or shuffle the deck is worth it.
Personally, UL told me to try this out in my Daxos deck as a control card, but also for an opportunity to set up a solid steal on contact. First time I used it, I stole an opponents Ashiok, so I'm completly on board with this card.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
I believe there were very few low expectations about this card when it came out. Because I practice what I preach, I too play this in my Daxos deck. In one of the early iterations, I got it on an Isochron Scepter, and it was everything most other people hate about Commander.
Still, I don't think this card is too horrible. Not like Exsanguinate or D to the D-less. This is a good card that has to be played even better. Timing, in addition to your target, is still everything. It's single "removal" with a scaleable effect, and most times you're probably just paying WW if you're doing it right.
Generally, a Commander like Daxos really helps make this better. Getting their threat and turning it into your own is a lot better than having to play the "Lantern of Insight" game most Daxos players do, which has been a somewhat of a wasted card every time I tired to play it.
Grandpa Growth - THUMBS UP
Dear. Sweet. Lord. This is my new case study. Whenever someone talks about the "potential" of a card I swiftly direct them to this. AT WORST, this trades one card for one card as a very average two mana Instant. Most answers that we think about being good, look just like that. That is potential. Being, at worst, as good as the next card and occasionally going SUPER DEEP and just shutting the whole block down.
People shuffle their libraries way more often than is safe in Commander. This card is tough to play around. Case in point: I was recently playing with a friend's 5-color deck. It was very janky and has some suspicious card choices, but a situation came up in-game where the opponent went for a Natural Order, binning his Noble Hierarch. My board was basically empty except for a Vedalken Orrery, which I used to Flash in a Grafdigger's Cage. An Unexpectedly Absent on his general (Rubinia) in response ended the game on the spot. In about four seconds his emotional state went from: "I'm about to win!" To: "I don't want to live on this planet anymore." This is the equivalent of killing a zombie that is chasing you by dropping a piano onto it. Thanks Sister Cynthia Knickerbocker.
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
This type of card, I feel, is the perfect removal card against Graveborn type decks. Putting something in someone's graveyard has proven fatal to me in the past, and with indestructible creatures, the only other options are exile or gain control. I've been a fan of the idea of cards that put things into their owner's libraries, but I haven't used them extensively and now I feel I should start experimenting with this, Proteus Staff, Condemn, Bant Charm, and Ether Well.
Feel free to tell us what you think about our favorites in the comments below.
Next time, we'll have plenty of great Born of the Gods things to talk about, so stay tuned, and have a Legendary Weekend.
-UL/VJ/JC/GG
Hooray for one-drop spells. With the exception of Hexproof creatures, this card has proven to be one of the most useful, reliable removal spells in my MTG history. It's one thing to destroy a creature, but then there's the chance of it coming back or coming back stronger even, but exiling is the more permanent solution. If one of your creatures is in danger of someone's Control Magic, pop this out and ramp up your mana!
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Surely one of the better spells, but it does come with a trade-off most people overlook. Because we're a society focused on big scores, giving a player an extra land instead of a threat can be a huge mistake. On the flip side, I've also used this card as a way to ramp, or get value out of an irrelevant creature on my side.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
The cheaper the better. This, Swords to Plowshares, Condemn, and Terminus, with that awesome Miracle cost, are what makes White amazing. Also as VJ has said, I too have used this to remove a creature I control to ramp up when i'm behind.
Grandpa Growth- THUMBS UP
I find comedy in the strangest of places with Magic. This card is awesome and sees more play in Commander than any other format. Strange then, that the drawback is at its most significant here. Every deck has basics, every deck wants to accelerate on mana. Path is a go-to answer in Modern even though every deck packs basics simply because Bolt can't hit Scavenging Ooze or Goyf, which are both key targets even though they see play in very mana hungry decks who would love to have an extra land in play. People don't play Path in Legacy even though a minority of decks even have basics because "Swords is better." The life from Swords matters more in Legacy because almost every game is a foot race to see who can kill the fastest. The only decks that try to kill slowly are like...Lands and Countertop, who have no creatures anyway.
So what is my point? Path sees play in Modern, but would be better in Legacy. Swords sees play Legacy, but would be better in Modern...thanks Obama.
GRANDPA GROWTH'S PICK
The OG of "oh jeez I don't want that to happen." Counterspell has been there since the beginning. It has been declared too weak, too strong, and finally outdated. We live in strange times. The brave new world of 2013 saw a return of mono Blue, but without its trademark answer. We have seen updated versions of Terror, Wrath, and even modern printings of Lightning Bolt, but nothing that puts the crush on opposing dreams quite like Counterspell. Pour one out for my dead homie.
Johnny Confidant- THUMBS UP
Honestly, how can you not like this card? It's the poster boy of why most people hate Blue players and if used properly it's also the best political card on the table. Need evidence, you say? Even if Blue isn't in one of your general's colors, players will still look for a counter-effect spell they can play, albeit they can never get as strong as "Counter target spell" for only UU, but my point remains.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
Last I checked I only have one deck with actual Double-Bluesy here in it. These days I'd just rather set myself up with Island and another color so I can coax an opponent into playing something I can counter with a Negate or Memory Lapse or possibly Foil. Not that it isn't good, but everyone can and should be able to see Island-Island, and know better.
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
It took me a year to realize that I needed multiple copies of Counterspell to put in all of my Blue decks. The classic response is certainly the best in my opinion, (next to Path, of course), and I don't mind the Island-Island so much. With enough dual lands and mana rocks, you can do anything.
JOHNNY CONFIDANT'S PICK
Everyone hates to love a good tuck spell and Unexpectedly Absent is the newcomer to this scene. Interestingly enough, this is one of the cheapest cards to cast in order to stop those pesky aggressive deck that come out swinging early.
The other great utilization that is unique to this card is the ability to stack it into the deck. I like the feeling of putting someones general 4-5 from the top and watch them ponder over whether to tutor or shuffle the deck is worth it.
Personally, UL told me to try this out in my Daxos deck as a control card, but also for an opportunity to set up a solid steal on contact. First time I used it, I stole an opponents Ashiok, so I'm completly on board with this card.
Uncle Landdrops- THUMBS UP
I believe there were very few low expectations about this card when it came out. Because I practice what I preach, I too play this in my Daxos deck. In one of the early iterations, I got it on an Isochron Scepter, and it was everything most other people hate about Commander.
Still, I don't think this card is too horrible. Not like Exsanguinate or D to the D-less. This is a good card that has to be played even better. Timing, in addition to your target, is still everything. It's single "removal" with a scaleable effect, and most times you're probably just paying WW if you're doing it right.
Generally, a Commander like Daxos really helps make this better. Getting their threat and turning it into your own is a lot better than having to play the "Lantern of Insight" game most Daxos players do, which has been a somewhat of a wasted card every time I tired to play it.
Grandpa Growth - THUMBS UP
Dear. Sweet. Lord. This is my new case study. Whenever someone talks about the "potential" of a card I swiftly direct them to this. AT WORST, this trades one card for one card as a very average two mana Instant. Most answers that we think about being good, look just like that. That is potential. Being, at worst, as good as the next card and occasionally going SUPER DEEP and just shutting the whole block down.
People shuffle their libraries way more often than is safe in Commander. This card is tough to play around. Case in point: I was recently playing with a friend's 5-color deck. It was very janky and has some suspicious card choices, but a situation came up in-game where the opponent went for a Natural Order, binning his Noble Hierarch. My board was basically empty except for a Vedalken Orrery, which I used to Flash in a Grafdigger's Cage. An Unexpectedly Absent on his general (Rubinia) in response ended the game on the spot. In about four seconds his emotional state went from: "I'm about to win!" To: "I don't want to live on this planet anymore." This is the equivalent of killing a zombie that is chasing you by dropping a piano onto it. Thanks Sister Cynthia Knickerbocker.
Venser's Journalist- THUMBS UP
This type of card, I feel, is the perfect removal card against Graveborn type decks. Putting something in someone's graveyard has proven fatal to me in the past, and with indestructible creatures, the only other options are exile or gain control. I've been a fan of the idea of cards that put things into their owner's libraries, but I haven't used them extensively and now I feel I should start experimenting with this, Proteus Staff, Condemn, Bant Charm, and Ether Well.
Feel free to tell us what you think about our favorites in the comments below.
Next time, we'll have plenty of great Born of the Gods things to talk about, so stay tuned, and have a Legendary Weekend.
-UL/VJ/JC/GG
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