Yeah. The card effectively reads "this card cannot be blocked" because the damage effect is so powerful. I know you could force blocks on it with certain cards, but the way the card works in practice, no one wants to block it.
I dunno... The problem with these cards (and that no-life-gain 3 drop I forgot the name from duskmorn) is that they invalidate counterplay, mostly blocking. Monstrous Rage and Embercleave were specially problematic because, being instant speed, you could never block profitably, resulting in the red decks being unreasonably fast. Ferocidon, although less egregious, was a double whammy in that it stopped both life gain and punished you for playing more shitters to block.
Hazoret was a powerful card, sure, but it was just top end on a deck of other unreasonable cards (bone crusher giant, chainwhirler, ramunap, ferocidon etc). It was hard to remove and offered reach, but, if we could imagine another meta without those problematic cards, if you had life gain or a bunch of blockers hazoret is just a good top end.
What I mean is that lifegain alone without a payoff doesn't really work because Voltron ignores it and kills you with commander damage. If it gets you +1/+1s or some other synergy payoff then it can be viable.
Mono black discard is hilarious because sometimes they forget to put in enough actual threats and I beat them with my monocolor 1 mana 1/1 deck that I was just doing a quest with because I emptied my entire hand faster than they could and spent the entire game on like 1-2 lands.
My favorite part is when you have some juicy value artifact that they will never be able to remove because you were able to topdeck it or dump it turns 2-3
[[Waterbending scroll]] against mono black discard is instant gg
This is why you always gotta build discard as rakdos or dimir. It just doesn't work if you don't have a way to interact with the things that slip through the cracks
very true. i remember playing the first few games of mono black discard and for the life of me could not draw any of my removals. proceed to get my face ripped off by Selesnya bunnies with an opponent just top decking.
Oh my sweet summer child, you don't know true discard. Give me back Hymn to Tourach and Mind Twist. Because if you haven't Mind Twisted an opponent for 7 on turn 1 are you even really living?
Monoblack discard feels so bullshit to play against. Then you try an actual good deck against it, especially one with recursion or enough draw to outpace it, and realize it's kinda shit, just uber annoying. And then you run into its meaner cousin, Lobotomy Control and realize some players are just not good people.
"What's the point of blocking?"
[[Monstrous Rage]]'s ban in a nutshell.
This plus Screaming Nemesis removed the Declare blockers step from the game.
Yeah. The card effectively reads "this card cannot be blocked" because the damage effect is so powerful. I know you could force blocks on it with certain cards, but the way the card works in practice, no one wants to block it.
And [[embercleave]] before him. And [[rampaging ferocidon]] before... I think Wotc keeps forgetting red having bad matches is ok
Ferocidon is the least egregious. And I'll go out on a limb and say that Ferocidon ate the ban for [[Hazoret the Fervent]].
I dunno... The problem with these cards (and that no-life-gain 3 drop I forgot the name from duskmorn) is that they invalidate counterplay, mostly blocking. Monstrous Rage and Embercleave were specially problematic because, being instant speed, you could never block profitably, resulting in the red decks being unreasonably fast. Ferocidon, although less egregious, was a double whammy in that it stopped both life gain and punished you for playing more shitters to block.
Hazoret was a powerful card, sure, but it was just top end on a deck of other unreasonable cards (bone crusher giant, chainwhirler, ramunap, ferocidon etc). It was hard to remove and offered reach, but, if we could imagine another meta without those problematic cards, if you had life gain or a bunch of blockers hazoret is just a good top end.
Hazoret the Fervent - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
embercleave - (G) (SF) (txt)
rampaging ferocidon - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
Monstrous Rage - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
"How do you deal with that much life" is my favorite way to play Magic
Welcome its newest entry, [[Virulent Emissary]], which for some reason has deathtouch
Virulent Emissary - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
I ignore the life and just make their deck disappear. Singularity Rupture is super good
I ignore the life and give them 10 funny green Gatorade counters. Love my guy Fynn
I ignore the life and just make my deck dissapear.
Labman my beloved
(I only play commander)
The deathtouch makes it a great addition to Fynn in commander
One of the archetypes I'm sad doesn't really exist in commander.
Its my favorite deck :(
https://www.archidekt.com/decks/4279849/_scrying_life
What I mean is that lifegain alone without a payoff doesn't really work because Voltron ignores it and kills you with commander damage. If it gets you +1/+1s or some other synergy payoff then it can be viable.
It's exactly the reason commander damage exists as a rule. So you have more than just infect as an option for aggro
The best way to deal with all of these is to make sure they never resolve in the first place.
Go on… add the Islands to your deck…
https://preview.redd.it/bszvwwtppccg1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eefe2979942a6f00c883b04e9e27362e01bdbef
cackes in control player
Good good
Let the blue mana flow through you
losing to mono black discard for the first time had me so upset i looked up cards for the deck and played it to make others as upset. good times.
Mono black discard is hilarious because sometimes they forget to put in enough actual threats and I beat them with my monocolor 1 mana 1/1 deck that I was just doing a quest with because I emptied my entire hand faster than they could and spent the entire game on like 1-2 lands.
My favorite part is when you have some juicy value artifact that they will never be able to remove because you were able to topdeck it or dump it turns 2-3
[[Waterbending scroll]] against mono black discard is instant gg
This is why you always gotta build discard as rakdos or dimir. It just doesn't work if you don't have a way to interact with the things that slip through the cracks
Waterbending scroll - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
very true. i remember playing the first few games of mono black discard and for the life of me could not draw any of my removals. proceed to get my face ripped off by Selesnya bunnies with an opponent just top decking.
this is how i found my first landfall deck on arena, i watched [[mossborn hydra]] pop off in like 2 turns and knew i had to have it
mossborn hydra - (G) (SF) (txt)
FAQ
Wait until you play a landfall clones deck on brawl!
my first time trying to get to mythic I was one win away. I proceeded to lose the next 14 games in a row. It was rough, but I got there :)
Ill say it is incredibly satisfying to beat the lifegain deck with a huge Mossborn Hydra.
"Where's my hand?!"
Oh my sweet summer child, you don't know true discard. Give me back Hymn to Tourach and Mind Twist. Because if you haven't Mind Twisted an opponent for 7 on turn 1 are you even really living?
How are you getting 7 mana on turn one? Is this like a Vintage thing?
Yep, or Old School 94.
Black Lotus, Mox Jet, Mox Ruby, Swamp, dark ritual, which gives you 8 mana for X = 7 on the mind twist.
It's a nut draw yeah but I've done it twice playing my Old School deck.
the rank one is literally me lol
i love the first one ive been there at all stages lmao
Monoblack discard feels so bullshit to play against. Then you try an actual good deck against it, especially one with recursion or enough draw to outpace it, and realize it's kinda shit, just uber annoying. And then you run into its meaner cousin, Lobotomy Control and realize some players are just not good people.
They are still saints compared to lantern and stasis players.