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Thread: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

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    Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Look at cards like Peacekeeper and Llawan. For many years these cards languished in dollar bins, and then suddenly once attention was focused on them, they skyrocketed to $10/apiece -- and they probably have more room for growth. I think that's a bit ridiculous for corner-case sideboard cards, but such is eternal Magic these days. Some cards were impossible to know that they were good until a future printing (e.g. Dark Depths before Vampire Hexmage). Even cards that were known to be good, but stayed at a relatively low price, end up jumping leaps and bounds in value (e.g. Maze of Ith).

    What I'd like this thread to do is have a list of cards with -potential- use. Maybe they are very corner-case specific/narrow, maybe they seem 'impossible' to break, but the idea is for people to be aware of them and possibly get a playset while they are dirt cheap. I'd personally rather be out a couple bucks than miss the boat on some card getting broken down the line.

    Some I've thought of:

    Earthcraft -- when a banned card comes off the list, they tend to jump in value, even if it doesn't end up being spectacular (Grim Monolith for example)
    Hermit Druid -- see above
    Gustha's Scepter -- has an unusual effect, costs 0, and was once part of a combo deck.
    Windfall
    Tsabo's Web
    Spinal Villain
    Aboria
    Damnation -- we see Wrath of God making its way into sideboards and maindecks, since Legiacy has slowed down a bit. It is not out of the question to see a black-based control deck make use of this sweeper

    Any others people can think of? I'm sure there are plenty with undiscovered interactions waiting to be exploited.. I would have never guessed that Phyrexian Devourer would find use!

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    I have a feeling that Earthcraft is next to be unbanned. I think I will stock up on it (I totally missed out on Time Spiral when the local store had a playset for $5 each). I can see Earthcraft do really well in Elves Combo (if it ever gets unban).

    Enchantress would use it to as an alternate win con or turning Argothian Enchantress into a mana-creature.
    I am convinced that WotC is "dumbing" the game because of all the stupid posts they come across on MTG-related forums
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Also, buy your playset of Enlightened Tutors if you haven't yet! This card is just waiting to be exploited by a tier 1 strategy.

    Re: Earthcraft, the card is very likely to come off the banned list in my opinion. While it can do broken things, it doesn't do anything worse or faster than a lot of other two card combos in legacy. Giving enchantress a boost is cool in my book too, I love to see niche strategies dominate more typical ones!

  4. #4

    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Garza's Assasin is a pretty neat alternative to Gatekeeper of Malakir. I built a deck around creatures that kill other creatures (Shriekmaw, Gatekeeper, Garza's Assasin, Vampire Nighthawk) plus Bob, Ritual and disruption with equipment (Jitte, SoFI) to buff them into win-cons. It worked well against anything that relied on creatures (including Emrakul and Progenitus), but I gave up on it because it had a number of horrific matchups (burn, control, enchantress). I also think Slaughter Pact is an overlooked alternative to Smother/Go For the Throat. When I've tested in as a 2-of in Eva Green, it's been much better than the ones where you have to pay mana immediately, just because there were so many times where my opponent would have two creatures out and I had removal in hand and creatures with only 3 lands. Then, you'd have to choose between either dropping a Goyf to block one and get hit by the other with a typical removal spell. With Slaughter Pact, it was always nice to drop a Goyf, then be able to block one and kill the other. Plus, if they decide not to attack because they're staring down a Goyf, you can save the removal for later.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    I think a card that is really flying under the radar ATM is Stillmoon Cavalier. It essentially has pro: all but red removal and has a couple of relavent abilities (pump and evasion) With Stoneforge Mystic getting so much attention recently (Deadguy Ale, Excalibur) Stillmoon seems like a great card.

    Thoughts?
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Safety View Post
    I think a card that is really flying under the radar ATM is Stillmoon Cavalier. It essentially has pro: all but red removal and has a couple of relavent abilities (pump and evasion) With Stoneforge Mystic getting so much attention recently (Deadguy Ale, Excalibur) Stillmoon seems like a great card.

    Thoughts?
    Seems really good, things with Pro-Swords generally do well when there is a lack of true board sweepers in the format. It can conditionally get around Firespout. About the Wrath of God/Damnation comment in the OP, I honestly haven't seen these in a competitive setting in so long that dedicated control is no longer a factor when I prepare for a tournament. Headed on a flight, I guess I'll troll the MWS database while I'm twiddling my thumbs.
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    am I right that the text of Gustha's Scepter changed? On magiccards.info it says: When you lose control of Gustha's Scepter, put all cards exiled with Gustha's Scepter into their owner's graveyard.
    Before it said: When it leaves play or you lose control of...

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    The one card that I've had my eye on forever is Thought Lash. Pretty sure it can auto activate Shelldock Isle. Unfortunately, I don't think you can wish back any of the removed cards but I'm thinking more along the lines of stack the bottom of your deck somehow (a bunch of cards do this - Commune with Nature, Ancient Stirrings, Impulse, Mindmoil, Mitotic Manipulation, Proteus Staff, scrye cards etc.).

    2 x Conjurer's Bauble or SDT + Helm of Awakening + Storm?
    Shelldrazi type deck (is Doomsday just better at this?)

  9. #9

    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Quote Originally Posted by android View Post
    The one card that I've had my eye on forever is Thought Lash. Pretty sure it can auto activate Shelldock Isle. Unfortunately, I don't think you can wish back any of the removed cards but I'm thinking more along the lines of stack the bottom of your deck somehow (a bunch of cards do this - Commune with Nature, Ancient Stirrings, Impulse, Mindmoil, Mitotic Manipulation, Proteus Staff, scrye cards etc.).

    2 x Conjurer's Bauble or SDT + Helm of Awakening + Storm?
    Shelldrazi type deck (is Doomsday just better at this?)
    Timesifter and Thought Lash was sort of a casual combo I was working on when it was first released. You use it in conjunction with cards like Field of Dreams, Soothsaying, or Lantern of Insight. The deck didn't pan out, but you mentioned Thought Lash so I thought I'd bring it up.

    Of course, Brainstorm always helps too. But I tried making this work when Mana Drain was legal, so...

  10. #10

    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    If Windfall weren't banned, it'd see a ton of play.

    Gustha's Scepter does seem to be really interesting with Lion's Eye Diamond.

    I'm surprised Gifts Ungiven hasn't been more abused, to be quite honest. Sure Intuition seems to be the blue tutor of choice, but Gifts can be pretty easily abused. Maybe it's simply the difference between 3 and 4 mana costs.

    A few cards I've had my eye on for a while:
    Arboria - Seems a lot like a Moat but for green. Plus since it says nontoken permanent, you could easily abuse this with something like Luminarch Ascension. :)
    Land Equilibrium - Seems so abusable with things like Parallax Tide, City of Traitors and Crystal Vein. However, maybe it falls to the same plight as Stax, too little too late.
    Goblin Wizard - A bit more controllish version of Goblins could heavily abuse this guy, especially when he could come down with Lackey on turn 2. Plus he has a relevant protection, pro-StP.
    Suppression Field - I know there's a deck list floating around that uses this, but I'm just surprised it hasn't been explored further by deck builders. I mean from Top to Vial, fetches to equipment, this thing HOSES key spells in a bunch of decks.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Winds of Change is another card with a huge effect and low cc. I have it in a crazy Psychic Possession deck with Consecrated Sphinx. Lots of bounce and counter (Arcane Denial is killer here). Then it wins with Niv-Mizzet or Spiraling Embers or Words of War or Conflagrate. I never have a problem with the card draw but it seems to be difficult to win sometimes. I need a better surefire way to end the game.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    I always thought Damping Matrix would be a good card.

    Thousand-Year Elixir seemed always interesting in a Goblin Welder deck.
    Artificer's Intuition only waits for an Artifact Squee.

    And what about old Standard staples like Heartbeat of Spring?

    Oh, and what about Leonin Arbiter? When this card was spoiled, people were super excited, "it hoses the entire format", they said... but I didn't really see it.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Quote Originally Posted by raijinnfury View Post
    Suppression Field - I know there's a deck list floating around that uses this, but I'm just surprised it hasn't been explored further by deck builders. I mean from Top to Vial, fetches to equipment, this thing HOSES key spells in a bunch of decks.
    If only this only affected opponents. My pet deck, Quinn, could use something like this against Counterbalance and Top decks.
    I am convinced that WotC is "dumbing" the game because of all the stupid posts they come across on MTG-related forums
    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle View Post
    13NoVa plays Force of Will from his hand.
    Finglonger plays Spell Pierce from his hand.
    [10:22:43]  13NoVa: lol
    sure
    Finglonger points from his Dack Fayden to 13NoVa's Sol Ring.
    [10:23:04]  13NoVa: lol dumb ******; nice draws with retard.dec
    stupid cocksucker
    You have been kicked out of the game.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    How about Energy Field + Leyline of the Void + Leyline of Sanctity? You'd have to protect the leylines and drawing leylines later seems really bad.

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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    You would need Planar Void to make it work.
    Quote Originally Posted by ktkenshinx View Post
    The Reserved List is a) not legally binding, b) antiquated, c) broken, and d) preventative of maximum game enjoyment. Wizards will remove as many cards from that list as possible to increase the fun of their game. Using market research, they can find a balance between printing enough cards to lower a price from $40 to $15-$20, and not utterly ruining their value. This will be both an economically feasible AND sensible move.
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Quote Originally Posted by bakofried View Post
    You would need Planar Void to make it work.
    Planar Void is a trigger ability, which means both it and Energy Field would trigger, and you'd lose your protection.
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Well, Leyline wouldn't work in either case. Leyline only affect's your opponents.
    Quote Originally Posted by ktkenshinx View Post
    The Reserved List is a) not legally binding, b) antiquated, c) broken, and d) preventative of maximum game enjoyment. Wizards will remove as many cards from that list as possible to increase the fun of their game. Using market research, they can find a balance between printing enough cards to lower a price from $40 to $15-$20, and not utterly ruining their value. This will be both an economically feasible AND sensible move.
    -ktkenshinx-

  18. #18

    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    DP
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Didgeridoo
    Someday... Wotc will make a minotaur block, and I will laugh deviously screaming "ITOLDYOUSO!!!!" to everyone.
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    Re: Obscure Cards with Latent Potential

    Quote Originally Posted by sco0ter View Post
    Artificer's Intuition only waits for an Artifact Squee.
    I was thinking that pitching 4 Sword of the Meek to search 4 Memnite means 4 2/3 Memnites for UUUU. That's fun.
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