Guys, Dismember is so good, and it's been played to plenty of top8 and first place finishes. Stephen Mann played 2 copies to 1st out of >300 people at SCG Atlanta...with 2 G. Probe as well!

It is, short of Tarfire, our only 1 mana Instant Speed removal on top of Lightning Bolt. This is important because we always want that one mana up for Stifle or Spell Pierce, right? So we don't play our Chain LIghtning or Forked Bolt on their creature and hold back. But sometimes they don't do anything and we reallllly wish we'd have had killed the creature on our turn. But how could we have known? More instant speed removal helps remedy this.

It is active on Tropical Island.

It kills creatures that made it through a Spell Snare, yes, and it does not kill a RiP or Counterbalance, sure, but it also kills plenty of creatures who do not cost 2 mana.

There are large portions shared in the Spell Snare to Dismember Venn Diagram, but they are both their own cards, suitable for different metas, and they are both VERY effective cards.

Also, the life loss is not a very big deal for the trade-off of opening up the ground for Nimble and Goyf to attack or taking out an early, opposing Delver.

It doesn't double as dmg to the opponent, but it does function very effectively in the way StP and PtE was used in Zoo lists...to open up the ground for your big beaters.

If your meta has lots of SFM//Batterskull, Mother of Runes, and Tarmogoyfs it is a very reliable pick.


Now, compromise. If you are playing Dismember over Spell Snare (though you can play it in addition to!) then I would absolutely advise at least a singleton Krosan Grip in the Side to help against Counterbalance and RiP.