[SCD] Mental Misstep

[Aggro_zombies]

It's like if somebody said Force of Will does nothing because Chant/Silence/Duress/Thoughtseize is game. Combo can always trump any answer by getting Chant/Thoughtseize off, and a Zoo deck (naturally an extremely fast clock) suddenly forcing a combo player to grab answers before trying to go off? Win.

This analogy doesn't work because the kind of decks that have Force of Will almost always have other counters as well. Mental Misstep would be Zoo's only counter, so you would need to have more than one in hand to deal with a Tendrils chain that starts with discard or Chanting. That's fairly unlikely depending on how many turns have elapsed and whether you run Sylvan Library; however, drawing that many Mental Missteps means you're drawing less threats, which slows your clock down. In other decks, there are more possible hands where you have more than one counter simply because there are more counters in your deck.

There's no real way to use Misstep effectively in Zoo because it doesn't have the supporting architecture to use it to its fullest. A random counter that doesn't even hit some of the most important spells in most storm decks is not really frightening, especially when Zoo's other combo hate is not really that great. I mean, maybe you can build a critical mass of combo hate, but I'm skeptical that devoting that much sideboard space to a relatively rare matchup is the best plan, and there are a lot of decks that (a) beat Zoo in a way Zoo isn't geared to interacting with, and (b) don't really fold to the sort of combo hate Zoo would be running (Teeg, Canonist, Mindbreak Trap, Null Rod). If anything, Zoo is probably just going to do what it's always done, which is play the metagame/pairings lottery and hope that SnT decks don't see a sudden resurgence.

[GGoober]

I STILL don't understand why would Zoo ever need MM. If it's purely to beat combo, there are much better spells at doing that that fits into Zoo's core. I would rather play Chant, hate-bears, Null Rods before MM because these are at least still flexible for other matchups.

Actually, you could just play a faster Zoo list with 3 fireblast Maindeck and I think you'll tackle the combo problem much better than playing 4MM. MM has zero synergy with Zoo in trying to disrupt combo. You get a one-time use against a Duress/Chant, and proceed to lose. Depending what you cut, if you cut burn for MM, you may have actually won games with the burn spells, if you cut creatures for MM, don't bitch when you can't play a 1-drop and start applying pressure while you wait a turn and play your Goyf and let your opponents take another draw (+1 card) to attempt to take out your MM.

Also, all these talk of MM in Zoo, sure maybe I believe you, but what do you cut? What do you cut that actually improves your majority of matchups with MM? I'm having a little trouble visualizing this. You can't cut burn, Nacatl, creatures, knights, goyfs, libraries..

[IsThisACatInAHat?]

Well this is nightmare's thoughts on Mental Misstep. I think it's a good summary and I pretty much agree with the points:

http://www.channelfireball.com/artic...ie-howser-m-d/

The juicy excerpts:

"I’m intentionally limiting my wording here, and trying not to be sensationalist. In reality, I think most Legacy decks just became 56 cards."

"This card is not Spell Snare. This card isn’t even Mindbreak Trap. This card is Force of Will, and it doesn’t force you to run 18 blue cards to use it. This unassuming uncommon has the potential, and likelihood, to significantly alter the way that Grand Prix Providence will play out."

Pretty strong opinion here.

A more accurate statement would read, "I’m intentionally limiting my wording here, and trying not to be sensationalist. In reality, I think most Legacy decks I would play just became 56 cards."

Aggro doesn't want this, they want another threat. Combo doesn't want this, they want another Duress, Chant, Ritual or Brainstorm. The decks that will be jamming Mental Misstep 6 months after NPH once the hype is gone will be the 14th place decks that Shaheen Soorani and Nightmare cum their pants over. Enjoy your $100 guys, at least it paid your entry fee.

[Aggro_zombies]

I STILL don't understand why would Zoo ever need MM. If it's purely to beat combo, there are much better spells at doing that that fits into Zoo's core. I would rather play Chant, hate-bears, Null Rods before MM because these are at least still flexible for other matchups.

Actually, you could just play a faster Zoo list with 3 fireblast Maindeck and I think you'll tackle the combo problem much better than playing 4MM. MM has zero synergy with Zoo in trying to disrupt combo. You get a one-time use against a Duress/Chant, and proceed to lose. Depending what you cut, if you cut burn for MM, you may have actually won games with the burn spells, if you cut creatures for MM, don't bitch when you can't play a 1-drop and start applying pressure while you wait a turn and play your Goyf and let your opponents take another draw (+1 card) to attempt to take out your MM.

Also, all these talk of MM in Zoo, sure maybe I believe you, but what do you cut? What do you cut that actually improves your majority of matchups with MM? I'm having a little trouble visualizing this. You can't cut burn, Nacatl, creatures, knights, goyfs, libraries..

I'm, um, arguing that Mental Misstep doesn't go in Zoo. There are people in this thread who are implying - or outright stating - that it goes in every deck.

[Scordata]

Does anyone else realize that this card helps tempo decks more than it hurts them? Missetpping a stifle is actually still advantageous for tempo decks. You just got shocked and are down a card. Sweet. I envision dark confidant becoming the next survival when mm is released into the wild.

Also, whether or not aggro decks run mm, combo will still steamroll them. At least doomsday will. Maybe it buys them a turn, but ouside of lackey into sgc, I can't see losing as a actual line of play. Its like, ok, you got my dark ritual, I guess I'll just win next turn.

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

This analogy doesn't work because the kind of decks that have Force of Will almost always have other counters as well. Mental Misstep would be Zoo's only counter, so you would need to have more than one in hand to deal with a Tendrils chain that starts with discard or Chanting. That's fairly unlikely depending on how many turns have elapsed and whether you run Sylvan Library; however, drawing that many Mental Missteps means you're drawing less threats, which slows your clock down. In other decks, there are more possible hands where you have more than one counter simply because there are more counters in your deck.

There's no real way to use Misstep effectively in Zoo because it doesn't have the supporting architecture to use it to its fullest. A random counter that doesn't even hit some of the most important spells in most storm decks is not really frightening, especially when Zoo's other combo hate is not really that great. I mean, maybe you can build a critical mass of combo hate, but I'm skeptical that devoting that much sideboard space to a relatively rare matchup is the best plan, and there are a lot of decks that (a) beat Zoo in a way Zoo isn't geared to interacting with, and (b) don't really fold to the sort of combo hate Zoo would be running (Teeg, Canonist, Mindbreak Trap, Null Rod). If anything, Zoo is probably just going to do what it's always done, which is play the metagame/pairings lottery and hope that SnT decks don't see a sudden resurgence.

Storm has a much smaller chance of beating a fast Zoo deck if they have to cast discard or Chants first. I'm not sure what you mean when you say that the deck can't use it effectively. It gives Zoo even larger early game dominance which is exactly what it wants.

I STILL don't understand why would Zoo ever need MM. If it's purely to beat combo, there are much better spells at doing that that fits into Zoo's core. I would rather play Chant, hate-bears, Null Rods before MM because these are at least still flexible for other matchups.

Hi! Welcome to Legacy. This format has one drops. When you say that countering one drops is less flexible than Null Rod, you forfeit the argument.

Actually, you could just play a faster Zoo list with 3 fireblast Maindeck and I think you'll tackle the combo problem much better than playing 4MM. MM has zero synergy with Zoo in trying to disrupt combo. You get a one-time use against a Duress/Chant, and proceed to lose. Depending what you cut, if you cut burn for MM, you may have actually won games with the burn spells, if you cut creatures for MM, don't bitch when you can't play a 1-drop and start applying pressure while you wait a turn and play your Goyf and let your opponents take another draw (+1 card) to attempt to take out your MM.

Storm is slower going off if they're looking for disruption + the kill in the face of a fast clock.

Also, all these talk of MM in Zoo, sure maybe I believe you, but what do you cut? What do you cut that actually improves your majority of matchups with MM? I'm having a little trouble visualizing this. You can't cut burn, Nacatl, creatures, knights, goyfs, libraries..

Of course you can cut Library. 20 creatures, 21 land, 11 burn, 4 Misstep, 4 Path to Exile sounds about right. The numbers would be fudged from meta to meta.

Does anyone else realize that this card helps tempo decks more than it hurts them? Missetpping a stifle is actually still advantageous for tempo decks. You just got shocked and are down a card. Sweet. I envision dark confidant becoming the next survival when mm is released into the wild.

They're not down a card; Misstep is card parity.

Also, whether or not aggro decks run mm, combo will still steamroll them. At least doomsday will. Maybe it buys them a turn, but ouside of lackey into sgc, I can't see losing as a actual line of play. Its like, ok, you got my dark ritual, I guess I'll just win next turn.

What Zoo lists are you guys testing against that don't run Knight + Karakas?

A more accurate statement would read, "I’m intentionally limiting my wording here, and trying not to be sensationalist. In reality, I think most Legacy decks I would play just became 56 cards."

Aggro doesn't want this, they want another threat.

wut.

No aggro deck runs nothing but threats. Every single viable aggro deck mixes up disruption, reach and threats in different numbers. This gives Zoo, which has strong threats and reach but little disruption, a solution to their weak point.

Combo doesn't want this, they want another Duress, Chant, Ritual or Brainstorm. The decks that will be jamming Mental Misstep 6 months after NPH once the hype is gone will be the 14th place decks that Shaheen Soorani and Nightmare cum their pants over. Enjoy your $100 guys, at least it paid your entry fee.

I agree that it's not very good in most combo; maybe Reanimator. I'm not sure where $100 comes from though, this is an uncommon.

[Aggro_zombies]

Hi! Welcome to Legacy. This format has one drops. When you say that countering one drops is less flexible than Null Rod, you forfeit the argument.

And this is why we should run Mental Misstep as a four-of in every Legacy deck ever.

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

And this is why we should run Mental Misstep as a four-of in every Legacy deck ever.

No. But saying that Mental Misstep is a less versatile maindeck card than Null Rod is a demonstrably false statement. Not a lot of decks maindeck Null Rod. Not every deck should play Mental Misstep either.

[Aggro_zombies]

No. But saying that Mental Misstep is a less versatile maindeck card than Null Rod is a demonstrably false statement. Not a lot of decks maindeck Null Rod. Not every deck should play Mental Misstep either.

You should probably lay down some rules about which decks should consider Mental Misstep anywhere in their 75s, then. I, for one, do not think this card does anything for aggro, but would dearly like to know why you think it helps that strategy to run reactive cards that do not directly translate into superior board position.

[IsThisACatInAHat?]

No aggro deck runs nothing but threats. Every single viable aggro deck mixes up disruption, reach and threats in different numbers. This gives Zoo, which has strong threats and reach but little disruption, a solution to their weak point.

No aggro deck runs nothing but threats, but all aggro decks aggressively limit the situational answers they board against decks that, taken together, would overwhelm what little boarding they could do anyway. Because really, if those decks only had one weak point, they'd be boarding much more heavily against it. Misstep isn't a "solution", the card that most closely resembles one but still isn't would be Mindbreak Trap. This is no Mindbreak Trap.

I agree that it's not very good in most combo; maybe Reanimator. I'm not sure where $100 comes from though, this is an uncommon.

$100 comes from your 14th place finish at an SCG5k with a control deck packing quad Mental Misstep while viable archetypes are playing for $4200 worth of prizes in the top 8. Misstep might be a nice $3 uncommon once it's OOP for a few years like Spell Snare, maybe.

[GGoober]

I'm, um, arguing that Mental Misstep doesn't go in Zoo. There are people in this thread who are implying - or outright stating - that it goes in every deck.

I know, and I'm in support of your arguments, and against those that feel that MM is going to make Zoo better than before. MM is and isn't a blue card, but the truth is, it's benefiting blue decks more than non-blue decks, since blue decks can play MM and support the entire strategy with additional cards, whereas MM in non-blue decks e.g. Zoo are used only for narrow purposes where the original maindeck is based primarily on redundancy. This doesn't cut it for those decks. On the other hand, there are very narrow cases where I feel MM benefits a non-blue deck e.g. Eva Green, since MM fits into the whole idea on disruption/Tempo.

[TheInfamousBearAssassin]

How do you figure that it doesn't translate into a superior board position?

First of all, aggro decks don't want to see past turn 4-5 anyway, so the majority of cards you'll see in the course of a winning game will usually be in your opening grip, reducing your odds of drawing Misstep at an inopportune time. It also neuters cards that help churn out big blockers that slow your game plan, Aether Vial and Noble Hierarch, and protects your point man from getting StP'd and setting back your game plan. It stops Top or E. Tutor, which can easily stop a control player from finding the answers they need to survive your rush. The fact that it gives you game against combo just seals the deal.

I know, and I'm in support of your arguments, and against those that feel that MM is going to make Zoo better than before. MM is and isn't a blue card, but the truth is, it's benefiting blue decks more than non-blue decks, since blue decks can play MM and support the entire strategy with additional cards, whereas MM in non-blue decks e.g. Zoo are used only for narrow purposes where the original maindeck is based primarily on redundancy. This doesn't cut it for those decks. On the other hand, there are very narrow cases where I feel MM benefits a non-blue deck e.g. Eva Green, since MM fits into the whole idea on disruption/Tempo.

I keep hearing people make this "redundancy" argument, and I have no idea what they mean by it. You don't need eight copies of a card or its near-twin in your deck for that effect for it to be good; in fact often you don't want that many. Decks have had the option of running StP + Path to Exile for years now, but only a small handful choose to do so.

This simply seems like a memetic idea that people repeat for lack of having an actual argument. The fact that Zoo isn't running Daze doesn't mean it has any reason not to run Misstep.

No aggro deck runs nothing but threats, but all aggro decks aggressively limit the situational answers they board against decks that, taken together, would overwhelm what little boarding they could do anyway. Because really, if those decks only had one weak point, they'd be boarding much more heavily against it. Misstep isn't a "solution", the card that most closely resembles one but still isn't would be Mindbreak Trap. This is no Mindbreak Trap.

Mindbreak Trap is an awful, awful maindeck card. If combo remains a presence, 4 Misstep main + 4 Mindbreak Trap in the board might be correct in Zoo; it'd certainly give them much better game.

$100 comes from your 14th place finish at an SCG5k with a control deck packing quad Mental Misstep while viable archetypes are playing for $4200 worth of prizes in the top 8. Misstep might be a nice $3 uncommon once it's OOP for a few years like Spell Snare, maybe.

Uhhhhhhhh.

I mean I don't think Misstep is very good in control, but your analysis seems divorced from reality, where 1cc spells are hugely important in this format.

[edgarps22]

Again I am going to side with IBA here, Zoo is one of the main non blue decks that REALLY wants this card. It helps in control, aggro mirrors, as well as having uses in the combo matchup. I will not say though that it belongs in the main 60, I believe it belongs in the sideboard 15. Gaddock Teeg belongs in the main 60 for matchups like combo, but MM can be extremely disruptive to a combo player, and is easily boarded in by removing things like Path, StP, Bolt, Lightning Helix if you run it, things like that, and preferably in that order. Zoo can already function as an aggro control deck, by controlling the board position. Mental Misstep simply allows Zoo to board in some actual disruption as well by removing its board control pieces in a matchup like combo without losing anything in the way of threats. Hell one solution I also offered was running 4 Meddling Mage. Combo then has win around 5 hatebears, 4 disruptive spells, and a hell of a clock. This doesn't make the matchup favorable, but it certainly brings it to winnable. The fact that it also helps in the thopter countertop matchup, burn, dredge, etc etc etc is gravy. I will say that this does NOT make every deck in legacy a 56 card deck, it really doesn't, there are a lot of decks, including Zoo, that do not want/need Mental Misstep main, but you bet your ass it will be in my sideboard. There are some matches where it simply will not do that much, like Goblins, Fish, Suicide Black, Eva Green, that new Team Italia decklist etc etc. This will be a good card, I get it, but it will not go in every deck, but it will find its way into non blue decks as well. Zoo and Eva green are the best fits I believe outside of blue based tempo decks.

[Koby]

First of all, aggro decks don't want to see past turn 4-5 anyway, so the majority of cards you'll see in the course of a winning game will usually be in your opening grip, reducing your odds of drawing Misstep at an inopportune time.

Equals

I keep hearing people make this "redundancy" argument, and I have no idea what they mean by it. You don't need eight copies of a card or its near-twin in your deck for that effect for it to be good; in fact often you don't want that many. Decks have had the option of running StP + Path to Exile for years now, but only a small handful choose to do so.

If running 4 of a card means drawing it 39% in an opening hand, then running 8 of the same effect will definitely increase the chances. This is redundancy, as you just described in your first paragraph. A deck like Zoo attempts to maximize its typical plays by running redundant and equivalent threats. Kird Ape, Wild Nacatl, Loam Lion, all serve as quick attackers. Chain and Bolt act to both clear the way and provide reach. PtE provides an efficient answer to combating creatures without influencing life totals (unlike StP), and accounts for the only reactive element in the deck.

No where in Zoo do other types of reactive elements factor in. Mindbreak Trap is a concession that there is no way for Zoo to interact with Belcher and other Suicide-style Glass Cannons. Chant effects are more suitable for this purpose than both Mental Misstep and Mindbreak Trap, when used in conjunction with hatebears.

I for one, don't see Zoo with MM succeeding in the long term (3+ months after NPH).

[Forbiddian]

(I think he means you get $100 for making 14th place, whereas a deck without Mental Misstep will win 1st place, getting more money, and mocking people who played Mental Misstep).


I definitely come down on the camp of “This will change the way Legacy is played forever,” but I want to start with a fresh slate and explain why I think.


1) Mental Misstep gives a big advantage to the person playing the Misstep, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SPELL HE COUNTERED.

This is the crux of the issue, and it’s something that e.g. IBA, Nightmare, and I intuit (and have failed to describe so far) but it seems a lot of people are not understanding. You’re exchanging 2 life for 1 mana-tempo, and usually your opponent’s very first mana-tempo.

The best example of why this is a good interaction is a shockland. If you were playing shocklands, and you had even a weak turn 1 drop (like Kird Ape or Ponder or whatever), would you put the Shockland into play tapped? Mental Misstep’s effect is similar to forcing your opponent to play a shockland tapped. Whatever your opponent wanted to do with his first mana, you’re preventing him from doing that and you’re taking the initiative.

This isn’t to say that the best play is always to Misstep the first spell your opponent plays. But I’m pointing out that the reason why Misstep is good is that even if all you do with it is misstep the first spell your opponent plays you’re still better off for playing it because you're able to trade 2 life for 1 mana tempo early in the game.

2) Mental Misstep will (almost) always have a target, and usually a good number of targets, so it’ll never be a dead card (it hits more targets in more matchups than Swords to Plowshares, for comparison). It has no casting requirements, so your opponent can't blank your Misstep by playing around it. Basically if your opponent has a one-drop, you'll have an opportunity to use Mental Misstep and it will never do worse than stopping a card that your opponent decided to put into his deck.

3) Beyond never being dead, and ALWAYS being good on turn 1 (and at least being parity if topdecked), a number of Legacy decks have one drops that you need to answer anyway. Mental Misstep moves up from being a very solid tempo-stealing card to being the best possible answer to your opponent’s toughest questions in these situations.

Aether Vial, Goblin Lackey, Sensei’s Diving Top, Tireless Tribe, High Tide, and dozens of other Legacy staples are commonly (and correctly) Force of Willed. I’m not saying that Mental Misstep is the same as Force of Will or something, just that there are a lot of 1 CMC spells that you need to answer and that you’ll gladly give up two blue cards and a life to handle. So you’re that much better off because you get to handle it with just a Misstep.

Some people seem to think that this (#3) is the primary reason why Mental Misstep is being hyped so much, since it’s a “free” Force of Will on a key bomb. It’s definitely a good reason to play Misstep and an advantage to keep in mind, but I think of this as a side-benefit. I would run Misstep if it just read something to the effect of, “The next land an opponent plays comes into play tapped. Draw a card.” The real Mental Misstep does that, plus it has the potential to gut your opponent’s gameplan by countering a key spell.

4) Mental Misstep can be played in any deck, and it’s a good answer for other Mental Missteps stealing tempo. If your deck plays a remotely interactive game, you’re going to want to slow your opponent down for free, potentially even stopping his bombs. And even if you don’t play an interactive game, you might need to protect your own 1 drops from your opponent’s Missteps. Once Misstep sees a lot of play, I don't really see many checks or balances keeping it from essentially saturating the non-chalice metagame.

Conclusions: For these reasons, Mental Misstep will certainly see a ton of play. I predict it will be in most every deck and the people who don’t run it will need to have a good reason after a month or two rolls around. This card wins every interaction, regardless of the deck it’s in, or that deck’s strategy, or its opponent’s strategy. Even if your deck has “answers to the problematic turn 1 drops”, if you’re paying more than 0 for those answers, you could be doing better. If you honestly wouldn’t pay 0 to stop whatever your opponent is doing, then he’s terrible for playing a shit card or you're retarded.

[klaus]

.

kudos. nicely put.

[SMR0079]

(I think he means you get $100 for making 14th place, whereas a deck without Mental Misstep will win 1st place, getting more money, and mocking people who played Mental Misstep).


I definitely come down on the camp of “This will change the way Legacy is played forever,” but I want to start with a fresh slate and explain why I think.


1) Mental Misstep gives a big advantage to the person playing the Misstep, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SPELL HE COUNTERED.

This is the crux of the issue, and it’s something that e.g. IBA, Nightmare, and I intuit (and have failed to describe so far) but it seems a lot of people are not understanding. You’re exchanging 2 life for 1 mana-tempo, and usually your opponent’s very first mana-tempo.

The best example of why this is a good interaction is a shockland. If you were playing shocklands, and you had even a weak turn 1 drop (like Kird Ape or Ponder or whatever), would you put the Shockland into play tapped? Mental Misstep’s effect is similar to forcing your opponent to play a shockland tapped. Whatever your opponent wanted to do with his first mana, you’re preventing him from doing that and you’re taking the initiative.

This isn’t to say that the best play is always to Misstep the first spell your opponent plays. But I’m pointing out that the reason why Misstep is good is that even if all you do with it is misstep the first spell your opponent plays you’re still better off for playing it because you're able to trade 2 life for 1 mana tempo early in the game.

2) Mental Misstep will (almost) always have a target, and usually a good number of targets, so it’ll never be a dead card (it hits more targets in more matchups than Swords to Plowshares, for comparison). It has no casting requirements, so your opponent can't blank your Misstep by playing around it. Basically if your opponent has a one-drop, you'll have an opportunity to use Mental Misstep and it will never do worse than stopping a card that your opponent decided to put into his deck.

3) Beyond never being dead, and ALWAYS being good on turn 1 (and at least being parity if topdecked), a number of Legacy decks have one drops that you need to answer anyway. Mental Misstep moves up from being a very solid tempo-stealing card to being the best possible answer to your opponent’s toughest questions in these situations.

Aether Vial, Goblin Lackey, Sensei’s Diving Top, Tireless Tribe, High Tide, and dozens of other Legacy staples are commonly (and correctly) Force of Willed. I’m not saying that Mental Misstep is the same as Force of Will or something, just that there are a lot of 1 CMC spells that you need to answer and that you’ll gladly give up two blue cards and a life to handle. So you’re that much better off because you get to handle it with just a Misstep.

Some people seem to think that this (#3) is the primary reason why Mental Misstep is being hyped so much, since it’s a “free” Force of Will on a key bomb. It’s definitely a good reason to play Misstep and an advantage to keep in mind, but I think of this as a side-benefit. I would run Misstep if it just read something to the effect of, “The next land an opponent plays comes into play tapped. Draw a card.” The real Mental Misstep does that, plus it has the potential to gut your opponent’s gameplan by countering a key spell.

4) Mental Misstep can be played in any deck, and it’s a good answer for other Mental Missteps stealing tempo. If your deck plays a remotely interactive game, you’re going to want to slow your opponent down for free, potentially even stopping his bombs. And even if you don’t play an interactive game, you might need to protect your own 1 drops from your opponent’s Missteps. Once Misstep sees a lot of play, I don't really see many checks or balances keeping it from essentially saturating the non-chalice metagame.

Conclusions: For these reasons, Mental Misstep will certainly see a ton of play. I predict it will be in most every deck and the people who don’t run it will need to have a good reason after a month or two rolls around. This card wins every interaction, regardless of the deck it’s in, or that deck’s strategy, or its opponent’s strategy. Even if your deck has “answers to the problematic turn 1 drops”, if you’re paying more than 0 for those answers, you could be doing better. If you honestly wouldn’t pay 0 to stop whatever your opponent is doing, then he’s terrible for playing a shit card or you're retarded.

Thank you. One of the best summaries on the topic I have read. Maybe not 56 cards good, put more decks then not will be running it.

[Mana Drain]

Really people, saying Zoo and Combo would run MM is ridiculous, but every single blue deck in the format will probably be playing 3.

Tempo Thresh, Team America, and Merfolk all just go a monstrous boost.

[Scordata]

@IBA: Not to be off topic, but what does Knight + Karakas have to do with tendrils of agony?
Also, as stated by Forbiddian, MMing almost any turn 1 play is the tits as far as tempo is concerned. What I meant by "down a card," was not in comparison to MY hand, but their hand's previous size to casting MM.

[ivanpei]

Man, Zoo is nuts with MM, there is no doubt about it. Troopatroop plays UGwr Zoo with Daze and Force, I'm sure he is probably over the moon that he gets another goodie to play with. I'm pretty confident that MM packing Quick Zoo with Steppe Lynx/Price/Fireblast will be doing VERY well after this new set becomes legal. The most effective cards against zoo: Heirarch, Vial, STP, Path, EE for 1, Stifle, Bolt, Snare and various other 1 drops can be turned off by Zoo with MM at NO TEMPO LOST. Geez, I play a T1 Kitty and mess up your T1 play for free? I am waaayyy ahead in board position and am going to kick your teeth in. Fact.