Planeswalking for Dummies 2

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Jay

29 September 2013

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Welcome Back

Welcome back everyone, to the next installment in Planeswalking for Dummies: Card Advantage & Tempo. I’m glad I received such excellent feedback and support from the community after my first article, so I’ll continue to make them for as long as there’s something to write about.

And so we start this article of Planeswalking for Dummies:

Card Advantage & Tempo

What exactly do these terms mean? You’ve almost definitely seen them used around TappedOut or other places, but it’s rare to see them explained. They’re both very abstract ideas, and as such are hard to describe.

Card Advantage is basically what the name implies: your cards give you an edge over your opponent. Maybe it’s because you have more of them from draw spells. Maybe they have multiple effects, giving you greater variety. Maybe your cards just happen to match up really well against your opponent’s. Whatever the situation, Card Advantage is quite simply having the upper-hand due to something other than who has the bigger creatures.

Tempo is one of the most abstract concepts in Magic, but is arguably one of the most important for good deckbuilding. As a musician, I like to think of Tempo in Magic like a tempo in music: keeping the beat going steady, evenly, and so forth. Generally, that’s what you’re doing. Using things which accelerate yourself while disrupting your adversary. Some decks are built specifically as Tempo decks, which use cheap, evasive beaters with support from disrupting the enemy and gaining speed themselves.

These were brief descriptions, so you probably still have some questions. Let’s go over some examples to try and make sense of it all.

Pure Card Advantage

It’s difficult to find examples that show only one of these aspects seeing as they usually go hand-in-hand, but I’ll try to show some good variation.

Brainstorm/Gitaxian Probe/Serum Visions- There are many spells that follow this basic format: A single Blue for some basic Library manipulation or otherwise with a draw tacked onto it. Spells that have an ability and also allow you to draw are known as “Cantrips,” and are valuable because they replace themselves. Some of the more powerful Cantrips, like Brainstorm, are actually banned in Modern because they’re too strong, but some players don’t understand the value in them. However, they’re extremely potent. Imagine the difference playing these spells early on can make: Turn 1 Brainstorm or Ponder can set up a huge chunk of time when competitive games might only make it until turn 6. On top of being able to control what’s coming up, you get a free card now. This gives you a huge advantage over your opponent, who could draw 3 lands in a row for all he knows.

Gitaxian Probe is powerful for a similar reason, as well as a potential “free” casting. You can use its Phyrexian cost on turn 1 to determine whether or not you should use that Controlled Discard spell or hold onto it, or at least let you know to watch out for counterspells and/or save your own. This knowledge is extremely valuable for playing against control especially, while still almost always being relevant.Not to mention you get an extra card from it.

Thoughtseize/Inquisition of Kozilek/Duress- These spells are known as “Controlled Discard,” and I referred to them a few times above. I explained the usefulness of Thoughtseize in my last article, but this card type in general is relevant enough to include. A turn one Inquisition of Kozilek can likely ruin your opponent’s first, second, or third play, sometimes pushing their whole plan back a few turns as a result. Duress early game against control can hit their Planeswalkers, unwanted counterspells, and more. Thoughtseize can hit everything but manlands. But the unspoken strength of these cards is that even if they’re total flops (you IoK and find Iona, Shield of Emeria, Duress and see Tarmogoyf, etc) you still gained Card Advantage. Now you know what your opponent has in store, so you can prepare to face it.

Sensei's Divining Top- This card gets its own category. It’s one of the most widely used staples in EDH as well as seeing play in Legacy. All that at Uncommon rarity. This card is extremely potent for fixing your game, and has some pretty dirty exploits, too. Using cards like the Fetchlands (Arid Mesa, Marsh Flats, etc) you can shuffle your library to get rid of unwelcome cards at no extra cost while also reaping the benefits of the fetch itself. Utilizing the stack to make complicated chains of effects with shuffling, rearranging, and topdecking the top is sometimes referred to as “Top Diving,” and is extremely potent if done properly.

Sylvan Library- Green? Card advantage? Actually usable? That’s a rare sight, but Sylvan Library is a strong library manipulation effect that continually brings you strong advantage. The life toll to keep a card is heavy, but you don’t even have to use that ability. You could just rearrange your top cards every turn, and if there’s something you really need, then you can pay the life. In EDH especially the life isn’t nearly as bad. Similarly to Sensei's Divining Top and Brainstorm, you can combine this effect with Fetchlands for extra potency. Having both this and Sensei's Divining Top down makes for some ridiculous interactions.

Pure Tempo

Birthing Pod- This card is currently dominating Modern, with various deck types all revolving around it as the centerpiece. The reason being the tempo advantage you gain from its use. With such low activation cost, you can constantly fetch out Hate Bears (cards which “hate” opposing strategies, usually 2/2s) to disrupt them, cards with strong EtB and LtB effects to further yourself, or dangerous combo pieces to end the game outright. It’s an extremely difficult card to defeat pre-sideboard, too, because its ability can’t be countered like a spell. Without artifact hate or something to neuter the combo it’s almost unbeatable once it gets rolling.

Delver of Secrets  ^Flip- A card that went from being totally unnoticed to starting its own archetype, Delver is a Tempo master. Playing this guy on turn 1 and flipping him turn 2 leads to a game with few possible outcomes. Backing him with burn, counterspells, and other elements of Tempo decks, Delver of Secrets  ^Flip opens up a can of whup-ass on anybody without an answer. Having a 3/2 flier ready to attack with 2 mana open on turn 2 is extremely potent, but even if he doesn’t become insectile abomination until turn 4 or 5 he’s still ready to go as soon as that happens, making for a dangerous, evasive, versatile creature.

Grim Lavamancer- About time Red got some recognition. In fairness, Red doesn’t have a lot of “Technical” value. 99% of Red cards are just for making things bleed. But as Grim Lavamancer shows us, there are some exceptions. This guy can be really killer, recycling your lost Lightning Bolts! for more burn power. Using his ability every turn at your opponent’s end step means he can be reserved as a blocker in desperate situations, as well. Steady damage like this means that even when RDW starts topdecking, they have something to do rather than just flounder about drawing Mountains. If you drop them to 6 life by turn 4 but then get completely stalled out, having one of these bad boys down means you can finish them off before things get out of hand.

Deathrite Shaman- This card is another personal favorite of mine, and soon after release quickly became a cross-format staple. This is due to the amount of tempo he can build. First off, he’s a 1-drop ½ that can be played with either of 2 colors. That’s a pretty respectable card even at vanilla. Next, he has 3 activated abilities. If he was printed with only 1 of these, he would still see play. If he was printed with 2 he would still be strong. As a matter of fact, he’s played in some decks that only use one of his colors just because he’s still worth it. But with 3 versatile, powerful abilities, Deathrite Shaman is irresistible. In Modern and Legacy, his acceleration is extremely powerful due to the prevalence of Fetchlands. Turn 1 you can pop a fetch and drop the Shaman, and then have 3 mana next turn if you don’t miss your land drop. And it’s not unlikely your opponent will be playing Fetchlands as well, further accelerating you. His other abilities not only completely devastate any graveyard-based decks, but can constantly widen the life gap. Similarly to Grim Lavamancer, you can continually deal damage to the opponent at the end of their turn, or if you’re in a tight spot you can gain yourself some life. There’s very little Deathrite Shaman can’t do.

Stoneforge Mystic- As a primarily Modern player, I’ve always been sad that Stoneforge Mystic was banned. I’ve wanted to play her ever since I saw her, even before I knew how absurdly powerful she is. Eventually, I built a Legacy deck built solely around her, so it all worked out. But to this day I still love Misty because of her immensely powerful capabilities. Decks based around her will often run a small suite of powerful equipment (usually Umezawa's Jitte, Batterskull, and Sword of Fire and Ice/Sword of Feast and Famine). When Misty comes into play, they can find exactly what they need for that moment, using the opponent’s weakness against them. The next turn, she can play these cards at an extremely reduced price while also making them uncounterable by “cheating” them into play with her ability. At this point, most of her duty has been served, and Misty can chump block, attack, or if necessary hold the Equipment she tutored up.

Symbiosis

Card Advantage and Tempo are most frequently seen together, and these cards are often widely played and carry quite the pricetag. It’s time to go over some of the biggest players in the game.

Dark Confidant- This is another card I went over in my last article, but it bears repeating. Dark Confidant, often referred to as “Bob” due to the fact he was created to look like pro player Bob Maher, is the epitome of Card Advantage and Tempo. He brings you a constant stream of extra cards without using up any of your mana (and as we discussed before, the life loss isn’t as bad as it seems). And while he’s doing all of this, he’s rushing your opponent for 2 every turn. The steady damage to your opponent and free cards to you will commonly make you simply unstoppable. And if he should eat a removal spell, there’s almost no disadvantage to you. All you invested in him was 2 mana, so Bob will be right at home feeding your Deathrite Shamans.

Vendilion Clique- This card is about 70% Tempo and 30% Card Advantage, but 100% amazing. Cmc 3 for a 3/1 flier with Flash is nothing to scoff at anyway, especially sporting one of the most dangerous tribes, but throw in one of the most effective disruption abilities in the game and you’ve got yourself a $40 creature. You can choose anything in their hand short of a land and get rid of it almost for good, unless they have a tutor. They draw a card, but that’s a small price to pay for removing their largest threat. After all, they won’t be drawing their wincon if that’s what you just tucked. After this all happens, Vendilion Clique comes in every turn for 3 damage overhead, and if you played him during the last End Step he avoids Summoning Sickness to boot.

Remand- Arguably one of Modern’s most powerful counterspells, but difficult for players to grasp when they first see it. It’s only gone for a turn, why’s it even worth it? Simple: it builds your Tempo up and brings you more Card Advantage. If your opponent’s whole turn was centered on playing a single spell and you just stopped it cold and put it in their hand, they basically lost a turn. You just played a Time Walk. Oh, and you got a free card. Using this in decks like UTron and Delver means that your opponent is helpless while you grow ever closer to the win.

Eternal Witness- A long-standing staple for EDH and some choice decks for 60-card formats, Eternal Witness is everything you want in a recursion spell. She allows you to return anything you’ve lost throughout the course of the game, and if you’re only allowed singletons, using a card twice can be priceless. On top of this, she’s a body with enough power to be useful in beating down the enemy or blocking to stall them out.

Snapcaster Mage- A huge card in nearly every format, Snap took the game by storm when he was printed in Innistrad. He’s got Flash, he’s a 2-drop 2/1, and he has a powerful EtB ability. These are the characteristics of a card with great Tempo capabilities. Combined with what that ability actually is, Snap is a total house. Recurring ANY Instant or Sorcery in your graveyard for only an extra 1U would be great even without a free 2/1. Get back your counterspells, burn, killspells, combo pieces, tutors, just about anything and get a surprise chump or secondary wincon at no extra cost. Snapcaster Mage will be a long-standing staple in Magic.

Cryptic Command- Probably the most widely used counter in Modern, which is impressive for something with such a saturated mana cost. Demanding UUU is enough to make most cards unusable, but it’s so powerful that even tricolor decks will bend over backwards to be able to support the cost. It’s such a ridiculously versatile toolbox, and even if you don’t have something to counter and just need the extra card you can still set them back a turn by bouncing a land and bring yourself forward by drawing an extra card. There are very few situations Cryptic Command can’t handle.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Planeswalking for Dummies, and learned a little bit about Magic in the process! Hopefully I did an adequate job explaining such abstract concepts, or at the very least helped build on your existing knowledge. As always, I’m eager to hear any suggestions or otherwise you guys have to tell me.

That’s the end of this article of Planeswalking for Dummies, and I hope you’re ready to join me for the next installment, Lands and Mana Fixing.

Good luck, and happy tapping,

-Jay