Is ixalan’s binding better than path to exile?

Modern Deck Help forum

Posted on Feb. 5, 2018, 2:49 a.m. by ExtraEasy

So obvious answer is that they both fill different roles and a w vs w3 is problematic. So sure stop asking dumb questions...

Though I look a little closer; Path to Exile is possibly the most efficient removal in the game but with an enemy ramp cost. A white mana exiles a creature at instant speed. If I apply the same yardstick Ixalan's Binding removes possibly 4 permanents for w3 so taking into account sorcery speed that seems pretty comparable...? 1 for 1?

Also worth mentioning is that we dont use path often on any 1 or 2 drop creature like you might a bolt or a fpush so the time to play the spells is similar at t4+

This might make more sense looking at the context it comes from- Specifically this is for my Boros Brisela Midrange which has Lightning Bolt and Lightning HelixAnd so much lantern control that will flood our competitive meta this year. Sigh.

Im gonna test online with a 2 of each in the main board and get back to you.

Take it easy!

Boza says... #2

Usually, you would think ramping your opponent is a bad thing. But it is not:

  • Usaually, people with top modern decks play few basics, there are times where you wouldnt ramp the opponent.

  • even if you do, the CMC of most modern decks is so low that aving more lands does not matter.

  • 4+ CMC cards that do not either put you incredibly ahead (Cryptic Command, Collected Company) or outright win the game (Scapeshift) are unplayable in the format due to number 2. It is always better to two-spell rather than cast 1 with a questionable benefit.

February 5, 2018 3:28 a.m.

xyr0s says... #3

You are actually comparing a 4 cmc enchantment with a 1 cmc instant? There's no way they're even going to be comparable.

If you play cheap creatures, byt the time you can play the enchantment, you could instead play Path to Exile AND a 3-cost creature. And then you can replay it with Snapcaster Mage in a later turn (or in the same turn, if you don't want to play another creature).

Giving your opponent land might be dangerous, sometimes. Not very often, though. Most often you exchange a creature that poses an actual threat to you, for a basic land which doesn't.

February 5, 2018 5:16 a.m.

lukas96 says... #4

Ixalans binding trys to do a lot of different things and is not good in any of them.

Path is more efficient.Detentionsphere is one mana cheaper and also very flexible.The cant cast clause should only be relevant against combo decks and medling mage is a good sideboard card for that case.

February 5, 2018 6:29 a.m.

Ixalan's Binding isn't unplayable, per se, but it is really only good in a very specific type of heavy control deck, that plans to drag out the game incredibly long anyways (think decks like Free Win Red, but in white).

On the flip side, Path to Exile is good in most decks, since it is super cheap creature removal. It works on most creatures, and more importantly works for just 1 mana, meaning you can usually use it without interrupting your own game plan too severely.

At the end of the day, Path to Exile is almost always a because the math is much more complicated than "1 mana = 1 removed card". You have to account for how early you can use the card, how much using this card any given turn slows down your strategy, when during a turn you can cast the card, whether or not your opponent is even playing all 4 copies of the chosen target, if they will draw said other copies this game, if they will have a way to remove enchantments, if they will have basic lands to find, if those lands will be useful to them at this point in the game... the list goes on and on.

February 5, 2018 11:37 a.m.

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