Concentrate

Sorcery

Draw three cards.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (48)

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

4 months ago

I often wonder which is more important for a card: its overall cost or its cost-to-effect ratio (i.e., its mana efficiency); for example, there is no question that Lightning Bolt is superior to both Shock and Searing Spear, but, between the other two cards, I would choose Shock over Searing Spear in the majority of situations, because Shock has a ratio of 2 damage for 1 mana, whereas Searing Spear has a ratio of 1.5 damage for 1 mana.

For a slightly more complicated example, compare Eladamri's Call to Shared Summons; the former card can find a creature for a mere 2 mana, which is very efficient, but it simply replaces one card in its controller's hand with another, whereas the latter card can search for two creatures, which leaves its caster with an additional card in hand, compared to before it is cast, but it is less efficient, costing 2.5 mana per creature found, so it is not as clear which card is superior, there.

Opportunity is literally a double version of Quick Study, as they both have the same ratio of cost to effect, but which is the superior card? Is it really better to spend six mana to draw four cards, as doing that would leave the caster with less mana to cast the spells that they draw? Also, Quick Study is strictly better than is Inspiration, as it costs 1 less mana to cast, but, between Concentrate and Tidings, I am not certain which is superior, since they both allow a player to draw one less card than their mana values.

On the subject of card drawing, in the realm of repeatable card drawing, Arcane Encyclopedia is strictly better than is Jayemdae Tome, as it costs only 3 mana to draw a single card, compared to 4, but Tower of Fortunes can draw four cards for 8 mana, which is a ratio of 2 mana per card, but that ability costs 8 mana, overall, so the question is if it is worth 8 mana to draw four cards.

Continuing that theme, there are numerous creatures (and one enchantment) that allow a player to repeatedly draw cards, such as Azure Mage, Spectral Sailor, Faerie Mastermind, Triskaidekaphile, or Treasure Trove, a ratio of 4 mana for one card, but Mystic Archaeologist can draw 2 two cards for 5 mana, a ratio of 2.5 mana per card, which is definitely far superior, in my mind.

Hedron Archive is literally two Mind Stones put together, and Dreamstone Hedron is literally a triple Mind Stone, so they all have the same cost-to-effect ratio, but I prefer the original Mind Stone, since the existence of Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus makes it difficult to justify using the other mana rocks, at least, for me.

To use the example of Skyward Eye Prophets, a 1/1 creature for 2 mana is perfectly acceptable, a 2/2 creature for 4 mana is slightly expensive, but nothing outrageous, but a 3/3 creature for 6 mana is simply too much, although, as a side note, I have a copy of that creature, in one of my decks, because I really like its ability.

For a further example, I would choose Mantis Rider over Lightning Angel in the majority of situations, since it provides a better rate than does the angel, and, similarly, I would choose Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers over Vernadi Shieldmate, since the former creature is more efficient for its cost.

I believe that I have provided a sufficient number of examples, for this discussion, so which trait do you believe is more important: overall mana cost or cost-to-effect ratio/mana efficiency? I certainly am interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Profet93 on Azami, Lady of Sudden Victory

1 year ago

The_Dragonmaster

Sadly, cEDH is not my scene. From what little I know, Concentrate is not good for cEDH given you're paying 4 mana to draw 3 cards when your commander already draws cards at instant speed rather than sorcery speed.

Ancient Tomb > Temple of false

Fierce Guardianship/Force of Will/Misdirection - Free counterspell

Mana Crypt/Jeweled Lotus - Ramp

What is the purpose of Perpetual Timepiece?

Counterspell, Arcane Denial, Mana Drain > Desertion

Mind Stone > Chromatic lantern. Lantern's benefit is for multi-color decks, not mono. Coalition Relic also fits the 3cmc slot and is colored mana if you really want something similar yet better. But mindstone comes down more quickly and can be draw when you don't need it so it usually sees more play

Your avg cmc is relatively high for cEDH. Might want to bring it closer to 3.20. I can give you ideas for more cuts should you wish.

Optimator on Roses of May -- (Marchesa Threaten)

1 year ago

I'm glad you love the deck elliotmward97!! I've had her for many years and I love her dearly. I even love Marchesa enough to have a five-color "Secret Marchesa" deck: Special Snowflakes. My playgroup ranges from precons and upgraded precons to "powerful casual" and this deck seems to hang with their stronger decks very well. It's certainly not cEDH, nor would I really want it to be. One of the reasons I kept the Threaten subtheme going string from it's budget days.

As far as "very little" card draw...

Bloodtracker, Braids, Arisen Nightmare, Grim Haruspex, River Kelpie, Sage of Fables, Scorn-Blade Berserker, Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, Phyrexian Arena, Jeska's Will, Syphon Mind, and Skullclamp are all card draw. That's eleven.

Phyrexian Reclamation is big-time card advantage if my goons keep getting whacked, Viscera Seer is decent card selection when the engine is running, and the non-Treaten theft cards could even be viewed as card-advantage if you squint (looping Thalakos Deceiver and Puppeteer Clique and Keiga, the Tide Star, Zara, Renegade Recruiter getting lucky a few times, Grave Betrayal sticking, etc).

Actually seems above-average to me, elliotmward97.

Perhaps it's light in more pure Concentrate- and Tidings-style draw, but I like the creature-based draw that synergizes with Marchesa. Makes the deck feel like it has more character, and the ceiling is quite high when the engine is rolling. Lower floor, perhaps. I've thought about including more draw effects like Bident of Thassa, Reconnaissance Mission, and Coastal Piracy since the deck swings out so much, but I like where things are right now.

xram666 on Pattern Recognition #284 - A …

1 year ago

I think blue has to do better than Sift. A four mana sorcery in blue should just draw three cards or be an instant. So maybe shift it to uncommon and make it a reprint of Concentrate or make it an instant and so an reprint of Rain of Revelation.

Another interesting option would be a functional reprint of Draconic Lore with one of your tribes .

Anyway... I would like to say a huge thank you for the articles for your own set. You can see how much work it is and I find it exciting and informative. Keep it up!

Coward_Token on UB: LOTR

2 years ago

First look

Spoiler season starts at May 30

So this is one of the few UB:s I'll reluctantly admit that I kinda like, since Tolkien's work doesn't clash too much with MTG's more generic fantasy flavor. From what I'm seen, I'm actually kind of dissapointed that that they're not doing more to differentiate their character designs from the Jacksson movies?

My card thoughts Show

The One Ring: Eye of Vecna on steroids, which is pretty fitting. A serious consideration for mono-white life gain decks; cast it for four mana, tap it to draw one, pass, then tap it on your next turn again to draw two more. That's like a slow Concentrate, which isn't bad at all (and that's not even getting into tapping it more times). The ETB Progenitus-protection means it's not a bad late-game topdeck either.

Gandalf the Grey: Yeah, I feel white-blue would have been more appropriate flavorfully? He's a good guy yet also a trickster. Also even though he's the become the standard model for wizards, IIRC Gandalf doesn't actually cast much, in part because AFAIK doing magic in LOTR permanently drains your power. Also, the topdeck ability gives me anxiety thinking about stuff like Portent.

Sam, Loyal Attendant: Gingerbrute and Golden Egg can now be activated for free. (Please try to contain your excitment.) Anyway, seeing as the "Food and Fellowship" precon is WBG, I'm guessing Frodo will be WB and have some sort of life payment to take advantage of the cheap meals? (Also, I feel Frodo was more dutiful than Adventurous.)

Radagast, Wizard of Wilds: I was going to complain about Istari color philosophy again because I feel Radagast is mono-green, or even red-green considering how he kinda irresponsibly and eccentrically abandons his mission, but turns out his real name literally means "Friend to birds", so I'll have to give this a pass.

Reprieve: Overall better than Remand since it pierces "Can't be countered", and also Lapse of Certainty even if it permits faster recasts. How long do we have to wait for a white Delay tho?

Gollum, Patient Plotter: You know, he just looks like a Shadowmoore kithkin, if a bit old and underdressed.

Mount Doom: Actually sacrifing the One Ring to relieve the life loss burden is for wusses. Gogo Ugin's Nexus or Helvault for profit!

Samwise the Stouthearted: IDK why they didn't just template it as "return up to one target permanent..."? Anyway, Ring temptation is as intriguing as it is vague.

Frodo, Sauron's Bane: I don't really feel like Frodo leveled up much, especially in comparsion to the other hobbits. And he kinda didn't end up being the Bane of big daddy S seeing as he fell to tempation at the end (while Gollum just plain fell).

Tom Bombadil: Kind of unsure if the second ability leaves a window of vulnerability where the first ability isn't active? Anyway, Read Ahead-Sagas seem pretty good here.

Sauron, the Lidless Eye: Kind of dissapointing in both flavor and mechanics. I feel he's philosophically more mono-black in LOTR, while his old self was more UBR. ETB Threaten isn't all that exciting either.

Aragorn and Arwen: I'm not generally against race bending, but in this case I can't help but think of the black numenorans . Anyway, the card's actual abilities are OK at six mana.

TypicalTimmy on Should Green's Lifegain Rely Upon …

2 years ago

Well, Harmonize was the color-shift from Concentrate from Planer Chaos. Predator's Rapport would have been a better selection for your inquiry over Dawnglow Infusion, but seeing as both of these are among my favorite cards in the game, I'll forgive you <3

Really, Dawnglow Infusion is a bit of a bend for both colors, really. They both focus on creatures, not how much mana you can spend into something.

As for your actual question... what else would it be based around? Green is the big-stompy-boi color. Landfall could work, sure. Or perhaps "X life for each land" or something. But, realistically speaking, what else would you be looking toward? In a lot of ways, green and white are in the same boat here; Green focuses more so on large, singular creatures while white focuses on tokens. But at the end of the day, a creature is a creature.

I understand what you mean though. Black focuses on when creatures die is when you get life.

Red... kind of doesn't? Now that I think about it, nor does blue? Huh, neat.

I believe white also looks at enchantments to gain some life. I think, perhaps, a nice alternative for gaining life could be green looking at things such as total number of lands on the battlefield, revealing the top X cards and you get life equal to the highest power among creature cards revealed... things like that.

DareiJuxis on Kess Infect - Gorgeous or Gross?

2 years ago

I really like the idea of non-combat infect!

I think it'd be much better to have a Chandra's Ignition than the Vraska. The ultimate is a pretty cute win but it's unrealistic to think it'll ultimate often, if ever, and all it takes is your opponents destroying your creatures to null the ultimate. Her plus does not do enough and her minus takes away from the ultimate while being slow.

Tezzeret's Gambit and Contentious Plan seem better than the sorcery card draw present (Read the Bones, Bitter Revelation, Concentrate), and any of the 3 mana X draw spells (like Commander's Insight, Blue Sun's Zenith) are going to be better than Mind Spring, with an interesting emphasis on Drown in Dreams since if you wanted you could mill yourself with Kess's ability to get back most anything you may want at some point. Might not be worth it like the other ones are, but definitely interesting.

legendofa on Rafela, Sound of Sunrise

3 years ago

Blue is the best color for repeated drawing. White is the weakest. If you add the color that's best at something to a deck, the deck's going to do that thing better, especially if the base color comes up short in that area.

I'm not trying to trivialize your point about drawing, and I think I understand your intent. But making a white card that can potentially Concentrate every time you attack is going to be a hard sell. If you cap it at two cards per attack step, that might work. It could even give you a little room to play with extra attacks.