Force of Will

Instant

You may pay 1 life and exile a blue card from your hand from the game rather than pay this spell's mana cost.

Counter target spell.

Discussion (48)

unwucht on Zndrsplt Okaun Coinflip Tribal

22 hours ago

OK, finally managed to update my list.

Again, I was heavily influenced by Gelectrode95's Insert Coin To Play - [Primer]. Most important inserts are Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar, Krark, the Thumbless and Sakashima of a Thousand Faces, but also Jeweled Lotus will speed up this deck a lot. I also upgraded my counterspells a bit, implementing Force of Will and Mana Drain plus minor changes.

sub780lime on Zur the Oppressive A**hole

1 week ago

Thanks, shwanerz88. I think I agree on those two draw spells. I subbed in Force of Will and Cryptic Command. Now just need two more cuts, lol. Also thinking about bringing Smothering Tithe in, but would need another cut from the draw package. Thanks, again!

aholder7 on Juleokin Format 2.0 w/Banlist & …

1 week ago

Okay so I believe I mentioned this last time you brought up the format but I don’t recall the answer. How do you deal with non-land sources of mana or non-basic lands. Your rules say you CAN pay for mana with basics existing but is it possible to still tap a non basic for mana to pay a cost? For example if I have a swamp and a Volcanic Island on the battlefield. Can I play a Doom Blade by tapping my non basic for 1 and using my swamp for the other portion? Theoretical reasons for this could include ramping with artifacts or fetching for a dual land to get 2 off colors.

Also your van list includes things shuffling the grave into the library. Is my assumption correct that you also intend to ban cards like Conjurer's Bauble?

You mention “cards with the ability to mill” are banned and that all damage to self is mill. Is your ban inclusive of cards that deal damage to self/opponents since that will mill? I assume not and you intend that to be cards with the mill keyword. But there are also cards with this same style effect not key worded as mill such as Mulch. And cards that exile from library such as Salvage Drone. May be a good idea to be clear about what you plan on excluding.

You also exclude abilities that can “reanimate”. I took that to mean putting a creature onto the battlefield from grave. But this is not a keyword and you’ll have to be specific. There’s also cards like Living End which will likely get around any wording for Reanimation. I also didn’t take your wording to mean banning of cards that return cards to hand. I also saw nothing stopping someone from using Snapcaster Mage on non-creatures in grave which I’m unsure if that was intentional or not. You could make the rule a bit more all encompassing by changing the rule to something like Grafdigger's Cage.

I also built a deck to test this format assuming you can use fast mana. this deck 100% wins turn 1 if you get a mountain in the opening 7 and the opponent doesn’t have Force of Will. You can still win turn 1 if you have to mulligan to less than 7 I was just too lazy to check how the math works out with less than 7. All you need to do is cantrip through 24 cards, play and crack the lotus then grapeshot twice for lethal. The cantrips don’t need to be red I just did it because it matched the grape shots. The deck can also be built with more than 3 mountains that is more consistent and doesn’t lower its chance as much in a mulligan but it technically leaves open the chance of whiffing the combo on turn 1 and I thought it made a better point to demonstrate things this way. Also note this deck is not even remotely optimized. It could be made far more efficient and sleek with time and testing.

Deck Jok test

My list is just an example of how I believe the format will play out. Storm-like decks and decks mulling to make sure they open with a Force of Will. If you see a reason it won’t end up like this feel free to point out anything I missed. But I think you need to find a way to limit people in some way.

azja on Yuriko (Optimized) Primer

1 week ago

@Questionblock Good point! I think there's pros and cons to both ninjas:

Walker of Secret Ways has a more valuable ability than Azra Smokeshaper, and you can pitch it to Force of Will and other similar cards.

On the other hand, Azra Smokeshaper deals 1 more damage when revealed by Yuriko, and is more likely to connect with an opponent later on in the game (since it has a 3/3 body rather than 1/2).

I'm glad you mentioned Walker of Secret Ways! It's been in my binder for a while, and I'm tempted to test it out again.

Hoobynobber7395 on Yuriko Ninjitsu

2 weeks ago

I love Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow this is a great deck! A few considerations for big damage on her flip:

Draco

Blinkmoth Infusion

Discovery / Dispersal

Commandeer

Force of Will

Dig Through Time

Commit / Memory

some 0 and 1 drops to consider as well:

Phyrexian Walker

Memnite

some ninjas to consider:

Fallen Shinobi

Sakashima's Student

Silent-Blade Oni

Skullsnatcher

for any other ideas check out my deck if you'd like:

Ninjitsu

Middelin on Mizzix of the Izmagnus

3 weeks ago

Great advice as always, Spirits! I finally got around to adding custom categories tonight, and that’s really made some cuts and includes obvious, so I’ll work on that in the morning because I’m off from work tomorrow.

Any thoughts on Doublecast in particular? It feels like a nice bit of value, but I’m a bit worried that it’s a trap. It doesn’t really combo with anything, but it can double up a tutor or a burst of card draw really efficiently. I feel the same way about some other copying cards like Twinning Staff and Fury Storm, but I’d probably cut Twinning Staff long before the others. For Fury Storm, the combo with Ral might be be good enough reason to keep it.

I’ll also fiddle with the mana base and ramp package in the morning. I want it to be solid, but my friends are just somewhere in between casual and competitive, so I’d feel a bit bad if I included a Mana Crypt or all 7 fetchlands. For Dramatic Reversal, I need artifacts that actually produce enough mana, but cards like Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus just seem too slow for this deck. That might be a sacrifice worth making to keep them happy. I probably won’t include any high-end counters like Force of Will or Mana Drain either, and will just opt for the classics like Counterspell and Negate. The way I see it (particularly in a singleton format because of the high variance) a well tuned deck will be powerful regardless of a few less than optimal cards, as long as they still synergize well. Obviously any deck would be strictly better with cards like Force of Will, but it shouldn’t take too much of a hit without them.

zamiero on Vial and Ghost!

3 weeks ago

3> Ahhh I've been wanting to play with Obosh, the Preypiercer and Angrath's Marauders - glad you found a spot for them. While you're at it, you could also consider other "damage doublers" such as Wound Reflection and Fiendish Duo. I've thought about a Vial-Smasher deck with a White partner just to add Gisela, Blade of Goldnight.

3> I see you enjoy big monsters and X-spells here. Oh to be young again... but seriously, this seems like a good deck to play them in as you would be rewarded. Instants are your friend, as you can Smash Vials on everyone's turn! No Comet Storm?

3> I would be worried about Vial-Smasher getting nuked from orbit as soon as your turn passes and it's no longer indestructible. You'll find Heroic Intervention and Slippery Bogbonder will help with targeted Exile removal. You already have Destroy and Sacrifice covered I see.

3> I see some cost-reduced and commander-free spells in there, but you have a limited suite. While doing research for my thoughts on Vial-Smasher, I found the following might be helpful - list is just copy/paste, so it will include some White and/or Blue cards:

• 3- Offalsnout (evoke B)
• 3- Rushwood Legate (opponent control island)
• 4- Skyshroud Cutter (control forest, opponents gain life)
• 4- Frogmite (artifacts battlefield)
• 4- Bone Picker (creature dies)
• 4- Briarhorn (evoke 1G)
• 4- Deepwood Legate (opponent control forest)
• 5- Stormwing Entity (cast instant/sorcery)
• 5- Ingot Chewer (evoke R)
• 5- Shriekmaw (evoke 1B)
• 5- Glarewielder (evoke 1R)
• 5- Mulldrifter (evoke 2U)
• 6- Igneous Elemental (land graveyard)
• 6- Nemesis of Mortals (greatures graveyard)
• 6- AEthersnipe (evoke 1UU)
• 6- Spitebellows (evoke 1RR)
• 6- Cloudthresher (evoke 2GG)
• 6- Hooting Mandrills (cards graveyard)
• 6- Ethereal Forager (cards graveyard)
• 6- Soulflayer (cards graveyard)
• 6- Sultai Scavenger (cards graveyard)
• 6- Tasigur, the Golden Fang (cards graveyard)
• 6- Salvage Titan (sacrifice three artifacts)
• 6- Sawtusk Demolisher (creature battlefield)
• 6- Shatterskull Minotaur (party)
• 6- Somber Hoverguard (artifacts battlefield)
• 6- Veteran Adventurer (party)
• 7- Gurmag Angler (cards graveyard)
• 7- Ore-Scale Guardian (lands graveyard)
• 7- Myr Enforcer (artifacts battlefield)
• 7- Cryptic Serpent (instant/sorcery graveyard)
• 7- Gearseeker Serpent (artifacts battlefield)
• 7- Quicksilver Behemoth (artifacts battlefield)
• 7- Dargo, the Shipwrecker (sacrifice artifacts/creatures)
• 7- Mournwhelk (evoke 3B)
• 7- Faultgrinder (evoke 4R)
• 8- Ghoultree (creatures graveyard)
• 8- Avatar of Woe (creatures graveyard)
• 8- Walker of the Grove (evoke 4G)
• 8- Shambling Attendants (cards graveyard)
• 8- Bedlam Reveler (instant/sorcery graveyard)
• 8- Qumulox (artifacts battlefield)
• 9- Molderhulk (creature graveyard)
• 9- Sibsig Muckdraggers (cards graveyard)
• 9- Necropolis Fiend (cards graveyard)
• 10+ Stratadon (basic land types)
• 10+ Primeval Protector (creatures battlefield)
• 10+ Ghalta, Primal Hunger (power of creatures battlefield)
• 10+ Draco (basic land types)
• 10+ The Great Henge (power of creatures battlefield)
• 10+ The Cauldron of Eternity (creatures graveyard)

3> I see some cost-reduced and commander-free spells in there, but you have a limited suite. While doing research for my thoughts on Vial-Smasher, I found the following might be helpful - list is just copy/paste, so it will include some White and/or Blue cards:

• 3- Light Up the Stage (opponent damage)
• 4- Reverent Silence (control forest, opponents gain life)
• 4- Snuff Out (control swamp, pay life)
• 4- Ensnare (return two islands)
• 4- Flameshot (discard mountain)
• 4- Outbreak (discard swamp)
• 4- Snag (discard forest)
• 4- Unmask (black card hand)
• 4- Ravenous Trap (opponent 3 cards enter graveyard)
• 4- Lethargy Trap (three creatures attacking)
• 4- Bolt Bend (4-power creature battlefield)
• 4- Massacre (opponent control plains)
• 4- Refreshing Rain (opponent control swamp)
• 4- Ricochet Trap (opponent cast blue)
• 4- Tentative Connection (menace creature battlefield)
• 4- Drag to the Underworld (devotion to black)
• 4- Snag (discard forest)
• 4- Hagra Mauling  ^Flip (opponent has no basic lands)
• 4- Price of Fame (targets legend)
• 5- Bounty of the Hunt (green card hand)
• 5- Contagion (black card hand)
• 5- Force of Will (blue card hand)
• 5- Cave-In (red card hand)
• 5- Submerge (opponent control forest)
• 5- Gush (return two islands)
• 5- Misdirection (blue card hand)
• 5- Dark Triumph (sacrifice creature)
• 5- Thoughtcast (artifacts battlefield)
• 5- Murderous Cut (cards graveyard)
• 5- Rite of Undoing (cards graveyard)
• 5- Coveted Prize (party)
• 5- Deadly Alliance (party)
• 5- Baral's Expertise (cast CMC 4 or less)
• 6- Pyrokinesis (red card hand)
• 6- Fireblast (sacrifice two mountains)
• 6- Pulverize (sacrifice two mountains)
• 6- Into Thin Air (artifacts battlefield)
• 6- Tasigur's Cruelty (cards graveyard)
• 6- Spinning Darkness (black cards graveyard)
• 6- Become Immense (cards graveyard)
• 6- Set Adrift (cards graveyard)
• 6- Will of the Naga (cards graveyard)
• 6- Runeflare Trap (opponent drew 3 cards)
• 6- Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp (artifact battlefield)
• 6- Magmatic Sinkhole (cards graveyard)
• 6- Thwart the Grave (party)
• 6- Curtains' Call (per opponent)
• 6- Cobra Trap (noncreature destroyed by opponent)
• 6- Rishkar's Expertise (cast CMC 5 or less)
• 7- Divergent Transformations (per opponent)
• 7- Into the Story (opponent 7+ cards graveyard)
• 7- Assert Authority (artifacts battlefield)
• 7- Seeds of Renewal (per opponent)
• 7- Needlebite Trap (opponent gain life)
• 8- Treasure Cruise (cards graveyard)
• 9- Blasphemous Act (creatures battlefield)
• 10+ Dead Drop (cards graveyard)
• 10+ Volcanic Salvo (power of creatures battlefield)
X
• 3- Chord of Calling (untapped creatures battlefield)

RambIe on I Wanna Rock!

3 weeks ago

The trick to playing gruul competitive is understanding the blue is the meta and blues biggest weakness is its mana demand, every single meta deck is packed with rocks to overcome this handycap
Do not hesitate to Simian Spirit Guide into a Artifact Blast to stop that game opening Mana Crypt
by utilizing repeatable destruction cards you force them into blowing their awnsers on protecting there board stat

Once you see someone drop somthing like Force of Will to stop somthing like Shenanigans its go time, green light to combo off