Painful Truths

Sorcery

Converge — You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of colours of mana spent to cast this spell.

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
Pioneer	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (49)

DreadKhan on Help with my Warrior Deck

1 month ago

Things you might want to look at switching out: Bleeding Effect, Sisay's Ring (this is an awful, awful card in a deck that has access to Green ramp IMHO), Worn Powerstone (this is a better card than Sisay's Ring, but not by very much), Candlekeep Sage, Tales of Master Seshiro, Inspiring Roar (this is a very bad card), Silverflame Ritual (see Roar), Lifecrafter's Gift (see Roar), Skyrider Elf, Ogre Sentry, Oakgnarl Warrior, and Abzan Kin-Guard.

Things you might consider to pulling (these are better cards, but there are often much better options): Font of Fortune (just play Night's Whisper please?), Leyline of Abundance (do you have enough mana dorks to justify this?), Omen of the Sea (see Font), Reality Twist (this card is maximum fun but probably does nothing in lots of situations, people are running less and less Basic lands), Basri's Solidarity (maybe play Metastatic Evangel?), arguably all of the 4 mana land ramp spells are kinda risky in here, I feel like you need more veggies like Rampant Growth and Sakura-Tribe Elder to help with early mana, Artifcer's Epiphany (please run Painful Truths over this), Tarkir Doomshaper, Maulfist Revolutionary, and Kin-Tree Warden.

I mentioned a few things worth looking at, but you also might like Najeela, the Blade-Blossom, she's probably the single best Warrior syngery piece. Najeela is VERY GOOD with Derevi, Empyrial Tactician, not sure if Derevi would be 'too good'. I'm sure you've heard of them both, but Karn's Bastion and Gavony Township are great in a counters list, as is good old Atraxa, Praetors' Voice. Finally, you could try Evolution Sage, it's good if you've got a few counters out already. It's in crazy-town, but if you end up using some Proliferate stuff and have lots of creature tokens you might like City of Shadows, I usually lose one or two creatures to it in order to get some decent ramp in a Selesnya deck.

I would look into more Proliferate if you find your deck is already pretty good at getting that first counter on your creatures, especially repeatable Proliferate stuff.

Fluggleshmuggits on Cube Eternal

4 months ago

IN
Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd
Loran of the Third Path
Recruiter of the Guard
White Orchid Phantom
Leyline Binding
Recruitment Officer
Bloodthirsty Adversary
Bomat Courier
Bitter Reunion
Barrowgoyf
Insatiable Avarice
Sheoldred's Edict
Emperor of Bones
Caustic Bronco

OUT
Solemn Recruit
Cathar Commando
Oketra the True
Imposing Sovereign
Faith's Fetters
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Pyromancer's Goggles
Otherworldly Outburst
Thrill of Possibility
Night's Whisper
Painful Truths
Liliana's Triumph
Cabal Interrogator
Pain Seer

Kjartan on Ob Nixilis

9 months ago

I think Painful Truths looks really weak in a 2-coloured deck. It's just a painful divination unless you have cobra or birds for it.

Maybe consider playing a Triland to fetch up. Or consider Black Market Connections as a (perhaps a little expensive) replacement.

Crow_Umbra on Isshin for a Fight

1 year ago

I think one easy swap that you could make that also potentially helps with the dilemma of adding in Chivalric Alliance is swapping either Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire or a basic Plains for Minas Tirith.

I've been okay so far at 35 lands. I can understand running Mass Hysteria for the mana efficiency, but giving your opponents' creatures haste runs the risk of benefiting other aggro strats, and activated tap abilities. Rising of the Day gives 17 of your 29 total creatures (including Isshin) that little additional buff.

My quick suggestions for cuts or swaps:

• Swap either Brave the Sands or Fervent Charge for Flowering of the White Tree. Again, 17 of your 29 creatures get a couple decent buffs, and all your other creatures get a consistent +1/+1. Fervent Charge only buffs when you attack.

• I think you can cut Revenge of Ravens for similarly stated reasons as Emberwilde Captain. Or, you could flat out swap with Marchesa's Decree if you really want to keep the effect, but still squeeze in another draw opportunity.

• You can likely cut Vampiric Rites as you were thinking, especially if you end up adding Minas Tirith, which feels like a middle ground to Vampiric Rites & Chivalric Alliance in terms of getting the draw. Idk what land destruction is like in your meta, but Minas Tirith is also a bit more removal resistant.

• Painful Truths can be a potential cut, or perhaps swap with Professional Face-Breaker. Face-Breaker is a combat damage trigger, but is still something you can benefit from since you want to go wide & hit face anyways.

• More of a meta call, but you can maybe cut Vandalblast and/or Damn. I've been cutting back on board wipes in my more aggro decks in favor of more targeted removal, draw, or creatures.

• Inquisitorial Rosette could be another cut. I've personally moved away from this card & Captain's Claws. I think they got phased out for additional creature slots. If you like it as a menace anthem, then Goblin War Drums is also an option. Ultimately up to you though.

Optimator on Goblin Shenanigans (The Secret of Kiki Jiki)

1 year ago

A bunch of card-draw cards you will want to note for any future shake-ups:

Moldervine Reclamation, Dark Prophecy, Species Specialist, Skullclamp, Village Rites, Deadly Dispute, Liliana, Dreadhorde General,

Collective Unconscious, Shamanic Revelation, Ohran Frostfang, Korvold, Fae-Cursed King, Culling Dais

Colossal Majesty, Phyrexian Reclamation, Phyrexian Arena, Slate of Ancestry, Herald's Horn,

Greed, Erebos, God of the Dead,

Mask of Griselbrand, Fecundity, Guardian Project, Idol of Oblivion, Coveted Jewel, The Deck of Many Things

Painful Truths, Harmonize, Night's Whisper, Sign in Blood, Read the Bones, Reforge the Soul, Wheel of Misfortune,

Damnable Pact, Ambition's Cost, Ancient Craving, Syphon Mind, Minions' Murmurs, Necrologia,

Return of the Wildspeaker, Soul's Majesty, Rishkar's Expertise, Peer into the Abyss

I would skew toward permanents (for Kodama) and higher mana values (for Vial-Smasher)

Dani3377 on Grixis Dragon Control

2 years ago

Did you see this one: Temple of the Dragon Queen.

Something that I'm noticing is that there isn't much to fuel the graveyard other than Consider.

The Opt + Dragonlord's Prerogative or Memory Deluge or Painful Truths package makes just as much sense.

Crow_Umbra on

2 years ago

Have you had a chance to play the deck irl, or play-test it much? 28 lands and 19 creatures seem kinda low, even with all the mana rocks. If it works well for you, then no worries. In regards to draw options for Isshin, I'd recommend some of the following:

• Skullclamp is great, especially with any 1/1 tokens you may produce.

• Plumb the Forbidden is a personal favorite, especially in response to board wipes or creature theft. This is one of my favorite draw spells in my Isshin deck, especially with a board of tokens.

• Braids, Arisen Nightmare can force opponents into tough spots, depending on what you sacrifice. The fact that Braids is a "may" ability allows for scaling as needed.

• Tocasia's Welcome & Idol of Oblivion are options for more (creature) token focused builds.

• Breena, the Demagogue & Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant are both fun and interactive options. Breena especially can add a fun political wrinkle to games, as opponents may let her stick around until its too late.

• Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor is another "political" draw engine that incentivizes attacks around the board.

• Professional Face-Breaker & Tymna the Weaver are both options that reward you for going wide and connecting. I like Face-Breaker just a little more since she has built-in evasion.

• Deadly Dispute and Painful Truths are additional options.

• Lastly, Scapegoat, Dolmen Gate, and Reconnaissance are additional mana efficient board protection effects. I can't recommend Reconnaissance enough, as it acts as a pseudo-Vigilance anthem, and can remove your creatures from combat after they've already dealt damage. A bit more of an explanation here.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Best of luck in your brewing and playing.

Crow_Umbra on Isshin, Two Heavens as One

2 years ago

Solid looking deck! Have you had a chance to play it irl yet? In looking at your deck, I have a few suggestions:

• Thundering Raiju might not be the best fit, mostly since you don't have many other means of making your creatures Modified with either +1/+1 counters or equipment. I'd suggest checking out Tectonic Giant as a potential swap. It's a little slower since it lacks Haste, but has some useful modes, one of which deals damage to each opponents.

• Speaking of Haste, I'd suggest getting in some more Haste anthems, especially you have some higher CMC creatures which would otherwise be sitting ducks. I'm currently running Fervor, Ogre Battledriver, and Urabrask the Hidden in my Isshin deck. I like that Battledriver and Urabrask have some additional bonuses.

• If you need more draw, I think Breena, the Demagogue could do a lot of work, and could be a potentially better fit than Phyrexian Dragon Engine  ^Meld. I know Dragon Engine has the cool factor of melding with Mishra, but Breena can draw a ton of cards, especially since opponents are less likely to remove it due to benefitting from it. It definitely makes games more dynamic with the added political layer. She can also be a source of counters if you decide to keep Thundering Raiju.

• Plumb the Forbidden is another great draw spell, especially if you make creature tokens or want to have gas in response to a board wipe. Painful Truths is another solid option, and Gruesome Realization has some decent modal options.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Best of luck with Isshin, I hope you have fun piloting him! He's my favorite commander of the past year, hands down.