Reality Shift

Instant

Exile target creature. Its controller manifests the top card of his or her library. (That player puts the top card of his or her library onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. If it's a creature card, it can be turned face up at any time for its mana cost.)

Discussion (50)

jaymc1130 on Oko in cEDH settings

5 hours ago

Ojallday, if games are lasting only 3 or 4 turns that is, most definitely, not competitive and means that the players involved in the match, or the decks, or, most likely both, are not actually quite up to snuff for competitive settings. The days when cEDH games were consistently over on turns 3 or 4 are well more than 2 years behind us at this point. There's simply way too much cheap, effective interaction for players to attempt to go for wins that quickly in true competitive settings. 3 mana is a steep price for an answer, and sorcery speed isn't particularly where a player wants to be, but Oko answers a massive number of threats and hate pieces by simply elking things and he can do this multiple times unless people spend interaction on him. If he resolves he's almost always resource positive as he elks a threat and generally requires a piece of interaction to be removed while simultaneously clogging the board to make life more difficult for opposing Tymnas. As the competitive meta has become more grind oriented with longer games becoming the norm his merits are objectively superior.

Peligrad, you're the second person to mention mana cost, so I'm starting to sense a trend in why people still make these choices. The truth is, however, that the higher mana cost is more than justified by the functionality upgrade of being a universal answer to commanders by elking them as well as the potential to elk a huge number of other potential problems in a format where giving an opponent a 3/3 vanilla body is often irrelevant. In most games he'll be able to elk several things and be a net resource positive play, both in terms of mana investments and card investments. If you steal some one's Kinnan, sure, this might stop that player, but it won't do anything to any other player, you've spent mana and cards that puts you at a disadvantage for a turn cycle (at a minimum) against 2 people to stop one person. Not really a spot a pilot wants to be in for truly competitive settings, and certainly not a "win condition" as that disadvantageous play pattern can potentially enable a win for the other 2 players. Granted this can be true for Oko, but the upside of additional activations and value is tangible.

SynergyBuild, I recall the addition of Legacy's Allure as a response to those hulk piles specifically being a terrible justification for running that card in the first place. Those piles almost inevitably also included Grand Abolisher, the creatures all came in at the same time which meant Legacy's Allure was useless except for when Shuffle Hulk was trying to win at instant speed on an opponents turn, and the delayed development to play Legacy's Allure early (and potentially even have to tutor for it) was a net negative response to the line of play given that the data we collected showed this play pattern to result in a 4% decrease in win percentage for the deck playing Legacy's Allure. The use of Allure as a response to Shuffle Hulk win lines was always misguided and ineffective. Oko, by comparison, isn't stealing the thing, it's elking it 99 times out of 100, and sure, this isn't at instant speed and this is a drawback, but the reality is neither of the other potential options is instant speed either. Allure requires it be played preemptively at sorcery speed and delays development while also potentially preventing a player from having the resources to interact with any other threat, and needs time to accumulate counters for anything with any power at all. The Drake, while generally faster as an answer than Allure as it can solve a problem as part of the Drake resolving rather than waiting until it has enough counters to answer larger commanders, is functionally similar to Oko as both turn an opponent's high value threat into a 3/3 with less threat potential (though the evasion bit is a huge downside in some matchups). I think perhaps you highlight another potential answer to my questions though by focusing on Oko's -5 as his "steal" which is NOT the correct way to use Oko as an answer, just +ing Oko and elking high value targets is how he should be used in competitive settings as this 3/3 doesn't fly, is often unlikely to swing back at the Oko (because the elked player very much wants that Oko to elk a different opponents thing next turn cycle before attempting to eliminate him), and doesn't represent a game ending threat as life totals in cEDH are quite high. As a final point, if a deck is looping Beast Within to create tokens for each opponent and THEN looping Reality Shift this player is playing objectively incorrectly in the first place and absolutely not playing a competitive line as Beast Within looped is already it's own win condition outright by simply destroying all opposing permanents and leaving opponents with only a board consisting of a finite number of beast tokens and nothing else while the looping player then loops Beast Within on their own commander (or any other relevant, replayable target) an infinite number of times to generate an infinitely large token army. There's absolutely no reason to loop Reality Shift if you can already loop Beast Within, either one alone would win.

In any case, I've gotten some answers as to why players might make the decision to run either of the alternate options and it seems mana cost concerns are the consensus. I had been under the impression that it was mostly a comfort thing, players knew how the play patterns of the old options worked and, though these play patterns were demonstrably less than optimal, familiarity with them made them appealing. Given the responses I feel less inclined to believe that now instead wonder if players generally feel as if going from 2 mana to 3 mana is really that big a deal and if that's the reasoning most players would use in their decision making process? +1s all around for providing me some insight into player thought processes.

SynergyBuild on Oko in cEDH settings

6 hours ago

Yeah, and remember why Legacy's Allure originally saw play, it was a hate piece against Flash Hulk in it's time, where the pre-Oracle versions used a shuffle-hulk pile revolving around Blood Artist.

Being able to steal the artist, as it had 0 power, and Legacy's Allure could be activated at instant speed, unlike Oko, Thief of Crowns was key, and while yes, both Gilded Drake and Oko, Thief of Crowns are both value-heavy threats and answers, Drake is able to steal things without needing more than the ETB, rather than waiting to take a card like Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy or Notion Thief until it makes a food (Yes I know you can swap and artifact or something too, but people use the food more often, and you still need to + it to get to the ult).

In context, Allure is a threat, able to be used at instant speed, for 2 mana, and Drake is a faster steal effect at 2 mana. Oko is sorcery speed, takes longer to use, but is reusable.

All 3 are good cards, but none replace eachother. While I'd rank Drake, then Oko, then Allure, if the metagame shifts, Allure could be on top, Oko could be on top, etc.

I think assuming that Oko, Thief of Crowns replaces any of these cards is biased due to the way it was seen in other formats. In EDH, a 3/3 isn't a big deal at protecting a Walker, and due to the fact that it is seen as a threat, players will kill it fast. It is akin to a Beast Within quite often, not even getting a singular steal. In comparison, Gilded Drake is less mana, and almost assuredly gets you the steal.

Could Oko, Thief of Crowns replace Beast Within in decks like Tasigur Control, where it was looped to make sure an opponent had a creature out for you to start Reality Shifting? Perhaps, but that is most likely where it fully replaces things, and not being instant speed, only hitting artifacts/creatures, etc. may even make that an unreasonable replacement to many players.

SynergyBuild on $100 Hermit Druid!

1 week ago

Bman124 I'd suggest making the list much simpler, Thassa's Oracle unifies all Druid lists (No need for Necrotic Ooze piles) and you can cut hulk stuff. Basically just abuse Druid, as well as add loads of ramp and fit in a Isochron Scepter line, with Reality Shift and Beast Within as another backup to Thassa's Oracle!

Azeworai on Prime Smacktalker Zegana

2 weeks ago

'Tis always fun to play stompy-style destruction.

Alright. I have some complaints, so I'm filing them here.

I see Arcane Denial as an egregious counterspell. It is quite literally card disadvantage, for it is a one-for-two. Just play a better version.

Spreading Seas does seem specifically lacking. Naught bears islandwalk and there are more applicable ways to deal with lands. Try Song of the Dryads.

Yavimaya Elder is an overplayed card. It is five-mana to draw a card and two basics. Unless you can reliably sacrifice it to other effects, it isn't worth it. Perhaps just a Mystical Confluence? Impulse is one I much enjoy, and Once Upon a Time is within ilka green deck I own.

Murder that Acidic Slime! Five-mana removal is too much. Wilt, Return to Nature, Naturalize, and Reality Shift should so well.

Tropical Island, Misty Rainforest, Breeding Pool, and Evolving Wilds. Choose one to cut and just add a Forest.

There's your suggestions.

Happy murdering.

Azeworai on Life Drain - EDH

3 weeks ago

Alright, I have some suggestions. Now, never have I dipped in the complot of nocent life-gain, but I do see some follies withal the current decklist.

So, ramp and card draw are necessities of any commander strategy. I typically play decks that dump their hands aggressively, thus I have far more draw than normal. Around 34 slots grant me card advantage and 11 slots are for ramp. Here, you have four cards of ramp and five cards of draw. Granted, one of the draw engines is your commander, but that's six-mana afore it does so.

Furthermore, there are plenty of cards in here that just lack reach. Ajani's Sunstriker is horrid to draw turn 8 and onwards. It may be aggressive betime in the match, yet it is outclassed far too quickly.

So, what I'd cut due to card quality: Agent of Masks, Ajani's Sunstriker, Drana's Emissary, Fog Bank, Goldenglow Moth, Grim Guardian, Night Market Lookout, Oreskos Sun Guide, Pride Guardian, Servant of Tymaret, Wall of Essence, Elixir of Immortality, Fountain of Renewal, Narrow Escape, Spell Pierce, and Mana Leak.

Alright, same drill but I wish to offer some substantiation afore I denunciate these.

1. Coastal Piracy is a very potent card in decks possessing cheap, evasive creatures. This deck does not, thence I would advise ablating it; merely too inutile.

2. Sinister Possession and Stab Wound, no matter how much I love the Wound, are easily removed. A sacrifice outlet just negates this effect. The Possession in particular doesn't seem to do anything against certain creatures. Chainer, Dementia Master or Oracle of Mul Daya just don't oft attack or block. Even if, it is a mere two damage. Sure, it may stack quickly, but there are better ways to do so.

3. Condescend is just outclassed so quickly. Counterspells above two mana must do something potent, and this is potentially more. Scrying 2 is fine, but that also doesn't do much.

4. I have never seen Dramatic Rescue ere now, but I know not why it would be run. Just put in a Swords.

5. Dismiss into Dream is sweet, but this deck cannot deem to hent much from it.

Lovely! Now upon what I would add.

Given that the curve is rather high, I'd add Pristine Talisman; Arcane Signet; the talismans of dominance, progress, and hierarchy; Orzhov, Azorius, and Dimir signet; Mind Stone; and Worn Powerstone. This should grant you later plays far earlier in any match.

Unto thee, benison in card draw. Painful Truths is one I much enjoy. Sign in Blood or Night's Whisper are cheap and efficient. Phyrexian Arena and Underworld Connections go in quite a few decks. Well of Lost Dreams is just splendid. Fact or Fiction is never bad. Dawn of Hope is slow but on-theme. Erebos, God of the Dead seems all too perfect due to its static and activated abilities. Dream Trawler is awfully enticing for gameplans such as this. Lastly, Unfulfilled Desires is a hidden gem that I play in any deck that produces blue and black mana.

Of course, just some efficient engines and finishers. Debt to the Deathless and Exsanguinate are each nocent once resolved. K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth could also be fine, but lacking depending on your hand, for it cares only if the cost is black. Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord fetches fallen utility creatures from the yard and proffers much in life-gain. Aetherflux Reservoir does much in murdering everyone, too.

I'd recommend some more wraths in this deck. Fumigate is perfect, Merciless Eviction or Austere Command deal with those pesky artifacts efficiently, Elspeth, Sun's Champion is never bad, Supreme Verdict is fine though pricey, or Kaya's Wrath is always lovely. Take your pick.

Okay, now for some other upgrades on the basics of the deck. Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Abolish, Return to Dust, Murderous Rider, Anguished Unmaking, Despark, Hero's Downfall, Reality Shift, Generous Gift, Pongify, Rapid Hybridization, and Heliod's Intervention all remove permanents efficiently and at instant speed. Vindicate is fine but a sorcery.

As options for better counterspells, Absorb, Counterspell, Negate, Countersquall, and Dovin's Veto are all cheap whiles bearing value at all moments in the game.

Finally, some more life gain payoffs as consideration: Authority of the Consuls has oft shut down my strategies, Ajani's Pridemate gets far too large, Blind Obedience does something similar, Divinity of Pride and Serra Ascendant are giant threats in their own right, Bloodthirsty Aerialist does the same, Propaganda and Ghostly Prison make opponents pay to deal damage, Soul Warden and Soul's Attendant are early drops that allow for quite a bit of life to be gained, Archangel of Thune is always potent, Vona, Butcher of Magan is spicey, Angel of Vitality bolsters your engine, Boon Reflection doubles it, Twilight Prophet can get out of hand, Beacon of Immortality puts you heavensly ahead, Ajani, Strength of the Pride can win games on its own, and Felidar Sovereign demands an immediate answer.

That's all from me! Have a lovely day.

Oh, and I suppose I'll put a deck of my own here. Let the Nightmare Go On.. is a constant favourite of mine and The Lands Restored offers commensurate enjoyment.

Thank you and farewell.

PhotogenicParasympathetic on Favorite Answers?

1 month ago

So much disrespect, not mentioning Reality Shift yet.

Eichin on Kalamaximal

1 month ago

Hier ist eine kurze Liste mit Karten welche du denke ich gut passen würden:

Copy: Double Vision, Expansion / Explosion, Primal Amulet  ^Flip, Mizzix's Mastery, Isochron Scepter, Thousand-Year Storm

Draw: Rhystic Study, Fact or Fiction, Wavebreak Hippocamp, Mystic Confluence, Return of the Wildspeaker,Thrill of Possibility, The Magic Mirror

Ramp: Springleaf Drum, Goblin Electromancer, Baral, Chief of Compliance, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Dockside Extortionist, Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Mana Geyser, Earthcraft

Dmg: Ral, Storm Conduit, Guttersnipe, Soul's Fire

Cantrips: Murmuring Mystic, Young Pyromancer, Electrostatic Field, Shark Typhoon, Metallurgic Summonings, Saheeli, Sublime Artificer

Extra Turn: Nexus of Fate

Removal: Reality Shift, Cyclonic Rift, Decoy Gambit, Rapid Hybridization, Lightning Bolt, Thassa's Intervention, Chandra's Ignition

Regain: Mystic Retrieval

jackintgebox on Pako - Haldan

1 month ago

1. Wild Ricochet -> Reality Shift
2. Aggravated Assault -> Savage Beating
3. Tamiyo, Collector of Tales -> Seedborn Muse
4. Curse of Opulence -> Preordain
5. Chandra's Ignition -> Blasphemous Act
6. Helm of the Host -> Strionic Resonator
7. Stomping Ground -> Academy Ruins