Tidings

Sorcery

Draw four cards.

Legality

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

Discussion (50)

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

3 weeks 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.

Bookrook on water proof deck (v.3.0)

1 month ago

Word of Undoing is strictly better than unsummon. Disallow is strictly better than cancel. Tidings is better than jaces ingenuity. Memory Deluge is good draw as well.

DatShepTho on Elf & Monkey Money Laundering - R&R Treasures

7 months ago

Some of my favorite card draw spells in these colours are:

Fact or Fiction Most reliable

Seize the Spotlight Also gives treasures. The other choice isn't bad either

Expressive Iteration Gives more card selection. Best played before land-drop

Reverse Engineer. If you have treasures spare to tap.

Thoughtcast Efficient if you typically have => 3 artifacts in play

Tidings Straight card draw mid-late game. Mana efficient.

Wrenn's Resolve and Reckless Impulse Efficient impulse draw, the cards can be used next turn. Also gets around "card draw hate". Most efficient in low avg CMC decks.

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.

Panzerforge on Heaven's Happy Horde of Horrors!

2 years ago

Some new Zombie cards to consider!

Champion of the Perished instead of Cryptbreaker.

Wand of Orcus in favor of the niche Just the Wind.

and maybe Necroduality instead of Tidings?

Just a few thoughts, I still remember this deck being a lot to deal with either way!

Neotrup on How does Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord's …

3 years ago

Another reason for Planeswalker Loyalty abilities using the phrase "may sacrifice" followed by a reflexive triggered ability is that, if you activate Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord planning to sacrifice a token, because the sacrifice is after the implicit colon of paying loyalty, your opponent may remove the token you plan to sacrifice in response. Since it's a may ability, you won't be forced to sacrifice the better creature you want to keep around, you just won't get the benefit. Reflexive triggered abilities are still contingent on you taking the action specifically in conjunction with the ability it is nested in, in this case sacrificing a creature. As another example, The Royal Scions ultimate has you draw 4 cards. If you draw 3 cards and dredge the 4th, you don't get to deal the damage. If you later in the turn draw 4 cards as the result of Tidings you still won't get to then deal the damage because it wasn't part of the initial resolution.

Lord_Grimm on Mizzix

3 years ago

That was fast! Now that we are on v2, I can get a little more detailed.

Cards to cut: Fire Servant - Only works with like 4-5 cards in the deck Desert of the Mindful - It is double the cost of the other 2 cycling lands in the deck Spirebluff Canal - Literally a tap land outside turns 1-3... Jaya's Immolating Inferno - Can only be cast if you have a legendary creature... you have 6 in total Expropriate - This card alone will give this whole build a bad reputation Spelltwine - It is so slow, and weak if there are no good choices in opponents graves Tidings - Honestly, Overflowing Insight would be better, if that is the type of effect you want in this slot Fiery Emancipation - May be good, or 'win more' Sensei's Divining Top - Feels like this is solely to help smooth out your draws

Knowing this deck's success depends on quickly accessing resources, still feels like it may be too slow. If possible adding a few more rocks, and access to proliferate cards like Tezzeret's Gambit to help tick up your counters even if Mizzix is off the board could be subtle steps toward victory. Lastly, 40 lands seems high, and 18 of them are basics. Look over my last comment and try to see if you can slot in some of the other lands I listed. Karn's Bastion seems like an auto-include on this build.

Lord_Grimm on Mizzix

3 years ago

Def feel the vibe of this deck. It did feel as though it needed to be consistently faster though.

Possible cuts:Arch of Orazca, Frostboil Snarl, Desert of the Mindful, Path of Ancestry, Spirebluff Canal, Sensei's Divining Top, Smashing Success, Fire Servant, Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind, Experimental Overload, Spelltwine, Tidings, Ral, Storm Conduit

Possible adds: Fellwar Stone, Fire Diamond, Lotus Petal, Coldsteel Heart, Talisman of Creativity, Jeska's Will, Mana Geyser, Stormcarved Coast, AEtherize, Mizzix's Mastery, Tezzeret's Gambit, Cyclonic Rift, Archmage Emeritus, Electrostatic Field, Zaffai, Thunder Conductor, Snapcaster Mage, Archeomancer, Wandering Archaic  ^Flip, Electrodominance, Narset's Reversal, Chaos Warp, High Tide, Fuel for the Cause, Mindswipe, Steady Progress, Repeated Reverberation, Crackle with Power, Contentious Plan, Banefire, Chain Reaction, Echo of Eons, Primal Amulet  ^Flip, Aetherflux Reservoir, Wayfarer's Bauble, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Riptide Laboratory, Karn's Bastion, Castle Vantress, Mystic Sanctuary, Riverglide Pathway  ^Flip