Triskaidekaphile

Creature — Human Wizard

You have no maximum hand size.

At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have exactly thirteen cards in your hand, you win the game.

{3}{U}: Draw a card.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Alchemy	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
Pre-release	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Standard	Legal
Standard Brawl	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (41)

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

3 months ago

Kazierts, I definitely appreciated that very thorough analysis of Triskaidekaphile, and I certainly can understand why it may not be an all-star creature, but I still am very fond of it.

Kazierts on Which is More Important: Total …

3 months ago

DemonDragonJ, again the reason is context. You do not get all of that for a mere 2 mana. Let's dissect each of those upsides.

• You have no maximum hand size - Genuinely good, no complaints here. However, this by itself a good card doesn't make. Graceful Adept is a card that's not even close to being a staple even though it has the same effect. This is because nobody puts a card in their deck exclusively because it just gives them no maximum hand size (Reliquary Tower is a very different case). This effect is more relevant when attached to something else. Examples being Proft's Eidetic Memory, Sea Gate Restoration  ^Flip, The Magic Mirror and, most notably Thought Vessel. Notice something? None are creatures and provide more immediate and impactful effects.

• At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have exactly thirteen cards in your hand, you win the game. - This is honestly because Innistrad haha 13 funny. It's an extremely clunky alternative win condition. Just because something has you win the game written on it doesn't mean it's good. Example (focusing on cards that can go on any {U} deck) being Luck Bobblehead. Alternative win conditios are always attached to something, which is why Coalition Victory is banned since that alternative wincon is actually pretty easy to achieve. Thassa's Oracle is also another very good example. It's really easy to mill your entire deck, which literally makes Thoracle a {U}{U} you win button.

• {3}{U}: Draw a card - Although good, let's think a little bit about costs. Triskaidekaphile costs {1}{U} to cast and {3}{U} to activate, meaning you have to pay a total of {4}{U}{U} for 1 single card, {7}{U}{U}{U} for two cards and so on. Hey, guess how much mana are 7 cards worth. The answer is Overflowing Insight (7 cards for 7 mana) meaning the rate mana-to-card isn't that good. You might argue that paying that much mana in a single go is too much, and that would be correct. Still, for a measly {3}{U}, Wizard Class gives you no maximum hand size, draws two cards, is more resilient to removal and the +1/+1 counters can actually be a decent win condition.

Long story short, the {1}{U} cost deceptive. There's way more involved than just paying two mana. However, I'll admit that Triskaidekaphile isn't necessarily bad. I just think it's bait. There are so many cards that either look incredible by themselves or look like they should be amazing in certain decks, but when you actually play with them they're just ok.

There's a lot more that could be said, but the main thing is a lot of cards need context to be properly evaluated. Siege Rhino was a absurd monster when it first released. Years later, now it's just ok.

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

3 months ago

Kazierts, I agree that both Faerie Mastermind and Spectral Sailor are excellent creatures, but why do you not believe that Triskaidekaphile is a good creature? It provides four benefits in one card: unlimited hand size, a mana sink, repeatable card advantage, and an alternate win condition, all for a mere 2 mana, so how is that not a staple for every blue deck?

TheOfficialCreator, I have noticed that, in most cases, except that Shared Summons is not as efficient as is Eladamri's Call, and I also would prefer Opportunity over Overflowing Insight, because the former card is an instant, while the latter card is a sorcery, and that difference can be crucial in a desperate situation.

DemonDragonJ on Which is More Important: Total …

3 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.

Brimstone on MagicalHacker - List of All Alt. Win Conditions

4 months ago

Hey! This was so useful! If you happen to update it again, you could add in Triskaidekaphile

TheoryCrafter on Help me to build my …

5 months ago

Okay, I am back thank you for your patience. I don't know if you're just looking for advice or if you want a whole deck list, so I'll meet you somewhere in between.

So I use the manabox app for card listings. Turns out I miscounted and there are 35. If you put all but Twisted Riddlekeeper(potential color identity issues) in there you have a good start.

Perhaps the strongest cards in addition to Fear of Sleep Paralysis are Mjolnir, Storm Hammer, Monstrosity of the Lake and Scroll of Isildur; though even cards like Kitnap, Lost in the Maze and Sleep-Cursed Faerie can be a boon due to Tekuthal's activated ability and not be affected by Fear of Sleep Paralysis.

One card I recommend you add is Maskwood Nexus. Both Protocol Knight and The Watcher in the Water require creature types to be effective.

Speaking of Watcher in the Water, you'll need instant speed card draw. You're gonna need card draw regardless, but WitW will need feeding to be effective. This includes, but isn't limited to Archmage's Charm, Bane's Contingency, Jace's Archivist, Opt and Triskaidekaphile.

Triskaidekaphile is an Alternate Win Card as well, which you should have in your deck as a means of winning if you can't win by beating up your opponents. Other Alternate Win cards that would also fit the best in this deck are Central Elevator / Promising Stairs(To fully take advantage of the Eerie ability on Fear of Sleep Paralysis), Darksteel Reactor and Twenty-Toed Toad(which doesn't specify what counters apply to the win condition).

The latter two are fed well by your commander's static ability. Proliferate cards you can use include, but are not limited to, Contagion Engine, Contentious Plan and Inexorable Tide.

However, if you have a Commander like Tekuthal, it would not be wise to NOT take advantage of the proliferate ability. Crystalline Giant can give your creatures counters other than +1/+1, especially if you use Goldberry, River-Daughter to move hexproof counters onto your most important pieces. Power Conduit is another card that can strengthen your creatures. And you certainly can't go wrong with The Ozolith of you can afford it.

Ramp, like card draw, should be in every deck. Sol Ring is practically a necessity. Astral Cornucopia and Everflowing Chalice become mana fountains of their own once the charge counters are on and proliferating. Though cards like Arcane Melee, Defiler of Dreams and Urza's Incubator(which gets support from Maskwood Nexus) are just as useful.

And finally there's lands that can help with counters(like Nesting Grounds and Blast Zone), reusing spells(Like Mystic Sanctuary), redundancy(such as Reliquary Tower) and can offer elements of control not available to blue(such as Scavenger Grounds. Try this keep at least half lands as Basic Islands. That way, if you get hit with cards like Alpine Moon or Blood Moon it's not an immediate capitation.

Well, that it for my part. I hope this is a help, if nothing else than for inspiration. Thank you for reading me out. Happy Hunting!

ReticleMouse on The Litch King

9 months ago

Dark Ritual Burning Inquiry Helm of the Ghastlord Otherworld Atlas Folio of Fancies Triskaidekaphile - Midnight Clock

jawz on GU Geralf's 13

11 months ago

Took me too long to realize how March of Swirling Mist helps the deck.

If you have the Triskaidekaphile and The Pride of Hull Clade out with 5 mana (3 blue) ready. And you can get the Pride through for damage untouched (maybe with Escape Tunnel). You can arrange to draw 15 cards from the Pride's ability. Then if you have that last blue mana ready and a March in hand, you can at instant speed probably find a few blue cards in hand to dump to get down to the 13 card hand and the Trisk's auto-win ability.

So I'm putting a couple Marches in.