Control the draw, control the game. Because both players draw from the same deck, control of the top of the library is key. Take the best cards for yourself and give your opponent every land you can spare. At the same time, make sure you have enough lands yourself. Only
Memory Lapse the cards you cannot deal with another way or will help you more if you were to draw them.
It might not be obvious the first time taking a look at Forgetful Fish, but the key to killing a
Dandan
is to either make it so your opponent does not control an island (
Vision Charm
) or changing the text of the
Dandan
to have it sacrificed if its controller does not have another basic land type (
Crystal Spray
or
Mind Bend
). Note that
Vision Charm
will kill all Dandans and only Memory Lapseing the
Vision Charm
, bouncing the
Dandan
or
Vision Charm
to hand, or using
Dance of the Skywise
can save a
Dandan
from this effect. Changing the text of the
Dandan
with
Crystal Spray
or
Mind Bend
in response or after the sacrifice trigger goes on the stack will not save
Dandan
from being sacrificed when the triggered ability resolves, as it is not an "intervening if" trigger (Rule 608.2a). Note also that
Mind Bend
,
Crystal Spray
, and
Vision Charm
s choices (other than mode and target) are chosen upon resolution and not upon their casting. This makes it pointless to try to avoid a
Dandan
sacrifice by changing a single lands type or changing
Dandan
s text before the text or lands changed are chosen on resolution. The player could just make a different choice.
If your opening hand contains a couple non-basic lands, you might consider not playing an island for a few turns so that
Dandan
s cannot attack you and you can collect cards that will give you a good start when you start dropping your own
Dandan
s. You likely will not want to miss a land drop to continue this short term strategy.
Card advantage is a big key and control of the
Accumulated Knowledge
s is just as important as
Dandan
s and Memory Lapses. Unless you desperately need to draw the top card of the library, youll likely want to wait until there is at least one
Accumulated Knowledge
in the graveyard before you cast the one in your hand. If you significantly lose card advantage or have no other option to save yourself from damage, try to reset the hands with a
Diminishing Returns
.
Expect a Memory Lapse. If you dont have the mana available during your opponents end step, It is sometimes beneficial to cast an instant spell during your upkeep simply so that if your opponent Memory Lapses it, you can draw it again on your draw step. Mystical Tutor right before your draw step is sometimes beneficial in this way also. Likewise youll most often want to wait till after your opponents draw step to cast an important spell just incase he uses Memory Lapse.
Unless your opponent taps out, Unsubstantiate is seldom well played on your opponents spells on the stack if they can just recast it. Instead save it to bounce a blocker, save your
Dandan
from destruction, or better yet, return your own spell that is about to be Memory Lapsed, and cast it again.
Try to save
Accumulated Knowledge
, Brainstorm, and cycling lands for when you or your opponent knows what card is on top of the library and you want it, likely dont want it, or dont want your opponent to have it.
Predict
is also best saved for moments when you dont want your opponent to draw the card he has set himself up to draw.
Vision Charm
can also be used in this manner, but is often more useful as a board wipe.
If the game goes long and players fail to successfully cast a
Diminishing Returns
(or if too many are cast), it may come down to who can make sure they have a card to draw when the deck is depleted. If the deck is nearly out of cards, make sure you have a trick or two to place a card on the library when you are forced to draw. Memory Lapse your own spell if need be.
