Mind Games
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on May 4, 2025, 10:40 p.m. by tonylomas
Hello there! we talk a lot about edh deck builds, combos and synergies BUT today id like to read about the mind games you play with other players. How do you fool them? how do you "legally cheat" or bend the rules in your favor? tell me tell me im all eyes!
What I mean by that is two things, speaking about politics I think it's best to provide realistic, truthful statements about the board, even acknowledging your own strengths and weaknesses or how you intend to use your powers for the good of the table. When the table can see you've made a good point they are more likely to listen. The other key to this lies in holding back and not giving players reasons to target you, because when all your sh*t is OP as hell you can't lie or deflect your way out of that.
Speaking mechanically on the other hand, which seems to be more the focus of your question: Outside competitive REL environments I don't think there really is a means to legally "cheat." The first thing that comes to mind is handling missed trigs, and this simply goes one of two ways: In a competitive environment there is a rule to handle it (the opponents decide whether to put the trig on the stack at the time it is remembered, usually not), in a casual environment it's generally forgiven/up to the table. If players intentionally miss something other than a trigger like a game action or replacement effect and don't say something/uphold the rule that is blatant cheating. In casual I think doing anything to try and rules shark (like denying reasonable takebacks/i.e. no new info, just didnt realize about an effect on board) is just plain a d*ck move and will turn the table on you. In casual I think it's expected that all players be given the benefit of the doubt to make the best play possible as far as is reasonable (considering new info and such) for the benefit of the game.
Then of course there's gimmicky stuff like the "pen trick," false tapping lands, or just plain bantering to distract the opponent, all but the very last seem like b.s. to me against a good opponent who is on their game those actions won't factor in to their own decision making because such mind games will be expected.
May 4, 2025 11:18 p.m.
Disclaimer 1: Don't cheat. Don't break the rules. Even if you get away with it for a while, you will get caught, and you will be punished. Maybe it's lost friendships, maybe it's lost prize money, but you will lose it. If you value yourself, your fellow players, and the game itself, don't cheat.
Disclaimer 2: Don't take advantage of less experienced or more casual players. While gamesmanship and bad faith play might not actually be against the rules, they reflect poorly on you as a competitor. If someone asks a question, and there's nothing significant at stake, there's no reason not to be fair and honest. Respect your fellow players and their reasons for playing. Save the mind games for high-end competitions and tournaments, where everyone is expected to know the rules thoroughly and have the goal of winning.
Disclaimer 3: While I'm not going to say I never do anything like this, if I do, it's understood by everyone involved to be either accidental or in the spirit of fun and good humor. I do everything I can to act with good faith and fair play, and if I see you acting poorly at the table and making it less fun and exciting, I will call you out and support the person on the receiving end.
In fact, before I go any further, I'm kind of curious why this topic came up. Without making accusations or implying anything, and as a face-value question, why are you asking how people try to stretch the rules and mess with people?
May 4, 2025 11:44 p.m.
plakjekaas says... #5
I stopped runnin the lifegain lands like Scoured Barrens if I don't have lifegain synergy in the deck. It's a very real phenomenon that players will attack opponents with the highest life total if they can. Fetch-Shock yourself to 37 makes it a lot less likely to be attacked in the early game. Ironically enough, my decks that need a little time to start up, don't play Sol Ring for the same reason.
Think carefully about how your opponents would react to the cards you play, don't make yourself the threat at the table if you can't defend against the shared attention of your opponents.
May 5, 2025 6:31 a.m.
Crow_Umbra says... #6
My friends and I joke that one of them basically got the rest of us to pick up on his "pump fake" technique. This usually happens in mid-game, especially once everyone is racing to "turn the corner" and be the first to deploy their end game strategy.
To "pump fake", my friend usually threatens to drop something big and scary, definitely some kind of lightning rod interaction magnet. Someone will bite on the bait & counter or remove The Big Scary Thing™️, to which my friend follows up by playing his actual intended Bigger Scarier Thing™️.
I've picked up on that my friend will usually use board wipes as his pump fake bait, as it's a kinda win-win for him. Either his wipe goes unanswered, or it eats up some interaction & he drops what he actually wanted to after.
May 5, 2025 10:05 a.m.
Okay, I have a guilty story that I have to share about this. I was playing pioneer against an Izzet Phoenix deck. They had an Arcane Bombardment with a Refute under it, so they could counter whatever I played. Why they were playing those cards in Izzet Phoenix, I don’t know. Anyway, they had an awoken horror and an activatibal Hall of Storm Giants (which I don’t know why they were playing either). I was at 15 life. They were at 7. I had a tapped hall on top of my other lands, clearly visible. I said “That Dismal Backwater I played earlier came in clutch], since I’m at 1.” They were briefly confused, then swung in with both the hall and the horror. I was able to win by animating my hall on my turn for the win. A “pen trick” variation , I still feel kind of bad about it today.
May 5, 2025 10:18 a.m.
Crow_Umbra says... #8
Same friend that does the pump fake will also ask the table some variation of, "Hey guys, should I do the 'funny' thing or the 'scary' thing next?" This is usually asked as a lead up to, or shortly after the pump fake. At this point everyone knows both options will suck for the rest of us lol. That question has tilted someone on a couple of occasions, but is most often met with tired sighs now.
I like to play into it with something like, "I could go for a chuckle right now."
May 5, 2025 10:29 a.m.
legendofa i dont cheat thats not what i meant with this jesus, you took it 100% to the opposite direction lol, i wanted to find out other strategies besides politics, things to confuse your opponents, not taking advantage of new players or anything like that you took it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over the hill dude.
May 6, 2025 7:44 p.m.
tonylomas I tried to phrase my disclaimers neutrally, in a way that didn't accuse you of anything. They were intended as general statements not directed at you specifically. Full and sincere apologies if they came across as accusatory, but I've known people who "casually" ask questions like this to actually learn how to cheat better, or use it for basically in-game extortion--"You bent the rules this one time, so I should get to break the rules all the time." I wanted to be cautious, so I don't end up helping someone who might read this thread in the future with bad intentions.
capwner says... #2
Honesty is the best policy.....because the truth hurts.
May 4, 2025 10:46 p.m.