Survey: Bluffing strategy in mtg
Deck Help forum
Posted on June 10, 2017, 8:23 a.m. by ChaosJester
Yesterday, the possibility of bluffing strategies came into my mind. We all know that some card games usually include psychological strategies (Poker, etc.). In my opinion also Magic t.G.
So, what if we cast Revelation for instance, while we have a lot of removal spells in our hands. Would not create this a psychological pressure for opponents because they know that you can counter or remove their spells? Maybe this "remove-revealing" strategy could prevent them from playing their combos?
I have an similar strategy-example: My opponent played Vedalken Shackles, so I had the really huge problem to cast my Master of Cruelties but had no removal spells. This situation was very bad for me because he slowed me down and killed me with very simple life loss effects.
This leads me to an another point. Let us assume that we cast Seal of Doom and/or Seal of Cleansing instead of revealing our hand. I think this can create a similar effect. Would you prefere this strategy more than the first one?
Now my first question: Have you ever made experiences like that and if yes, with which cards?
Second question: This strategy can be very annoying I think - especially the hands revealing one. Would your playgroup accept it?
Last question: What is your opinion about this strategy?
Thank you for your time :)
Bluffing is a constant part of magic. Simplest example is this situation, which happens in 90% of Limited games.
Your opponent starts first. On your second turns, you both play Balduvian Bears. On his third turn, the opponent plays a land and attacks with his bears. Do you block?
There is an element of bluffing/mind games in every decision you make without 100% information. That is literally all decisions in Magic. So, yes, there is quite a lot of that.
June 10, 2017 9:19 a.m.
jparker-sartori21 says... #4
I agree with Boza but the examples given in this post are nothing more than bad moves.
June 10, 2017 9:40 a.m.
Consider if your opponent had held onto the Vedalken Shackles rather than playing it. You would have just played your Master of Cruelties out into it and lost any chance of winning. The only time knowing your opponent has an answer slows a player down is if they are gaining an advantage by playing around it - so it would have been better for them not to know.
In commander (or other multiplayer formats), it's slightly different - as people are much more likely to hold back and wait until your seal gets thrown at somebody else's card, so having a number of on-board threats can be enough to slow the game down a lot. I play a Merieke Ri Berit commander deck and having a protected Merieke along with a couple of ways of untapping her in play tends to bring the game to a standstill until someone gets bored and boardwipes.
June 10, 2017 10:29 a.m.
Yes, if you have the cards they won't play the super important ones. But that card goes both ways and actually removes your ability to bluff. Holding up 2 blue mana and a bunch of cards in hand is a bluff. Holding up 2 blue mana and revealing a hand of lands is not a bluff.
June 10, 2017 9:33 p.m.
If the game is at an even or stable pace, or you're ahead, and you don't need to cast a card in hand, then don't. Leave the mana up.
For example - I purchased the Modern Event Deck back when it first came out. I keep it at my LGS for people to borrow or for myself to use when I'm looking for a quick game. Haven't changed it up at all. Deck isn't all that bad out the box, even in a competitive meta and myself and others have managed 3-1 with it before at our tournaments.
Anyhow, point is, sometimes I find myself with lands in hand and not a lot of options to push the win, but I'm either just barely ahead on the board or it's pretty stable. Players typically know there's Path to Exile in the deck, so if I've got 4 or 5 lands out and I draw a Plains or God forbid a Windbrisk Heights, I don't need to cast it. I'll just keep a straight face, hold it in my hand intently, and pass the turn, and casually place my hand near my lands like I'm ready to do something.
Doesn't always work, especially against the players who realize when it's just better to take the risk and tap out, but it can be useful. I've watched people have conversations with themselves before attack steps (audibly or internally) questioning that dangerous land in my hand.
June 11, 2017 1:49 a.m.
Recover819 says... #9
Never forget one guy at a four player game. Played nothing first 5-6 turns. Everyone felt sorry for him and didn't attack him. Then he played an infinite fireball.....
June 12, 2017 9:18 a.m.
That's about how every EDH game goes. One guy starts strong and is hate targeted and then the quiet guy who was "losing" rips out the win with some crazy combo in two turns.
June 12, 2017 12:37 p.m.
ChaosJester says... #11
Recover819 TMBRLZ hahaha guys I can imagine this strange Situation. I should Start to Play EDH
jparker-sartori21 says... #2
This doesn't work. If they know your hand then they can play around it to ensure that none of their important cards get removed. The same is true in the second example. While bluffing is good in games like poker this isn't bluffing. This is just giving away information and that's just not good.
June 10, 2017 8:40 a.m.