Why Does Mono-Black Have So Little Milling?
General forum
Posted on Dec. 16, 2020, 3:39 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
The mill mechanic occurs most frequently in mono-blue, which makes sense, and also occasionally in black/blue, but rarely in mono-black, which I feel does not make any sense, since black already is the best color for discarding, so it would seem that allowing it to have milling would be an extension of its ability to mentally attack its opponents.
What does everyone else say about this? Why does mono-black have so little milling, and will that situation change in the near future?
Tropical_December says... #4
Milling makes me thing of fish and Gurmag Angler is only real so black can't mill because it already has the bigger fish.
December 16, 2020 5:06 p.m.
plakjekaas says... #5
I think milling as a winning strategy is pure mind magic, pursuing theoretical knowledge (cards in library) by catching glimpses of it as it passes by, which feels very blue to me, with a touch of black if used destructively (destroying all their available knowledge, decking them out like Glimpse the Unthinkable). Attacking your opponent mentally is destroying their active knowledge (cards in hand), which feels like a more brutal and amoral act, and thus very black (Thoughtseize ) Most of the names of blue milling cards seem to suggest influencing the way your opponent learns. Mind Sculpt, Psychic Corrosion, blue representing affecting the way the brain works, vs black just interfering with opposing plans.
December 17, 2020 12:01 a.m.
Yeah. Blue is the color of mill, and black is the color of discard. Blue/black together causes blue to mill more effectively due to the overlap of those two things plus black's ability to self mill, but black on its own isn't supposed to be attacking other people's libraries, just hands.
December 17, 2020 9:41 a.m.
Black does have some cards that exile specific cards from the opponent's library though, which is theoretically better.
December 17, 2020 9:54 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #8
We also mustn’t forget blacks ability to attack the entire graveyard with things like;
And go after specific cards in your hand, library and graveyard like;
December 18, 2020 1:15 a.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #9
If you want mono black mill, Geth, Lord of the Vault is the card you want.
TriusMalarky says... #2
Black is better at milling itself. Blue is the color that mills other people. The reasoning, I think, is that black actually wants cards in your graveyard while Blue is allowed to do everything.
December 16, 2020 4:08 p.m.