Rules Question

Standard forum

Posted on March 30, 2021, 3:11 p.m. by epicPlain

Hi everyone

I was playing against Robber of the Rich and I'm not sure what happens if the exiled card (due to an attack) is a land. Lands are not cast, right? So the opponent basically shreds it and can not use it?

BTW...who else believes that Robber of the Rich is over powered? Please up vote this post if you agree

That’s my understanding, yes. It’s exiled for the owner of robber, but unplayable.

March 30, 2021 3:15 p.m.

RNR_Gaming says... #3

"An effect that instructs you to “cast” a card doesn’t allow you to play lands"

Also, the card is nicely balanced and very red and flavorful.

March 30, 2021 3:23 p.m.

In the future, the "Rules Q&A" at the top of the page (or one of the options in the drop-down list from the three lines on mobile) is the place for this sort of question. Thanks!

Also--perfectly balanced and flavorful card. Great design IMO

March 30, 2021 3:35 p.m.

shadow63 says... #5

Compare Outpost Siege and Vance's Blasting Cannons  Flip one says play the other says cast

March 30, 2021 3:52 p.m.

epicPlain says... #6

Thanks for all the comments, please forgive me for having posted this in the wrong place. I was not aware of that. I will try to find the Q&A section.

Also - I'm just wondering - cards are not balanced as such in MTG (since Arabian Nights I would say, or maybe never were)? The only balance nowadays could be between the colours or some sets of cards imo.

Here some thoughts on the development of the game imo: - When I was playing (back in the mid to late 90s), there many players dropping out already. The initial idea of Richard Garfield according to sources that I found (unfotunately, I don't remember where I read about it) was to make rare cards more specific in use and common universal. That was amazing! Also, the idea was that players should create the best combination of cards (meta play) and (once that was found - if possible - and yet very unlikely, due to the amount of possible combinations) then in the second step, try to win by playing better than the opponent. Of course, it's a card game, so the luck factor will always be very important and I still believe that it is good for the fun factor.

Nonetheless, when a card like Robber of the Rich has so benefits, then there must be a balancing downside. The only one I see is the attacking condition. Since the card is not legendary (or unique - as am more used to it), that even makes it possible to "mill" the deck by directly exiling the cards. Again, the card is stronger than any other card in any respect imaginable imo.

Because I play blue very often, I don't think that it's a problem but red aggro seems to be very popular nowadays (I'm back in MTG for about 3 days now...so I will eventually change my oppinion on that but it seems very difficult to beat red aggro from what the STANDARD set looks like - again, imo). Hence, the colors are probably not balanced and one must play red to be competitive. Otherwise, one must add specific cards that take up slots and slows down interesting stiles or combos.

To sum up, I was used to choose any card in MTG and the strength came from the combo - so...there was no such thing as a bad card. In the current STANDARD format that seems to remain true - BUT - there are cards which are better than others, and I find that a bit problematic and not satisfying from a "veteran"-come back experience.

Please let me know what the new generation of players thinks about this. I'm wondering.

Cheers! epic

March 30, 2021 4:17 p.m. Edited.

RNR_Gaming says... #7

So, the game has gotten a lot faster. Information has gotten faster and overall card quality has improved - granted some of the cards from the early stages of the game can be absolutely back breaking now in combination with some of the newer cards. I feel I've used the word "power creep" way too often over the past few days but that's really the only way to describe what's going on. Evaluating cards is much different too - it use to be very simple just a mesh of keywords and matching cmc or"mana value" now to the body was good enough. Now, with all of these new and neat abilities it's all about what gives you the best utility and card advantage. I'm not the biggest fan of standard but the decks have definitely gotten way stronger.

March 30, 2021 4:26 p.m.

shadow63 says... #8

Yeah red aggro is pretty good in standard. For a decent breakdown on the metagame go to mtggoldfish.com but robber is only a 2/2 so hes weak and can't really win the game on his own. Plus to trigger his effect you need less cards in hand then your opponent. So if you dump your hand then gets blown up your in a though spot

March 30, 2021 4:29 p.m.

epicPlain says... #9

Thanks for the link!

How do you dump your hand? It's not so easy imo and, furthermore, having more cards means having more options. It's not a handicap - it's an additional advantage of Robber of the Rich imo.

March 30, 2021 4:36 p.m.

FSims81 says... #10

I think what shadow63 was saying is that Robber requires you to have fewer cards in hand than your opponent so you run the risk of depleting your hand to set up Robber's trigger and then just having your Robber(s) die. Now you are at both card and likely battlefield disadvantage.

Consider also that you can only cast the card or cards exiled by Robber on a turn you attacked with a rogue. If your only Rogue in deck is Robber and they've been removed as a threat then the cards exiled are useless to both players.

March 30, 2021 4:59 p.m. Edited.

plakjekaas says... #11

Robber of the Rich has won me so many games by just exiling three lands in a row off the top of my opponent's library, while he was missing land drops with 2 lands in play. The card's amazing.

March 30, 2021 5:19 p.m.

epicPlain you are correct, Robber of the Rich does not allow you to cast the lands. This is evident if you play MTG Arena. As for being balanced, it is pretty balanced. It is very good, but not totally broken in any way. (Kind of annoying though.)

March 30, 2021 6:17 p.m.

If you asked me 5 or 6 years ago if Robber of the Rich was broken I might have said yes, but today, definitely not. I would say my experience with it is that it is mostly just a 2/2 with haste that can SOMETIMES snowball but usually not. Compared to many other cards in Standard right now it is very mild.

April 4, 2021 9:55 a.m.

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