"Janky" is the right word.
First, you select an opponent, without targeting him, so Spirit of the Hearth won't protect them.
Second, the opponent picks a creature, that is legal for you to target. Not only does shroud protect it, hexproof also stops them from picking their own creature!
So you can use things like Veil of Secrecy to limit their options.
Flickering Ward is more efficient and reusable than the veil though. You can put it on their worst creature and leave it there to force the better picks turn after turn. If they try to run their brand new pro-white creature through you, just return the ward to your hand and smash it with your own creatures (shouldn't be hard since you picked the worst, and if their worst creature is awesome, then Evangelize is that much better). In that case, next turn you put it on the new worst creature and start the cycle again.
If you paid the full 
for it, your opponent may... (see all)
Posted By:
kiseki
(7/15/2011 4:03:22 PM)
It's rare because it's a recurring control magic effect in a color that doesn't have such things that isn't tied to a easily destroyed enchantment.
Based on the effect, I imagine this was designed with Preacher in mind.
Posted By:
HairlessThoctar
(5/28/2010 7:00:47 AM)
I really don't think it's THAT bad. It's just not geared towards 1v1 play. Are there any other sorceries in the game that have the potential to take 1 creature every turn from your opponent? While there may not always be situations when this is playable, I would put this into an EDH deck in a heartbeat.
Posted By:
eak1801
(5/9/2011 11:29:33 AM)
Good in long multilayer games, someone (or you) sweeps the board and someone else plays a dragon. On your turn, MINE.
Posted By:
Tommy9898
(2/22/2010 8:43:25 PM)
My monowhite Goldencub showcasing deck loves this... by the time I had 9 mana in play I totally needed to start stealing creatures.
Posted By:
Tetsu_tora
(3/24/2011 9:36:40 PM)
@Doom_Pie : You opponent can't do that. You have priority, start to cast the spell. You select an opponent, they select the target. Then you continue to cast the spell. (Calculate the cost, tap mana sources, may costs, etc.) Eventually the spell is cast.Then you have priority, and can pass it to your opponent.
Your opponent never has priority any time between you declaring that you are casting this spell and your opponent choosing the target.
Posted By:
moriar
(7/19/2011 3:52:14 PM)
Edit: @moriar
Thanks for the correction. I really should've read the rulings on display for this card. Well, I guess you learn something new everyday. Knowing what I know now makes what I said below kinda embarrassing, but I'll leave it there for others to learn from my mistakes.
Original:
Player 1: "Ha! You've carelessly left nothing but Blightsteel Colossus for creatures on the board! Evangelize! Get owned!"
Player 2: "I'll flash in Zealous Guardian. There ya go, you can have that one" ^_^
Player 1: "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU---"
Player 2: "I'm swinging. You block with your 1/1?" lol trollface
Posted By:
Doom_Pie
(9/27/2011 4:52:23 PM)
I feel this card is good enough to play in EDH
slow card advantage is usually fine in EDH
Posted By:
thaviel
(12/1/2011 10:43:26 AM)
its alright side-boarded against decks that run single large creatures, as it should only be used if your opponent only has 1 creature or like 2 of equal strength. the buyback's worthless but it's nice in those situations to have a mind control that can't be naturalized.
should've been uncommon though
Posted By:
Gezus82
(1/16/2010 6:17:42 PM)
I remembered this a costing 1ww with a buyback of 4W and thought it was half playable. Now that I reread it, this is total junk!
Posted By:
wolfbear2
(1/2/2010 6:46:19 PM)