More effective in the early to mid-game because "half of your life" only sounds threatening if you have a larger life total to lose half of. You'll have to figure out what to do for the extra turn because otherwise it's a waste. Your opponent might call your bluff and let you have an extra turn, which could be card advantage, but a very small one. Plan ahead for this card.
Posted By:
h4mx0r
(8/1/2009 11:57:43 AM)
I run four of these in my B/U mill deck with Twincast, according to the Oracle ruling, even if someone pays the 1/2 their life, it stays on the stack, so twincast it.
Posted By:
MTGFreak
(1/22/2010 10:43:04 PM)
I want to get this for EDH, just so this can happen:
"Well, well well... the time has come to determine who's MAN enough to... take the heat!"
(looks around) "NOBODY?! Oh, come now gentlemen: I am insulted that all of you believe my next turn will be useless! It is turn 6, people! I have 6 swamps out... I can do anything!"
(no response)
"Very well. with the last of my mana, I play Lightning Greaves. I end my turn, making it... well, mine! AHA!"
(Draw a very, VERY lucky 7-cost spell)
"heheh... hehehehahahahaha! HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I play a Swamp, and then... oooooh! THE FUN BEGINS!"
(Friends) Oh god, no...
Posted By:
Ferlord
(8/2/2012 8:44:38 PM)
"Boo-f*cking-hoo! This card is terrible because the opponent gets to choose what happens!"
Who cares when both the results are so awesome? Either the opponent is 50% closer to death, or you get the single most powerful effect in the game (short of "You win the game"), which isn't even native to this color.
That's like saying a zombie bite is ineffective because the victim gets to choose whether to slowly wither away and walk the earth in a state of wretched oblivion, or shoot themselves in the face.
What I'm saying is, they both get the job done, folks.
Posted By:
MisterAction
(7/12/2012 1:26:23 AM)
I love these cards you give the opponent a choice, because usually they are tricked to choose exactly what you want them to choose..
Posted By:
Charmor
(2/2/2010 3:41:14 PM)
even though BBBB sounds expensive, i think its seriously a bargain. You either trick the oppoonent into halving their life, or just get to attack twice on turn 4. not bad at all, considering time warp costs 5
Posted By:
Omenchild
(12/23/2009 1:36:24 PM)
Turn 1: Swamp, Mox Jet, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Phyrexian Obliterator, Temporal Extortion.
WTF YOU GONNA DO?!?!?!? (that seriously might be one of the most disgusting draws mono-black can ever do.)
Just shut up Majinara
Posted By:
DarthParallax
(2/22/2012 3:44:00 PM)
This could get complicated with unhinged or unglued cards that have something and a half power...Great! Now my opponent has 8 1/4 health!!
Posted By:
divine_exodus
(10/22/2010 3:39:54 PM)
I think this is a grand card. I really like the ideas put forth in the Time Spiral block. An extra turn can do a lot of things for you, it's not just a cantrip and another attack phase. Activated abilities can be activated again, you get another upkeep, and of course, untapping. Unfortunately, against most experienced players in the right deck this is basically, BBBB: Target player loses half his or her life. Still has the ability to win games on its own, though.
I think Majinara's comments get down rated so often because he's a spike player, and he presents straw man arguments that would only apply to other spike players like him. In short, he cares only for efficiency in cards. The cards he claims "suck", are usually the kind of cards that really DON'T see tournament play for a reason.
Posted By:
Necrokeryx
(3/20/2011 2:59:20 PM)
Wow, Ladnarud. Just wow.
I completely agree, if you can't see that both options will hurt in the majority of situations, you don't get this game. I can see this running really well in a mono-black control. Either 1) they take the life hit, and you swing in with your win-con (some beefy flying demon, pumpable shade, something along those lines) and kill them. Or 2) they give you an extra turn and you swing your win-con twice. All while keeping their field clear of blockers with 
's staple, a stack of kill spells.
Absolutely nothing wrong with this card. The trick isn't forcing one opponent to pick one or the other, but make BOTH choices work in your favor.
Posted By:
OmegaSerris
(9/18/2011 12:49:12 AM)