This is really good if your opponent consistently waits until after the attack phase to cast Creatures and other Sorcery speed stuff. Let's say you just hit one of their attackers with an Azorius Charm. Now, they go to cast their follow-up spell and WHAM! Countered, and you just milled away the threat they were hoping to redraw next turn. Granted, this would take 5 mana and an ideal situation to pull off, but if they want to play around this card for the reason stated above, they'll have to cast that spell during Main Phase I, which all good players know is usually a fairly big disadvantage. I'd run probably just 1 or maybe 2 in Esper Control.
Posted By:
Opeth2010
(11/8/2013 2:01:08 AM)
Am I really the first person to point out how fun this is now that Theros is out and people are scrying all the time with their scry-lands? I mean, sure, I'd rather hit them with a Dissolve, since that's always useful, and this is only useful on the turns where they scry, so I run both.
But there's nothing like watching an opponent drop a scry-land, have a look of sheer joy at what they'll draw next turn, then play something - only for me to counter their spell and mill off the card they were so happy they were about to get.
Posted By:
UKenobi
(1/14/2014 6:23:53 PM)
Is that the spell you just drew with your Sensei's Divining Top?
Posted By:
Zosk
(1/23/2014 10:24:43 AM)
I'm undecided on this card. If it has use, it's strictly in a mill deck. I've been looking into the possibility of post-BNG Standard UB Control/Mill. The deck has allotted space for 8 counters (in addition to the limited counter ability in Dimir Charms), which right now are planned to be 4 Dissolve and 4 Essence Scatter. The question is... is the turn-earlier flexibility of Essence Scatter worth more or less than the targeting flexibility AND mill of 2 of Psychic Strike? The format is certainly heavy on creatures right now, and Essence Scatter has proved pretty strong as a main-deck counter in my experience played UW Control.
The Mill 2 by itself is fairly inconsequential. It's a tiny bonus on top of the counter. But since it is how the deck is trying to win, it's hard to say. I will be testing it out extensively to determine which I would rather have.
Posted By:
Technetium
(1/30/2014 8:55:41 AM)
i would definitely use this card in a deck, but i dont play black...
i think this is an excellent card because of the mill and the health drop, but also because of the multi drop which makes it easier to use in a multi deck.
this is one of those cards that can save you from a heavy bomb.
Posted By:
GruulicAzorian
(2/3/2014 4:22:29 AM)
Is it just me, or does that thing on his chest look an awful lot like the Dimir insignia?
Could it be that their insignia is modeled off of a parasitic creature that feeds off the memories of its victims? Or am I just looking way too deeply into this art?
Posted By:
Alvorada
(2/9/2014 8:48:11 AM)
Between this card and Pilfered Plans, UB Mill/Control is finally starting to get some edge over the typical Monoblue builds. Although I can't see it keeping up with the sheer efficiency of a WU Control deck, this certainly gives those decks a reason to look into going Esper.
Having this card, Pilfered Plans, and Nephalia Drownyard in a Control build allows you to mill out your opponent without really deviating from the Control strategy you had in the first place. I mean... you were probably going to be using some Cancel or Divination type effects anyways, right?
I love how splashing a second colour can upgrade an already-solid card like this. Certainly not core-set material, but a wonderful way to give a plane like Ravnica some personalized flavour.
Posted By:
Ataraxiom
(6/2/2014 12:43:27 PM)