To the naysayers of this card:
A. It gets better, later. If you are playing black control a lot of the time in mid to late game your opponent will only have three or less cards, just wait until then.
B. This card always hits. You have no idea how may time I've Despised in to all lands and spells.
C. It doesn't say non-land. People tend hide there "best" cards but not the MANA they need to cast them. I love the looks of consternation when they realized that they are going to miss an important land drop because of a blackmail two turns ago.
D. It provides reconnaissance. Above all this card tells you (by proses of elimination) which cards you opponent wants to keep. Then you break out the Thoughtseize and hit what you didn't see. Or if you see a creature in the blackmail reveal you can cast Despise knowing that it wont be wasted.
All in all wile not the best individual discard card it provides reliability and synergy for black di... (see all)
Posted By:
The_Grizz
(2/6/2012 6:34:12 PM)
Blackmail's not bad. I'd call it a standard to wich all the other 1-mana discards are compared. Almost always usable in combination with bounce cards to get rid of anything (anything you can bounce, that is).
Posted By:
skew
(1/31/2010 11:41:40 AM)
Ugh, braids is so cool, i didn't realize her body was so terribly malformed
Posted By:
Laguz
(6/7/2010 7:37:24 PM)
Works best in a focused discard/control deck as opposed to one where discard is just included as an extra strategy to deal with contingencies.
Posted By:
Paleopaladin
(6/23/2011 9:00:14 PM)
I run this next to things like Force Spike and Spell Pierce because when they let me ditch one of their lands with a Blackmail, it only makes my other counters stronger.
I agree with The_Grizz that the seekrit hidden power of this card lies in the fact that you can make em toss a land that they thought they could reveal safely out of negligence.
Duress is satisfying when you hit something good, but terrible when you miss completely with it. Blackmail is always reliable in the sense that it will never do just nothing like a sometimes hit or miss Duress.
Posted By:
mongoliansavage
(4/14/2012 10:52:04 PM)
The clue of this card is in "target player". You can discard yourself and choose yourself what card to discard.
So, turn 1 Blackmail, discard e.g. Sphinx of the Steel Wind.
Turn 2: Exhume, Reanimate or Animate Dead.
Unless countered, this is close to game over.
Posted By:
Lord_Sauron
(6/14/2012 12:59:02 PM)
This card rox my sox.
Most discard is "non-land" First turn blackmail people always show two lands and the card they need least and expect you to take the other card. Their face drops when you actually grab a land (and then sinkhole the next turn)
Posted By:
ApathyVoc
(12/25/2012 8:55:41 AM)
In a discard deck you play this T3 or so. They've drawn 2-3 cards (start of turn), played 2-4 cards (lands etc..), and you've made them discard 2-3 cards. They should be right around 3 cards left.
As soon as they are this is generally the best discard you can get. Works well with cards like Cry of Contrition, Hymn to Tourach, and Raven's Crime because they each cause multiple discards without issue.
Posted By:
blurrymadness
(2/28/2013 9:50:12 AM)
To be honest, I feel like this is quite a deal weaker than other discards for the same mana, such as Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek, and the ever-popular Thoughtseize.
Reason being: though you're limited to what you can choose to discard with the three listed, you get to see your opponent's entire hand, and are allowed to know what's going on,
This card lets you know which three your opponent needs less.
Situationally worse is the best way to put it.
Posted By:
infernox10
(2/13/2011 11:44:23 PM)
Kinda looks like she's being crying all day, but finally got her favorite pokemon on a gameboy so she's laughing with happiness?
Posted By:
ICEFANG13
(9/9/2011 8:38:51 AM)