Some see an undercosted Lava Axe. I see an overcosted Goblin Grenade that can't kill creatures or end the game when you need it to.
Posted By:
troll_berserker
(7/23/2013 1:11:56 PM)
Haters gonna hate
i made a mind game deck, using this, Temporal Extortion, Painful Quandary, Choice of Damnations and Pain's Reward
it works wonders and its always fun to watch your opponents not knowing which choice is less harmful...often falling in an error
Posted By:
Zacklar
(4/25/2012 8:49:06 PM)
If you feel bad about casting this, you can always pay the 5 life yourself and counter it.
Posted By:
Saikuba
(3/23/2011 5:23:56 PM)
Say,due to your deck just working out you end up in a board position that favors you and your opponent decides to pull the plug with a board sweep ranging anywhere from day off judgment to black sun zenith. If you dash hopes anything like that than the only one gaining an advantage.
Either they remain in a weakened position or they stand on equal footing minus five life. I'm aware that the card is situational but the opponent wiping the board when things go south is a fairly common situation.
Posted By:
Riecharus
(11/21/2011 9:17:17 AM)
Few things about this card in my experience:
1) When they think they don't need that 5 life they are usually wrong about that.
2) When they think it's not a big deal to let you counter a spell with your black deck, and they'd rather hang onto that 5 life, they're usually wrong about that, too.
3) This doesn't work as well in a multi player game, kinda like browbeat. It's a scary thing to do and someone is gonna want to stop you.
Posted By:
badmofo
(6/17/2009 7:58:02 AM)
- hopes
Posted By:
azure_drake222222
(2/2/2013 9:55:14 AM)
You guys are TOTALLY missing this. Countering a spell is competitive. 5 damage for 2 mana is competitive.
Play this against an early power house creature. Your average person who sees this card is going to accept a goblin grenade, and think they got a good deal. All to save an early game creature you'll likely remove. Gatekeeper of Malakir, go for the throat, damnation. Is your tarmgoyf worth 5 life? Will you be able to hold it, or will I kill it for less mana than you paid to cast it? will you waste 5 life on something I can steal next turn maybe?
Late game has even more uses...and have you ever seen the look on someone's face when they're screwed either way? Now thats a fun card.
"alright, I'm at 3, but I can survive this turn. I cast Fog"
"Dash hopes"
"motherf..." *throws hand down angrily*
Posted By:
DeadLeeCoC
(10/12/2013 11:31:12 AM)
So no one else sees how hideously powerful this spell is? The weakness of the spell is of course the fact that your opponent can choose their fate and will naturally take the option they believe will hurt them the least through the course of the game. However, on the other hand, it doesn't matter which one they pick because either way you have achieved a large amount of mana efficiency; you've either countered a spell for two mana (not an easy thing to do these days) or done 5 damage for two mana.
Posted By:
Asinine-Ultimatum
(6/11/2009 7:21:04 PM)
I love playing this card. Yeah, you get to pick between two effects, you'll pick the lesser damaging one, but given that I only paid BB, either is fine for me.
People who hate this card probably hate every single spell that doesn't say "this spell can't be countered".
Posted By:
TrapCard
(7/28/2012 4:09:51 PM)
Huh? Wait, wait... It's common?? Counterspell (with black?) unless opponent: "I'll take that Lava Axe instead... for two mana." Neither of those effects are bad for that cost.
Posted By:
Tahazzar
(8/30/2009 5:38:13 AM)