Now this is what Cipher SHOULD have been. Incremental, subtle advantage that accrues and manipulates the game in ways the opponent wouldn't necessarily realize at first. This can give the Cipher'd creature effectively vigilance, it can untap your lands for the next main phase or the opponent's turn (always dandy for Blue), and it can screw over an opponent's potential counterspells. Target a Plains while someone has a Sphinx's Revelation in hand and you've basically forced them to cast it in response or wait another turn for it. Definitely a very handy card to have around.
Posted By:
Nucleon
(4/23/2013 5:42:32 PM)
This doesn't quite obsolete Hands of Binding (after only one set...), but it comes pretty close. Untap two of your lands? Sounds good.
Posted By:
SyntheticDreamer
(4/23/2013 8:37:03 PM)
The more I look at this card the more it becomes my favorite card in the set.
First, when compared to Hands of Binding this card fairs better in a vs Control match-up since more often then not you'll be hitting lands with this (don't try to tap opponents' creatures unless you need to stop them from blocking. If they have a tap effect they can tap them in response plus they will untap during their controller's next untap step) letting you avoid a counter spell or hitting your own lands to be able to counter them next turn.
Second, it is 'free" when you cast it (Untap your lands you used to cast it) then it "gives" you 2 more mana every turn if you can deal damage. This lets you set up your side of the board quicker, as well as allowing you to play Sorcery spells over instants. (See Pilfered Plans over Inspiration since you'll still have your mana to respond to an opponent.
More so, you can use it late game with something li... (see all)
Posted By:
WinnyNome
(4/23/2013 11:38:44 PM)
Potential to go infinite? Echo Mage thinks so.
Posted By:
Habreno
(4/24/2013 9:46:22 AM)
Pretty versatile, even if needs combat damage to shine. Just whack it onto a turn one Tormented Soul and go to town, untapping both your lands so you can be ready with that Syncopate or Invisible Stalker for more cipher shenanigans.
Posted By:
Hyperviper
(4/23/2013 3:53:32 PM)
I'm interested in using this in RUG decks. Between this and Burning-Tree Emissary, how much stuff can you play in one turn?
Posted By:
Rouser
(4/23/2013 6:01:52 PM)
Ability to reuse your resources (creatures, artifact, lands) while shutting down opponents' resources turn after turn is quite impressive, and it's a cheap casting spell to boot. Creatures like Rofello and Arcanis, lands like Library of Alexandria and Gaea's Cradle, and artifacts like Time Vault? My my.
Posted By:
Cyberium
(4/23/2013 11:22:31 PM)
HEROES ARE EVER VIGILANT!
Posted By:
HotHit
(8/21/2013 5:15:13 PM)
Stasis decks?
Also this + Gilded Lotus + Hidden Strings looks pretty fun.
Posted By:
MostlyLost
(9/12/2013 9:11:13 AM)
A massive heroic enabler, especially as you don't actually have to *do* the tapping or untapping. You always target the creature, which triggers heroic, and but you can then choose not to tap or untap (that's the "may" part).
Boom. Repeatable heroic trigger. Although the way heroic works, you'd need to target two different creatures rather than target the same one twice.
Posted By:
deworde2510
(1/14/2014 11:45:50 AM)