First printing of Duress and no comments yet?? Such a spot-on card.
What interests me most is that it's a common with a fairly complex and very powerful effect, that is well-suited to constructed but not particularly at home in limited. Nevertheless Wizards has retained the common rarity throughout the card's many printings, right up to M11. This, despite printing the minimally different, if slightly more powerful Thoughtseize as a rare. I wonder if Duress would be uncommon or even rare if it was designed today?
Urza's Saga had a few more powerful commons, such as Priest of Titania and Goblin Matron.
Posted By:
M@tttyZ
(10/27/2010 11:57:57 AM)
The only black-bordered version with the old frame.
A great card and a constructed staple in one format or another for most of its existance.
Posted By:
gr1pp
(7/17/2012 9:53:27 AM)
I hate it yet i love it. 5/5
Posted By:
Shadoflaam
(12/22/2010 1:56:08 PM)
Wow, the art for this version is levels above all the newer art. Between cards like this and Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, I'd say Urza block had pretty much the best artwork, with Ravnica being a close second.
Posted By:
BongRipper420
(10/12/2012 8:22:32 PM)
'Ew, I touched it.' What the guy is saying about the green disk
Iconic discard spell, in the top three in my opinion, right behind Hymn and Thoughseize, and just ahead of Inquisition.
4/5 Stars
Posted By:
Hunter06
(6/5/2013 3:34:29 PM)
i can't really decide whether i prefer using duress or hymn to tourach. they're both 4.5/5's!!!!
Posted By:
gasimakos1
(5/22/2011 10:42:07 PM)
I didn't know how old Duress was. That said, 4.5*.
Posted By:
JFM2796
(7/28/2011 1:20:21 PM)
I hate when I mulligan cuz didnt get great hand and then they play this an im liek G%GY$%YGDHBFHXZCKLNVSMXCVNERLJIHY$%
Posted By:
mongoliansavage
(10/27/2010 11:38:28 PM)
Jesus! You've been under such duress..
Posted By:
blurrymadness
(12/27/2012 11:48:01 PM)
For all players of black, Duress is an automatic 5/5. Back in the day, mono-black was practically required to run 4 copies, as it was the only way in the color to get rid of enchantments and non-creature artifacts before they're cast. This is the reason Duress far exceeds its companion cards Ostracize and Encroach. That Light of Day, Oath of Druids, or Cursed Scroll your opponent picked up in their opening hand will flatten you if it gets cast. First turn Duress solves a lot of problems.
Additionally, it will strip away counter spells against control, burn against Sligh, etc. And even if your opponent's hand doesn't have an eligible card, you still know what they're holding. In many cases, that's just as valuable as the discard and more than worth the one mana cost.
Posted By:
RaymondKHessel
(11/18/2013 1:27:57 PM)