Being a mana source gives it that much utility, at least.

@MSolymossy said in [HOD] Scavenger Grounds:

hope you kill 'em before they can activate Tormod's Workshop.

This is positively the strategy. Crypt is great because there is no control over when you can pop it. This card is not fast enough to stop quick dudes if you're on the draw. However, the fact that you can deploy it while also building up your board is a nice little boon. Perhaps that's enough to justify a couple SB slots to work alongside dedicated hate.

You do not keep in Null Rod against Dredge. So I suppose the question is "what is the intersection of decks against which I want both Null Rod and a Tormod's Crypt effect?" With DPS being dead, I can't really think of one. Might be okay in Eldrazi against the MUD matchup if they're still playing Crucible of Worlds.

A neat new option to have, that's for sure.

Thank you for continuing to do this: your contributions are insightful and a boon to vintage at large, unlike their threads. Please do not be deterred by residual vitriol of the community.

@ssasala said in [XLN] Sorcerous Spyglass:

I am on the play with MUD and I cast this card off Workshop. I look at my unknown opponents hand and see mental Misstep AND bazaar of Baghdad. Do I finally have a chance game 1 against Dredge??!! I think so.

If you're running 4x Ballista and 4x Ravager (which you should be), you already have a 30%+ game 1 against dredge. If you're able to shut off their Bazaar without activation, this probably goes up to a 50/50. I actually find this hilarious because of the historical stereotype you're referencing.

Turn 1 Spyglass on guaranteed fetchland into sphere effect seems pretty powerful.

Kind of funny that if this ends up being playable that we'll have swapped the perfect information paradigm from the blue mages to our robot overlords.

Thanks for doing this. These metrics are amazing, per usual.

Any Michigan people coming to this?

@Topical_Island said in NancyReagan.Dec:

I was surprised to learn that Thorn of Amethyst also combos with Vision to make that draw card playable from one's hand for a generic mana.

That's not how the rules work, though it would be unsurprising if MTGO is broken. Unless you're referring to suspending the card then paying a single generic mana when you cast it from exile, that is.

@Khahan said in April 24th, 2017 Banned and Restricted update: GUSH AND PROBE/TOP in Legacy:

Can we please stop spouting this nonsense that the way to beat shops is having more lands in your deck? Its just not true. Its been said on these boards in the past and its been shot down on these boards in the past.

And this is why mana denial decks will keep winning.