Ditress for one mana less, at the cost of 2
life. The Rack archetype is already pretty fast,
and hard to beat since it can strip your hand so
fast. Now it's even faster. This is so
explosive, I question Wizards' wisdom in
printing it.
David Fanany
Player since
1995
Thoughtseize
The more cynical members of the online community
have been calling this card "Cashseize" for
being a strictly-better but rare version of
Duress, but I think the real question there
might be why Duress was common in the first
place. Removing anything that isn't named
Treetop Village or Wasteland from an opponent's
hand for one mana and two life is a level of
power rarely seen in Magic. The very existence
of this card will validate a range of aggro-control
archetypes using black and shake up every format
from Standard to Vintage. This is another card
you're going to have to get used to, because
it's going to be around changing games for a
long time.
Constructed: 5/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 3/5 (I'm not a huge fan of discard in
limited, but it removes your opponent's best
card for a very cheap price)
Arcane
Thoughtseize
Constructed: Cardboard gold; version Lorwyn.
Everyone is clamoring to get this card right now
just as they were when Damnation came out in
Planar Chaos. If you get one, hoarde it and make
sure you aren’t ripped off in a trade. Playsets
are going for $85 on eBay. Keep an eye out as I
hate seeing players, especially new players,
getting ripped off by older players. Gives a bad
rap to all of us. As for the card, it’s hard not
to see the pure power of this card for
constructed. Duress was/is a staple for years
and sees play in nearly every format as a
standby black control card. Add a 2 life cost to
that and you can strip anything you don’t like
out of your opponents hand and see what they
have in store for you, all for a bargain
basement price. For the next two years in
standard you better be able to love your opening
hand without its best card, because there’s a
very good chance the first turn you’re going to
get hit with this and leave you with a 6 card
hand before you’ve even started. People were
easily willing to pay 2 life for shocklands and
it’s not that hard to convince them to pay that
same amount of life to completely screw up their
opponent’s game plan.
Casual/Multi: this is a good way to get one
player really mad at you right from the get go
in a multiplayer game. And to be perfectly
honest, you’re going to have enough enemies as
the games gets going you don’t need to help your
opponents choose who they want to beat down on.
Having said that, this card can be a great way
of making sure the ridiculous combo decks that a
lot of players think are fun at the casual table
don’t go off. Take out their key piece and let
everyone else at the table know what to watch
out for all in the first turn. A lot of good
combo decks go off when no one is paying
attention so this is a good way of keeping
Johnny’s under control.
Limited: Trading one card for their best card in
hand can be a good thing, as it can help you
take care of that bomb before it hits the field.
I’m normally not a fan of discard in limited
formats, but with if you’re stretched for
answers to certain bomb cards this is going to
give you a huge advantage. Obviously not a good
pull in the late game and after turn one it gets
progressively worse and worse. But if you do
manage to get this on the first or second turn
you’ll gain not only the advantage of taking
away the best card, but will also give you a
heads up on their every plan for their first few
turns, a massive advantage.
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 2
Limited: 3.5
PsychoAnime
#1
Magic Noob in Canada since 2002
Thoughtseize
This is obviously really good. For 1 mana, you
get force simplification and get to see your
opponent's hand. The 2 mana is rather negligable.
Automatic 4 copies in any The Rack decks.
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3.5/5, takes out a bomb and reveals
combat tricks
Swordmaster13
Thursday's
card is Thoughtseize from Lorwyn. For one black
mana and two life, you can look at your
opponent's hand, then choose and discard a
nonland card from it. In limited, this can be a
good way to get rid of dangerous big creatures,
bomb spells and even little annoying cards like
Gaddock Teeg, but Constructed has Distress for
Type 2, which does the same thing for a mana
more. Thoughtseize is good and cheap for a deck
running black despite the life cost.
Limited:
4/5(only Goblins and the Incarnations are
immune to it)
Constructed:3/5(I'd rather pay one more mana
than 2 life for the same effect)
