I like this card on so many levels. The first
time I saw it, in 1996 or so, it seemed to be
the epitome of a huge, splashy, spectacular
effect, and even now that I know more about
Magic, it still does. It was part of one of the
first "I accidentally the game" combo decks,
interacting with Underworld Dreams. In spite of
that last fact, it still does pretty well in
burn or beatdown decks, where holding on until
it's your last card in hand can make it both a
hyper-powered draw engine and a Mind Twist in
the same card. And it can be a model for those
who hope for interesting red spells that don't
involve direct damage or artwork of fire or
lightning. There's very little not to like about
Wheel of Fortune.
Today's card of the day is Wheel of Fortune
which is a three mana Red sorcery that has each
player discard their hand and then draw seven
cards. Aside from combining it with card
draw or card in hand effects this is a very
effective way for Red aggro or burn to refill
their hand and covers the primary drawback of
the strategy. It also works for Red/Black
or Red/Black/Blue to force discards, fill the
graveyard of yourself or others, or even an
indirect mill. Outside of those dedicated
themes this is somewhat situational as it can
just as easily help an opponent, possibly more
than yourself, and should be used with some
consideration of the current game state. In
Multiplayer the effect is both bigger and more
situational as minimizing the benefits of
opponents is key. Overall one of the top
cards printed, which has it banned in Legacy,
and pretty much a staple of decks using Red mana
in the few formats that can include it.
Ah, here's something my local group calls a hug
card. Beneficial to most, except the player who
tutors often. Most times, you won't be playing
this turn 3, but rather late game when you're
specifically looking for a way to KO an opponent
the turn you play it. Personally, I try to steer
clear of anything that gives my opponent a
chance to bounce back but that's just my
opinion. Good for replenishing, and potentially
hand disruption.
