So I'm trying to discover what the most niche cards in all of mtg are. Currently I have a few very nice candidates:
Street Sweeper: Destroying auras attached to lands? I mean, I suppose it sometimes can be relevant in casual formats/EDH if someone is running auras that give them extra mana, or genju of the realms, but still...
Balduvian Shaman: Changing the colour words on target white enchantment that doesn't have cumultative upkeep? Would probably be the winner if not for the fact that this card interacts with your own deck instead of your opponents deck, which means you can include cards that makes it useful.
Shoreline Raider: Protection from Kavu... I don't think I have seen a non-changeling Kavu, or at least I can't remember any (bar searching for them on the internet). I mean, I suppose if someone has a Kavu tribal for some reason it could be relevant?
Horizon Drake: Protection from Lands might be even worse though, as ProKavu at least covers changelings.
There were 38 Kavu in the Invasion block. Including Flametongue Kavu one of the better cards ever made. Shoreline Raider makes total sense.
Horizon Drake was a clear flavor choice. It was in the "land" block. In addition it has some use, it has protection from Manlands, Zendikon enchanted lands, as well as any targeted abilities from other lands like Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle.
Street Sweeper is a fine beater in Return to Ravnica limited. It also has the added bonus of combating the two cycles of enchant lands that exist in this block. It's not that weird for them to add specific removal for strong cards in the set.
Early magic has some weird cards so I'm not going to try to justify Balduvian Shaman.
The classic example of this is Great Wall. In the early days, they didn't really know what mechanics would be relevant, so they printed weird hate for almost everything.
More recent examples of this are usually to balance Limited or Block environments.
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
The classic example of this is Great Wall. In the early days, they didn't really know what mechanics would be relevant, so they printed weird hate for almost everything.
More recent examples of this are usually to balance Limited or Block environments.
Early magic has some weird cards so I'm not going to try to justify Balduvian Shaman.
Then allow me - it was supposed to be able to hack your Circle of Protection: White or whatever color you had out to the color your opponent was playing.
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I think the purpose of Balduvian Shaman (which is easily the most rules-complicated common card ever printed) was to let you edit your Circles of Protection (remember those??). You could tune your CoP to the color of your choice with the Shaman.
Savaen Elves from The Dark removes Enchant Lands. THat's pretty narrow.
Raging River's pretty niche - splits the board in two.
Duplicity lets you play with two hands, although not for very long as you have to keep discarding.
I kinda like the Voyager Drake having Protection from Lands. In an EDH deck where lots of people are running man-lands and especially Maze of Ith, it's better than you'd think.
Came here to post Great Wall, will instead nominate Soul Sculptor. Besides being a rules nightmare, it pretty much has only two uses, both of which I employ- getting around a Wrath, and mono-white selective, repetitive creature removal. The latter is nearly unheard-of.
... but he basically says "2RR: Target creature cannot block target creature this turn." Which, while not incredible, certainly isn't niche. (No, it's not exactly the same, as you could have natural warriors, or one warrior you want to make unblockable, etc.)
I actually found myself wishing that Mudhole was Modern legal once when I was playing a mill deck and my opponent played Knight of the Reliquary. Then I just slapped myself and wished that Terravore was Modern legal instead.
Surprised no one has mentioned Camel yet. It has protection from exactly ONE card in all of Magic!
In at a close second would have to be Break Open. It usually just helps your opponent!
But Desert has been printed four times now. Once as a mythic even. Don't doubt the power of Desert!
Also I would highly urge anybody dubbing Raging River as niche to actually play the card. I have been using it in Legacy with some success as a sideboard card. It makes your opponents first Tarmogoyf not able to block at all. Notice that it's your opponent who chooses his/her side first, so just keep your own guys on the other side of the river. And you get bonus points for playing really obscure cards. Anyway in an aggro deck it's 4-6 points of damage on turn 3-4 against several Legacy decks, which try to hide behind a single large (non-flying) blocker.
I would nominate Apocalypse Chime as one of the most niche card imaginable. It can destroy Autumn Willow and nowadays possibly a Digeridoo, but how often does one see a Homalends card turn up even in casual games?
Also did people know that Sorrow's Path had a power level errata on it for the longest time (until 2009). We even had a house rule re-errating the card back to regular use, as the 5 card combo was not too dominant in our casual games.
Street Sweeper: Destroying auras attached to lands? I mean, I suppose it sometimes can be relevant in casual formats/EDH if someone is running auras that give them extra mana, or genju of the realms, but still...
Balduvian Shaman: Changing the colour words on target white enchantment that doesn't have cumultative upkeep? Would probably be the winner if not for the fact that this card interacts with your own deck instead of your opponents deck, which means you can include cards that makes it useful.
Shoreline Raider: Protection from Kavu... I don't think I have seen a non-changeling Kavu, or at least I can't remember any (bar searching for them on the internet). I mean, I suppose if someone has a Kavu tribal for some reason it could be relevant?
Horizon Drake: Protection from Lands might be even worse though, as ProKavu at least covers changelings.
Any other nice candidates?
Horizon Drake was a clear flavor choice. It was in the "land" block. In addition it has some use, it has protection from Manlands, Zendikon enchanted lands, as well as any targeted abilities from other lands like Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle.
Street Sweeper is a fine beater in Return to Ravnica limited. It also has the added bonus of combating the two cycles of enchant lands that exist in this block. It's not that weird for them to add specific removal for strong cards in the set.
Early magic has some weird cards so I'm not going to try to justify Balduvian Shaman.
People who remember Mind Bend will enjoy the trip down memory lane.
More recent examples of this are usually to balance Limited or Block environments.
That hosed Boggart Arsonists extremely well:tongue:
Then allow me - it was supposed to be able to hack your Circle of Protection: White or whatever color you had out to the color your opponent was playing.
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Boldwyr Intimidator
This is as niche as you can get
Even the rulings have to clarify: "Yes, target Goat."
Springjack Pasture is an ever-present threat, man. Every deck should sideboard at least 3x Goatnapper.
I know it has its uses, but its just hilarious to see, especially for the first time.
Well, it would be if he didn't make people Cowards. That's a creature type Norin the Wary totally needs, BTW.
"...is that boggart carrying off a Chameleon Colossus?"
"It looked like a goat at the time"
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End of thread.
Savaen Elves from The Dark removes Enchant Lands. THat's pretty narrow.
Raging River's pretty niche - splits the board in two.
Duplicity lets you play with two hands, although not for very long as you have to keep discarding.
I kinda like the Voyager Drake having Protection from Lands. In an EDH deck where lots of people are running man-lands and especially Maze of Ith, it's better than you'd think.
Adventurers' Guildhouse
Cathedral of Serra
Mountain Stronghold
Seafarer's Quay
Unholy Citadel
Also Old Fogey has both "protection from Homarids" and "Bands with other Dinosaurs" (there arent any others). Also snow-covered plainswalk.
... but he basically says "2RR: Target creature cannot block target creature this turn." Which, while not incredible, certainly isn't niche. (No, it's not exactly the same, as you could have natural warriors, or one warrior you want to make unblockable, etc.)
Rigger tribal all the way! We got a lord effect in the Boss and a beater with Moriok Rigger -- totally doable!
Snowfall is an interesting one; a blue mana doubler (or trebeler, if it's a blue snow land) that only works for cumulative upkeep.
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In at a close second would have to be Break Open. It usually just helps your opponent!
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I actually found myself wishing that Mudhole was Modern legal once when I was playing a mill deck and my opponent played Knight of the Reliquary. Then I just slapped myself and wished that Terravore was Modern legal instead.
My vote goes to Deep Water. Honorary mentions go to Pale Moon, Power Leak, and Sorrow's Path.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
But Desert has been printed four times now. Once as a mythic even. Don't doubt the power of Desert!
Also I would highly urge anybody dubbing Raging River as niche to actually play the card. I have been using it in Legacy with some success as a sideboard card. It makes your opponents first Tarmogoyf not able to block at all. Notice that it's your opponent who chooses his/her side first, so just keep your own guys on the other side of the river. And you get bonus points for playing really obscure cards. Anyway in an aggro deck it's 4-6 points of damage on turn 3-4 against several Legacy decks, which try to hide behind a single large (non-flying) blocker.
I would nominate Apocalypse Chime as one of the most niche card imaginable. It can destroy Autumn Willow and nowadays possibly a Digeridoo, but how often does one see a Homalends card turn up even in casual games?
Also did people know that Sorrow's Path had a power level errata on it for the longest time (until 2009). We even had a house rule re-errating the card back to regular use, as the 5 card combo was not too dominant in our casual games.
Set to default
It's still amusing hate for Blistering Firecat and Unstable Hulk.
From the same block: People tend to consider Scornful Egotist a joke, but it was actually relevant (on a casual level, at least) for things like Torrent of Fire and Rush of Knowledge.
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It's a very, very specific hate card that doesn't even do all that much to stop the thing it's supposed to hate.