Laboratory Maniac
Why are people always playing with this stupid card? There are other ways to win... It's Azami Lab Man... It's Mimeo Lab Man. It's Tasigar Lab Man... It's Grixis Lab Man. It's Esper Lab Man. It's now Leovold Lab Man.... Can you play with something a bit better than that stupid card? Hell, I'd be happy to see you Blue Sun Zenith your opponents away rather than going for the same tired old combo over and over...
Yes, it's a rant.... I don't think Lab Man is broken. I'm just tired of seeing it in every deck that's running blue. And it's just so predictable....... I mean, I've seen it in an Animar deck too..
There's tons of ways to kill/exile a helpless 2/2. Several of those cards also can't be countered. Kill him in response to whatever card-drwaing they use to win the game, and watch your opponent lose.
It's one card that lets you win the game by drawing cards and/or making big mana. There's little opportunity cost to include him and he's one more way to win the game. He should be in almost any blue deck, but will never be the primary win con.
The problem is there's two people who can't play magic unless they are running serious control and their only win conditions always revolving around Lab Man... Last week I punished one. He was about to infinite loop a worldgorger dragon to cast enter the infinite and cast Lab Man. I stopped it on the first response with a Path to exile his entire board state. He showed he had Enter in hand, it was the card he demonic tutored for.
There's tons of ways to kill/exile a helpless 2/2. Several of those cards also can't be countered. Kill him in response to whatever card-drwaing they use to win the game, and watch your opponent lose.
Although if it's Leovold, targeted removal will just get them another card draw.
There's tons of ways to kill/exile a helpless 2/2. Several of those cards also can't be countered. Kill him in response to whatever card-drwaing they use to win the game, and watch your opponent lose.
Although if it's Leovold, targeted removal will just get them another card draw.
I personally enjoy casting Praetor's Grasp on someone early in the game and then watching them Doomsday later on. Another great card against LabMan (that's good on its own accord) is Sudden Spoiling.
I personally enjoy casting Praetor's Grasp on someone early in the game and then watching them Doomsday later on. Another great card against LabMan (that's good on its own accord) is Sudden Spoiling.
I bet its funny to see the reaction on their face after that.
In all honesty, I don't mind it as a card. Then again, I've only played against it a few times
I bet its funny to see the reaction on their face after that.
In all honesty, I don't mind it as a card. Then again, I've only played against it a few times
Personally, I just find it to be boring and uninspired as a win condition in EDH. But I feel the same way about most infinite combos that require little setup.
I personally enjoy casting Praetor's Grasp on someone early in the game and then watching them Doomsday later on. Another great card against LabMan (that's good on its own accord) is Sudden Spoiling.
Although Sudden Spoiling wouldn't be good enough if Leovold is in play.
I run him in one deck, but it's my last resort wincon. When I have played long enough, and and running low on cards, and I realize that I can draw myself out faster than I can finish off my opponents, that's when I use him.
In my playgroup there are two decks that use LabMan as a wincon. One is my Sir's Jace, Vryn's Prodigy deck. That deck can win in several very blue ways, and one is LabMan. I have also been swarmed by squids on horseback. It just depends. The other is my daughter's Nekusar, the Mindrazer deck where LabMan is definitely a Plan B (more like Plan C or D, but whatever).
None of the other blue decks in my meta run it--certainly none of mine. I like my decks to be thematic. Sure LabMan fits in Sir's Jace deck, with its heavy focus on wizards. In my Sen Triplets artifact deck? Umm, no.
So, I don't mind seeing LabMan, but I suppose it could be because I don't see him too often? Then again, I didn't see Prophet of Kruphix too often, either. Only one deck in my meta ran it.
There's tons of ways to kill/exile a helpless 2/2. Several of those cards also can't be countered. Kill him in response to whatever card-drwaing they use to win the game, and watch your opponent lose.
Although if it's Leovold, targeted removal will just get them another card draw.
It depends on the deck. A properly constructed Laboratory Maniac deck won't give you a chance to respond to it winning. For instance, I play it as a wincon in Azami and in my RUG deck w/ Primal Surge. The ideal combo turn typically involves either dropping something like Dream Halls / Omniscience or making infinite mana, drawing your entire deck, putting Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir on the field, bouncing any problematic permanents, and then safely deploying Lab Man for the win. You generally don't want to play him until you are absolutely sure you are going to win with it.
Uh, none of the cards I mentioned are used in response to the Lab Man winning. They're used long before the attempted win.
The problem is there's two people who can't play magic unless they are running serious control and their only win conditions always revolving around Lab Man... Last week I punished one. He was about to infinite loop a worldgorger dragon to cast enter the infinite and cast Lab Man. I stopped it on the first response with a Path to exile his entire board state. He showed he had Enter in hand, it was the card he demonic tutored for.
They can't play magic?
You are saying they are literally unable to play magic unless they play "serious control?"
Dramatic much?
Did it ever occur to you they just might enjoy playing control?
Lab Man is good and I run him in my Jeleva deck in conjunction with doomsday. It's a very solid win-con if you build your piles right.
I like a little Laboratory Maniac in my EDH brews now and then, but generally he's a backup. Plan D or E if you will. Nothing wrong with trying to count all possible contingencies as much as possible. Granted, LabMan isn't that popular around where I am.
In fact, thinking about it, I think I'm the only one who would even run one. Typically he only see's play in my Azami deck, he's a Wizard, you know? That deck runs a cartload of draw though, so LabMan can help take the pressure of the deck and can help secure a victory.
I wouldn't count on LabMan to win me games though or even combo him out for a win. He's there as support, as fragile as it is. Nothing more.
I play him because I've accidentally milled myself to ten cards in library before with Sidisi, Brood Tyrant, got Tormod's Crypted, and thought -- y'know, I can try to cobble togather a few zombie beats and pray for no interruption, or I can try to go for a Lab Man win and see if anyone has disruption. He's not my main win-con, because I've got no way to protect him; a lot of times, though, he's pretty much my only win option left after a real late-game crypt. (Or, as it may be, my ownBojuka Bog stolen with Restore. I am still so incredibly salty over that one.)
In short: yeah, he can be an annoying combo win, but comboers gonna combo. If he was gone, they'd find someone else; if he's being overused, I'd expect it to be more of an issue with the playgroup's attitudes than the card itself.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is better for all the world if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes... Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Laboratory Maniac
Why are people always playing with this stupid card? There are other ways to win... It's Azami Lab Man... It's Mimeo Lab Man. It's Tasigar Lab Man... It's Grixis Lab Man. It's Esper Lab Man. It's now Leovold Lab Man.... Can you play with something a bit better than that stupid card? Hell, I'd be happy to see you Blue Sun Zenith your opponents away rather than going for the same tired old combo over and over...
Yes, it's a rant.... I don't think Lab Man is broken. I'm just tired of seeing it in every deck that's running blue. And it's just so predictable....... I mean, I've seen it in an Animar deck too..
Art is life itself.
My 720 Peasant Cube
If you can win easy with "you win" , it either wins or you are dead.
It ends the game.
Some others enjoy the grindy games, some planeswalker ticking up or some form of complete board controll wins the game.
Maniac is a very easy way to win, and its easy to get the idea how the "setup" works.
WUBRG#BlackLotusMatterWUBRG
👮👮👮 #BlueLivesMatter 👮👮👮
If Lab Man is a big problem, I think the best solution is generally Extract, Praetor's Grasp, Bitter Ordeal, Sadistic Sacrament, Jester's Cap, etc.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Amen. And Æther Flash
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
I personally enjoy casting Praetor's Grasp on someone early in the game and then watching them Doomsday later on. Another great card against LabMan (that's good on its own accord) is Sudden Spoiling.
Misc. EDH Stuff: Commander Cube | Zombies (Horde)
Resources:Commander Rulings FAQ | Commander Deckbuilding Guide
Follow me on Twitter! @cryogen_mtg
I bet its funny to see the reaction on their face after that.
In all honesty, I don't mind it as a card. Then again, I've only played against it a few times
Personally, I just find it to be boring and uninspired as a win condition in EDH. But I feel the same way about most infinite combos that require little setup.
Misc. EDH Stuff: Commander Cube | Zombies (Horde)
Resources:Commander Rulings FAQ | Commander Deckbuilding Guide
Follow me on Twitter! @cryogen_mtg
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
None of the other blue decks in my meta run it--certainly none of mine. I like my decks to be thematic. Sure LabMan fits in Sir's Jace deck, with its heavy focus on wizards. In my Sen Triplets artifact deck? Umm, no.
So, I don't mind seeing LabMan, but I suppose it could be because I don't see him too often? Then again, I didn't see Prophet of Kruphix too often, either. Only one deck in my meta ran it.
Maybe I just have a fun meta?
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
They can't play magic?
You are saying they are literally unable to play magic unless they play "serious control?"
Dramatic much?
Did it ever occur to you they just might enjoy playing control?
Lab Man is good and I run him in my Jeleva deck in conjunction with doomsday. It's a very solid win-con if you build your piles right.
My Collection & Tradelist
My EDH Cube: 960 Cards, Fully Foiled and Pimped
CUBE TUTOR
In fact, thinking about it, I think I'm the only one who would even run one. Typically he only see's play in my Azami deck, he's a Wizard, you know? That deck runs a cartload of draw though, so LabMan can help take the pressure of the deck and can help secure a victory.
I wouldn't count on LabMan to win me games though or even combo him out for a win. He's there as support, as fragile as it is. Nothing more.
In short: yeah, he can be an annoying combo win, but comboers gonna combo. If he was gone, they'd find someone else; if he's being overused, I'd expect it to be more of an issue with the playgroup's attitudes than the card itself.
--Buck v Bell, 1927. This case, regarding the compulsory sterilization of inmates at mental institutions, has -- somehow -- never been overturned. Just a wee PSA for ya.