The biggest knock against it for me is that my 3-drop slots always have so much competition, that a good number of viable cards get left to the wayside. Being viable for Skullclamp and Sun Titan are amazing boons, so I feel he's more at home in WR or mono-W, where you can use those interactions to keep up in terms of tempo or card advantage. If/when I build Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, he's probably got a spot reserved.
What I really want is a one-mana version of this guy, to be part of some awesome Ranger of Eos package.
I run it in my Roon deck, and I don't think I'm ever dissatisfied to see it, though the deck is obviously blink/bounce effects that abuse ETB, so of course he fits right in
Whenever I brainstorm a flicker deck this is one of my first includes. Then as I clean things up it disappears. I'm not really sure why...maybe because I prefer repeatable effects and instant speed effects.
This card used to be the bomb diggity when it came out, but these days, it's just outclassed by guys like Roon, Reclamation Angel, and Conjurer's Closet. Something in modern still plays it though, so I guess it's not that bad.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"When does a man die? When he is hit by a bullet? No! When he suffers a disease? No! When he ate a soup made out of a poisonous mushroom? No! A man dies when he is forgotten!" Currently Piloting: EDH BGGlissa, The Traitor - Recursion (Primer) WBRKaalia of The Vast URGRiku of Two Reflections WUBSydri, Galvanic Genius UBRamirez DePietro GWKrond, The Dawn-Clad GWUDerevi, Empyrial Tactician RGOmnath, Locus of Rage
It's good, if you need another blinker, but there are so many blink and bounce cards in white.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Flickerwisp is a good card. I feel it really shines in dual decks, where the 3/1 flying body is extremely useful.
I remember playing my Rasputin Dreamweaver deck against Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind. We did nothing but counter each other's spells and both only got like 3 spells through all game. He cast Niv, I countered, he countered, I countered. He was tapped out and I got to play Rasputin into gemstone array into this and we proceeded to counter every spell for the rest of the game.
I ended up winning via the 7 damage-per turn from Rasputin and this.
Outside of 1v1 UW, this is decent in ETB decks.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Decks:
Aggro: WUBRGHorde of Notions Goodstuff, RUBCheesy Aggro, GR Xenagod Gruul Goodstuff
Control: GWBGhave, Guru of Adaptability, UBWrexial, Milling Deep UAzami, Lady of No Infinite Combos GWU Derevi, Tempo Beats
Other: URGRiku of Too Much Mana, WUBRG Sliver Queen Enchantress
It's worth noting you can take away someone's Maze of Ith for a turn, so this should have added value to voltron dudes that don't otherwise have Hexproof or Shroud. (True story, I was playing Nicol Bolas against a Thalia, Guardian of Thraben deck and it was super late {he got Emeria, the Sky Ruin online} and so he kept bringing this guy back to let his guys through my Maze).
It's true utility comes from the ability to blink things besides your own creatures. Yes it can act as Restoration Angel number two, but it can also reset Mimic Vats and Assemble the Legions', can knock off opposing auras, kill tokens, remove blockers and really punish bounce lands. Not the most powerful card, but he makes it in most of my white decks just for the pure versatility.
I run both him and the Stag in my current iteration of Brago. They remove blockers the first time you play them, and then provide additional value off of your other assorted ETB stuff. They are also really tech for untapping lands to use on your opponents' turns for counters and such.
This is a Commander staple that can make for some interesting thought exercises when piles are made. There can certainly be an art to crafting the perfect pile and if a player can't foresee what your intentions are, you can really get some decent cards with it. And it's an instant so you can cast it EOT.
As good a card as it is, I'm not particulary fond of one-off draw methods in Commander, except when it also brings a disruption along (Syphon Mind/Wheels/Windfall). However, as far as one-off draw cards go, this IS absolute top of the pile. I wouldn't call it a staple, but it should be in your consideration pile for every blue-based deck you build.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
ok, so maybe not so much in this format. But it definitely is a house provides excellent card advantage. As Lou said, definitely is a consideration for all my U decks.
[EDH] It's built to be a casual format and to a specific vision, and if you don't like the vision, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's not going to change to accommodate everyone. Big tent is not a goal.
Amazing card, could have cost 2UUU and it'd still be just as good and playable. Never unhappy to see this card. And oh hey look - this even fills the 'Yard for later too! 5/5 would always play.
You're on fire! 6 playible cards in a row? I don't know how people can complain about global warming, because hell has clearly frozen over!
Fact or Fiction is not just amazing, it's in the top 3 blue draw spells in the format, if not #1. Since it's a 4 mana instant, you can leave plenty of mana open for responses and be guaranteed to not waste it. As for "one off" draw effects, look at it this way:
Unless your opponents let your Phyrexian arena sit for 4 turns, you're significantly worse off with it. I'd say it would take 6 turns to make up for A) Not instant, B) Not instant draw C) Not as splashible and D) Lack of digging.
10/5 sexy card.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Decks:
Aggro: WUBRGHorde of Notions Goodstuff, RUBCheesy Aggro, GR Xenagod Gruul Goodstuff
Control: GWBGhave, Guru of Adaptability, UBWrexial, Milling Deep UAzami, Lady of No Infinite Combos GWU Derevi, Tempo Beats
Other: URGRiku of Too Much Mana, WUBRG Sliver Queen Enchantress
I love Fact or Fiction. I love piles. I love making my opponent make hard decisions. I love seeing Flashback cards to make their decisions harder.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
UUU Talrand, Sky Summoner // (W/U)(W/U)(W/U) Grand Arbiter Augustin IV // RRR Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker // (R/G)(R/G)(R/G) Wort, the Raidmother // URG Riku of Two Reflections // RWU Ruhan of the Fomori
Quote from Mark Rosewater »
In response to your Lightning Blast, I'll eat this burrito.
Quote from slipknot72102 »
This is why I started playing magic in the first place. It wasn't PT aspirations just making noobs cry by doing things that are perfectly fair.
Fact or fiction has always been an awesome card for me, instant 5 dig that you can play some awesome politics with. Even in the worst situation you're still going to get what you need in the situation.
Unfortunately, I always have to get on my playgroup's case with this card - whoever I choose is the only person that can make that choice. Just because it says target doesn't mean that anyone gets the split. Do not give him any help.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stopped, the story will not end.
Whether it's a comedy or a tragedy, if there is cheering, the story will continue on.
Just like the many lives.
For the us who are still in it and still in the journey, send warm blessings.
- We will continue to walk down this path until eternity.
What I really want is a one-mana version of this guy, to be part of some awesome Ranger of Eos package.
RRR - Bosh's School of Hard(cover) Knocks
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/nekusar-wheeling-pain/?cat=type
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Currently Piloting:
EDH
BGGlissa, The Traitor - Recursion (Primer)
WBRKaalia of The Vast
URGRiku of Two Reflections
WUBSydri, Galvanic Genius
UBRamirez DePietro
GWKrond, The Dawn-Clad
GWUDerevi, Empyrial Tactician
RGOmnath, Locus of Rage
Modern
UG Infect
On phasing:
I remember playing my Rasputin Dreamweaver deck against Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind. We did nothing but counter each other's spells and both only got like 3 spells through all game. He cast Niv, I countered, he countered, I countered. He was tapped out and I got to play Rasputin into gemstone array into this and we proceeded to counter every spell for the rest of the game.
I ended up winning via the 7 damage-per turn from Rasputin and this.
Outside of 1v1 UW, this is decent in ETB decks.
Aggro: WUBRGHorde of Notions Goodstuff, RUB Cheesy Aggro, GR Xenagod Gruul Goodstuff
Control: GWBGhave, Guru of Adaptability, UBWrexial, Milling Deep UAzami, Lady of No Infinite Combos GWU Derevi, Tempo Beats
Other: URGRiku of Too Much Mana, WUBRG Sliver Queen Enchantress
Good card.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Also, specifically in that deck, they (and Skybind) combo really well with Sundial of the Infinite.
RRRAshling, the PilgrimRRR
UUUThadda Adel, AcquisitorUUU
This is a Commander staple that can make for some interesting thought exercises when piles are made. There can certainly be an art to crafting the perfect pile and if a player can't foresee what your intentions are, you can really get some decent cards with it. And it's an instant so you can cast it EOT.
Misc. EDH Stuff: Commander Cube | Zombies (Horde)
Resources:Commander Rulings FAQ | Commander Deckbuilding Guide
Follow me on Twitter! @cryogen_mtg
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
ok, so maybe not so much in this format. But it definitely is a house provides excellent card advantage. As Lou said, definitely is a consideration for all my U decks.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Fact or Fiction is not just amazing, it's in the top 3 blue draw spells in the format, if not #1. Since it's a 4 mana instant, you can leave plenty of mana open for responses and be guaranteed to not waste it. As for "one off" draw effects, look at it this way:
Unless your opponents let your Phyrexian arena sit for 4 turns, you're significantly worse off with it. I'd say it would take 6 turns to make up for A) Not instant, B) Not instant draw C) Not as splashible and D) Lack of digging.
10/5 sexy card.
Aggro: WUBRGHorde of Notions Goodstuff, RUB Cheesy Aggro, GR Xenagod Gruul Goodstuff
Control: GWBGhave, Guru of Adaptability, UBWrexial, Milling Deep UAzami, Lady of No Infinite Combos GWU Derevi, Tempo Beats
Other: URGRiku of Too Much Mana, WUBRG Sliver Queen Enchantress
GUB [Retired Primer] The Mimeoplasm BUG
Modern: UR Storm RU
Cube: WUBRG Pauper Cube GRBUW
Credit for the banner goes to DarkNightCavalier at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Unfortunately, I always have to get on my playgroup's case with this card - whoever I choose is the only person that can make that choice. Just because it says target doesn't mean that anyone gets the split. Do not give him any help.
Whether it's a comedy or a tragedy, if there is cheering, the story will continue on.
Just like the many lives.
For the us who are still in it and still in the journey, send warm blessings.
- We will continue to walk down this path until eternity.
Having said that, I prefer Steam Augury, due to your control over the piles, and the synergy with Sunforger.
If I'm playing just RU, though, I always consider both.