Obiviously Thoughtseize is the number 1 discard spell in MTG and as such it is played in every format that exists currently. It is easily one the most powerful and versatile spells in modern, however it does not hit lands. With decks such as Scapeshift and Tron as well as any deck running 3+ colors or manlands, it is incredibly important which lands an opponent has in hand/on the field. Blackmail gives you the option of hitting things with any casting cost (unlike Inquisition of Kozilek) and even lands.
Obviously it has the drawback that the opponent chooses the three cards they will reveal so you do not get perfect information via seeing their whole hand and you only get to choose from the cards they reveal, however, if their hand isn't full this drawback is not as limiting. Some decks end up playing Duress or Inquisition instead of Thoughtseize to help keep from damaging oneself too much (what with such self-destructive mana bases made up of shocks and fetches against fast decks like Affinity or RDW). My focus is on determining if the drawback of the opponent choosing which cards are revealed and the fact that you only get to choose between three cards makes it totally useless or if its upside of being able to hit anything for no 2 life investment, including lands, can be worth it in some decks/matchups/metas.
Now I am not saying it will replace Thoughtseize, not by a long shot, but as with many cards that are twists on popular tournament staples, they tend to have their place in certain lists. My question is does Blackmail have a place in Modern at all and if so what kind of capacity could you expect it to see play?
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URWBG
I play on Cockatrice, message me to play modern format.
No place. Duress, inquisition and thoughtseize are all superior. The only advantage would be in like BW or BWR land destruction where you could get a land but still super super narrow.
If you want more than 8 cmc1 discards, and you're already running the full set of Thoughtseize/IoK, then this is a passable discard slot 9+. Although you'd probably just hit Wrench Mind at that point - why would you need more than 8 cmc1 discard spells?
I have heavily tested this card among its peers (Thoughseize, IOK, Duress) and I find it to be inferior to all of them - but not by much. It competes with Duress as your 9+ 1cc discard spell, but ultimately Duress gets the nod.
I'd say it's better than Thoughtsieze. Why? While testing discard decks, I found on turn 2+ your opponent always has 3-4 cards left in hand. A simple Duress, followed by Blackmail puts me 3 turns ahead each game.
I found Blackmail so good that I beat aggro decks because of it. Denying them their land drop shuts them down.
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Modern: U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
blackmail is a fine card to play, lot of times hands empty down to the 3 card range.
but its all dependent on the opposing deck type affecting how often they reach the 3 card hand and how soon.
an aggro deck will be down to 3 cards faster than a control deck. so keep that in mind when using it.
it has a very low chance of screwing over opening hands that would be considered greedy / mana hands, such a situation where if your opponent loses a certain 1 of card from there hand they won't have the ability to do anything for the start of the game. example being, griselband reanimator, you won't shut down there turn 1 plays with a blackmail, where as a thoughseize would.
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Decks: "Name one! I probably got it built In one of these boxes."
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Obviously it has the drawback that the opponent chooses the three cards they will reveal so you do not get perfect information via seeing their whole hand and you only get to choose from the cards they reveal, however, if their hand isn't full this drawback is not as limiting. Some decks end up playing Duress or Inquisition instead of Thoughtseize to help keep from damaging oneself too much (what with such self-destructive mana bases made up of shocks and fetches against fast decks like Affinity or RDW). My focus is on determining if the drawback of the opponent choosing which cards are revealed and the fact that you only get to choose between three cards makes it totally useless or if its upside of being able to hit anything for no 2 life investment, including lands, can be worth it in some decks/matchups/metas.
Now I am not saying it will replace Thoughtseize, not by a long shot, but as with many cards that are twists on popular tournament staples, they tend to have their place in certain lists. My question is does Blackmail have a place in Modern at all and if so what kind of capacity could you expect it to see play?
I play on Cockatrice, message me to play modern format.
URWBG
Not like it's not powerful enough, it just can't find a place because there are better options.
I found Blackmail so good that I beat aggro decks because of it. Denying them their land drop shuts them down.
Posted from MTGsalvation.com App for Android
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
cabal therapy isn't modern legal.
In most decks, blackmail is the wrong card... in 8-rack, I could see it, though I don't think I'd run 4. And since that deck is probably already running thoughtseize, inquisition of kozilek, wrench mind, raven's crime, liliana of the veil, and possibly smallpox or funeral charm, there might not be room.
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R
but its all dependent on the opposing deck type affecting how often they reach the 3 card hand and how soon.
an aggro deck will be down to 3 cards faster than a control deck. so keep that in mind when using it.
it has a very low chance of screwing over opening hands that would be considered greedy / mana hands, such a situation where if your opponent loses a certain 1 of card from there hand they won't have the ability to do anything for the start of the game. example being, griselband reanimator, you won't shut down there turn 1 plays with a blackmail, where as a thoughseize would.
Twitter- RogueSource.
Decks: "Name one! I probably got it built In one of these boxes."
---------------------------------------------------
Vintage will rise again! Buy a Mox today!
---------------------------------------------------
[I]Some call it dig through time, when really your digging through CRAP!
Merfolk! showing magic players what a shower is since Lorwyn!