My apologies if this is in the wrong place. If so, please move it for me, Moderators!
My first question is with Grasp of Darkness
During my opponent's turn if they either attack me with a strong creature or block with a strong creature, can I suddenly play this card and bring their attack/block down -4/-4? Then put it in the graveyard and whatever their creature attacked me with would be less power dealt?
2nd question is with Winding Constrictor
To be honest with you, while I am dying to play this in a deck, I just don't understand the directions, at all. Please help! I have 4 of these in my possession. Time to make the most of them!
Typically, people use Grasp of Darkness to kill a creature, either by itself or by blocking a creature plus casting a Grasp, but you certainly can use it to simply take less damage. Generally, it's not the optimal use of the cards, though.
Winding Constrictor is more simple than its card text reads. The first ability means if a creature you control gets any number of counters, then it gets than many plus 1. So if an effect gives 1, winding constrictor will make it get 2. If an effect gives 3, Winding Constrictor means you get 4 instead.
The second ability does the same thing for players. The only counter players get in standard right now is energy, so winding constrictor will give you an extra energy.
So, just pay attention to my opponent's creatures and their toughness and kill when able with Grasp?
With Winding Constrictor, if my creatures don't say anything like they get a counter, then do I still get to put a +1/+1 on it or does it have to be a "counter specific" creature?
Unfortunately I have not played with energy and have no idea how that works, especially in a delirium deck. Hmm... I see this all the time while watching tournaments on Twitch, but have no first hand experience with it. Alas....
The best way to play Grasp of Darkness is as an unpleasant surprise. It is as simple as paying attention to timing.
Here's how Winding Constrictor works in an actual play situation. Say you have a Constrictor out and you play a Thriving Rhino. When it enters the battlefield, the Constrictor checks that you're getting counters, and gives you one more. You now have EEE. On your next turn, when you attack with the Rhino, you can pay EE and give it a +1/+1 counter, to which the Constrictor adds one, making it a 4/5 before it even deals damage! Next attack, if you can just get one more E from another source, you can make the Rhino a 6/7, and so on.
Thanks on the advice of how to play Grasp of Darkness I like it and plan to put it to good use!
And thank you for explaining Winding Constrictor in play for me. That is exactly what I needed! It really pumps up creatures and is well named! I am guessing this card works best with other cards from Kaladesh and Aethor Revolt, but not much with the sets beforehand? Now if someone kills off my Winding Constrictor, does that mean I have to take away the counters both for me and my creatures, or do they stay in play?
Counters are independent of their source! If your Constrictor takes a Fatal Push, you still get to keep all of your unspent energy that you got from it and all the +1/+1 counters you put on with it.
There are tons of great cards outside of block to use Winding Constrictor with. An interesting (possibly janky, possibly good) combo in Modern can start with a first-turn Hardened Scales, second turn Winding Constrictor, and into every +1/+1-counter creature you can stand to use.
So, I could use Winding Constrictor with Verdurous Gearhulk, Obsessive Skinner, Gnarlwood Dryad, or Bloodbriar? The latter two if the conditions are right and in my favour! I won't have time to get anything new before FNM tomorrow. I'm having enough trouble deciding what to use and what not to use, as I want to use them all! Too many good cards and strategies!
Also, what is the deal with Legendary Creatures and Artifact Creatures when you have delirium. Do they count as 1) A Creature like other Creatures, in the same category. 2) A Creature and an Artifact, so two things. 3) A Legendary Creature or an Artifact Creature, different than regular Creatures but a category of their own, thus yet another "type" for delirium?
Winding Constrictor works with all of the above except Gnarlwood Dryad. Counters mean counters - the Dryad gets a static bonus from its own ability, not a counter. You need to look for the exact word.
One thing to note with the Verdurous Gearhulk combo is that putting all four +1/+1 counters on something with Winding Constrictor out results in five +1/+1 counters, but putting one counter on each of four creatures gives them all the one counter plus the one from the Constrictor, for eight total. Value!
A legendary artifact creature in the 'yard counts for two card types worth of delirium: Artifact and creature. Legendary is a supertype, not a card type - it modifies other types and is not a type in and of itself.
Card types are all of the following:
Artifact
Creature
Enchantment
Instant
Land
Sorcery
Planeswalker
Tribal
Awesome! I think I cheated myself out of Delirium last week by not counting certain things and it lost me the game. Bummer! lol The joy of learning!! Ah, on the Gnarlwood Dryad. Now I see why we all anguish over the building of decks. It is more work than playing the game! So many thanks for all your help. I truly appreciate it! Keep an eye out for me. I am sure I will have questions in the near future!
I have a question regarding kambal, consul of allocation. If i cast him, and my opponent plays a noncreature counter spell, does kambals ability trigger or do i have to wait for him to enter the battlefield to trigger the ability?
I have a question regarding kambal, consul of allocation. If i cast him, and my opponent plays a noncreature counter spell, does kambals ability trigger or do i have to wait for him to enter the battlefield to trigger the ability?
My first question is with Grasp of Darkness
During my opponent's turn if they either attack me with a strong creature or block with a strong creature, can I suddenly play this card and bring their attack/block down -4/-4? Then put it in the graveyard and whatever their creature attacked me with would be less power dealt?
2nd question is with Winding Constrictor
To be honest with you, while I am dying to play this in a deck, I just don't understand the directions, at all. Please help! I have 4 of these in my possession. Time to make the most of them!
Winding Constrictor is more simple than its card text reads. The first ability means if a creature you control gets any number of counters, then it gets than many plus 1. So if an effect gives 1, winding constrictor will make it get 2. If an effect gives 3, Winding Constrictor means you get 4 instead.
The second ability does the same thing for players. The only counter players get in standard right now is energy, so winding constrictor will give you an extra energy.
With Winding Constrictor, if my creatures don't say anything like they get a counter, then do I still get to put a +1/+1 on it or does it have to be a "counter specific" creature?
Unfortunately I have not played with energy and have no idea how that works, especially in a delirium deck. Hmm... I see this all the time while watching tournaments on Twitch, but have no first hand experience with it. Alas....
Here's how Winding Constrictor works in an actual play situation. Say you have a Constrictor out and you play a Thriving Rhino. When it enters the battlefield, the Constrictor checks that you're getting counters, and gives you one more. You now have EEE. On your next turn, when you attack with the Rhino, you can pay EE and give it a +1/+1 counter, to which the Constrictor adds one, making it a 4/5 before it even deals damage! Next attack, if you can just get one more E from another source, you can make the Rhino a 6/7, and so on.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
And thank you for explaining Winding Constrictor in play for me. That is exactly what I needed! It really pumps up creatures and is well named! I am guessing this card works best with other cards from Kaladesh and Aethor Revolt, but not much with the sets beforehand? Now if someone kills off my Winding Constrictor, does that mean I have to take away the counters both for me and my creatures, or do they stay in play?
There are tons of great cards outside of block to use Winding Constrictor with. An interesting (possibly janky, possibly good) combo in Modern can start with a first-turn Hardened Scales, second turn Winding Constrictor, and into every +1/+1-counter creature you can stand to use.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Also, what is the deal with Legendary Creatures and Artifact Creatures when you have delirium. Do they count as 1) A Creature like other Creatures, in the same category. 2) A Creature and an Artifact, so two things. 3) A Legendary Creature or an Artifact Creature, different than regular Creatures but a category of their own, thus yet another "type" for delirium?
One thing to note with the Verdurous Gearhulk combo is that putting all four +1/+1 counters on something with Winding Constrictor out results in five +1/+1 counters, but putting one counter on each of four creatures gives them all the one counter plus the one from the Constrictor, for eight total. Value!
A legendary artifact creature in the 'yard counts for two card types worth of delirium: Artifact and creature. Legendary is a supertype, not a card type - it modifies other types and is not a type in and of itself.
Card types are all of the following:
Artifact
Creature
Enchantment
Instant
Land
Sorcery
Planeswalker
Tribal
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝