Hidden Strings 1U
Sorcery
You may tap or untap target permanent, then you may tap or untap another target permanent
Cipher
Common
Is it just me, or is this card bonkers? With the amount of acceleration in cube, I'd think any cube that support Ux tempo has to have this, right? And even if it's not true acceleration (since you have to have a combat step in between), I can imagine blue decks tapping out main phase 1 for threats, then having mana available for counterspells after Hidden Strings untaps lands.
It does seem pretty good, but nearly impossible to evaluate on paper alone. It's certainly ludicrously versatile and can do very unpleasant things with many cube targets.
It really doesn't seem all that amazing to me. It's essentially free for the first turn (tap down blockers, attack, cipher and untap lands) but after that, the trigger isn't particularly reliable, and it's in "aura" mode at that point too. It doesn't really ramp you (because the mana is split up between phases) but it does allow you to play a threat and then untap lands for a counterspell. That's nice if you can continue to connect in combat, but the effect doesn't help you accomplish that after the 1st turn.
Yeah, I wouldn't ever count on getting value out of it after the first turn. I think the original mode is quite good though, and anything extra is a nice bonus. I would hope for some way of abusing the tap/untap triggers. It could be horrendous in practice, it's hard to tell, but being able to untap lands with it at least piques my interest.
If it were an instant instead of a sorcery, I think I'd agree about it being good the turn it's cast. But it's not particularly stellar on its first resolution. And honestly, it's not that great with its cipher triggers either.
You're probably right, but... there must be something semi-playable with Cipher. It's such a cool mechanic. I'm kind of set on finding something to test, and it would be a huge disappointment if there's nothing remotely good printed with it. This seems better than most of the GTC ones, as I'm sure you'll agree.
I think Hands of Binding is better. It helps keep the cipher triggers occurring, and defends you at the same time. It gives a Thalakos Dreamsower ability strapped to a creature that's very likely better at pushing damage through.
I've been known to force Ux tempo a lot, especially when I see Edric of GoST. This just seems so perfect for those decks. On my turn, I always want to be clearing blockers with bounce or removal, and with this trigger every turn on an evasive weenie, I can keep putting on the pressure and always have mana for a counterspell up, or just keep putting on even more pressure.
Hands of Binding is obviously better at clearing blockers, but it's not as flexible as Hidden Strings. I'm not sure if blue has had any better acceleration than this. Tezzeret is a 5 drop and can only do artifacts. This can do artifacts, lands, and creatures (though not that many creatures in my cube have activated ablities).
Either way, I'm definitely testing it out. The main knock on it is I'm not sure any non-tempo decks would want this. Maybe artifacts deck that run Tolarian Academy. Or any bounceland/mana rock heavy deck in general.
I can only use it to remove blockers the turn I cast it. Once it's in cipher mode, it won't allow me to get other attacking creatures through. Whereas Hands of Binding can. And, Hands defends you at the same time, because it removes their best attacker.
I don't think the effect is worth a card, considering that it's not particularly reliable after the first turn, unless you drop it on a cheap evasive creature.
I'm not sure if blue has had any better acceleration than this.
But it's not really ramp. It gives you access to more overall mana during your turn, but not at once. I can't use 3 lands to play a 5-drop, for example.
But it's not really ramp. It gives you access to more overall mana during your turn, but not at once. I can't use 3 lands to play a 5-drop, for example.
Unless that 5 drop is an instant or has flash, of course. Possible T2 venser shaper savant bounce your land? Does that excite only me? haha
Ha, no that sounds pretty good. But how are you doing that on T2?
T1> 1 drop (or evasive 2 drop if you have mox)
T2>Strings, untap the 2 mana and cipher onto your creature. Attack. Ciphered Strings on the stack. Float 2. Strings resolves. Float 2 more, flash in Venser.
And it's yet another card in this set that goes infinite with Time Vault.
Indeed good catch. I think Time Vault-combo can become less glass cannon then before. Which might akeit too strong for a lot cubes. A lot of people dislike such an 'easy' infinite combo to be playable.
I don't think it's close to playable yet. Outside of a 360 list with 8 players, the chances of getting the vault and its pieces in the same deck is still too inconsistent. I would need at least 2 cards that went ultimate with it in the same deck in order to run Vault. And that's just not doable now without running some really subpar cards.
Well we always Rochester with eight which might help of course. If you often draft with less players then it will be a lot weaker for sure.
I'd rather support Time Vault from a power perspective then Storm. The upside is way bigger and you don't need that many slots. Look at Tinker, it also only has a couple of worthwhile targets, but it still is very powerful.
Look at Tinker, it also only has a couple of worthwhile targets, but it still is very powerful.
But Tinker gets your targets for you. I don't have to draw Tinker and its target at the same time for it to be good. Playing Tinker and 4 targets in the cube is fine. Playing Vault and 4 combo cards in the cube will wind up being WAY too inconsistent. And there's only 2 cards that combo with it that I consider cubeworthy, which makes things even worse. It's really not the same thing as Tinker at all.
What a weird and cool card! I feel like it has a few too many limitations though. Can I cypher on non combat damage? Pinging with this might not be so loose but man does that sound like a crappy combo and crappy combos only have a home in cube if they do something really solid in other circumstances.
I added Time Vault for fun just to test it out, and it's been a surprise. It's definitely inconsistent, but when someone picks it up early it generally works out pretty well.
What actually surprised me though, was that players thought it was good enough to run with one-shot untap effects such as Pestermite and Zealous Conscripts as a pseudo-Time Walk style card.
In addition some players were actually skipping the turn with an active Smokestack or similar cards and using it that way.
And of course, we had some drafts where a player picked it up and the the second piece didn't come together, or it was a last pick. In the very least, it was a lot of fun seeing all the interactions. I might keep it in a little longer.
That said, as someone who runs Time Vault, this card is interesting but I don't really have anything in blue I want to cut for it right now.
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Hidden Strings 1U
Sorcery
You may tap or untap target permanent, then you may tap or untap another target permanent
Cipher
Common
Is it just me, or is this card bonkers? With the amount of acceleration in cube, I'd think any cube that support Ux tempo has to have this, right? And even if it's not true acceleration (since you have to have a combat step in between), I can imagine blue decks tapping out main phase 1 for threats, then having mana available for counterspells after Hidden Strings untaps lands.
I might give it a test.
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Hands of Binding is obviously better at clearing blockers, but it's not as flexible as Hidden Strings. I'm not sure if blue has had any better acceleration than this. Tezzeret is a 5 drop and can only do artifacts. This can do artifacts, lands, and creatures (though not that many creatures in my cube have activated ablities).
Either way, I'm definitely testing it out. The main knock on it is I'm not sure any non-tempo decks would want this. Maybe artifacts deck that run Tolarian Academy. Or any bounceland/mana rock heavy deck in general.
I don't think the effect is worth a card, considering that it's not particularly reliable after the first turn, unless you drop it on a cheap evasive creature.
But it's not really ramp. It gives you access to more overall mana during your turn, but not at once. I can't use 3 lands to play a 5-drop, for example.
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Glad to see another solid cipher card for limited, most of those in GTC were lame.
Unless that 5 drop is an instant or has flash, of course. Possible T2 venser shaper savant bounce your land? Does that excite only me? haha
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T1> 1 drop (or evasive 2 drop if you have mox)
T2>Strings, untap the 2 mana and cipher onto your creature. Attack. Ciphered Strings on the stack. Float 2. Strings resolves. Float 2 more, flash in Venser.
Brain malfunctioning right now.
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Regardless, that doesn't change my opinion on the card at all. I don't think it's worth a card and the potential 1-for-2.
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http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=385729
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Indeed good catch. I think Time Vault-combo can become less glass cannon then before. Which might akeit too strong for a lot cubes. A lot of people dislike such an 'easy' infinite combo to be playable.
I feel compelled to repeat everything I hear
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I'd rather support Time Vault from a power perspective then Storm. The upside is way bigger and you don't need that many slots. Look at Tinker, it also only has a couple of worthwhile targets, but it still is very powerful.
I feel compelled to repeat everything I hear
But Tinker gets your targets for you. I don't have to draw Tinker and its target at the same time for it to be good. Playing Tinker and 4 targets in the cube is fine. Playing Vault and 4 combo cards in the cube will wind up being WAY too inconsistent. And there's only 2 cards that combo with it that I consider cubeworthy, which makes things even worse. It's really not the same thing as Tinker at all.
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What actually surprised me though, was that players thought it was good enough to run with one-shot untap effects such as Pestermite and Zealous Conscripts as a pseudo-Time Walk style card.
In addition some players were actually skipping the turn with an active Smokestack or similar cards and using it that way.
And of course, we had some drafts where a player picked it up and the the second piece didn't come together, or it was a last pick. In the very least, it was a lot of fun seeing all the interactions. I might keep it in a little longer.
That said, as someone who runs Time Vault, this card is interesting but I don't really have anything in blue I want to cut for it right now.