Okay, but are we both looking at the list that inspired this discussion? With only 6 counters, there isn't always reason to keep mana up on your opponents turn (unless you want to represent counters). In fact, there's only a 10% chance that you will even see a counter in the first 10 cards you look at. When you consider the 6 maindeck discard spells (plus Liliana), there's even less reason to hold up mana.
More to the point, we're not looking at a tempo deck here. The specific list that contextualizes this discussion is a combo deck with alternate wincons in the form of Lingering Souls and Creeping Tar Pit. Outside of the combo, there is not a singular threat that you need to protect with counters (as is the case with other tempo decks, like Delver). Instead you have some low-impact threats that get nasty with Sword of the Meek, or you just combo out and force your opponent to both Wrath AND deal with Thopter Foundry.
In this context, it may be more important to draw cards (to assemble the combo or out-value your opponent after high-impact discard spells) than it is to hold up mana for an instant-speed Divination or Mind Rot.
Furthermore, the life loss from Painful Truths is both 1) modular (in the sense that you have control over how much life to pay and cards to draw) and 2) not that important, since you're likely to win via combo.
The one thing that Esper Charm has over Painful Truths in this particular build is the interaction with Jace. Draw 2 + make you discard 2 (or "hey, buddy. discard 4") can just win games.
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
Is drawing three and paying 3 life and being a sorcery better than being an instant and having the option to make your opponent discard 2 cards at instant speed. I don't see how it is.
Well, that depends. If you are playing a deck that dumps its hand, then a draw-three is better simply so that you have more to do. The flexibility of Esper Charm doesn't make it better in a vacuum, though I definitely agree that it's better in the decks that want it (i.e., more dedicated control builds).
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
I haven't, but it's hard to imagine that Day's Undoing is a card this deck wants. It eliminates all our delve fuel, nullifies Snapcaster Mage and ends the turn, meaning you can't even use the prowess to buff Monastery Mentor. I guess I'm just not sure what the point would be. That being said, I haven't tried it, so take all that with a grain of salt
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
The problem with Pack Rat is , as with Liliana of the Veil, You do not really want to discard cards if you are playing Mentors... The only cards you could discard are lands if you really are flooded or a discard when the opponent has no card, but this looks really situational.
As a counterpoint, it's also worth considering that discarding cards to Pack Rat fuels delve for Tasigur, Angler and Muderous Cut, while also giving you more options with Snapcaster. Likewise, Lingering Souls isn't terrible when it's in your graveyard.
Pack Rat also lets you play a more reactive game, choosing whether to copy your rat or save your card in hand depending on what the situation warrants. In fact, the more I think about it, the more it appeals to me as a one-of.
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
I can't imagine when Jace would actually be good. As a creature, it's a 0/2 which really doesn't advance the aggro or midrange plan. As a planeswalker, he's pretty underwhelming. The +1 is okay (helps stem bleeding vs creature decks, I guess), but his -3 does basically nothing for us. What do we want to give flashback at sorcery speed? Path? Thoughtscour? Discard? I don't think so. Seems pretty bad all around for this deck, tbh.
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
Why is Turn Aside better than Dispel? Does the fact that it answers sorceries trump the limitation of the "that targets a permanent you control" clause?
It would feel pretty awful to get bolted at three life, look down at your hand and see a Turn Aside staring at you mockingly...
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Playing with proxied cards at sanctioned events is good, actually.
More to the point, we're not looking at a tempo deck here. The specific list that contextualizes this discussion is a combo deck with alternate wincons in the form of Lingering Souls and Creeping Tar Pit. Outside of the combo, there is not a singular threat that you need to protect with counters (as is the case with other tempo decks, like Delver). Instead you have some low-impact threats that get nasty with Sword of the Meek, or you just combo out and force your opponent to both Wrath AND deal with Thopter Foundry.
In this context, it may be more important to draw cards (to assemble the combo or out-value your opponent after high-impact discard spells) than it is to hold up mana for an instant-speed Divination or Mind Rot.
Furthermore, the life loss from Painful Truths is both 1) modular (in the sense that you have control over how much life to pay and cards to draw) and 2) not that important, since you're likely to win via combo.
The one thing that Esper Charm has over Painful Truths in this particular build is the interaction with Jace. Draw 2 + make you discard 2 (or "hey, buddy. discard 4") can just win games.
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
Well, that depends. If you are playing a deck that dumps its hand, then a draw-three is better simply so that you have more to do. The flexibility of Esper Charm doesn't make it better in a vacuum, though I definitely agree that it's better in the decks that want it (i.e., more dedicated control builds).
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
As a counterpoint, it's also worth considering that discarding cards to Pack Rat fuels delve for Tasigur, Angler and Muderous Cut, while also giving you more options with Snapcaster. Likewise, Lingering Souls isn't terrible when it's in your graveyard.
Pack Rat also lets you play a more reactive game, choosing whether to copy your rat or save your card in hand depending on what the situation warrants. In fact, the more I think about it, the more it appeals to me as a one-of.
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
I can't imagine when Jace would actually be good. As a creature, it's a 0/2 which really doesn't advance the aggro or midrange plan. As a planeswalker, he's pretty underwhelming. The +1 is okay (helps stem bleeding vs creature decks, I guess), but his -3 does basically nothing for us. What do we want to give flashback at sorcery speed? Path? Thoughtscour? Discard? I don't think so. Seems pretty bad all around for this deck, tbh.
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
It would feel pretty awful to get bolted at three life, look down at your hand and see a Turn Aside staring at you mockingly...
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
curious about your inclusion of Phyrexian Arena. Is this just insurance for the grind fest? What was it like to draw it in faster matches?
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.
Blue lives don't matter in the slightest.