Ok I've subscribed to this thread 5 times now and have been automatically kicked. What's going on?
EDIT: I'm sorry, I know this probably don't belong here. Please redirect me somewhere. I'm very confused.
There's a known display bug with subscriptions. If you click "Subscribe" once, it subscribes but gives no feedback. Click again and the button toggles to "Unsubscribe," but it really unsubscribed. Click "Unsubscribe" and it subscribes again. Basically, it's all messed up, but you can subscribe. If that doesn't help, try Forum Software Feedback and Bug Reports under Community Discussion.
... I think I fixed it now, with your instructions. Thanks for the reference in case it doesn't work. This was/is my favorite thread, so...
Against bad players (do you pay the one?), it'll draw you a lot of cards (do you pay the one?). Against good players (do you pay the one?), it's an asymmetric Sphere of Resistance (do you pay the one?). Both those effects are really good (do you pay the one?). So yeah, run it (do you pay the one?).
Hexproof exists, though. As do shroud and protection. And they block anything that uses the T-word, which is a big reason you need boardwipes. Protection also stops Spontaneous Combustion.
Idk man. I'll take targeting and instant over toxic. Though typically I'll play both anyway, but covenant always gets the nod first, even if, yes, I can't nail that dang Mirran Crusader and the occasional SoFaI on your Goblin makes me sad.
Rare from Prophecy yesterday vs. common from Prophecy today
lolololol
But did you pay 1 for that?
Prophecy is one of those sets, like all Masques block, which has a surprising number of "good in EDH" cards, and the end of manaburn made Calming Verse a thing. It's still the anti-Zendikar, though. (It is a land-based set, but not fun at all.)
Anyway, Alms Collector actually reminds me of this card. Both are cards which draw you something against bad players and basically work as yet another restriction against good players.
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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!
It's still the anti-Zendikar, though. (It is a land-based set, but not fun at all.)
Not quite. There aren't any real general land synergies or mechanics in Prophecy as far as I know (apart from an enchant land cycle and some sacrifice land cards); it's not a land set, it's a tapout set, which is a bafflingly bad idea that I can't believe got approved given Magic was several years old at that point.
Anyway, Alms Collector actually reminds me of this card. Both are cards which draw you something against bad players and basically work as yet another restriction against good players.
Popular tactic back in the day was to use that with this card which made the latter into a...well, you know. Would be more niche now, but when it works...it could hurt.
Magical Hack and Sleight of Mind were two of the cards that made me fall in love with Magic the moment I saw the game. A game built with mechanics which mess with the game's core mechanics and the rules text? How f'in' crazy was that? I used to play with those cards and the various land- and color-screw cards all the time back in the day, and I still love them even though they are almost always worthless in this format. Some day I will build a deck that uses them effectively (probably with spell doublers and Isochron Scepter).
Another great use for this was Acid Rain. I guess you could also hack Lifetap to mountain, but that raises more questions as to why Lifetap isn't white and doesn't hose red already.
I hate how this breaks flavor. I could see "hack" being used by an Izzet or someone from Kaladesh or Esper or Vryn or even Mirrodin, but in early Magic? Not so much.
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!
I've played this as a cheap and accessible way to smooth out mana in any color of deck, but these days, the only place I have this is Sasaya, Orochi Ascendant
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Zedruu: "This deck is not only able to go crazy - it also needs to do so."
I played this more back in the day (you know, the original Conflux ones) but not so much now. Most of the time I play ramp that puts cards into play, but I do not think this is a bad card.
Man, I hate this card, and I probably wouldn't even hate it so much if other people didn't like this card as much as they do since I wouldn't be exposed to it as often as I am and therefore wouldn't have to even think about it. See, here's my train of thought:
Armillary Sphere is a card that costs four mana (potentially across two turns) and draws two cards. Now, at four mana, drawing two cards is bad. Really bad. Divination isn't already making the cut in any of my decks, and this is noticeably worse than that. Granted, at the earliest stages of the game, drawing two land cards could potentially be better than drawing two random cards, but even that's debatable, and once you leave the early game and enter the mid game and later, drawing random cards gets significantly better than drawing lands since the value of basic land cards tends to taper off quickly once you can make all the mana you can realistically use.
If what you want are lands, you could literally play any basic land card instead of Armillary Sphere. Yes, it would effectively be a random land if you were to draw it, so it wouldn't be quite the same as choosing your basics, and yes, it would only be one land, and not two, but considering you can basically get half of this card's effect for no mana at all, paying four mana for the rest is outrageous.
Alternatively, if what you want is ramp, this obviously isn't that either since the lands Armillary Sphere gives you go straight into your hand and not onto the battlefield. Maybe you often find yourself in the unfortunate position where you don't have any other lands in your hand to play, so you can just play one of the lands Armillary Sphere would give you for the turn, likening it to a Rampant Growth, but if that's the case, you could still do better for four mana by playing something akin to Hedron Archive. (Not to mention, you should probably be playing more lands.)
Now, I do have a disclaimer to make since I understand my critical analysis of the card is likely to ruffle some feathers. I like to call it the synergy argument.
Commander decks run the gamut, and perhaps while Armillary Sphere is in and of itself a *****ty card, maybe your deck synergizes so well with it that it's better than most other cards you could be playing. If that's the case, hey, go for it. I'm sure there's a deck out there that's perfect for Scornful Egotist too, and there's nothing wrong with that. Different decks will do different things and sometimes those things will make cards like Armillary Sphere look impressive enough to play. Having said that, as a standalone card, Armillary Sphere sucks, and you should probably avoid it like the plague.
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WUBRGMr. Bones' Wild RideGRBUW Trap your friends in an endless game with this 23-card combo!
Man, I hate this card, and I probably wouldn't even hate it so much if other people didn't like this card as much as they do since I wouldn't be exposed to it as often as I am and therefore wouldn't have to even think about it. See, here's my train of thought:
Cut to save space.
Don't worry, I also have an irrational hatred of the card and I don't think I've seen this played outside of direct precons and/or completely new players to the game (not the format even, the game itself). To be fair I think part of that hatred comes from the fact I started out with the Mirrory Mastery precon, promptly switched the Commander to Animar and guess what card immediately presented itself as next-to-useless? Thanks for making Trench Gorger look fantastic (well I wanted Animar because ELDRAZI, so I think you can guess my actual assessment of the Gorger to begin with...)
You must REALLY synergize with artifacts AND want lands in hand (or can drop multiple lands per turn but at that point you're already in green...) to even consider the card. Even in Ryusei where I synergize with artifacts and have lesser draw, I'd pay 3 / 6 instead for Burnished Hart so Valakut could actually fire twice.
How do I put it... it's so subpar it's basically providing you a subpar effect at a subpar cost (and I mean the cost is still subpar even after taking the subpar effect into account already).
While it's understandable that when completely new players do play it, it still feels like they essentially had me cast free Time Walks when they play the card, even when I'm playing my decks in "casual mode" (basically me trying to win using the most flavorful and tedious method of the deck which would never fly in competitive). In fact the "free turns" are so bad it makes me feel like my "casual mode" became as efficient as my "competitive mode" and that imbalance makes me feel bad I'm even playing the deck at all (in the same vein as I would feel if I went straight-on competitive in a casual game).
It's hard enough work to make sure a 75% deck can survive in competitive while being able to reasonably play out flavorfully in general casual then comes along cards like this so subpar even your worst game-winning plan looks like it fired off spectacularly efficient like a competitive combo.
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... I think I fixed it now, with your instructions. Thanks for the reference in case it doesn't work. This was/is my favorite thread, so...
EDIT: IT WORKED!!! Thank you so much.
Is common for some reason. Pauper players are happy for that.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Did you pay one for that?
Just pay the goddamn 1 ............
Idk man. I'll take targeting and instant over toxic. Though typically I'll play both anyway, but covenant always gets the nod first, even if, yes, I can't nail that dang Mirran Crusader and the occasional SoFaI on your Goblin makes me sad.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
...actually, it turns out there aren't that many counters for triggered abilities that don't themselves trigger rhystic study.
Legacy - Solidarity - mono U aggro - burn - Imperial Painter - Strawberry Shortcake - Bluuzards - bom
But did you pay 1 for that?
Prophecy is one of those sets, like all Masques block, which has a surprising number of "good in EDH" cards, and the end of manaburn made Calming Verse a thing. It's still the anti-Zendikar, though. (It is a land-based set, but not fun at all.)
Anyway, Alms Collector actually reminds me of this card. Both are cards which draw you something against bad players and basically work as yet another restriction against good players.
On phasing:
The big difference is you can't force people to give you cards with Rhystic Study without extraordinary measures like Word of Command or Mindslaver, and with Alms Collector, you readily can.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Ahhh, messing with land interactions and memory issues. That's some early magic design sensibilities.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
EDH decks: 1. RGWMayael's Big BeatsRETIRED!
2. BUWMerieke Ri Berit and the 40 Thieves
3. URNiv's Wheeling and Dealing!
4. BURThe Walking Dead
5. GWSisay's Legends of Tomorrow
6. RWBRise of Markov
7. GElvez and stuffz(W)
8. RCrush your enemies(W)
9. BSign right here...(W)
Want to pair it with Urborg..just to give everyone plains.
*thinks*
Want to pair it with Urborg...turn everything into mountains..then Hax with Valakut?
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
I hate how this breaks flavor. I could see "hack" being used by an Izzet or someone from Kaladesh or Esper or Vryn or even Mirrodin, but in early Magic? Not so much.
Anyway, Mind Bend exists now. Crystal Spray exists. I don't run either one, really.
1337/10
On phasing:
Nicol Bolas, a balance of Vorthos and PowerUBR
Nath of the Gilt LeafBG
Others
Squee, Goblin of AwesomenessR
Nekusar, the Mindblazer!UBR
Vela the NightcladUB
I used to be a world champion, but then I took a wolf to the knee. And three Galvanic Blasts to the face.
Concerning when returning to Kamigawa would be acceptable
Flashfires
I've played this as a cheap and accessible way to smooth out mana in any color of deck, but these days, the only place I have this is Sasaya, Orochi Ascendant
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Armillary Sphere is a card that costs four mana (potentially across two turns) and draws two cards. Now, at four mana, drawing two cards is bad. Really bad. Divination isn't already making the cut in any of my decks, and this is noticeably worse than that. Granted, at the earliest stages of the game, drawing two land cards could potentially be better than drawing two random cards, but even that's debatable, and once you leave the early game and enter the mid game and later, drawing random cards gets significantly better than drawing lands since the value of basic land cards tends to taper off quickly once you can make all the mana you can realistically use.
If what you want are lands, you could literally play any basic land card instead of Armillary Sphere. Yes, it would effectively be a random land if you were to draw it, so it wouldn't be quite the same as choosing your basics, and yes, it would only be one land, and not two, but considering you can basically get half of this card's effect for no mana at all, paying four mana for the rest is outrageous.
Alternatively, if what you want is ramp, this obviously isn't that either since the lands Armillary Sphere gives you go straight into your hand and not onto the battlefield. Maybe you often find yourself in the unfortunate position where you don't have any other lands in your hand to play, so you can just play one of the lands Armillary Sphere would give you for the turn, likening it to a Rampant Growth, but if that's the case, you could still do better for four mana by playing something akin to Hedron Archive. (Not to mention, you should probably be playing more lands.)
Now, I do have a disclaimer to make since I understand my critical analysis of the card is likely to ruffle some feathers. I like to call it the synergy argument.
Commander decks run the gamut, and perhaps while Armillary Sphere is in and of itself a *****ty card, maybe your deck synergizes so well with it that it's better than most other cards you could be playing. If that's the case, hey, go for it. I'm sure there's a deck out there that's perfect for Scornful Egotist too, and there's nothing wrong with that. Different decks will do different things and sometimes those things will make cards like Armillary Sphere look impressive enough to play. Having said that, as a standalone card, Armillary Sphere sucks, and you should probably avoid it like the plague.
Trap your friends in an endless game with this 23-card combo!
Cut to save space.
Don't worry, I also have an irrational hatred of the card and I don't think I've seen this played outside of direct precons and/or completely new players to the game (not the format even, the game itself). To be fair I think part of that hatred comes from the fact I started out with the Mirrory Mastery precon, promptly switched the Commander to Animar and guess what card immediately presented itself as next-to-useless? Thanks for making Trench Gorger look fantastic (well I wanted Animar because ELDRAZI, so I think you can guess my actual assessment of the Gorger to begin with...)
You must REALLY synergize with artifacts AND want lands in hand (or can drop multiple lands per turn but at that point you're already in green...) to even consider the card. Even in Ryusei where I synergize with artifacts and have lesser draw, I'd pay 3 / 6 instead for Burnished Hart so Valakut could actually fire twice.
How do I put it... it's so subpar it's basically providing you a subpar effect at a subpar cost (and I mean the cost is still subpar even after taking the subpar effect into account already).
While it's understandable that when completely new players do play it, it still feels like they essentially had me cast free Time Walks when they play the card, even when I'm playing my decks in "casual mode" (basically me trying to win using the most flavorful and tedious method of the deck which would never fly in competitive). In fact the "free turns" are so bad it makes me feel like my "casual mode" became as efficient as my "competitive mode" and that imbalance makes me feel bad I'm even playing the deck at all (in the same vein as I would feel if I went straight-on competitive in a casual game).
It's hard enough work to make sure a 75% deck can survive in competitive while being able to reasonably play out flavorfully in general casual then comes along cards like this so subpar even your worst game-winning plan looks like it fired off spectacularly efficient like a competitive combo.