I don't see a lot of talk about Equipoise. Incredibly infuriating in mono white, where ramp is not readily available and it's just as viable to slow others down as it is to push for speed. I assume if you pair it with Paradox Haze you can soft lock a table pretty good.
I don't get it, how does equipoise help slow other people down? I guess it helps you prevent them from keeping mana up on your turn if they're ramping and also trying to play things on your turn? It limits their number of blockers? I don't really see the value. I definitely don't see how it's a soft lock.
Hmmm... thinking about it deeper I guess it doesn't. Phasing is hard to get your head around. I guess its more a 'during my turn' board leveler. Could be handy against control/flash decks.
I mean I'm not saying it's totally useless. It seems pretty narrow though. If I'm playing a deck that doesn't put many things on the board, I think I'd be a lot more interested in wiping the board than phasing them out for other people to attack.
I guess probably the most reliable way to abuse that sort of ability is in an evasive saboteur commander, something like daxos of meletis that can become extremely hard to block - basically if they have even one creature with power > 2 or tapped, and daxos is your only creature, then he's unblockable, plus you leave them open for other people's attacks. phasing out other permanent types seems a lot harder to get value from although I guess you can make it difficult to play control decks as effectively.
This is all valid. I guess the way in which it has marginal advantage over sweepers in a situation where you have a light board state is that it phases lands and artifacts too. Sure, there's Armageddon and Cataclysm, but this gets around some of the salty bad feelings that comes with those strategies. It definitely doesn't work everywhere, everytime, but it could really come in handy in a counter-heavy meta or in a voltron build.
Palisade Giant - Unlike every other Pariah-type card, Palisade Giant redirects all damage, including red damage to creatures, combat damage, etc. This guy paired with a Darksteel Plate or a simple Mother of Runes makes you and your board state nigh-invulnerable. Plus, he recurs off a Reveillark
Legion's Initiative - Good boardsweep protection in red and white, with an Anthem effect for white, red, and boros creatures.
Void - Definitely an underplayed bit of removal. You can also use this to hit problem cards you know your opponents are holding. Naming "4" is a great way to avoid Wrath of God / Damnation effects.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
I guess probably the most reliable way to abuse that sort of ability is in an evasive saboteur commander, something like daxos of meletis that can become extremely hard to block - basically if they have even one creature with power > 2 or tapped, and daxos is your only creature, then he's unblockable, plus you leave them open for other people's attacks. phasing out other permanent types seems a lot harder to get value from although I guess you can make it difficult to play control decks as effectively.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Legion's Initiative - Good boardsweep protection in red and white, with an Anthem effect for white, red, and boros creatures.
Void - Definitely an underplayed bit of removal. You can also use this to hit problem cards you know your opponents are holding. Naming "4" is a great way to avoid Wrath of God / Damnation effects.
Trusted Advisor - Great in lots of decks that care about creatures entering the battlefield since he lets you re-buy your Snapcaster Mage etc. Especially good in Ephara, God of the Polis.
Restoration Specialist and Salvage Scout - great recursion on cheap dudes.
Head Games - Why give your opponent 7 lands when you can give them removal and strike deals in your favor?