Hostage Taker all day IMO but get ready for a bunch of people ardently defending both options....Psychatog is very controversial or it isn't at all depending who you ask....lol.
well, I was hoping for a constructive debate on the cards not just this card is better, but more info on what makes each card worth running and when...
Also, let's discuss if Noble Hierarch is properly classified as green or Bant and why Absorb should be in everyone's Azorious section....
I kid, but really there is a library of back and forth on certain cards here. We're not trying to avoid constructive debate, we're telling you where we already had it many times over so you can mine for the takes you seek.
The ultimate answer to the Psychatog debate nowadays is just that Dimir has gotten super deep and there are at least ten or more cards that wouldn't be an embarrassing set up in a 5 or 6 card section. I've cut 'tog from my powered list because my drafters just prefer to draft and play "bigger" cards in their Dimir control shells. The Scarab God and Dragonlord Silumgar seem to get picked and played more often than 'tog did here. I'm also running Thief of Sanity in the spot where 'tog or Hostage Taker would go, but that's really just because the card is (fairly) new and it can be fun and interesting.
None of this is to say that Psychatog is bad or worse than these other cards. It's all about preference and past experiences. I love Psychatog and play him in two of my three cubes to great success. It's really group dependent. Some groups are ready to bring out those pitch forks if you tell them you're thinking of cutting 'tog. They think he's a stone cold staple. Others could hear that you replaced him with Thief of Sanity and think that seems fine. They think 'tog is good and play him if he's there, but don't really think much of it if he's not. And you have groups who think 'tog has been outclassed by a lot and falls into sacred cow territory. YMMV. You need to find out where your group stands with the card and make your decision based on that. It's not a card that's going to generate much more discussion in 2019 than it did in 2009. What could be said about him has already been said.
The first one is really close. It's probably Sower unless you support the artifact.dec package in your 360, in which case Urza becomes a real contender.
Id love to hear why so my card evaluation skills can continue to grow? I always considered the extra damage better than the scry 2 or potential flashback later. Is the simple answer just that that is wrong?
Firebolt can generate card advantage by killing 2 things, it can do 4 total damage over the long game when you need additional reach, and the 2 damage kills most early game targets anyways.
Scry 2 is powerful when you need to avoid drawing lands. Dealing 3 with Strike and immediately drawing an unneeded land is significantly worse than doing 2 damage and drawing more gas, in my experience/opinion. Alternatively, for red decks that are doing more interesting things, it's one of the few cheap burn spells that provides you with a useful early game effect. Every time Incinerate kills a 1 or 2 toughness target, you're hemorrhaging free value that could've been a scry 2 trigger (which is never wasted).
I like Electrolyze more than Fire // Ice personally, so I would (and have) cut the split card from that group. I know I'm in the minority on that, though.
Thirded. Even at 360, Purphoros and Feldon wouldn't be on the chopping block for me.
Cheers,
rant
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Psychatog vs Hostage Taker
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
Edit: Also, for what it is worth. Hostage Taker handily beat Psychatog among voters. (6.33 avg vs. 3.42 avg.)
But seriously, why in god's name are we having this discussion again?
If you're asking that question, just cut the 'Tog. People that win with 'Tog don't ask that question.
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well, I was hoping for a constructive debate on the cards not just this card is better, but more info on what makes each card worth running and when...
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
I kid, but really there is a library of back and forth on certain cards here. We're not trying to avoid constructive debate, we're telling you where we already had it many times over so you can mine for the takes you seek.
None of this is to say that Psychatog is bad or worse than these other cards. It's all about preference and past experiences. I love Psychatog and play him in two of my three cubes to great success. It's really group dependent. Some groups are ready to bring out those pitch forks if you tell them you're thinking of cutting 'tog. They think he's a stone cold staple. Others could hear that you replaced him with Thief of Sanity and think that seems fine. They think 'tog is good and play him if he's there, but don't really think much of it if he's not. And you have groups who think 'tog has been outclassed by a lot and falls into sacred cow territory. YMMV. You need to find out where your group stands with the card and make your decision based on that. It's not a card that's going to generate much more discussion in 2019 than it did in 2009. What could be said about him has already been said.
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
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Memory Lapse vs. Condescend.
360 card powered Chicago cube:
https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/e7r
2020 Numerical Power Rankings:
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/the-cube-forum/cube-card-and-archetype/817969-2020-numerical-cube-power-rankings
2018 CubeTutor Power Rankings:
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/the-cube-forum/cube-card-and-archetype/803301-cubetutor-power-rankings-2018-by-color-and-cmc
I like Lapse more than Condescend.
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My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
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I'm looking to try Bonecrusher Giant in place of one of them.and can't decide which. 540 Powered environment.
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Neither, cut searing spear or lightning strike.
[180 classic cube]
This is what I would do as well.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Id love to hear why so my card evaluation skills can continue to grow? I always considered the extra damage better than the scry 2 or potential flashback later. Is the simple answer just that that is wrong?
My 36+ Commander Decks: TAPPEDOUT
Scry 2 is powerful when you need to avoid drawing lands. Dealing 3 with Strike and immediately drawing an unneeded land is significantly worse than doing 2 damage and drawing more gas, in my experience/opinion. Alternatively, for red decks that are doing more interesting things, it's one of the few cheap burn spells that provides you with a useful early game effect. Every time Incinerate kills a 1 or 2 toughness target, you're hemorrhaging free value that could've been a scry 2 trigger (which is never wasted).
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Electrolyze, easy.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
Follow me. I tweet.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!