I really like Hedron Crab but I’m pretty sure it will have a hard time finding a home in a competitive deck.

I would go as far as to say it has a 0% chance in vintage. As others have stated it can actually win the game for the opponent. This is most true when trying to run an “incremental” build. In a combo shell at 0/2 it’s incredibly fragile, especially in an environment where more and more decks have dedicated creature removal (on MWS anyway). Lastly vintage has at least a dozen or so other cards with similar functions that are more focused or versatile.

I think it may see some play in T2 or maybe even block provided it has the proper support cards available. However if it does see play it won’t be in an “incremental mill” deck. More likely it will be in a deck that can either manipulate its own graveyard or it’s opponents. Turning men sideways will be the desired win condition. The ability to win via mill will just be an alternate win condition should the real plan fail.

Here is why I don’t think the “incremental mill” strategy will work.

1.   Decks with 1cc creatures generally pack a grip of other creatures as well. Obviously there are exceptions. Dreadnaught is technically a 1 drop and the mono white Proclamation of Rebirth deck from a little while back featured just a small amount of one drops. In general though if you are running out critters on turn one you are following up with more beat sticks. Even Goblin Welder (the card I think Hedron Crab has the most in common with) wants to throw trikes and other artifact creatures at the opponents’ life total. Playing lots of creatures means that you more than likely should be attacking life totals and not library size.

2.   One thing that successful “incremental mill” strategies have in common is that they almost completely dodged targeted creature removal. U/W mill strategies have been around forever and are easily the most successful of this genre. When they did run creatures they ran things like Blinking Spirit, Nether Spirit, Morphling, etc. Making 4-8 cards in the opponents deck moot was a hallmark of these decks. A 0/2 critter does not fall into this category. Of course you could argue that U/W mill was a control deck and not really an “incremental mill” deck. It is however the best example available.

Cool card that is likely terrible in vintage and maybe playable in standard.

Not a vintage play but probably the worst play I have ever witnessed.

First Turn...

Swamp - Dark Ritual - Vampire Bats - Burn for 2 - Go.

The same player later became a quite good magic player and won 1 grand prix and finished second in another ^ ^

As for my worst mistake....

I was playing suicide black back in the tempest T2 era. I was playing vs Steel Blue. It was fairly late in the game and my opponent (the same gentleman from above) had only an island and a quicksand untapped. I had 4 swamps untapped with dark ritual and kaerveks spite in hand with my oppnent at 4 life. I knew he was on mana leak so I just needed 2 ritual and I would have the 3 mana for the leak. unfortunately I failed 2 put all 6 mana in my pool before I cast my game winner (meaning those extra 3 swamps would be in my grave before I could tap them). Fortunately my opponent failed 2 realize my mistake and said "you're so lucky you have the 3 mana to pay" and moved on to game 2.  This was a top 8 match btw

A little curious why these type of lists never run Extirpate in the main.

1. Removing all copies of a non basic seems like it would be really strong. Most decks are nice enough to provide targets with fetch lands.
2. Its information.
3. Its just randomly really good sometimes.

Is it just complete garbage or is it a win more card?