Cranial Extraction vs Mind Twist (in 4 CC)

[Eastman]

but even if you only win one matchup in a tourney outright because of it I'd say that's worth it.

Actually, you need your maindeck to help you win in nearly every matchup to get by in a tournament.

Supersituational expensive cards just don't really do that.


This is a format where all of the best cards in every deck are restricted, so seriously extraction sucks!

[ELD]

I was fortunate enough to get to play in a tournament last friday (been "retired" since July)  In the top 4 I was running control slaver against 4cc and an early CE resolved against me.  He took my welders and there was nothing I could do, I lost.

HA HA HA, just kidding.  Of couse I still won.  Welder isn't the only reason the deck wins.  Control Slaver wins because it's a solid deck that can play many differant roles very well.  If a control player is going to tap out early to play a main phase card like CE, I'm fine with that.  It either gives me a drain target, or tells me how I'm going to have to win the game.

Seriously, If you told a good player to win without using a certain card in their deck, they'll be able to.  This is certainly true when that stipulation is paired with the opponent losing a card or two from thier starting hand.  

To take the point even further, Welder can come down way before you cast CE.

Are we going to discuss the merits of erradicate now?  I mean, it can kill all the welders period.  

Seriously though, if you want to handle welders, Lava Dart is easily the best way to go.

[Arkeld]

Mmh, if a 4CC player in the top 4 was playing it, it can't be that outrageous a choice.

I'm not saying that resolving the extraction will necessarily win you the game but neither will twist. If, in that situation, he had twisted you for 3, would that have caused you more or less trouble? (because that's the question we're asking here, should it replace twist?). IMHO, twist would have been worse for the the 4CC player, landing you your weldables in the yard.

[ELD]

Actually, it was a fairly unpowered field, so t4 didn't mean too much.  Yes a twist for 3 would have been much better.  I had out a library, so it would hurt me so much I cring just thinking about it.  Also, it would have been bigger than a twist for 3.

[Arkeld]

Actually, it was a fairly unpowered field, so t4 didn't mean too much.  Yes a twist for 3 would have been much better.  I had out a library, so it would hurt me so much I cring just thinking about it.  Also, it would have been bigger than a twist for 3.

Fair enough. Perhaps Extraction really IS a sideboard card.

[ELD]

I really don't see why people are considering CE, and not extract.  I mean, they're both very weak, but the casting cost of CE is a million times that of extract.

[Eastman]

I really don't see why people are considering CE

I agree with that statement.

Seriously, it's terrible. It is a ton of mana and has the possibility of doing next to nothing. You can't name any of their best cards because its all restricted. If you name something they don't have in hand you lose tons of tempo to the casting cost AND a nice little slice of card advantage.