[T4] Discussion of the Day 21 Feb 05

[Nefarias]

I was playing a game the other day, and it got down to me and one opponent. The only thing of consequence was that I had an Orrery in play and a DoS in hand, and then I lay a pretty weak threat that I don't remember (around a three turn clock). My opponent is unconcerned as he plays Castle Control and has ample answers. He plays some sort of card draw on his turn, and then eot, it dawns on me that hardcasting the Decree of Silence is actually the right thing to do, something that I hadn't really considered much in the past. My threat cannot be answered for some time, and by the turn it's lethal and Decree has finally withered, I've drawn Armored Guardian to respond to his last ditch removal.

When I first started playing T4, hardcasting Decree was the norm, but that went out over a year ago. With what frequency do you actually cast it?

EDIT: I failed to mention that after the game, after showing both hands, etc., hardcasting the Decree was the difference between me winning and losing. My opponent's jaw dropped when I played it.

[Ephraim]

Hardcasting Decree of Silence and hardcasting Decree of Silence when you have Vedalken Orrery in play seem like two vastly different circumstances. I don't really play Limited Infinity, but I'd be wary of wasting my ability to cast a threat (if I had one) by casting DoS on my own turn. If I can hardcast it as though it were a counterspell, then the likelyhood of me hardcasting it increases dramatically. Although it represents both a tempo increase and a card advantage increase, if it resolves, it also isn't going to last long in a large multiplayer game. Without Orrery, I think I'd almost always take the pseudo-uncounterable option that both counters a threat and nets me a card. If it were down to me and one opponent and I topdecked DoS, I'd definitely hardcast it then. With two opponents, I might.

[Sanity_XIV]

I've only done it rarely, and only when the game is down to myself and one opponent. When there are lots of people it doesn't seem to accomplish as much.

[Mixing Mike]

I voted almost never, but to date I have yet to hardcast it.  I remember Dynnanah did it at YMG one time.  It was kinda funny too.

[rvs]

It works when there are 2 people left in the game. I don't think I would ever hardcast it if there were 3+ people in the game.

[Jacob Orlove]

The only time I've seen it hardcast, at least one uncounterable spell followed.

[Klep]

The last time I saw it hardcast, the person who played it died instantly (Wind+Rage) in revenge for not cycling it to counter Soothsaying.