[single card discussion] psychic posession

[orgcandman]

For reference: 2UU - Enchantment (Aura) - Enchant Opponent Whenever Enchanted Opponent draws a card, you may draw a card.

This card seems like it's super good, sans the fact that it has UU in it's casting cost. However, for blue based decks running mana drain, it seems like it's a 4cc card that screams "I WIN THE GAME" Also, it's the only Enchant Opponent that I know of, which is super hot.

What are people's thoughts?

[Implacable]

It's busted, but it costs too much.  On the other hand, it's AMAZING against decks with Thirst for Knowledge.

[Tobi]

It's AMAZING against decks with Brainstorm 

[Harlequin]

Brainstorm ... what?   

Cost prohibative, but not impossible to play.  Its an interesting take on plagerize.  I'm not sure it will make a huge splash as an auto include... but there are several decks in the past that have run Plagerize or to a greater extent Mind's Eye in order to gain a similar type  of card advantage.  

[RaZe]

THere is only one things that is hindering the card...casting cost. The only card that even resembles this in casting cost is Dream Halls, and you usually win when you cast it down. Also it's quite weak against 5cStax and MDGifts [no TFK] IT does combo quite nicely with prosperity though.

[Harlequin]

IF I have one on my head ... and you have one on your head ... at least its a may ability =P

Type 4 FOR THE WIN!

[vartemis]

I have been fooling around with it in a couple of different decks, but the only one I have found it to work well in is MonoU control.  I took out the main deck B2Bs for it.  It's relatively easy to drop with drain mana, and ophidian gets around the loss of your draw step.  I do like it a lot better than mind's eye as I dont have to save mana to use it, and I can save my tinker for a colossus instead.

j

[Harlequin]

I'm not sure this is better than Plagerize though.  Sure Plagerize is a oneshot... and you need to hold open the mana.  but not only does it draw you cards ... It replaces thier draw, so you really steal the advantage rather than just mimic it.  Plagerizing a brainstorm or a thirst for knowledge can straight up win you the game, because they still have to "put back", or discard.

[Tobi]

BTW: it also says "Skip your draw step."

[Mr. Nightmare]

BTW: it also says "Skip your draw step."

It does, but you still recoup that draw on your opponent's draw step.  You actually never lose a draw, since you draw the turn you play it, and then again on your opponent's turn.  Then you bounce it on their end step with your Boomerang on Scepter, and draw for your turn, and replay it.  Or you could have put Fire//Ice on that stick instead.  You know, whatever.

Necropotence also says "Skip your draw step."  Necropotence costs BBB.  Bargain says it, too.  It costs 4BB.  Both of them are still played.  I think this card has the potential to be busted, especially in say a TTConfidant shell, where DC is drawing you a card per turn anyway.

[Harlequin]

Ok, Rules question: Suppose my opponent casts it on me.  Then I cast Confinscate on it... and gain control of it.  Do I draw my deck the next time I draw card? or does it fall off because I am an illegal target becasue I am not an oppoent of myself?

[TheAlpha]

The card indeed has some potential but I don't think it's that good... you can do better things for 2UU.

Anyway, why doesn't this card say something like:
2UU
Enchantment
When ~this~ comes into play choose an opponent.
Skip your drawstep.
Whenever the chosen opponent draws a card, you may draw a card.

An enchant opponent is just dumb... unless it comes with a grey border

[zeus-online]

Urh...just wondering what kinda opponent would start brainstorming and TfK'ing after this hits the board? i dont think you should count too much on getting "nutz" draw outta this...but on the other hand...you can go nuts with your own drawspells....anyhow....2UU at sorcery speed seems kinda slow....!

[magus888]

What if both players have it in play? :shock:

[Harlequin]

What if both players have it in play? :shock:

IF I have one on my head ... and you have one on your head ... at least its a may ability =P

You would take turns drawing cards until one player didn't want to draw anymore cards.  It technically is a may ability so ... you can stop any time.  I'm sure it would make for some crazy control mirrors.

[vartemis]

Urh...just wondering what kinda opponent would start brainstorming and TfK'ing after this hits the board? i dont think you should count too much on getting "nutz" draw outta this...but on the other hand...you can go nuts with your own drawspells....anyhow....2UU at sorcery speed seems kinda slow....!

If your opponent stops using their draw spells, then they have a bunch of dead cards.  Sometimes a player has to cast their spell.  What if you're playing oath and get stuck with a blessing or creature in your hand?  What if you are playing slaver and have an artifact in your hand you want to weld?  You could sit around and wait for it to be hardcasted, but you'll likely be dead by then.  What if you are playing gifts and draw your colossus?  You will have to either thirst him or brainstorm him, giving your opponent 3 free cards.

The deck best suited for this as I stated above is some type of control deck; most likely MonoU.  I dont think it would work in any colored stax due to the casting cost.  

Edit: RTFC

j

[Harlequin]

Uba replaces the draw... so this will no longer trigger for you if your opponent has Uba on the table.

This card is not that bad with your draw 7 spells either.  You draw 7, I draw 14 ... 

[zeus-online]

Well if that artifact the slaver player wants to weld is mind slaver...then i think he's just going to do it anyway, and then walk all over you!

The effect shuts of the opponents draw spells (generally speaking, if they do go nutz with draw-spells, you'll be waaay ahead) which is not bad  but at 2UU its probably too slow.

/Zeus

[Draven]

Well if that artifact the slaver player wants to weld is mind slaver...then i think he's just going to do it anyway, and then walk all over you!

The effect shuts of the opponents draw spells (generally speaking, if they do go nutz with draw-spells, you'll be waaay ahead) which is not bad  but at 2UU its probably too slow.

/Zeus

It doesn't actually "shut off" their draws, you just match them. Although they may seem the same, there is a subtle difference.

I don't think this card is half bad, expecially in blue based Drain decks. And like what was stated, you don't actually ever miss a draw, and if the only thing that comes out of it is your opponant doesn't cast their Brainstorms and TfK, then Kudos for you, you are probably winning.

[Tin_Mox5831]

I have been fooling around with it in a couple of different decks, but the only one I have found it to work well in is MonoU control.  I took out the main deck B2Bs for it.  It's relatively easy to drop with drain mana, and ophidian gets around the loss of your draw step.  I do like it a lot better than mind's eye as I dont have to save mana to use it, and I can save my tinker for a colossus instead.

j

Wrong answer. Removing Back To Basics removes the only good reason you have to play Mono-Blue instead of Gifts, or Slaver, etc. In the end, this card will amount to little more than a cute trick. Just like any other Blue bomb, it falls to Force, Drain, REB, etc. For my 4 mana, I'd rather cast Gifts Ungiven,  Fact Or Fiction, or activate Slaver and just win the game.

Later,
Dave

[Tha Gunslinga]

Necropotence also says "Skip your draw step."  Necropotence costs BBB. 

Those cards allow you to draw 10+ cards in ONE TURN.  This does not.

[pyr0ma5ta]

Last time I checked, Rituals add BBB.  What spell adds UU2?

[zeus-online]

Well if that artifact the slaver player wants to weld is mind slaver...then i think he's just going to do it anyway, and then walk all over you!

The effect shuts of the opponents draw spells (generally speaking, if they do go nutz with draw-spells, you'll be waaay ahead) which is not bad  but at 2UU its probably too slow.

/Zeus

It doesn't actually "shut off" their draws, you just match them. Although they may seem the same, there is a subtle difference.

I was actually refering to the fact that any good player would most likely NOT cast Brainstorm if this card is on the board...same thing with TfK, unless they've got a game-ending effect like mind slaver comming up!

/Zeus

[Glix]

This effect is really interesting.  Its actually gamewinning if you untap with it in play.

The card advantage or psychological advantage both will allow you to have a lot of leverage.  Its sort of like a standstill/remova fused with a plagerize in enchantment form.

However, at 2uu, I doubt it will see much play unless a new archtype emerges that can support the prohibitive cost.

Interesting effect, if nothing else, although I totally agree that enchant opponant is hokey.

[ozimek]

OK, we can agree that this card is good against Brainstorm and Thirst etc. This is fairly obvious.

Lets discuss, what cards would be good in a deck with Psychic Possession ie., what cards have synergy with it.

On top of my head:

Arcane Denial - Opponent draws up to 2, you draw up to 1+2

Mikokoro, Center of the Sea - Opponents draws 1, you draw 2

These two are rather slow, and would pull the deck to wards monoU style control.

Draw 7s in general and Windfall become rather crazy with ~this~ in storm combo decks. This might result in a deck based around High Tide because of the heavy blue commitment necessary.

The question is, does Psychic Possession contribute enough to these decks to make them Tier 1?
For control type decks, I think the answer is no, because you need to play too many bad cards. (AD & Mikokoro etc.)
For blue storm combo I fear 2UU sorcery speed may be too much for an effect that doesn't draw you a bunch of cards NOW.

Can we find enough synergistic cards to make a deck based around it viable?

/Jan

[Tobi]

Can we find enough synergistic cards to make a deck based around it viable?

Academy Rector? 

[LordHomerCat]

Why would you get this instead of  Bargain?

[SonataOfTheCathedral]

Your opponent will stop casting his Brainstorms and such that is for sure. But I think it might be a better card to build a deck around a much cheaper hoser such as Chains Of Mephistopheles. It will accomplish the same thing, you each draw one card a turn and thats all. Either way your opponent will rack up lots of dead cards in his hand. Granted of course you won't be able to use your own Brainstorms, TFK's.

But look at Future Sight even, there have been so many times I have picked up the card and said wow this card is busted. I wanted to play it in everything. And I think that card is much better then this one since you go through your deck in a matter of turns between knocking moxes off the top and card draw.

-Elias

[orgcandman]

But I think it might be a better card to build a deck around a much cheaper hoser such as Chains Of Mephistopheles. It will accomplish the same thing, you each draw one card a turn and thats all.

Just to clarify, you'll be outdrawing your opponent all the time with this.

I think this needs a lot more resources than can be committed to it for optimal use.

[cssamerican]

It is good in a control deck. There is no need to play bad cards to maximizes it effect, you wouldn't want to play those bad cards when this isn't in play. The only question you have to ask, is there better things for a control deck to do with {U}{2}? I think a lot of people here would say, yes Gifts Ungiven. The only advantage I see with this over other playable cards in this casting cost range is you aren't committed to any type of splash color; therefore, you can go mono-blue, or splash any color you want.