New Null Rod - Silence of Stone

[Troy_Costisick]

Silence of Stone  
Enchantment (R)
Artifact abilities cannot be activated.
Illus. Wayne England
36/264

Is this any good?  Do we really need 8 of them? It's immune to H-recall and A-Grudge, I guess.

[Blue Lotus]

I think I would play this over null rod in GW due to its synergy with kataki.

You definitely do not need eight, many people do not play 4 null rod. But if you are playing white I would consider this b/c shop (and therefore shop hate) is so strong.

This does get resisted by golem, which is relevant (even if only slightly so).

Very exciting card.

[Wagner]

Much harder to remove than Null Rod, most big blue decks only run H. Recall, Grudge or Sabotage that can hit the Rod, none of them hit this card. They will have to adapt or weaken their shop hate, which is good signs all around.

I love it.

[DubDub]

This does get resisted by golem, which is relevant (even if only slightly so).

Very slightly indeed, because Null Rod/This are not good responses to Lodestone anyway.  If that's your best option, as a  deck facing down a Golem you're in big trouble.

[Eastman]

Wow as someone who normally plays blue control I think this will be a significant improvement over rod in the fish matchup.  My gameplan relies heavily on using workshop hate to bounce/destroy null rod. 

Nature's Claim still hits it of course, but at least grudge doesn't now. 

[MaximumCDawg]

Options are great, and Fish just got another great one!

This is fantastic, for all the reasons mentioned.  Alot of blue decks run H.Recall as half or the only artifact removal; the ones who have more are running stuff like Echoing Truth.  Not only does this bad boy dodge most of those, but if you have it and a Rod, Truth ceases to be the 2-for-1 it would be if they were both Rods.

For those who are unwilling to spend thousands to run power, having options in our anti-power suite is critical.  I've learned the hard way that unless you have at least 8 slots that are very good at stopping power, you're probably going to spend alot of games crushed by turn 2, 3 if you've got a few counters.  Theres precious few cards that really can fit this bill:

Null Rod (Not only stops artifact accellerants, but also Helm of Obedience, Grindstone, Time Vault, Bomberman combo... GREAT!)
Silence of Stone (Requires white, but in return is harder to remove than Null Rod, does the same job... GREAT!)
Chalice of the Void (Stops accellerants cold, but only on the play, and can be akward for a low cc fish deck later... meh)
Pithing Needle (Stops accellerants or combo pieces, but only one at a time; can also hit Bazaar if necessary... not terrible)
Phyrexian Revoker (Does everything Pithing Needle does, except hate on Dredge, but also beats for 2... good!)
Kataki, War's Wage (Hates on artifact accell and shops and beats for 2, but doesn't stop artifact combos... metagame choice)
Gorilla Shaman (Beats, hates out artifacts, but costs you tempo and requires red... metagame choice)

A new member of this club is a welcome addition.  In my fish decks, I can very easily see running 8x Null Rods between board and main.  

Also, if blue is worried about this dude, they'll probably start running Nature's Claims or Chain of Vapor to deal with it.  If they do, Misstep gains value for Senior Fishy.  I suppose they could stick with Echoing Truth, but as mentioned, diversifying your Rods is good against this too.

[marcb]

Everything useful has already been said but it has potential to bump goyf too.

[Delha]

Wow as someone who normally plays blue control I think this will be a significant improvement over rod in the fish matchup.  My gameplan relies heavily on using workshop hate to bounce/destroy null rod. 

Nature's Claim still hits it of course, but at least grudge doesn't now.

This was exactly my thought process when the card was spoiled.

[Blue Lotus]

This does get resisted by golem, which is relevant (even if only slightly so).

Very slightly indeed, because Null Rod/This are not good responses to Lodestone anyway.  If that's your best option, as a  deck facing down a Golem you're in big trouble.

You pretty much have to hope they don't have a land or anything they can cast with their lands in play. So big trouble is exactly how I would put it.

[serracollector]

Could this card possible make enchantress a lil more viable again? Its the first thing that crossed my mind.

[Guli]

I can't see legs? Did they forget to print them?

[LordHomerCat]

Hey look, a lock piece that isn't on a stupid 2/2 white creature.  I had thought Wizards had completely given up on printing actual "spells" anymore and was just making everything creatures.  In other words: fuck hate bears. 

This card is crappier than null rod unless you are heavy white, but if you are heavy white, your deck is probably terrible.  I don't see splashing W for this in shops, for example.

[Wagner]

I don't see splashing W for this in shops, for example.

Of COURSE not! You're playing Shops, why would you use a card that has no synergy with the rest of your deck when you have a better option. But for those decks that do play white (not sure how "heavy" you need to be to support 1 white mana) it's a very good alternative.

[Delha]

I can't see legs? Did they forget to print them?

Making this a creature would weaken the card significantly.

[MaximumCDawg]

This card is crappier than null rod unless you are heavy white, but if you are heavy white, your deck is probably terrible.  I don't see splashing W for this in shops, for example.

I don't get what you're trying to say.  It's bad in shops so it's a bad card?  I seem to recall a certain deck of the Fish variety, and I seem to recall it plays with white mana sources and likes Null Rod already... maybe, just maybe, this card could have a home there...?

[Guli]

I can't see legs? Did they forget to print them?

Making this a creature would weaken the card significantly.

I have thought about that when I was posting my remark. I still think it needs 2 power even if it can be removed/bounced/... The reason for this is that the Null Rod effect is a Pillar for Fish and the Pillar itself should have at least 2 power or more. You could give it a  activation ability to make it a 2/1. I am not afraid of losing my creatures to removal. If that is how we have to think according to you AS FISH players, then we are failing in the first place to our main plan, BEATDOWN.

[LordHomerCat]

Ya dude, I totally have this mono white snow control deck that plays null rods.  It's a terrible deck, but this card would be awesome in it!  So clearly, this card is awesome!

Note: I don't actually have such a deck.  Draw your own conclusions about the rest of this post.


Also, "its a pillar so it should have 2 power" ?  What?  Since when do Mana Drain or Workshop or Bazaar or Dark Ritual have 2 power?

[arj]

Very nice card. Fits white perfectly and will be very good in fish.

[Guli]

Also, "its a pillar so it should have 2 power" ?  What?  Since when do Mana Drain or Workshop or Bazaar or Dark Ritual have 2 power?

If you don't understand what I am saying, we have nothing to talk about.

[MaximumCDawg]

Also, "its a pillar so it should have 2 power" ?  What?  Since when do Mana Drain or Workshop or Bazaar or Dark Ritual have 2 power?

If you don't understand what I am saying, we have nothing to talk about.

I don't understand what this cat is sayin' either.  Null Rod 2 sounds good in Noble Fish.  Why's he on about mono-white?

[TheWhiteDragon]

@ LordHomerCat - Guli is saying the pillar in FISH needs a 2/2 body, because its plan is to disrupt and beat - he's not saying EVERY pillar in EVERY deck should be a 2/2.  I think you knew that and are just being silly.

Also, Noble fish is not a terrible deck.  GW fish is not a terrible deck.  They might not be your choices to play, but they are not bad and they easily can access W through noble or fetching a tundra/savannah.  People are suggesting this card has a home there, where null rod is already played.  If you think you need mono-white to run this, you must also think you need mono black to run confidants or mono blue for drains - see what I did there?

[LordHomerCat]

@ LordHomerCat - Guli is saying the pillar in FISH needs a 2/2 body, because its plan is to disrupt and beat - he's not saying EVERY pillar in EVERY deck should be a 2/2.  I think you knew that and are just being silly.

Also, Noble fish is not a terrible deck.  GW fish is not a terrible deck.  They might not be your choices to play, but they are not bad and they easily can access W through noble or fetching a tundra/savannah.  People are suggesting this card has a home there, where null rod is already played.  If you think you need mono-white to run this, you must also think you need mono black to run confidants or mono blue for drains - see what I did there?

I think Guli doesn't really understand magic.  But that's probably beside the point.

I am glad that SOMEONE got what I was saying, at least.  Sure, you don't have to be monowhite for this card.  But the best Null Rod deck is something monobrown or Workshop based and has been for a long time.  All the null rods in the world isn't going to make fish a good deck.

[honestabe]

Ya dude, I totally have this mono white snow control deck that plays null rods.  It's a terrible deck, but this card would be awesome in it!  So clearly, this card is awesome!

Note: I don't actually have such a deck.  Draw your own conclusions about the rest of this post.


Also, "its a pillar so it should have 2 power" ?  What?  Since when do Mana Drain or Workshop or Bazaar or Dark Ritual have 2 power?

http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=42851.0  Drain w/ 2 power  =)

[MaximumCDawg]

I am glad that SOMEONE got what I was saying, at least.  Sure, you don't have to be monowhite for this card.  But the best Null Rod deck is something monobrown or Workshop based and has been for a long time.  All the null rods in the world isn't going to make fish a good deck.

I'm tempted to make a comment along the lines of "Haters gonna hate," and I guess I just did.

Anyway, to add some substance to the comment, I went on Morphling.de and looked for fish decks in the top 8 of recent reported tournaments:

Bloomsburg 20.08.2011 - Dark Times and two Noble Fish top 8;
Savona 31.07.2011 - Goblins, GW Fish, UR Fish, top 8;
Rome 17.07.2011 - Noble Fish top 8;
etc

So, no, Fish variants are hardly the top deck in Vintage, but they're also not shockers in the top 8.  Why ya so down on em?

[TheWhiteDragon]

I am glad that SOMEONE got what I was saying, at least.  Sure, you don't have to be monowhite for this card.  But the best Null Rod deck is something monobrown or Workshop based and has been for a long time.  All the null rods in the world isn't going to make fish a good deck.

So, no, Fish variants are hardly the top deck in Vintage, but they're also not shockers in the top 8.  Why ya so down on em?

Because they don't run a land that taps for dark ritual.

[oshkoshhaitsyosh]

I am glad that SOMEONE got what I was saying, at least.  Sure, you don't have to be monowhite for this card.  But the best Null Rod deck is something monobrown or Workshop based and has been for a long time.  All the null rods in the world isn't going to make fish a good deck.

I'm tempted to make a comment along the lines of "Haters gonna hate," and I guess I just did.

Anyway, to add some substance to the comment, I went on Morphling.de and looked for fish decks in the top 8 of recent reported tournaments:

Bloomsburg 20.08.2011 - Dark Times and two Noble Fish top 8;
Savona 31.07.2011 - Goblins, GW Fish, UR Fish, top 8;
Rome 17.07.2011 - Noble Fish top 8;
etc

So, no, Fish variants are hardly the top deck in Vintage, but they're also not shockers in the top 8.  Why ya so down on em?

I agree haters will hate and thats just what they do. I am a player who plays broken decks but I also run UR landstill from time to time. And I would consider this new null rod card a perfect fit for a UW landstill list.

[LSD25]

should have been a 2/1 human/knight/rebel/soldier imo.  this is useless cept those playing grudge over claim.

[TheWhiteDragon]

Should have been a 4/4 flying for 2W with this null rod effect.

[Stormanimagus]

This card is perfectly designed. I don't what everyone else is complaining about. This will not only see play in Fish as an alternative to Null Rod, but if Leyline deck ever becomes viable (i.e, the printing of an anti-shop Leyline) this will be a centerpiece. I'm still holding out for the Replenish/ Serra's Sanctum.dec thing to happen with 12-16 bombtastic Leylines and 4 Opalesence.

-Storm

[MaximumCDawg]

Should have been a 4/4 flying for 2W with this null rod effect.

No way man, it would have to be at least a 4/6 flier for 2U with a null rod effect to be playable.  See, cuz, otherwise it can't profitably block a Lodestone Golem or pitch to Force of Will.  Oh, it it would also need shrou- er, hexproof, otherwise it would die to removal.  Then maybe it would see some play.