An MtG Puzzle

The Blind Eternities forum

Posted on Aug. 3, 2017, 7:14 a.m. by JDGM

Hi everyone, I'm going through my profile "checklist" and one thing on there is to start a forum thread.

So here is a puzzle I made a few weeks ago:

To clarify, when it says "Your Deck" that means the decklist, not the library. So there are no more Mountains to fetch up (as there are three in your graveyard and one on the battlefield).

Ryjo says... #2

Here's what I'm thinking... Show

The Arid Mesa and all further Mesas are functionally useless, since all fetchable lands are already out of the deck, all they can do for us is shuffle any fatesealed cards around. The opponent, knowing our deck's composition, would leave a Mesa on top since it's a dead draw. We have the last Lava Spike in hand, so it wasn't the card that was fatesealed. That leaves either the remaining Lightning Bolt, one of the 3 Goblin Guides, or one of the Monastery Swiftspears.

We need to act now, because if they can get their last Strip Mine, we lose. Also, Jace, the Mind Sculptor can ultimate next turn and then we would basically lose. The opponent could have either Essence Scatter or Negate to counter our Lava Spike and Goblin Guide.

In this scenario, I would play the Arid Mesa, then cast Lava Spike, hoping they don't have a counter. If they do counter, and on the next turn they ultimate Jace, then next turn we draw the Goblin Guide after it becomes the only card in our library, cast it, and attack.

August 3, 2017 9:11 a.m.

JDGM says... #3

Good plan!

I believe there is a way to be sure that you win, though!

Hint 1 Show

Would you agree that the fact that the opponent bottomed the card means that whatever it was they MUST lose to it? i.e. They could have either Negate or Essence Scatter in hand (or neither) but if they saw something they could counter then they would leave it on top. Likewise, if they saw the land then - like you say - they would have left that on top too.

Hint 2 Show

Assuming you agree with the premise of Hint 1, is there a way to find out exactly what card they decided to put on the bottom of your library?

Solution Show

Crack fetch and look at the bottom of your library to see what card your opponent bottomed. They would only bottom something that they lose to, which would be either a Goblin Guide or a Lightning Bolt. If it was a Guide then play Guide for the win, otherwise play Lava Spike.

August 3, 2017 9:31 a.m.

Ryjo says... #4

Hints 1 and 2 Show

If they have either Negate or Essence Scatter, they would have left the card on top if they could counter it. But if they don't have a counter, they would put the card on the bottom, hoping you don't have any more gas. There are 8 remaining threats in the deck, 7 of which are creatures. Based on simple probability, it was most likely a creature that was fatesealed. So maybe it would be best to play Goblin Guide

New solution Show

Play Arid Mesa, crack it, fail to find anything, but look at the bottom card to see what was fatesealed. If it was a creature, cast Goblin Guide, else cast Lava Spike. If they counter and ultimate Jace, then cast the other one next turn.

August 3, 2017 12:16 p.m.

JDGM says... #5

You got it! Show

Well done! One thing to note is that they will not bottom a Swiftspear since they will not die to that. It can only be a Guide or a Bolt that opponent bottomed, and so you know for sure what to do this turn to win.

August 3, 2017 12:51 p.m.