Wither to Dust
Custom Cards forum
Posted on May 28, 2020, 10:10 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
Swords to Plowshares is one of the best creature removal spells in the game, so I wish to make a black version of it, and here is that card:
Wither to Dust Show
There really is not too much for me to say about this card, so what does everyone else say about it?
I assume that it is supposed to read "Exile target creature. You lose life equal to its toughness." Pretty interesting effect, definitely plays into the theme of power at a cost. It is also worth noting that Flesh to Dust is already a card name! Perhaps "Wither to Dust" or similar.
May 29, 2020 1:52 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #4
x12721, thank you for pointing out both of those facts to me; I completely forgot that there was already a card by that name, likely because it is such a terrible card, so I shall take your suggestion for a new name.
May 29, 2020 7:40 a.m.
Your life total is a resource that many aggro decks, combo decks, and death's shadow decks use. All of the decks I mentioned, aside from some combo decks, wouldn't mind this card and would greatly appreciate it. Aggro decks because it is a 1 drop removal spell with no conditions other than losing life which shouldn't matter as the point of the deck is to lower the opponents life total as fast as possible. Death's shadow would absolutely love this card especially at instant speed. Instead of lava spiking in response to no blocks you can exile their blocker before swinging or even exile a second death's shadow on an empty board for the win.
May 29, 2020 8:20 a.m.
I think it would be too strong for most standard environments but itd be interesting to see what it would do in pioneer and modern.
May 29, 2020 12:52 p.m.
Black doesn't get exile this cheap, even with downside. If you would give it to them, the color would take over some of White's main strengths. The downside is mostly negligible based on the format.
In Commander you have 40 life to take from, so if the opponent gets to achieve a high power creature where this is your only removal choice, you're in trouble. But in 99% of cases, it just costs you a small amount of life, which black happily does in so many other aspects of the color.
In Standard you'll only target stuff that doesn't cost you too much - but the alternative is often to take the combat damage to the face. If the meta is dominated by big power creatures, you run destroy removal, and possibly this as SB if WotC decides to make a stronger Bronzehide Lion.
In Eternal formats you SB it against creatures where the cost is negligible or where it disrupts your opponent's combo.
Also... Tragic Slip exists and that is how Black usually does removal that bypass indestructible, but it is conditional when it's this cheap.
Black is usually tied at 4 CMC for unconditional exile removal, as seen in Eat to Extinction, Gild, Deadly Rollick. The last one having a conditional situation where it's free, specifically for Commander.
Black does get lower CMC exile, but they are conditional on the target: Epic Downfall Legion's End or Grotesque Demise. Or Infernal Reckoning.
White is and should be the king of cheap flexible exile, or it loses one of its few strengths.
September 14, 2020 9:46 a.m.
Well this aged well with the release of Dire Tactics. Adds white, which permits the exile clause, and still has the downside of losing life equal to power/toughness. The custom card wasn't too far out of proportion but was just a little too powerful for the mono colored casting cost.
September 15, 2020 2:50 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #9
itsbuzzi, Dire Tactics is a good card, but I dislike how it is so human-centric; hopefully, WotC shall eventually print a card that is similar to it, but less tribal, in a future set.
September 15, 2020 9:52 p.m.
For the same cost they have Despark which is just an all around good card, but restricted to higher CMC permanents. I do like Dire Tactics and Humans are one of the more popular creature types anyway. 1-2 mana removal spells are almost always mana efficient so I'll always use them and play around the downside if need be.
TonyStark9001 says... #2
this would be drastically worse than swords to plowshares. your opponent gaining life doesn't matter when you can combo them out or you overkill them with creatures anyway. losing your own life on the other hand matters a lot when trying to take out something big.
May 28, 2020 11:33 p.m.