Is dour port mage completely busted?
General forum
Posted on Sept. 12, 2024, 9:23 p.m. by Bookrook
I have been looking at Dour Port-Mage and it seems like it would be ridiculous. Brago, King Eternal, modern and pioneer blink decks, yorion, even an Azorius blink variant of soul sisters. Ever heard of a card called Another Round? It’s bounce ability doesn’t seem that good but I guess it can dodge removal. In a good blink deck, it basically says, “draw a card whenever a you cast a spell, it becomes your end step, (thank you Teleportation Circle), when you attack, and you win the game if you cast a mass flicker. Does anybody else have anything to say about this?
wallisface says... #3
The card is playable, barely. There are some fringe/niche decks that will build-around this card, but to varying success. You can see evidentially that it isn’t “busted” by it not showing up anywhere in Modern or Pioneers list if commonly-played creatures (a further sign you’re entirely overvalueing this card).
September 12, 2024 10:46 p.m.
wallisface says... #4
In terms of Modern playability specifically, it can likely only ever exist in a combo shell like this one AspiringSpike built. While this deck has many lines that lead it to comboing-off and winning on-the-spot, it’s super-fragile to interaction, and a bit slower than other combo decks, while also not being particularly reliable at pulling-off the combo. It’s more of a fun tier-3 deck as opposed to anything remotely oppressive.
September 12, 2024 10:53 p.m.
Ok, maybe not completely busted, but it can still generate tons of value in blink decks. I still think it is a strong and underrated card, but I see your points on why it isn’t completely amazing. I think it isn’t a top tier card, but it’s an auto-include in any blink deck.
September 13, 2024 12:12 a.m.
wallisface says... #6
Bookrook again I would disagree it being "an auto-include in any blink deck". In Modern, for example, there are a bunch of "blink" decks that will utilize cards like Ephemerate
or Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd, but not use Dour Port-Mage. As a value engine it's having to compete against the likes of Satoru, the Infiltrator, which also sees very little play, but which has a more easily abusable synergy with various strong creatures in the format (Solitude, Subtlety, Aether Vial, Cryptic Coat).
Dour Port-Mage is by no means a weak card, but it is a looonng way away from being an auto-include in any deck. The only deck currently running this card in Modern is one where the deck is specifically built around it - whereas there are multiple other blinking strategies that ignore this card entirely.
Looking further on MtgGoldfish, there are exactly zero decks running this card in both Pioneer and Standard. It's probably the case that these formats just don't have the resources to make use of the card, but it's also a pretty strong sign that it's nowhere-near an all-star.
September 13, 2024 12:25 a.m.
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #7
Draws your deck with Peregrine Drake and Deadeye Navigator, and the two give you all the mana you need to cast all that stuff. Seems fun ;D
September 13, 2024 9:41 a.m.
Let me clarify, if you were playing a mono blue blink deck it’s probably a very good card. Other than that, I think that it could be a one off or two off in modern decks without black.
September 13, 2024 5:59 p.m.
keizerbuns says... #9
I’ve been testing it in my ninjutsu deck and it’s been a great inclusion. I replaced Cunning Evasion with Dour Port-Mage and It’s a great way to bounce my ninja’s back to my hand so I can ninjutsu them back out again while gaining me card advantage for something I was gonna do anyways.
September 13, 2024 11:01 p.m.
I do like the Dour Port-Mage's activated rescue ability. Return to hand is not good for a blink deck in general but having yet another way to protect your key pieces sounds good to me. I would consider it for decks that have powerful ETB effects that also need more rescue slots. Add in the draw power and I would consider including it in anything with ETB that was casual for commander. Its a weaker version of Crystal Shard, which is amazing utility, with a little card advantage thrown in. So if i wanted a second slot for this effect it could be an included card. And how many decks have a Frog Wizard in them?
legendofa says... #2
I wouldn't say Dour Port-Mage is completely busted. It's very good support for bounce, but by itself (plus any other creature), it's + cost of the other creature for one extra card each turn. If it didn't have the "one or more" clause, that would push it closer to completely busted. As it is, though, there's a few hoops to jump through before it gets past card-neutral.
September 12, 2024 9:53 p.m.