Wrench Mind - Let's Talk
Modern forum
Posted on June 22, 2015, 3:52 a.m. by sergiodelrio
So, a lot of times Wrench Mind is a two-for-one card, which is a much desired effect. Yet, I don't see it in a lot of discard strategies. How come? A two mana two-for-one should be a staple in the format, or am I missing something?
Discuss!
The only playable 2 mana discard 2 is Hymn to Tourach in Legacy and that is because it is random. Homes for Wrench MInd that include Rack decks. That is it. Do you want that effect in Rack decks? Not really - you can have a nice targeted discard for one mana less and your problem after turn 3 or 4 is for the opponent to have actual cards for you to discard.
Additionally, the card suffers from Browbeat disease - it is good on the surface, but giving your opponent choice is bad.
Furthermore, the card can randomly be worse vs most decks in modern (decks with delve or artifacts or Snappy).
Final nail in the coffin is the fact that for rack deck willing to splash a little, Blighting has a way cooler name and is a more effective card.
June 22, 2015 4:10 a.m.
sergiodelrio says... #4
Sure, I see how it has the downside of not getting to choose (or not being random) but still I believe it can be relevant in a lot of cases: We see a lot of decks that take that "good stuff" approach with a lot of low cmc option/utility cards. Considering that you T1 Thoughtseize (et al) and pick something relevant, then T2 Wrench Mind you'll have taken away a lot of options. Also, leaving them with the decision does not guarantee they choose wisely (although a lot of players will). Your points are valid, of course, but I still like to have an open discussion about this to better understand the card, the environment and the format. What if we used a control shell in addition to the discard? Is there a way outside of The Rack strategies to push the effect?
Also I want to add that I appreciate your input, and I'm not trying to convince anyone of something, but rather like to be convinced myself. I want to learn as much as possible and I know people have thought about this card a lot more then I have.
June 22, 2015 4:29 a.m. Edited.
branston567 says... #5
you could go with Waste Not and punish them for discrading making their choices more difficult as they may not want to discard thta extra land since you would just be able to Wrench Mind a second time and hit them even harder. I'm not convinced of it myself but it could be a thing, sort of waste not zombies where at worst you can target yourself discard two Bloodghast and/or Gravecrawler and play a land, all the while getting value out of their discard
June 22, 2015 4:45 a.m.
There isn't really a shell that supports untargeted discard aside from strategies that do damage through discard. The reason for this primarily is because it's better to address what the opponent is actually playing with counterspells and killspells than to allow them to choose what to get rid of. When you play a killspell or counterspell you directly influence their gameplan by getting rid of whatever threat it is that they want to cast or that is on the field. When you play wrench mind on the other hand there is a large chance that you will not directly influence their game plan. That uncertainty is crippling. It's not just the uncertainty though. Other factors that make it weak are that it does nothing when you're behind and the opponent already has board presence. Furthermore it's a really bad topdeck when both you and the opponent are short of cards in hand.
It's a very circumstantial 2-for-1. It relies on cards in hand. It relies on them having good cards in hand. It's only useful if they're not about to beat you down for the win. It's an awkward one.
June 22, 2015 4:51 a.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #7
People play it in 8-Rack, and I've definitely seen it in one high profile Rock sideboard.
June 22, 2015 6:18 a.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #8
...plus Affinity is the Aggro deck of the format & Tron is the anti-midrange deck of the format... & while it's not as bad against it as it is the other two, Infect is the "out of nowhere" deck of the format & MBD & Smallpox & Zombies & Vengevine are the "rogue brews" of choice in the format...
branston567 says... #2
discard is good when you can select what to remove (Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek et al) so that you know the best card in their hand is gone, or random discard (Hymn to Tourach, Mind Twist et al) this can damage an opponents game plan as they may well lose key cards in their hand.
Wrench Mind suffers because the opponent gets to choose, so yes its a two for one but if they have two duds in their hand then guess what they are going to discard
There is a deck titled 8 Rack which uses The Rack and Shrieking Affliction that trys to repeatedly remove all cards in a players hand and leave them with nothing to do, Wrench Mind does see play in that deck
June 22, 2015 4:07 a.m.