Trangress the Mind vs Duress
Standard forum
Posted on April 16, 2016, 12:34 a.m. by tpmains
In a control deck, which would be better for the sideboard? Duress can only hit noncreature, nonland and Transgress the Mind can hit anything with cmc greater than 3.
I'd have both if possible - Transgress in main and Duress in sideboard. Sometimes a turn later is a turn too late, just don't forget that Duress will feed their Madness.
April 16, 2016 1:06 a.m.
I really think you need both. I run both in my deck.
You can't beat looking at an Opponent's hand on their first turn and then grabbing a card out that they rely on the next turn.
Alternatively you can choose Pick the Brain but it happens much later.
April 16, 2016 1:46 a.m.
KillDatBUG says... #5
Definitely Transgress the Mind. It's much better against Humans than Duress will ever be, because it can actually take their higher end creatures. Most of the time, Duress doesn't even really hit anything.
April 16, 2016 2:02 a.m.
The answer is an obvious both. The human decks almost all have Declaration in Stone, Always Watching , and Gideon, Ally of Zendikar somewhere in the 75. The W/U versions even have Negate and Ojutai's Command they're bringing in to combat your strategy. Bant company has probably your fewest targets but still has important targets, plus turn 1 hand info can be invaluable. Those are just the two more popular decks after the first week. If your talking locally at FNM, where you might see more of a variety of decks, then you have midrange decks that will use removal and card draw to grind games, other control decks, and other decks running Transgress the Mind. Like I said, the turn 1 hand information can be invaluable. Especially for a control deck that can set up it's next couple turns. I'd even recommend possible mainboard (depending on the meta you'll play in).
I haven't played standard in the last couple of weeks for random reasons not being able to make it in time. But tonight at FNM, I played the same deck that I was playing pre-rotation. I literally only lost 2 cards in the mainboard, Murderous Cut, which was easy to replace with Ultimate Price for now. I went 4-1 and I run Duress and Transgress the Mind both in the mainboard and joke that the deck is mono-black control, which I wouldn't really call it that but it definitely feels that way sometimes. Especially after boarding in cards after game 1. Anyways, shameless plug but, Mono Black Standard Eldrazi. Just so you can get an idea of where I'm coming from. I have no fears running both in the main because being mono black the deck relies on tearing apart your hand and killing what I let you play to make sure my threats are landing and getting through damage, hence why I joke that it's mono black control. I really don't see why you couldn't use a similar split in a dedicated control deck, unless it was strictly a local meta call.
April 16, 2016 3:35 a.m.
I don't know why you are "joking" that it's Mono Black control when it sounds like that's exactly what it is.
I Mainboard Duress and Transgress the Mind in my Cast a Shadow [Top 4 FNM] and don't regret running either of them.
Knowledge is a valuable resource in Magic.
April 16, 2016 4:52 a.m.
Because really it's just a midrange deck. It has a solid creature curve that top's out with Reality Smasher and has a suite of removal to keep the board clear. I joke that it's mono black control, because there have been times where after boarding in I have 3xDuress, 4xTransgress the Mind, 2Infinite Obliteration, 3xThought-Knot Seer, and now 2xPick the Brain. This takes the deck from a midrange deck that grinds you out with removal into something with a ton of heavy hand disruption and good removal to back it up and clear the scraps that do hit the field.
April 16, 2016 9:43 a.m.
FordPrefect says... #9
If it's pure value- as in one pitted against the other as relevant to the current Standard, then I'd say that Transgress the Mind is the victor. Duress has always been a worthwhile card, giving you insight into an opponent's hand, an removing a potential danger, no matter how soon they can cast it.
However, in a Standard that has recently lost Despise, may it rest in peace, Transgress the Mind hits nearly every powerful threat an opponent may have, regardless of creature or non-creature. Exile is relevant in this Standard, and while it does play a turn slower than Duress, this Standard does see a lot of tap lands T1 to secure the manabase, thus making the 1-drop part likely unnecessary, but not as expensive as Pick the Brain, which allows the opponent to cast any spell by that time that Transgress the Mind couldn't have taken.
Now the real answer to disruption in this form is yes, to run both. But if it's up to a few slots in the mainboard or sideboard, I would be confident in saying that Transgress the Mind is the superior option.
April 18, 2016 10:16 p.m.
readerrw07 says... #10
I run Transgress mainboard, with two more sideboard and 3 Duress in the Sideboard. Really my only way of beating Seasons Past is either they draw super dead or I Transgress at least 1 of it's title card
May 10, 2016 3:59 a.m.
I beat Seasons Past with Narset Transcendent. I protected her long enough to ult her and my opponent scooped. I don't think he realized that she would completely shut him down.
EmblemMan says... #2
I prefer transgress now because the standard meta isnt built around so many spells also with so many low to the ground creature decks its good to be able to trangress the 3+ drop card sitting in their hand and board wiping them then playing duress when they probably dont play as many noncreature spells
April 16, 2016 12:39 a.m.