I use 4 of these in my blue control deck. This is a very underrated and overlooked card. Since my deck has virtually no instants or sorceries, or cards that go directly to the graveyard for that matter, it is very hard to get rid of this card unless the other player has destruction cards. Even then, it makes a good stall, and has saved my life countless times.
A deck I was so proud to have built, but never once got me anywhere in a tournament. I can see that there are some new cards that could make my deck more efficient now, though, so I just might rebuild this juggernaut.
I can so see this being "build around me". Turns out, so can many other people :)
OverfiendSurprise
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
amazing in a chronatog stasis deck . . . still amazing in other decks.
Zaneshift
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I tend to run this with some sort of bounce stick, so I can use a sword and shield mentality of removing the shield before I make another move. Quite a nice delay tactic against super aggro early game tactics, and the defense helps me gain ever valuable card advantage while my opponent waits on a naturalize or such.
desertbuttons
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Throw these bad boys in with 4 vedalken masterminds and 4 boomerangs and you have a good chance to bounce this card back to your hand if you decide to play instants like counterspell.
Fictionarious
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run a blue-white control deck with this in it, and I have to say it's all about building a deck to accommodate it. No instants, no sorceries. Permanents only, preferably with protection. Sometimes I'll even have two on the battlefield when I have a Vedalken Mastermind out, since that means I can return one to my hand if it gets targeted for removal but still have the other. I deal with non-targeting board sweepers by running four Ertai, Wizard Adepts. Basically the only cards that concern me now are very few and specific. Those that deal unpreventable damage, Thraximundar, Isochron Scepter, Split-second or uncounterable destroy spells. So I plan on running four Meddling Mages as well.
Preventing yourself from losing is an unusual strategy in a game where it's usually more efficient to win as fast as possible, but cards like this make the strategy unexpectedly playable.
Like an automatic Blue Circle of Protection: Everything, as long as you know how to keep it in play. (Though it's a cheap enough cast to be useful even if you intentionally break it a few rounds later)
Play a Dovescape after this, and you're immortal unless they're packing Krosan Grip, Annihilators, or an enchantment-destroying creature.
omg use this in a deck with rest in peace and helm of obedience, u get crazy lockdown and wait till u get infinite mill combo
painter's servant + grindstone combo is faster but its thwarted by them having emrakul in their decks and painter is a creature with 3 toughness which is much easier to get rid of than straight artifact and enchantment
matunos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@drpvfx: If you have this and Dovescape out, Krosan Grip can't destroy Energy Field (or anything else for that matter) because Dovescape will still trigger (just like Krosan Grip can be countered by Counterbalance if a 3 cmc card is on top).
Abrupt Decay, on the other hand, can still destroy it, because that can't be countered (and they'll get their bird tokens too).
All in all, I think I'd rather protect it with either redudancy, redirection, or something like Greater Auramancy
tanglestasis
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
first card i ever built a deck around and now is in my enchantress deck surprised that people have only recently started using it originally i used 1 in my enduring ideal deck
One of the many reasons why True-Name Nemesis is the worst card ever printed.
Lord_Ascapelion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gotta love how this card is not even remotely blue. Like, I understand how maybe the color pie was rougher in the early days, but c'mon- this is like something you'd see in Legends. By Urza block they should have known better!
Comments (22)
My old deck ran so many failsafes ... Jade Monolith, Memory Crystal, Capsize, Library of Leng, etc. But I can consolidate and play with creatures with shroud and wreck shop with my Zephid's Embraced Thran Golems.
Sometimes I'll even have two on the battlefield when I have a Vedalken Mastermind out, since that means I can return one to my hand if it gets targeted for removal but still have the other. I deal with non-targeting board sweepers by running four Ertai, Wizard Adepts.
Basically the only cards that concern me now are very few and specific. Those that deal unpreventable damage, Thraximundar, Isochron Scepter, Split-second or uncounterable destroy spells. So I plan on running four Meddling Mages as well.
Preventing yourself from losing is an unusual strategy in a game where it's usually more efficient to win as fast as possible, but cards like this make the strategy unexpectedly playable.
as long as you know how to keep it in play.
(Though it's a cheap enough cast to be useful even if you intentionally break it a few rounds later)
Play a Dovescape after this, and you're immortal
unless they're packing Krosan Grip,
Annihilators, or an enchantment-destroying creature.
Play Guile, then it's all over.
Who needs a $300 Moat? ;-)
Play Leyline of the Void and keep it out. Hosed by Leyline of Punishment.
painter's servant + grindstone combo is faster but its thwarted by them having emrakul in their decks and painter is a creature with 3 toughness which is much easier to get rid of than straight artifact and enchantment
Abrupt Decay, on the other hand, can still destroy it, because that can't be countered (and they'll get their bird tokens too).
All in all, I think I'd rather protect it with either redudancy, redirection, or something like Greater Auramancy
T2: Energy Field
T3: True-Name Nemesis
One of the many reasons why True-Name Nemesis is the worst card ever printed.