Great card, and nice to see some quotes from classic literature back on Magic cards.
raptorjesus69
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm surprised this isn't rated higher. {U} to potentially destroy a creature is great. You could do so much worse for one mana anyway.
@Temple_Garden: This isn't bad. You're comparing it to a spell that costs {2} more, of course the higher costed spell is going to have some advantage over it.
JWMidnight
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Making their huge attacker suddenly tiny with a card with a kitty on it will make me smile every time.
Mode
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
It's no Path to Exile, but it's still a pretty handy card.
If you don't like it for its smart ability, try to like it for the artwork or the Alice in Wonderland flavortext! :D
Remember that even if you don't have something to ássure its aimed use as removal with cards like Prodigal Sorcerer,
it won't be too hard getting rid of a creature by using this as a combat trick.
This way your chump blocker can become a creature killer.
ZEvilMustache
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
THIS is what blue's shrinking mechanic should look like. Actually, I really dig blue spells that set their target's power and toughness to a specific number like Wings of Velis Vel. It shows that blue is able to fight green and red power boosting, but does it in its own particular way. VERY cool.
Good in limited. Crappy in constructed. unsummon beats this easily.
Anggul
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Not bad, although I have to say, I preferred Ovinizing them into a sheep =)
pushbuttonmagic
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Great card but I still prefer Ovinize because turning my opponent's creature into a sheep is what I'd do!
Tobinator
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
beautiful, love the design, art, flavor text, man, blue's finally getting some love from R&D
honestly though, I like this more than snakeform, this only costs U, it's so much easier to leave one mana open as opposed to three..
Zoah
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
I actually think this card beats out snake form.
No, it won't take away abilities, and no, you don't get to draw. But for it's core purpose and the first thing you think of when you see it... It's cost wins it.
On a side note: no one has brought up this card yet: Ovinize
CJM2
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
"I'll block with Cloud Crusader and play Diminish on your Azure Drake." "In response, I'll play Diminish on your Cloud Crusader." "Okay, but my Cloud Crusader still has First Strike." "...Oh man..."
So I guess Ovinize and Snakeform might still be better in some situations.
raegbund
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
@Temple_Garden
snakeform does the same thing with the advantage of replacing itself for 2 more mana... check ovinize. this is a new version of that card, though honestly better IMO.
aba1
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@ DonRoyale
Pognify...
12345morgan
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(8 votes)
Player 1 : I'll attack with Blood Tyrant for 11 points, trample...what now son?!?! Player 2 : Diminish. Block. Dead. Player 1 : WTF?!?!?!?
EvilCleavage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a question for you guys, any help is appreciated. Okay, so say my brother is playing a 2/2 creature and has blanchwood armor on it. Let's say he has 5 forests out and the creature is a 7/7. When I play this card, or any card like it, does it turn the creature into a 1/1 but then the aura still boosts it back up to a 6/6? I hope I worded that right, i'm real curious about using this against my brother because he uses pretty much only and this would suprise him plenty! Thanks for the help
Stray_Dog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Shrinking done right! Love how it is virtually the antithesis of Giant Growth. It should be a blue staple for that very reason.
WaffleCop
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I played against a guy in draft who used this with Prodigal Pyromancer. Annoying as HELL
Galgus
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I personally prefer Snakeform, but the advantage of this card is that you may be able to play another spell mid-game and Diminish, while Snakeform is probably your only spell that turn unless you have a lot of mana.
So which is better, a bit more utility and a card refund, or having a trick spell while playing other spells?
Ovinize is better than this, because in addition to reducing the power and toughness of the creature, it also makes it lose its abilities, which can be very good in some situations and less so in others. However, Diminish does have potential to be a good card.
Johnald
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Seems like there can be plenty of shenanigans had with the other 1 cost utility cards like Hornet Sting, Stabbing pain or force an enemies best creature to attack with incite and then diminish it during combat.
Keiya
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's a pretty good card, but I still wish we would have gotten something more like Humble instead to seal off abilities. Ah well, a decent U drop nonetheless
Kurhan
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(17 votes)
Everyone is missing the main point! This can pump up an eldrazi spawn to do combat damage!
MDStrawHat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Kurhan haha yeah people don't realize
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Very good, R&D.
bboi018
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a Question...
For example: if a 2/1 creature attacks....equipped with unholy strength enchant.(gives +2/+1) when i cast diminish...does the creatures entire attack power of 4/2 diminish to 1/1....or only the creatures attack power of 2/1 turn to 1/1 +the 2/1 enchant for a total of a 3/2?
Thanks.
divine_exodus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this is a pretty good card, especially in a full blue deck. Your opponent thinks they are attacking with a 6/6, but now its a 1/1. Sucker! Oh, and the kitteh is cute.
Rumblin-Slumm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If I Diminish my opponents' Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and tap Vedalken Shackles to steal it, I would not have to give it back, even after it becomes 12/12 again, since Shackles doesn't check each turn, right?
GainsBanding
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
This card has some layering interactions that are more complex than most commons in a core set. I just learned that if my opponent casts Giant Growth on a creature and then I Diminish that creature, the Diminish won't stop the Giant Growth effect because of the layer order the effects are applied. And it doesn't matter which spell was cast first. Giant Growth always tops Diminish. That seems counter-intuitive and I bet it won't be played that way around a million kitchen tables. Arguments will end like this: "Diminish says it's a 1/1, so it's a 1/1!!! I block, it's dead!!!"
Zulp
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's disappointing that it doesn't stop abilities. Your opponents' flying dragons and sphinxes and demons will still get through, albeit for one damage. Next turn they get back to their original size, and if you were screwed before, you're still screwed. It's extremely handy and I will play it, but its uses are more narrow than something like Ovinize.
CeremonialBathory
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Rumblin - "The creature's power and the number of Islands you control matter only when the ability is activated and resolved. After that, only the fact that Vedalken Shackles remains tapped matters. You maintain control even if it stops being a creature. " So yes, that scenario will work.
Blackworm_Bloodworm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is about as close as you'll get to pure blue removal (Pongify doesn't count). It even hits black creatures! This is an honest 5/5 card.
nimzo
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Actually a 5/5 card because it's a 1CMC / Blue / Instant / Common card that kill anything with a -1/-1 counter on it. So many cards in Scars of Mirrodin help it to kill a creature, not only one or two powerful rare or mystic cards... Further more you can "only" reduce a creature to 1/1 if your opponent doesn't have a creature with a -1/-1 on it... In 75% of combat, you will be able to destroy the target with one of your creature...
I was a fan of humble, and Ovinize it's very ok... but now, for only ONE mana, in blue... with SOM... it's a perfect blue surprising card!
I think every blue deck want one copy of this. After you cast it, your opponent have to deal with this versatile treat...
(And you may give a +1/+0 boost to any Eldrazi spawn token!)
@GainsBanding - I think this works because the Giant Growth doesn't put on +1/+1 counters. The with Diminish the card is put at 1/1, but when Giant Growth resolves it will give it +3/+3 and this is how it would happen no matter the order in which they're played. This is how I understand that set up anyway, but I'm still very new to this game (started around Shards) so I don't know this game inside-out yet.
If that is how Giant Growth would react to Diminish then the same should also interact the same with similar cards like Primal Bellow, Groundswell, and other instabuffs.
iPreferStormCrow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The kitty on this card makes it that much more awesome. Who want's a weird snake coming out of a glowing blue robe when you can have a KITTY??
EpicBroccoli
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@12345morgan
FYI, the +1/+1 counters would still apply so it would probably still be a 7/7
BlueRock
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
how does this work for an equipped creature? say something with a darksteel axe on it.
PEGU
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Anyone else wish that they wouldn't use quotes outside MTG realm?
I have always loved Snakeform and this one get's close enough. 4,5/5
Bouv10
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What a lot of people forget is it makes the creature a 1/1 - any spells or equipment on it still count towards raising its total higher. Though I did laugh when someone played this on my wall and the wall ended killing their creature because of it (0/4 to 1/1)
dragonking987
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
do anyone else find it weird that things smaller then cats are 1/1 when most humans are 1/1s...
persecutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kitteh no like rampaging baloths. 5/5 for kitteh
KitaFer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Kurhan: LOL!
@ Me: I love this card! And the picture in particular!
kiriyama9000
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
5/5 for the artwork.
RDorothy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this card is fckin awesome.
CrowJonSnow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
@gainsbanding and anyone else confused about raising and lowering stats: it's all about the stack, which resolves from top to bottom. here's a few scenarios. opponent attack with a creature, then plays Giant Growth on it. you then play diminish in response. the stack looks like this:
Diminish Giant Growth Declared attacker
Diminish resolves first, making the creature a 1/1. diminish's effect is now resolved, and we move on to the next card in the stack. Giant growth then gives the creature +3/+3, as if the creature was normally a 1/1.
scenario two: enemy creature attacks, opponent plays giant growth on it. you WAIT until giant growth resolves, then play diminish. this results in two stacks.
stack 1: giant growth Declared attacker.
attacker is now +3/+3
second stack: diminish
attacker is now a 1/1
third scenario: opponent attacks, you play diminish, they play G Growth in response stack: giant growth diminish declared attacker
giant growth first, +3, +3, then diminish, resulting in a 1/1 attacking creature.
GrimjawxRULES
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A little tip: Damage remains on creatures until the end of the turn, so if you can deal 1 point of damage to your opponent's Hand of Emrakul you'll be able to kill it off using this.
@CrowJonSnow: actually, it isn't true. If you read ther ruling, there is this note: Effects that modify the targeted creature's power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Honor of the Pure, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature's power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness. I think they changed the rules, because I would have agreed with you, if I haven't read the ruling... I think it's a little more easy in the this way, because is like you change only the values written at the right bottom of the card, not counting every other effects.
I think that I would prefer Ovinize because is more hilarious and the creature loses its abilities too... However, this is still funny!
4/5
@PEGU: acutally, some people (as me) like real-world quotes... I think that Lewis Carroll is one of the most prolific source of quotes: other than this, there are Ancestral Memories and Pearled Unicorn...
Snakeform is better IMO. The cantrip is necessary for cards like these. With that being said, this is great in limited, but won't even see sideboards in standard.
Diminish is a misnomer; I use it to pump up my Eldrazi spawns!
chrome_dome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My playgroup was playing a Cube draft a few weeks ago. One opponent finally managed to cast a bloodthirsted Carnage Wurm and attacked the opponent next to him. In response he cast Diminish targeting the wurm and blocked it. My response-lmao.
Comments (71)
And honestly, at 1 mana, I am NOT complaining. :D
Yeah, Snakeform is great, but Diminish is far from "bad." Ease up dude =)
Meow, Walletslayer.
@Temple_Garden: This isn't bad. You're comparing it to a spell that costs {2} more, of course the higher costed spell is going to have some advantage over it.
If you don't like it for its smart ability, try to like it for the artwork or the Alice in Wonderland flavortext! :D
Remember that even if you don't have something to ássure its aimed use as removal with cards like Prodigal Sorcerer,
it won't be too hard getting rid of a creature by using this as a combat trick.
This way your chump blocker can become a creature killer.
honestly though, I like this more than snakeform, this only costs U, it's so much easier to leave one mana open as opposed to three..
No, it won't take away abilities, and no, you don't get to draw.
But for it's core purpose and the first thing you think of when you see it...
It's cost wins it.
On a side note: no one has brought up this card yet: Ovinize
"In response, I'll play Diminish on your Cloud Crusader."
"Okay, but my Cloud Crusader still has First Strike."
"...Oh man..."
So I guess Ovinize and Snakeform might still be better in some situations.
snakeform does the same thing with the advantage of replacing itself for 2 more mana...
check ovinize. this is a new version of that card, though honestly better IMO.
Pognify...
Player 2 : Diminish. Block. Dead.
Player 1 : WTF?!?!?!?
So which is better, a bit more utility and a card refund, or having a trick spell while playing other spells?
Your preference, really.
For example: if a 2/1 creature attacks....equipped with unholy strength enchant.(gives +2/+1)
when i cast diminish...does the creatures entire attack power of 4/2 diminish to 1/1....or only the creatures attack power of 2/1 turn to 1/1 +the 2/1 enchant for a total of a 3/2?
Thanks.
It even hits black creatures! This is an honest 5/5 card.
I was a fan of humble, and Ovinize it's very ok... but now, for only ONE mana, in blue... with SOM... it's a perfect blue surprising card!
I think every blue deck want one copy of this. After you cast it, your opponent have to deal with this versatile treat...
(And you may give a +1/+0 boost to any Eldrazi spawn token!)
If that is how Giant Growth would react to Diminish then the same should also interact the same with similar cards like Primal Bellow, Groundswell, and other instabuffs.
FYI, the +1/+1 counters would still apply so it would probably still be a 7/7
I have always loved Snakeform and this one get's close enough. 4,5/5
5/5 for kitteh
@ Me: I love this card! And the picture in particular!
it's all about the stack, which resolves from top to bottom.
here's a few scenarios. opponent attack with a creature, then plays Giant Growth on it. you then play diminish in response. the stack looks like this:
Diminish
Giant Growth
Declared attacker
Diminish resolves first, making the creature a 1/1. diminish's effect is now resolved, and we move on to the next card in the stack. Giant growth then gives the creature +3/+3, as if the creature was normally a 1/1.
scenario two: enemy creature attacks, opponent plays giant growth on it. you WAIT until giant growth resolves, then play diminish. this results in two stacks.
stack 1:
giant growth
Declared attacker.
attacker is now +3/+3
second stack:
diminish
attacker is now a 1/1
third scenario: opponent attacks, you play diminish, they play G Growth in response
stack:
giant growth
diminish
declared attacker
giant growth first, +3, +3, then diminish, resulting in a 1/1 attacking creature.
Effects that modify the targeted creature's power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Honor of the Pure, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature's power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
I think they changed the rules, because I would have agreed with you, if I haven't read the ruling... I think it's a little more easy in the this way, because is like you change only the values written at the right bottom of the card, not counting every other effects.
I think that I would prefer Ovinize because is more hilarious and the creature loses its abilities too... However, this is still funny!
4/5
@PEGU: acutally, some people (as me) like real-world quotes... I think that Lewis Carroll is one of the most prolific source of quotes: other than this, there are Ancestral Memories and Pearled Unicorn...