Better than sadistic sacrament in that it targets all three zones. Worse than sadistic sacrement in that you can only take out one kill card. It costs more, but is more spashable
roguepariah
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I always loved playing cranial extraction. Now its back, without the arcane subtype.
lorendorky
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
I name Emrakul, or Primeval Titan, or Baneslayer Angel. I may put a swamp in the SB of my Valakut combo deck just to have this bad boy waiting.
Chrome_Coyote
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(12 votes)
No, no! Not my Relentless Rats! DO NOT WANT!
dgregory
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
It's been said for nearly every variant of this card ever printed, but still...COMBO BREAKER!
this card will be in every black deck's sideboard.
BigK42
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
A replacement for Thought Hemorrhage in standard. Nice that it's still in the meta, but should have costed bb2 imo. Now everyone who runs black (and some who don't) will be splashing this.
HanZzz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I got this card at the prerelease and since I am working on a mono-black standard deck, I was considering this card and trying to figure out how it stacks up agains my sideboard Sadistic Sacraments.
Finally I decided to stick with the Sacraments for the following reasons:
1) Lower casting cost. 2) I don't have to name a card, possibly I don't know what cards my opponent is playing with, especially since the new rotation may bring new types of decks. The Sacrament allows me to first check out the deck before committing to the cards I want to get rid of. 3) I can get rid of lands. I know lands aren't typically the most dangerous cards out there...but there are a bunch of non-basic lands you may want to remove. Also with a lot of creatures, spells and the new Horizon Spellbomb...not to mention the fetch lands, a lot of players with multi-colored decks only play with a couple of basic lands of a certain type. By removing those you could potentially make a larger amount of cards completely unplayable for that player. 4) it's unlikely that I will be able the kicker cost, but theoretically, it's possible. 5) Face it they are a lot easier to trade for and to get your hands on. 6) There is something about those BBB spells. It's intangible, but you feel it when you play them and you know you like it.
cloneffect
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This seems really good. It's better than sadistic sacrament in that can kill those pesky vengevines even if they're already in the graveyard (say, off a hedron crab). It's also more splashable; esper control decks are going to love this. As if creeping tar pit wasn't enough reason to splash black in blue-white...also seems really good against primeval titan toolbox decks, and if you get really lucky or they other guy gets a really slow start, even better against those naya/fauna shaman decks. Impressive stuff, a guaranteed 3-of in a bunch of sideboards and possibly even maindeckable in some build...you never know. 5/5, thank you Wizards.
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Should have been blue... or at least a 1BB card.
Stray_Dog
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
I like cards that punish people for making generic decks with four of every overused card in their colours ^_^
More ways to get rid of those silly Vengevines and Bloodghasts and Titans and Fauna SHamans and Masters of Etheriums sounds great to me...
CeremonialBathory
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(5 votes)
@ Cheza - Stop going around and posting "Should have been blue" on traditionally black cards. The only card I can think of in blue that acts like this is Quash. Black is famous for being able to search libraries for cards, see Cranial Extraction or Sadistic Sacrament. Also, did Thought Hemorrhage have Blue in it? Just because it's control doesn't mean it's blue. All colors have a form of control, people just default to blue when they're uncreative.
Tragico
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Notice that this says "any number" whereas Cranial Extraction says "all". A very minor difference, and I can't honestly think of a reason someone might choose to find less than all copies. I suspect the reason for the change was to avoid the awkward case were a player accidentally overlooks a copy and it shows up later in the game.
Kazabet
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
How does this card interact with Leonin Arbiter? Say you don't pay the 2, does that mean you can search only their hand and graveyard?
tcollins
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"I name Memoricide..."
Enemy_Tricolor
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
I think this card would be my go-to in real life.
"Hey, when are you going to pay me back that forty bucks?"
*grabs head*
"Huh, what...what were we talking about?"
"Nothing at all, my friend. Nothing at all."
TheHandyman
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
What's Liliana doing to Hulk Hogan...?
Gabriel422
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cranial Extraction went to $20 apiece back in its days. Now this is like $2.
DacenOctavio
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
NO FREAKING BLIGHTSTEEL FOR YOU. Seriously, this card solves every problem ever. It's like when Gordon Freeman once said in that groundbreaking series, Freeman's Mind:
"Is that an MP5!? It is! *Gasps* Now I can solve up to eight-hundred problems a minute!"
Lateralis0ne
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
@Tragico:
I think this could be more than just a 'sorry, no Blightsteel for you", but in the right deck could act as a combo enabler. It could work on yourself, I guess, but I'd use it with something like Tunnel Vision. It's a bit narrow, but you could feasibly pull two copies of a card out of their library, but leave the last in their hand, shove that card to the bottom of their library with something like Psychotic Episode (or Jace 2.0, if you have no budget restrictions), then name that card with the T. Vision. Bingo, 13 mana later, you've three-card-combo'd their graveyard away. and, if you have a Leyline of the Void out out, then they have no chance of reclaiming their library.
Very clunky, very casual. But the fact it's possible means that 'any number of the named card' is there for a reason.
my two cents.
Lyoncet
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
It's like Meddling Mage's bigger, more intrusive and much angrier cousin.
Oricalcous234
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card would work great in a sideboard. If you play on the defencive for the first match just to see how your opponent's deck works and then use this card to take our the key card or star player in that deck for the next two matches....its pure magic
Could I use this card on a progenitus if he's still in my opponent's deck or hand?
scumbling1
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"Notice that this says "any number" whereas Cranial Extraction says "all". A very minor difference, and I can't honestly think of a reason someone might choose to find less than all copies. I suspect the reason for the change was to avoid the awkward case were a player accidentally overlooks a copy and it shows up later in the game."
That's very likely. Wizards has openly stated that they like to use "may" whenever they can, as it keeps people from having to backtrack when they forget triggers. For example, compare Soul Warden to the newer Soul's Attendant.
Sterling_Archer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love opening the game with a Duress or Inquisition of Kozilek, getting a good look at my opponents hands, and then following up with a Memoricde several turns later. In one game, a friend of mine had 2 Baneslayers in his hand. The look of terror on his face when I played Memoricide was priceless.
Your crazy friend who plays a Relentless Rats deck will hate you for this.
DGice
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
why does this not get nonbasic land, I seriously just lost to valakut because after I memoricided their titans and despised their one avenger, they played a bunch of mountains and a second valakut, after I had tect edged the first one.
When you cast this, do you actually get to search your opponents deck and hand? I've played this many times, and my opponents prefer to just dig out their copies of the card wherever they are and reveal them to me. I feel that I should be the one to search their library, graveyard, and hand. Any help with this?
Red_Wizard
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MechaKraken
Yes, it says that you do right in the card. Those who aren't letting you do this, are most likely trying to give you the advantage of searching their hand and deck.
Townend_GLS
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
can you target creatures that have shroud with this card??please answer
Speednat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@townend_GLS I believe you can as you are not targeting the creatures, which have shroud, but the cards which don't since they are not on the battlefield yet. The only abilities that function outside of the battlefield are those that specifically state that they do, or characteristic defining abilities, like P/T, color, type, subtype etc.
magicpablo666
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Misthollow Griffin
CaptainNinJoe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The random button led me to Lobotomy, which got me thinking about how it compares to this card.
Memoricide is better because: +Not limited to choosing a card that is in their hand +Easier to cast (playing blue no longer required)
Lobotomy is better because: +You look at their hand first
If I'm setting up for a big turn, I'd rather have Lobotomy to eliminate an immediate response from the opponent. Lobotomy is more main-deck-able. If I'm playing against a combo deck or a deck with one huge threat, I'd rather sideboard in Memoricide.
I won a Mirrodin Besieged Game Day match by playing Memoricide and calling Abyssal Persecutor. My opponent dropped three from his hand. I was a happy camper.
Lobotomize yourself of all your Relentless Rats to thin your deck to however many cards you want it to be. Minus anything you've already played of course.
Comments (45)
Worse than sadistic sacrement in that you can only take out one kill card.
It costs more, but is more spashable
Finally I decided to stick with the Sacraments for the following reasons:
1) Lower casting cost.
2) I don't have to name a card, possibly I don't know what cards my opponent is playing with, especially since the new rotation may bring new types of decks. The Sacrament allows me to first check out the deck before committing to the cards I want to get rid of.
3) I can get rid of lands. I know lands aren't typically the most dangerous cards out there...but there are a bunch of non-basic lands you may want to remove. Also with a lot of creatures, spells and the new Horizon Spellbomb...not to mention the fetch lands, a lot of players with multi-colored decks only play with a couple of basic lands of a certain type. By removing those you could potentially make a larger amount of cards completely unplayable for that player.
4) it's unlikely that I will be able the kicker cost, but theoretically, it's possible.
5) Face it they are a lot easier to trade for and to get your hands on.
6) There is something about those BBB spells. It's intangible, but you feel it when you play them and you know you like it.
Flavor text is perfect for what it does. >:D
"Hey, when are you going to pay me back that forty bucks?"
*grabs head*
"Huh, what...what were we talking about?"
"Nothing at all, my friend. Nothing at all."
"Is that an MP5!? It is! *Gasps* Now I can solve up to eight-hundred problems a minute!"
I think this could be more than just a 'sorry, no Blightsteel for you", but in the right deck could act as a combo enabler. It could work on yourself, I guess, but I'd use it with something like Tunnel Vision. It's a bit narrow, but you could feasibly pull two copies of a card out of their library, but leave the last in their hand, shove that card to the bottom of their library with something like Psychotic Episode (or Jace 2.0, if you have no budget restrictions), then name that card with the T. Vision. Bingo, 13 mana later, you've three-card-combo'd their graveyard away. and, if you have a Leyline of the Void out out, then they have no chance of reclaiming their library.
Very clunky, very casual. But the fact it's possible means that 'any number of the named card' is there for a reason.
my two cents.
That's very likely. Wizards has openly stated that they like to use "may" whenever they can, as it keeps people from having to backtrack when they forget triggers. For example, compare Soul Warden to the newer Soul's Attendant.
Your crazy friend who plays a Relentless Rats deck will hate you for this.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?
costing me money
*resumes milling*
Yes, it says that you do right in the card. Those who aren't letting you do this, are most likely trying to give you the advantage of searching their hand and deck.
Memoricide is better because:
+Not limited to choosing a card that is in their hand
+Easier to cast (playing blue no longer required)
Lobotomy is better because:
+You look at their hand first
If I'm setting up for a big turn, I'd rather have Lobotomy to eliminate an immediate response from the opponent. Lobotomy is more main-deck-able. If I'm playing against a combo deck or a deck with one huge threat, I'd rather sideboard in Memoricide.
I won a Mirrodin Besieged Game Day match by playing Memoricide and calling Abyssal Persecutor. My opponent dropped three from his hand. I was a happy camper.
Squadron Griffins.