It can force your opponent's support creatures attack too. Always love a suicidal general in EDH.
Vakyoom
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
More options! Options make magic utility cards fun!!
Cause them to attack with all their creatures and block the ones you wanna get rid of. Or if they have smaller creatures, force them to attack and take no damage, then attack them next turn when they have no blockers. Or just pick their one all important creature to attack you while you set up to take it out.
Either way their creatures with first/double strike (Thalia, silverblade paladin, etc) do no damage unless pumped up by other means. This is a great card, another stellar example of what overload has to offer.
lorendorky
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The most obvious STD combo I can think of is casting this then using Tamiyo, the Moon Sage's -2 ability.
majinara
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Well, it's a bit narrow, and the overload a bit expensive. I guess it will be one of those "often it's crappy, but sometimes will win games in limited" cards.
Lotsofpoopy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This is a wonderful spell. Pros like me will make great use of the overload ability. This completely destroys goblins and weenies.
Eternal_Blue
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Much like most, if not all, of the overloaded cards, the non-overloaded version is subpar and should never actually be used. I'm sure there's going to be a few cool combat trick moments during Limited to use with this, specifically allowing your own creatures to get in the killing blow when your opponent's shields are down. However, 5-mana is a bit much for an effect that may very easily never be worth it. Overload is a pretty blase mechanic, though thankfully not as much as Replicate was.
LordRandomness
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Versatility is the name of the game for this spell: Kill off a support creature, force their army to mass assault you before they're ready and kill off whatever you can, shrink an existing assault, tap down the enemy's blockers for a counterattack...the options make the card. Plus I love the flavorful result of overloading: you generally get hit a little by attackers in exchange for the potent effect.
Interesting note on overload: Since many of them say "target creature you don't control", even the non-overloaded versions get some degree of protection from redirection effects.
RAV0004
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Is that a goblin riding a mechanical donkey?
mathy1863
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is severely under-rated. I would give it 4.5 for being -2/-0 instead of -3/-0, but I give it the extra half point for being a common, so they'll be super easy to collect in limited.
I'm not kidding. This card wins games. It nerfs all your opponent's creatures, and then forces them to go all in. Not only do you get to wipe out half the their creatures because your blockers still do full damage while their attackers don't, but it leaves them completely defenseless on the next turn. The card might as well say "3RU: destroy half of opponent's creatures then deal 8 damage to them".
Domak
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Underrated. This card can easily function as removal early game. -2/0 is pretty nice when paired with a forced attack. When overloaded it can win matches. Your opponent is forced to tap out their non-vigilance creatures and is forced to attack with all kinds of shit they otherwise wouldn't. You get to pick off creatures with blockers then swing in, often against no blockers, the next turn. Why do people think this is so bad?
ExzcellionGamma
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hmm... will be used when Gideon Jura goes "COME AT ME BRO."
Radagast
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Designed for Commander, really. That's where the overload cost isn't too bad and where forcing an all-out attack from a foe isn't a totally silly idea.
Okuu-chan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Underrated. Forcing your opponents' creatures to attack when they're underpowered is pretty good. The Overload could have cost less, but this is still pretty awesome as a common. Works great with Blistercoil Weird as a trap technique.
Dabok
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I also want to point out that it's an instant. Meaning that if your opponent was meaning to attack you anyway, thinking to finish you off, boom, his creatures are weaker and blocking's much more manageable, if not profitable for you. Underrated indeed.
Purplerooster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a wonderful spell and has definitely changed the momentum of games many times.
3.5/5.
PriestessKikyo1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lots of options, fairly costed- really this can ruin your opponents entire strategy during their turn, as long as it's not countered. 4/5
Totema
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Spectacular flavor. Here's a cross-section of that Azorius mage's mind right now: "Halt, goblin citizen! It is unlawful to operate this sort of apparatus in-uh-DURR-HOOAAH IMMA GETCHA"
Maraxas-of-Keld
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I finally got the chance to do a draft for this set, this turned out to be my favorite combat trick. Versatile enough between the overload and the power reduction to work in more situations then the average kind of trick.
Comments (20)
Cause them to attack with all their creatures and block the ones you wanna get rid of. Or if they have smaller creatures, force them to attack and take no damage, then attack them next turn when they have no blockers. Or just pick their one all important creature to attack you while you set up to take it out.
Either way their creatures with first/double strike (Thalia, silverblade paladin, etc) do no damage unless pumped up by other means. This is a great card, another stellar example of what overload has to offer.
Interesting note on overload: Since many of them say "target creature you don't control", even the non-overloaded versions get some degree of protection from redirection effects.
I'm not kidding. This card wins games. It nerfs all your opponent's creatures, and then forces them to go all in. Not only do you get to wipe out half the their creatures because your blockers still do full damage while their attackers don't, but it leaves them completely defenseless on the next turn. The card might as well say "3RU: destroy half of opponent's creatures then deal 8 damage to them".
Meaning that if your opponent was meaning to attack you anyway, thinking to finish you off, boom, his creatures are weaker and blocking's much more manageable, if not profitable for you.
Underrated indeed.
3.5/5.