Very fun looking. Would work great with Krark's Thumb
izzet_guild_mage
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(7 votes)
0_o This is the card the set is named after? Win.
Alfrebaut
★★☆☆☆ (2.1/5.0)(5 votes)
With as much red as I play, I feel like I am a representation of a red mage. To me, literal coin flip cards just don't sit right, and I think Aaron nailed it with this one. If you "win," you don't get much, but if anyone "loses" they lose a spell. Maybe it's because I'm the opposite of what a gambler is, but I don't like it.
Aaron_Forsythe
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(23 votes)
Aaron's Random Card Comment of the Day #1, 9/27/10
Yes, this is the card the set is named after. No, it is not nearly as powerful as the cards Time Spiral and Future Sight.
Planar Chaos is one of many in a long series of rare red enchantments that aim to destabilize the game somehow, either by punishing players for playing “normally” or by adding a huge layer of randomness to what goes on. Or, it would be part of that series if it actually was a rare.
We’ve seen this type of effect countless times, the most memorable (and fun) of them being Grip of Chaos and Confusion in the Ranks. I consider those two “fun” because there is a winner and a loser every time the enchantment triggers. I trade you my piece of junk for your awesome creature, or we all hold our breath to see who is getting whacked with the big Fireball. Planar Chaos doesn’t have any upside like that; you are flipping coins to chose between “normal” and “awful.” Call me a hater, but I don’t consider that to be fun, and I’m unlikely to ever play this card on its own--I’d have to be tempted by the coin-flip-matters trio of Chance Encounter, Krark's Thumb, and Karplusan Minotaur, and even then I’d probably be looking for coin-flip cards with more upside.
I understand that there is a decent amount of strategy involved in knowing when to deploy Planar Chaos (hint: when you’re winning) and when to cast spells once it’s in play (hint: try not to), but it just doesn’t hit the chord that the well-executed versions of these cards do, or even the merely “okay” ones like Impulsive Maneuvers and Risky Move.
I’d like to think that the Judgment development team demoted it to uncommon because they saw it as lackluster, but I don’t think that was the case--the Multiverse comments on it are quite positive. It was just a matter of space in the set. Too much of the other stuff felt more "rare" than this.
For what it’s worth, we’ve cut back considerably on how often we make goofball red enchantments like this in recent years. I know there’s a crowd that enjoys them, but they don’t need one or more per set!
Cheza
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This card is completely useless. The reason for that isn't the randomness, but the first part of the rules text. Without support, there is a 50% chance that this enchantment will last 1 turn, so it might slow the game down a bit. But nothing worth the effort.
Without the first part, it would be MUCH more fun, since it would support smaller creatures, cantrips and might be really ruinous to combo decks. Even a disenchant might not work against this.
So I would LOVE to see a legendary reprint without the first ability for {1RR}. (cmc3 is essential)
We used this in chaos magic games though. If noone needs to cast this, it can convince one player to attack, since the chances that your opponent will successfully cast a terror is decreased.
BTW: Confusion in the Ranks is a wonderful card, since it produces a static semi-random effect that can balance the game A LOT and make it really funny. And by the way, it's more or less the only red version of a disenchant. Your opponent has a Circle of Protection, a Moat or something else? => switch who controls them.
Grip of Chaos is totally unfun. Have you really ever tried it? Then tell me how you calculated the random target without disturbing the game up to total frustration. Hell, there are 13 possible targets... well start rolling the dices...
bay_falconer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is horrible. Ridiculously so. There are some combos with it, just cards that depend on a whole bunch of coin flips, but otherwise no. Also, since when does red get counterspells?
syrazemyla
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(3 votes)
@Aaron_Forsythe
This card would be a lot more fun (and a lot more red) if it said "When a player casts an instant or sorcery spell, that player flips a coin. If he or she wins the flip, he or she copies that spell. He or she may choose new targets for the copy."
Trygon_Predator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Like all random cards, this could either help you win or make you lose miserably, depending on how lucky you are. Probably at its most entertaining (or frustrating!) in a big multiplayer free-for-all. Drop it before the end of your turn and duck under the table.
Comments (10)
This is the card the set is named after?
Win.
Yes, this is the card the set is named after. No, it is not nearly as powerful as the cards Time Spiral and Future Sight.
Planar Chaos is one of many in a long series of rare red enchantments that aim to destabilize the game somehow, either by punishing players for playing “normally” or by adding a huge layer of randomness to what goes on. Or, it would be part of that series if it actually was a rare.
We’ve seen this type of effect countless times, the most memorable (and fun) of them being Grip of Chaos and Confusion in the Ranks. I consider those two “fun” because there is a winner and a loser every time the enchantment triggers. I trade you my piece of junk for your awesome creature, or we all hold our breath to see who is getting whacked with the big Fireball. Planar Chaos doesn’t have any upside like that; you are flipping coins to chose between “normal” and “awful.” Call me a hater, but I don’t consider that to be fun, and I’m unlikely to ever play this card on its own--I’d have to be tempted by the coin-flip-matters trio of Chance Encounter, Krark's Thumb, and Karplusan Minotaur, and even then I’d probably be looking for coin-flip cards with more upside.
I understand that there is a decent amount of strategy involved in knowing when to deploy Planar Chaos (hint: when you’re winning) and when to cast spells once it’s in play (hint: try not to), but it just doesn’t hit the chord that the well-executed versions of these cards do, or even the merely “okay” ones like Impulsive Maneuvers and Risky Move.
I’d like to think that the Judgment development team demoted it to uncommon because they saw it as lackluster, but I don’t think that was the case--the Multiverse comments on it are quite positive. It was just a matter of space in the set. Too much of the other stuff felt more "rare" than this.
For what it’s worth, we’ve cut back considerably on how often we make goofball red enchantments like this in recent years. I know there’s a crowd that enjoys them, but they don’t need one or more per set!
The reason for that isn't the randomness, but the first part of the rules text. Without support, there is a 50% chance that this enchantment will last 1 turn, so it might slow the game down a bit. But nothing worth the effort.
Without the first part, it would be MUCH more fun, since it would support smaller creatures, cantrips and might be really ruinous to combo decks. Even a disenchant might not work against this.
So I would LOVE to see a legendary reprint without the first ability for {1RR}. (cmc3 is essential)
We used this in chaos magic games though. If noone needs to cast this, it can convince one player to attack, since the chances that your opponent will successfully cast a terror is decreased.
BTW:
Confusion in the Ranks is a wonderful card, since it produces a static semi-random effect that can balance the game A LOT and make it really funny. And by the way, it's more or less the only red version of a disenchant. Your opponent has a Circle of Protection, a Moat or something else? => switch who controls them.
Grip of Chaos is totally unfun. Have you really ever tried it? Then tell me how you calculated the random target without disturbing the game up to total frustration. Hell, there are 13 possible targets... well start rolling the dices...
This card would be a lot more fun (and a lot more red) if it said "When a player casts an instant or sorcery spell, that player flips a coin. If he or she wins the flip, he or she copies that spell. He or she may choose new targets for the copy."