Probably one of the only Cipher cards that cost the right amount of mana for it's effect.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(8 votes)
...because mind destruction and insanity are best represented by a CGI person with a bulbous head
flavioal28
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(6 votes)
Jon Finkel?
lorendorky
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
This art is laughable. If you manage to get this cast twice in one turn that is some serious milling.
hot4boys
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(6 votes)
the le reddit r/mtg army and its leejun loves this card! 5 stars if you agree!
Dream_Twist
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(7 votes)
I'm not terribly excited about cipher cards but this has some potential to be very good. We have reforge the soul from Avacyn and now this? Last time I checked windfall and wheel of fortune were restricted and diminishing returns is only allowed because you have to exile 10 cards. Encode this on invisible stalker and you're going to have some fun.
Nucleon
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(6 votes)
The art was a bit creepy until I saw his hand position. "Tee hee hee!"
LordOfTheFlies87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I keep saying, Wizards, stop drawing expressive human faces, especially up close. But do they listen? No. Besides the art, nice card.
Oatbran
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(6 votes)
Psh, you're crazy. Hey, don't listen to that voice, it's just crazy. Oh, and remember, voices in your head aren't normal, others wished they had more than one. I think you're pretty. La la la doo whop. I'm the real voice in you're head, the others are fake. Don't listen to me. Kill it! I don't care if it's just a pen, kill it!
What's happening to me!?!
Curlie-Joe
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
I like it, but I don't like it at the same time. Can't stand putting cards in an opponent's hand.
ThePinkBaron
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(6 votes)
I guess I'm in the minority, because I actually like the art. It does a good job of conveying the sort of creeping psychosis that this card inflicts on your opponent (milling them out, i.e. driving them insane hand-by-hand). But what I don't get is why the art shows a Dimir agent being affected. Wouldn't it make more sense if an opposing guild member was the one being hurt, like in Paranoid Delusions or Undercity Plague?
Purplerooster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awesome card. You can easily turn this into card advantage by constructing your deck of mostly cheap spells. Your opponent will only be able to get down a card or two while you empty your hand in preparation for the ciphering next turn.
Dear god in heaven. I think this counts as Development trollin' Vintage. Who the heck knows what's going to happen in Legacy.
Heyyyy, let's functionally reprint a card that's banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage. Oh but also let's PUT IT ON A CREATURE STICK because what your Delvers and Confidants really need is an Wheel of Fortune effect. For free. Every turn.
Not that you'll need more than one turn. You'll flip Delver, empty your hand, cast Whispering Madness ciphering Delver, refill your hand, empty your hand, swing with Delver, refill your hand, play Tendrils of Agony for the win. And if for some reason you can't get there, Delver will happily recast Whispering Madness for you. For free. Every turn.
I can't wait. Whispering Delver of Agony FTW. The only thing standing between Storm pilots and the Top 8 will be Jace -1'ing. Bring it. :)
you know those epic, long, drawn out EDH games, where the green guy finally plays Praetor's Counsel ... oops
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The skeleton is saying "Wait till you see my dick. Ey ***. Wait till you see my dick. I'm gonn' beat that *** up."
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He looks like Syler from Heroes, has that "anything for power" madness creeping in his eyes.
The_Stray
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I can hear the voice but I don't wanna listen Strap me down and tell me I'll be alRIGHT I can feel the subliminal need To be one with the voice And make everything alright
Are you breathing now? Do the wicked see you? You still breathing? You're making me known. Are you breathing now? Do the wicked see you? You still breathing?
mono_blue_forever
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jace's Archevist can do that every turn for only 1 blue mana...
spoonish
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this + niv-mizzet anyone?
im a bit surprised no one here has mentioned it yet
z06kicks
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Can't wait to try this out in my casual Psychosis Crawler deck. Guess I'll be slotting in some Invisible Stalker's into my two drops. Generally have 10+ cards in hand by turn 6 (Howling Mine/Reliquary Tower if it wasn't obvious), which would make this a one turn win with an unblockable creature. Worst case, I just milled a good portion of their remaining library and found the cards I needed to win next turn. Assuming I survive whatever cards I just helped them draw :)
endgame13
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The card is awesome, but this is definitely going to be one of those 'use as needed' cipher cards and not a use every/twice in a turn kind of card. It only costs 1 more then windfall, which is a lot more cost effective then the other cipher cards.
FaceClaimer
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This + Liliana's Caress is so much freaking fun, especially if you stack a second caress in the game plan. a little slower than below but it's so good.
Combo with bane alley broker so you can keep valuable spells and keep messing with your opponents
Baal_Planeswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@mono_blue_forever
In the right deck, you can do this every turn for 0 mana.
LordRandomness
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Cipher triggers on combat damage to any player, including yourself. More convoluted combo players might try putting it on a Crazed Goblin and Donate-ing it, then never blocking so that the effect goes off every turn. But then that wouldn't work because the controller could choose not to cast, of course. Me? I just use Goblin Psychopath.
Pinto331
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In a deck with relatively low cost cards you play this, encode it on an evasive creature, play as many cheap cards as you can, then fill your hand right back up all in the same turn. Absolutely ridiculous when done right.
IDEAL
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Geth's Grimoireworks awesomely with this, basically giving you double the hand size of your opponents'.
I got two of these and don't know what to do with but i got some invisible stalker too , megrim , liliana's caress ...
Play this and it resolves a second times thanks to ciphering the stalker and it can be 2x 5cards x2damagepts maybe 2x4x2dpts plus 2 stalker damages (turn3&4) and it goes 22 or 18 damages turn 4 ... If itsn't enough turn five should be ok for the win... So nasty that i won't try to play it. How do you name this kind of deck that kills with megrim or liliana's carress ? And is it rated 3.2 cause it's already banned ?
TheDemonicAngel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Notion thief on the end of your opponents fourth turn. Your turn drop an island have dispel in hand and play whispering madness. Game over!!
KvotheBloodless
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a beautiful card for one reason. Card advantage. Now, I know that discarding the cards and drawing new ones isn't technically card advantage, but this is generally how I use this.
Mill-Cipher deck. When this goes off, play all the spells you can with the mana you have. If you don't need whatever is left, swing with invisible stalker and do it again. Since it's on your turn, your opponent probably didn't get much use (i.e. play any cards). You refill your hand. Repeat. And mill while you are at it. Keeps you from exhausting your hand.
LordOfTheUniverseMCS
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cipher is an odd mechanic. Seen here and on a couple other cards, like Stolen Identity, it can be devastating. One use for is great, two is game breaking. Then there is Last Thoughts, which should cost and twice a turn is still subpar, and it is absolute junk if the creature cannot hit / is removed.
On the whole, cipher is kinda win-more. If I am hitting my opponent consistently, I am winning. This is a good cipher card, but its brethren are not. 😜
Actually quite effective with Bane Alley Broker. Pull the things you want to hold on to out of your hand with the broker, destroy the other player's strategy, and then drop your important cards back into your hand alongside whatever new ammunition you pulled.
troll_berserker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For a card that just costs one more than Windfall, a card powerful enough to be banned in Legacy, and has the optional effect of ciphering it onto one of your creatures, this card has gotten some pretty harsh ratings.
Manage the triggers right to cast their best cards each time this hits.
Okuu-chan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Underrated. Remember that these are the colors of unblockability. Ciphering this onto a Consuming Aberration (or even just Ciphering it while you have a Consuming Aberration) leads to lots of brutal fun for you.
bfellow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@troll_berserker.
Shows how 1 mana decides if cancel is playable vs. counterspell etc. That's why Whispering Madness sees zero constructed play.
EvilDarkVoid
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Really? Windfall with a single added and the ability to be repeated every turn (and cast twice the first turn) sometimes, yet its a whole 1/5 less? Gather community, you've failed.
hainto14
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Could I cipher this on to a creeping tar pit? That'd be pretty sweet XD
Lazenca_Seifus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
hainto14: You can encode this onto a Creeping Tar Pit, as long as you animate the Tar Pit first. It will remain encoded even after the Tar Pit stops being a creature.
raptorman333
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i don't understand why this is rated so low when windfall is rated so high. it's the same card, only +{B} for cipher, so you can use it again with unblocked creatures, which isn't hard to do when there is unblockable in blue and fear/intimidate in black. when Innistrad want RTR were in standard together, this was boss in B/U zombie decks. But this on Invisible Stalker, toss some zombies into the grave to reanimate or exile with stitchers and proceed to self-mill by drawing. Yea I get that it's less splashable and shouldn't get the 4.3/4.6 rating of windfall, but it doesn't deserve 3.5. I fail to see the dilemma here.
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yo, back the f*** up.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For people talking about the differences between Windfall: +B makes this two colors; which is much more specific. For instance, High Tide combo could use Windfall, but not use this. Also, two color decks become three, etc. +1 mana cost makes it much harder to sneak it in for card advantage. It's a turn slower which means they can spend a net extra card (land + thing, possibly a couple things) than they would've
There's a huge difference between 3 mana cost spells and 4. One needs to just peruse Legacy decks to see that. Windfall would be used in legacy; this would not. Each mana is far harder to drop than the last. The difference in number of land to reliably drop 4 lands by T4 vs. 3 lands by T3 is also huge: 20-21 vs. 24.
So; in turn the extra lands destabalize opening hands to be different, cause the deck to be shoe-horned into an extra color, cause it to be slow enough to not cause massive card advantage, etc. This is a usable and fine card; but the difference between {2}{U} and {2}{U}{B} is the difference between being banned in Legacy and being mediocre in casual.
cotf1692
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I am just glad this will be in the same standard as Waste Not when 2015 rolls around.
This card is a lot of fun if used correctly, and quite Dimir as well. It includes discard (black), draw (blue), and roundabout milling (black/blue). Like many Dimir cards it has a benefit to your opponents as well, but in true Dimir fashion, this card is all about turning your opponent's strengths against them, or taking their strength for yourself.
It's a great end piece in a low cost deck, when you expect to run out of hand faster than your opponent. Combos nicely with Hidden Strings, as that card can basically be cast for free, prior to discarding your hand, and can act as pseudo blue mana-ramp to clear out your hand again.
Comments (49)
Wizards, stop drawing expressive human faces, especially up close.
But do they listen? No.
Besides the art, nice card.
Hey, don't listen to that voice, it's just crazy.
Oh, and remember, voices in your head aren't normal, others wished they had more than one.
I think you're pretty.
La la la doo whop.
I'm the real voice in you're head, the others are fake.
Don't listen to me.
Kill it! I don't care if it's just a pen, kill it!
What's happening to me!?!
Can't stand putting cards in an opponent's hand.
Heyyyy, let's functionally reprint a card that's banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage. Oh but also let's PUT IT ON A CREATURE STICK because what your Delvers and Confidants really need is an Wheel of Fortune effect. For free. Every turn.
Not that you'll need more than one turn. You'll flip Delver, empty your hand, cast Whispering Madness ciphering Delver, refill your hand, empty your hand, swing with Delver, refill your hand, play Tendrils of Agony for the win. And if for some reason you can't get there, Delver will happily recast Whispering Madness for you. For free. Every turn.
I can't wait. Whispering Delver of Agony FTW. The only thing standing between Storm pilots and the Top 8 will be Jace -1'ing. Bring it. :)
Guy: "Tee hee hee!"
oops
Strap me down and tell me I'll be alRIGHT
I can feel the subliminal need
To be one with the voice
And make everything alright
Are you breathing now?
Do the wicked see you?
You still breathing?
You're making me known.
Are you breathing now?
Do the wicked see you?
You still breathing?
im a bit surprised no one here has mentioned it yet
T1: Island, Jace's Phantasm
T2: Swamp, Liliana's Caress
T3: Island, Glimpse the Unthinkable, another Jace's phantasm, swing for 5 flying.
T4: This, Cipher onto Jace's Phantasm, swing for overkill.
In the right deck, you can do this every turn for 0 mana.
Play this and it resolves a second times thanks to ciphering the stalker and it can be 2x 5cards x2damagepts maybe 2x4x2dpts plus 2 stalker damages (turn3&4) and it goes 22 or 18 damages turn 4 ...
If itsn't enough turn five should be ok for the win...
So nasty that i won't try to play it.
How do you name this kind of deck that kills with megrim or liliana's carress ?
And is it rated 3.2 cause it's already banned ?
Mill-Cipher deck.
When this goes off, play all the spells you can with the mana you have. If you don't need whatever is left, swing with invisible stalker and do it again. Since it's on your turn, your opponent probably didn't get much use (i.e. play any cards). You refill your hand. Repeat. And mill while you are at it. Keeps you from exhausting your hand.
On the whole, cipher is kinda win-more. If I am hitting my opponent consistently, I am winning. This is a good cipher card, but its brethren are not. 😜
Manage the triggers right to cast their best cards each time this hits.
Shows how 1 mana decides if cancel is playable vs. counterspell etc. That's why Whispering Madness sees zero constructed play.
+B makes this two colors; which is much more specific. For instance, High Tide combo could use Windfall, but not use this. Also, two color decks become three, etc.
+1 mana cost makes it much harder to sneak it in for card advantage. It's a turn slower which means they can spend a net extra card (land + thing, possibly a couple things) than they would've
There's a huge difference between 3 mana cost spells and 4. One needs to just peruse Legacy decks to see that. Windfall would be used in legacy; this would not. Each mana is far harder to drop than the last. The difference in number of land to reliably drop 4 lands by T4 vs. 3 lands by T3 is also huge: 20-21 vs. 24.
So; in turn the extra lands destabalize opening hands to be different, cause the deck to be shoe-horned into an extra color, cause it to be slow enough to not cause massive card advantage, etc. This is a usable and fine card; but the difference between {2}{U} and {2}{U}{B} is the difference between being banned in Legacy and being mediocre in casual.
This card is a lot of fun if used correctly, and quite Dimir as well. It includes discard (black), draw (blue), and roundabout milling (black/blue). Like many Dimir cards it has a benefit to your opponents as well, but in true Dimir fashion, this card is all about turning your opponent's strengths against them, or taking their strength for yourself.
It's a great end piece in a low cost deck, when you expect to run out of hand faster than your opponent. Combos nicely with Hidden Strings, as that card can basically be cast for free, prior to discarding your hand, and can act as pseudo blue mana-ramp to clear out your hand again.