Free card ? mana advantage ? occasional disruption ? I like.
And first comment ^^
Hyperviper
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Pretty versatile, even if needs combat damage to shine. Just whack it onto a turn one Tormented Soul and go to town, untapping both your lands so you can be ready with that Syncopate or Invisible Stalker for more cipher shenanigans.
Totema
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
We complained that cipher sucked. They listened. Too bad this was a small set...
.Blaze.
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Going to be interesting seeing how this plays.
Nucleon
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(12 votes)
Now this is what Cipher SHOULD have been. Incremental, subtle advantage that accrues and manipulates the game in ways the opponent wouldn't necessarily realize at first. This can give the Cipher'd creature effectively vigilance, it can untap your lands for the next main phase or the opponent's turn (always dandy for Blue), and it can screw over an opponent's potential counterspells. Target a Plains while someone has a Sphinx's Revelation in hand and you've basically forced them to cast it in response or wait another turn for it. Definitely a very handy card to have around.
Rouser
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I'm interested in using this in RUG decks. Between this and Burning-Tree Emissary, how much stuff can you play in one turn?
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This doesn't quite obsolete Hands of Binding (after only one set...), but it comes pretty close. Untap two of your lands? Sounds good.
Cyberium
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ability to reuse your resources (creatures, artifact, lands) while shutting down opponents' resources turn after turn is quite impressive, and it's a cheap casting spell to boot. Creatures like Rofello and Arcanis, lands like Library of Alexandria and Gaea's Cradle, and artifacts like Time Vault? My my.
WinnyNome
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The more I look at this card the more it becomes my favorite card in the set. First, when compared to Hands of Binding this card fairs better in a vs Control match-up since more often then not you'll be hitting lands with this (don't try to tap opponents' creatures unless you need to stop them from blocking. If they have a tap effect they can tap them in response plus they will untap during their controller's next untap step) letting you avoid a counter spell or hitting your own lands to be able to counter them next turn. Second, it is 'free" when you cast it (Untap your lands you used to cast it) then it "gives" you 2 more mana every turn if you can deal damage. This lets you set up your side of the board quicker, as well as allowing you to play Sorcery spells over instants. (See Pilfered Plans over Inspiration since you'll still have your mana to respond to an opponent. More so, you can use it late game with something like Otherworld Atlas to refill your hand (Combo with Notion Thief)
So: 4.5/5 oh wait, it's common 5/5, love this card.
DarthParallax
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Nucleon- um, this isn't what Cipher 'should' have been, so much as, what Cipher IS. :)
See, um, .... how to put this >.>
It pays to trust Set 3 to do or fix the things you thought were missing or mistakes from Set 1 and 2 ;) Happens a lot, actually. I always new Dimir was going to be Cool. I'm pleased to see they managed to not make anything Dimir that looks HORRIBLY BROKEN with Innistrad or Golgari.
While I love Dredge as much as Every Mean Jerk Ever, MOST of you would rather we NOT have another Banning in Standard so soon because R&D lost its brains and forgot that Graveyards Are Dangerous.
I give them a MASSIVE APPLAUSE for pulling off THIS:
New Phyrexia: Praetors you'd like to Reanimate M12 (Visions of Beyond) Innistrad Block: Graveyard Crap Everywhere. M13: Evil Core Set, with Silliness. Return Ravnica: Golgari Gatecrash: Dimir Dragon's Maze: Golgari AND DIMIR, and Innistrad is Still Legal!
And....I DON'T see any broken Reanimator Combo raping the everloving *** out of Standard! There is Reanimation going on. But Griselbrand is fairer in Standard than he is elsewhere. The Developers SERIOUSLY need a raise if Obzedat's Aid + Omniscience is only 'good' in Standard, not WTF in Standard and Modern.
I mean seriously for a good 2 years I've been expecting Standard to Blow Up, RIGHT after Jace got finished Blowing it Up, because R&D has been DELIBERATELY TEASING US with GraveHackScaryShit.Set for 6 Block Sets in a Row now. o.O
I have seen this card ever since it was spoiled. I'm still thinking of ways to build around it as to make the most of the ability! Now THAT'S what makes a card memorable. 5/5
T3: Tap all lands for 3 mana, pay 1 for this. Mana pool contains 2 mana now. After resolving, tap the two untapped lands and you have 4 mana total. If you happened to cipher this onto Tormented Soul, then you've got a total of 6.
Not too shabby for Grixis control... And your next instant or sorcery is going to cost less due to Electromancer. With some shocks you could have... I don't know, Rakdos's Return T3 for 5? xD
Curlie-Joe
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(7 votes)
Best cipher spell yet! ...I really don't understand the logic behind this and Hands of Binding being commons, while the rare ciphers being just so inexplicably crappy, but whatever.
Funny that dragon's maze also introduced the absolute worst cipher card as well (i.e. Trait Doctoring).
don_miguel
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
very handly, very subtle. nice card. and may cost "0"
Rewind reprinted and now this? Are they really trying to bring Urza's free spells back? ...and why am I perfectly fine with this?
ravekiller
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So good so so good. I am going go ahead and tap two of your guys, hit you and untap the two lands I used to play hidden strings to have the mana I need to counter your next spell. This on stalker freaking sweet. ( everything is good on stalker ) but being able to untap two of your lands always good. This card pushed my deck at the prerelease, it allowed me to get ahead of my opponent in the worst way. This is a card I am going to be using in my standard u/b standard deck.
Odee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Funny how the cipher cards seem to sit better in Izzet decks than a lot of overload cards.
fishsticks327
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Legacy stasis is back!
T1: noble hierarch / gsz->dryad arbor T2: hidden strings to tap opposing blocker + untap mana dork; swing in for cipher trigger; untap creature + land; play stasis + quirion ranger to untap attacker; attack, tap down their lands while untapping your permanents to pay for stasis each turn == GG
Guest1515973801
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is amazing...4.5/5. Here is why...first turn you play an island and Jace's phantasm, or judge's familiar or some other creature with evasion(that unblockable black one works too). Second turn you play this....choosing the lands you tapped to play it as a target, then cipher it onto your evasion creature. Next you tap your mana again...play Sinister strength(there is a standard equivalent though you have to pay a life) and swing for 4, untapping your lands yet again, either to play a 2nd creature or keep them open for a counter. The only downside is the sorcery speed.
Taudisban
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Yeah! This and Guttersnipe. Untapping your mana to play more instants and sorceries to burn more? Pseudo vigilance? So good.
EDIT: Also Original Ravnica Bouncelands. Holy shit, when did mana ramping become blue?
yesennes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I am surprised no one has mentioned Elusive Krasis yet. If you evolve him once, he is a 1/5, a standard unblockable, and a great defender. I have used this to get around a Runner's Bane
Edit: So I totally encoded TWO copies of this onto a Nivmagus Elemental at the launch FNM this past weekend and munched ciphered spells until he got up to 9/10. Then my opponent had the audacity to drop a Boros Battleshaper and my elemental never got to attack again. :(
MojoVince
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey wait a minute , if i play this on turn 2 untap my two lands then tap for mana and attack with a cipherd Tsoul : does my mana pool goes empty cause we are changing phases , main to attack ? Or may i will be able to save it and have four in my second phase ?
I'm not sure but i think my mana pool goes empty the first time and i can't have a full 4 manas but two 2 manas (still real good) and we have to be carfull of missruling here and maybe cheating.
blindthrall
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
So much synergy with Contaminated Ground. Even if they decide to use the land anyway, you can still untap it to tap it again- they're always losing at least two life from this, in addition to whatever the ciphered creature hit them for. Straight to the swampwalk deck with this one- the only question is, one or two?
Sel3l3e
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
do not forget that mana pool empty each phases, so you can not get 4 mana on 2 turn, i learn in the hard way But still good with cryptgast
Nothing quite like using Hidden Strings to untap the lands used to play it, only to use them to again cast hidden strings and untap the lands on an Invisible Stalker then attack and cast them on Chronic Flooding or Contaminated Grounds enchanted lands. Great way to power multiply that pesky 1/1 and it's fast enough that most decks are still trying to get a basic board presence by the time you're swinging for five or more.
osagee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you would cipher this onto like prodigal pyromancer would that make an infinite loop?
Warjam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Get this on Isochron Scepter and something that can give you more than two mana. A supped up Gyre Sage or a Axebane Guardian surrounded with his defender buddies?
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So so so good with counterspells and cheap flyers. You use this early game on a cheap flyer and basically keep your mana open. If the opponent taps out you can play your 2-drop or 3-drop, attack, and leave your mana open for counterspells; if they don't tap out you can instead tap their lands down and drop a cheaper creature (to still leave mana open for a counterspells, bounces, or kill spells.)
Delver with this is proves to be amazing bit of synergy: T1 - Delver of Secrets T2 - 3 in the air Hidden Strings, Untap your lands, prepare to Counterspell/Mana Leak T3 - Serendib Efreet, 3 in the air, untap your lands and prepare as you did last turn T4 - 6+ in the air
I thought this card was horrible. Then I used. It. This spell is free, can put down a blocker if you need to activate cipher, reset dual lands, whatever.
The ability is free. Mana fixer. Makes you play some stuff main phase two, but that's not a drawback.
This card let me play something like four spells with two mana (two of these, swing with Invisible Stalker in a game. and next turn, it resets as mana mana as you have this spell. Could not have been better. Could have swapped spots with the Dimir rare for this set.
Tamerlein
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The probably with this card is not its ability itself, but the fact that the Cipher mechanic is just not strong enough. If Cipher triggered when a creature attacked, this card would be a 5/5, no question. But even with Cipher as it is, this is a very strong card that can let you roll out some pretty powerful cards if you manage to hit with it the turn that you play it.
4/5
HotHit
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
HEROES ARE EVER VIGILANT!
V_For_Vile
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ever think of using High Tide with this?
Kelptic183
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pretty much the only Cipher card that works with the hew Heroic mechanic. Seems like a pretty good blue-white Heroic control deck with this targeting Battlewise Hoplite, Phalanx Leader, and Triton Fortune Hunter.
Hmm... I wonder if this card triggers Heroic abilities twice everytime the encoded creature attacks...
Oniwa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card combos pretty nicely with Storm cards: It's cast for free, allowing you to spend 2 mana on one or possibly two spells, then gets cast again if you hit your opponent in the face, giving you a total of up to 4 spells cast for 2 mana!
FaceClaimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card so much that i'm collecting it. so far i have 37 in my binder and 4 in all of my decks that even run blue.
I regret nothing.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You can put it on a 1 drop and it will pay for itself that turn. Perhaps followed up with a 2 drop or saving a counterspell. Then it has the potential to get a 5 drop out on turn 3, though it needs to have flash or instant. Or you can cast 3 first main, then untap and save it for a counter.
4/5
deworde2510
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
A massive heroic enabler, especially as you don't actually have to *do* the tapping or untapping. You always target the creature, which triggers heroic, and but you can then choose not to tap or untap (that's the "may" part).
Boom. Repeatable heroic trigger. Although the way heroic works, you'd need to target two different creatures rather than target the same one twice.
This will work well with the heroic and inspired mechanics in newer sets.
Drewskithelegend
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is bonkers. If you have a creature out, you can easily go absolutely crazy. This is awesome in a heroic deck, Triton Fortune Hunter,Triton Wavecrasher,Tormented Hero,Agent of the Fates and a cool flyer or unblockable guy. Double strike makes for superfuntime.
GoDz_JtFr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is going to be crazy in casual with that new King Macar. My Lazav EDH deck is going to have fun.
Comments (49)
And first comment ^^
First, when compared to Hands of Binding this card fairs better in a vs Control match-up since more often then not you'll be hitting lands with this (don't try to tap opponents' creatures unless you need to stop them from blocking. If they have a tap effect they can tap them in response plus they will untap during their controller's next untap step) letting you avoid a counter spell or hitting your own lands to be able to counter them next turn.
Second, it is 'free" when you cast it (Untap your lands you used to cast it) then it "gives" you 2 more mana every turn if you can deal damage. This lets you set up your side of the board quicker, as well as allowing you to play Sorcery spells over instants. (See Pilfered Plans over Inspiration since you'll still have your mana to respond to an opponent.
More so, you can use it late game with something like Otherworld Atlas to refill your hand (Combo with Notion Thief)
So: 4.5/5
oh wait, it's common 5/5, love this card.
See, um, .... how to put this >.>
It pays to trust Set 3 to do or fix the things you thought were missing or mistakes from Set 1 and 2 ;) Happens a lot, actually. I always new Dimir was going to be Cool. I'm pleased to see they managed to not make anything Dimir that looks HORRIBLY BROKEN with Innistrad or Golgari.
While I love Dredge as much as Every Mean Jerk Ever, MOST of you would rather we NOT have another Banning in Standard so soon because R&D lost its brains and forgot that Graveyards Are Dangerous.
I give them a MASSIVE APPLAUSE for pulling off THIS:
New Phyrexia: Praetors you'd like to Reanimate
M12 (Visions of Beyond)
Innistrad Block: Graveyard Crap Everywhere.
M13: Evil Core Set, with Silliness.
Return Ravnica: Golgari
Gatecrash: Dimir
Dragon's Maze: Golgari AND DIMIR, and Innistrad is Still Legal!
And....I DON'T see any broken Reanimator Combo raping the everloving *** out of Standard!
There is Reanimation going on. But Griselbrand is fairer in Standard than he is elsewhere.
The Developers SERIOUSLY need a raise if Obzedat's Aid + Omniscience is only 'good' in Standard, not WTF in Standard and Modern.
I mean seriously for a good 2 years I've been expecting Standard to Blow Up, RIGHT after Jace got finished Blowing it Up, because R&D has been DELIBERATELY TEASING US with GraveHackScaryShit.Set for 6 Block Sets in a Row now. o.O
Turn 2 This, into Yeva, Nature's Herald?
Followed by a Turn 3 Thragtusk?
Yes. Please.
I'm still thinking of ways to build around it as to make the most of the ability!
Now THAT'S what makes a card memorable.
5/5
T3: Tap all lands for 3 mana, pay 1 for this. Mana pool contains 2 mana now. After resolving, tap the two untapped lands and you have 4 mana total. If you happened to cipher this onto Tormented Soul, then you've got a total of 6.
Not too shabby for Grixis control... And your next instant or sorcery is going to cost less due to Electromancer. With some shocks you could have... I don't know, Rakdos's Return T3 for 5? xD
Funny that dragon's maze also introduced the absolute worst cipher card as well (i.e. Trait Doctoring).
Are they really trying to bring Urza's free spells back?
...and why am I perfectly fine with this?
T1: noble hierarch / gsz->dryad arbor
T2: hidden strings to tap opposing blocker + untap mana dork; swing in for cipher trigger; untap creature + land; play stasis + quirion ranger to untap attacker; attack, tap down their lands while untapping your permanents to pay for stasis each turn == GG
EDIT: Also Original Ravnica Bouncelands. Holy shit, when did mana ramping become blue?
Edit: So I totally encoded TWO copies of this onto a Nivmagus Elemental at the launch FNM this past weekend and munched ciphered spells until he got up to 9/10. Then my opponent had the audacity to drop a Boros Battleshaper and my elemental never got to attack again. :(
Or may i will be able to save it and have four in my second phase ?
I'm not sure but i think my mana pool goes empty the first time and i can't have a full 4 manas but two 2 manas (still real good) and we have to be carfull of missruling here and maybe cheating.
But still good with cryptgast
Delver with this is proves to be amazing bit of synergy:
T1 - Delver of Secrets
T2 - 3 in the air Hidden Strings, Untap your lands, prepare to Counterspell/Mana Leak
T3 - Serendib Efreet, 3 in the air, untap your lands and prepare as you did last turn
T4 - 6+ in the air
Consider T4 Nameless inversion to bring the total up to 15 damage. If you've vapor snagged or countersqualled, or psychic barriered then you can Psionic Blast for a T4 kill
The ability is free. Mana fixer. Makes you play some stuff main phase two, but that's not a drawback.
This card let me play something like four spells with two mana (two of these, swing with Invisible Stalker in a game. and next turn, it resets as mana mana as you have this spell. Could not have been better. Could have swapped spots with the Dimir rare for this set.
4/5
Also this + Gilded Lotus + Hidden Strings looks pretty fun.
I regret nothing.
4/5
Boom. Repeatable heroic trigger. Although the way heroic works, you'd need to target two different creatures rather than target the same one twice.
T2: Island, Invisible Stalker
T3: Hidden Strings, Hidden Strings, Hidden Strings, Hidden Strings, Mountain, Guttersnipe
T4: Attack with super-duper encoded Invisible Stalker, your opponent loses 2, tap all their lands, untap all your lands, your opponent takes 8 damage from Guttersnipe