6, Sep, 24

MTG Duskmourn Introduces 10-Power Three Drop

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Overstatted creatures have been becoming more and more common in MTG nowadays. While a four-mana 5/5 creature with an upside was unbelievable back in the day, multiple examples of these cards exist now. The mana value of these cards isn’t even that restrictive. Creating a ten power creature for three mana that is unblockable, however, is a totally different story.

As you may expect, the card in question has a downside. Well, it isn’t really so much a downside, but more so a different way of dealing damage. This, regardless, does give the card’s ten power a different meaning.

Mindflaying Spirit

  • Mana Value: UUU
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Stats: 10/1
  • MTG Sets: Duskmourn
  • Card Text: Mindflaying Spirit can’t be blocked. If a source you control would deal damage to an opponent, prevent that damage and each opponent mills that many cards.

Mindflaying Spirit is an MTG card that a lot of mill fans didn’t know they needed. Being able to consistently mill ten cards a turn is a quick way to end a game in a slower matchup. Interestingly, since Mindflaying Spirit mills all opponents, this card is a lot more lethal in Commander than you might expect.

Mono-Blue Voltron already exists in Commander thanks to the gigantic Crab Commander Charix, the Raging Isle. Mindflaying Spirit could create a more unique version of Mono-Blue Voltron. Firstly, the Sprit cannot be blocked, which means you don’t really need to worry about the creature’s toughness.

Needless to say, you will need some form of protection such as Hexproof or Shroud to prevent targeted removal from getting it, but that’s not a huge issue. Once that’s sorted, you can spend a lot more time focusing on just how much damage Mindflaying Spirit can deal.

While you won’t be killing anyone with Commander damage since Mindflaying Spirit’s damage is being prevented, you can deal your damage to all opponents by milling. Simple keywords like Double Strike can amp up the mill rate for your opponents. You can amplify your damage in other ways with cards like Bruvac, the Grandiloquent that doubles the number of cards your opponents mill.

Finally, Mindflaying Spirit ensures that all your creatures are united in their purpose. Everything will mill cards instead of deal damage, unifying your win condition instead of spreading your resources into different avenues.

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What About Constructed?

So, Mindflaying Spirit seems like a rather fun option in Commander, but what about Constructed? There is a rather prevalent mill deck in Modern, but Mindflaying Spirit may actually be too slow for it. While the threat of milling ten cards per turn is game-ending, Mindflaying Spirit doesn’t mill any cards upon resolution. Giving the opponent a chance to kill the creature before it can do any real damage could be game-losing for mill. The card dying to Lightning Bolt does not really help its case. None of your other creatures deal any damage, either.

There aren’t really any mill-based strategies in the Pioneer format, but Mindflaying Spirit could be a bizarre sideboard option in Standard. Jace, Perfected Mind is already a card that sees Standard play thanks to its ability to win the control mirror by milling cards. Maybe Mindflaying Spirit could see play for a similar reason? Jace can also draw cards and does not need to attack to mill cards, but the Spirit can easily mill more cards in a short amount of time, especially considering that your other creatures can start milling cards, as well.

So, Mindflaying Spirit has a lot of potential. Its stat line is absolutely absurd for three mana. Of course, if you can turn off the Spirit’s abilities after blocks, you can actually deal ten damage. Perhaps this is a time for Dress Down to shine?

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