Saturday, February 14, 2009

Type Fun's Top 200 Enchantments: Part VIII

#183: Endless Scream
Perhaps the most impressive usage of this card I've seen was with shadow creatures. But really, the concept is the same everywhere. Put Endless Scream on a creature that your opponent can't block, attack with that creature, and repeat until your opponent is dead. The creature could have fear, flying, shadow, landwalk, or be just plain unblockable. Trample works too, albeit not as well. Endless Scream does have two drawbacks compared to other "make creatures bigger" enchantments. Firstly, it doesn't increase the creature's toughness. Using evasive creatures or simply putting Endless Scream on a creature that already has high toughness mitigate this. Secondly, it requires a large initial mana investment to make a creature really big. But this weakness is also a strength. Endless Scream is variable. If you have a lot of mana to spare, it gives a big bonus. If you don't, it helps out a little. So it's like Fireball, but in creature enchantment form.

#182: Trade Routes
I was playing Magic a lot when Mercadian Masques came out. I remember Trade Routes. It's not a card I've ever used personally and I don't particularly like it or dislike it. But it ranks where it does on this list because it's a very good card with applications in multiple deck archetypes. Trade Routes has two abilities, both of which are useful. The first ability wrecks opposing land destruction strategies and can be used actively for other tricks, like making Land Tax trigger. But it's the second ability that really powers Trade Routes. It lets you trade extraneous land in your hand (or in play, thanks to the first ability, although that's not going to be common) for fresh draws. It's not explosive or flashy, but it gives you an advantage and brings you at least a little bit closer to winning the game.


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