Question in the title. I was thinking earlier, he's bad because you don't want to give your opponent a chance to get card advantage on you. But if you use him, isn't that essentially the choice you're giving your opponent? At worst it's a guaranteed 2 for 1 that turns into a chump blocker
Problem is the opponent almost always gets the better end of the stick. They can get cards or a piker to beat face with, whichever is more relevant for them. Also it should be noted if you try to do something cute like casting a splinter twin you will often jusy get two for oned. This is why vexing devil or cards like browbeat often see little play. They get a choice of how to deal with it, meaning they usually pick the best option for themselves.
I actually view this card as a 1 for 1 (or 2 for 2, or 3 for 3, depending on how you look at it). Why?
When you cast it, you spend 1 card in hand for a 2/1 (1 card).
When you activate it, you lose the 2/1 (-1), your opponent gains a 2/1 (-1), and you draw 2 cards.
Cast: 1 for 1
Activate: 2 for 2
If you combine both reactions, so to speak: You spend 1 card (i.e. you gain -1 cards) to give your opponent a 2/1 (-1). In return you get 2 cards. 2 for 2. In any case it's an X for X, not an X+1 for X.
I've seen some Japanese players play it in Twin because you truly get to have it be an X for 1 with untap/Twin effects, but you have to play untappers on your turn to combo with Defector.
Problem is the opponent almost always gets the better end of the stick. They can get cards or a piker to beat face with, whichever is more relevant for them. Also it should be noted if you try to do something cute like casting a splinter twin you will often jusy get two for oned. This is why vexing devil or cards like browbeat often see little play. They get a choice of how to deal with it, meaning they usually pick the best option for themselves.
I've never really understood why Burn doesn't play Browbeat; it's either a quarter of their life or they give you the cards to deal that much.
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Oath of the Gatewatch; the set that caused the competitive community to freak out over Basic Lands.
I've never really understood why Burn doesn't play Browbeat; it's either a quarter of their life or they give you the cards to deal that much.
Because your opponent will always choose what you don't want.
Still both options are devastating for their opponents. If they're at say...16 life they would take the 5 damage, which is fine, because it's not like a lava spike would have been much better there. If they're at 6, then they would take the 3 cards, which helps their opponent as they get to draw more bolts.
Still both options are devastating for their opponents. If they're at say...16 life they would take the 5 damage, which is fine, because it's not like a lava spike would have been much better there. If they're at 6, then they would take the 3 cards, which helps their opponent as they get to draw more bolts.
Ok and what happens if they choose the other option?
I was naming what option the opponent would more then likely take. If they were at 16 and let you draw 3, that would give burn a good deal of gas, maybe enough to put the opponent back down to 0. If the opponent takes 5 when they are at 6, then they are one bolt away from death.
Browbeat is a sorcery and costs 3. These are the 2 main reasons why the card doesn't see play. The slots are already very competitive at 1 and 2 cmc, then hardly any card at 3cmc makes the cut in the archetype.
5 damage for 3 isn't great when any other 3 mana spent deal 6 to 9 damage. Giving a choice to your opponent is the cherry on top of the cake.
Winning with Burn requires you to have full control over the sequencing of the spells you play.
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Pioneer - A bunch of stuff Modern - Humans Legacy - Grixis Phoenix / Death & Taxes
I remember that for a brief bit Humble Defector was used in Twin decks because you could cast Twin on it and use it to draw 2 cards every turn with no drawback (i.e. tap to put a copy into play, tap the copy to draw 2 cards, opponent gets the copy but it then disappears). Guess that was just a fad, though. Still was an interesting interaction.
I remember having some fun with Humble Defector in Twin Pod. Deceiver Exarch untaps it, Restoration Angel blinks it in response to the tap ability's resolution, Kiki-Jiki makes copies that tap and die, Kiora's Follower untaps it and moonlights as a mana dork, Yasova Dragonclaw can gain control of it every turn if need be...(oh, and she's insane with Birthing Pod out...)
Now that Evolutionary Leap is here, Humble Defector is back in Kiki Leap as a 1-of. Now I can sac it to Leap in response to the tap ability's resolution!
I've been toying around with a list that used Humble Defector, Dark Confidant, and Abyssal Persecutor along with several sac outlets and spot removal. It's been pretty fun as of late, but it's not tuned for anything outside of casual.
That might be a seriously entertaining deck alongside one I saw packing tibalt, the fiend-blooded and blood scrivener. You would have similar help from humble defector and any kind of sacrifice outlets are needed for abyssal persecutor are also good for the defector if they are instant speed.
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BG Rock
Modern:
RW Sun & Moon
RBG Dredge
RWG Burn
Legacy:
W Death & Taxes
When you cast it, you spend 1 card in hand for a 2/1 (1 card).
When you activate it, you lose the 2/1 (-1), your opponent gains a 2/1 (-1), and you draw 2 cards.
Cast: 1 for 1
Activate: 2 for 2
If you combine both reactions, so to speak: You spend 1 card (i.e. you gain -1 cards) to give your opponent a 2/1 (-1). In return you get 2 cards. 2 for 2. In any case it's an X for X, not an X+1 for X.
I've seen some Japanese players play it in Twin because you truly get to have it be an X for 1 with untap/Twin effects, but you have to play untappers on your turn to combo with Defector.
| Ad Nauseam
| Infect
Big Johnny.
I've never really understood why Burn doesn't play Browbeat; it's either a quarter of their life or they give you the cards to deal that much.
Still both options are devastating for their opponents. If they're at say...16 life they would take the 5 damage, which is fine, because it's not like a lava spike would have been much better there. If they're at 6, then they would take the 3 cards, which helps their opponent as they get to draw more bolts.
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
I was naming what option the opponent would more then likely take. If they were at 16 and let you draw 3, that would give burn a good deal of gas, maybe enough to put the opponent back down to 0. If the opponent takes 5 when they are at 6, then they are one bolt away from death.
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
5 damage for 3 isn't great when any other 3 mana spent deal 6 to 9 damage. Giving a choice to your opponent is the cherry on top of the cake.
Winning with Burn requires you to have full control over the sequencing of the spells you play.
Now that Evolutionary Leap is here, Humble Defector is back in Kiki Leap as a 1-of. Now I can sac it to Leap in response to the tap ability's resolution!
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
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Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!