General Fight Club
- Thread starter Jason Waddell
- Start date
Maybe Venser is what I want, actually. Bouncing a spell makes it feel much more like a 2-for-1.
Can anyone here elaborate what play patterns make Venser, Shaper Savant a great cube card? I've actually never have cast him in my entire life, for some reason.
For me, a lot of it comes down to Venser being a creature. It opens up so many more synergies and can play well in aggro, midrange and control. I think he's at his best in tempo decks though, where you can cement your advantage and the pressure from being a creature is relevant.
EOT bounce your guy, attack and return to hand with Ninja of the Deep Hours.
Counter your spell, return it to hand with Sunpearl Kirin, Nurturing Pixie or Shepherd of the Flock.
Bounce one of their lands, delaying a wrath for a turn.
Recur it with Order of Midnight and friends.
It's a clean text box that can hit either player (reset your Windbrisk Heights?) and isn't oppressive since the ETB only temporarily slows down the opponent.
EOT bounce your guy, attack and return to hand with Ninja of the Deep Hours.
Counter your spell, return it to hand with Sunpearl Kirin, Nurturing Pixie or Shepherd of the Flock.
Bounce one of their lands, delaying a wrath for a turn.
Recur it with Order of Midnight and friends.
It's a clean text box that can hit either player (reset your Windbrisk Heights?) and isn't oppressive since the ETB only temporarily slows down the opponent.
The flexibility is what makes it a great card that has stood the test of time. He's not the best counterspell or bounce spell at 4 mana, but the fact that it can shift in its role dependent on your needs is massive.
As @Nanonox mentioned there are multiple options to maximize it depending on the matchup and board-state. Scary card that could warp the game around itself? Push it back a turn on the stack. Problematic creature on board dominating combat? Bounce it back and buy yourself a turn to draw into a removal spell. Far ahead and want to lock down the game? There are very few tempo plays that are as exhilarating as an EOT Venser into a blink effect to perform a Plow Under impression setting your opponent back two land drops.
I've loved playing in U/W or Bant blink decks or U/R tempo decks over the years and it has always performed. The body is a relic of the time period it was printed, but to me it's a classic blue card doing unique things alongside all-timers like Fact or Fiction and Vendilion Clique.
As @Nanonox mentioned there are multiple options to maximize it depending on the matchup and board-state. Scary card that could warp the game around itself? Push it back a turn on the stack. Problematic creature on board dominating combat? Bounce it back and buy yourself a turn to draw into a removal spell. Far ahead and want to lock down the game? There are very few tempo plays that are as exhilarating as an EOT Venser into a blink effect to perform a Plow Under impression setting your opponent back two land drops.
I've loved playing in U/W or Bant blink decks or U/R tempo decks over the years and it has always performed. The body is a relic of the time period it was printed, but to me it's a classic blue card doing unique things alongside all-timers like Fact or Fiction and Vendilion Clique.