Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Card of the Day - Unexpected Blessing

I think Maximize might work best in limited formats where certain cards are likely to be picked lower.  If there's ever a small set drafted by itself, i.e. Coldsnap, there could be a place for Maximize in it.  Maximize might even make life gain good.  What's Maximize, you ask? oh, it's this:


You could easily get 4 to 5 copies of this card in a draft. At first glance, it seems similar to Overload, but don't be fooled; Maximize is a powerful tool to thin out unwanted cards and get you closer to your bombs, as well as potentially having a huge impact on the game.

If you happen to have 5 Unexpected Blessings in your draft deck, you will almost always find one in your opening hand. Pulling 5 unwanted cards out of your library while gaining 15 life can be backbreaking.  If you get more than 2 of these, you're looking at a pretty good bargain. 

Don't expect the rest of the Maximize cards to be as dismissed offhandedly as this one.  You'll be lucky to get two of a direct damage Maximizer (see tomorrow's card, Jagged Bolt.)  After all, who's going to draft life gain?

6 comments:

  1. A couple questions about Maximize: The way it is written you don't get the spell its self. Was this intended? This might be confusing to players. Is Maximize an ability or is it an alternative cost to cast? When you Maximize do you cast the cards or do you put them on the stack? I really really like this idea, but I think it could the worded clearer. I can't wait for one that draws a card! -Chimzar

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  2. The maximize concept is awesome! The execution here? Not sure, but whatever. =)

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  3. I think this wording is the correct wording for the reminder text: (You may cast this spell for its Maximize cost. If you do, search your library for any number of cards named CARDNAME and cast those card without paying their mana costs.)
    The only issue I see is if it is clear enough that you get the spell as well, but maybe I look at it too hard. -Chimzar

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    1. Tomorrow's card and all future cards will have this reminder text unless anyone can come up with a better version. (I fixed the slight grammatical error.)

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  4. Well, I am logged in again... cool! So, I couldn't wait: http://bobscards.blogspot.com/2013/02/chimzars-card-of-day-16-filled-with.html

    Also, you probably know this but this keyword would have to only be on commons as any other rarity would rarely be relevant.

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    1. I take it back. The more I look into it the more I see how the higher rarities work. You need to make a card have a playable ability in limit where you would want to cast even one and then a Maximize cost that is competitive for constructed.

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