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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


Image from Wizards.com
 

Standstill 
Odyssey Uncommon


Reviewed August 31, 2004

Constructed:
Casual:
Limited:

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Card of the Day Reviews 


Chris
Gerhardt

* game store owner in CA, ShuffleAndCut

In general, card draw is amazing. So if you can gain board advantage, just slap this puppy down.  Your opponent will have to give you the draw, or risk being whittled down by the present board.  Very nice.  You'll have to have a deck that can take early board control compared to most decks to make the most of Standstill's ability, though.

In limited, it's much more situational, but in limited, card draw is very valuable. Worth the slot if you're playing blue.  Not a typical casual card, though.  Card draw isn't highly valued by most casual fans, unless it's the focus of a deck. This would be interesting in Emperor, I suppose, though I've never played, so I'm just guessing.

  
Constructed: 4
Casual: 2.5
Limited: 3.5

   Current Price:
Standstill - Odyssey - $5.39

   Combos Well With:
Card - set - $0.00
Card - set - $0.00
Card - set - $0.00
 


Judge Bill

*Level 2
MTG Judge

*game store employee

Standstill
 
Finally, a card that still sees play today in type 1. One tip for you ... if someone plays this on you, don't worry about the advantage they'll get - GET RID OF IT IMMEDIATELY. The tempo that you would allow them to gain by waiting far outweighs the extra cards (usually).
 
Probably has a solid place in a casual deck too. I can imagine someone could find a way to have one out pretty much all the time.
 
In limited, you have to be careful. It is a good card, but only play it if you have a definate advantage. (Then again, I've played a few games where people just play draw-go, and try to make their opponent draw the cards to deck them in constructed. Only do this if you can fill your hand with 7 instants, as there will be a lot of responding in this case.)
 
Constructed: 4
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3


 


Jeff Zandi

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Standstill
The first time I saw this card, I loved it. Later, I developed more of a
love-hate relationship with this card. In the long run, I was disappointed
most of the times that I played Standstill in limited games. In Odyssey
block constructed, this card became an important card in aggressive
blue/green decks. When you see this card in play on your opponent's side of
the table, the secret is to PLAY NORMALLY, even if that means letting your
opponent draw the extra cards. The only way this card REALLY gets out of
control is if it causes opponents to stop trying to win (by playing their
own cards). Most of the time, in constructed, this card equals three free
cards for whoever plays it.
CONSTRUCTED: 3.5
CASUAL:              4.0
LIMITED:              2.0

Ray "Monk"
Powers
* Level 3 DCI Judge
*DCI Tournament Organizer

Standstill

 

I love this card. It‘s a situational Ancestral Recall, and a card that can often lead your opponent to make bad mistakes, and as we all know by now, that’s the kind of card I like. While it’s true you need to have the advantage of board position to make this card work, as a turn two play, it’s not too hard to have board parity.  In multiplayer, this is a card that makes you a lot of friends. Every opponent gets to draw three cards, and it will quickly become a contest of who blinks first, with EVERYONE else getting the benefit.

 

Constructed:                 4

Casual:                         4

Limited:                        3

 


DeQuan
Watson

* game store owner (The Game Closet - Waco,TX)

As a tournament player, I hated seeing this card around, be cause it was a pain in the rare.

As a store owner, I hated it, because it didn't sell well.

As a tournament organizer I hated having to explain it over and over again.

Overall, I can stand this card :)

Constructed: 1.5
Casual: 1
Limited: 1
 
Paul
Hagan
Standstill --

I was never a *huge* fan of Standstill, but I won't call it a horrible card. There are situations where it is great, such as when you have a lot of board advantage and you're opponent will have to make a move soon or be done -- it is pretty much a guaranteed three cards. Other times, however, like when the game is at a, er, standstill, the card is pretty mediocre. It can wind up hurting you just as much as helping. For Constructed play, this card was decent in a lot of control builds and UG Madness.

Casual players, on the other hand, can probably find a lot better cards that allow them to draw cards -- no reason to mess with this one, it only slows games down.

In limited, I may or may not play Standstill, dependant on what my blue looks like. If I have an really strong, aggressive build, Standstill goes in. If it looks like I'll have to rely on a lot of small fliers and tricks to win, Standstill will wind up in my sideboard.

Constructed Rating: 3.0
Casual Rating: 2.5
Limited Rating: 2.5
 


Andy
 Van Zandt

Standstill
I like the "Hesitation" mechanic...  if you're already in a winning
position,  this will re-enforce that position greatly,  and if you've got a
way to continue acting without triggering it,  it's even better.  A card
that can find an incidental position in a wide variety of decks.
constructed 3
casual 3
limited 3
 
Chase

Secret Squirrel on the Pojo.com
Message
Boards

Standstill
 
This is one of the greatest control enchantments created.  For two mana, you basically get three cards.  Plus if you're playing against someone who isn't used to playing against Standstill, you're probably going to get a few extra turns.  Most of the time the best way to play against Standstill is to not let them get any time.  Sure they get three cards, but they would've gotten three cards anyway since they already casted the spell, and if you don't give them their cards right away, they will get much more out of this card.  And obviously, you can't wait for them to break Standstill, because if they do, they probably have their game winner. (Example: sometimes if Psychatog decks have Standstill out, they will break it if they play Upheaval.)  It can also be used if you have creatures that aren't spells (think manlands).  All in all, a very powerful card that came out of Odyssey.
 
Very powerful in limited, as it effectively nets you three cards.
 
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 4 
 
 

w00t

 
 

 

 

 

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