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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


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Decree of Silence 
Scourge Rare


Reviewed August 19, 2003

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

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Scott
Gerhardt

Bah - I missed the good Decree.  Guess it serves me right for missing a billion other cards I should have been reviewing.  Ah....back in the review chair.  Why?  Well, my wife was filling this one out, I looked over her shoulder and said "Lemme do that one."  She is of course, shocked, because I usually forget to or don't care to do a review.  So....none of you care a bit about what I just said.  Just the facts, ma'am.

Decree of Silence, like all the decrees, has an overcost cycling ability with a house of a main ability.  Card advantage is a term thrown around a lot these days, and this card is certainly one to give it to you.  In it's primitive cycling form, it's a virtually uncounterable (except by Stifle) Dismiss, countering their spell and replacing itself - a "1 for none" in the card advantage lingo.  In it's robust form, it's a "3 for 1".  Unfortunately, if the opponent is smart, it's going to be three crappy spells, thus diminishing the power of the hard cast.

In constructed, I don't think so.  Blue lacks a LOT of support right now, and it really doesn't need to hold out until turn 6 to be able to do anything.  I must admit, this is a better card in it's hard-cast form in constructed due to the quality of the cards your opponent will play.  Unfortunately, you should be dead or well on your way by this point.  Possibly there will be decks to utilize this.  They DID reprint Skull of Orm, so who knows.  Being able to recycle a Dismiss ain't all that bad.  It is very mana intensive, though, so I would not think so.

In limited, it's cycling ability proves much better, but can be hard to hold for.  Limited doesn't allow many opportunities to just "sit" on 6 mana for turns on end.  In it's hard-cast form, they'll throw three crappy spells into it, and it will go away.  In the end, though, it's still solid countermagic, and good card advantage - could just win you the game if cast at a stalemate.

Constructed: 3
Limited: 3.5
Current Price:
$4.45
 


Chris
Gerhardt

Okay, yes, I have to admit, I was shocked when Scott saw me updating the CotD's and wanted to actually do a review.  How could I argue with that?  So he finishes his review, then hands me Skull of Orm and asks me to elaborate on it as a combo with Decree of Silence.

Skull of Orm - Artifact - 3
5T: Return target enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.

So the idea is, of course, you get to 11 mana (through some kind of acceleration) and get a recurring combo going...Silence counters 3 spells, and when it hits the grave, you Orm it back to your hand and recast it. Your opponent never gets to cast another spell successfully (if all goes well), and you have a lock on them. 

Of course, you have to survive long enough to have the lock. And you'll need a kill mechanism still, but there are plenty of creative kills you can come up with, I'm sure. Some pinger or something.

So there you have it.  I've elaborated and done my husband's bidding.  =)


Judge Bill

Decree of Silence
 
Unfortunately, today we get a horrible Decree. No blue deck is going to pay 8 mana to counter the next 3 spells your opponent plays. And you have no control over which spells they are, too.
 
And besides ... we all know "Counter target spell. Draw a card." really only costs 2UU, so you are paying 2 mana to make it virtually uncounterable? No thanks.
 
Constructed: 1
Limited: 1.5

Tyler Grund

Decree of Silence

This card will see little to no constructed serious play, but the card is
still rather good. The real downfall to the card is it's casting cost. eight
mana is quite a serious number, and had better do some real tricky stuff to
warrent such a high number. It pretty much does, but just out of the reach
of constructed play.

Automatic countering is a real serious thing. Three in a row is rather
powerful. Expecially since the card is only played late game, it becomes a
time Walk 3 turns in a row (or more if they choose not to cast anything)
This card along with mass creature removal such as Wrath of God could make
for some very frustrated opponents. At first glance one might consider it
useless since your oppenent can choose what to and what not to cast that is
going to be countered, so you'll probably never see a very important card
countered, but you shouldn't look at the card as a counterspell, but rather
a lock/stall card.  You may not counter their best spell, but you won't see
them cast it either.

The cycling is a bit silly. I don't see why this is an option. maybe if you
are super desperate, or have a couple of Wake's on the board this ability
shouldn't be used. The only thing that makes it relatively worth while is
that it is a full counter and not those ridiculous "pay x amount or
countered" and you get to draw a card. But for 6 mana I can see there being
better choices. Again, it would be a desperate last hope for me to use the
cycling part of this card, but its there, and can be used effectively

In limited I might play it for fun, but probably not. Its good at helping
you win the battle of the creatures by giving you about 3 turns to lay down
the beats while they  just watch, but I'm not sure if its practical.

Constructed: 3.2
Limited: 2.8

Crimson

This is probably the least usefull of the decrees. Eight mana to counter the
next 3 spells of your opponents choice. Hmm, not the greatest, although, it
does buy you a turn or two to do what ever you please without having to
worry about anything, you can even Stifle the depletion counter if you feel
the need. If you look at is like this >>> Counterspell costs 2, Rewind is
free, Discombobulate lets you mess with your top 4 cards >>>you see that
there are lots of better things to counter 3 cards not of your opponents
choice.

Decree of Silence
Casual Rating: 2.5


Andy
 Van Zandt

Decree of Silence
An expensive uncounterable dismiss,  I see this fitting in the occasional
sideboard, plus the bonus hardcast ability,  if it happens to be a
fortuitous juncture in the game.  A bit expensive for either function in
limited,  but if you survive to use it,  it gives you a little extra oomph.
constructed 3
limited 3.1

Danny Tatro

Decree of Silence

     A bit expensive for constructed. Its been tried in some block forms of desire, but its not really any good.

     In limited its junk since its frigging 7 mana triple blue. its too late game to matter. Plus anytime its in your starting hand its like an auto-mullgian.

Constructed: 1.5
Limited: 1
 

 

 

 

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