Subject: Abundance Strat. and Whoops.
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 14:00:28 -0400
From: dylan@fayette.net
To: webmaster@classicdojo.org

STRATEGY: Abundance

Impulse didn’t die, it just switched Colors and got a boost!

Check out Abundance.

Casting Cost: GG2

Instead of drawing a card you may choose land or nonland. Reveal cards from your library until you reveal a card of chosen kind. Put that card into your hand and put all other revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.

Every draw you make becomes an Impulse, and if I am not mistaken that means every draw, re the PoK ruling.

The first comparison is what it does.

Given current discussion that cards like brainstorm are inferior because of the cards that go back on top, the main advantage of Impulse was that it put cards you didn’t need on the bottom, Abundance does this. The only disadvantage over Impulse is the fact that you show the card to opponent. This can be a disadvantage or an advantage depending on the situation, for the psychological impact of letting an opponent see what you have and don’t have can be very powerful, given the right situation.

The next comparison is Speed/Casting Cost.

While casting the Abundance is a main phase action, using it isn’t. The main draw phase would be when you normally use it, however any would do. Impulse’s main use was at the end of your opponent’s discard, so an effect like brainstorm would let you get three “pesudoImpulses” for U. Hmm, strong. The cards dug for mana goes something like this: Impulse, 1U and one card digs four and replaces the one card you cast with one card nets you one card you wanted out of the four. Abundance, 2GG and you draw phase digs x cards down and gets one card you wanted out of the x. Abundance plus some card drawing effect like brainstorm costs 2XGG and the card drawing effects card and digs X (X) cards netting you your choice of X-1 cards off the top. This function can be anywhere from good to BaaRoken, depending on your card drawing ability. Just imagine the possibilities with cards like brainstorm, PoK, Whispers of the Muse, even a cantrip like the bauble.

The strategy for playing this would be something akin to a good stuff deck, with lots of mana producing things and maybe few lands, given that once you got it out land or nonland cards are yours for the asking. I haven’t begun to experiment with it yet, but I will soon. Deck posting to come soon.

The only difference between Abundance and Impulse is the every deck syndrome. Abundance does not go into every deck that has its color. However this is offset by its pure power. Given this and other cards I think we could see a Green Winter this year.

This is a fitting delurk for me, I’ll see y’all around.

Dylan Kenny
The Idiot Savant of Gaming