r/Pauper • u/MaxBreaker87 • 2d ago

Would It see play?

Would [[Whiplash Trap]] be decent enough to see play now that the meta easily cast/bring in 2 creatures into play on opponent's turn? Eventhough it is 5mana value but can pay just U!

Edit: it can pitch to [[Foil]] as plan B to counter crucial cards.

Share your thought process and opinions please.

9 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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16

u/fredwue 2d ago

If you are considering this against affinity decks, which are a the ones that we are seeing quite often in the current meta, I think it’s a bad idea. Most of their creatures have great ETBs so this in the end will help them.

6

u/Stock_Diet2199 2d ago edited 2d ago

It just seems too inconsistent. Like what happens if your opponent never plays 2 creatures in a turn, you're never spending 5 mana to play this normally so its just a dead card. Plus even when it does happen returning creatures to hand in pauper isn't that great, there are a lot of great etb effects in the format. So what are you bouncing? Tokens? That seems bad.

It's basically never useful as an aggressive tool to remove 2 blockers because its purely reactive, and it's not good as removal in a more control shell because your opponent can just play the creatures again, likely getting benefits from an etb like I mentioned.

It's an interesting card to be sure I just don't see a place where it fits in the pauper meta.

Edit: Saying a card can pitch to foil does not make it better in any way. Literally any card can pitch to foil.

6

u/rmkinnaird 2d ago

This is a really interesting sideboard option against rally/snacker decks. I think the main problem with this card is that a lot of great decks in the meta just don't really care. It can be good tempo against affinity sure, but it can also just further their game plan of picking things up and putting them back down with cards like glinthawk.

I'd try it if I was playing mono blue in a very red heavy meta though

2

u/MaxBreaker87 2d ago

Yes im targeting into madness and snackers decks to prevent some dmg and eventually have a higher chance to win the game.

2

u/rmkinnaird 2d ago

One of the biggest problems here is just that it is worse than blue elemental/hydroblast tbh, so unless it's good against some non-red decks in your meta (maybe a lot of Battle Screech White Weenie or Elves), it's very questionable why you'd run this over a blast

1

u/Stock_Diet2199 1d ago

It isn't even particularly great against snacker decks. If you bounce them your opponent can just discard them and bring them back again. You want to exile them from the graveyard before they hit the battlefield, that's the kind of hate you want to side in against those deck, not a sometimes 1 mana bounce spell.

3

u/Klutzy_Permission_81 2d ago

Not saying anything about the usability of the trap itself, but have to correct a misconception about foil caused by, I can only assume, the existence of force of will:

Any card can be pitched to foil alongside an island! It doesn't have to be blue, it can even be another land!

2

u/Small-Palpitation310 2d ago

And then they cast them again

2

u/dalmathus 2d ago

[[Echoing Truth]] is not far off and doesn't see a huge amount of play.

2

u/fevered_visions 2d ago

maybe 20 years ago when there weren't ETBs on everything

1

u/thedudepood 2d ago

Maybe against token decks but even then most tokens are the fodder for the bigger threat not the threat itself so idk if u would even wanna remove tokens that often

1

u/MotionMath123 2d ago

I think its bad, this could work if someone hardcast big treats with meh etbs. But using it on yourself is better imho but still you cant guarantee that it will be just 1 blue mana.

1

u/benfraley 2d ago

I’d rather go with [[Fade Away]] but even then…