Phyrexian Arena

[(o ×) 228]

 

This is a bad card.

Even in EDH.

A lot of people tout this as a staple, or at least a powerful card, but at this point, I'm not convinced. Let's compare it to a "similar" card draw spell.

Now, scrying isn't the same as drawing cards. It is often considered to be worth about half a card, but let's be generous toward arena, and say that scry 1 is worth one quarter of draw 1. This puts read the bones at about 2.5 cards, creating a net of 1.5. That will be the baseline by which we compare.

The turn you cast phyrexian altar, you get absolutely nothing. Now, you think, "well that's okay, it's an investment, I will get more cards as the game progresses, and I don't have the mana to cast anything else this turn so I didn't really need the cards yet." This applies best when phyrexian arena is played on Turn 3, so we'll be generous again and evaluate it under these optimal conditions.

Turn 4, you lose 1 life and draw 1 card. This is assuming that an opponent hasn't destroyed it, may that be with a Reclamation Sage, a Nature's Claim, or maybe it was just collateral damage from a ramped-out Bane of Progress. Any of these options puts the opponent at a pretty impressive tempo advantage over you. Your turn three was completely nullified by their turn three/four, and they either did it for very little mana, or are left with some additional value. But let's assume it survives. You have now drawn a single card, and at the cost of a point of life, no less. Not to mention the loss of tempo an entire turn cycle ago. But hey, you got your cantrip. Your three Mana, sorcery speed, life-costing cantrip that took a turn cycle to give you anything.

Turn 5. Another life lost, another card drawn. This is starting to almost resemble a card that would be worth playing as a sorcery. Almost. As we move up the mana curve, Bane of Progress becomes a more relevant threat. Maybe Windgrace's Judgment sniped it, along with cards the opponents may have played that actually managed to accomplish something. But hey, maybe you got two cards over the course of three turns, at the cost of two life. Still behind Read the Bones, for those doing the math at home.

Turn 6. So guys, we did it. We got something that can overcome the advantage of a common from Theros. It only took three entire turn cycles and dodging all kinds of potential removal. Out of all the times I have landed a turn three arena, it rarely lasts this long.

And so on and so forth.

I think my point is starting to be made pretty clear. Phyrexian Arena is not a good card. Was it a good card back in 2013 when games lasted fifteen to twenty turn cycles and nobody ran removal? Sure, it sounds fine then, but even in that case it only really shines if you draw it early on. What the hell is a phyrexian arena going to do for you if you draw it turn nine?

I'm not trying to call anyone foolish, you can look back on this site, I have it in a list I made about a month ago. I thought it was good too. But now, I am totally unconvinced.

And no, I'm not saying you should run Read the Bones in your EDH decks. I think the card is fine, but nothing spectacular. If you're in three or more colors, Painful Truths is a genuinely amazing draw spell, and if you're in blue you can play Rhystic Study or Mystic Remora, two enchantments that really will provide the lasting advantage to pull you through the game.

[Hina's Simp 96]

So, you're considering the age old argument of card velocity vs. card advantage. How would you compare Phyrexian Arena to a card like Underworld Connections that does similar things, but can be played on turn four and generate card parody, where it takes a card to cast, but can generate a care in place of itself? I am not sure what argument that you're trying to put forth; It seems pretty specific toward that advantage or velocity point of drawing cards, without much considering the outlier into playing such a card like Phyrexian Arena. Or considering the different developments of play, much like French Commander or table top with some friends.

There really isn't not much here to argue. The biggest pull here is that Phyrexian Arena has a fixed card in Underground Connections, that does provide lasting advantage to pull you out of the game, albeit not in the same form of Rhystic Study and Mystic Remora, sure, but it is one that provides choice and point of manipulation, that Phyrexian Arena does not have. Now, there is also the argument of trigger vs. activated ability, sure, but that is getting into a whole other position.

I really don't see your argument as fully convincing. It sets up situational paradigms that hold against not playing Phyrexian Arena, sure, but is that all you're trying to get across? I have seen many lists that play a plethora of card advantage, from engines like Phyrexian Arena (even alongside Underworld Connections), to even cards like Necropotence.

Seems like a lazy point of conversation, that doesn't do much in the way of participating in an overall discussion of black card draw. If you want to discuss this card itself, let's talk about Phyrexian Arena; But the best point of card advantage and card velocity are that Black has many cards that have a high-range of impact, even from Mono-Black EDH shells to more color-infused ones, that even play Painful Truths. The reasoning here is drastically missed: Many EDH decks, especially in more Black-based identities, try to spread out their consistency toward many different avenues.

Phyrexian Arena could easily be one to just have a simple engine. If we're trying to play cards like Rhystic Study: Necropotence, Greed, Dark Tutelage.

For cards like Read the Bones, it is a stellar card. However, this is another point where you seem to be lost. The difference between card advantage and card velocity, to keep the concepts around this argument. Read the Bones is card velocity. Sure, there is advantage that it gains, but it draws cards quickly and specifically. The main crux of card velocity is that is smooths out the hand and the immediate situations. This is something that no draw engine would ever do (maybe Necropotence, but that varies on going off or going for the win).

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Hina's Simp

[(o ×) 228]

The format has moved far beyond enchantments that have a potential impact like this sticking around for 4+ turn cycles, so arena hardly ever breaks even compared to spells that give you your cards then and there.

Underworld connections is tricky, because you are trading off a resource for the draw, but I do believe it is more powerful than arena, considering the overwhelming prevalence of two-mana acceleration in the format since the printing of arcane signet and the enemy color talismans, as well as the increased accessibility of three visits.

My point is that unless you are playing in battlecruiser meta, with decks of strength comparable to a precon, phyrexian arena fails both in the immediacy of the advantage provided, as well as the total advantage provided over the course of the game, while providing far fewer opportunities for counterplay and interruption.

And I only mentioned read the bones because it came to mind in that second. I would much prefer sign in blood or night's whisper.

Edited December 30, 2020 by (‽)