Sylvan Games
 

Articles

 
You are: Home -> Articles -> Feature Article

28-06-2001

Feature Article

Using Wild Research in Invasion Block Constructed

I realise that the June/July tournaments will be Invasion Block Sealed, but like many others I've begun pouring over the spoiler lists for Invasion, Planeshift and Apocalypse getting ideas for Invasion Block Constructed decks ready for the IBC season in August/September.

The card that has taken my attention so far is Wild Research. The card has a lot of text and I know some players at the pre-release ignored it because of this. Ignoring this card is a mistake in my opinion.

Wild Research
2R
Enchantment (Rare)
1W: Search your library for an enchantment card and reveal that card. Put it into your hand, then discard a card at random from your hand. Then shuffle your library.
1U: Search your library for an instant card and reveal that card. Put it into your hand, then discard a card at random from your hand. Then shuffle your library.

Wild Research brings together several previously templated effects and combines them in the one enchantment. We now get Enlightened Tutor/Mystical Tutor search capability with a Gamble effect.

But there are important differences in comparing Wild Research with the tutors. Whilst Enlightened Tutor and Mystical Tutor both put the searched card on top of your library (with inherent card disadvantage), Wild Research puts the card in your hand immediately and has no card disadvantage effect. Unlike the Tutor's which were one-shot instants, Wild Research can be used repeatedly to perhaps eventually bring all four copies of a card into your hand.

A short look through the available enchantments and instants in IBC reveals the huge depth of powerful spells currently in the pool. Here's a shortlist of some strong enchantments and instants, which admittedly would need a 5-colour base to play in some cases -- but with cards like Harrow and the many dual-lands available is not out of the question:

Pernicious Deed
Meteor Storm
Necra Sanctuary
Ceta Sanctuary
Goblin Trenches
Natural Emergence
Powerstone Minefield
Collective Restraint
Collapsing Borders
etc

Urza's Rage
Prophetic Bolt
Tsabo's Decree
Dromar's Charm
Crosis's Charm
etc
The direction that a Wild Resources deck could take are many and varied, but it is without a doubt one of the strongest cards in the new set. Get yourself 4 copies while people are still pricing them cheaply.

Jason Whitby
Comments welcome: j.whitby@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

[an error occurred while processing this directive]