Thoughtseize in Retrospect 

Jokes on you I'm playing 60 lands

> unconditional removal of your opponent's best card > is playing against lands

6:51 'You are targeting ME with that?'

2:38 Maybe a leyline wasn't the best example

I was feelin that ASMR while your cursor hovered over the price timeline, lol glad to see another video from you!

I still fondly remember pulling a foil Thoughtseize out of a booster from a Theros fat pack my brother had gotten me for Christmas. Definitely one of the best gifts I got that year!

I'm in love with your Card Studies series. Feels like watching Nerdwriter talking about MTG. Very well done. Thank you for this.

Ugh... turn 1 thoughtseize into turn 2 packrat mutavault. I lost so many games to that scenario in RTR/THS days!

make more vids like this. Been looking for magic retros. Awesome vid

I still remember facing Thoughtseize for the first time, way back in 2015. It was at my LGS right after Battle For Zendikar released, and I was playing my newly constructed Grixis Eldrazi deck. I had only begun playing at Khans, but was somewhat capable for a youngster. My opponent was running a Dimir control Modern deck, and I was rather intimidated, but I got my opening hand: 4x Mist Intruder 2x Island 1x Red/Black BFZ dual land I win the roll, so I drop an Island and pass, and he immediately Thoughtseizes me. The look on his face was genuinely one of the best things I've ever seen, because I just had all four of the same common and he's just like "wHAT," but drops one of my Intruders into the grave. Next turn, I draw a land and play an Intruder, and he goes for second Thoughtseize to get rid of another Intruder. Back to me, and I draw into a Benthic Infiltrator before swinging with my Intruder and trigger its Ingest ability (when it deals combat damage, exile defending player's top library card). He has no response, and guess what I exile? Spoiler: Thoughtseize number 3. By this point, we're both just laughing because he's bricking and can't play anything, and I drop a Benthic Infiltrator so I'm ingesting two+ cards per turn, and he just concedes the first game before kicking the crap out of me game 2. But on game 3, I draw a Ghostfire Blade turn 2 after being Seized, so I play it for giggles and immediately draw a Benthic Infiltrator afterwards. I basically ended up with a 3+ power unblockable beater that continuously exiled the cards he needed until he conceded again. Later on, I learned that what I'd essentially thrown together earlier that day from my Khans and BFZ cards had taken out a $500+ Modern deck, and that kind of made me super happy. Thoughtseize has grown to be incredibly irritating over the years to me, particularly since I can't afford to get them without severely impacting my disposable income. It's also having your opening hand just peeked at and going minus one before you can even play (on the draw) that really makes me hate the card. I may just be whining, but it's one of those cards that I see and immediately think "sweaty tryhard" over and over again. That's very rude of me, and I keep it internal, but I still think it all the time when I see it :( /rant

I'm only a recent subscriber to your channel and I gotta say, you're stuff is incredible. Ode to Ashnod's Altar was beautiful. Love the perspective and your narrative viewpoint. Just thought I'd say that.

Great video! I love discussions of metas I've missed, hope to see more.

2:40 I don't think Leyline of Sanctity is a good card to reference on what Thoughtseize can remove, lol.

I don't even play magic, why am I watching this Oh yeah because he makes his videos interesting, even to someone who has no idea what's going on in them. I should probably play magic though, but I have no clue where to start lmao

Best Magic channel. Great video. Great content. No bullshit opinion or pandering just retrospect and honest insight. The last magic content producer I actively subscribe to on youtube. Will be here forever.

I have just subbed after seeing only three videos and I have to say I am completely hooked. Your videos have so much passion and time into them it is so hard to stop watching. Keep up the informative and high-quality content and you are gonna grow fast!

Absolutely love these types of videos. Really hoping there's more to come

Reprint the damn cards in eternal supplemental sets! Modern Horizons gives you the ability to reprint modern power leveled cards with no standard in the picture. Commander precons let you reprint the staples we need in casual format that is way too expensive. R&D's obsession with the secondary market needs to stop to make magic more affordable on all fronts. I'm of the opinion that if the reserve list gets to exist, no single card should be above 20 dollars, because all others cards should be printed into the fucking ground! I'm fine having some expensive alternate art foil promo whatever the fuck being expensive, and the reserve list can even still exist, but their sould be no reason to have to anything above 80 dollars for 4 pieces of fucking cardboard. Reprint the fetches in precons, reprint damnation in Horizons, and stop complaining about players wanting cheaper shit when you do nothing about it.

This video was very well done.

This series is honestly amazing.

Such good videos, especially for a guy like me coming back to magic after close to ten years hiatus. Thanks!

You don't make videos often, but when you do they are always great and well made. Keep it up.

This may be my favorite video from you since i've found your channel. Such an interesting narrative brought here.

Your editing with the card images are AMAZING

It never feels good to find out that your hand is just an illusion.... thanks thoughtsieze !!!

I really like this series that you have going here. keep up the great work.

Cards like this are really, really powerful in Yugioh. Some ones that come to mind are trap dustshoot, and the neo space connector into aqua dolphin or mind crush before the new rule. The card you discard isnt as important as the hand knowledge, as soon as you know their hand and see nothing that can stop you, you’re free to just go ahead and win that turn

Hey Sam great to see you back with the high quality magic videos! Thank you for the hard work

Another piece of art by one of the best content creators we have. Thank you, Sam.

Amazing video Sam!!! I know youre focusing on other stuff for now but if it's not too time-consuming I'd love to see more pack lore videos!

You thought it was Pack Rat but it was me, Thoughtseize!

I like how Rietzl asked if he was being targeted, then put down his hand and looked at it like it was new information

These videos have great content and are very well made. You got yourself a new subscriber.

Very good points brought up. But I'd also like to note that Thoughtseize was printed in a block - and even a standard season - where black had a lot of really powerful cards. Downfall, Whip, Gary, and Erebos (saw some occasional from what I remember) were all in the same set, followed soon by Drown in Sorrows and Bile Blight. In the block preceding it, they had Pack Rat, Consume Flesh, Ultimate Price, Underworld Connections, and host of black-based multicolored cards. And Tarkir didn't help with this, Abzan was perhaps the most broken color combination, as they had the best removal, and creatures, and Thoughtseize could easily fit in with it. So much of Thoughtseize's power was probably due to the time of it's printing, but even just thinking about it being reprinted makes me doubt that.

i was playing pioneer recently against a guy on lotus combo, aggressively mulled game 2 into Thoughtseize. game three he knew i had it and mulled into 2 lotus, a boseiju, and thespians stage, just to dodge the t1 Thoughtseize. shows just how much this card still warps the game around itself.

Great video Sam, looking forward to the next! :D

I fell in love with this series overnight

The quality and content of your vids are incredible!! Just subbed!

Very, very, very well done video. Congrats.

Really well made video, hope you put out more like this ^_^

This is an awesome series! always do cards in retrospect. This is such a sick take and badass content on MTG!!

Great video as always. You always put so much care into your work.

Awesome work, dude. You're honestly one of my favorite MTG RU-vidrs and serve as an inspiration for me. Keep it up :)

This is an exceptional insight behind Thoughtseize and why it has caused the situations it has with reprints and the like. Overall a fantastic video, great to see you back Sam!

I hadn't heard of this channel until the Professor did a special on you; I like what I see!

you do such a goddamn incredible job in these videos. Thank you.

I don't even play MTG nor am interested in playing, but your videos are so entertaining, and just so enjoyable, that I would binge watch all of your videos and would not get tired of it.

I really like these Retrospects. Esp for a guy like me who stopped playing 14 years ago or whatever. Thanks for making these. It helps me understand the old metas.

your video content is amazing, keep up the good work !

Great video

very very well done videos. thank you!

Your content is amazing. The video is informative and calming. Continue with the good work. :)

welcome back and great vid as usual

Great work Sam!

Thorough and articulate, and brought back so many terrible and lovely memories of Theros block.

Your videos have serious replay value

It's really nice to see you back Sam I love all your content

i like the dramatic editing and suspenseful music.

This video is GREAT! sound quality could be improved but I love the format.

Great to have another Magic Man Sam video!

I have no idea what are you talking about but I can't stop watching

I started playing during Theros block, before RtR rotated out. As miserable as Standard was with Thoughtseizes and Sphinx's Revelations and Supreme Verdicts flying around, while I just struggled to get my wins with my silly Boros Heroic deck, Thoughtseize taught me both the value of hand knowledge/disruption AND how to consider life totals as a resource. I'm glad they were there. I'm am also glad I no longer have to play against it in Standard. So.. yeah, everything the video said xD; Love your content, man.

I guess I was on the side for Thoughtsieze in standard. During RTR/THS block I played B/W midrange and man was that card amazing. There are a few cards I display, and one of them is my foil thoughtsieze I pulled in my prerelease kit for Theros.

Thoughtseize, Despise and Duress in a time when Siege Rhino was in standard, is the definition of nauseating.

oh sam how i have missed your content!

I'd love to see a history of this specific type skill intensive hand disruption and how it's changed over the years to become this powerful. (IE: Coercion, Duress, Ostracize, Unmask, Distress, Thoughtseize, Despise, Inquisition of Kozilek, etc.)

I stopped playing magic years ago. Like...seven years ago. So I have no idea why I've been watching so many of your videos. They are so well thought out and intriguing.

My first deck was mono black modern. Striving to have the strongest black deck after 7 years. It didn’t take long for this to just become an absolute staple. Immediately puts an edge at the start of the game and if it’s in my opening hand these days I’m guaranteed a win 18/20 games.

I remember opening and selling 3 foil thoughtsiezes theros pre release night for 60 each. Good memories

The problem with thoughtsieze in theros was the fact that RnD had prior information on how warping it was to a standard environment, but didn't really print any countermeasures to punish overuse. The only decks that truly punished mono black devotion were heavy aggro decks and even then, its match-up wasn't exactly awful.

Thoughtseize is not only incredibly good at diminishing black's weakness to enchantment and artifacts. It is also an incredibly strong control spell. I would even argue that Thoughtseize is better than the UU Counterspell. Both cards fulfil the same role: deny the opponent from using any 1 spell. Counterspell has 3 advantages over Thoughtseize: - it doesn't cost life - it trades mana costs (UU vs the countered spells cmc) - instant speed Thoughtseize has 4 advantages over Counterspell: - you get to see the opponent's hand - you take out the spell preventively / the opponent can not keep the spell in hand and play around your ability to deny it - you don't gamble with Thoughtseize / don't worry about denying the wrong spell - only requires 1 black mana

Always awesome. Not sure if you've done Delver of Secrets yet.

A tie under a flanel shirt. I didnt think i would live time enough to see that

This is great! Puts videos I've done on Magic history to shame!

And here we are in the future, where even 2 mana thoughtseize (plus card filtering) is borderline too good for standard.

Your stuff is always top notch! I think Thoughtsieze was a good reprint, and powerful reprints can go in standard, but they must be done aware that they can warp things. What if there was a powerful midrange creature that you could put into play if an effect an opponent controls caused you to reveal your hand? Or raise the stakes and design a set/Standard environment where Thoughtsieze was ONE of the best cards, not clearly head and shoulders above everything else. It's hard but they set a bar once I think they just don't want to have standards powerful enough to house eternal staples anymore. :c

How often do you thoughtseize a leyline?

ahh, i love Kithkin, so devious, yet straight forward in a sense. a played Thoughtseize in my vampire deck, ahh... i love that deck... man i wanna play some magic now lol

Would you consider making these audios into podcasts? I’d love to listen to your work during my commutes

The history and the thought behind these videos? Wow!

2023 and thoughtsieze still dominates pioneer/explorer and modern

I feel as if I'm the only non-black player from Theros standard that doesn't hate Thoughtseize. Yes, it needed a reprint desperately, but I very much appreciated how skill-intensive the card is, and I didn't mind losing to a player who demonstrated that capacity. Then again, I'm one of those people that liked the concept of damage-on-the-stack, so take that for whatever it's worth. Anyway, here's to more great content! ^-^

just saw this video, awesome content. Just a little comment on the art of animate dead; watch the arts of sun titan, the new reprint art for terminate and the animate dead, they make a cicle.

When Khans of Tarkir and Theros were in Standard, I ran four copies of Thoughtseize and three copies of Brain Maggot, one of the worse 2 mana discard guys out there, in my Mardu deck just because I wanted to make sure my 3 mana token producer (Rabblemaster or Brimaz) would reliably stick on the table. Thoughtseize gave me an opportunity to brew up and play an actual aggro-control deck, an archetype I hadn't had a real opportunity to give a spin since Extended's Miracle Gro. I was able to paste together something like a 80 percent win ratio over that season with my build that relied on powerful creature removal and discard, three mana token producers, and seven or eight four or five drops that could attack with haste in the air to clinch games. Siege Rhino was never all that tough to deal with, since I could force it out of their hand, or just Crackling Doom it and swing in with my ridiculous three drop. And the archetype wouldn't have worked without the disruption. Keep up the fine work.

When looking at cards that make your opponent discard and nothing else I have to think for myself that you're giving up a spot not only in your deck but also in your opening hand which makes it so that you essentially slighted both you and your opponent from a good card in their opening hand.

I don't normally like this type of magic video but yours are so great.

Most Modern reprints are fine for Standard depending on what else is legal at the time. Fetchlands are fine as long as there are no fetchable dual lands in the same standard environment. Combo enablers like Scapeshift and Ad Nauseum are also fine as long as their wincons aren't in Standard at the same time.

Discard is the black equivalent of counterspells and Thoughtseize is as universal and accessible as it gets

So funny that Kevin from the RDB just gave you a shutout tonight! Good vid.

Awesome! Loved that std though...

Started playing Magic shortly after Theros' release. Standard was like having teeth pulled. Thoughtseize almost convinced me to quit the game entirely and I definitely would have had friends not convinced me to build an EDH deck.

Thing is, I think WotC has actually figured out the "Thoughtseize Issue" as I'm calling it now (watching this in September of 2017). I want to visit Gaea's Cradle. The card is broken. There's no question about it. Not only is it on the reserved list, but if they did reprint it, it would break standard in countless ways. Now there's something new: Growing Rites of Itlimoc. The solution is to print a powered down or harder to cast version. The first example of this was before Thoguhtseize was ever in Standard: the fixed cards in time spiral block. Restore Balance, Lotus Bloom, Ancestral Vision, Living End, etc. I personally think that's the way to reprint needed cards.

Crazy this card got printed. Yu-gi-oh! had printed and banned confiscation, a card with an almost identical effect around a year or 2 prior to thoughtseize first print.

I have a copy of inquisition of kozeliek and that thing is still broken, as is, I can only imagine how devastating a thoughtseize would be

Its like a Caspian Report for MTG. thank you.

I don't even play mtg, but these are so well done!!!

Haven't heard mr orange guy in so long. Bro signed my foil mutavault

oh, so THAT'S what Lay Bare The Heart reminded me of! :)

Nothing tilts me more than a turn 1 Thoughtsieze. Other than when it's followed up by a turn 2 Thoughtsieze. Last guy to do that to me though got Skewered, Shocked and Bolted to a crisp. It was very satisfying.

holy crap this is some fine content.