Dark Ritual - To cast, or not to cast

Anonymous2112

Dark Ritual - Black Spell

Casting Cost:  6

Text:  The first card in your hand gains full mana.

Rarity:  Masterpiece

Why on earth would I cast this spell - which auto-casts, by the way - if my first card in my hand already has full mana?  Yes, I realize that I can disable the spell in order to control when it casts, but we're all familiar with the way gem cascades happen and even a card costing 13 or more can fill up to full mana in a single turn, thereby blowing the use of the Dark Ritual.

I would expect that, for a Masterpiece card, there would be a little more "intelligence" built in to where it didn't feel more like a rare card.  In my opinion, a Masterpiece card would have the clause "that can gain mana" as part of its effects.

jtwood

Anonymous2112 said:

Dark Ritual - Black Spell

Casting Cost:  6

Text:  The first card in your hand gains full mana.

Rarity:  Masterpiece

Why on earth would I cast this spell - which auto-casts, by the way - if my first card in my hand already has full mana?  Yes, I realize that I can disable the spell in order to control when it casts, but we're all familiar with the way gem cascades happen and even a card costing 13 or more can fill up to full mana in a single turn, thereby blowing the use of the Dark Ritual.

I would expect that, for a Masterpiece card, there would be a little more "intelligence" built in to where it didn't feel more like a rare card.  In my opinion, a Masterpiece card would have the clause "that can gain mana" as part of its effects.

Disable it, fill it, make it your last card, then enable it
Awkward? Absolutely 

Anonymous2112

Yep, that's been the process that I typically follow.  And you left out one step - ensure the first card in your hand has no (or very little) mana stored after you re-enable Dark Ritual.  This awkward workaround "works" about half the time.  Meaning, the Dark Ritual spell actually casts after I make my gem swap for the turn and gives the first card in my hand full mana. 

The rest of the time, I will make my initial swap, I'll get three or four crazy cascades and watch as the first card in my hand fills up to the maximum, doesn't cast (for example, Ruinous Ultimatum when there's no opposing creatures/supports to destroy), and then Dark Ritual casts doing absolutely nothing.

As stated before, how does this even begin to feel like a Masterpiece card?  Even Rite of Flame - a rare card - knows to give its mana to the first card in your hand without mana.  Granted, it's a different mechanic in that it gives a specific amount of mana to your hand versus a non-specific "full" amount.

I s'pose I should tag @Oktagon_Support since I didn't phrase my subject in the form of a bug issue, just so someone on that team is aware.

jtwood

Anonymous2112 said:

Yep, that's been the process that I typically follow.  And you left out one step - ensure the first card in your hand has no (or very little) mana stored after you re-enable Dark Ritual.  This awkward workaround "works" about half the time.  Meaning, the Dark Ritual spell actually casts after I make my gem swap for the turn and gives the first card in my hand full mana. 

If Dark Ritual is your last card, then any cards with mana before will cast, then Dark Ritual will resolve and give mana to the first card to not have mana (assuming you don't fill up your entire hand with mana, as you said).

But this is still a bleh approach

Anonymous2112

jtwood said:

If Dark Ritual is your last card, then any cards with mana before will cast...

For the most part, that's an accurate statement, but what if (assuming full mana)...

• The first support in your hand can't be cast because all gems are tied up with other effects?  For example, due to a board full of treasure supports, snow gems, etc.
• The first spell in your hand can't be cast because there isn't a valid target or similar requirement?  For example, Vona's Hunger, Pharika's Libation, Fracture, etc.
• You already have three creatures in play and you don't want to replace one?

Then you end up casting the spell over a card that has full mana and just waste the effect.

I'm certainly not disagreeing with you and I'm probably wasting my (and your) time hashing this out. It's just frustrating knowing how this spell is played in paper MTG (and it certainly has a significantly different effect), versus how it should be implemented in the game.  I think I'm doing this more for the benefit @Oktagon_Support, in the hopes it illustrates the lameness of the card.

At the very least, I'm glad that we're on the same page.