Divest & Despise in MTG (Magic the Gathering)
Turn one, “Thoughtseize.” A term that has become as well-known in MTG as “Bolt the Bird!” When in an opening hand, Thoughtseize can be one of two things: The stuff of dreams or the stuff of nightmares. While great in an attrition game, Thoughtseize is one of the worst things you can see your opponent casting on turn one. It gives you perfect information as well as unconditional removal of any threats to you and your chances of winning. Why is this important in MTG and why am I going on about it in a guide for Divest and Despise?
Well, Divest and Despise can both be compared to Thoughtseize. Divest – for one black mana – gives you perfect information and allows you to take certain threats out of commission. Why is this important? A lot of newer Magic players hate to mulligan. It feels like way too much is lost and maybe you’ll luck into a better hand. Cards like Divest, Despise, and Thoughtseize all force your opponent to mulligan. In a game where your opponent has mulled to 5, a T1 Divest forces them to mull to 4. Even if you whiff and don’t hit anything, you still get the information on what your opponent is running, future threats to hold up mana for, and what they will not have when. Giving you the perfect time to curve out and play things as you please.
Divest will probably not see any tournament play as it’s limited to Artifacts and creatures, but in limited formats where creatures are rampant, it’s definitely a thing. Pauper cubes, hug your Ostracize one last time before they’re swapped for these.
That’s really all there is to these cards! If you need more help with MTG, let us know in the comments below!
This post was originally authored by Alex Cruz.
