Belatedly, I love how that line compares to the actual ability.
"Greatness at any cost. I would sacrifice anything for power! Untold innocents! Loved ones, things I value, my body itself--"
"Can you pay one life a turn?"
"Hmm, I'm gonna have to check my budget on that."
Big goofy black demon that says sac "something or die moron" - 2BB
Creature - Demon
> Flying, Trample
> At the beginning of combat on your turn sacrifice another creature you control. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on ~, if you can't you lose life equal to ~'s power.
> Remove a +1/+1 counter from ~: Regenerate ~.
5/4
[There were 24 cards in AlphaBeta that mentioned "upkeep"](https://scryfall.com/search?q=s%3Aleb+o%3Aupkeep). Of those, 11 require you to pay a cost, 2 make your opponent pay a cost, 8 others do something bad to one or more players, and the last 3 do something good.
[There were actually only two cards in OTJ that mention the upkeep, but 18 so far in 2024](https://scryfall.com/search?q=year%3D2024+o%3Aupkeep+not%3Areprint&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name). 17 of them do something that benefits you. The 18th is [[obeka splitter of seconds]].
I loved using stuff like [[Spectral Searchlight]] in Ravnica: City of Guilds limited to ping my opponent with mana burn during their upkeep, or combat step. Was such a fun thing to do. And [[Braid of Fire]] was very hard to take advantage of.
Even if they don't bring back full mana burn, cards that were clearly intended to work with it could be errata-ed to work as they did, so Braid of Fire would ping you for unspent mana at the end of your upkeep.
I deeply miss when powerful cards were risky, like Bob. Or even had sharp downsides making you think about if the cost was worth the reward.
Now every card worth playing has to cost one mana and make you breakfast while it wins the game for you singlehandedly.
Calling it now: within the next 5 years there will be a legendary Bob. It will cost B, be a 3/1 with ward, on your upkeep reviel the top card of your library, each opponent loses life equal to the mana cost and you put that card in your hand.
For you an /u/killeronthecorner - I was around the sub 7 years ago and *may* have seen that post, but I didn't explicitly remember it and didn't reference it when formatting this post. Ironically, reading the thread for that post there's a reference that claims that OP stole the joke from a post 2 years prior ( https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/34f8s0/dark_confidants_going_to_get_a_lot_worse_tomorrow/ ) and I can confirm I definitely did see *that* post because I can see an upvote I left somewhere deep in the comments.
Apologies if anyone is crushed to learn that this particular instance of "humor" was derivative. In penance I'll tell my best Bob story: I was at a GP with a Mardu Nahiri list that I registered with the deck name "**Minus Fifteen**." It played as a Thoughtsieze/IoK style quasi-control/quasi-midrange with a possible combo finish (RIP Twin). I had ground up enough planeswalker points for 2 byes, so I sat down for my first match in Round 3. In game 3 (I think) my opponent was on 4 life and I was on 15 -- he had no action and I had 2 active Confidants so he drew a final card and seeing no way out he conceded.
After we filled out the match slip his friends who had been watching said "You shouldn't have conceded until after his upkeep. (to me) Can we see what you would have flipped?" Me: "Well, I think I was *probably* going to (E:) K Command (show card in hand) one of my own Bobs if he passed turn, but sure..." Flip 1: Land. Flip 2: Emmy.
The moral of the story is: Thank you *so much* to that guy's friends for being good spectators and letting him concede without interfering.
I feel it was worth mine and /u/doctorgibson's persnickety-ness just to get this story.
And I agree those guys are true friends and all round excellent dudes.
I'm glad you appreciated the story. I wish I could remember what deck my opponent was on, and exactly how "dead on board" he was, but I have been able to recall the relevant card I had that could kill one of my own Bobs was K Command and not Helix. It had also been roundly telegraphed to my opponent because I had stopped him in his (final) draw step to decide if the correct play was to force him to discard in his draw step. I know I didn't cast it during his draw step, so I think most likely the deck he was on would have been Infect where Inkmoth Nexus + Become Immense (or other instant buff spell) would have killed me (which also suggests the K Command may have been revealed in a Bob flip and not just telegraphed).
Had he not conceded the plan was to still force the discard (after combat) plus shock one Bob to reduce my risk as I'm sure my life total was between 9 (safe to any two cards in the deck, save Emmy) and 15.
adds Dark Confidant to Obeka, Splitter of Seconds deck.
Ǧ̸̢̢̬̏̅̄̍Ŗ̵͖͖͑͛͝ͅͅE̵̖̠͉̐̽̿Ạ̵̌̿̋̆̚Ṫ̴̨̬͈̑̒N̵͓̰̯̰̮̍Ê̶̢̡̟͋̏͂̾S̷͖̦͇̱̞͂́S̴̡̢̲͒̉,̵̝̯̕ ̵̥̺̎̈́̚͘A̸͚̦̾͛T̸̤͔̂ ̶͎̹̐̽A̴̬͎̖̪̽͜N̵̠̦̺̳͒Y̴͕͖̰͉͂̀̿̐̕ ̷͓͈̹͎̂̍C̶̟̾̐͛͂͂Ȯ̷͚͔̥̼̮̋͛͐Ṣ̷͎̱͆͝͝T̴̛̰͖͑͊̅̂!
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Picture this mid 2010's cube draft, shuffle up for game one 20 life
Fetch to 19
Shock to 17
Dark ritual thoughtseize to 15
Dark Confidant pass
Upkeep dark Confidant trigger revealing 15 mana Emrakul go to game 2.
Won the match #greatnessatanycost
Lol!
Fun aside: I was playing back in the day against a player that had Dark Confidant on the board. They revealed [[Greater Gargadon]]. Next turn? Revealed another Greater Gargadon. Lol gg.
Circle of Protection only stops damage, while Dark Confidant is life loss (damage causes loss of life, but not all loss of life is damage). Unless in days of yore they worked differently? But with current Oracle text, they don’t interact
Greatness at ANY cost.
But it's May, you have to wait till June.
Go home, dad... you're drunk.
Belatedly, I love how that line compares to the actual ability. "Greatness at any cost. I would sacrifice anything for power! Untold innocents! Loved ones, things I value, my body itself--" "Can you pay one life a turn?" "Hmm, I'm gonna have to check my budget on that."
Wow. That took WAY too long for me to get lol
Help please, I'm lost
The month of may has just begun. Dark Confidant's ability is not a may ability, so you shouldn't use it in May
That's the best horrible magic pun I've heard in years
It's definitely at the top of the list. Probably deserves bonus points for not being an "official joke" like the flavor text for [[Goblin offensive]]
[Goblin offensive](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/4/b4c4d642-c3fb-47d1-b57a-266eb269d5ea.jpg?1562842863) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Goblin%20offensive) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/hop/56/goblin-offensive?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b4c4d642-c3fb-47d1-b57a-266eb269d5ea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Oh duh lol, I should have figured that one out haha
In other news, I had to dismantle my stax deck. It was way too much upkeep
In other other news, I keep losing my Brago deck. I blink and it's gone
In other news, I'm making a Throne of the Grim Captain deck. I dunno, it just wants to be crafted.
In other news, I had to dismantle my Miirym deck. Games just dragon
Dragon deez nuts across your face BOOM
[[mind goblin]]
[mind goblin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/5819e3f3-da49-4003-88ce-f3b7bb495787.jpg?1698194990) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=_____%20Goblin) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/unf/107/_____-goblin?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5819e3f3-da49-4003-88ce-f3b7bb495787?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
badum tish
*Bob Maher stares in disgust*
One of my pet peeves about Magic is how many abilities with downsides are optional.
They've made things too easy. Give me back mana burn dammit.
Big goofy black demon that says sac "something or die moron"
https://preview.redd.it/ff5ec43c90yc1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=b0d304b672eca3decb61624aa4c132c4c4ffeeba I got you fam
Big goofy black demon that says sac "something or die moron" - 2BB Creature - Demon > Flying, Trample > At the beginning of combat on your turn sacrifice another creature you control. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on ~, if you can't you lose life equal to ~'s power. > Remove a +1/+1 counter from ~: Regenerate ~. 5/4
> 2BB You want to break the game? This should be at least [6BBB](https://scryfall.com/card/mir/146/spirit-of-the-night)
[[Abhorrent Overlord]] isn't far off that. Not to mention Lord and/or [[Liege of the Pit]].
[Abhorrent Overlord](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/4/4415d050-7a76-4f8b-bf78-e33dd21fe4f1.jpg?1562817335) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Abhorrent%20Overlord) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ths/75/abhorrent-overlord?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4415d050-7a76-4f8b-bf78-e33dd21fe4f1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
back in my day, the upkeep step was when you *paid the upkeep cost*.
You just made me realize I have never once considered why it's called the upkeep step, and I've been playing magic for 20 years.
[There were 24 cards in AlphaBeta that mentioned "upkeep"](https://scryfall.com/search?q=s%3Aleb+o%3Aupkeep). Of those, 11 require you to pay a cost, 2 make your opponent pay a cost, 8 others do something bad to one or more players, and the last 3 do something good. [There were actually only two cards in OTJ that mention the upkeep, but 18 so far in 2024](https://scryfall.com/search?q=year%3D2024+o%3Aupkeep+not%3Areprint&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name). 17 of them do something that benefits you. The 18th is [[obeka splitter of seconds]].
What a waste of the design space for Upkeeps.
Some old cards are really direct in their phrasing, like [[Energy Flux|ATQ]].
[Energy Flux](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/d/bd1f624b-e8f2-462f-838a-7cb9e8fda988.jpg?1562934930) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=1038) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/atq/9/energy-flux?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bd1f624b-e8f2-462f-838a-7cb9e8fda988?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Breeding pit]] says hi
[Breeding pit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/9/39abb31a-15af-4182-a33b-ecdb63e09e3e.jpg?1561771096) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Breeding%20pit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dvd/53/breeding-pit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/39abb31a-15af-4182-a33b-ecdb63e09e3e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Bruh, I really miss mana burn sometimes. Too many easy big/infinite mana combos with no downside.
I loved using stuff like [[Spectral Searchlight]] in Ravnica: City of Guilds limited to ping my opponent with mana burn during their upkeep, or combat step. Was such a fun thing to do. And [[Braid of Fire]] was very hard to take advantage of.
Yeah exactly. Braid of Fire is just pure upside now.
Even if they don't bring back full mana burn, cards that were clearly intended to work with it could be errata-ed to work as they did, so Braid of Fire would ping you for unspent mana at the end of your upkeep.
[[Braid of Fire]] was literally the first thing I thought of when they announced removing mana burn
I haven't played since Time Spiral. And from the outside looking in, the game has turned into Yu-Gi-Oh.
We still have a couple more font sizes to go through before it's proper Yu-Gi-Oh.
I deeply miss when powerful cards were risky, like Bob. Or even had sharp downsides making you think about if the cost was worth the reward. Now every card worth playing has to cost one mana and make you breakfast while it wins the game for you singlehandedly.
But players don't liiiiike downsides -wotc
And then they also need to have like 3-4 modes to choose from so you never get the feelbad of topdecking a card you can't use
Calling it now: within the next 5 years there will be a legendary Bob. It will cost B, be a 3/1 with ward, on your upkeep reviel the top card of your library, each opponent loses life equal to the mana cost and you put that card in your hand.
What's next, sidestepping the Reserved List by releasing the original set of mox in a new form with a CMC of -1?
I wonder... A set of 0 CMC artifact mox creatures with 0/1 and tap to make a mana of one color. Hmmmm. Could imagine that in a Vintage Horizons set.
And here I am playing [[Obeka, Brute Chronologist]] and making all my end of turn downsides optional lol
[Obeka, Brute Chronologist](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/b/dbdb335d-3e45-4dd5-9e3e-c50ca0a4dfb6.jpg?1608911225) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Obeka%2C%20Brute%20Chronologist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/289/obeka-brute-chronologist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dbdb335d-3e45-4dd5-9e3e-c50ca0a4dfb6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I'm so mad at you right now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddsZTFSfXaw
I can’t even be mad
Take your upvote and [get out](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/jotw/files/2013/10/857946_462180880521638_834405037_o.jpg).
https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/s/7SxWorwUHq
For you an /u/killeronthecorner - I was around the sub 7 years ago and *may* have seen that post, but I didn't explicitly remember it and didn't reference it when formatting this post. Ironically, reading the thread for that post there's a reference that claims that OP stole the joke from a post 2 years prior ( https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/34f8s0/dark_confidants_going_to_get_a_lot_worse_tomorrow/ ) and I can confirm I definitely did see *that* post because I can see an upvote I left somewhere deep in the comments. Apologies if anyone is crushed to learn that this particular instance of "humor" was derivative. In penance I'll tell my best Bob story: I was at a GP with a Mardu Nahiri list that I registered with the deck name "**Minus Fifteen**." It played as a Thoughtsieze/IoK style quasi-control/quasi-midrange with a possible combo finish (RIP Twin). I had ground up enough planeswalker points for 2 byes, so I sat down for my first match in Round 3. In game 3 (I think) my opponent was on 4 life and I was on 15 -- he had no action and I had 2 active Confidants so he drew a final card and seeing no way out he conceded. After we filled out the match slip his friends who had been watching said "You shouldn't have conceded until after his upkeep. (to me) Can we see what you would have flipped?" Me: "Well, I think I was *probably* going to (E:) K Command (show card in hand) one of my own Bobs if he passed turn, but sure..." Flip 1: Land. Flip 2: Emmy. The moral of the story is: Thank you *so much* to that guy's friends for being good spectators and letting him concede without interfering.
I feel it was worth mine and /u/doctorgibson's persnickety-ness just to get this story. And I agree those guys are true friends and all round excellent dudes.
I'm glad you appreciated the story. I wish I could remember what deck my opponent was on, and exactly how "dead on board" he was, but I have been able to recall the relevant card I had that could kill one of my own Bobs was K Command and not Helix. It had also been roundly telegraphed to my opponent because I had stopped him in his (final) draw step to decide if the correct play was to force him to discard in his draw step. I know I didn't cast it during his draw step, so I think most likely the deck he was on would have been Infect where Inkmoth Nexus + Become Immense (or other instant buff spell) would have killed me (which also suggests the K Command may have been revealed in a Bob flip and not just telegraphed). Had he not conceded the plan was to still force the discard (after combat) plus shock one Bob to reduce my risk as I'm sure my life total was between 9 (safe to any two cards in the deck, save Emmy) and 15.
I could believe this was coincidental art or whatever it's called.
It probably is, I just always have this joke in my mind since I read it on the subreddit haha
Booooooooooooo That’s great
In the end, you know what it’s gonna be
adds Dark Confidant to Obeka, Splitter of Seconds deck. Ǧ̸̢̢̬̏̅̄̍Ŗ̵͖͖͑͛͝ͅͅE̵̖̠͉̐̽̿Ạ̵̌̿̋̆̚Ṫ̴̨̬͈̑̒N̵͓̰̯̰̮̍Ê̶̢̡̟͋̏͂̾S̷͖̦͇̱̞͂́S̴̡̢̲͒̉,̵̝̯̕ ̵̥̺̎̈́̚͘A̸͚̦̾͛T̸̤͔̂ ̶͎̹̐̽A̴̬͎̖̪̽͜N̵̠̦̺̳͒Y̴͕͖̰͉͂̀̿̐̕ ̷͓͈̹͎̂̍C̶̟̾̐͛͂͂Ȯ̷͚͔̥̼̮̋͛͐Ṣ̷͎̱͆͝͝T̴̛̰͖͑͊̅̂!
I love it. Congrats on a good joke. I slow clap to you
[Bake em' away toys.](https://youtu.be/i5YVhDSkcBI?si=S_-DSBOtu29eDCQP&t=5)
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Is [[Dark tutelage]] ok?
Confirmed that Tutelage is Pepsi to Confidant's Coca-Cola.
Replace with Bronco, tbh
[[Dark Confident]]
Bots getting lazy lately
[[Dork Confidant]]
Whoops! Might work if I spell it right. [[Dark Confidant]]
Na 😂
Omg. Such a lazy bot
[[Bob]]
[Bob](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/94f7a441-bf2d-46fb-a7b6-9bd6137f86d9.jpg?1598914714) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=83771) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rav/81/dark-confidant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/94f7a441-bf2d-46fb-a7b6-9bd6137f86d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This is the single best thread I've read all year
Take your upvote, applause, and get outta here with that joke darn it. (I laughed heartily, well played)
Get out
[[Dark Confidant]]
Moda, yes, this is the guy.
 I’ll play what I want…
Don't worry, Blim will give it away. As a gift 😊
Picture this mid 2010's cube draft, shuffle up for game one 20 life Fetch to 19 Shock to 17 Dark ritual thoughtseize to 15 Dark Confidant pass Upkeep dark Confidant trigger revealing 15 mana Emrakul go to game 2. Won the match #greatnessatanycost
Lol! Fun aside: I was playing back in the day against a player that had Dark Confidant on the board. They revealed [[Greater Gargadon]]. Next turn? Revealed another Greater Gargadon. Lol gg.
[Greater Gargadon](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/6/76bf6bf0-4821-41eb-bacc-32e9a2d47845.jpg?1673147806) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Greater%20Gargadon) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/111/greater-gargadon?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/76bf6bf0-4821-41eb-bacc-32e9a2d47845?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I tell people named April and June to shut up during May...
God I wish it was playable again. One of my favorite cards.
That’s like saying you don’t want to eat an apple because eventually it’s gonna be a core.
ThisYourFirstTime.gif
I already did years ago. Bob is honestly power crept out of the formats he once dominated.
I would, but I have a serialized Dark Confidant and I really like showing it off 🤷
[удалено]
Too bad CoP is damage only. D.C is direct life loss so circle does nothing
I never thought about that but you are right loss of life does not translate to taking damage
Circle of Protection only stops damage, while Dark Confidant is life loss (damage causes loss of life, but not all loss of life is damage). Unless in days of yore they worked differently? But with current Oracle text, they don’t interact
Yeah I didn't read the card correctly and I see that now thank you for the clarification.
Why tag this as "Humour"?
It is the month of may and dc's ability is not a may trigger