[MID] Infernal Grasp

Wagner

Seems just inferior to Heartless Act or Power Word Kill. I think the 2 life will matter far more often than not being able to kill a Demon, Angel or other rare creature type.

revengeanceful

I like that this card exists. If you need something dead, this does it, no questions asked. I've seen U/B control decks running Eliminate and I don't see why one wouldn't at least consider this card for that same slot if killing creatures was the primary concern.

BlindTherapy

@wagner heartless act is bad vs ravager/ballista, but so is all removal really.
power word kill failing to hit griselbrand doesn't matter much, as if griselbrand hit play the game is already over, but failing to hit sprite dragon does matter.

Botvinik

I see this as more of an option than a staple and as a new option I think it should be welcomed and kept track of even though it currently does not look too good.

Protoaddict

@blindtherapy said in [MID] Infernal Grasp:

@wagner heartless act is bad vs ravager/ballista, but so is all removal really.
power word kill failing to hit griselbrand doesn't matter much, as if griselbrand hit play the game is already over, but failing to hit sprite dragon does matter.

I mean, I think you can say the same for Go For The Throat. It does not matter if it cannot hit artifacts as you are not siding it in for that match, and that is basically the only match where artifact creatures exist in the format.

Botvinik

@protoaddict said in [MID] Infernal Grasp:

I mean, I think you can say the same for Go For The Throat. It does not matter if it cannot hit artifacts as you are not siding it in for that match, and that is basically the only match where artifact creatures exist in the format.

Does tinker battlesphere/sphinx no longer exist? It has been on it's last legs for a while but even in last years Eternal Weekend I had one opponent go for each of the two. Not disagreeing with your general idea but there is at least 2 more targets that are worth thinking about.

Thewhitedragon69

@protoaddict Hollow One is a thing, no?

ilpeggiore

this card competes with:

stp / assassin trophy in decks playing green or white. both better
fatal push which is narrow but costs 1
Eliminate, not so wide vs creatures but kills those damn PWs
feed the swarm, which is sorcey and can cost you more life but gets enchantments
various 2cc removal with some holes but that do not cost lifes (heartless cat/Power word kille...)

it's playable but just creatures means that you can play max 1 main and 1 side in decks with no white or green.

of course vs Hollow One is good.

John Cox

Dismember costs exactly the same to cast, and can cost less, hits the majority of the format. I would compare this more to Dismember than what is listed here.

Protoaddict

@thewhitedragon69 said in [MID] Infernal Grasp:

@protoaddict Hollow One is a thing, no?

Are you beating decks that play Hollow One with 2 mana, 1 for 1 removal that also costs life? Even if, was dismember not doing the job for you?

LieNielsen

This card is note worthy not because it’s particularly game breaking but it is the best “Terror” yet to be printed. Doom Blade has had a very minor roll in the sideboards of Dark Ritual decks since it can be used to kill a Lodestone Golem, Eldrazi, or random fish creatures such as Thalia, Magus of the Moon, or Collector Ouphe. Infernal Grasp clearly has more reach than Doom Blade now being able to hit DRS or Leovold. There may be better specific answers to things, but you’d be surprised at the lack of flexibility amongst black creature removal. This obviously isn’t breaking the meta, but it is note worthy and I will be picking up a few just to have on hand. I put it into the “Ingot Chewer/Goblin Cratermaker” list of cards you just ought to have on hand for some future meta you want to sideboard against. Terminate is a fringe modern staple that hits things beyond the scope of Unholy Heat or Prismatic Ending (Murktide). This basically better than Terminate, although regeneration could be relevant in the case of Welding Jar.