Deal Gone Bad (SNC)

Deal Gone Bad
Casting Cost: {3}{B}
Card Type: Instant
Card Text:
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn. Target player mills three cards. (They put the top three cards of their library into their graveyard.)
Flavour Text:
"Feed the rumor mills with delicious treachery. Bad blood between those two is a good deal for us."
-Kamiz, Obscura Oculus
Artist: Mathias Kollros

Strengths and Weaknesses:

• Strengths:
  • Versatile, affecting both the board and an opponent's library.
  • Can potentially remove a creature while also fueling graveyard-based strategies.
  • Instant speed allows for more tactical play.
• Weaknesses:
  • Somewhat high mana cost for the effects.
  • -3/-3 may not be enough to remove larger threats.
  • Milling only affects certain decks or strategies.

Deck Utility:

• Control Decks: Useful for removing smaller threats and gaining card advantage via milling.

• Mill Decks: Accelerates the mill strategy while controlling the board.

• Graveyard Synergy: Works well in decks that benefit from cards being in graveyards, like Dredge or Delirium.

Interactions and Combos:

• Mill Effects (e.g., Hedron Crab): To accelerate the mill strategy.

• Creature Removal (e.g., Fatal Push): Use in conjunction with other removal spells for greater board control.

• Graveyard Payoffs (e.g., Living Death, Lurrus of the Dream-Den): The milled cards can be used for various effects.

Flavor and Lore:
The flavor text hints at a web of intrigue and manipulations. It portrays the act of sowing discord as a strategic advantage, adding a layer of depth to the card's mechanic.

Overall Impression:
"Deal Gone Bad" is a versatile instant that can find a home in various black-centric decks. It offers both board control and mill strategy, making it a flexible choice in multiple scenarios. The casting cost is a bit high, but the dual utility could make it worthwhile in the right setting.