[SCD] Mind Grind

[NGW]

So Mind Grind has quickly joined the likes of Crypt Ghast, Stolen Identity, and Consuming Aberration as one of my favorite cards from Gatecrash (still need to see Lazav, Dimir Mastermind pull his weight).

Now mill, especially in a format where graveyard abuse is commonplace, is an inherently weak strategy. Part of that has to do with focusing on an, essentially, higher life total..and when you have numerous opponents to mill out, outside of combos it generally isn't worth it.

Now Mind Grind doesn't get around the problem cards such as Eldrazi, Prog, Colossi, but it does a nice job with other areas the strategy lacks in. It hits all of your opponents at once, making it more effective. It also has a great mana to card ratio, with its X casting cost coupled with the grind "mechanic", you can mill out a lot for just a few mana (funny story, I actually milled someone more with x at 4 a couple weeks back than I did when I hit them with x at 11 last night).

Now this obviously works best with say...Leyline of the Void out to deal with any Eldrazi (no combo here sadly), or cards that like things in your opponents yards, but I find it to still be pretty powerful in general.

[Shmo40]

i've seen someone Mill people for 25+ cards at a time with Szadek, Lord of Secrets.

Sadistic Sacrament is a great way to deal with an Eldrazi Titan that's going to get in the way of your mill strategy. If i have access to black, and i know i'm playing someone who's going to have specific cards that can stop my strategy alone, Sadistic Sacrament goes into the deck immediately and i'll tutor for it first chance i get.

[Naethyn]

I use Mind Grind as a finisher in my Damia Rats Combo deck.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=487445

[Drath]

Been using it in Lazav to great effect, if you can get off a Sadistic Sacrament to hit lands + Eldrazi ahead of time, it's pretty easy to mill someone out with it.

[moxnix]

Hmm it's kind of like traumatize for everyone but you. Mill decks have always looked pretty fun to me in general Tradeing libraries with graveyards to make all the graveyard stealing type cards play like bribery. I don't know if I like the idea of trying to miilstone everyone out but this card looks pretty sweet for ripinging the pot for that animate dead or memory plunder. And honestly i have been looking to make another more casual deck for my new meta. My only casual deck ATM in avacyen. Any other gens that would work in a build like that ngw. Nothing as cutthroat combo wise as your u/b. I actualy like mastermind as the general lol. General with he proof that I can turn into differnt cards every game? And they don't legend rule so I can steal the other one with animate dead? Where do I sign up.

[hyalapterouslemur]

Why not mill to abuse your opponent's graveyard? Cognivore, Mortivore, Lhurgoyf, Bonehoard, and the like love mill.

[NGW]

Originally Posted by moxnix

Hmm it's kind of like traumatize for everyone but you. Mill decks have always looked pretty fun to me in general Tradeing libraries with graveyards to make all the graveyard stealing type cards play like bribery. I don't know if I like the idea of trying to miilstone everyone out but this card looks pretty sweet for ripinging the pot for that animate dead or memory plunder. And honestly i have been looking to make another more casual deck for my new meta. My only casual deck ATM in avacyen. Any other gens that would work in a build like that ngw. Nothing as cutthroat combo wise as your u/b. I actualy like mastermind as the general lol. General with he proof that I can turn into differnt cards every game? And they don't legend rule so I can steal the other one with animate dead? Where do I sign up.

I honestly think Lazav is the best choice for a build like that. While this is mainly just in theory as I haven't tried Lazav in place of Grimgrin as my general, and I've not really had Lazav out often enough to be relevant, he works better than pretty much anyone else in a mill-oriented deck. Oona's great too, problem is she also is much more of a combo general, which leads to the slippery slope of building around her more and more and ending up with your deck not being at all what you wanted. Szadek isn't too shabby either, but again I just don't think he's near as awesome as Lazav. Hell I would LOVE to mill into someone's Ulamog with Lazav in play, they shuffle their library back up, sure, but now you have a hex proof, indestructible powerhouse.

[DeadManSeven]

Mind Grind is Exsanguinate for people who like mill.

[Remillo]

With how many infinite mana combos there are in EDH, it's stupidly easy to get X > 100 and just mill everyone out. Just need Leyline/Stifle/Crypt support for the Eldrazi that are probably roaming around someone's deck.

[Lithl]

If you're in "infinite mana" territory, why not just use Oona? Then you don't have to rely on some kind of grave hate for Eldrazi, and you've answered replacement-shuffle effects like Darksteel Colossus and Progenitus.

[simulacrum]

it prob easier to simply run mill cards but not actually win by milling them out.
Duskmantle Guildmage
Consuming Aberration
Mortivore

self mill has always been legit:
Dralnu, Lich Lord
Volrath's Stronghold
Snapcaster Mage

i kno i didnt actual milling cards, just cards that work nicely wit it