A Guilty Pleasure

There’s something psychologically infuriating about being beaten by your own monsters - kind of like being beaten to death with your own shoes. So as a rule, I’m not a fan of theft/reanimate strategies (looking at you merieke and mimeoplasm), although I can live with the occasional animate dead or control magic. With this in mind  its somewhat surprising that one of my EDH “gems” is actually a recursive theft card:

Here are ten reasons why helm of possession is awesome:

1. It turns macaroni into cheese - now you can play crappy cards and still win!
2. It’s cheap - 4 mana, 6 if you want to use it - not bad for colourless control magic.
3. It’s a sac outlet - prevent theft of your creatures.
4. It’s a combat trick - instant speed activated ability, which blocker would you like to use today?
5. It’s removal - borrow and sac opponent’s creature, or get that blocker out of the way.
6. It’s from tempest - which is almost as cool as homelands/alliances/fallen empires.
7. It’s a rattlesnake - by leaving 2 mana open, its a strong and visible deterrent to attackers.
8. It’s a use for useless tokens/dorks - topdeck birds of paradise? no problem!
9. It turns losses into profit - chump blocking? creature getting exiled? no problem!
10. It’s an unexpected ability for green and white decks (debt of loyalty notwithstanding).

Macaroni or Cheese?

There is no denying this card is cheesy; playing with other people’s cards is one of the hallmarks of velveeta. I think what makes this card more tolerable than the usual fare is the requirement to sac a creature. It gives the card depth that control magic and blatant thievery will never have, and feels a bit more like you’re “trading” than “stealing”.

I don’t put it in every deck, and I know it can make the table groan, but I figure I’ve built up enough karma that I’m entitled to one or two guilty pleasures ;)

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