Tedman Analyzes Tangle Wire

Welcome, once again, to another edition of Tedman's Tales, where I can discuss anything I want, because I'm the writer and you're the reader.

Today on Tedman's Tales, I will analyze the fabulous card commonly known as Tangle Wire. It's an Artifact from Nemesis, the most recent expansion. Here is the wording:

Tangle Wire
3
Artifact
Fading: 4
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player taps an untapped artifact, creature or land he or she controls for each fade counter on Tangle Wire.

Now for those of you who think this card sucks and feel the need to express yourself, please take the time to read my previous article, then respond.

When Nemesis first came out, Tangle Wire was kind of dismissed as just another fading- oriented artifact. Just another Parallax Inhibitor, which we all know is bad. All the other power cards in Nemesis rose up in value. Lin Sivvi, Rootwater Thief, Parallax Wave/Tide, Predator, Flagship, Ascendant Evincar and Blinding Angel all become relatively valuable and recognized as good cards. Tangle Wire stayed as a $3 card. Around the time of Regionals, people finally realized Tangle Wire's true power. People realized that it is actually a good card, in fact, one of the best cards in Nemesis (in my humble opinion). It fits into many deck archetypes: Stompy, Negator, Burn, Land Destruction, Fish, Rebels, etc. People realized its amazing flexibility. It IS an Artifact, after all.

Let's make a numerical analysis. But first, you must know that you can create a huge advantage by removing the fade counter during your upkeep BEFORE you tap things. And since it doesn't say that Tangle Wire "shuts off" when tapped, feel free to tap it to its own ability.

Their first Turn with Tangle Wire in play: Tap 4
Your first turn (Remove counter first, tap Tangle Wire): Tap 2
Their second turn: Tap 3
Your second turn (Remove counter first, tap Tangle Wire): Tap 1
Their third turn: Tap 2
Your third turn: Tap 0
Their fourth turn: Tap 1
Your fourth turn: Tap 0

For the mathematically challenged, this is a 10 to 3 tapping advantage! It's like a triple Time Walk, in a sense.

Now, I know what you're thinking- "It's just an artifact- Disenchant, Seal of Cleansing, Uktabi Orangutan and Mogg Salvage all take care of that."
What I'm thinking- "Sure. Waste a removal spell on an Artifact that only slows you down and isn't a direct threat. Thanks for toasting it, meet my Phyrexian Colossus."

Here's an example of a deck making good use of Tangle Wire. It's the deck that took my friend to third place at Regionals. Allow me to present to you Buzz.dec.

3 Tangle Wire
3 Vine Dryad
3 Albino Troll
3 River Boa
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Rancor
4 Pouncing Jaguar
4 Wild Dogs
4 Giant Growth
2 Blastoderm
2 Uktabi Orangutan
2 Masticore

3 Gaea's Cradle
3 Treetop Village
1 Yavimaya Hollow
15 Forest

Sideboard=Crap

I've also seen many variations on a deck called "TNT" or Tangle Wire Negator. Here's one of them:

4 Dark Ritual
4 Tangle Wire
4 Phyrexian Negator
4 Twisted Experiment
4 Duress
4 Snuff Out
4 Skitttering Skirge
4 Lurking Evil
3 Parallax Dementia
3 Unmask

4 Rishadan Port
18 Swamp

Sideboard: ?

So there are two good examples of Tangle Wire put to good use. I hope you take my advice with a grain of salt and not go off and make a Tangle Wire deck of 20 lands and 40 Tangle Wires. But, keep in mind the next time you see a Tangle Wire for cheap, take it. It'll skyrocket soon.

In conclusion, Tedman better see some damn good decks using Tangle Wire, or he'll have to admit himself to a mental institute.

__________________
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__________________
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