Rune Snag vs. Mana Leak

DRINKALCOHOL · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 265 Location: New Gunsqu

Give reasons.

DRINKALCOHOL · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 265 Location: New Gunsqu

Snag works later in the game.

floodstorm64 · Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Posts: 84 Location: Texas

It's consistency VS power.

Players generally go with consistency.

Synch- · Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 79

i think the significant power difference beats consistancy in this case.

it's very likely that early in the game, up until turn about 5, players tap out for spells, and their is no difference between them. and with just one rune snag in the graveyard it is better than mana leak, with 2 or 3 it is virtually a hard counter

Malhavoc · Joined: 21 Sep 2004 Posts: 156 Location: Italy

It depends on the strategy of your deck.

You want a counter to protect an early bomb from counter magic? Then mana leak is better, cause your opponent could easily have 2 mana available. Example: land, double mox. Then land, oath with leak/snag in hand. Your opponent could easily have two mana to pay your rune snag against a force of will (two lands), but could not have 3. Late game isn't an issue: such a deck tries to win immediately; if you are into late game you've lost already.

You want a deck which plays the heavy control part? Then in the early game leak and rune are almost the same, cause opponent's spells will usually make him tapping out anyway. In the late game, however, rune snags clearly shines above leak.

Synch- · Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 79

malhavoc, that is an incredibly specific scenario, that fact is that every deck has less mana early in the game and both cards would be almost exactly the same.

although, incidentally, i wouldn't play snag in non-t2 formats due to the common graveyard hosers that exist, withered wretch being predominant.

HymnHymn · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

I have taken a liking to Rune Snag over Mana Leak. Most control decks are heavily dependent on draw. Rune Snag would therefore fit perfectly into Tron in Standard. Another good fit would be No Stick or some Tog variant. Suddenly when you flip over a Rune Snag with FoF or discard to Thirst for Knowledge or Compulsive Research, the extra Rune Snag sitting in your hand becomes worthwhile again.

The only downside I've seen so far is when someone Duresses or Therapies you, the first Rune Snag is much easier to play around.

Plus, if Rune Snags pick up (they benefit from being an opponent's yard too), they become even more worthwhile where back in the day in the control mirror, everyone would hold back their AK's.

Dr_Moo · Joined: 26 Nov 2004 Posts: 969

There was already a thread on this. I believe the most telling point was made by Koen and ignored by nearly everyone:

There is a bigger difference between 2 and 3 mana in the midgame than there is between 3 and 4 in the lategame. You can't expect to see 2 Snags until their increased usefulness is nearly irrelevant.

How often can someone pay 2 but not 3? A lot more often than they can pay 3 but not 4. Leak is better.

Cypher- · Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Detroit

Honestly, I would say Rune Snag is better in Standard where mana Leak is better in other formats. Other formats generally have faster mana accelerations and cheaper cards.

Malice · Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Posts: 83

Im going to put this nice and simple. If your running more than 1 of either one in your deck, run Rune Snag. The only time Rune Snag is weaker then mana leak is the very first time you play it. For the rest of the game its better. Thats the difference between the 2, Rune snag gets better as the game goes on and mana leak gets worse. Rune Snag>ManaLeak

Magx · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 339

GTKID · Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 38

Rune Snag doesn't stop turn 4 jitte.

Cypher- · Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Detroit

ShadowS · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 157

BattleofWits · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 206

I think Moo/Koen is/was right. How many games will one correctly timed Mana Leak win you the game? A lot I would say. How many times will you get multiple snags, thus making them more effective? Not that many unless you are playing heavy control with lots of card draw. Honestly i think it depends on the deck.