Take me away on the winds of change.

"Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams (share their dreams)
With you and me
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night (the glory night)
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change (the wind of change)."--The Scorpions, Winds of Change

 

 

 

Winds of Change is an interesting, and arguable bad card. While it provides no card advantage. it is one of the only red draw cards in the format, and while it's not as popular, or as numerous, as it's older brother Wheel of Fortune, it has found it's niche time and time again, whether abusing dredge, or going for the kill with Underworld Dreams, it's usefulness time and time again has been shown. So how bad is Winds? Well, it's not the power card that Wheel of Fortune is, but I wouldn't call it bad, it's certainly a trickster card at least.

 

 

 

 

 

Playability: Coming in a mere R, WoC shuffles in your hand, and draws a new one. However, it doesn't just do it to you! It does it to your opponent as well. This makes playing a first turn Winds one of the most strategically sound plays in the game. I've more then once heard the grunts and moans of a player who mulliganed down to n6, just to be given a hand they are disappointed in, and more importantly, they are stuck with.

 

The card also can work, as mentioned, in dreams. particularly well after a well played Wheel or Timetwister, just be careful in the mirror match.

 

I'll give it a playability of 4, because of it's niche.

 

 

Art: Is that a cliffedge, a mountain, or the ocean? Depth is not this art pieces friend. While it's certainly memorable, particularly between the sky, the broad use of contrasting color, and the warrior himself, and leaves a strong imprint on the imagination, it isn't without it's flaws. The leaves are a nice touch though.

 

I always liked the 5th art better anyway

 

 

Art: 3/5.

 

Flavor: I guess the winds of change can be chaotic, which is why it's red, though the name feels blue.

I guess the idea works on the card itself. In reality, I never got the flavor of this card, and while I've been a long time fan of it, for numerous reasons, I've never really reflected on why it exists. The possibility of the unknown that comes with change?

 

Either way, it's flavor is just going to be a 3/5.

 

 

In conclusion: A niche rare, but a good one none the less. While it's not the BEST card in magic, it certainly fills it's roll, and I'm glad it exists.

 

3/5. A fine addition to OS Magic.