March 16, 2015Perplexing Chimera

43: Impact Imminent

Now that you think about it, this could all have been avoided if you’ve had better choice in cards. Or, for that matter, if Ndali had never got to the point where she had five lands in play. But you didn’t, and she did, and an unlikely defeat may now be in the works.

It’s still relatively early in your game, and you’ve settled into a stalemate. Ndali controls the only evasive creature on the board and has been attacking with it, but you doubt that a Bird Maiden is going to get the job done by itself.

On your last turn, you cast a Cruel Edict to help make sure that Ndali didn’t flood the table with creatures. Apparently she didn’t like that, because on her current turn (after attacking with the Bird Maiden, of course), she tapped five mana and cast the Shivan Meteor that had been hiding in her hand.

You laughed. “Okay,” you said, “targeting what?”

“Your Shinka Gatekeeper,” she said, smiling.

You winced at that. You’re at exactly 13 life, so you know that she timed this move very well. If that Shivan Meteor hits your Gatekeeper, you’re going to feel every bit of that ogre’s pain. Perhaps so much that it’ll bring your life total down to zero, and you really don’t want that to happen.

So, as unlikely as it might sound, you need to do some damage control. You’ll need to do it quickly, too, otherwise Ndali will start to assume that the game is over, when it’s not.

It is the middle of Ndali’s second main phase, and she has just cast Shivan Meteor, targeting your Shinka Gatekeeper. Can you survive this turn?

Click the image for a larger version.

Ndali is at 16 life and has no untapped lands. She has the following cards in play:

You are at 13 life. You have the following cards in play:

Your cards in hand:

You currently have six cards in your graveyard.

Ndali has just announced her casting of Shivan Meteor, targeting your Shinka Gatekeeper. You may play spells or abilities in response.