Dear Putrid Leech, 

<3

I’m a big game Magic type of guy. Give me a Sphinx Revelation and I’m a happy camper. That was until I read Sam Black his brilliant article on big and small game Magic. Big game Magic are the splashy games full of resources. Sphinx Revelation fits in here perfectly, you need a lot of mana, you get a lot of cards and you also gain a bunch of life. It makes the game so much bigger. 

Small game Magic is using your resources to diminish your opponents resources. Thoughseize, one for one removal, Stone Rain, Lava Spike. The classic burn decks that use resources to take down an opponents life make for small games. But classic modern Jund was also a classic small game Magic with its suite of efficient discard spells, removal and creatures that could take down a life total fast. And you, Putrid Leech, are a perfect example of this. 

I deal you 4 while I take 2. For some reason it’s a trade you always take, even though I was not always sure why. I’ve always liked you. You’ve been in my Peasant Cube since day 1 and still are. I’ve always enjoyed drafting and playing you in a the Rock deck in that Cube. You were a strong piece in Standard and Modern Jund strategies, but you were never the problem (Bloodbriad Elf and Liliana of the Veil were). I could live with losing to you, you seemed fair. But it wasn’t until after reading Sam his article that I started to love you. Because you are not fair. That trade of dealing 2 extra by paying 2 life isn’t fair, no, not if one deck is actually made for small game Magic. 

With love, 

Hanjo