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Odyssey (Magic: The Gathering)

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+#REDIRECT [[Odyssey (Magic: The Gathering)]]
-{{Infobox mtgblockset |
-  Background         = Red |
-  Expansion Name     = '''''Torment''''' |
-  Expansion Logo     = TormentLogo.jpg|
-  Expansion Symbol   = Exp sym torment.gif|
-  Symbol Description = Ouroboros|
-  Release Date       = [[February 8]], [[2002]] |
-  Mechanics          = Flashback, Threshold, Madness, Nightmares|
-  Keywords           = |
-  Size               = 143 cards <br>(55 common, <br>44 uncommon, <br>44 rare)|
-  Expansion Code     = TOR|
-  Development Code   = Boron|
-  Block Name         = Odyssey Block|
-  First Set          = '''''[[Odyssey (Magic: The Gathering)|Odyssey]]'''''|
-  Second Set         = '''''[[Torment (Magic: The Gathering)|Torment]]'''''|
-  Third Set          = '''''[[Judgment (Magic: The Gathering)|Judgment]]'''''|
-  Previous Set       = '''''[[Deckmasters 2001]]''''' |
-  This Set           = '''''Torment''''' |
-  Next Set           = '''''[[Judgment (Magic: The Gathering)|Judgment]]'''''|
-}}
-'''''Torment''''' is the second set in the [[Magic: The Gathering sets|Odyssey Block]] for the [[collectible card game]] ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''. This expansion set, which focused on black, is unique in that it is the first set to focus on a single color. It has 40 Black cards, 28 Blue cards, 28 Red cards, 21 Green Cards and 21 White cards. This imbalance is, however, balanced by the release of the third expansion set in the Odyssey Block, [[Judgment (Magic: The Gathering)|Judgment]].
+[[Category:Card games introduced in 2002]]
-==Storyline==
-Torment tells the story of Chainer, a [[Dementia Summoner]] of the Cabal, who first discovers the Mirari and rises through the ranks of the Cabal, eventually becoming rival to the Cabal Patriarch himself.
-==Mechanics==
-''Torment'' continued the Flashback and Threshold mechanics began in ''Odyssey'' and introduced Madness.
-*'''Madness''' - When a card with Madness is discarded, it can be played at a reduced cost. ''Torment'' sports 10 Madness cards, a common and an uncommon for each of the five colors.
-The "black corruption" theme of ''Torment'' spreads beyond sheer numbers of cards. Here are more examples of card cycles that represent black's influences:
-*'''Swamp Rewards''' - Like the popular Nightmare, these are a handful of cards that greatly reward players that control many swamps, including [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Mutilate Mutilate], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Mind_Sludge Mind Sludge], and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Cabal_Coffers Cabal Coffers].
-*'''Tainted Lands''' - A cycle of lands that represent locations that have been "tainted" by black magic. [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Tainted_Peak Tainted Peak], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Tainted_Field Tainted Field], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Tainted_Isle Tainted Isle], and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Tainted_Wood Tainted Wood].
-*'''Greedy Flashback''' - A cycle of cards that all cost 4 mana (one mana of a corresponding color and three generic mana) and the flashback cost was only 2 mana, but required you to pay 3 life additionally) [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Deep_Analysis Deep Analysis], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Spirit_Flare Spirit Flare], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Acorn_Harvest Acorn Harvest], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Flash_of_Defiance Flash of Defiance].
-*'''Possessed Creatures''' - A rare cycle of creatures that begin as seemingly ordinary creatures of their color, but upon achieving Threshold, they become black and corrupted and turn on their former color. [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Possessed_Nomad Possessed Nomad], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Possessed_Centaur Possessed Centaur], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Possessed_Aven Possessed Aven], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Possessed_Barbarian Possessed Barbarian]. It is interesting to note the shadow/reflection of the creatures in the cards' pictures, which reveal their true inner 'possessed' state'.
-*'''Nightmares''' - black and red creatures that remove something of the opponent's from the game when they come into play and return it when they leave play.  For example, [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Torment&name=faceless_butcher Faceless Butcher] removes a creature, [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Torment&name=hypnox Hypnox] removes their hand, [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Torment&name=petravark Petravark] removes a land, and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Torment&name=soul_scourge Soul Scourge] removes 3 life.
-==Set History==
-''Torment'''s release marked a tremendous power boost to the color black. The "Swamp Rewards" cards along with Chainer's Edict and Nantuko Shade were incredibly potent in tournament play, spawning the '''MonoBlack Control''' archetype (or the more appropriately named '''Coffers Control''') that could destroy its opponent's creatures, hand, and life total with large Cabal Coffers-fueled spells. Previously, control decks were almost synonymous with blue counter-based control decks, but ''Torment'' ended the fallacy that a control deck was unviable without countermagic.
-Relative to other mechanics at the time, ''Torment'''s Madness mechanic proved to be overpowered, most notably on [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Circular_Logic Circular Logic], [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Basking_Rootwalla Basking Rootwalla], and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Arrogant_Wurm Arrogant Wurm]. This gave rise to [http://www.wizards.com/magic/samplehand.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/bd68&decknum=1 '''U/G Madness'''] (pronounced "Blue-Green Madness"), an [[Aggro-Control deck|Aggro-Control]] archetype fundamentally built on Wild Mongrel and Aquamoeba as discard outlets to utilize the Madness, Flashback, and Threshold mechanics of ''Odyssey'' Block. U/G Madness is notable for being format-dominating, inexpensive to build, easy to play, and almost exclusively utilizing ''Odyssey'' Block cards. U/G Madness and Coffers Control are good examples of the player-perceived criticism that "R&D is making our decks for us."
-==Notable Cards==
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Ambassador_Laquatus Ambassador Laquatus]''' - The sole merman living with the Cephalids in Otaria. His 'poisoned lips' have the ability to invoke a Millstone-like effect on any player.
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Basking_Rootwalla Basking Rootwalla]''' - With a madness cost of 0 making it essentially free, Basking Rootwalla has been a staple creature of Madness decks in all formats.
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Torment&name=cabal_coffers# Cabal Coffers]''' A powerful source of mana acceleration in mono-black decks.
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Cabal_Ritual Cabal Ritual]''' - A less efficient Dark Ritual that becomes better with threshold, Cabal Ritual has shown up in several Type I storm combo decks that want a large number of Dark Ritual-type effects.
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Grim_Lavamancer Grim Lavamancer]''' - A small, efficient red creature with the ability to exchange cards in the graveyard for direct damage. Grim Lavamancer has shown up several well-known decks including Fish and Red Deck Wins.
-* '''[http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?name=Nantuko_Shade Nantuko Shade]''' - One of the best black creatures ever printed because of its low cost and sheer power.
-==External links==
-*[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/expansion/torment Wizards' official page for Torment]
-{{mtgsets}}
-[[Category:Magic: The Gathering sets]]