Torment (Magic: The Gathering)
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| Released | February 8, 2002 | |||
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| Size | 143 cards (55 common, 44 uncommon, 44 rare) | |||
| Mechanics | Flashback, Threshold, Madness | |||
| Third set in the Odyssey Block block | ||||
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Torment is the second set in the Odyssey Block and focused mainly on Black.
This expansion set is quite special, since it is the first expansion set ever, which contains an unequal number of each color. It has 40 Black cards, 28 Blue cards, 28 Red cards, 21 Green Cards and 21 White cards. This unbalance is, however, balanced by the release of the third expansion set in the Odyssey Block, Judgment.
Mechanics
Torment continued the Flashback and Threshold mechanics began in Odyssey and introduced Madness, which allows a player to play a spell which has been discarded at a reduced cost.
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.
Notable Cards
- 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.
- Basking Rootwalla -- The only spell with a madness cost of 0, Basking Rootwalla has been a staple creature of madness decks in all formats.
- 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.
- Grim Lavamancer -- A small efficient red creature with the ability to pitch cards for direct damage. Grim Lavamancer has shown up several well-known decks including Fish and Red Deck Wins.
- Nantuko Shade -- Among the most efficient black creatures ever printed.