Playtest - Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed

Another Duel Deck release means one thing on MTGGoldfish ... it's time for Richard and I to head to Magic Online for some playtesting! Just how playable is Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed? Can the angelic Blessed keep up with the undead mob put forth by the Cursed? Can Richard end his year-long losing streak in supplemental product battles on the YouTube Channel? These are some of the questions we'll be looking to answer as we playtest Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed!

Let's get to the videos, but first a quick reminder. If you enjoy the Playtest series and the other video content on MTGGoldfish, make sure to subscribe to the MTGGoldfish Youtube Channel to keep up on all the latest and greatest.

Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed Unboxing

Playtest: Blessed vs Cursed (Match 1)

Playtest: Blessed vs Cursed (Match 2)

Decklists

Thoughts

• Overall, Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed is one of the most playable of the Duel Decks series. The decks felt evenly matched, and unlike some of the planeswalker decks, they weren't primarily about whoever drew their mythic bomb first.
• Each deck has the ability to counter its opponent's bombs. Increasing Devotion is a really powerful card, but the Curse deck has a nice, clean answer in Sever the Bloodline. Mindwrack Demon is a huge threat, but the Blessed deck has a lot of powerful fliers to keep pace. While both decks contain powerful cards, the opposing deck has a chance to counter with cards of their own, which leads to interesting, fun, interactive games of Magic. 
• After playing the matches, I think the Blessed deck is slightly favored, simply because it has a lot of big fliers which are difficult for the Cursed deck to handle. On the other hand, the Cursed deck has a ton of synergy thanks to cards like Diregraf Captain, which can drain away an opponent's life total. 
• Because of how the decks are built, you get two very different styles. The Blessed deck is pretty much battlecruiser Magic, looking to resolve a big threat and beat down. The Cursed deck requires a lot of planning and thinking. While the Cursed deck does contain its fair share of efficient and powerful creatures, it's more about how the cards work together. This layer of strategy seems like a good thing for a new player-focused product, since you get two very different decks in one box for a low price. 
• Value wise, it's hard to go wrong if you're buying Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed for $15 from Amazon.com. Geist of Saint Traft and Gravecrawler come close to making up the purchase price all by themselves. 

Conclusion

Anyway, that's all for today. If you're looking for something fun and different to play, buy Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed. The product has enough value that it isn't a horrible financial decision, and the gameplay is balanced and fun! As always, you can reach me on Twitter @SaffronOlive or at SaffronOlive@MTGGoldfish.com. 

Purchase Duel Decks: Blessed vs Cursed from Amazon.com (~$15).