Didn't Say Please MTG Card


Didn't Say Please - Throne of Eldraine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Mill
Released2019-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameThrone of Eldraine
Set codeELD
Number42
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJason A. Engle

Key Takeaways

  1. Milling three cards when countering can disrupt opponent strategies while providing card advantage.
  2. Its dependency on blue mana bases limits versatility but strengthens blue or control decks.
  3. Countering plus milling make it an appealing choice for players seeking to influence the stack.

Text of card

Counter target spell. Its controller mills three cards.

"If you're in our home, we expect you to mind your manners."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When landing Didn’t Say Please on a key spell, not only are you countering, but you’re also milling your opponent for three cards. This can thin out their deck and potentially disrupt their future plays, creating a subtle yet impactful card advantage for you.

Resource Acceleration: While Didn’t Say Please doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it aids in controlling the game’s tempo. By disrupting an opponent’s game plan, you effectively slow them down, giving you the time needed to draw into more lands or the resources necessary to execute your strategy.

Instant Speed: The most striking quality of Didn’t Say Please is its instant speed, allowing you to react to an opponent’s actions on their turn. This flexibility can be game-changing, keeping opponents guessing and reluctant to cast their most impactful spells for fear of it being countered and milling their precious cards away.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Though the Didn’t Say Please card gives the advantage of countering your opponent’s spell, it comes with the added obligation of forcing them to put three cards from their library into their graveyard. This interaction can backfire in matchups where your opponent benefits from having cards in their graveyard, potentially giving them unanticipated leverage.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Didn’t Say Please is set at one colorless and two blue mana, which may not be easily compatible with multicolored or colorless decks. This specificity necessitates a blue-focused mana base, therefore limiting its inclusion to predominantly blue or control-oriented decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana to cast may be seen as somewhat cost-inefficient compared to other counterspells in MTG. Cards like Spell Pierce or Negate come at a lower cost, potentially making them more attractive for players looking to maximize efficiency and maintain tempo within their game strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Didn’t Say Please is a card that fits seamlessly into various Blue-based control or Mill decks. Its ability to counter a spell while also milling the top three cards of an opponent’s library offers dual functionality in one card.

Combo Potential: This card does an excellent job when combined with other mill cards or strategies that take advantage of an opponent’s growing graveyard. When paired with cards like Drown in the Loch or Vantress Gargoyle, it amplifies your deck’s disruption and milling tactics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where the stack is often a battlefield of its own, countering key spells can swing games in your favor. In metas heavy with combo or creature-based strategies, Didn’t Say Please can not only thwart your opponent’s plans but also erode their resources, making it a solid choice for any player looking to stay ahead.


How to Beat

Didn’t Say Please represents an intriguing challenge in Magic: The Gathering, offering not just a counter to your opponent’s spells but also milling them for three cards. To maneuver around this blue instant, you might want to consider running spells that cannot be countered or employing tactics that bait out counter magic before committing your crucial spells to the stack. Another strategy involves overwhelming the Didn’t Say Please holder with multiple spells in a single turn, potentially exhausting their mana resources and diminishing their ability to use the counter effectively.

Moreover, cards with Flashback or other abilities that allow you to play them from the graveyard can dull the milling impact of Didn’t Say Please by turning your graveyard into a resource rather than a liability. More aggressive decks can force the pace, putting the opponent in a difficult position where holding up three mana for Didn’t Say Please becomes a disadvantage. In essence, flexibility in strategy and a keen awareness of your opponent’s potential responses can turn the tide against this pesky counter spell.

Ultimately, successfully navigating around Didn’t Say Please involves careful planning and timing, ensuring that your significant spells make their impact on the game without being thwarted by this control tool.


BurnMana Recommendations

Commanding the flow of a MTG match hinges on clever play and tactical foresight, particularly when countering pivotal spells with cards like Didn’t Say Please. Incorporating this card into your arsenal means you’re prepared to challenge your opponent’s strategy while subtly milling their resources. Its dual utility as a counter and mill card can be the linchpin in many blue-centric or mill-focused decks. If you’re ready to bolster your control game and enjoy the nuanced play style that this card offers, we encourage you to further explore its strategic applications. Discover how Didn’t Say Please can secure you the upper hand in your next MTG encounter.


Cards like Didn't Say Please

In the realm of counter spells within Magic: The Gathering, Didn’t Say Please offers a blend of disruption and graveyard filling. It serves as a direct analog to Cancel, yet Didn’t Say Please adds a twist by milling three cards from the opponent’s library. While both counter any spell for three mana, the incidental graveyard strategy that Didn’t Say Please enables can be pivotal in decks built around synergies like Delve or Threshold.

For more synergy-based gameplay, look to Drown in the Loch, providing both countering and destruction abilities. Although its utility is dependent on the number of cards in the opponent’s graveyard, against decks that quickly stock their graveyard, Drown in the Loch can be far more versatile. Meanwhile, Memory Lapse provides a different approach, temporarily disrupting an opponent by placing the targeted spell on top of their library instead of countering it outright, which can be tactically superior in certain scenarios.

By weighing the cost-to-utility ratio among these spells, Didn’t Say Please stands out for decks focused on leveraging the opponent’s graveyard, insistently reminding players of the advantage of its added milling effect in MTG’s strategic landscape.

Cancel - MTG Card versions
Drown in the Loch - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Drown in the Loch - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions

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Exclude - MTG Card versions
Hibernation - MTG Card versions
Circular Logic - MTG Card versions
Keep Watch - MTG Card versions
Archmage's Charm - MTG Card versions
Commander's Insight - MTG Card versions
Catalog - MTG Card versions
Thirst for Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Murmurs from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dream Fracture - MTG Card versions
Oona's Grace - MTG Card versions
Cancel - MTG Card versions
Deluge - MTG Card versions
Stoic Rebuttal - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Didn't Say Please MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Didn't Say Please and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Didn't Say Please has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Didn't Say Please card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2019-10-04 A spell that can't be countered is a legal target for Didn't Say Please. The spell won't be countered when Didn't Say Please resolves, but its controller still puts the top three cards of their library into their graveyard.

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