<p>Here's how to do it with Mindshrieker:</p>
<ol>
<li>Forest, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243212" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (G) 1/1. T: Add W to your mana pool.">Avacyn's Pilgrim</a>.</li>
<li>Island, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=229960" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (1U) 1/1, Flying. 2: Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Mindshrieker gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that card's converted mana cost.">Mindshrieker</a>.</li>
<li>Mountain, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=235603" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Sorcery (R, sacrifice a creature) Add RRR to your mana pool.">Infernal Plunge</a>. Activate Mindshrieker three times on yourself, milling three <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222206" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Sorcery (8R) Blasphemous Act costs 1 less to cast for each creature on the battlefield. Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.">Blasphemous Act</a>s for +27/+27. Attack with Mindshrieker for 28 (-8).</li>
</ol>
<p>This uses only six cards, and even wastes a mana on turn 2.</p>
<p>Here's a variant that doesn't use any red cards:</p>
<ol>
<li>Forest, Avacyn's Pilgrim.</li>
<li>Island, Mindshrieker, Avacyn's Pilgrim.</li>
<li>Activate Mindshrieker twice, milling two <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262662" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (7G) 10/10. Ghoultree costs 1 less to cast for each creature card in your graveyard.">Ghoultree</a>s for +16/+16. Attack with Mindshrieker for 17 (3). Swamp, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222203" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Sorcery (B) Target opponent loses 3 life. Flashback 5R.">Bump in the Night</a> for 3 (0).</li>
</ol>
<p>This uses seven cards.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T06:14:37.793Z
2012-02-18T06:34:49.470Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
Stuart Cook
<p>How about an alternate win condition?</p>

<ol>
<li>Forest, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243212" rel="nofollow" title="Creature (G) 1/1. T: Add W to your mana pool.">Avacyn's Pilgrim</a>.</li>
<li>Island, Avacyn's Pilgrim.</li>
<li>Island, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=227297" rel="nofollow" title="Creature (3UU) 5/1, Flying. 1U: Mirror-Mad Phantasm's owner shuffles it into his or her library. If that player does, he or she reveals cards from the top of that library until a card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm is revealed. The player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.">Mirror-Mad Phantasm</a>.</li>
<li>Activate Mirror-Mad Phantasm, conveniently milling your entire library. Island, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=230788" rel="nofollow" title="Creature (2U) 2/2. If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.">Laboratory Maniac</a>, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262838" rel="nofollow" title="Instant (U) Target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Draw a card.">Thought Scour</a>. You try to draw from your empty library, and win.</li>
</ol>

<p>You can use <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=245195" rel="nofollow" title="Instant (1UU) Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature you control. Flashback 5UU.">Cackling Counterpart</a> to copy the Phantasm, which guarantees that it will always empty your library, but doing so requires an extra turn.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T07:13:25.837Z
From the OP's assumtions, "each card you draw is the perfect card" so I don't think the Cackling Counterpart is necessary.
user1873
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T06:57:01.110Z
2012-02-18T06:57:01.110Z
Stuart Cook
<ol>
<li>Forest, Avacyn's Pilgrim.</li>
<li>Forest, Strangleroot Geist, swing for 3.</li>
<li>Mountain, Infernal Plunge the Pilgrim, then using the mana generated cast a 2nd Infernal Plunge on the Geist, Now with 5 Mana, cast Trepanation Blade and equip to the returned undying Geist, Swing with Geist. Enemy player reveals 14 non land cards, so you deal 17 damage. </li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T17:18:44.927Z
2012-02-18T17:18:44.927Z
Reach
<p>Let's get the ball rolling:</p>
<ol>
<li>Forest, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262872" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (G) 1/1, Undying.">Young Wolf</a>. (<a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222111" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (R) 1/1 Werewolf; flips to 3/2.">Reckless Waif</a> would also work here.)</li>
<li>Attack with Wolf for 1 (19). Mountain, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=235603" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Sorcery (R, sacrifice a creature) Add RRR to your mana pool.">Infernal Plunge</a>, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=249419" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Creature (1RR) 1/1, Double Strike. Whenever Markov Blademaster deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it.">Markov Blademaster</a>. <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243257" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Instant (G) Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Morbid — Put 3 +1/+1 counters on that creature instead if a creature died this turn.">Hunger of the Howlpack</a> on the Blademaster.</li>
<li><a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=234431" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Aura (R) Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and attacks each turn if able.">Furor of the Bitten</a> on the Blademaster. Attack with Blademaster for 6 (13) and 7 (6) and Wolf for 2 (4). Mountain, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262871" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Instant (1R, sacrifice a creature) Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target creature or player.">Fling</a> the Blademaster for 8 (-4).</li>
</ol>
<p>This wins on turn 3 on the play, leaving you with no cards in hand.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T00:25:09.383Z
2012-02-18T01:52:26.670Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
Stuart Cook
<p>Turn 1) Island, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=226749" rel="nofollow">Delver of Secrets</a>.</p>

<p>Turn 2) Reveal <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243213" rel="nofollow">Dream Twist</a> (Transform <strong>Delver of Secrets</strong> into <strong>Insectile Aberration</strong>), Forest, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=237017" rel="nofollow">Wreath of Geists</a> enchanting <strong>Insectile Aberration</strong>, Dream Twist (targeting self, milling 3 creatures). Attack with enchanted Insectile Aberration for 3+3=6 (13).</p>

<p>Turn 3) Forest, Wreath of Geists, Wreath of Geists, Dream Twist (targeting self, milling 3 more creatures), Attack for 6+6+6+3=21 (-8).</p>

<p>No cards in hand (total cards used 9) or remove <strong>Wreath of Geists, Dream Twist</strong> flashback the Dream Twist** instead of using a second copy in Turn 3) for 2 cards in hand, 6+6+3=15 (-2) life for opponent, and a more efficient less overkilly win.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T06:21:30.907Z
Stacking Wreaths and Dream Twists is good value. I like it!
Stuart Cook
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T05:26:44.387Z
2012-02-18T05:34:14.687Z
2012-02-18T05:34:14.687Z
user1873
<ol>
<li>Mountain, Memnite, Infernal plunge, Immolating Souleater.</li>
<li>Mountain, Pay 18 life to pump Souleater to a 10/1, Swing for 10, Fling Souleater for 10 damage.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-19T08:50:01.780Z
Immolating Souleater is from the wrong edition.
Demento
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T21:24:47.363Z
2012-02-18T21:24:47.363Z
samfin
<p>1 Mountain</p>

<p>2 Mountain, <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=233058" rel="nofollow">Immolating Souleater</a></p>

<p>3 Pay 18 life to pump up Souleater to a 10/1. Attack for 10. <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262871" rel="nofollow">Fling</a> Souleater for another 10.</p>

<p>This uses 4 cards</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T13:57:55.887Z
He limited this to cards in Innistrad, Dark Ascension and Avacyn Restored.
Ian Pugsley
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T13:22:13.577Z
2012-02-18T13:22:13.577Z
chad
<p>A solution for turn 2 on the draw. I can't seem to hit turn 2 on the play, but I -think- it's possible.</p>

<p>Edit: This looks kinda ugly, so here's a link to a picture: <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aw30D.png" rel="noreferrer">https://i.sstatic.net/aw30D.png</a></p>

<pre>                                                                           Mana Pool           Cards in Hand
Turn one                                                                    0                   8
Plains                                                                      W                   7
Doomed Traveler                                                             0                   6

Turn two                                                                    W                   7
Mountain                                                                    WR                  6
Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Doomed Traveler                                WRRR                5
Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Spirit, hold priority                          WRR                 4
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRR                3
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRRR               2
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRRRR              1
Resolve Infernal Plunge                                                     WRRRRRRRR           1
Desperate Ravings, discarding Past in Flames                                WRRRRRR             1
Doomed Traveler                                                             RRRRRR              0
Flashback Past in Flames                                                    R                   0
Flashback Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Doomed Traveler                      RRR                 0
Flashback Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Spirit, hold priority                RR                  0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                   RRRRRR              0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                   RRRRRRRRRR          0
Resolve Infernal Plunge                                                     RRRRRRRRRRRRR       0
Flashback Desperate Ravings, discarding any card                            RRRRRRRRRRR         1
Devil's Play for X=8, hold priority                                         RR                  0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Devil's Play, dealing 16 damage   0                   0
Resolve Devil's Play, dealing 8 damage                                      0                   0</pre>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T17:43:16.170Z
2012-02-18T17:43:16.170Z
Andrew Shen
<p>There have been legacy decks in the past that were able to win a game in the first round, without even giving your opponent a chance to act. I wonder how many rounds minimum it would take to win a game in the Innistrad block format. In this format there are only cards allowed from Innistrad, Dark Ascension and Avacyn Restored.</p>

<p>The assumptions are:</p>

<ul>
<li>Your opponent is totally passive and does not play more than a single land each turn until he loses.</li>
<li>You start with the perfect hand and each card you draw is the perfect card.</li>
<li>The deck must be legal.</li>
</ul>

<p>Please show the winning sequence with your answer.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-18T00:48:44.613Z
I like this question. It's open-ended, but you can still compare different answers to see which ones are better. It will be interesting to see how things change when Avacyn Restored is released.
Stuart Cook
<magic-the-gathering><puzzles>
How fast can you win against a passive opponent in the Innistrad block format?
Demento
# How fast can you win against a passive opponent in the Innistrad block format?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-17)

There have been legacy decks in the past that were able to win a game in the first round, without even giving your opponent a chance to act. I wonder how many rounds minimum it would take to win a game in the Innistrad block format. In this format there are only cards allowed from Innistrad, Dark Ascension and Avacyn Restored.

The assumptions are:

* Your opponent is totally passive and does not play more than a single land each turn until he loses.
* You start with the perfect hand and each card you draw is the perfect card.
* The deck must be legal.

Please show the winning sequence with your answer.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, puzzles

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I like this question. It's open-ended, but you can still compare different answers to see which ones are better. It will be interesting to see how things change when Avacyn Restored is released.  

---

## 8 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2012-02-18. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

A solution for turn 2 on the draw. I can't seem to hit turn 2 on the play, but I -think- it's possible.

Edit: This looks kinda ugly, so here's a link to a picture: <https://i.sstatic.net/aw30D.png>

```
                                                                           Mana Pool           Cards in Hand
Turn one                                                                    0                   8
Plains                                                                      W                   7
Doomed Traveler                                                             0                   6

Turn two                                                                    W                   7
Mountain                                                                    WR                  6
Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Doomed Traveler                                WRRR                5
Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Spirit, hold priority                          WRR                 4
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRR                3
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRRR               2
Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                             WRRRRR              1
Resolve Infernal Plunge                                                     WRRRRRRRR           1
Desperate Ravings, discarding Past in Flames                                WRRRRRR             1
Doomed Traveler                                                             RRRRRR              0
Flashback Past in Flames                                                    R                   0
Flashback Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Doomed Traveler                      RRR                 0
Flashback Infernal Plunge, sacrificing Spirit, hold priority                RR                  0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                   RRRRRR              0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Infernal Plunge                   RRRRRRRRRR          0
Resolve Infernal Plunge                                                     RRRRRRRRRRRRR       0
Flashback Desperate Ravings, discarding any card                            RRRRRRRRRRR         1
Devil's Play for X=8, hold priority                                         RR                  0
Flashback Increasing Vengeance, targeting Devil's Play, dealing 16 damage   0                   0
Resolve Devil's Play, dealing 8 damage                                      0                   0
```


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-18. Score: 4

Here's how to do it with Mindshrieker:

1. Forest, [Avacyn's Pilgrim](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243212 "Creature (G) 1/1. T: Add W to your mana pool.").
2. Island, [Mindshrieker](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=229960 "Creature (1U) 1/1, Flying. 2: Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Mindshrieker gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that card's converted mana cost.").
3. Mountain, [Infernal Plunge](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=235603 "Sorcery (R, sacrifice a creature) Add RRR to your mana pool."). Activate Mindshrieker three times on yourself, milling three [Blasphemous Act](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222206 "Sorcery (8R) Blasphemous Act costs 1 less to cast for each creature on the battlefield. Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.")s for +27/+27. Attack with Mindshrieker for 28 (-8).

This uses only six cards, and even wastes a mana on turn 2.

Here's a variant that doesn't use any red cards:

1. Forest, Avacyn's Pilgrim.
2. Island, Mindshrieker, Avacyn's Pilgrim.
3. Activate Mindshrieker twice, milling two [Ghoultree](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262662 "Creature (7G) 10/10. Ghoultree costs 1 less to cast for each creature card in your graveyard.")s for +16/+16. Attack with Mindshrieker for 17 (3). Swamp, [Bump in the Night](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222203 "Sorcery (B) Target opponent loses 3 life. Flashback 5R.") for 3 (0).

This uses seven cards.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-18. Score: 3

How about an alternate win condition?

1. Forest, [Avacyn's Pilgrim](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243212 "Creature (G) 1/1. T: Add W to your mana pool.").
2. Island, Avacyn's Pilgrim.
3. Island, [Mirror-Mad Phantasm](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=227297 "Creature (3UU) 5/1, Flying. 1U: Mirror-Mad Phantasm's owner shuffles it into his or her library. If that player does, he or she reveals cards from the top of that library until a card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm is revealed. The player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.").
4. Activate Mirror-Mad Phantasm, conveniently milling your entire library. Island, [Laboratory Maniac](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=230788 "Creature (2U) 2/2. If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead."), [Thought Scour](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262838 "Instant (U) Target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Draw a card."). You try to draw from your empty library, and win.

You can use [Cackling Counterpart](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=245195 "Instant (1UU) Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature you control. Flashback 5UU.") to copy the Phantasm, which guarantees that it will always empty your library, but doing so requires an extra turn.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: From the OP's assumtions, "each card you draw is the perfect card" so I don't think the Cackling Counterpart is necessary.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-02-18. Score: 2

1. Forest, Avacyn's Pilgrim.
2. Forest, Strangleroot Geist, swing for 3.
3. Mountain, Infernal Plunge the Pilgrim, then using the mana generated cast a 2nd Infernal Plunge on the Geist, Now with 5 Mana, cast Trepanation Blade and equip to the returned undying Geist, Swing with Geist. Enemy player reveals 14 non land cards, so you deal 17 damage.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-18. Score: 2

Let's get the ball rolling:

1. Forest, [Young Wolf](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262872 "Creature (G) 1/1, Undying."). ([Reckless Waif](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=222111 "Creature (R) 1/1 Werewolf; flips to 3/2.") would also work here.)
2. Attack with Wolf for 1 (19). Mountain, [Infernal Plunge](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=235603 "Sorcery (R, sacrifice a creature) Add RRR to your mana pool."), [Markov Blademaster](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=249419 "Creature (1RR) 1/1, Double Strike. Whenever Markov Blademaster deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it."). [Hunger of the Howlpack](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243257 "Instant (G) Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Morbid — Put 3 +1/+1 counters on that creature instead if a creature died this turn.") on the Blademaster.
3. [Furor of the Bitten](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=234431 "Aura (R) Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and attacks each turn if able.") on the Blademaster. Attack with Blademaster for 6 (13) and 7 (6) and Wolf for 2 (4). Mountain, [Fling](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262871 "Instant (1R, sacrifice a creature) Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target creature or player.") the Blademaster for 8 (-4).

This wins on turn 3 on the play, leaving you with no cards in hand.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-02-18. Score: 2

Turn 1) Island, [Delver of Secrets](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=226749).

Turn 2) Reveal [Dream Twist](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243213) (Transform **Delver of Secrets** into **Insectile Aberration**), Forest, [Wreath of Geists](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=237017) enchanting **Insectile Aberration**, Dream Twist (targeting self, milling 3 creatures). Attack with enchanted Insectile Aberration for 3+3=6 (13).

Turn 3) Forest, Wreath of Geists, Wreath of Geists, Dream Twist (targeting self, milling 3 more creatures), Attack for 6+6+6+3=21 (-8).

No cards in hand (total cards used 9) or remove **Wreath of Geists, Dream Twist** flashback the Dream Twist\*\* instead of using a second copy in Turn 3) for 2 cards in hand, 6+6+3=15 (-2) life for opponent, and a more efficient less overkilly win.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Stacking Wreaths and Dream Twists is good value. I like it!  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-02-18. Score: -1

1. Mountain, Memnite, Infernal plunge, Immolating Souleater.
2. Mountain, Pay 18 life to pump Souleater to a 10/1, Swing for 10, Fling Souleater for 10 damage.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Immolating Souleater is from the wrong edition.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2012-02-18. Score: -1

1 Mountain

2 Mountain, [Immolating Souleater](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=233058)

3 Pay 18 life to pump up Souleater to a 10/1. Attack for 10. [Fling](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=262871) Souleater for another 10.

This uses 4 cards

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: He limited this to cards in Innistrad, Dark Ascension and Avacyn Restored.  

---

