Discussion Main / AntidoteEffect

The card combination aspect of MTG is a very poor example of this trope. This trope relies on the utility of some status-curing in-game item being rendered moot by some other item by way of cost, ie potions cost GP and take up inventory space, but spells are "free" in both respects. Specifically called out as NOT being this trope is when there are tactical aspects to the spell vs. potion debate such as timing, which means either method could be useful depending on the situation, and you as the player must choose.

Since deciding which card combinations to use in MTG is something you as the player must choose, and you are shuffling your deck, this trope does not apply. Perhaps you think that playing a low-percentage, high risk-high payoff deck is how you want to play, and put in four- and five-card combinations that are not very likely to come up. Perhaps you don't like that sort of risk, and put in only cards that do not rely on other effects at all. That decision is up to you, and your choice is not rendered moot by a better card appearing later in your game.

The color-specific cards are an even worse example, as you are trying to anticipate what cards your opponent will choose. That's just how the game works! Rock-paper-scissors works the same way; the symbols are only useful or useless with respect to what your opponent throws, not because of some value inherent or not inherent to the symbol.

I removed several examples from this page. People seemed to be listing any occasion where there was an item which has only limited utility, rather than for the proper definition of an item which gets made completely redundant when a later item or spell is gained.