Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Analyzing I Am Untouchable in Casual MTG
Casual MTG is where the weird, wonderful, and just-plain-weird-in-a-good-way cards shine. Today we dig into a niche gem from the Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander set: I Am Untouchable. With its zero-mana cost and a gaze that says “you’re untouchable… for a moment,” this Ongoing Scheme card invites players to rethink how defensive engines behave in non-competitive environments. 🧙♂️🔥 It’s not just about surviving the next board wipe; it’s about understanding how a single, well-timed scheme can tilt the odds in a casual game with friends who love puzzles as much as punch-ups. 💎⚔️
Before we dive into the numbers, a quick recap of the card’s core identity is in order. I Am Untouchable is an Ongoing Scheme from Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander (set name DSC). It has 0 mana cost, no color identity, and the hallmark is “You and permanents you control have hexproof.” That hexproof face-turns your board into a fortress against targeted removal—an appealing proposition when your meta features a lot of spot removal and commander hate. The other half of the card’s life is the combat-damage trigger: when combat damage is dealt to you, you create a 4/4 colorless Scarecrow artifact creature token with vigilance, then abandon this scheme. The scheme leaves the battlefield after that trigger, but the moment can feel like a mini-turning point in a casual game. The flavor text—“The least of my minions is more than a match for you.”—sets the tone for a deck that leans into minion-building and stubborn defense. 🎨🧙♂️
“The least of my minions is more than a match for you.”
That line captures the vibe of casual games: not every victory comes from a big combo; sometimes a steady tempo of small defenses and well-timed tokens does the trick. I Am Untouchable becomes a lens through which we examine win rates in casual decks: does a protective stance pay off in the long run, or do the risks of losing your scheme’s effects outweigh the token payoff? The answer isn’t a single stat, but a pattern—one that hinges on how your local players interact with hexproof, board presence, and the occasional “oops, I activated my own traps” moment. 🧩🎲
What I Am Untouchable actually changes on the battlefield
- Hexproof for you and your permanents: This makes targeted removal less reliable, especially in rooms where players rotate answers rather than playing pure control. It buys time for you to stabilize, which matters in casual games where you’ll often see stall tactics and longer turns.
- Combat-damage trigger with a reward: When you do take combat damage, you replace the pain with a 4/4 Scarecrow that’s colorless and artifact-based, with vigilance. The token’s presence can deter attackers or force awkward attacks, which in casual games often matters more than brutal efficiency.
- Abandon the scheme after triggering: The scheme isn’t a permanent shield; it’s a carefully timed one-shot that requires you to plan for its expiration. The sense of temporality can shape how you pace your defenses and when you push for a win.
In terms of win-rate analysis, that pacing matters. Casual play rewards patience and the ability to weather swings. I Am Untouchable tends to produce a few distinct outcome profiles: games where you survive long enough to pivot into a late-game artifacts board, games where you leverage the hexproof window to deploy the Scarecrow pair and stabilize, and games where the scheme’s expiration hits right as opponents finally assemble an answer. Each scenario has its own rhythm, and the average win rate in casual play will vary widely with your group’s removal density, the frequency of targeted bounce, and how often players respect the hexproof shield. 🧙♂️🔥
Deck-building notes for casual players
In the casual world, I Am Untouchable shines when paired with resilient, low-interference strategies. Consider these angles:
- Hexproof-rich shells: Build around the protection the scheme provides. Cards that grant hexproof or fog-like protection (or that reward you for having hexproof) can turn your sideline press into a real threat.
- Artifact synergy: Since the 4/4 token is an artifact creature, decks that like artifacts can leverage Scarecrow tokens for value with artifact tutors, equips, or anthem effects.
- Token accelerants: If your casual table enjoys building a small army, the token payoff becomes a more serious threat over a few turns, especially paired with vigilance on your defense.
- Risk management: The scheme exists for a window of time. Plan for what comes after—whether that’s a plan to regain hexproof or to pivot into a different angle of attack before the scheme abandons you.
From an aesthetic and collector perspective, this card is a curious piece: a common rarity, nonfoil, oversized printing for a Commander set, with a flavorful art direction that suits horror-infused vibes. Its price point hovers in the budget-friendly range, which makes it accessible for casual players exploring new archetypes without breaking the bank. The art by Bartek Fedyczak carries a moody, gothic edge that resonates with the Duskmourn theme, making it a nice pick for display on a casual playgroup wall or even as a desk ornament during long matchups. 🎨💎
Practical tips: reading the room, measuring success
When tracking win rates with I Am Untouchable in casual games, keep a few metrics in mind:
- Time-to-stabilize: How many turns does it take you to reach a board state where you’re comfortable pressing for a win, with hexproof active for at least one more combat phase?
- Scheme salience: How often do you actually encounter a meaningful combat rush that prompts the token? If damage events are rare in your meta, the card’s payoff might be lower than you expect.
- Board-state diversity: Casual games vary in how often players lean on colorless or artifact threats. A broader artifact suite can magnify the token’s value.
- Opponent adaptation: Are your friends adjusting their play to respect the hexproof theme, or do they rely on mass removal? The effectiveness of I Am Untouchable hinges on that dynamic.
For players who want a ready-made data lens, you can approximate a casual win-rate study by noting wins when you reach a stable endgame with hexproof active for multiple turns, plus the tokens generated by the damage-trigger window. Even with small sample sizes, you’ll start to see patterns emerge—patterns that casual decks often exhibit: variance, table talks, and those satisfying squeaky-clean wins that feel earned rather than exploded into victory. 🧙♂️🎲
Closing thoughts: why this card matters in casual play
I Am Untouchable embodies that delightful tension in casual decks: protection that isn’t invincible, payoff that’s not a hard lock, and a mechanic that invites you to think in waves rather than long, linear combos. It’s a card that rewards a patient playstyle and a little strategic misdirection—perfect for a night when the table wants to talk fantasy lore as much as they want to roll dice. And if your hobby desk could use a new companion between matches, consider a practical gadget to keep your real-world play space as stylish as your in-game hexproof aura. 🧙♂️🔥
For more on how to blend mythic micro-arcs into casual lists, check out related reads and community discussions. And if you’re looking for a tiny practical perk between games, the featured product below hits the sweet spot of form and function for any MTG enthusiast who loves a well-designed desk setup.