maxx c vs Effect Veiler - What to Discard?

Over these past few of months we have seen the rise and fall of two cards: Effect Veiler and Maxx “C”. There was a point in time where we saw 2 Effect Veilers as a main deck staple at YCS Columbus only to see it seemingly disappear at the next YCS in Kansas City. With the disappearance of Veiler this led to the rise of Maxx “C” to take its place. While asking around, I kept getting the same responses from all sorts of player stating that Maxx “C” is the better overall card compared to Effect Veiler. The majority of the players came to a consensus that Maxx “C” just did more to help a player this format than Effect Veiler. However how did all of these players all reach this consensus I kept asking myself? So with this in mind, I have a request to ask of you guys. I would like to hear your thoughts and opinions on this notion and whether you agree with it. So if you can please leave a comment at the bottom stating your feelings.

The Advantages of Both

Maxx “C” and Effect Veiler throughout the stages of the game basically do the same thing and that is to disrupt your opponent’s plays and can force them stop whatever they’re doing. The difference in the two is that Maxx “C” allows a player to essentially break even or gain an early +1 in advantage but doesn’t force the opposing player stop in their tracks. On the other hand Effect Veiler is a -1, but stops the opposing player’s plays completely or can force them to burn cards in order to resolve their effect.

Looking at the common plays of the format here’s how those cards stack up.

The One for One + Dandylion play in Plants is said to be one of the more explosive plays of the deck, but if a Maxx “C” was dropped on this, a player would be able to net a free +1 while forcing the opponent to ponder whether or not to give them another draw. This can be devastating because at the cost of one card it forces the opponent into the corner whereas Effect Veiler would be meaningless in this play.

Another play is the Debris Dragon targeting Dandylion play. A Maxx “C” either forces them to sit on 2 weak monsters or would net a player a +2. However Effect Veiler in this situation even at the cost of a -1 forces them to sit on a fairly weak monster.

Where Effect Veiler really shines though is that it has the ability to shut off the boss or big monster plays. Cards like Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, Chaos Sorcerer, Caius the Shadow Monarch, or Trishula Dragon of the Ice Barrier if they resolve can be really devastating. Effect Veiler’s ability to shut off those plays gives it a big advantage over Maxx “C” in this aspect.

Thoughts on Maxx “C” vs. Veiler

In my opinion the upside that Maxx “C” holds in comparison to Effect Veiler makes it a completely better card in the long run. Maxx “C” has the ability to force a player into the corner while almost single handedly giving a player the ability to come back into the game. During the early stages of the game a Maxx “C” drop can either net a player the advantage that they need in order to take control of the game then and there while an Effect Veiler in retrospect creates a stalemate in hopes that the player can gain advantage after that point. The late game stage is where Effect Veiler has the ability to play a bigger role. This is due to the fact that your opponent might be backed up against the wall and is forced to do an all or nothing play. With this in mind a Maxx “C” drop does virtually nothing while an Effect Veiler in this position ensures that they won’t be able to do anything.