Zyym, Mesmeric LordHow it works & interactions with other cards

Mental Manipulation

When Zyym enters the battlefield, you target an opponent. That opponent must then arrange their entire hand in any order they choose. They don't show you this order yet; instead, they begin revealing the cards one by one. You have the power to say 'stop' at any point. Once you do, the card that was most recently revealed is discarded. If you allow them to reveal their entire hand without stopping, the very last card shown is the one that must be discarded.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, the ability targets an opponent and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the opponent secretly orders their hand. They reveal the first card. Per official rulings, the opponent cannot rush this process; they must pause after each card to give you a chance to respond. You then decide whether to stop or continue. If you continue, they reveal the next card, and the cycle repeats until you call a halt or they run out of cards.

Strategic Considerations

A common mistake is forgetting that you see the cards in the order the opponent chose. If they have a powerful spell they want to keep, they might hide it deep in the sequence, hoping you stop early on a 'decoy' card. Conversely, if you suspect they have only one land, you might wait until you see it to ensure they stay mana-screwed. Remember, you gain full knowledge of every card revealed up to the point you say stop.

When to Play Zyym

Zyym is most effective when your opponent has a medium-sized hand. If they have only one card, the choice is made for you. If they have many, the information gain is massive. Because Zyym has deathtouch and flying, he also serves as an excellent defensive deterrent once his psychological work is done.

Interaction examples

Doubling the Mind Games

Roaming Throne

If you control Roaming Throne with 'Vampire' or 'Wizard' chosen, Zyym's enter-the-battlefield ability triggers twice. You will go through the reveal process twice, forcing your opponent to discard two cards total. Note that the opponent re-orders their remaining hand for the second trigger, potentially changing their strategy after the first discard.

Targeting the Golem

Solemn Simulacrum

If your opponent has a Solemn Simulacrum in hand along with several lands, they might reveal the lands first to bait you into stopping. If you wait until you see the Solemn Simulacrum and say stop, they must discard it. This prevents them from ever getting the land-search trigger or the card-draw death trigger.