Wait, what? Why would I want to do this and even pay seven mana for it?

Ok, I can see times you might want to force the opponent to all-out-attack because you've got some kind of trap set for it. But it does seem a bit of a rare occasion.

Phasing all of your creatures out seems like a nicely blue way to protect them, though.

Card is used as a "riff-shift" on "Savage Beating" from Darksteel

This "set" is meant as a Commander Precon experiment, so is intended for a multiplayer format. Unlike the similar card Illusionist's Gambit ~ does not require you to be the defender when cast. This can cause unfavorable blocks, or trades to get some damage through, completely change the math, and then force the attacker and defender to relieve the whole combat.

> "Ok, I can see times you might want to force the opponent to all-out-attack because you've got some kind of trap set for it. But it does seem a bit of a rare occasion."

"Untap all attacking creatures and goad them. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase."

Notice how you only goad creatures hat are already attacking? What kind of trap do you suppose works during the additional combat phase, but not the first time around? Especially after spending a lot of mana on this spell?

Further: I said "seven mana" While I can see a reason to cast this to protect your creatures in general, my qustion was aimed specifically on forcing the opponent to attack again while also ridding yourself of blockers by entwining the spell.

I see now that in multiplayer this forces the opponent to attack someone else the second time around, but unless the attacker comes in turn order right before you this still leaves you wide open to an attack by other opponents. I don't think this card is particularly well done for multiplayer either due to that.

­Savage Beating managed to connnect its abilities much more naturally.

There are reasons to just protect your creatures during combat, or to just do the goad portion attacking player, and a reason to do both.

Players A (You), Player B, Player C

Scenario 1: Player B alpha strikes Player C, Player C overloads casts some sort of wide answer to an alpha strike with your team as collateral damage. Cyclonic Rift / Fated Retribution / Route / etc.

Response: You phase out your team. You still don't have a blocking team, but you will have creature's once your upkeep returns.

Scenario 2: Player B sends an attack towards C, C chump blocks and takes minor damage. You goad the attacking team then resend them towards C.

Scenario 3: Player B is fighting for second place, so sends a show of force at you to pave the way for player C. You declare blockers. It's clear you'll lose on the exchange, and that player B attacked you as player C was a horrible option.

While C would be able to kill you after B's attack, the same isn't true if C had to survive B first.

You cast the spell entwined for 7 mana. You phase out your blockers, effectively "fogging" this combat, as your creature's neither deal nor receive damage, but B's creatures are still able to do damage, and are now on their merry way towards C.

There are other time's the spell would work out, but those are just off the top of my head.

I think the spell as is should work, as you're thinking of just the attacker. As mentioned in the example, the attacker and the defender of that attack are both involved.

A standard multiplayer pod involving you and 3 opponents would largely mean that unless the second player attacked that turn suffered no losses, or felt the need to also open themselves up to a simlar cast, (tricky blue players and all.) that they may proceed lightly.

Not to mention that often times a single player isn't the only defending player in a multiplayer attack step. Having 15 attackers spread across 3 players is one thing, but then suddenly the defending side finds their creature's with already marked damage needing to fend off the creature's they thought were after other people. Or in the case of something like "commander damage" being sent elsewhere. They add up.