Either way, it feels good to be shown I was correct.

As far as actually being Phase III: if Faeries must do everything in its power to stop Sulfuric Vortex from sticking, doesn’t that at least validate the position? While having a Phase III strategy is usually independent of the opponent, isn’t it also possible that you can have a Phase III strategy vs. only certain opponents?

Or are we instead talking actually talking about a type of Phase Suppression? A la Boil vs. heavy-Islands. Instead of suppressing the traditionally viewed resources (land or cards) of the opponent’s game plan, perhaps we need to view Vortex as LIFE suppression. We are attacking one of the resources (life-gain) that the opponent’s game plan was based on. In any type of Phase Suppression, the POINT of it is to make your opponent have to devote their resources and attention to overcome your suppression while you can continue about the rest of YOUR OWN game plan. If the opponent is trying to overcome your Vortex, then you are free to knock him/her around. I think we can agree that Vortex shuts off the Phase advantage that Martyr normally enjoys in the matchup.

Or maybe it is simply anti-Phase Suppression. Life-gain may itself be Phase suppression, by interfering with the effectiveness of the opponent’s strategy (‘burn thy face’).

Any way it is examined, Sulfuric Vortex is simply (in certain matchups) a strategic trump that can significantly alter the flow of the game/match.