At this time, there have been two-color counterspells in all four two-color combinations that involve blue, but there have been three-color counterspells in only two of the six three-color combinations that involve blue: punish ignorance and trap essence. While it is true that Bant charm, Dromar's charm, and Temur charm all have counterspell options, they are modal spells and not straight counterspells, so I am not counting them for the purposes of this thread.
Will there ever be any more three-color counterspells? I very much would like to see a red/black/blue or a red/white//blue counterspell, and a black/black/green counterspell would be very nice, as well. What does eberyone else say on this subject?
Private Mod Note
():
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Give me a niche to fill, and I'll usually design a card to fill it.
CountershieldGWU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You and permanents you control gain hexproof until end of turn.
Dire BacklashUBR
Instant
Counter target creature spell. ~ deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller. That player can't gain life this turn. "I love irony." - Eliza of the Keep
CounterstrikeURW
Instant
Counter target spell. ~ deals 3 damage to that spell's controller. That player can't cast spells this turn. The mage's head ached. Was the blow physical, mental, or both...?
SpellsnatchGBU
Instant
Exile target spell. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell. "What a splendid idea. I'm glad you thought of it."
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Give me a niche to fill, and I'll usually design a card to fill it.
CountershieldGWU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You and permanents you control gain hexproof until end of turn.
Dire BacklashUBR
Instant
Counter target creature spell. ~ deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller. That player can't gain life this turn. "I love irony." - Eliza of the Keep
CounterstrikeURW
Instant
Counter target spell. ~ deals 3 damage to that spell's controller. That player can't cast spells this turn. The mage's head ached. Was the blow physical, mental, or both...?
SpellsnatchGBU
Instant
Exile target spell. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell. "What a splendid idea. I'm glad you thought of it."
Most of those spells are excellent, but counterstrike is almost strictly better than render silent, which itself is already very powerful, so I would recommend that you somehow reduce its power to balance it. I also believe that spellsnatch should have a limit on the duration for which it can be cast from exile (perhaps until then end of the turn?).
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
I'm not okay with 'exile target spell' effects at 3 cmc. It's just a way to get around 'can't be countered' effects. I would be fine to do something more like Dissipate at 3 cmc with extra stuff from the difficulty of 3 color, but not with breaking the 'can't be countered' condition at 3 cmc, which is normally the 'hard counter' standard set up in Modern by stuff like Cancel.
Mindbreak Trap at normally 4 cmc is where that kind of effect should start turning up, even considering multicolor.
Most of those spells are excellent, but counterstrike is almost strictly better than render silent, which itself is already very powerful, so I would recommend that you somehow reduce its power to balance it. I also believe that spellsnatch should have a limit on the duration for which it can be cast from exile (perhaps until then end of the turn?).
It uses more colors than Render Silent, so it's allowed to be a little stronger. I'd sooner add to its mana cost than reduce its strength, but I suppose you could reduce the damage to 2.
I'm not okay with 'exile target spell' effects at 3 cmc. It's just a way to get around 'can't be countered' effects. I would be fine to do something more like Dissipate at 3 cmc with extra stuff from the difficulty of 3 color, but not with breaking the 'can't be countered' condition at 3 cmc, which is normally the 'hard counter' standard set up in Modern by stuff like Cancel.
Mindbreak Trap at normally 4 cmc is where that kind of effect should start turning up, even considering multicolor.
I used straight exile instead of Dissipate-style exile to save space, not to get around "can't be countered" effects. If costing it at 1GBU feels better, by all means. Or you could write it out as Dissipate meets Psychic Intrusion, but then you likely can't include flavor text.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
It also allows you to steal a card right out of their hand or graveyard and it requires fewer colors to cast. I would have considered something closer to Plasm Capture but with Delve as a Sultai mechanic that would feel a little unnecessary.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Mindbreak Trap at normally 4 cmc is where that kind of effect should start turning up, even considering multicolor.
I don't exactly get that logic- Mindbreak Trap is strictly better than a card that just says "Exile target spell."
(I'm not commenting on the designs proposed above, just the notion of how "cheap" this effect can be)
So if MBT costs 4CMC, why on earth would a strictly worse spell also cost that?
They can *absolutely* print "Exile target spell" for UUW.
They may have even considered it in RTR before they decided to do the Uncounterable cycle,
but in an environment with few/no uncounterables, it's arguably worse than Dissipate.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Give me a niche to fill, and I'll usually design a card to fill it.
CountershieldGWU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You and permanents you control gain hexproof until end of turn.
Dire BacklashUBR
Instant
Counter target creature spell. ~ deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller. That player can't gain life this turn. "I love irony." - Eliza of the Keep
CounterstrikeURW
Instant
Counter target spell. ~ deals 3 damage to that spell's controller. That player can't cast spells this turn. The mage's head ached. Was the blow physical, mental, or both...?
SpellsnatchGBU
Instant
Exile target spell. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell. "What a splendid idea. I'm glad you thought of it."
As for these, they're great designs, but Counterstrike and Spellsnatch need to cost an extra U.
They're closer to the power level of Punish Ignorance than Trap Essence,
and it's pretty much unheard of for "hard" counters to require less than two blue mana.
There are exceptions like Psychic Strike, but that arguably benefits a lot of decks by fueling their GY.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
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Will there ever be any more three-color counterspells? I very much would like to see a red/black/blue or a red/white//blue counterspell, and a black/black/green counterspell would be very nice, as well. What does eberyone else say on this subject?
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Just posted this in the modern area:
Ghostflame Barrier - WUR
Enchantment
Flash
When Ghostflame Barrier enters the battlefield, exile target spell or artifact.
Spells with the same name as cards exiled by Ghostflame Barrier can't be cast.
Or Esper, perhaps.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Countershield GWU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You and permanents you control gain hexproof until end of turn.
Dire Backlash UBR
Instant
Counter target creature spell. ~ deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller. That player can't gain life this turn.
"I love irony." - Eliza of the Keep
Counterstrike URW
Instant
Counter target spell. ~ deals 3 damage to that spell's controller. That player can't cast spells this turn.
The mage's head ached. Was the blow physical, mental, or both...?
Spellsnatch GBU
Instant
Exile target spell. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell.
"What a splendid idea. I'm glad you thought of it."
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
Most of those spells are excellent, but counterstrike is almost strictly better than render silent, which itself is already very powerful, so I would recommend that you somehow reduce its power to balance it. I also believe that spellsnatch should have a limit on the duration for which it can be cast from exile (perhaps until then end of the turn?).
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Mindbreak Trap at normally 4 cmc is where that kind of effect should start turning up, even considering multicolor.
It uses more colors than Render Silent, so it's allowed to be a little stronger. I'd sooner add to its mana cost than reduce its strength, but I suppose you could reduce the damage to 2.
What about Psychic Intrusion? That doesn't impose a time limit.
I used straight exile instead of Dissipate-style exile to save space, not to get around "can't be countered" effects. If costing it at 1GBU feels better, by all means. Or you could write it out as Dissipate meets Psychic Intrusion, but then you likely can't include flavor text.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
That card has a higher mana cost than does your card, so I can accept it having no limit on the effect's duration.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
That card has a higher mana cost than does your card, so I can accept it having no limit on the effect's duration.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
I don't exactly get that logic-
Mindbreak Trap is strictly better than a card that just says "Exile target spell."
(I'm not commenting on the designs proposed above, just the notion of how "cheap" this effect can be)
So if MBT costs 4CMC, why on earth would a strictly worse spell also cost that?
They can *absolutely* print "Exile target spell" for UUW.
They may have even considered it in RTR before they decided to do the Uncounterable cycle,
but in an environment with few/no uncounterables, it's arguably worse than Dissipate.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
As for these, they're great designs, but Counterstrike and Spellsnatch need to cost an extra U.
They're closer to the power level of Punish Ignorance than Trap Essence,
and it's pretty much unheard of for "hard" counters to require less than two blue mana.
There are exceptions like Psychic Strike, but that arguably benefits a lot of decks by fueling their GY.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW