One in a long line of counters that have powerful effects and steep mana costs. Desertion is a bit cheaper so I'd usually prefer it to Counterlash. If I'm going to go all the way to 6cmc I'd definitely play Time Stop over this since it gets you out of some real sticky situations in addition to being a regular counter.
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EDH playing competitive Magic cast away
Current Decks GTitania midrange RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
The more i play this the more i think i would be better off with Rewind. Desertion and the like actually give you cards typically while this one just lets you cast cards that at that point in teh game you should be able to cast anyways.
A bit of a meta call. It can cheat something like Blightsteel Colossus into play, after all. But it's still not that playable.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I think the only counterspell I ever play that is above 4cmc is Mystic Confluence, and that's for casual builds.
I don't really even play anything at 4cmc, and I play Dissipate effects at 3 in my non-tuned builds.
Being forced to hold up counter mana while not developing the board simply sucks to me.
I played Counterlash in a cheaty mono-blue fatty deck headed by Jalira. It was pretty good; I almost always had really big monster that I wanted to dump in.
I don't think this is a staple by any means, but it certainly can shine in the right decks.
The biggest thing that's kept me from ever running this is that the decks where I want to pass with six mana up are rarely decks that are well-equipped to take advantage of the upside. First off, these decks tend to be pretty creature light, while also often wanting to counter creatures. Also, if I'm playing at instant speed, I don't really like the timing of these kinds of use-it-or-lose-it triggers.
It's difficult keeping 6 mana open to use it, but I've noticed that whenever it gets dropped it's extremely effective. I think I run one in my Niv Mizzet deck, which counts on more upkeep/draw step damage than spells.
EDIT: nvm, I was thinking of a different card. It's not the worst counterspell, but there aren't a lot of occasions where I probably couldn't find a better one.
Well. I honestly thought it was already covered when the Random button yielded this one, but a glance at the master list showed me that no, it wasn't. So yeah. Sol Ring. Are there any decks you don't run it in?
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
I don't actually run it in any decks, nor do most of the people I play with on a regular basis. Everyone knows the card is busted good and we all got tired of it. I don't think that our games have suffered from it in the slightest. I don't even notice it's gone unless someone from outside the regular group drops it.
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[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box.
I think animar is the only deck that doesn't want ring but even then I may be wrong.
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Hey guys so I've actually moved on from commander on to 60 card decks so I don't have any commander decks.
Anyway I've started my own gameplay channel in which I play games (Magic also)
I don't run Sol Ring in my Borborygmos Enraged deck, which has stupid ramp, but I run one in my other 11 decks. If you looked up the dictionary definition of "Commander Staple", there would be a picture of Sol Ring
I think animar is the only deck that doesn't want ring but even then I may be wrong.
x-cost creatures (including x kickers like Verdeloth the Ancient) and to a lesser extent some of the more expensive creatures (such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and Blightsteel Colossus) might want it, but it's still low on the list; most of the time Animar prefers colored mana producers.
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Current Decks
GTitania midrange
RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal
GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron
U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher
RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
Marath, Will of the Wild
Friendly Kess Twin Combo
Tatyova - Sir Bounce A Lot
Gonti's Luxury Pie
Prime (Eldrazi) Speaker Zegana (Retired)
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
Beating Face with Bane
Beatrice, the Golden Witch
On phasing:
I don't really even play anything at 4cmc, and I play Dissipate effects at 3 in my non-tuned builds.
Being forced to hold up counter mana while not developing the board simply sucks to me.
The Unidentified Fantastic Flying Girl.
EDH
Xenagos, the God of Stompy
The Gitrog Monster: Oppressive Value.
Marchesa, Marionette Master - Undying Robots
Yuriko, the Hydra Omnivore
I make dolls as a hobby.
I don't think this is a staple by any means, but it certainly can shine in the right decks.
http://www.commandercast.com/category/articles/generally-speaking
Follow me on Twitter: @generalspeak
but dat Armageddon Clock combo
EDIT: nvm, I was thinking of a different card. It's not the worst counterspell, but there aren't a lot of occasions where I probably couldn't find a better one.
Well. I honestly thought it was already covered when the Random button yielded this one, but a glance at the master list showed me that no, it wasn't. So yeah. Sol Ring. Are there any decks you don't run it in?
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Anyway I've started my own gameplay channel in which I play games (Magic also)
Twitch:
https://www.twitch.tv/dies_to_doom_blade
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/UpsidedownHandshake
http://www.commandercast.com/category/articles/generally-speaking
Follow me on Twitter: @generalspeak
Marath, Will of the Wild
Friendly Kess Twin Combo
Tatyova - Sir Bounce A Lot
Gonti's Luxury Pie
Prime (Eldrazi) Speaker Zegana (Retired)
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
The Unidentified Fantastic Flying Girl.
EDH
Xenagos, the God of Stompy
The Gitrog Monster: Oppressive Value.
Marchesa, Marionette Master - Undying Robots
Yuriko, the Hydra Omnivore
I make dolls as a hobby.
x-cost creatures (including x kickers like Verdeloth the Ancient) and to a lesser extent some of the more expensive creatures (such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and Blightsteel Colossus) might want it, but it's still low on the list; most of the time Animar prefers colored mana producers.
There are a couple cards that are "better if you have Seedborn Muse", such as Mana Vault.
On phasing: