Last Word has been outdated for a while and this isn't much better.
4 mana counters have to be insane for you to feel good about playing them.
About the only 4 mana counters I like playing are Cryptic and Rewind, and rewind isn't really all that great.
My meta plays Plasm Capture in decks that can support it, but that's about it for 4 mana counters. At 3 it is Disallow and Void Shatters all day (with the occasional counterflux) because of graveyard shenanigans.
The only CMC 4 or greater counter really worth running is Force of Will (you might get away with things like Cryptic Command in a dedicated draw go deck, but such decks aren't usually great in EDH, and keeping up 4+ mana in order to hold up a counterspell is hurting your gameplan too much in any other deck). This is....not Force of Will.
Normally, uncounterable counterspells are cast in response to something that counters something of yours, so it's likely the Surge cost will be paid. Without the surge cost its really not good, so plan accordingly with this card or leave it out.
In that case they can just counter the original spell, the upside is when you absolutely want to stop something, not protect your own spell.
Surge doesn't fit any of this: Since I'm usually only casting counters as part of a reactive strategy, it's doubtful I'm casting them on my turn. And I always have Arcane Laboratory if my opponent is trying to storm off.
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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!
"Cannot be countered" is a tag that is good on some things and bad on others. I think everyone is a fan of Cavern of Souls and Supreme Verdict, the first one makes your creature uncounterable at a low opportunity cost, while the second is a very important spell to resolve in many games. Counterspells with this tag just seem like sideboard cards at best. Counterflux has a reasonable casting cost and does fun things when you overload it sometimes, though.
I agree that 4 mana Counters have to be A+, but don't y'all play Mystic Confluence, Desertion, & Spelljack?
I'd forgotten all of these. Mystic Confluence is very solid, wish I had another copy, cause it could go anywhere. Desertion and Spelljack less so, but they're still a lot of fun.
Seems to have some neat synergies with the new wizard commander that lets you clone a wizard upon ETB as long as you have a blue permanent. It'll end up reading 3B: Return another nonland permanent and Sedraxis Alchemist to their owners hand. Enabling you to reuse it as often as you want. Outside of that though I don't see much use for it, but this is definitely a card that gets a new lease on life just from the release of 1 card.
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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.
Well, with Aluren and a blue permanent, you get infinite ETBs, though there are a lot of other creatures, like Shrieking Drake that also do that more cheaply...
I've always kind of liked him as a Man-o'-war that can hit nonlands instead of just creatures. If you're playing blue/black zombies he's a good choice.
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 can't think of a witty metaphor to express just how much I love this card's art. It's a shame I don't get to look at it a whole lot because it's just one of the many, many cards buried in my shoeboxes.
Kinda want to put it on something harmful and watch the game turn into a round of Hot Potato. Only thing that really comes to mind is Abyssal Persecutor or Goldnight Castigator
Too bad it's red, this is exactly how King Suleiman solved custody battles.
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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!
This is one of my absolute favourite cards. No, it's not very good, but it's hilarious and, in my experience, people will very often make the wrong decision.
Every arachnophobe's biggest nightmare right here.
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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.
Seems pretty niche. Green has no shortage of either of these effects, but this card does neither of them well. I think I'd rather have Crushing Vines in most situations.
My meta plays Plasm Capture in decks that can support it, but that's about it for 4 mana counters. At 3 it is Disallow and Void Shatters all day (with the occasional counterflux) because of graveyard shenanigans.
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.
In that case they can just counter the original spell, the upside is when you absolutely want to stop something, not protect your own spell.
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsSurge doesn't fit any of this: Since I'm usually only casting counters as part of a reactive strategy, it's doubtful I'm casting them on my turn. And I always have Arcane Laboratory if my opponent is trying to storm off.
On phasing:
Are you overwhelmingly in denial?
"Cannot be countered" is a tag that is good on some things and bad on others. I think everyone is a fan of Cavern of Souls and Supreme Verdict, the first one makes your creature uncounterable at a low opportunity cost, while the second is a very important spell to resolve in many games. Counterspells with this tag just seem like sideboard cards at best. Counterflux has a reasonable casting cost and does fun things when you overload it sometimes, though.
I'd forgotten all of these. Mystic Confluence is very solid, wish I had another copy, cause it could go anywhere. Desertion and Spelljack less so, but they're still a lot of fun.
Seems to have some neat synergies with the new wizard commander that lets you clone a wizard upon ETB as long as you have a blue permanent. It'll end up reading 3B: Return another nonland permanent and Sedraxis Alchemist to their owners hand. Enabling you to reuse it as often as you want. Outside of that though I don't see much use for it, but this is definitely a card that gets a new lease on life just from the release of 1 card.
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.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
Hilarious premise for a card but not very good.
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.
On phasing:
It went about as well as you'd expect. That is to say, very poorly, a majority of the time.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Cast Fractured Identity on Custody Battle.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
OMG...... now i have a new goal for the reminder of the year.
Every arachnophobe's biggest nightmare right here.
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.
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!