i think you guys are underselling how potent permission is as a form of interaction. outside of cases where cards/interactions were specifically designed to counteract it, it is the strongest form of 'answer' in the game.
so i agree with wraith in that wizards could probably afford to be less conservative and not leave as many designs on the table. however lets not mistake 'stack based interaction' for some wide open arena. targeting spells on the stack is almost exclusively the purview of blue and its counterspells.
also gotsk has a point about influential cards over multiple types/effects/interactions being few and far between.
Hey, guys, I want to see your opinions about this question: "Is White color ever playable now?"
what specifically is assassin's trophy doing that makes white less playable? you literally express a fear of the metagame turning into bgx vs. uwx. one of those is white. regardless there is no point giving into that fear until we see the card in action. modern diversity isnt some fragile thing that will topple at any moment.
consider: does the existence of humans make merfolk a mediocre deck? no, merfolk is mediocre because of its own qualities and their associated strengths and weaknesses. unless this assortment of midrange decks happens to also be bad against BGx, im not seeing how them getting a new tool affects things. mardu pyro, a deck most would consider as the best black based midrange right now, isnt going to be less effective at playing its strategy because jund or w/e has assasin's trophy.
if your mindset is that you need to be playing the best version of whatever kind of deck, perceived or otherwise; then i hope you have an extensive card collection.
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Modern: UWGSnow-Bant Control BURGrixis Death's Shadow GWBCoCo Elves WCDeath and Taxes (sold)
UR Counter target non-creature spell or deal 3 damage to target creature would be great. Just like how Abrade is.
lol
..counter it or if its a creature 3 damage? This is to Strong, come on! Abrade Hits only half of this one if you take it to compare. Maybe counter target creatur with mana 3 vor less or 3 damage to creatures. You try to take all
So if the argument is (as you claim) not about power, not about some tool-gap that has to be filled, not about some treatment unique to countermagic, what is it really about? Nothing but artistic expression or lack thereof on the side of wizards? Given the vitriol and conspiracy theories brought up in support of this argument, I do not buy that for a second.
No attack on you personally, maybe you really just want to critizise the lazyness of wizard's design department (which I would fully agree with), but there is more to this side of the debate overall.
Yes, it's partially about laziness in design, but particularly with counter spells, it's about them being apparently too afraid to explore the design space. Instead of printing Negate in every set, play with creating something that's a side-grade like Countersquall. UW: counter target noncreature spell, gain 2 life; UR: negate + deal 2 damage to target creature or planeswalker; UG: negate + make a token creature; UU: negate + scry. Those are just negate variants playing with stricter casting costs. There is an insane amount of design space they aren't tapping into. The only counter variant they seem to like playing with are Cancel variants, and those are just (most likely) never going to be good enough to crack Modern.
So basically, I guess what I'm saying is that instead of them exploring the design space of Cancel with upside, as they have been doing in recent years, I want them to explore the design space of Negate or Essence Scatter side-grades, or unconditional 2 mana counters with downside, or narrow 1 mana counters. This is the space that could possibly produce something playable for Modern.
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Modern UBR Grixis Shadow UBR UR Izzet Phoenix UR UW UW Control UW GB GB Rock GB
Commander BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
So basically, I guess what I'm saying is that instead of them exploring the design space of Cancel with upside, as they have been doing in recent years, I want them to explore the design space of Negate or Essence Scatter side-grades, or unconditional 2 mana counters with downside, or narrow 1 mana counters. This is the space that could possibly produce something playable for Modern.
Which comes back to the original question of: Why? Just because we haven't received any new cards, specifically for this: counter magic based cards, in modern for a while, doesn't mean we're in need of them.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, UW Control is sitting about 50/50 across the prevailing meta currently, based on the data mining of other members. UW Control has also been posting significant finishes in recent tournaments. That being the case, the argument would seem to be, no new counterspells are needed to improve the control meta.
It seems the natural flow of Modern is that something is printed or a new deck is "discovered" that causes a shift in the meta to counteract that, then there's a shift to counteract those decks, and so on and so on. For example, we saw GDS come into its own and make a splash, causing decks to rise up or cards to be played in existing decks to combat it and we've seen this with other decks in the meta. It's the circle of modern if you will. Currently, it seems like UW Control and KCI are making the biggest waves. I'm sure something will pop up in share to combat UW Control, then something will come up to take on whatever that is, etc. etc.
As the meta shifts, the need for new cards to combat those new decks is needed, certainly. Right now, however, UW Control is sitting at or near the top of the heap and until something comes along to topple it, which UW Control doesn't have tools to deal with, there's no need for more counters. Once that does happen however, then you can harp on the argument of new and innovative counters being needed.
Everyone seems to be yapping about the new GB tool, Assassin's Trophy, well, guess what we don't see much of these days? GBx decks. There was an unbanning of a significant tool, in the form of BBE. Likewise, Ux decks got Jace, but the share of GBx decks at the top tables didn't see a significant bump with that unbanning, while Ux decks did (after it also received some new tools). Well, now GBx will be getting some new tools and maybe it will rise up and the circle of modern will continue to spin.
Jace alone didnt really do much for Control prior to Search and Teferi showing up.
I think the point is more if we are pushing Removal with Fatal Push and Assasin's Trophy then why can we not get a decent 2 CMC Counterspell?
Note my parenthetical indicating exactly that. The unbanning of Jace alone did not catapult UW Control forward, it was the addition of other tools as well. Meanwhile, Jund, Abzan, and other BGx decks have not had similar successes in recent history, especially Jund even with the unbanning of BBE. Thus, we continue to get tools for that part of the color pie to raise it's relative power to be in line with other decks that are currently dominating the meta.
We don't have the counterspells you guys are asking for because, as I keep asking, why do we need them? With the current tools, everyone seems to agree, UW control is in a good spot. It's posting great results and empirical data indicate it has a fighting chance against nearly every other deck in the current meta.
So, can you tell me, from a truly objective standpoint, not a, "I wish I had ..." standpoint, that another counterspell is going to make your UW, UR, or Ux deck any better than it currently is? OR is the true issue why your Ux deck is not performing because you've either tried to smash cards that just don't work into a deck and/or are missing one or two tools that would make the deck viable?
Based on the UW control results being posted, I don't think anyone can honestly say that another counterspell is needed, at this time.
Yes, Blue got good curve toppers in Jace and Teferi. Its the other stuff that is kinda lacking.
Honestly, in my book Blue is getting crippled because WOTC doesn't like two of its core pillars...ie Counterspells and Cantrips.
But onto GBx was GBx bad because it was missing one more removal spell? It just got Fatal Push, All Assassin Trophy does is consolidate the options but with Humans lurking you cannot over consolidate anyway. Is this going to make it better midrange then the Mardu Decks? I doubt it.
So, can you tell me, from a truly objective standpoint, not a, "I wish I had ..." standpoint, that another counterspell is going to make your UW, UR, or Ux deck any better than it currently is? OR is the true issue why your Ux deck is not performing because you've either tried to smash cards that just don't work into a deck and/or are missing one or two tools that would make the deck viable?
After playing Blue Moon variants for the last several months, I would take UR counterspell with irrelevant downside any day of the week. Remand can only do so much work, you are often left with the "wrong" counterspell in your hand a lot of the times, and there's a complete inability to kill creatures bigger than 3 toughness. That would be greatly helpful for an archetype that is nothing like UW.*
*Again, going on the assumption that Wizards R&D are a bunch of stubborn children and will never give us back Twin.
Personally, I dont think a counter makes much of a difference. Its how do you remove that Goyf, or how do you win the game.
There are ways to win (Breach/Emmy, Bad Kiki, and Bad fair win cons). Remand only buys you a turn. If you got to get rid of something for good (or at least put in the bin), that's a huge step up. Remanding a Goyf also feels really bad when they just replay it... sometimes in the same turn.
Spell-Version Snapcaster just spoiled at UU with Surveil 2.
I think Blue is doing just fine, and you guys REALLY need to go play Pauper if this isn't enough for you. Every complaint in this Thread is absolutely addressed by moving to a different format.
Personally, I dont think a counter makes much of a difference. Its how do you remove that Goyf, or how do you win the game.
There are ways to win (Breach/Emmy, Bad Kiki, and Bad fair win cons). Remand only buys you a turn. If you got to get rid of something for good (or at least put in the bin), that's a huge step up. Remanding a Goyf also feels really bad when they just replay it... sometimes in the same turn.
All the unfair wins are 1 too many mana, and the fair ones are fine, but fair.
That a card did not make it into the modern play field doesn't mean it wasn't designed to be. WotC aren't gods and they can't predict all the interactions of thousands of cards with thousands of players. Disallow was created with the thought that it would be modern playable. Turns out it's not, but that doesn't mean WotC isn't trying to design cards within the design space restrictions they created.
I think Blue is doing just fine, and you guys REALLY need to go play Pauper if this isn't enough for you. Every complaint in this Thread is absolutely addressed by moving to a different format.
Why? One is a legitimately supported competitive format, one is for people who dont want to spend over $100 for a top deck, and once supported (if) by Wizards will eat any number of bans against Blue cards, because.
Spell-Version Snapcaster just spoiled at UU with Surveil 2.
I think Blue is doing just fine, and you guys REALLY need to go play Pauper if this isn't enough for you. Every complaint in this Thread is absolutely addressed by moving to a different format.
"Leave the format and play a different one" sounds very different from: "We considered what one would do with the cards from a Splinter Twin deck with Splinter Twin banned. In the case of some Jeskai or Temur, there are very similar decks to build. In other cases, there is Kiki-Jiki as a replacement."
I guess I can just play something totally different, three years later, that is nothing like it, has very few overlap cards, and shut up & like it?
Or I can continue playing bad decks that I like, that forever live in the shadow of what was, because I own all the cards, really like playing playing that style of gameplay, and this is supposed to be a format of 'play what you like', while hoping to see incremental improvements over time to help make up for ripping out the heart of a deck, then another deck, and leaving a vacuum for nearly 3 years.
"Play UW and like it"
"Leave Modern and play Pauper"
"UR could get good spells once in a while"
@cfusionpm Certainly playing a deck you don't like, just because it's competitive is something people do, but it's not a productive comment in a thread like this, neither is a recommendation to change formats.
However, as others have stated to different arguments, we really need to focus on the true issues in modern instead of focusing on red herrings or going down wishful rabbit holes.
The deck @cfusionpm and others long for didn't have the counters that are being proposed and it managed to perform. Why? Because it had other tools, in combination with a win con that were efficient and quick enough to win matches.
Would a UR counter help the current UR decks that have taken the place of Twin? Sure, they'd help, but it wouldn't fix the overarching issue, which is that UR doesn't have, or nobody has yet found, the correct tool(s)/finisher(s) to make that archetype viable in this field.
UR needs a 1R Terminate, even without the ‘cannot be regenerated’ clause. That’s the only thing I can think about that would help the archetype.
Given the design space, it's just never going to happen. All red based removal has to be damage. Given Roast, and now Lava Coil, I doubt we'll see anything better than those any time soon. And if we do, it certainly won't be instant speed. The cap for that seems to be 3 damage or massive casting costs.
while i agree that UW and jeskai are in a fine place, i dont think lumping URx or UBx with them is entirely fair. both mardu and jund fall into the black based midrange category, but are quite different.
the point is that a whole lot of decks 'need' stuff. or at least they think they do. i personally wouldnt mind seeing some more inventive counterspells, particularly of the free variety that wont break anything.
gbx didnt need assasin's trophy any more than humans or spirits needed what they got. they merely got new tools, got better, and the meta adjusted to them. id love to hear the argument about gbx being top tier being somehow intrinsically required for a good format. might the format improve? sure. however i dont think 'need' factors into it.
also if we are talking about failing archetypes. what about spell heavy tempo decks? GDS only has one foot in that category, and even still its representation is abysmal. what level is their need?
in the end i just dont think its worthwhile to look design and new sets in the context of who got what, who deserves what, who is entitled to what, what is 'fair', etc. AT was designed, and i think its great. it isnt a case of the rich getting richer, and nothing is being broken (probably).
Spell-Version Snapcaster just spoiled at UU with Surveil 2.
I think Blue is doing just fine, and you guys REALLY need to go play Pauper if this isn't enough for you. Every complaint in this Thread is absolutely addressed by moving to a different format.
i agree that looking at other format isnt considered enough, because modern isnt the whole game after all. however pauper isnt a sanctioned tournament format, and its relative popularity is minimal compared to modern. i have multiple stores near me, and not one of them runs pauper events regularly.
as for your point though, it would swing both ways. consider if assasin's trophy wasnt printed, and instead izzet got some counterspell or whatever. it would be no different telling midrange players to look to standard if they want to experience those play patterns more.
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Modern: UWGSnow-Bant Control BURGrixis Death's Shadow GWBCoCo Elves WCDeath and Taxes (sold)
I actually DO tell MidRange fanatics to play more Standard if that is the only thing they ever want to play. I played Standard for years and years, and watched Blue be very oppressive for much of that time, and now that it's Red's turn, all these "superior" Blue players have a stick up their butt, and they're very vocal about how "unfair" it is. Just irritating when there ARE other options for the exact thing people are complaining isn't powerful enough in my favorite format, so PLS WARP MODERN TO ACCOMMODATE ME!! I enjoy having a large assortment of degenerate decks running around, though I'm still in favor of banning Spirit Guide to reduce cheesy wins from happening once in a while. I don't like KCI's resistance to multiple pieces of SB hate, or Gris winning on Turn 1 with Simian, but I DO actually enjoy working hard to tune a deck so that it's consistent enough to Charbelch people to death or pop Quest for the Holy Relic by Turn 3. My argument is not against tempo Izzet decks per se, but specifically that this is the only format where the kind of degenerate stuff I enjoy is allowed to exist and even sometimes be somewhat competitive! It literally exists no where else!
But no, I'm obviously just enjoying BadWrongFun, and we need Splinter Twin Jesus to save us all by becoming the new degenerate bullcrap and pushing out everything I like to play. Ugh. I'd much rather see Pauper get a ton more support and become an official sanctioned format.
And yes, iDSurge, one of the three insanely OP "free" Blue spells in Pauper probably needs to eat a ban. Not much past that, but one of them probably should. 16 different variants of Delver that're all Tier 1 or 2 is just a LITTLE too much, IMO.
Sure UW or UWx is doing fine these days...but is UW Control the only deck that is blue that is allowed to be good in Modern? UR is basically Storm combo which is just okay these days (and is unlikely to ever get better WOTC hates it), UG is infect occasionally sneaking through, and UB basically doesn't exist in Modern. So sure its good to be UW Control but try anything else in Blue and its not so grand.
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so i agree with wraith in that wizards could probably afford to be less conservative and not leave as many designs on the table. however lets not mistake 'stack based interaction' for some wide open arena. targeting spells on the stack is almost exclusively the purview of blue and its counterspells.
also gotsk has a point about influential cards over multiple types/effects/interactions being few and far between.
what specifically is assassin's trophy doing that makes white less playable? you literally express a fear of the metagame turning into bgx vs. uwx. one of those is white. regardless there is no point giving into that fear until we see the card in action. modern diversity isnt some fragile thing that will topple at any moment.
consider: does the existence of humans make merfolk a mediocre deck? no, merfolk is mediocre because of its own qualities and their associated strengths and weaknesses. unless this assortment of midrange decks happens to also be bad against BGx, im not seeing how them getting a new tool affects things. mardu pyro, a deck most would consider as the best black based midrange right now, isnt going to be less effective at playing its strategy because jund or w/e has assasin's trophy.
if your mindset is that you need to be playing the best version of whatever kind of deck, perceived or otherwise; then i hope you have an extensive card collection.
UWGSnow-Bant Control
BURGrixis Death's Shadow
GWBCoCo Elves
WCDeath and Taxes(sold)..counter it or if its a creature 3 damage? This is to Strong, come on! Abrade Hits only half of this one if you take it to compare. Maybe counter target creatur with mana 3 vor less or 3 damage to creatures. You try to take all
So basically, I guess what I'm saying is that instead of them exploring the design space of Cancel with upside, as they have been doing in recent years, I want them to explore the design space of Negate or Essence Scatter side-grades, or unconditional 2 mana counters with downside, or narrow 1 mana counters. This is the space that could possibly produce something playable for Modern.
UBR Grixis Shadow UBR
UR Izzet Phoenix UR
UW UW Control UW
GB GB Rock GB
Commander
BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG
BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
Which comes back to the original question of: Why? Just because we haven't received any new cards, specifically for this: counter magic based cards, in modern for a while, doesn't mean we're in need of them.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, UW Control is sitting about 50/50 across the prevailing meta currently, based on the data mining of other members. UW Control has also been posting significant finishes in recent tournaments. That being the case, the argument would seem to be, no new counterspells are needed to improve the control meta.
It seems the natural flow of Modern is that something is printed or a new deck is "discovered" that causes a shift in the meta to counteract that, then there's a shift to counteract those decks, and so on and so on. For example, we saw GDS come into its own and make a splash, causing decks to rise up or cards to be played in existing decks to combat it and we've seen this with other decks in the meta. It's the circle of modern if you will. Currently, it seems like UW Control and KCI are making the biggest waves. I'm sure something will pop up in share to combat UW Control, then something will come up to take on whatever that is, etc. etc.
As the meta shifts, the need for new cards to combat those new decks is needed, certainly. Right now, however, UW Control is sitting at or near the top of the heap and until something comes along to topple it, which UW Control doesn't have tools to deal with, there's no need for more counters. Once that does happen however, then you can harp on the argument of new and innovative counters being needed.
Everyone seems to be yapping about the new GB tool, Assassin's Trophy, well, guess what we don't see much of these days? GBx decks. There was an unbanning of a significant tool, in the form of BBE. Likewise, Ux decks got Jace, but the share of GBx decks at the top tables didn't see a significant bump with that unbanning, while Ux decks did (after it also received some new tools). Well, now GBx will be getting some new tools and maybe it will rise up and the circle of modern will continue to spin.
I think the point is more if we are pushing Removal with Fatal Push and Assasin's Trophy then why can we not get a decent 2 CMC Counterspell?
Note my parenthetical indicating exactly that. The unbanning of Jace alone did not catapult UW Control forward, it was the addition of other tools as well. Meanwhile, Jund, Abzan, and other BGx decks have not had similar successes in recent history, especially Jund even with the unbanning of BBE. Thus, we continue to get tools for that part of the color pie to raise it's relative power to be in line with other decks that are currently dominating the meta.
We don't have the counterspells you guys are asking for because, as I keep asking, why do we need them? With the current tools, everyone seems to agree, UW control is in a good spot. It's posting great results and empirical data indicate it has a fighting chance against nearly every other deck in the current meta.
So, can you tell me, from a truly objective standpoint, not a, "I wish I had ..." standpoint, that another counterspell is going to make your UW, UR, or Ux deck any better than it currently is? OR is the true issue why your Ux deck is not performing because you've either tried to smash cards that just don't work into a deck and/or are missing one or two tools that would make the deck viable?
Based on the UW control results being posted, I don't think anyone can honestly say that another counterspell is needed, at this time.
Honestly, in my book Blue is getting crippled because WOTC doesn't like two of its core pillars...ie Counterspells and Cantrips.
But onto GBx was GBx bad because it was missing one more removal spell? It just got Fatal Push, All Assassin Trophy does is consolidate the options but with Humans lurking you cannot over consolidate anyway. Is this going to make it better midrange then the Mardu Decks? I doubt it.
After playing Blue Moon variants for the last several months, I would take UR counterspell with irrelevant downside any day of the week. Remand can only do so much work, you are often left with the "wrong" counterspell in your hand a lot of the times, and there's a complete inability to kill creatures bigger than 3 toughness. That would be greatly helpful for an archetype that is nothing like UW.*
*Again, going on the assumption that Wizards R&D are a bunch of stubborn children and will never give us back Twin.
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
Spirits
There are ways to win (Breach/Emmy, Bad Kiki, and Bad fair win cons). Remand only buys you a turn. If you got to get rid of something for good (or at least put in the bin), that's a huge step up. Remanding a Goyf also feels really bad when they just replay it... sometimes in the same turn.
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
I think Blue is doing just fine, and you guys REALLY need to go play Pauper if this isn't enough for you. Every complaint in this Thread is absolutely addressed by moving to a different format.
All the unfair wins are 1 too many mana, and the fair ones are fine, but fair.
Spirits
Why? One is a legitimately supported competitive format, one is for people who dont want to spend over $100 for a top deck, and once supported (if) by Wizards will eat any number of bans against Blue cards, because.
Spirits
"Leave the format and play a different one" sounds very different from: "We considered what one would do with the cards from a Splinter Twin deck with Splinter Twin banned. In the case of some Jeskai or Temur, there are very similar decks to build. In other cases, there is Kiki-Jiki as a replacement."
I guess I can just play something totally different, three years later, that is nothing like it, has very few overlap cards, and shut up & like it?
Or I can continue playing bad decks that I like, that forever live in the shadow of what was, because I own all the cards, really like playing playing that style of gameplay, and this is supposed to be a format of 'play what you like', while hoping to see incremental improvements over time to help make up for ripping out the heart of a deck, then another deck, and leaving a vacuum for nearly 3 years.
"Play UW and like it"
"Leave Modern and play Pauper"
"UR could get good spells once in a while"
Which of these statements is productive?
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
People wont get it. How many decks have legitimately been banned out of existence? Even Egg's is back in the form of KCI. Oh well.
Still hoping for a U - Surveil/Draw card.
Spirits
However, as others have stated to different arguments, we really need to focus on the true issues in modern instead of focusing on red herrings or going down wishful rabbit holes.
The deck @cfusionpm and others long for didn't have the counters that are being proposed and it managed to perform. Why? Because it had other tools, in combination with a win con that were efficient and quick enough to win matches.
Would a UR counter help the current UR decks that have taken the place of Twin? Sure, they'd help, but it wouldn't fix the overarching issue, which is that UR doesn't have, or nobody has yet found, the correct tool(s)/finisher(s) to make that archetype viable in this field.
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
Spirits
the point is that a whole lot of decks 'need' stuff. or at least they think they do. i personally wouldnt mind seeing some more inventive counterspells, particularly of the free variety that wont break anything.
gbx didnt need assasin's trophy any more than humans or spirits needed what they got. they merely got new tools, got better, and the meta adjusted to them. id love to hear the argument about gbx being top tier being somehow intrinsically required for a good format. might the format improve? sure. however i dont think 'need' factors into it.
also if we are talking about failing archetypes. what about spell heavy tempo decks? GDS only has one foot in that category, and even still its representation is abysmal. what level is their need?
in the end i just dont think its worthwhile to look design and new sets in the context of who got what, who deserves what, who is entitled to what, what is 'fair', etc. AT was designed, and i think its great. it isnt a case of the rich getting richer, and nothing is being broken (probably).
i agree that looking at other format isnt considered enough, because modern isnt the whole game after all. however pauper isnt a sanctioned tournament format, and its relative popularity is minimal compared to modern. i have multiple stores near me, and not one of them runs pauper events regularly.
as for your point though, it would swing both ways. consider if assasin's trophy wasnt printed, and instead izzet got some counterspell or whatever. it would be no different telling midrange players to look to standard if they want to experience those play patterns more.
UWGSnow-Bant Control
BURGrixis Death's Shadow
GWBCoCo Elves
WCDeath and Taxes(sold)I'd like something that applies -X/-X (a number, not a variable) which is within blue's wheelhouse, with a burn stapled to it, or exile clause.
UR - Instant - Creature takes 2 damage, and gets -4/-4, or something.
Spirits
Pretty sure blue can only - power OR toughness not both at once.
Also if you want UR kill creature spell just mash a transform spell and bolt together.
But no, I'm obviously just enjoying BadWrongFun, and we need Splinter Twin Jesus to save us all by becoming the new degenerate bullcrap and pushing out everything I like to play. Ugh. I'd much rather see Pauper get a ton more support and become an official sanctioned format.
And yes, iDSurge, one of the three insanely OP "free" Blue spells in Pauper probably needs to eat a ban. Not much past that, but one of them probably should. 16 different variants of Delver that're all Tier 1 or 2 is just a LITTLE too much, IMO.