MTG Salvation

@SteakSammiches, Two points you noted your assertion that attempt to differentiate this card from previous cards like it are (1) not casting multiple instants/sorceries and (2) likening it to Jace, Telepath Unbound's -2 or Snapcaster Mage's etb ability granting a card flashback.

There are several cards which grant the ability to cast single instants/sorceries without paying their mana cost from various zones, such as Chancellor of the Spires from graveyard, Galvanoth from the top of your library, and Living Lore from exile. All of these examples expressly state that the card may be cast "without paying its mana cost" and their rulings include ignoring time restrictions based on card type.

As for Jace and Snapcaster, neither of these abilities state "without paying its mana cost". Unless expressly stated, spells must be paid for with their mana cost, even when cast from zones other than your hand. Furthermore, the "spells cast for free" ability is usually a "may" effect which usually follows the triggered abilities/spells resolution. At that time, you decide either to cast the spell for free, or send the card to the appropriate zone. Jace and Snapcaster on the other hand provide you the option of casting that spell until the end of turn. As such, casting those cards will follow normal timing restrictions on top of paying for its mana cost.

TL DR- The spell you cast ignores timing restrictions and is cast without paying its mana cost as long as its CMC matches the charge counters on Brain in a Bottle. As the image has been updated in English, hopefully this matter can be out to rest.

The first spoil of the card was missing the "without paying its mana cost" is all.

I see what you'really getting at but I don't think this card will apply this rule. You are not playing multiple sorceries and instants at once with brain in a bottle. It would follow the same rulings as flip jace's -2 or snap caster mage. Edit: I'm too lazy to change it but this reply was for butterqup

You do not need to pay for sorceries. There have been cards that allow for the casting of sorceries without paying their mana cost, such as Diluvian Primordial and Epic Experiment, and most, if not all, have the following ruling:

When casting an instant or sorcery card this way, ignore timing restrictions based on the card's type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast [this card] only during combat,” must be followed.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if it says "you may cast", timing restrictions still apply.

I would guess its for free, otherwise if its to cast at instant speed why bother putting instants on the text as well?!?

This could be real fun with Coretapper.

I'd imagine that it works like Aether Vial, where you get the spell equal to the charges at no cost. HOWEVER, sorceries ignoring timing requirements might mean you still pay for it.

Let's say yes.

It clearly states that you may CAST an instant or sorcery from your hand without paying it's mana cost. If you have the charges it will be free...but you can never cast a sorcery at instant speed unless it's clearly stated on a card in play or the sorcery you are casting.

Does this work the way I want it to with fuse cards?

This feels like Aether vials much less controllable little brother who tries to make up for his shortcomings with scrying.

No, you don't have to pay its mana cost. The card says "without paying its mana cost"...
Also, worded this way, it ignores timing restrictions. It has to, because otherwise it couldn't allow you to play sorcery spells at all, since the the spell would have to go on the stack while this ability is resolving.

So, basically aether vial for instants/sorceries, although you must pay to charge it also can combo with proliferate or things that add charge counters, so the combo potential is there. Also, unlike Aether Vial you can't choose not to add a counter, so you can't just leave it at say 3 to keep powering out 3 CC spells.

As for fuse, all this card does is check whether the CMC of the instant/sorcery is equal to the charge counters. From the rulings for fuse cards:
" If you cast a split card with fuse from your hand without paying its mana cost, you can choose to use its fuse ability and cast both halves without paying their mana costs."
and
" In every zone except the stack, split cards have two sets of characteristics and two converted mana costs. If anything needs information about a split card not on the stack, it will get two values."

So yes, you can play it fused.

I see what you are saying. It will allow for sorceries to be cast at instant speed.the card is not broken though, since you have to add a counter every time you use it ( except to scry ) and it has to match the converted cmc of the instant/sorcery you are casting. ( not converted mana cost or less)

Here is the problem I see with this. Suppose I want to cast instant-speed divinations (for the sake of concreteness and argument, i'm not claiming that would necessarily be a good idea). Step 1: charge it to two mana. Step 2: Draw divination (or perhaps you already have it in hand). Step 3: add the third counter, cast divination instant speed. HOWEVER, now this thing has 3 counters, so all future divinations I draw will not be castable by this thing. Sure, I can remove counters to bring it back down, control it, but that adds clunkiness (not to mention you have to pay 3 to remove the counters, which is quite alot in my book). So, in a sense, this is much les repeatable/controlable than what would be ideal. Maybe doing it æther vial style was too broken?

Aether Vial is broken which should be obvious by the fact that it was only an uncommon, its not THAT old, its been reprinted since and yet still commands a $40 price. Brain in a bottle should not be as powerful. Again, Aether Vial was a mistake. Still, Brain in a bottle seems way too week. Its 1 more mana to cast, 1 more mana to use, it forces you to add counters, and while removing the counters is possible it costs a lot of mana AND taps it. All this combined just seems like too much to me.

I would like it so much more if the second ability did not tap it.

But the things that make vial broken can be easily fixed. Vial is broken for two reasons: it gives you free mana, because you don't have to pay mana to get the counters, and it effectively makes the creatures uncounterable. The uncounterability fix is already in this card, because your spell can be countered. To fx the free mana issue they could have uncoupled the "charge" and the "cast" sides. They could trade it like "1t: add a counter", "1t: cast your instant or sorcery spell". Would have made the card much closer to vial without being broken like vial.

This card is actually quite good. I mean seriously people? It costs 2 mana to cast, causes instants and sorceries that meet the criteria to only cost 1 mana as well as giving sorceries flash and for 3 mana has a way to not only manipulate the number of counters on it to coincide with the cards in your hand, but manipulate the top of your library as well... I really don't know what else you could ask for without it being completely busted.

This is a bit like Search The City

It makes you jump through hoops to maybe sometimes get this awesome whatever, but then you realize the awesome whatever isn't really worth the hoops.

Kind of a cross between Birthing Pod and Aether Vial but for spells. Most likely a Commander format card but at least now we can finally build that Metroid themed Commander deck.

Anyone think this would break Storm?