In order to avoid confusion: We're talking modern.
At this point, your suggestion would not even see play with Remand around. Most of the time I'd much rather know what's coming and get ready for it than let my opponent draw a random card. Obviously when you hit the scariest card in their deck, having them draw another card is good news but Remand is a cantrip, played in decks with more cantrips and it will often give you the time/ressources to deal with whatever you remanded... and we certainly don't want Arcane Denial either.
I understand that they consider the double blue mana stop everything instant to be too strong but at the same time, Mana Leak is a subpar card. I think there's room for a strickly better Mana Leak. How about adding "If the spell is not countered that way, draw a card." Would that be too much?
In standard? Most definitely. Mana Leak might be subpar in modern (I have no idea, I don't follow modern), but it completely warped standard while it existed there. There's a reason that U/x delver decks were basically the only thing run while innistrad and scars were both in standard, and mana leak is a big part of that reason (vapor snag and snapcaster being the other parts). So unless they create an entire set of new cards that are only legal in modern/legacy, we aren't going to see a "strictly better mana leak." (and even then I'd be incredibly surprised if they did print a strictly better mana leak anyway)
Spell Snare already sees play. Do we really need a better one?
Yes I think we do, how are you going to counter a lightning bolt in the late game in modern without using something like deprive? Spell snare is garbage, and only sees play because it's a hard counter, even though it's incredibly narrow.
Counterspell will never get a reprint. However, I think that something like 'counterspell, that spell's controller draws a card' wouldn't break the format THAT much.
That's not counterspell it's closer to abrupt decay, even worse because it can be countered, and it can't deal with resolved permanents. Good counterspells won't break standard, it's part of the game.
If MTG is a part of your life, the formats are like relationships:
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
I season your tears with your salt for my humble pie.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I fear I won't have much time to play Magic these days.
I get to watch worlds develop around me.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
I agree that this should have hit all enchantments. Hitting only auras is pretty weak, and maybe it needed a scry effect or something. I dunno, feels kind of blah and for limited only. AGAIN.
Honestly, why not. The times have changed. Counterspell was so good, because creatures as threads were so bad, back in the day.
You could ignore them for some turns, wrath the board and have 2 mana up.
These days, with creatures like mistcutter hydra, Loxodon Smiter or packrat, you are going to fail if you try to rely too heavy on counterspells.
If they can reprint thoughtseize, they could also give countespell a try!
Lol. Thoughtseize was added to enable Mono black decks and to actually give other decks involving black a fighting chance against blue. Yet mono blue is still a highly played Tier 1 deck and you think Counterspell is needed?
Decent card. It's good enough in Limited if you are heavy Blue, and could see some sideboard play in Standard. It's not game breaking, but it's a Common and those rarely are.
This is not 'a bad card'. It's low on the power level, but it is costed right and fits with the block as a whole.
The problem with counterspells right now is not what they can and cannot hit. Counterspell could be reprinted right now and would not warp the format heavily. Counterspells are good when the Counterspelling player has productive things to do with his or her mana when their opponent does not cast something worth countering. Right now even the control decks operate almost entirely at sorcery speed and so there is not a lot of opportunities for them to hold up counter magic and still progress their boardstate if their opponent just draws a card and passes the turn.
Ultimately, this limits the power a counterspell can have far more than what it can and cannot counter.
Oh man, they couldn't have printed this at U? It just seems like we're never going to get our Mana Drain reprint for standard... IT'S JUST NOT FAIR! THEY NEVER PRINT ANYTHING GOOD FOR BLUE ANY MORE!!
As much as I hate the reality of this... We live in an MTG world where Mana Leak is considered overpowered for Standard. OVERPOWERED!!!!! Mana Leak!!!! And, and... Unconditional counters are minimum 1UU casting cost.
This is the future of counterspells, guys. My Islands are all in perpetual weeping.
They should be. Islands only ever produced teardrops anyways.
Of course, now they just belong to the island's owner.
Oh man, they couldn't have printed this at U? It just seems like we're never going to get our Mana Drain reprint for standard... IT'S JUST NOT FAIR! THEY NEVER PRINT ANYTHING GOOD FOR BLUE ANY MORE!!
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The sad thing is, it actually took me to hitting the end of that to realize you were joking. I could totally imagine some people on this forum saying pretty much exactly that in all seriousness
No one realize that saying "enchantment" would be useless for a mainly limited spell because, well, the block has only 5 global enchantments that aren't creatures (the 5 rare weapons). So for all intents an purposes it does the same job as if it had that text. It's at UU presumably because they don't want it easily splashed, and it frees the possibility to have "creature or enchantment" at either UU or 1U later since strictly peaking there was no format-bound need for it.
For the point of view of leaving future design space open, it's not only a sensible, but the smart strategy.
Meh! I guess it had to be printed at some point, pretty much every other combination has been done. But won't do much for anybody.
Scry 1 woulda been nice.
For all the hate on this, I bet this sees constructed play, even if only as a sideboard card. As a limited player I likey, because everyone plays creatures there.
No, obviously it is not as good as counterspell. Nothing will ever be as good as counterspell again. Deal with it.
Its true. I just wish they would reprint Force Spike.
For all the hate on this, I bet this sees constructed play, even if only as a sideboard card. As a limited player I likey, because everyone plays creatures there.
No, obviously it is not as good as counterspell. Nothing will ever be as good as counterspell again. Deal with it.
In standard? Most definitely. Mana Leak might be subpar in modern (I have no idea, I don't follow modern), but it completely warped standard while it existed there. There's a reason that U/x delver decks were basically the only thing run while innistrad and scars were both in standard, and mana leak is a big part of that reason (vapor snag and snapcaster being the other parts). So unless they create an entire set of new cards that are only legal in modern/legacy, we aren't going to see a "strictly better mana leak." (and even then I'd be incredibly surprised if they did print a strictly better mana leak anyway)
Yes I think we do, how are you going to counter a lightning bolt in the late game in modern without using something like deprive? Spell snare is garbage, and only sees play because it's a hard counter, even though it's incredibly narrow.
That's not counterspell it's closer to abrupt decay, even worse because it can be countered, and it can't deal with resolved permanents. Good counterspells won't break standard, it's part of the game.
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
I season your tears with your salt for my humble pie.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
How To Keep Your FOIL Cards From Curling: http://youtu.be/QTmubrS8VnI
The Best Deck Boxes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEwgLph_Pjk
The Best Binders: http://youtu.be/H5IauASYWjk
Every time we see a new counter-spell, MTGers talk about how the overpowered counter-spell they made in five seconds is balanced and fair.
It's fun to speculate a bit. But really.. if you want to make the cards, go work for Wizards or make and play with your own custom cards. Am I right?
An attempt to stay on topic: this card is playable in standard and block.
Lol. Thoughtseize was added to enable Mono black decks and to actually give other decks involving black a fighting chance against blue. Yet mono blue is still a highly played Tier 1 deck and you think Counterspell is needed?
Bident Layers
B Devotion
RG Devotion
UW Control
Modern:
Jund
UW Control
Combo Pod
Legacy:
DeathBlade
RUG Delver
BUG Control
Prohibit already exists.
Spell Snare is already absurdly good.
Bident Layers
B Devotion
RG Devotion
UW Control
Modern:
Jund
UW Control
Combo Pod
Legacy:
DeathBlade
RUG Delver
BUG Control
Against Mono-B, it hits Underworld Connections and their threats, but does nothing against Thoughtseize or removal.
Looks like an Essence Scatter in most other matchups, but hitting those couple of cards might be enough to make it worth sideboarding.
This is not 'a bad card'. It's low on the power level, but it is costed right and fits with the block as a whole.
Ultimately, this limits the power a counterspell can have far more than what it can and cannot counter.
BoP was reprinted in m12 and m11 and m10. What are you talking about?
BoP had basically been in Standard for the entirety of magic, so when they stopped printing it after M12, its absence was felt.
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Edric | Skithiryx | Merieke | Talrand
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Well except for pauper EDH
Garruk's Packleader | Inkfathom Witch | Gelectrode | Sigil Captain | Glider Barin | Sludge Strider | Paragon of the Ameshsa
They should be. Islands only ever produced teardrops anyways.
Of course, now they just belong to the island's owner.
This looks super sweet for draft. For constructed I don't really see where it will fit.
A comic about the world's most addictive game, Magic: The Gathering.
The sad thing is, it actually took me to hitting the end of that to realize you were joking. I could totally imagine some people on this forum saying pretty much exactly that in all seriousness
For the point of view of leaving future design space open, it's not only a sensible, but the smart strategy.
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Scry 1 woulda been nice.
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Its true. I just wish they would reprint Force Spike.
Instead, it is complete garbage.
It's not even as good as Essence Scatter.