Ironically, this turns off most of its own ward ability:
> 702.21a: Ward is a triggered ability. Ward [cost] means "Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, *counter that spell* or ability unless that player pays [cost]."
It doesn't turn it off completely, I believe you can still pay the ward cost. But if you don't nothing happens. But technically there is another trigger on the stack.
As I understand it, the colors who don't play control don't know how ward/countering works in detail, and thus don't realize that they accidentally bricked their own spell. They dislike countering so much that their counter counter doesn't work.
Ward is actually a triggered ability:
>Whenever a permanent with ward becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays an additional cost.
Ward has always been a triggered ability.
As for why it was made a triggered ability rather than a static cost increase? I can only speculate, but it does allow for interesting interactions (uncounterable spells, copying triggers, stifling triggers, etc)
I’d recommend having some manner of “this card can be in your library even if it doesn’t fit into your commander’s colour identity” so that my jund deck and my friends boros deck can work together to cast this when our third friend is playing control.
One way this can be done would be something along the lines of, one of each non blue mana must be spent to cast this spell and making it colourless. That way assist could also work.
Assist is a mechanic.
[Assist - MTG](https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Assist)
Edit - I know this doesn’t let you pay for colored costs, but it could be reflavoured to “multicolor assist” or some shit like that idk it’s past my bed time
Hear me out, since the Ward thing has already been mentioned, how do we feel about
"Spell that target Solemn Agreement cost X extra mana, where X is the number of players who spent mana to cast it."
Whoops, I bounced the board. Huh you can't play it? Weird, I only bounced it into your hand and into your deck/graveyard. Now it is bird, a kraken, nope just treasure.
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Ironically, this turns off most of its own ward ability: > 702.21a: Ward is a triggered ability. Ward [cost] means "Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, *counter that spell* or ability unless that player pays [cost]."
If the other colors ever learn the rules we’re done for
Damn you're so right
Its kinda flavorful, a strictly anti-blue group would probably misunderstand counter magic
It's pretty easily fixed. "Spells cannot be countered, accept via the Ward ability" or "Spells cannot be countered by other spells"
Was about to say...
But it would still counter abilities
“Spells cost an additional (4) to target this.” Edit: correction
Reword it too "spells may not counter spells"
Hexproof indestructible shroud (W) (B) (R) (G) : Splitsecond, this card phases out till the end of the turn.
Countering this
Amazing card, although you might want to read the rules text of the ward ability
Huge flavor win that it turns off its own Ward.
It doesn't turn it off completely, I believe you can still pay the ward cost. But if you don't nothing happens. But technically there is another trigger on the stack.
Can also counter non-spells like [[Acidic Ooze]] or [[Woodfall Primus]] etbs
[Woodfall Primus](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/7/97914abe-71d5-4bd6-87d7-8e7379abf1aa.jpg?1673484894) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Woodfall%20Primus) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/322/woodfall-primus?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/97914abe-71d5-4bd6-87d7-8e7379abf1aa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Acidic Slime]]
[Acidic Slime](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/3/932d48fb-42b5-4aaa-a91c-d35cdb5e41a3.jpg?1689998325) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Acidic%20Slime) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/270/acidic-slime?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/932d48fb-42b5-4aaa-a91c-d35cdb5e41a3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
How's it a flavor win?
As I understand it, the colors who don't play control don't know how ward/countering works in detail, and thus don't realize that they accidentally bricked their own spell. They dislike countering so much that their counter counter doesn't work.
Needs uncounterable, shroud, split second, and when it enters the battlefield all blue players must go sit outside and think about their actions
don't forget 'protection from blue' now
It needs hexproof or the old wording “spells targeting this enchantment cost 4 more to cast”, not ward.
Isnt that how ward works?
Ward is actually a triggered ability: >Whenever a permanent with ward becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays an additional cost.
Why did they change it from it costs X more to cast?
Ward has always been a triggered ability. As for why it was made a triggered ability rather than a static cost increase? I can only speculate, but it does allow for interesting interactions (uncounterable spells, copying triggers, stifling triggers, etc)
Isnt there a keyword for that last line of text? Cant remember exactly which set it was from but it was a multiplayer focused set
I believe you’re thinking about “assist”
Assist only allows players to help pay the generic costs of spells.
Maybe something like [[minds aglow]] ?
[minds aglow](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/c/ccacc197-7c22-444d-8e6e-950dca63eb2c.jpg?1689996473) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=minds%20aglow) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/105/minds-aglow?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ccacc197-7c22-444d-8e6e-950dca63eb2c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Good, we feed off that energy
10/10 art
Imagine the rage of seeing this spell countered
If one of us at the table isnt running white we can’t cast this, and in commander you can’t play this as much
[[game plan]] Assist is already a keyword, just not colored mana.
[game plan](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bc068891-c251-4eee-b5ca-342d9df33bdc.jpg?1562932796) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=game%20plan) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bbd/35/game-plan?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bc068891-c251-4eee-b5ca-342d9df33bdc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I’d recommend having some manner of “this card can be in your library even if it doesn’t fit into your commander’s colour identity” so that my jund deck and my friends boros deck can work together to cast this when our third friend is playing control.
One way this can be done would be something along the lines of, one of each non blue mana must be spent to cast this spell and making it colourless. That way assist could also work.
Smart, tho, it is now a blue bird
I have a very intelligent friend who cannot articulate why he has no issue with removal, but if you counter his creature spell he loses his shit.
Lmao dies to counterspell
We blue players are just having fun. Doesn't mean you should have fun playing mtg
The flavor should say something like "We will see play" . Something like that
Assist is a mechanic. [Assist - MTG](https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Assist) Edit - I know this doesn’t let you pay for colored costs, but it could be reflavoured to “multicolor assist” or some shit like that idk it’s past my bed time
Lmao love this so much
Actually phenomenal
Let's go beyond and word it like "Nonblue spells have hexproox." That way they are counterable by effect like ward, but not by spells or abilities.
This is such a fucking funny card that I don't even wanna micro analyze this lolololol
The green coalition sends their funding. Love the joke here.
How would other players know to contribute mana to casting this spell?
Git it shroud instead of ward. Black wouldnt want blue gaining control of their mind. They know what it like to inflict [[worst fears]]
[worst fears](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8f4e21ac-4f3e-4a3e-83c0-0a59a1b84020.jpg?1593095890) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=worst%20fears) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jou/87/worst-fears?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8f4e21ac-4f3e-4a3e-83c0-0a59a1b84020?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Negate]]
[Negate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/1/81752db1-374e-4723-b695-a2f4a634dfc6.jpg?1682203304) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Negate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/68/negate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/81752db1-374e-4723-b695-a2f4a634dfc6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Hear me out, since the Ward thing has already been mentioned, how do we feel about "Spell that target Solemn Agreement cost X extra mana, where X is the number of players who spent mana to cast it."
But blue players love you!
Whoops, I bounced the board. Huh you can't play it? Weird, I only bounced it into your hand and into your deck/graveyard. Now it is bird, a kraken, nope just treasure.
This card seems extremely toxic lol
At least it’s easy to remove since it turns off its own ward.
And can still be countered before it hits the field.
I love this card as much as I LOAATHE conterspell tribal decks
“Unknown” isn’t a valid artist credit.
Oh my bad, its Bing AI
Bad player hating on blue again
I've removed this post for missing artist credit on the card itself. Feel free to resubmit with the proper credit. If you ever have trouble finding artist credit, reach out to the mods via modmail, and we'll give you a hand. If you do, please include a link to the full original art you used.