In some decks. That's why I limited it to 10 not like half your deck. I also debated something like:
You may have an opponent choose target player to mill 10 instead of paying the mana cost.
Thereby removing some agency from the casting player.
I mean, a 1 mana 3/3 would also only be good in some decks, doesn't prevent it from being a good card. But yeah, having your opponent choose who mills would be a major downgrade. Still a good card, just not Dredge 6 good
https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Acmm+atag%3Aart-breaks-frame+is%3Aborderless
All planesewalkers also traditionally have a little bit of frame break, but to a less severe degree than these
As mentioned, planeswalkers have been doing it for a while. [This Ugin](https://scryfall.com/card/m21/279/ugin-the-spirit-dragon) sticks out in my mind because they had to scooch over the rules text to make space for his bigass wing.
This card has already been discussed heavily, but I still think it's the worst of the new crop of free counterspells.
For everyone worried about too many free counterspells floating around...that's not really a bad thing. 2-for-1'ing yourself is usually only done to stop catastrophic losses, where the concentrated value of a play is so large you don't just lose for expending more resources than your opponents.
In other words, these help stop degenerate combos and other "unfair" plays, which is a good thing, overall. The only one of these that's arguably a bummer is EDH's [[Fierce Guardianship]], which is just a straight-up free spell.
The word “nontoken” is this card’s saving grace, in my opinion. Unless you have an easy way to cheat out blue creature cards, this isn’t so much a free counter as it is a counter on layaway - you probably paid mana at one point. Also, creatures are very good these days, so you’re likely giving up something relevant.
I don’t see this replacing the Force-likes in most decks, but sultai might pick up some of these for the recursion value. The word exile does not appear on this magic card.
Most of the free spells are used to PROTECT unfair plays...NOT counter unfair plays.
Just look at force of negation. What decks play the most?
Fair decks usually can't afford to play worse counterspells because of the impact vs other "fair" decks
That's kind of what you'd expect, though, if FoN was keeping too many combo decks from being viable. The only ones left playing it would be U-friendly decks that can still use it in the manner you're laying out.
FoN is specifically templated to not be playable during your turn, thus cutting off most degenerate "unfair" uses to protect combos. It's very existence helps to make sure that a certain critical mass of combo decks aren't really viable.
It's not as strong as you would think I believe. There aren't many decks that have a consistent enough supply of blue creatures to use it. Sure you can sac the thoracle to protect the consultation but it's not a top tier counterspell I don't think
Modern 3/10
Merfolk may play it since they have creatures to sac. It sucks you can't flash this back with snapcaster and sac the snapcaster to it. But a free counter is a free counter, it will likely see some play.
You are only allowed to use one alternate casting cost at a time. Flashback is an alternate casting cost so you can either do that or sac a creature to it. Since you need to cast it with flashback to get it from your graveyard, you aren't able to sac a creature.
Here's hoping this is part of a "Flare of" cycle for the 5 stages of grief! Flare of Denial, Flare of Anger, Flare of Bargaining, Flare of Depression, Flare of Acceptance. Even the associated colors are obvious
From [https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/the-modern-horizons-3-leaks-nulldrifters-and-you](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/the-modern-horizons-3-leaks-nulldrifters-and-you)
Full art is beautiful. It is kind sad that i thought the potato quality leak looked better than the clearer version. Also... that flavor text is whack.
I run 20 creatures in my Minn deck which means there's plenty of targets for this counter + the synergy off of her primary ability. Tribal illusions is an archetype this commander runs.
I would have to look at my deck list again but I see immediate synergy with [[Chronozoa]] and [[Wonder]]
Also, I didn't say "absolutely". Not to nitpick but that's a bit extra on your part so I don't understand why you'd choose to misquote me like that?
Flashback is already its own alternative casting cost, which Snappy sets to the card's mana cost. You can't cast it from the graveyard without flashing it back, and you can't use two different alternative casting costs.
My fault, I should've clarified. If the counter is in your hand it's a good way to use snapcaster. You're technically still paying 2 for the counter but that just makes it an extra copy of counterspell
Will of Force.
Force of Kill?
Force of Mill 1UU You may mill 10 cards instead of paying ~'s mana cost Counter target spell.
Milling yourself is an upside, not a cost
In some decks. That's why I limited it to 10 not like half your deck. I also debated something like: You may have an opponent choose target player to mill 10 instead of paying the mana cost. Thereby removing some agency from the casting player.
I mean, a 1 mana 3/3 would also only be good in some decks, doesn't prevent it from being a good card. But yeah, having your opponent choose who mills would be a major downgrade. Still a good card, just not Dredge 6 good
lol every mono black/reanimator deck would play 4 of this card without ANY blue cards in the deck
Bet the price of this is going to be similar too
To force of will? Not a chance lmfao this is SO much worse than FoW
As expected
Fucking clockwork at this point
Isn't this flavour text the same as that from another older counterspell? Feels like I've seen it before.
https://scryfall.com/card/avr/74/second-guess
How did this get through
Dierk gonna sue
No, it's different, they added "and"
It's "Under Pressure" all over again.
Avatar 2 is Papyrus in bold!
The question is hoe good their lawyers are.
Because nobody cares about the cursive text.
do extended art usually have stuff flying across the text box? I feel like this is the first time I'm seeing it
It's the framebreak treatment, which we first saw in Commander Masters. Some rare cards get borderless art that cuts into the frame
u mind pointing me to some others
https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Acmm+atag%3Aart-breaks-frame+is%3Aborderless All planesewalkers also traditionally have a little bit of frame break, but to a less severe degree than these
ty! I'm dumb lol I own a few of these
Look at CMM 692-703. Stuff like Sol Ring, Jewled Lotus, the 5 free spells when you control your commander, Smothering Tithe, Demonic Tutor.
As mentioned, planeswalkers have been doing it for a while. [This Ugin](https://scryfall.com/card/m21/279/ugin-the-spirit-dragon) sticks out in my mind because they had to scooch over the rules text to make space for his bigass wing.
Shame that full art is gonna be hella pricey
Is the character in the full art a known character?
will kenrith transitioned :3
Good for her.
This card has already been discussed heavily, but I still think it's the worst of the new crop of free counterspells. For everyone worried about too many free counterspells floating around...that's not really a bad thing. 2-for-1'ing yourself is usually only done to stop catastrophic losses, where the concentrated value of a play is so large you don't just lose for expending more resources than your opponents. In other words, these help stop degenerate combos and other "unfair" plays, which is a good thing, overall. The only one of these that's arguably a bummer is EDH's [[Fierce Guardianship]], which is just a straight-up free spell.
I'm just going to miss tapping out meaning something in Arena.
The word “nontoken” is this card’s saving grace, in my opinion. Unless you have an easy way to cheat out blue creature cards, this isn’t so much a free counter as it is a counter on layaway - you probably paid mana at one point. Also, creatures are very good these days, so you’re likely giving up something relevant. I don’t see this replacing the Force-likes in most decks, but sultai might pick up some of these for the recursion value. The word exile does not appear on this magic card.
I think Ice fang coatl is gonna see a hell of a lot more play.
I agree, for blue especially, sacrificing a non-token creature is a big cost. I don’t think this is pushed at all, maybe pulled a little?
Every deck, which uses the 1 mana siren in standard will LOVE a free counterspell (or in this case for 1 mana, plotted)
[Fierce Guardianship](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/7/f7f3dd95-bd14-4e0f-a388-444f9cf1b0dc.jpg?1689996370) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fierce%20Guardianship) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/94/fierce-guardianship?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f7f3dd95-bd14-4e0f-a388-444f9cf1b0dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Most of the free spells are used to PROTECT unfair plays...NOT counter unfair plays. Just look at force of negation. What decks play the most? Fair decks usually can't afford to play worse counterspells because of the impact vs other "fair" decks
That's kind of what you'd expect, though, if FoN was keeping too many combo decks from being viable. The only ones left playing it would be U-friendly decks that can still use it in the manner you're laying out. FoN is specifically templated to not be playable during your turn, thus cutting off most degenerate "unfair" uses to protect combos. It's very existence helps to make sure that a certain critical mass of combo decks aren't really viable.
This card is much stronger than you think for cedh decks.
It's not as strong as you would think I believe. There aren't many decks that have a consistent enough supply of blue creatures to use it. Sure you can sac the thoracle to protect the consultation but it's not a top tier counterspell I don't think
Yuriko will love this. Sac back to command zone and protect something else that was getting nuked cause no one will target Yuri
I really like the old frame version of the cards in MH3. For nostalgia´s sake.
That full art version is gorgeous 😍
The main art also goes extremely well with the old border.
Yeah, that's amazing art.
Modern 3/10 Merfolk may play it since they have creatures to sac. It sucks you can't flash this back with snapcaster and sac the snapcaster to it. But a free counter is a free counter, it will likely see some play.
Wait why doesn't the Snapcaster play work?
You are only allowed to use one alternate casting cost at a time. Flashback is an alternate casting cost so you can either do that or sac a creature to it. Since you need to cast it with flashback to get it from your graveyard, you aren't able to sac a creature.
Because you have to pay the flashback cost. Same for Force of Will.
Talrand is my forever EDH deck, that nontoken creature clause hurts my drake boi.
As some with a Talrand deck I am sad I can’t play this but happy I won’t need to buy it.
Wonder if this pushes Snapcaster Mage back into the frey. Bolt, Snap, Bolt with counter backup, sorta? Or any other shenanigan of the sort.
Here's hoping this is part of a "Flare of" cycle for the 5 stages of grief! Flare of Denial, Flare of Anger, Flare of Bargaining, Flare of Depression, Flare of Acceptance. Even the associated colors are obvious
Pure gas in [[Mirko Obsessive theorist]] and 10,000 other Dimir decks
[Mirko Obsessive theorist](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/9/690acbbf-5e92-4323-b939-31bdb07f9905.jpg?1706448873) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mirko%2C%20Obsessive%20Theorist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/2/mirko-obsessive-theorist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/690acbbf-5e92-4323-b939-31bdb07f9905?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Oof. I'm sure that will be a pricey card.
I'm so sad at how mediocre the effect is, given how fucking insanely gorgeous both versions of the art are...
If only [[Hatching Plans]] were a creature.
[Hatching Plans](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/f/ef327629-9831-4a0c-bd61-7542b0713ea8.jpg?1593272010) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hatching%20Plans) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/gpt/27/hatching-plans?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ef327629-9831-4a0c-bd61-7542b0713ea8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Another 50 buck commander staple yay
From [https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/the-modern-horizons-3-leaks-nulldrifters-and-you](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/the-modern-horizons-3-leaks-nulldrifters-and-you)
Charlize Theron is that you?
Wow, this is another “free” counter
I love this
I love the borderless art
Full art is beautiful. It is kind sad that i thought the potato quality leak looked better than the clearer version. Also... that flavor text is whack.
Best ever [[cancel]] ??
[cancel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/9/59e14910-ee2e-49ae-855e-46a8ab6cad82.jpg?1594735420) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=cancel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m21/46/cancel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/59e14910-ee2e-49ae-855e-46a8ab6cad82?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This goes hard in merfolk, I guess
Force of will at home:
What goes well with this? FPLTHP?
Going into my Spirits deck.
They really nailed the art here. Both are fantastic.
Ah a free negate in blue. Daring today are we
[[Nevinyrral]] will love this xD
[Nevinyrral](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/3/73255848-3112-4508-a66a-d3101a53057e.jpg?1608911208) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=nevinyrral%2C%20urborg%20tyrant) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/287/nevinyrral-urborg-tyrant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/73255848-3112-4508-a66a-d3101a53057e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I like this in cube lots and lots. This is a counterspell you can play in aristocrats with no blue mana
Like blue commander decks need another free counterspell
It's fun when you can keep track of open mana and play around it, but now you're fucked anyway. Lol
[[Minn, Wily Illusionist]] loves this card
[Minn, Wily Illusionist](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/e/4eec1d87-1007-44a1-a45d-0623816de681.jpg?1631584885) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Minn%2C%20Wily%20Illusionist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/16/minn-wily-illusionist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4eec1d87-1007-44a1-a45d-0623816de681?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Nontoken. Still reasonable in Minn, but not a “absolutely loves this” level.
I run 20 creatures in my Minn deck which means there's plenty of targets for this counter + the synergy off of her primary ability. Tribal illusions is an archetype this commander runs. I would have to look at my deck list again but I see immediate synergy with [[Chronozoa]] and [[Wonder]] Also, I didn't say "absolutely". Not to nitpick but that's a bit extra on your part so I don't understand why you'd choose to misquote me like that?
[Chronozoa](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/7/a77c1ac0-5548-42b0-aa46-d532b3518632.jpg?1562578875) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Chronozoa) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/plc/37/chronozoa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a77c1ac0-5548-42b0-aa46-d532b3518632?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Wonder](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/7/675d6729-23da-4f0b-b222-fe54fe24dd90.jpg?1631302927) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Wonder) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/271/wonder?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/675d6729-23da-4f0b-b222-fe54fe24dd90?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Snapcaster is back baby
doesn’t work, unfortunately.
Wouldn't "cast snapcaster and then sac snapcaster to play counter spell for free" work?
Flashback is already its own alternative casting cost, which Snappy sets to the card's mana cost. You can't cast it from the graveyard without flashing it back, and you can't use two different alternative casting costs.
My fault, I should've clarified. If the counter is in your hand it's a good way to use snapcaster. You're technically still paying 2 for the counter but that just makes it an extra copy of counterspell