There are lots of creatures and spells for cost of 2 that can be countered with this card. So overall its a good card.
TheFrostReaper
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(8 votes)
Poor Watchwolf.
christos87
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(9 votes)
Lately in the Extended season this can might easily read: Counter target Tarmogoyf
MasterOfEtherium
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(22 votes)
It Counters Storm Crow
Schlappi
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(7 votes)
I think this spell is awesome! Great in a control deck...and you can still do something really useful with 1 mana! ;-)
I like it and it could replace Rune Snag in some ways...^^
Cya
OmniMarconi67
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(5 votes)
This is the top counterspell in Extended, but probably not the best choice in Standard (supposing it were Standard-legal) where things are generally slower or what back in the day we called "Type 1" formats, in which you better be playing 4 Force of Will, your Mana Drain, and 4 plain old Counterspell as you counter base.
This is such an elegant card. I remember when Mr. Flores previewed this way back when.
Deepfried-Owls
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
When I saw this card, I immediately thought of the new colorless counter from New Phyrexia that can be paid with U or 2 life to counter a spell that costs 1.
...
TAKE THAT AETHER VIAL!
GengilOrbios
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
love the flavor text! (and the card is great as well of course)
Maybe it's the beer talking WotC but you got a butt that won't quit. they got those big chewy pretzels herehevwanswcgr... twelve dollars??!!!? get outta here....
MisterAction
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love the flavor text, but why does Watchwolf have to do with backstabbing? They should show somebody stopping a Dimir Infiltrator.
Lol, I actually have a deck that this does nothing against. Its not normal to have no drops though. This card is a tourney staple.
Subtle_Kay
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hoping for a reprint in Gatecrash with new art! (But not new art like Dispel got it, the other way round, please.)
yousquiddinme
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can we please get a reprint, WotC? I like my uncommons to cost less that 10 dollars.
Nagoragama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Two can be as bad as one; it's the loneliest number since the number one.
Guest1508340577
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I would like to know what about this card for a Mono-U Merfolk deck in Modern. Pretty nice counter vs Jund which puts me in the spot but can't define the correct amount of them! Ideas?
Comments (35)
I like it and it could replace Rune Snag in some ways...^^
Cya
What you mean by "Type1 formats", OmniMarconi67, are likely the eternal formats.
But Type1 refers to Vintage only - as the name suggests the format where even the most broken cards like Black Lotus are allowed once.
Type 1.5, aka Legacy, is the second eternal format where such cards are banned. But especially in this format, Spell Snare is a very famous counterspell (besides Force of Will, of course.)
You'll certainly find your target for this spell in this format since it can target lots of cards in the meta which have a cmc of 2, such as Tarmogoyf, Standstill, Wild Mongrel, Hymn to Tourach, Goblin Piledriver, Counterbalance, Burning Wish, Living WIsh, Bitterblossom, Sinkhole, Umezawa's Jitte, Counterspell, Life From the Loam, Meddling Mage, Arcbound Ravager, Dark Confidan, Daze ...
Snare
4.5/5
...
TAKE THAT AETHER VIAL!
That said, great card. Pure tempo advantage. And what kind of deck doesn't run a two (except Cascade-into-Hypergenesis)?
Player 2: Spell Snare!
Player 1: Pay two life to Mental Misstep!
Player 2: Nix!
Player 1: Damn...
counter target stoneforge mystic, tarmogoyf, or dark confidant.
Yeah. It's that good. Now if only Abrupt Decay were counterable. This card would be that much better.