Works damn well with Descendant of Soramaro - first you get to counter a spell with a high chance and then you can also bring some order to your library! ;-)
BrutalJim
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Even by itself it's a decent card, if you get it out early and it stays out for most of the game, you'll probably end up countering at least a few spells.
Should be illegal to combo this with anything that allows you to scry your library.
Donovan_Fabian
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(4 votes)
This would work nicely with the new sphinx, but as I understand it from looking at the card, you have to reveal a card with the exact converted mana cost? That seems somewhat unlikely during most spells. If you don't have the right amount, your still revealing your card to your opponent. I would really like to use this in a deck though, since I hate having to fill lots of slots with counter spells just as a precaution.
DarthKithkin
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(5 votes)
Brainstorm me please! Or ponder if you can get your hands on brainstorm... or just use both.
To those thinking hitting the same mana cost is unlikely: Consider Legacy as a format : most relevant spells are in the 1-3 mana range, most being at the magical 2 mana. Suddenly getting Counterbalance locked is a scary and very possible situation.
Ringofhix
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
The abuse of this and sensei's divining top a.k.a. Countertop makes for one of the tier 1 legacy decks. In the format were cmc of 4 or more is almost unplayable, this combo shuts down most of the decks when it's online.
SolidSoldier
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(28 votes)
"I'll cast Akroma, Angel of Wrath."
"Okay, Counterbalance goes on the stack and my top ca-ALL HAIL THE GREAT LORD EGOTIST!"
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You'd be surprised how good it is without manipulation even
nevenshinko
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can this counter a copy of a spell or multiple copies? Eg. my opponent casts incinerate and copies it with Djinn Illuminatus several times, and I reveal something with CMC 2..... can I counter only original spell, or both the spell and all of its copies??
has anyone ever Counterbalanced a Draco? or Autocthon Worm? or B.F.M.?
just wondering. that would be hilarious.
OmegaSerris
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@nevenshinko No, it can't because Replicate puts copies right on the stack. The controller (your opponent in your example) isn't 'playing' them, which is the key word on this card. The same with Storm and other abilities that specifically say 'copy'.
Something like Cascade, however, does trigger this card because Cascade allows the player to 'cast' the exiled card. In Magic, the words 'cast' and 'play' are interchangeable in this situation.
Salient
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Pairs surprisingly well with Enlightened Tutor. I always assumed that a Counterbalance deck would want the ability to shuffle and peek at the top cards frequently, making any use of Tutor seem ill-advised: what if you need to shuffle it away?
Nowadays people are doing things like running a single Moat. An early e-tutor gets Counterbalance, a later e-tutor can find single copies of unusual CMC spells in your deck. It was hilarious watching someone cast Ad Nauseam only to have their Counterbalance opponent calmly tutor for Karn. (I wonder if nowadays this 5cmc slot will be taken by Norn's Annex?)
A word of caution: Counterbalance doesn't counter copies of spells, meaning it doesn't interact well with Storm cards like Tendrils of Agony or the Hive Mind + Pact of Negation kill.
drpvfx
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
As an Izzet Enthusiast, I must say I find this to be the most beautiful artwork in the history of Magic. I would *love* an oversized version to keep on the table while annoying my EDH group with the actual card.
This card is an absolute monster in *any* format. I approve.
Oh, Mono Blue Control... how I miss you in Standard :-(
LeakyTeacup
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
If you want to use this with the countertop combo in Modern, use Crystal Ball
Not a very appealing card. So yeah, good if you get it out early, but that means running more than 1 of this card, maybe even 4 to make that even a possibility. And running more than 1 of this means you might draw it again... which would be useless. Also, you are revealing the top card of your library with every spell your opponent casts... wouldn't it be better to keep your cards secret? I don't like this card. I tihnk it is overrated.
You only have to run more than one if you're not running tutors, but most decks will happily run four anyway. If you're not running tutors but you are running this, though, you're doing it wrong. This card is a key component of many different Legacy control decks, and has often been seen in the top decklists for that format. You have to understand, this card is a strategy on its own: by manipulating the top card of your library, you can often counter any spell your opponent casts. With Sensei's Divining Top or a similar card, you can even counter spells this way without using a card of your own, which is crucial.
This is not necessarily a card for casual play, where mana costs vary and even with deck manipulation you're not guaranteed to find your answer to what they're playing. As noted by other comments here, though, in Legacy anything above 4 CMC is unlikely to be hard-cast except via a lower-cost enabler that can be easily countered. You'll also be running other ways to counter things that, for whatever reason, Counterbalance can't deal with.
In casual play, revealing the card to your opponent may also matter, but in Legacy play, once an experienced opponent sees you play this, odds are good they'll be able to immediately name at least 90% of the cards in your deck. Counterbalance decks tend to work in a very predictable way (they may vary in their choice of win condition, though the classic is just good old Tarmogoyf). Revealing cards is unlikely to matter much.
This is a very technical control card that you absolutely have to build around to use, but its power should not be underestimated. It gives you the ability to repeatedly counter spells without using cards, or even mana in many cases. That ability is a key enabler to the control strategy that loves this card.
Finally, having more than one of this card on the board is not useless. You may not be aiming to get more than one down in every situation, but having more than one can be important. In situations where you fear your opponent is baiting you, and has a more important spell coming up later in the turn, having two triggers of the ability can actually matter. By having the ability go off twice, you can let the top card flip first to see if it happens to already be the right CMC, then, if it wasn't, respond before the second instance resolves with your deck manipulation card or ability to change which card's on top. If you happen to get lucky and hit the right CMC with the first one, you don't have to blow your deck manipulation, and can save it in case they're holding a card with a different CMC for afterward.
Combofriend
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is great! Incredible synergy with cards like divining top and brainstorm! 5/5
This was printed at a time when Counterspell was just taken away from Standard, and everyone was complaining how underpowered blue was. This card just won a huge Legacy event, and there are two other copies of the same deck (Countertop Miracles) in the Top 8!
GnarkillAU
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Man, I have never seen this card before and everything about it sits just perfect with me, the art aspect, luck aspect and dread all rolled into one. I am afraid to discover how much it costs, but I think it'll become a necessity for my EDH deck. Especially because there is a lot of scrying I can trigger at instant speed. Substantially decreasing the luck aspect, increasing the dread aspect, and making me stare even longer at that gnarly artwork.
Comments (29)
...that's what I said...
"Okay, Counterbalance goes on the stack and my top ca-ALL HAIL THE GREAT LORD EGOTIST!"
The ultimate griefer card.
just wondering. that would be hilarious.
No, it can't because Replicate puts copies right on the stack. The controller (your opponent in your example) isn't 'playing' them, which is the key word on this card. The same with Storm and other abilities that specifically say 'copy'.
Something like Cascade, however, does trigger this card because Cascade allows the player to 'cast' the exiled card. In Magic, the words 'cast' and 'play' are interchangeable in this situation.
Nowadays people are doing things like running a single Moat. An early e-tutor gets Counterbalance, a later e-tutor can find single copies of unusual CMC spells in your deck. It was hilarious watching someone cast Ad Nauseam only to have their Counterbalance opponent calmly tutor for Karn. (I wonder if nowadays this 5cmc slot will be taken by Norn's Annex?)
A word of caution: Counterbalance doesn't counter copies of spells, meaning it doesn't interact well with Storm cards like Tendrils of Agony or the Hive Mind + Pact of Negation kill.
I would *love* an oversized version to keep on the table while annoying my EDH group with the actual card.
This card is an absolute monster in *any* format.
I approve.
Oh, Mono Blue Control... how I miss you in Standard :-(
"I'll cast Akroma, Angel of Fury. *trollface*"
You only have to run more than one if you're not running tutors, but most decks will happily run four anyway. If you're not running tutors but you are running this, though, you're doing it wrong. This card is a key component of many different Legacy control decks, and has often been seen in the top decklists for that format. You have to understand, this card is a strategy on its own: by manipulating the top card of your library, you can often counter any spell your opponent casts. With Sensei's Divining Top or a similar card, you can even counter spells this way without using a card of your own, which is crucial.
This is not necessarily a card for casual play, where mana costs vary and even with deck manipulation you're not guaranteed to find your answer to what they're playing. As noted by other comments here, though, in Legacy anything above 4 CMC is unlikely to be hard-cast except via a lower-cost enabler that can be easily countered. You'll also be running other ways to counter things that, for whatever reason, Counterbalance can't deal with.
In casual play, revealing the card to your opponent may also matter, but in Legacy play, once an experienced opponent sees you play this, odds are good they'll be able to immediately name at least 90% of the cards in your deck. Counterbalance decks tend to work in a very predictable way (they may vary in their choice of win condition, though the classic is just good old Tarmogoyf). Revealing cards is unlikely to matter much.
This is a very technical control card that you absolutely have to build around to use, but its power should not be underestimated. It gives you the ability to repeatedly counter spells without using cards, or even mana in many cases. That ability is a key enabler to the control strategy that loves this card.
Finally, having more than one of this card on the board is not useless. You may not be aiming to get more than one down in every situation, but having more than one can be important. In situations where you fear your opponent is baiting you, and has a more important spell coming up later in the turn, having two triggers of the ability can actually matter. By having the ability go off twice, you can let the top card flip first to see if it happens to already be the right CMC, then, if it wasn't, respond before the second instance resolves with your deck manipulation card or ability to change which card's on top. If you happen to get lucky and hit the right CMC with the first one, you don't have to blow your deck manipulation, and can save it in case they're holding a card with a different CMC for afterward.