This card really should be rated higher. I'm guessing, however, it has a low rating based on a small sample group.
For a single U and a colorless mana you have a very powerful counterspell that gets better as the game progresses. Granted, there will be a point where it becomes less effective if the game drags on, but early and mid game when mana isn't as abundant, this spell really shines.
Ritius
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(5 votes)
It's contrary to the mission plan of most counter decks though. Blue control doesn't stock a lot of permanents... why waste your mana on putting your crap into play when you can save it to keep your opponent from putting anything into play on their board?
Tommy9898
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(5 votes)
S-Y-P-H-O-N
Syphon
BrutalJim
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Yeah, this isn't a control decks counter spell, considering most run very few creatures. That's why it's rated low. I guess it can be good in other types of blue decks, but eh.
Devel31
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(11 votes)
magic rules(as of this posting): 110.1. A permanent is a card or token on the battlefield. A permanent remains on the battlefield indefinitely.
a card. this includes lands. for a properly curved mono blue deck, thats them paying 3 on turn two(won't happen). your opponent has to pay more for each island you have, not to mention anything thats been played. If they're casting, they are not going to be able to pay if you have at least as many basic lands as they do. http://gatherer.wizards.com/Images/Stars/RightClear.gif
XTwistedsoulX
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
to bad for devil31 and his bringing up the rules like that he forgot that cost dictates color and thus lands are colorless. Always have been. Call wizards on that one brothers, heres the number,
1-800-324-6496.
nibelheim_valesti
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Wow. Just when I thought they couldn't manage a more suffocatingly overwrought flavor text.
PrimeSonic
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
For a more Aggro/Control style deck that holds onto just enough control to keep from getting disrupted, this is a very nice counterspell. Remember in Shadowmoor's hybrid cards make getting a particular color pretty easy.
Bursama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Merfolk decks thank for this card. For 1U "Counter target spell unless it's controller pays so-high-amount-of-mana-they-could-never-afford." Especially with blue merfolk tokens...
Henrietta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Far too highly rated, it's like a terrible mana leak. I am guessing the high ratings come from people not understanding that islands are colourless permanents. Mana Leak is almost always better in the first five turns, and this only performs better if you can keep 4 or more blue permanents up, which can be difficult if you're not playing against a goldfish. The slight performance increase in the later game is honestly not that useful, as Mana Leak is very weak in the late game and a slightly better Mana Leak is still just weak.
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If they're going to reprint this in a Core Set they should add reminder text that lands are colorless, a lot of new players tend to think lands have the colors of mana they produce.
Comments (19)
For a single U and a colorless mana you have a very powerful counterspell that gets better as the game progresses. Granted, there will be a point where it becomes less effective if the game drags on, but early and mid game when mana isn't as abundant, this spell really shines.
Syphon
110.1. A permanent is a card or token on the battlefield. A permanent remains on the battlefield indefinitely.
a card. this includes lands. for a properly curved mono blue deck, thats them paying 3 on turn two(won't happen). your opponent has to pay more for each island you have, not to mention anything thats been played. If they're casting, they are not going to be able to pay if you have at least as many basic lands as they do. http://gatherer.wizards.com/Images/Stars/RightClear.gif
1-800-324-6496.
For 1U "Counter target spell unless it's controller pays so-high-amount-of-mana-they-could-never-afford."
Especially with blue merfolk tokens...
a lot of new players tend to think lands have the colors of mana they produce.
Haviing four or more blue permanent2 out ii2 ea2y to maiintaiin when they co2t very liittle and have hexproof, via the wonderful Lord of the Unreal.