My favourit card from the set, if not the block. Having an opponent tap out for Time stretch then getting three turns is the most fun ever. Great as a suprise, also the Fear of it can cause people to have to play around two untapped lands.
vaultboyzk
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Goodbye Blightning or even two or three Blightnings. Opponent won't dare to cast another one.
MasterOfEtherium
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(7 votes)
First Of All The Art Is Insanely Good And It Is Fun To Play
Douchette
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(9 votes)
I hate this card. I play a Jund burn deck, and my friend plays a red/blue control/mill. Before he got this card, he is helpless against my Banefires, which usually run for 10+ due my mana acceleration. But he bought four of these cards singles and put them into his sideboard just for me. Not only can he now counter and kill everything I throw at him, he can actually kill me down to zero health before milling my library using only 2 mana. This card should be banned, too powerful.
Agent1103
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
This is one of the best instants in this block. If you are playing red and blue, then you should run 4 of them. This card causes pure disruption in your opponent's plans. I already liked playing blue and red together before this, but now it's just sexy.
erikmetal
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
ownage card!
ResaOkand
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
how does it stop cruel ultimatum? can you target Your opponent considering whoever cast is is the owner of the spell? I'm just not sure
GreenManTenTons
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(5 votes)
I played this at a draft when shards first came out and swerved a blighting back at some old guy. He almost cried.
JaxsonBateman
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
ResaOkand: I don't believe it would affect your opponent, given that the original spell is for "target opponent" making the person who cast it an illegal target. However, that wouldn't stop it from causing Cruel Ultimatum to be targetting an illegal target, thus fizzling. Having said that, a Negate or Cancel could do the trick just as well saving Swerve for something more versatile, like those Blightnings which are everywhere right now. You spend 1 card so that they lose 3 (Blightning + 2 discards)? Too awesome.
On another note, I was considering making a WUb control deck to try and combat the Jund juggernaut, but this card makes me sad. Do I splash red and dilute my mana base for something with such awesome card advantage, or do I stick with the original WUb plan and just keep the counters that break even? Decisions decisions.
Taj_Palace
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(8 votes)
I think the people of Wizards were all sitting around one day, somewhat bored, and one man said to another, How many times do you think i could use the word "Target" in one small sentence? and this card was born
VirtueVsVice
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(16 votes)
This can create some unforgettable moments in the game of MTG.
selamaleth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Use it to get round pro black, i target a vanilla creature with doomblade then swerve it into devout lightcaster
People saying control is dead in the new Standard underestimate this card. Red/blue control is where it's at. Sphinx of Jwar Isle is a finisher that can't be nullified by a single piece of removal, Into the Roil is bounce that can double as card draw, Double Negative seriously screws up Cascade (Jund, pretty much) and the presence of red gives access to arguably the best burn spells in Magic and the always fun Pyromancer Ascension.
CamppyreSongSong
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love the flavour text on this card, it's basically a flavourful manual on how to use swerve (ingenuity and timing).
nammertime
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Tip: You can play this in response to an aura being played onto a creature, since the aura specifically has to target a creature as it comes into play.
Lymphnut
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I really love this card. I usually play with my red-blue control that takes a long time to achieve its win condition, and I get to lose coz my opponent would play banefire on me with X more than 5 and can't be countered.. But with this card... hehehe... He gets to eat his own banefire. hehehe.. >)
Mindbend
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(4 votes)
i love this card more than any card ever. someone trys to pacifism you star creture . pfft you pacify there star creture .
so many possiblity for massive card advantage . swerved someones goblin grenade back him the other day , he ended up having to use some *** white counter spell which only counters spells which target him on himself .
i lost swerve
he lost 1 goblin , one goblin greanade, and one counter . and his will to live
skew
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
JaxsonBateman:
Nope, you can change target of a spell only to another legal target. See rule 113.6, http://www.wizards.com/magic/comprules/MagicCompRules_20091005.pdf
Therefore, you can't make a spell fizzle by choosing illegal target for it.
Dingo777
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Haha, banefire back to your face
and you can redirect a cruel ultimatum, but it has to be in multiplayer, where there are multiple opponents
gotta love Izzet, this is perfect UR some control, some head games, some fun
casual is great, multiplayer is fun, standard, good for contol/anti control/anti removal
.Fighter.
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can you Swerve cards that say "Target Opponent" back to their owner?
WER386
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
.Fighter. - this card changes the target, the target must be legal, so if you think of it: an opponent is a foe of the caster, hence the caster cannot be targeted as an opponent. But this card can single change the tide of the game with a well placed removal redirection/damage spell/uber-aura steal, etc. really useful.
kowrip
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love "surprise" cards like this. Deflection does the same thing, but you need to keep 4 mana available to be able to use it effectively. With this card being an uncommon AND only 2 mana, you can easily cast your own spells and still have the ability to use this one when necessary. There is also a hidden card avantage with this card. When you use it, you obviously re-target the spell to benefit you and hurt your opponent. 5/5
BrutalJim
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
So basically this card can
- Counter any counterspell (even Last Word) - Throw any "target player" spell back at your opponent - Redirect most forms of permanent removal to an opponents permanent - Redirect any "target opponent" spell to a different player in multiplayer
There's a lot of fun and versatility in this card for just 2 mana.
Geigan
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
I swerve your swerve, to swerve my swerve, to swerve your swerve, to swerve my swerve, to swerve your swerve... other guy: uuuuuuuuuugh *face table* =D
can you swerve a creater form someone elas side of the borad when it is coming in to play to your side
ishkabibble
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
A lot of you guys aren't correctly applying the ruling that swerve must target a legal target. -- you cannot swerve cruel ultimatum unless you're in a multiplayer game. that card says "target opponent" and he can't target himself. -- you can swerve virtually every counterspell, even last word. main spell goes on stack, opponent casts counterspell, you swerve counterspell to target swerve (you apparently cannot have counterspell target itself). some people have a problem with this because the counterspell is now targeting something higher than it on the stack, but there's apparently no rule against that. the swerve is now highest on the stack, resolves changing the counter's target. then the counter, which targeted an already resolved spell fizzles. then the main spell resolves. -- you can swerve auras. eldrazi con***ion? i'll take that. -- you cannot swerve anything onto any of your creatures affected by semi-shroud (shielding plax) unless you cast the swerved spell originally yourself. -- you cannot swerve their creatures to come into play on your side of the board (seriously?) -- you cannot swerve their terror (or doom blade) onto any prot-black creature, because prot-black creatures cannot be targeted by black spells
surewhynot
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
LOL @ Mode. Yet another of Wizards' many "OH ****" moments.
BiOhyBr
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
"OK, I deal 17 damage with my banefire. It can't be countered so it looks like that's game..."
"Yea... I guess it is game. I win"
(Play swerve)
GG
Gizzlebubbear
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This card counters a spell and casts a spell for a two mana. It's so good- This thing is a card advantage monster
BioPrince
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(7 votes)
Deflect MAGIC 2011 (NEW CARD) Instant (RARE) You may choose new targets for target spell. “Your strategy is extraordinary. I just adjusted a few minor details.” -Veris, Guardian of the fortress Indi Illus. Izzy Collectors Number: 71/249
Cigarette
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
A few FNM's ago, I watched a friend of mine Swerve a Time Warp onto himself, followed by a Twincast. So much for the opponent.
Vinifera7
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is just plain amazing. It packs so many control situations into a single card. Your opponent can say goodbye to combat tricks, most removal (as long as there is another target available), direct damage spells, and discard spells. You can also redirect more situational things like Time Warp to steal your opponent's extra turn.
I'm also fairly certain that it can be used to fizzle counterspells, if needed. Opponent casts counterspell, you cast Swerve changing the target of the counterspell to Swerve itself. Swerve resolves, and the counterspell's target no longer exists so it fizzles.
Test-Subject_217601
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Looks like the flavor text is giving you tips on how to beat this card.
Tarotlynx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ooh, another spell that can reflect hostile magic back where it belongs (the caster instead of the victim.) Maybe it's time for me to abandon green and join the red/blue club.
jsttu
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
So Lets say you play a card and someone counters it. You play swerve, making the counterspell target the only other thing targetable, swerve. What happens? If swerve gets countered then the counterspell would go back to it's original target, but the counterspell was already used on swerve, and you cannot have the same affect happen twice without a card specifying it can. Can anyone explain? I'll give you a cookie.
cathode01
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I found out that redirection effects are excellent for dealing with troll-shroud baddies like Uril, the Miststalker or Thrun, the Last Troll. Came up in a game I was playing...
Opponent: "Path to Exile on your Thraximundar" Me: "Swerve, change to your Uril" Opponent: "&$%@"
@jsttu: If you force a counterspell to target Swerve, Swerve will resolve first, changing the target. Then the counter spell will try and resolve, but it can't because it's only target is now non-existant. So the counterspell will be countered.
Psuedonaut
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(8 votes)
Player 1: I PLAY LIGHTNING BOLT! Player 2: NONONO, I PLAY LIGHTNING BOLT TOO! Player 1: WHAT A FOOL, I SWERVE YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT! Player 2: BA HA HA, BUT I SWERVE YOUR SWERVE TO SWERVE TO YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT! WHICH NOW WORKS WITH ME! PLAYER 1: OH, INTERESTING, BUT I SWERVE YOUR SWERVE TO TARGET MY SWERVE TO TARGET YOUR SWERVE TO TARGET YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT! Player 2: FOOL! I SWERVE YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT TO TARGET THE FIRST TARGET! Player 3: Ku ku ku ku ku, NAIVE! DOUBLE NEGATIVE BOTH OF YOUR LIGHTNING BOLTS! Player 4: MWA HA HA HA HA, I SWERVE YOUR DOUBLE NEGATIVE TO CANCEL THE SWERVE TO THE LIGHTNING BOLT AND THE SWERVE TO SWERVE THE SWERVE THE LIGHTNING BOLT! Player 3: I WASH MY HANDS OF THIS! Player 5: Chill guys, chill, seriously, you're all going crazy. Now then, I use Gleemax. Player's 1, 2, 3 and 4: WAT!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?!?!? Player 1: I COUNTERSPELL YOUR GLEEMAX! Player 5: I swerve your counterspell to counter the double negative countering the swerve swerving the lightning bolt, and the swerve swerving the lightning bolt to you. Player 2: GRAHH I USE DOUBLE NEGATIVE TO COUNTER BOTH LIGHTNING BOLTS! Player 3: I RESENT THAT! I PLAY CONCORDANT CROSSROADS! Player 4: I TAP MY CRAFTY PATHMAGE! Player 6: So, you guys went kinda overboard after I played my Pygmy Hippo. Anyway, thanks Player 5, for the unblockable, and you guys for stopping those lightning bolts targeting it. Oh, also, thanks for using Concordant Crossroads, and uhm.... thanks Player 5 for using Mox Lotus. So you know, when I attack you I get infinite mana... and uhm, well... Helix Pinnacle has been out for a while so.... Gg then?
-A swerve inside a swerve inside a swerve
IT WAS ALL JUST A DREAM!
AlunJaceImpostor
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(9 votes)
i told a girl about this card and i got laid
MisterAction
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
My favorite Swerve moment: retargeting an opponent's Enslave. He "gained control" of his own creature, and slowly bled out.
Huffytreefolkman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
my all time favorite R/U instant peoples reactions priceless:)
Studoku
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Target target target that targets target target's target.
Target!
Salient
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
A Doom Blade or Go for the Throat retargeted with Swerve is the closest a game of Magic will ever come to judo.
In my second game of EDH/Commander since the Commander decks were released, I got to redirect a Doom Blade originally targeting my Nin, the Pain Artist onto the creature they had equipped with a Sword of Fire and Ice. It was a thing of beauty.
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm assuming this is rated so high because it's an uncommon? as compared to redirect
soupydreck
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Any official ruling on Swerving a Wild Ricochet on to Swerve? Wild Ricochet has multiple targets but still only targets a single spell.
NoobOfLore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For any spell with freedom in targets, this is Counterpell+.
NeoKoda
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Insanely good, crazy uncommon. M12 has a mono-colored one at rare.
Nonprofitparrot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@soupydreck you could technically change the target of wild ricochet to swerve with swerve. However, by the time wild ricochet has resolved, swerve would no longer be on the stack and thus, wild ricochet would be countered. So it could be a legitimate play if you wanted to counter the wild ricochet.
I like this card because of how many times they use the word "target" in the pretty short rules text.
Lifegainwithbite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So.. it sounds like this card will make you everyone's target.
*Csi: Miami music*
Hercynian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If I'm not mistaken this can put opponent's creature auras on your creatures as well.
bud1357
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lambo mercy
thexmanlight
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
The perfect card to deal with people who both run removal and cards with hexproof. Can't target that Geist of Saint Traft? No worries, you can do it for me!
larkeith
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Mode Or uu for Redirect (Rare), a slightly stronger card.
Comments (61)
On another note, I was considering making a WUb control deck to try and combat the Jund juggernaut, but this card makes me sad. Do I splash red and dilute my mana base for something with such awesome card advantage, or do I stick with the original WUb plan and just keep the counters that break even? Decisions decisions.
______________________
Thanks, Wizards :D
so many possiblity for massive card advantage . swerved someones goblin grenade back him the other day , he ended up having to use some *** white counter spell which only counters spells which target him on himself .
i lost swerve
he lost 1 goblin , one goblin greanade, and one counter . and his will to live
Nope, you can change target of a spell only to another legal target. See rule 113.6, http://www.wizards.com/magic/comprules/MagicCompRules_20091005.pdf
Therefore, you can't make a spell fizzle by choosing illegal target for it.
and you can redirect a cruel ultimatum, but it has to be in multiplayer, where there are multiple opponents
gotta love Izzet, this is perfect UR some control, some head games, some fun
casual is great, multiplayer is fun, standard, good for contol/anti control/anti removal
- Counter any counterspell (even Last Word)
- Throw any "target player" spell back at your opponent
- Redirect most forms of permanent removal to an opponents permanent
- Redirect any "target opponent" spell to a different player in multiplayer
There's a lot of fun and versatility in this card for just 2 mana.
to swerve my swerve,
to swerve your swerve,
to swerve my swerve,
to swerve your swerve...
other guy: uuuuuuuuuugh *face table*
=D
Oh dearie me
-- you cannot swerve cruel ultimatum unless you're in a multiplayer game. that card says "target opponent" and he can't target himself.
-- you can swerve virtually every counterspell, even last word. main spell goes on stack, opponent casts counterspell, you swerve counterspell to target swerve (you apparently cannot have counterspell target itself). some people have a problem with this because the counterspell is now targeting something higher than it on the stack, but there's apparently no rule against that. the swerve is now highest on the stack, resolves changing the counter's target. then the counter, which targeted an already resolved spell fizzles. then the main spell resolves.
-- you can swerve auras. eldrazi con***ion? i'll take that.
-- you cannot swerve anything onto any of your creatures affected by semi-shroud (shielding plax) unless you cast the swerved spell originally yourself.
-- you cannot swerve their creatures to come into play on your side of the board (seriously?)
-- you cannot swerve their terror (or doom blade) onto any prot-black creature, because prot-black creatures cannot be targeted by black spells
"Yea... I guess it is game. I win"
(Play swerve)
GG
Instant (RARE)
You may choose new targets for target spell.
“Your strategy is extraordinary. I just adjusted a few minor details.”
-Veris, Guardian of the fortress Indi
Illus. Izzy
Collectors Number: 71/249
So much for the opponent.
I'm also fairly certain that it can be used to fizzle counterspells, if needed. Opponent casts counterspell, you cast Swerve changing the target of the counterspell to Swerve itself. Swerve resolves, and the counterspell's target no longer exists so it fizzles.
Opponent: "Path to Exile on your Thraximundar"
Me: "Swerve, change to your Uril"
Opponent: "&$%@"
@jsttu:
If you force a counterspell to target Swerve, Swerve will resolve first, changing the target. Then the counter spell will try and resolve, but it can't because it's only target is now non-existant. So the counterspell will be countered.
Player 2: NONONO, I PLAY LIGHTNING BOLT TOO!
Player 1: WHAT A FOOL, I SWERVE YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT!
Player 2: BA HA HA, BUT I SWERVE YOUR SWERVE TO SWERVE TO YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT! WHICH NOW WORKS WITH ME!
PLAYER 1: OH, INTERESTING, BUT I SWERVE YOUR SWERVE TO TARGET MY SWERVE TO TARGET YOUR SWERVE TO TARGET YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT!
Player 2: FOOL! I SWERVE YOUR LIGHTNING BOLT TO TARGET THE FIRST TARGET!
Player 3: Ku ku ku ku ku, NAIVE! DOUBLE NEGATIVE BOTH OF YOUR LIGHTNING BOLTS!
Player 4: MWA HA HA HA HA, I SWERVE YOUR DOUBLE NEGATIVE TO CANCEL THE SWERVE TO THE LIGHTNING BOLT AND THE SWERVE TO SWERVE THE SWERVE THE LIGHTNING BOLT!
Player 3: I WASH MY HANDS OF THIS!
Player 5: Chill guys, chill, seriously, you're all going crazy. Now then, I use Gleemax.
Player's 1, 2, 3 and 4: WAT!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?
Player 1: I COUNTERSPELL YOUR GLEEMAX!
Player 5: I swerve your counterspell to counter the double negative countering the swerve swerving the lightning bolt, and the swerve swerving the lightning bolt to you.
Player 2: GRAHH I USE DOUBLE NEGATIVE TO COUNTER BOTH LIGHTNING BOLTS!
Player 3: I RESENT THAT! I PLAY CONCORDANT CROSSROADS!
Player 4: I TAP MY CRAFTY PATHMAGE!
Player 6: So, you guys went kinda overboard after I played my Pygmy Hippo. Anyway, thanks Player 5, for the unblockable, and you guys for stopping those lightning bolts targeting it. Oh, also, thanks for using Concordant Crossroads, and uhm.... thanks Player 5 for using Mox Lotus. So you know, when I attack you I get infinite mana... and uhm, well... Helix Pinnacle has been out for a while so.... Gg then?
-A swerve inside a swerve inside a swerve
IT WAS ALL JUST A DREAM!
Target!
In my second game of EDH/Commander since the Commander decks were released, I got to redirect a Doom Blade originally targeting my Nin, the Pain Artist onto the creature they had equipped with a Sword of Fire and Ice. It was a thing of beauty.
*Csi: Miami music*