I bet this will cause some unexpected blowouts in the early days of this limited format. Late game, they tap out to cast their fatty and this could kill them. Not too shabby.
So with something like Crusader of Odric or Maro, the power is calculated on the stack, correct? I'm really surprised there isn't a card ruling note on this. I believe that the power is calculated while it's on the stack. I'm sure this will come up in the prerelease with Wayfaring Temple and Pack Rat.
Minus_Prime
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Too bad it doesn't deal damage based on CMC instead, considering it takes 6 mana to throw out a 3/3 flyer in this set.
Tunklebunkle
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Goodbye Worldspire Wurm...
steev
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I was gonna say "it's like Backlash for red-blue" and then I noticed this has "Backlash" in the name. Of course, Wizards.
Lotsofpoopy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
@PeabodyET
I am a pro so I can tell you that Crusader of Odric can be countered with this card, but while on the stack, it's power is 0 so they would not take any damage.
mbauer8286
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Peabody
Crusader of Odric's *'s function in all zones, not just the battlefield. He will have a power and toughness while on the stack (though the Crusader itself won't be included in the number of creatures, obviously).
Eternal_Blue
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Sooo... this is like an Essence Scatter, hence the name, that can only counter 1/6th of all the available spells. But not only that, it costs 4-mana, two of which are different colored. And if you finally manage to counter something--a big if in a set filled with uncounterables--you could wind up dealing about a Lava Axe's worth of damage back onto the caster.
Yes, this will win some games in Limited. But it also has the very real potential of either being cast too early or being held in your hand turn after turn--effectively a dead card--while you try to decide on the 'perfect' card to counter. I guess it could see play in Standard but as part of what kind of deck? Counterburn perhaps. Some sort of U/R control?
Doom_Lich
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@lotsofpoopy:
For a pro, your rules knowledge is absolutely terrible. Cards with characteristic defining abilities like crusader of Odric have those characteristics everywhere. Countering a crusader of Odric deals damage equal to the number of creatures that player controls.
EyeballFrog
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The fun part is the damage isn't conditional on the spell being countered. You could cast it on a Loxodon Smiter and burn your opponent for 4. That's admittedly not the most efficient use of it, but if your opponent is low on life, it might be just what you need.
DoragonShinzui
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Somewhat expensive, but absolutely punishing for anyone who has the gall to drop a fattie on your watch.
That being said, stapling Backlash to an Essence Scatter and then removing all subtly from the name is...an interesting choice, to say the least.
Mode
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"spell's power"
This will probably be the only entry in Gatherer for quite some time when you search this combination of words.
ZEvilMustache
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
What a back breaker! A great card for an Izzet deck that wants to bring you ever closer to fireball range.
RAV0004
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It's a Lightning Bolt staples to a Cancel, pretty much. Sometimes, It's even better. I see it being used in a variety of formats, although maybe not standard.
literally won 2 games in a row countering the same Chaos Imps and dealing 6 to the face. It was awesome the first time... then i apologized the second time :-/
mflanaga
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Oh you want to drop your bomb fatty and stabilize? How about you just be dead instead...
Blackmeat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is the perfect counter to a Thragtusk in standard. If they are ramping with farseek you still have the advantage of casting this turn 4 if they try to drop one. If you are running goblin electromancers then this card truly shines i mean 3 mana to counter and deal dmg is excellent when one of the format defining cards is about to be played. This card Punishes trust me. 4/5
Sure, they still get Emrakul, but they also get 15 damage to the face
Of course, people dont generally hardcast her. But if they do...
@DarthParallax: Emrakul is not counterable, but this spell can still target the Emrakul spell and deal 15 damage to its caster, which might be enough to end the game right there
lorddeox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@DarthParallax While Emrakul may be uncounterable, the spells second effect will still go off, so they get an Emrakul and 15 damage to the face.
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The Errata does say so. Which is interesting, I didn't know that worked that way. I'ma hafta learn more.
FaceClaimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
would this work against Ajani Goldmane's ultimate? because that means instant full life burn in just a four cost card...
dmullin47
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@FaceClaimer
Ajani's ability cannot be countered with the Essence Backlash. The ability is not a spell.
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If there's ever a time for Ball Lightning to screw up...
bram1rez
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This goes well with Lobber Crew and Pyroconvergence
WhisperingEyeCo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
1) playing Trostani, selesnya's Voice then putting Conjurer's Closet onto the battle field. 2) Playing Serra Avatar doubling life at the end of each turn. 3) Draw storm herd get ready to play with 2000 life. 4) Confused look when Serra Avatar is returned to my hand 5) the look on my face with my friend Essence Backlash my Serra Avatar effectively reducing my life total from 2000 to 0 when he could of been dead turns ago......Priceless
KoreanRevenant
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"Oh look you milled me with your Dimir deck and want to throw out Consuming Aberration for some additional hate?, nope."
C1455
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Serra Avatar, that is all.
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"blastseeker" is clearly the best profession ever.
Tamerlein
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is just too situational for me. It is twice the casting cost of Essence Scatter and while the damage it deals is nice, having to leave four mana up for a counter that can only stop creatures just isn't worth it.
2/5
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A spell having power... sounds kinda weird, doesn't it?
JungleRot
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
That's a nice Worldspine Wurm It would be a shame if someone Essence Backlash'd it c:
bleedingreen925
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I absolutely hate this card. More than anything else in Magic. It cost me 18 booster packs at FNM. I just started playing as M14 was released so I didn't do any RTR drafting and I mostly buy singles so I didn't even know this card even existed. I was running Jund with 12 shocklands, 3 Stormbreath Dragons, 3 Polukranos, 3 Desecration Demon, Domri, Garruk, Xenagos (both god and planeswalker), Rakdos Return, 4x Abrupt Decay, 4x Thoughtsieze among other stuff. I spent 250 dollars on this deck. and I went 5-0 and would have gotten first place but I cast a Polukranos with a Hammer of Purphoros out against this guy that hadn't won a single game all night. He ran some mediocre counters (Cancels instead of Dissolves) and lots of janky, overcosted burn spells like Flames of the Firebrand and the only dual lands he had were guildgates. It looked like he built the damn thing out of a deckbuilder's toolkit. I was at 4 life and he was at 7 and I already had a Stormbreath Dragon out so I cast the Polukranos, the hammer giving it haste would make me swing for 9 and win the game. He essence backlashed the Polukranos and won that game. It would be the only GAME he would win all night (I sided in slaughter games and beat him the next 2 games, taking essence backlash out both games) and I ended up 3rd (there were 3 of us that ended 5-0) because I lost to that one stupid card I didn't even know existed. Seriously. Screw this card.
Comments (35)
I am a pro so I can tell you that Crusader of Odric can be countered with this card, but while on the stack, it's power is 0 so they would not take any damage.
Crusader of Odric's *'s function in all zones, not just the battlefield. He will have a power and toughness while on the stack (though the Crusader itself won't be included in the number of creatures, obviously).
Yes, this will win some games in Limited. But it also has the very real potential of either being cast too early or being held in your hand turn after turn--effectively a dead card--while you try to decide on the 'perfect' card to counter. I guess it could see play in Standard but as part of what kind of deck? Counterburn perhaps. Some sort of U/R control?
For a pro, your rules knowledge is absolutely terrible. Cards with characteristic defining abilities like crusader of Odric have those characteristics everywhere. Countering a crusader of Odric deals damage equal to the number of creatures that player controls.
That being said, stapling Backlash to an Essence Scatter and then removing all subtly from the name is...an interesting choice, to say the least.
This will probably be the only entry in Gatherer for quite some time when you search this combination of words.
Or even better, Serra Avatar XD
Sure, they still get Emrakul, but they also get 15 damage to the face
Of course, people dont generally hardcast her. But if they do...
@DarthParallax: Emrakul is not counterable, but this spell can still target the Emrakul spell and deal 15 damage to its caster, which might be enough to end the game right there
Ajani's ability cannot be countered with the Essence Backlash. The ability is not a spell.
2) Playing Serra Avatar doubling life at the end of each turn.
3) Draw storm herd get ready to play with 2000 life.
4) Confused look when Serra Avatar is returned to my hand
5) the look on my face with my friend Essence Backlash my Serra Avatar effectively reducing my life total from 2000 to 0 when he could of been dead turns ago......Priceless
2/5
It would be a shame if someone
Essence Backlash'd it c: