Hmm, just looked up the definition of Syncopate: to shorten (a word) by omitting sounds or letters from the middle
Oh the name of this card makes perfect sense now ಠ_ಠ
sorin688
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
this is good against doomblade if its on a good creature
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
@Tommy9898; Yeah, if you think about it. These kind of counters were called "stutters" for a while, from a flavor standpoint they represent the blue mage causing the opponent to error rather than directly stopping them. see force spike. Paying X is representative of resisting the mind attack.
In classical literature, spells are almost always evoked vocally, usually with complex chants. To syncopate your chant, then, would really mess up your spell!
ToAsTy42o
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
so if your opponent taps out for a big a.ss creature or spell, can you cancel it with this for only U? (meaning, an island and x = 0, or do you HAVE to spend at least 1c on it? as in cmc 2 minimum?)
Alsebra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
@ToAsTy42o - You can indeed pay 0 for the X cost and have it counter something if your opponent has tapped out.
nathan666
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
@Alsebra That doesn't make any sense man, if you pay zero mana than your opponent should be able to counter the spell without paying any mana, regardless whether or not they are tapped out. A situation that this spell could be good in is if you want them to waste their mana, or you have a enough to cover the spell as it exiles the card instead of sending it to their graveyard.
Tynansdtm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I second that. You can always choose 0 for , and your opponent then chooses to "pay" . It's free, but still a choice, so they can let their spell be countered, but in most cases they won't.
DamyntheSilver
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Personally one of my favorite cards. Especially when using it on someone's 8 tap trump card. (generic example). It's always fun to tap 2 mana and remove a key spell from your opponent's strategy. And if you have to, you can always put more into it. Excellent card for decks that have things like Everflowing Chalice that can potentially have a great deal of mana from one source.
tarvofthemudhole
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@nathan666 I like using this card by paying one more than they have available. Watching them count their mana only to realize that their storm crow is about to be exiled, then saying "maybe you should have worked harder", is pretty much the most satisfying thing i do every day.
A3Kitsune
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Confirmed for Return to Ravnica.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Tommy9898 Kind of oddly named, but I like it: I think of it like this-
the Fireballs are hitting his counterspell swipes in a syncopated meter. It's about the rhythm of the mage's spell casting, in order to hit that many incoming targets in time.....yeah that's really wierd, but it makes it work :)
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
All-star card, 5/5
Equinox523
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I find it quite interesting that there is no card that simply says: Counter target spell unless its controller pays .
That said, this is a relevant spell that punishes enemies who tap out. The fact that it exiles cards can hose graveyard recursion as well. A great variant on Power Sink.
I guess the scry 2 is something but...apparently they think that is underpowered without some boost like Exile or Scry or something...
Eridanis
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Mark Rosewater notes in a recent "Drive to Work" podcast that this is named because it is a combination Power Sink and Disspate. The fact that it's an actual English word gives him no end of pleasure.
Comments (15)
Oh the name of this card makes perfect sense now ಠ_ಠ
In classical literature, spells are almost always evoked vocally, usually with complex chants. To syncopate your chant, then, would really mess up your spell!
@Tommy9898 Kind of oddly named, but I like it: I think of it like this-
the Fireballs are hitting his counterspell swipes in a syncopated meter. It's about the rhythm of the mage's spell casting, in order to hit that many incoming targets in time.....yeah that's really wierd, but it makes it work :)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays
That said, this is a relevant spell that punishes enemies who tap out. The fact that it exiles cards can hose graveyard recursion as well. A great variant on Power Sink.
I guess the scry 2 is something but...apparently they think that is underpowered without some boost like Exile or Scry or something...