Pointed Discussion

Making Force Spike cost 1 more is so huge.

In exchange for letting you scry, we removed the only reason to play Daze.

I like these conditional conterspells, as they reward skillful play, but this should have been powered down Mana Leak not overcosted Force Spike.

Strictly worse than condescend? For the same cost as this condescend can counter as well as this can and scry deeper. Condescend can also scale up. They use the same colored mana costs and card type. The only thing this does that condescend doesn't is work when cast without paying costs, and even then the extra scry is probably better than a 1 mana tax.

I'd like this better at 1 mana but only targeting enchantment spells, or even better non-enchantment spells.

If you ever get somoene with this in limited, you can be sure they will always wait until they have 1 extra mana when casting spells for the rest of the game(s).

Good call on Condescend. That would have been a nice reprint.

I tried to make this work in draft. Honest, I did. But other than your first, or possibly second turn, a Force Spike just isn't going to be much of a threat. And costing it at two mana ensures you'll miss your own turn in at least one futile attempt to counter your opponent's spell/s. I like my conditional counters to either be cheap or give me a reason other than a disappointing 'scry 1' to play them.

This is subpar, especially in the late-game. However, it's a good spell till turn three or four.

Really, with the curve in Sealed, a two-drop counter of this quality is a necessary evil.

How to make this weaker than Condescend without being strictly worse? It is indeed a conundrum. I would've gone with a Spell Pierce variant, or better yet, the opposite:


Counter target creature spell unless its controller pays . Scry 1.

Why couldn't this have been Scry 2? Or made the payment ? At least then it'd be playable.

Bonus points if you scream 'I STYMIE YOUR HOPES' at the top of your lungs as you cast this.

My most recent draft, this was my 23rd spell. I figured that it might come in handy once and save my bacon.

I cast this and successfully countered a spell in every single game I played.

Never underestimate the power of a counterspell in Limited.

Comparable to Spiketail Hatchling...no? Is a 1/1 for 2 mana that much more better over Scry 1?

@InFaMoUsGeMiNi: The hatchling is way better. A 1/1 with evasion can carry a game for a control deck, but more importantly, even though you need to pay on your turn, it is then available on the field should you ever need it. This effectively slows your opponent because they now know you can make them pay one more for any spell. Even if you tap out, its there. Plus, even if you get it after turn 3 or so, its a creature.

This card is okay-ish in limited, but pretty weak outside. I doubt I would pick it in sealed unless I had to. "Pay " counters get far worse with every mana you add to the cost. The addition of over Force Spike makes this hard to justify. As others have mentioned, strictly worse than Condescend. (I know you can think of an obscure situation it isn't true, but Condescend is better.) I wish they reprinted condescend instead, since it could have good flavor with the arrogant gods, but I suspect it was a calculated move to keep control from getting too good. Sometimes a format just needs a mediocre control card. Here is one. Sadly it doesn't compare well to other scry cards in the set either.