it's always regrettable in my opinion when cards with generous names are quite weak. i mean, who needs a counter that gives your opponent a new card to play? it could maybe have been one mana cheaper to find use, but like this it's not really useful. you preferably try to come up with two blue mana and dependant on format either use Cancel or Counterspell instead.
Elysiume
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's costed fairly high for a counter, and it has a horrible drawback. Under what circumstances would you put this in a deck?
Why so low? Its no Counterspell to be sure, but its comparable to Cancel. If I am going to spend three mana to counter something I would rather not have to tap the extra Island. Oh well if they draw a card, I am probably drawing way more if Im using Rhystic Study.
AXER
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
{2}{U} to counter anything? That's not a bad deal if all the guy gets to do is draw a card. But I'm gunna play it in my Phyrexian Tyranny and Underworld Dreams deck.
djbon2112
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
Well, I'll give this card a little love. 4/5.
It has the same CMC as Cancel (the baseline counter), but costs (2)(U) instead of (1)(U)(U). In a non-mono-blue deck that can make the difference between countering that spell and not. The trade-off, they get to draw a card. Big whoop. It's not a "horrible drawback" by a long shot. It's one card, it's not going to break the game. You just don't use it for stupid stuff, but for their big spell. As a hard counter, you could do better, but you could also do a LOT worse.
Talcos
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
Before you decry this card, remember that the card draw is a "may" so this card is strictly better than Cancel against a forgetful opponent.
Okay, I'm done being facetious. This card is terribad unless you have some way of turning the card draw into a disadvantage. Drawing cards wins games.
ClockworkSwordfish
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Run in a mill deck? Most people won't turn down a draw.
The point is to make card draw a disadvantage. Do that, and you have a decent counter.
wstonefi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ugh. I know Counterspell is considered too good, but this is just insulting.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Definitely should have cost
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Rating this 2/5 because of the following situation: Imagine you've played a spell and your opponent has countered it. Counter your own spell with this and their counter will fizzle. Of course, Remand is far better for this, but Remand was also printed about two years later.
Notion Thief would make it into a cantrip cancel for only {2}{U}. However, you have to have him out first so... yeah...
BongRipper420
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Even if this card can be made good, Arcane Denial is a million times better.
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yes, this is a very bad card. You counter a spell, but you also lose a card, your opponent doesn't. There is no real situation I would like to play this card. The 'may' clause adds insult to injury, a johnny player can't even really turn the card's disadvantage into an advantage. (unless your opponent is just plain bad at magic)
Comments (25)
i mean, who needs a counter that gives your opponent a new card to play?
it could maybe have been one mana cheaper to find use, but like this it's not really useful. you preferably try to come up with two blue mana and dependant on format either use Cancel or Counterspell instead.
It has the same CMC as Cancel (the baseline counter), but costs (2)(U) instead of (1)(U)(U). In a non-mono-blue deck that can make the difference between countering that spell and not. The trade-off, they get to draw a card. Big whoop. It's not a "horrible drawback" by a long shot. It's one card, it's not going to break the game. You just don't use it for stupid stuff, but for their big spell. As a hard counter, you could do better, but you could also do a LOT worse.
Okay, I'm done being facetious. This card is terribad unless you have some way of turning the card draw into a disadvantage. Drawing cards wins games.