I just ardor forcing the opponent to make a tough, mind splitting decision.
nineyears
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(4 votes)
this card is a lot better than is looks. I dont use it to counter anything really, but i use it to get Mind Funeral which mills about 12-15 cards in average from my opponents library :)
AlphaNumerical
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Horrible..
Like Tyrannize, this is a card that sucks purely because your opponent gets a choice. I have nothing against Fact or Fiction, or Gifts Ungiven, and is rather neutral to Browbeat, but cards like this...
AgesofThunder
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I just like this card because unlike Drift of phantasms it's a 3 cost card with transmute with an ability not completely worthless in case transmuting it is not necessary. Since I run a grixis control / combo deck anything that can counter a spell , empty an opponents hand, or find the cards necessary to grab my kill combo is useful in my opinion, and this card can do all three. I think I'll find some and throw in a couple copies of it so i can see how useful it turns out.
A0602
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
One thing I think most people overlook is the fact that you are allowed to use this to counter a spell that you just played. Why? Choose to discard your hand. Why would I do that? That would be very situational...
If you have Brink of Madnes on the field and maybe a Megrim you can get your opponent to discard their hand.
If you have Doomed Necromancer you could use him to bring back any creature that was in your hand.
Both of these strategies are inefficient, but playable. And with the cards possibility as transmute for 3, it is pretty versatile.
Velex
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Its a good counterspell, that is useful when an opponent has a full to medium hand. And when they have a 0-1 card hand, you can always transmute it for something useful.
I find it very funny to counter their beatstick before they can throw canopy cover on it, or force them to leave their beatstick uprotected by having them discard said card (and anything else they might have) instead. And then untap and steal it anyway with control magic or confiscate or the like.
Also transmuting into, say, mind funeral is always a good thing.
A very fun card, with a nifty utility if you don't need a fun card in your hand.
CeremonialBathory
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I love this card. I play it in EDH and most of the people I know have infinite hand sizes thanks to Reliquary Tower or Spellbook. They also have no idea what this card does, so they always have to look at it. They usually just let the spell get countered, though. The Transmute is useful too.
Rikiaz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If they have a big hand then cast it. If they don't then transmute to a Mind Funeral to devestate their library. Great card in my opinion.
Kryptnyt
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It's not as good as Cancel when you cast it but it is better simply because of the Transmute option.
Imperialstonedragon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
good tutor but bad counter, u won't counter something precious with this since u cant decide so it can only counter some crap at the beginning
OmegaSerris
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This card can lead to some funny (for you, not your opponent) situations.
"I play Overrun." "Ok, counter it unless you discard your hand." "Haha, I'm swinging for the win, so fine. No hand. Good game." "Ok, Counterspell it now." "God damn you! >.<"
That said, it still is less reliable than those counters where they have to pay (Manaleak) as you can play around how much land they have open at the time. With this, you have no idea how good their hand is and if they want to keep it or not. It's also a completely dead card in a discard deck as when they are topdecking spells, they have no hand to discard.
Possibly combo with Telepathy effects (which help counter-based control decks anyways) but even then, you have to really know your opponent/their deck to know which option they'll choose and use it to your advantage.
RJDroid
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(11 votes)
Play this against Hedron Crab for a joke few will get.
jsttu
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Step 1: Use this Step 2: If the opponent lets the spell be countered, great. Stop here on the flowchart. If they discard, proceed to step 3 Step 3: Cast a hard counter. Step 4: Laugh Step 5: ... Step 6: Profit!
If i play a counter spell and my opponent counters it with a perplex, can I counter perplex with a counter without any repercussion? such as having to discard my hand?
phyrexiantrygon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@OmegaSerris
Actually, Its NOT a dead card. it has transmute, so you can make it a Liliana of the Veil, for example.
you dont even need to USE it as a counter. It can just be a cmc 3 tutor.
Okuu-chan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@pinkyandthebrain:
Yes. When your counter resolves, the Perplex's effect doesn't take place, so you're not forced to make the "Counter or discard your hand" choice.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What do Blightning, Cruel Ultimatum, Phyrexian Obliterator, Thought Hemmorhage, and Trepanation Blade all have in common?
They cause enough damage to kill, as an afterthought on top of already devastating effects.
Seems like a good theme for a deck to have. Looks like the colors would be Grixis. Maybe Nicol Bolas wants to look into this?
Throw those in with Markov Blademaster and Perplex and you know, I think you just may be able to make a deck guaranteed to cause a person to quit Magic every time. :p
adrian.malacoda
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(5 votes)
Ha! I'll counter your Perplex with Null Brooch! Take that!
imsully2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Fun in the right deck with (both) Nicol Bolas and Crosis, the Purger
Pick15
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Has anyone really been so far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
MindAblaze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This. Card. Is. Neat.
Unless target spell wins them the game...
To me, this is everything I want in a counter spell, no pay to counter my counter...pitch your hand. If you have no hand? Goes to get me something fun like the aforementioned Liliana of the Veil, or say...Yawgmoth's Will or Necropotence if you like to do broken things.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A lot of people overvalue having no maximum hand size. In a reanimation deck, spellbook effects suck. I was severely hindered by my Zedruu opponent exchanging his Reliquary Tower for one of my awesome nonbasics.
Wait, can't they wait to chose if they discard when this card comes up on the stack? Such as, I play card X, my opponent plays perplex, I chose to discard my hand and the stack goes down. If somebody plays a hard counter above that then the stack didn't go down yet and the player doesn't have to make the choice until this card comes up on the stack.
The other way that I can think of it is that when this card is played, your oponent either choses that this spell has the wording counter spell is countered or that the controler of targer card discards their hand. If it is this way then definatly Remand if they chose to discard their hand, you bounce the spell back to their hand, you draw a card, then they discard their hand.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Useful for the transmute. If it didn't have that, this card would be pretty weak. Cancel is arguably stronger then this effect, because they are not going to take that option unless its not going to hurt them.
TexasDice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very important in all of my Grixis/Esper/Bug edh control decks, because it changes into Necropotence, Toxic Deluge, Hinder/Spell Crumple or provides a worst case browbeat-counterspell, which is arguably still better than a 0/5 wall or a bad brainstorm.
Comments (29)
Like Tyrannize, this is a card that sucks purely because your opponent gets a choice. I have nothing against Fact or Fiction, or Gifts Ungiven, and is rather neutral to Browbeat, but cards like this...
If you have Brink of Madnes on the field and maybe a Megrim you can get your opponent to discard their hand.
If you have Doomed Necromancer you could use him to bring back any creature that was in your hand.
Both of these strategies are inefficient, but playable. And with the cards possibility as transmute for 3, it is pretty versatile.
Also transmuting into, say, mind funeral is always a good thing.
A very fun card, with a nifty utility if you don't need a fun card in your hand.
"I play Overrun."
"Ok, counter it unless you discard your hand."
"Haha, I'm swinging for the win, so fine. No hand. Good game."
"Ok, Counterspell it now."
"God damn you! >.<"
That said, it still is less reliable than those counters where they have to pay
Possibly combo with Telepathy effects (which help counter-based control decks anyways) but even then, you have to really know your opponent/their deck to know which option they'll choose and use it to your advantage.
Step 2: If the opponent lets the spell be countered, great. Stop here on the flowchart. If they discard, proceed to step 3
Step 3: Cast a hard counter.
Step 4: Laugh
Step 5: ...
Step 6: Profit!
Actually, Its NOT a dead card. it has transmute, so you can make it a Liliana of the Veil, for example.
you dont even need to USE it as a counter. It can just be a cmc 3 tutor.
Yes. When your counter resolves, the Perplex's effect doesn't take place, so you're not forced to make the "Counter or discard your hand" choice.
They cause enough damage to kill, as an afterthought on top of already devastating effects.
Seems like a good theme for a deck to have. Looks like the colors would be Grixis. Maybe Nicol Bolas wants to look into this?
Throw those in with Markov Blademaster and Perplex and you know, I think you just may be able to make a deck guaranteed to cause a person to quit Magic every time. :p
Unless target spell wins them the game...
To me, this is everything I want in a counter spell, no pay
That aside, this is a solid all-round common with a very relevant search radius (swords, Jace Beleren, Mind Funeral, Temple Bell, Memory Erosion, Murder, Dissipate, Capsize, Corpse Dance, Buried Alive, Phyrexian Arena, Trinket Mage. . .).
The other way that I can think of it is that when this card is played, your oponent either choses that this spell has the wording counter spell is countered or that the controler of targer card discards their hand. If it is this way then definatly Remand if they chose to discard their hand, you bounce the spell back to their hand, you draw a card, then they discard their hand.