The instant speed is what makes this card that good.
You can fizzle your opponent's removal spell by rescuing the target, or you can make use of your permanent's cip/etb effect a second time.
Whether you are able to do one or both by casting this spell, you'll always also even get to bounce any of your opponents permanents.
I would have loved it for 
, but it's still decent nontheless.
Posted By:
Mode
(1/30/2010 4:11:56 AM)
@Cheza
"An answer to an answer is a VERY bad thing. Rather play another threat."
I suppose by that logic every single counterspell ever made is garbage? You simply don't understand how blue plays. Blue is all about answers, not threats. An answer to an answer is one of the things blue relishes above all else, I've played blue in almost every single deck I've ever made and that is always its role other than card draw.
If you can't offer anything that gets you above a .5 rating, just don't comment on blue cards because you obviously have no idea how blue plays.
Now then... As for the card itself, it's an ally enabler for sure, a deadly one at that. Landfall also works well with it. Within the block, it's an excellent answer to an answer and a good threat reloader. Outside, it's more or less an answer to an answer and decent threat reloader. 4.5/5 in block, 3.5/5 outside. 4/5 overall.
Posted By:
VoidedNote
(5/15/2011 7:01:42 PM)
Turn one- Forest, llanowar elves or arbor elf
Turn two- Island, aether trade wind your elf and their land.
Boomerang is back
Posted By:
Tommy9898
(3/1/2010 9:53:40 PM)
Now that levelers are out, this could be used with Venerated Teacher for some leveling shenanigans.
Posted By:
nammertime
(4/28/2010 1:55:33 AM)
I'm currently running two of these in a blue deck with lots of enchantments, which has been letting me do lots of fun things. If they try to destroy the creature I've Mind Controlled, or just naturalize my enchantment, I can return it to my hand AND set them back a turn or so by bouncing something they wouldn't want bounced. Or I can use Narcolepsy without fear to buy myself time in the early turns, knowing that I can always return it to my hand later and cast it on one of their bigger creatures, and maybe even bounce said creature, just so they know that if they DO play it again... it'll get awfully sleepy :D
It's not quite as nice as flexible as Into the Roil, but with a little creativity I've noticed there's a lot of things that can be done. I think this is primarily a defensive tool, while the aforementioned is more aggressive.
Posted By:
Ladon---
(7/23/2010 9:27:12 AM)
I like cards that are sort of a minigame unto themselves, and this is one of those cards.
Man I wanna make that 
landfall deck...
Posted By:
Stray_Dog
(1/6/2011 1:23:37 AM)
The key word here is "permanent".
Posted By:
divine_exodus
(5/11/2011 5:48:28 AM)
One of my favorite cards in the set.
The dirty secret with this card is that you can nullify two attacking creatures with one chump blocker.
Block one with your chump.
Before damage: bounce the chump, and then bounce another of their attackers.
Added bonus if your blocker has a comes into play effect.
As someone already mentioned, its natural pair in set, imho, is Pilgrim's Eye.
Posted By:
edeloso
(5/27/2010 5:31:40 PM)
Great flex card on either offense or defense, with tons of options. Remove a blocker and trigger landfall for yourself? Save your guy and bounce their attacker? Bounce a land?
Lower cost would be brutal, I think this cost is very solid where it is.
4/5
Posted By:
Gaussgoat
(1/30/2010 9:07:18 PM)
This reminds me of Narrow Escape, only better. Except Narrow Escape was bad, so I guess this makes AEther Tradewinds...medium? Sure.
I'd say mid-pick in Limited. It actually seems like pretty nice tech with all the synergy in the block. (Allies, Kabira Crossroads lands, landfall, kicker dudes, Gomazoa...)
Most awesome combo if you pull it: Avenger of Zendikar.
Posted By:
mutantman
(1/29/2010 2:27:50 PM)