Gentlemen:
Consecrated Sphinx. That will be all.
Not only can you get an easy 2-card 3-mana draw-3 engine with this, but if you play it with the Sphinx, it's a splashable, hard-counter, draw-5 engine for 2. Sure, your opponent gets to draw two cards too, but that doesn't even begin to compare to what you get out of the bargain.
Posted By:
Lyoncet
(2/2/2011 11:54:18 AM)
@markarmor
WHOA THERE. You managed to forget the best counterspell in the game? the strictly-better-than-counterspell counterspell: mana drain? Kids these days.. Also keep in mind that memory lapse is card neutral and delay's their forward progress. If that card you counter is something they would only need this turn or something then you've given them something equivalent to card disadvantage. (i.e. similar to "counter target spell, that player discards a card")
To the card, meh. It's ok.
-You lose card advantage
-any serious format it could see play it's overshadowed by force of will, counterspell, mana drain, and other free counterspells. There's not a lot of places for this outside of casual.
Posted By:
blurrymadness
(6/26/2011 1:29:03 AM)
The look on your opponent's face when their Primeval Titan turns intp Divination. This spell is better than Mana Leak, and I'd play this over Cryptic Command any day of the week because of the mana cost and splashability.
This card works miracles in tempo decks.
Posted By:
DacenOctavio
(4/23/2012 2:42:50 PM)
No one gives this card a fare shake.
Posted By:
SirDoom
(7/31/2009 7:16:39 PM)
This card combos well with any spell that can't be countered, or with effects that make your cards unable to be countered.
If you target one of your own uncounterable spells and this fails to counter it, you still draw three cards, making this a two-mana Ancestral Recall.
Posted By:
Aquillion
(6/14/2013 8:24:26 AM)
Personally prefer Mana Leak, Remand, and Rune Snag for this particular cmc.
I don't always like saying "sorry I countered your spell, brosef, here's some free cards from nowhere." I prefer trading 1-for-1.
Still, not unserviceable in decks that use Ebony Owl Netsuke and Black Vise as win conditions.
Posted By:
Kryptnyt
(6/10/2012 10:51:00 AM)
Plays best in milling decks - period. Or, as a redundant Counterspell along with Memory Lapse. Although yes your opponent can draw two cards, -if they want to-, and you only draw 1 card, that one card you draw is cantrip that you will use to just counterspell them more if you're playing something like draw-go with Standstill
Posted By:
Hovercraft
(9/4/2012 2:47:37 PM)
Guile : noun -
insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity. Yeah, the Sphinx is a good alternative... but what if you get to cast that ON TOP of paying 2 for Ancestral Recall !? 4/5
Posted By:
8Netherwind8
(9/13/2012 8:54:58 PM)
Hi all - does anybody know if this card can be used to counter when some tries to cast an artifact from their deck?
Posted By:
harryb23
(9/21/2012 7:03:40 AM)
Pretty overrated card I'd say. Of course, there are some ways to utilize this card's downside to your favor with cards like Consecrated Sphinx and Notion Thief, but as a card in general, the slightly easier mana cost does not make up for the card disadvantage over using something like Counterspell or Mana Drain. And of course, if you really want to counter something regardless of losing card advantage, just use Force of Will, an infinitely better card.
Posted By:
troll_berserker
(10/23/2013 3:12:16 PM)