[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - Argothian Enchantress

[3drinks]

Friday, February 23rd, 2024; Fumiko the Lowblood

Is this thing even good? It doesn't deter combat at you. So doesn't this just backfire?

[DirkGently]

Sure it deters attacks against you - you're the only one who can keep back blockers. Plus bushido can make her pretty big.

Honestly she's still quite efficient. Compare Angler Turtle which costs almost twice as much,

[Dunadain]

Fumiko the Lowblood is sweet, she'd probably be my favorite forced combat option, but Thantis, the Warweaver has more colors.

👍👍

[Sinis]

I've seen Fumiko played in the 99 a few times, and it doesn't generally deter people attacking the Fumiko player, IME. I like that it doesn't just "goad everything." I think the card is playable to force other creature-oriented decks to make choices and progress the game without it being a cataclysm like it would be from Avatar of Slaughter.

[tstorm823]

Fumiko is a niche effect, as you want it in a deck that both wants the table to go aggro and also can keep the attacks away from itself,but when you have that kind of deck, this in the conversation for the best effect of its kind (I'm also an Angel's Trumpet fan).

[3drinks]

Saturday, February 24th, 2024; Counterspell|plgm

Just how good is the OG? We're still playing counterspell in our decks, or it's gotten pushed out?

[3drinks]

I've seen Fumiko played in the 99 a few times, and it doesn't generally deter people attacking the Fumiko player, IME. I like that it doesn't just "goad everything." I think the card is playable to force other creature-oriented decks to make choices and progress the game without it being a cataclysm like it would be from Avatar of Slaughter.

Love doing a t1 Reanimate on the avatar. Let the fun begin!!

[Dunadain]

I was going to tell you all where on my list I rank Counterspell, but people got angry at me when I did that for Deadly Cover-Up.

Suffice is to say, it's pretty good, decks that are only running a couple counterspells might prefer alternatives, and cEDH decks will usually prefer 1 mana counterspells with drabacks, but any deck that wants reliable counter spells (aka, pretty much every blue deck I play) will at least consider this card.

There's also something I enjoy about playing the iconic version of an effect. I can't play Terror, Divination, or Lightning Bolt in 2024, but I can still roll up with Counterspell.

👍👍

[Igzex]

It's honestly still a fine card. A lot of commander players only think they really need to splurge on more meta picks like Flusterstorm and Force of Negation because of internet stuff like EDHRec and Youtube but you'd be amazed at how often this less than a dollar common card can still save your butt.

[materpillar]

Counterspells are the best removal in the format solving usually unsolvable all problem like Expropriate, Craterhoof Behemoth, Torment of Hailfire or Thassa's Oracle. If you're running blue you should be running at least a couple. Someone else is trying to win the game, Counterspell has got your back.

UU is a little rough for greedy multicolor decks. If you're going full cEDH it looks like there are better options, but short of that slapping it into your removal suite is never gonna be bad.

[pokken]

I stand by my opinion that Arcane Denial is almost strictly better in commander. I rarely get to the point I want counterspell these days. I like my easy casting ones like Memory Lapse even. or Delay or Ertai's Meddling.

[Mookie]

Counterspell is playable. Shocking, I know.

I don't think it is the 'best' counterspell for many decks, but it's still the gold standard, The fact that it is dirt cheap is a big plus in my book. Sure, Mana Drain is strictly better, and I would usually also prefer Fierce Guardianship, Force of Will, or Swan Song for a higher-powered table... but the mere fact that any blue deck can slot in this under-a-dollar common with 50+ printings and stop even the splashiest of bombs is pretty healthy for the format, IMO. I don't think it goes in every deck that can play it, but it's always a reasonable starting point - even if it's sometimes 'wrong' to play it, it's rarely that wrong.

[Toshi]

I wouldn't necessarily compare Counterspell to Mana Drain, Force of Will and the likes, as most metas don't really need that type of power or rarely see anyone splashing that much money.

Among cheap-ish Counterspells, it is to day a reliable piece of interaction, if double blue pips isn't much of a problem for your deck.
Arcane Denial, Delay, Memory Lapse and Remand would complete my top5 of non-restrictive counters on a cheap. Considering their downsides and all of them not needing double pips, Arcane Denial might actually be the best of them.

Sure there are An Offer You Can't Refuse, Flusterstorm, Negate, Swan Song and the likes, but especially if the power level isn't over the top, i prefer my interaction to be sturdy rather than mana efficient but somewhat limited.

Bottom line, Counterspell is still up there, even in high power metas, but especially everywhere below that.

[RxPhantom]

I agree with @pokken about Arcane Denial, but there's a clean elegance to Counterspell; no caveats, no provisos, just a clean "no."

[DirkGently]

Rankings are kinda pointless since it is very meta-dependent...flusterstorm is meh in normal commander but cEDH plays it. But as far as a generic list goes, I'd say it's definitely behind Arcane Denial and Mana Drain, usually behind Force of Will and Force of Negation depending on meta, and probably pretty equal with An Offer You Can't Refuse? Mindbreak Trap and Wash Away are also interesting...

Anyway, it's definitely still up there. They push the envelope with removal a fair bit, but most of the best counterspells are still the old ones. And obviously a lot of the better options are budget unfriendly.

people got angry at me when [...]I can't play [...] Lightning Bolt in 2024

Lightning bolt is a completely viable card

[RxPhantom]

Lightning bolt is a completely viable card

Agree. Similarly, I run Lightning Helix in General Ferrous Rokiric. Originally, I put it in there because it's a cheap spell that will get me a 4/4 body, thinking that it'll sometimes have a good target. But it always has a good target.

[3drinks]

Sunday, February 25th, 2024; Cloudstone Curio

So now that everyone's fave combo piece isn't $45usd, what do we think of it?

[3drinks]

Rankings are kinda pointless since it is very meta-dependent...flusterstorm is meh in normal commander but cEDH plays it. But as far as a generic list goes, I'd say it's definitely behind Arcane Denial and Mana Drain, usually behind Force of Will and Force of Negation depending on meta

I never thought I'd see the day where Mana Drain fell below Force of Will's price point and both would be near Force of Negation. Fascinating.

people got angry at me when [...]I can't play [...] Lightning Bolt in 2024

Lightning bolt is a completely viable card

Proud of having killed a player with lightning bolt in multiple occasions. Still trying to get a K-Command kill.

[Dunadain]

Degenerate combo garbo.

👎👎

[DirkGently]

Yeah fr screw this stupid card. No one has ever used this thing for good.

I never thought I'd see the day where Mana Drain fell below Force of Will's price point and both would be near Force of Negation. Fascinating.

Get ready to extra-blow-your-mind when you see the price of Mindbreak Trap compared to Mana Drain and Force of Will.

[Hermes_]

people got angry at me when [...]I can't play [...] Lightning Bolt in 2024

Lightning bolt is a completely viable card

Proud of having killed a player with lightning bolt in multiple occasions. Still trying to get a K-Command kill.

I made the mistake of asking why another player runs bolt and well now he kills me with it every chance he can

As for today's card..I don't own one and have no clue about it being a combo piece.

[Igzex]

Oh hey one of those cards that essentially tell the table exactly what you are planning to do and that by casting this card you have forfeited your right to complain when we kill you.

[3drinks]

Idk, I used it pretty fairly in Kaalia, Zenith Seeker. Did what it said on the tin.

[materpillar]

Oh hey one of those cards that essentially tell the table exactly what you are planning to do and that by casting this card you have forfeited your right to complain when we kill you.

This sums up my opinion perfectly.

Idk, I used it pretty fairly in Kaalia, Zenith Seeker. Did what it said on the tin.

Sure, it technically can be used fairly. It's much better practice to aggressively murder whoever cast this, looking at their deck after the game and then apologizing afterwards. Then, making an exception to the above rule for specifically that player in future games .

[Dragonlover]

Yeah I use this to kill tables in Lathliss. Being able to use the token Lathliss makes to bounce the dragon that triggered Lathliss is a wild state of affairs.

Dragonlover